Welcoming the Street Squirrel
I left the hundred-million-won custom-made bed Haetnim had ordered before heading out to the street squirrel in the bedroom and came downstairs, just as the pocket dimension opened. Two cotton balls shot out from inside and leaped straight into my arms.
"Had fun playing?"
"Beep!"
"Fun!"
"Oh dear, is that so?"
"Yeah!"
"Beep!"
The two occupying each of my palms started chattering away. I had asked Sun Wukong to play with them for a bit, and their stamina looked completely untouched no matter how I checked.
Thud. Thud.
While I was greeting the kids, footsteps echoed from inside the pocket dimension. When I looked over, a familiar face staggered out.
"Master, why do you look so haggard?"
Sun Wukong's face was drained with exhaustion.
"····You too."
"Uh····."
I didn't want to bond over something like this, but Sun Wukong and I really did seem to have a lot in common.
Pop! Pop!
"Beep!"
While exchanging glances with Sun Wukong and sharing a pitiful sense of solidarity, Dan-pung tapped my palm with his tail.
"Hm? What's up, Dan-pung?"
Dan-pung rummaged through something he'd wrapped in his tail and held it out to me. It turned out to be a pretty flower. A pink one, as if he'd picked it while thinking of me.
"You picked this for me?"
"Beep- Beep!"
"Baek Seol found the flower?"
"Yeah!"
They must have been busy playing, yet they still thought to bring me a gift. I felt incredibly grateful.
"Thanks, both of you."
"Good!"
"Beep!"
Dan-pung, the original reason for the trip, was already wagging his tail beside me, and I'd delivered the bed to Haetnim as well. Since I'd left the kids with Heracles, I could head back with a clear mind.
"Baek Seol, let's go."
"Yeah!"
Baek Seol pressed down on the air with her front paws.
When I opened my eyes, the familiar rooftop room came into view.
"Beep?"
"This is where I live. Compared to the tree you used to live in, it's tiny, right?"
"Beep!"
"Is it okay?"
"Beep."
Dan-pung wagged his tail as if it didn't bother him at all and looked around. I'd worried he might struggle to adjust after living in such a vast place, but it seemed my concern was unnecessary.
"Baek Seol, can you show Dan-pung around the house?"
"Yeah!"
Baek Seol hopped down from my shoulder and looked back. Dan-pung climbed down to the floor and scurried after her.
Watching the two of them move away, I noticed their bodies were covered in grass and leaves. They must have played their hearts out. No wonder Sun Wukong had looked so exhausted.
"You two are filthy, so I left the boiler on!"
"Yeah!"
When I called out to Baek Seol, who was hopping along, she answered right away. As always, her replies were the best among rabbits.
—Chik, chik.
"Hoo—"
Now that a new family member had arrived, I needed to make the place suitable for him. The house was still stocked only with things for Baek Seol. Unlike her, Dan-pung lived in trees, so I should prioritize getting him something to climb on first.
"Hoo—"
I scrolled through my phone and found a few articles about squirrels. They weren't as common a pet as dogs or cats, so there really wasn't much information. He was such a smart friend that I wasn't too worried, but since he'd trusted me enough to move in, I had to do my best no matter what.
"Aigoo."
When I stubbed out my cigarette and stood up, my whole body ached belatedly. I walked into the room to find the kids waiting for me in front of the bathroom.
"Time to wash the dirty rabbit and dirty squirrel."
"Fun!"
"Beep!"
Splash—!
"Khup."
I slipped my hand under Baek Seol's armpit to lift her up and check if she'd been washed properly, and the rabbit turned into a water bomb.
"Hmm, you washed up nicely."
"Yeah!"
"Next, Dan-pung."
"Beep!"
I set Baek Seol down and picked up Dan-pung. His water-soaked tail wagged.
"Let's see····."
Splash—!
"Kheup."
They really weren't kidding when they said you should choose your friends carefully. Now I had one more little troublemaker.
"Dan-pung washed up nicely too."
"Beep! "
"Rub rub!"
"Alright, I'll lay out a towel for you."
I spread a towel on Baek Seol's usual spot and turned on the fan. He scurried up and started vigorously rubbing himself dry. When I laid out a fresh towel beside hers, Dan-pung approached it, stared at Baek Seol for a moment, then began rubbing himself on it too.
