Hello Vet! How are you?

“Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness.”

Exclamations of wonder continuously escaped from Jamong’s guardian, who covered her mouth in astonishment.

It was because more than twenty cats were lining up to approach Jamong, rubbing against his legs with happy expressions.

Involuntarily, Jamong’s guardian took out her cell phone to capture this moment.

『Jamong. Thank you.』
『Thank you.』
『Ah, well, I just did what the teacher told me to do.』

Jamong, pleased yet awkward in this situation, stammered as he looked at Lee Joon.

Yet, he felt incredibly happy.

‘Hehe, ever since meeting Doctor Woof Woof, all I get are compliments.’

It was true.

Having lived not such a long life, Jamong often felt anxious.

This was because the gazes directed at him were always filled with discontent.

He didn’t understand what wrong he had done, but it was always like that.

‘All they did was sigh and shout at me.’

Then, inevitably, the situation led to moving to another home.

He was very anxious that it might happen again this time as well.

‘I didn’t want to part from my owner.’

Jamong really liked his current owner.

So he was extremely stressed at the thought of parting.

That stress caused him to wreak havoc in the house.

But then, a doctor suddenly appeared and solved his worries.

He was told that his owner would not abandon him.

Jamong was already pleased with just that, but now, he was even receiving thanks from the intimidating cats.

All of this was thanks to Doctor Woof Woof.

Overflowing with gratitude towards Doctor Woof Woof that welled up from the depths of his heart, Jamong beamed brightly as he spoke.

『Doctor Woof Woof. Thank you.』

Lee Joon, having received the thanks, smiled faintly.

‘The little guy no longer looks anxious. Still…’

Lee Joon shifted his gaze to Gray one, who was quietly watching from a short distance.

In Gray one’s eyes, there was a profound thankfulness towards Jamong.

‘He used to call Gray one scary senior, didn’t he?’

That meant Jamong found the cats here scary too.

Lee Joon patted Jamong’s head.

“It seems they’re now acknowledging you as a friend, so get along well with them.”

『That’s right, meow. You’re now one of us, meow!』
『Really?』

Jamong’s eyes widened.

『That’s right, meow!』

Jamong’s mouth hung open at Gray one’s words.

Becoming friends with such dignified and cool seniors was all thanks to Doctor Woof Woof as well.

‘I must remain loyal to Doctor Woof Woof.’

Just then, Jamong’s guardian spoke up.

“But why does that poodle look so lifeless?”

“Indeed, I’m concerned he might be unwell or something.”

Hearing that, Jamong’s eyes sparkled.

***

It didn’t take long for the news that Lee Joon was worrying about the poodle Strawberry to spread throughout Evergreen Park.

This was because Jamong spread the word every time he met a dog in the park

The dogs that Jamong talked to would then relay the story to other dogs.

『Hyung, have you heard the news?』
『What news? Are you talking about Doctor Woof Woof worrying about Strawberry?』
『That’s right, hyung, you already knew.』
『I’ve heard. Everyone is concerned.』

Standing beside them, Mong-i frowned as she joined the conversation.

『That’s why it’s bothering me since the doctor is worried. We can’t just sit idly by. We need to do something, shouldn’t we?』
『Right, it’s concerning. I saw Strawberry yesterday morning, and he didn’t even acknowledge me.』
『Aren’t you two close?』
『Yes, we’re very close. I was so happy to meet him after a long time…』

Mong-i’s voice gradually lost its strength.

『You must have been shocked.』
『… Yes.』
『That brother, he hasn’t been out for a long time, right? Could something be wrong?』
『I hope he’s not sick…』

Frowning, Mong-i’s expression grew even darker.

Ddangkong continued the conversation while watching Mong-i’s gloomy face.

『You’re thinking of sister Milk , aren’t you?』
『… Yes.』

Milk was a Maltese who used to live with Strawberry, and she was very close to Mong-i.

Of course, she was also close to Ddangkong.

Milk was one of the old-timers who’s always in Evergreen Park for ten years.

Milk passed away last spring.

It wasn’t a sudden death.

She was sick and gradually faded away.

Milk was 14 years old at that time.

『Sister Milk asked us to care for Strawberry well…』
『That’s true.』
『She told us to play well with Strawberry…』

A brief silence fell among the dogs.

Then, in the distance, they saw Strawberry walking slowly.

Suddenly, the three fixed their eyes on that direction and started wagging their tails vigorously, welcoming Strawberry.

Woof, woof, woof.

But Strawberry didn’t even glance their way.

“It’s been a long time.”

“Welcome.”

“Oh, your face looks so thin.”

Instead, their guardians acknowledged Strawberry’s guardian.

