EDR Ch 44

“Hyung, is it dead?”

“No, it is breathing.”

Ki-do and I held our breath. The little Shih Tzu, who was lying on its stomach, moved up and down very little.

“Why is it lying down every time I see it?”

“I don’t know. I took it to the vet, but they said it’s just sleepy.”

“I guess it’s just like you.”

We both squatted down, though we didn’t have to. I poked Wonsik in the back with my finger. It’s warm and soft to the touch. Ki-do grabbed my arm.

“Why are you poking it?”

“No, I was wondering if it is alive.”

“Is it able to eat?”

“If I put it in its mouth, it will eat it. Look.”

I ran to the dog bowl that was attached to the wall. I picked up 3 pellets of kibble and returned to Wonsik. Wonsik wiggled its nail-sized nose.

“If I put it in front of it, it’ll eat it.”

I pushed a pellet of kibble in front of Wonsik’s mouth. Wonsik sniffed with its nose and opened its mouth. Its pink tongue wriggled to grab it and it kept it in its mouth. But then it stayed still.

“Hyung, it is not chewing. Did it just swallow it?”

“Wait a minute.”

Wonsik stayed still no matter how long we waited.

“Shall I open its mouth?”

“Ah, your hands smell like dog food.”

Seol Ki-do and I were restless with the dog in front of us. Wonsik spits out the feed. Ki-do and I were startled and reached out for the food that had been spat out. The kibble was very moist. Ki-do quickly wiped his hands.

“Oh, shit, it’s dirty.”

“What? Did you say Wonsik has dirty saliva?”

“Then why are you rubbing your hands on me? Get your hands off me.”

Wonsik turned upside down. We turned our gaze back to Wonsik. Ki-do made a fuss about Wonik being cute and took some pictures.

“Hyung, let’s put it on the dog cushion over there and take a picture.”

“Why are you tormenting a sleeping child?”

“It’s softer there than the floor.”

I was easily persuaded. After carefully picking up Wonsik, I placed it on the dog cushion. Wonsik made a strange noise and dug into the cushion. It was really cute, and I’m glad I bought a cushion.

I carried Wonsik and its cushion to where Seol Ki-do sat.

“If you were going to do that, you could’ve brought the cushion first. Are you stupid?”

“Ah.”

Ki-do went to take a photo of Wonsik again. Whenever Wonsik tossed and turned, Ki-do and I made an awestruck sound. The tiny soles of its feet were so brutally cute.

“But why isn’t it eating?”

“Isn’t it because it’s still young?”

Ki-do seemed right. The vet told me to give it dry food now, but it was still three months old. However, the vet said it was okay to feed it dry food. It was a Mobius strip. I know it can eat dry food, but I wonder what it could pick up with those fish thorn-like teeth.

“Isn’t it okay to feed it? It eats milk and feed.”

“Is that so?”

No matter what I searched, the results said it was time for Wonsik to eat kibble. However, its teeth are small, its mouth is small, and its tail is small, but the kibble is too much like food for an adult dog. While stroking Wonsik’s forehead, Ki-do said,

“Let’s mix it with milk and give it a try.”

“Great.”

I ran to the kitchen to get dog milk. Ki-do grabbed the dog cushion and followed me to the kitchen.

“Why did you bring it?!”

“Ah.”

“Are you stupid?”

Ki-do carefully placed the dog cushion in front of the dog’s food bowl. I was very upset that Ki-do interrupted Wonsik’s sleep. And I, too, was waving a bowl of food in front of Wonsik.

I poured the dog milk into the feed bowl. It was like cereal. I said it was like cereal, so Ki-do told me to try it. I said I would eat it if he ate it first, and he said he couldn’t because he was an intelligent person. I stomped on Ki-do’s foot as I mumbled,

“Wonsik foodie, let’s eat.”

“Foodie? Hyung, do you always call it ‘foodie’?”

“You shut up. You’re in the way of Wonsik eating.”

Wonsik turned its body away. That was the end. I was worried. Then, I wondered what to do if Wonsik collapsed from malnutrition. Maybe it’s still sleeping? I took it to the vet yesterday, and I was told that Wonsik was quite heavy. The weight could be due to Wonsik drinking a lot of water. The water bowl was often empty.

“I gave Wonsik food at 1 o’clock, so it’s been 3 hours?”

Ki-do looked at the clock. It’s been 3 hours and it hasn’t eaten anything. Wonsik will become skinny. Doori, Wonsik’s mother, ate so well, but Wonsik chose to just starve. All of a sudden, sadness overtook me. What if Wonsik dies? Lee Si-hyun really likes Wonsik.

Come to think of it, Lee Si-hyun seeks Wonsik more than me these days. To be honest, I’m his lover, and Wonsik is a dog who lives in his lover’s house. Lee Si-hyun should like me more than Wonsik. Yesterday, I felt betrayed because the phone wallpaper was Woonsik. Until then, it was me. He’s a man of no consequence.

I tightly gripped the food bowl. Ki-do put his hands on my shoulders.

“Don’t worry too much. Let’s wait another thirty minutes and feed it.”

“Did it faint because it was hungry?”

“Maybe it’s just sleeping.”

The food bowl was emptied and filled with new feed. No matter how much noise I made, Wonsik kept sleeping without moving. After stroking Wonsik’s back with my fingers, I stood up.

Ki-do and I have been watching TV since then. I watched variety shows, soccer, and Baduk. Baduk came up while changing the channel. I have no idea. I asked Ki-do if he knew how to play Baduk. He replied that he had learned in elementary school. When I asked him to explain the one on the TV screen, he said he couldn’t because he had forgotten everything.

I fell asleep and it was 6 o’clock. I ran to Wonsik. Wonsik was lying on the cushion. Its food bowl is clean and empty.

“Hey, Ki-do! Seol Ki-do, wake up! The dog ate!”

“Really?”

Ki-do, who had been sleeping until then, rolled up to the dog. We knelt down like ancient slaves, staring at the dog bowl. Wonsik tossed and shook its tail. Ki-do grabbed Wonsik’s tail and said,

“I’m proud of you, you punk. Hyung will buy you something delicious next time.”

“Why are you Wonsik’s hyung?”

“Of course, I’m Wonsik’s hyung.”

“I am the father, you should be the uncle.”

“Is that so?”

“And Wonsik is a girl.”

“So I’m an aunt then?”

“What?”

Ki-do and I were silent for a while, and then we stroked Wonsik again.

“I’ll become her uncle.”

“Okay.”

“Then who is her mother?”

Ki-do asked. If you think about it, I feed Wonsik, I put her to sleep, and I clean up the poop. It’s normal because it’s my dog.

“Am I the mother?”

“You, hyung?”

“Mom and Dad?”

We stumbled into the swamp of nicknames for a while.

We decided Wonsik’s mother had to be Doori. I am Wonsik’s adoptive father and Doori’s acquaintance/older brother, and Ki-do is her uncle. I also tried to make Lee Si-hyun her father. But Lee Si-hyun only adores Wonsik, so I decided to make him an uncle. But since he’s also Doori’s uncle, I think the eldest uncle would be better.

Having sorted out our titles, we turned our eyes to Wonsik. Wonsik slept really well.

“Hyung, they say dogs like sweet potatoes. Next time, I’ll buy some dried sweet potatoes.”

“What snacks does Wonsik eat at home?”

Seol Ki-do and I immediately bought sweet potatoes for Wonsik that day and boiled them to feed her.

It was a little later that Wonsik, who became heavier than an adult dog, was prescribed a thorough diet.