"Beep!"
"Yeah, you're doing great."
The rabbit and squirrel were excitedly rubbing themselves on the towels. They probably thought of it as playtime.
"Dan-pung, rub your tail too."
"Beep!"
Dan-pung's replies were the best among squirrels as well.
I left the kids behind and went into the room to plug in the hair dryer. Warm air immediately flowed out. Thanks to the kids, water was dripping from the hair I'd barely managed to squeeze dry.
As soon as I turned on the stream, viewers flooded in as if they'd been waiting.
"I had a great time."
Even without seeing their faces, I could tell their mouths were hanging open in protest.
At times like this, I had to soothe the viewers. I couldn't forget that even when they grumbled, they always liked me.
"So what can you guys even do about it?"
While I was chatting with the viewers, loud footsteps echoed from behind.
Thud. Thud.
Right after the sound of something jumping, two fluffy cotton balls landed on my left and right shoulders.
"Did you rub yourselves dry?"
"Yeah!"
"Beep!"
"Shoulders?"
I turned my head to see a pure-white baby rabbit slumped over my shoulder. She looked sleepy after her shower.
"Baek Seol."
Following the viewers' words, I turned my head again and saw a squirrel with pretty brown stripes. Every time he opened his mouth, tiny fangs peeked out—maybe because he was from the streets.
"This is Dan-pung."
When I gently stroked Dan-pung's forehead, he melted against my shoulder like the neighborhood rabbit.
"Beep—"
"He's a street squirrel."
"Don't talk like my parents."
"Malgeum, I told you to change your nickname."
Between the flood of questions and the viewers' antics, I felt like I was losing my mind. The usual, comforting chaos.
"Ah, I feel like committing murder."
"Beep!"
"Dan-pung, did you rub your tail dry?"
"Beep!"
Pop! Pop!
Dan-pung wagged his tail in response.
"Beep!"
"Me too!"
Baek Seol on the other side suddenly pressed her front paws into my shoulder and bounced excitedly.
"You too, Baek Seol?"
"Yeah!"
"Beep!"
"Dan-pung too?"
"Yeah!"
"Beep- Beep?"
"Good!"
"Beep!"
"Guys, sorry, but when you both talk at once it turns into surround sound in my ears, you know?"
"My little fluffballs, want to eat?"
"Good!"
"Beep!"
Ding!
"Here, Baek Seol's food."
"Yeah!"
Baek Seol took the flower, sat on my shoulder, and started nibbling the petals.
Ding!
Clatter.
"Here, Dan-pung's food."
"Beep!"
When I placed a handful of sunflower seeds on my palm, Dan-pung climbed down my arm. He always stuffed his cheeks until they were round before eating, so this was the best way to feed him.
Crunch, crunch.
While busy stuffing his cheeks, Dan-pung picked up one sunflower seed and quickly shelled it.
"Beep!"
I thought he was going to eat it himself, but he held it out to me.
"Ah."
When I opened my mouth toward him, he placed the shelled seed inside.
Crunch.
It was so small there was no need to chew twice. I couldn't imagine how this would fill anyone's stomach.
"Thanks."
"Beep!"
"Eat!"
It was Baek Seol, who had been nibbling on flower petals. She had a habit of sharing her favorite flowers with people she liked. But since she'd always told me she was full whenever she tried to give me petals before, this hadn't happened in a while.
"Ah."
"Yeah!"
When I chewed the petal she pushed into my mouth, a fragrant yet slightly bitter taste spread across my tongue. If I refused what Baek Seol offered, she'd probably get really sulky.
"Wow, Baek Seol's food is delicious too. Thanks."
"Good!"
When I patted her head, she finally went back to eating.
"Once you're done eating, let's go to the market. I need to buy toys for you and Dan-pung."
"Fun!"
"Beep!"
Baek Seol always loved going to the market because the shop owners doted on her, but Dan-pung had no idea what a market even was—yet he still answered enthusiastically.
"Mountain valley's Dan-pung♪"
"Beep?"
Dan-pung, cheeks stuffed full of sunflower seeds, turned to look at me.
"Little baby Dan-pung♪"
"Beep!"
Dan-pung swayed his fluffy tail left and right to the song.
"You little rascal."
"Beep!"
"If you're done eating, let's go play."