Reluctantly, Strawberry’s guardian walked over to their spot, and Strawberry followed slowly.

In any case, Strawberry had met the three.

Usually, Strawberry would have approached them excitedly, chattering away, but he merely stared blankly ahead.

Ddangkong asked Strawberry gently.

『Strawberry, why do you look like that? Are you sick?』
『Strawberry, are you okay?』
『Hyung, are you okay?』

With them calling out to him up close, Strawberry reluctantly nodded but that was all he did.

『At least you’re not sick. But is there something worrying you?』

Strawberry merely shook his head.

Once again, it’s answer was just a shake.

『I don’t know what’s bothering you, but hang in there.』
『But you’ve lost so much weight.』
『That’s right. Hyung. Is your guardian only giving you vegetables to eat?』

Ddangkong raised his voice at Kkakong’s comment.

『Is that true? That can’t happen.』
『I know what it’s like to starve. You shouldn’t have to go through that. Hyung, tell your guardian to give you food. If not, talk to our doctor. he’s gonna help you.』
『That’s right. Talk to the head teacher about it.』

The three expressed their concerns to Strawberry’s guardian.

They growled.

Growl, growl,

Roar!

“Oh my, why are they suddenly acting like this?”

“They must know that Strawberry’s mom brought sweet potatoes.”

“Well, dogs have a nose for these things. How did they know something inside the container? Let’s give them some treats.”

While the guardians were busy getting treats from their bags, Strawberry’s guardian spoke.

“I hope seeing others eat would make him want to eat as well.”

“He’ll eat. Just offer it to him.”

“Alright.”

As the guardians handed out treats, Kkakong’s eyes widened.

Strawberry’s guardian offered him a sweet potato.

『Oh? Hyung, it’s a sweet potato?』

For the three, sweet potatoes were not just mere vegetables.

Sweet and soft, they were the ultimate treat.

It wasn’t boiled, but rather fluffy and sticky roasted sweet potato.

『That’s interesting. So Boss isn’t starving after all?』
『Seems like it.』

Thinking it wasn’t what they had assumed, the dogs were puzzled.

『… Hyung Namul has gone to the feline star.』

Suddenly, Strawberry spoke in a soft voice.

『Namul? The cat hyung at your place?』
『… Yes. Hyung Namul passed away.』

“Oh no…”

Mong-i, being tender-hearted, welled up with tears.

Then she approached and gently patted Strawberry.

However, being small, Mong-i’s front paw only reached Strawberry’s front leg.

Mong-i, stroking Strawberry’s front leg with her paw, then hugged his leg gently.

『Stay strong!』

Ddangkong continued to console Strawberry.

Ddangkong’s paws too just barely reached Strawberry’s front leg.

Ddangkong patted Mong-i while saying,

『Good job, little sister.』

Kkakong followed suit.

『Hyung. Stay strong.』

The sincerity of the three reached Strawberry.

Slowly, Strawberry nodded.

『Why don’t you eat this? Eating will give you strength, won’t it?』
『Yes, Strawberry, have some.』

Encouraged by his friends, Strawberry reluctantly picked up a piece of sweet potato.

Chew, chew.

But he couldn’t taste anything.

Mechanically chewing and swallowing it, Strawberry then closed his mouth.

『Strawberry, why don’t you eat a bit more?』

Strawberry shook his head.

He simply did not want to eat any more.

The dogs urged him a few more times, but it was to no avail.

The three looked at him with pity in their hearts.

***

A few days later, Ddangkong visited Woof Woof Animal Clinic.

『Doctor. Can you help Strawberry a bit, please?』

“Strawberry?”

『The doctor had worried about Strawberry, and Jamong told me about it.』

Hearing the name Jamong, Lee Joon recalled the poodle he saw a few mornings ago.

“Ah, the poodle? That poodle’s name is Strawberry.”

『Yes.』

“So, was Strawberry someone you knew? Is he unwell? He didn’t look well.”

『It doesn’t seem like he’s actually unwell.』

Though he could be sick, Lee Joon focused on Ddangkong’s words for now, recognizing that there could be insider wisdom among the dogs.

“Really? Then is something bothering him?”

『The cat named Namul living with him has gone to the feline star.』

From Ddangkong’s mouth came the details about Strawberry’s situation.

Strawberry, who was the same age as Mong-i, had been adopted into a home with Milk when he was young.

He followed Milk like a mother, to the extent that you could call them best friends.

Milk was kind enough to take good care of Mong-i, whom she met in the park.

So when Milk was sick, all of the park friends worried and were saddened for her.

After a year, Milk passed away.

It happened last year, and Strawberry barely recovered after being in low spirits.

However, recently, the cat named Namul died too.

Experiencing such consecutive losses left him sorrowful for a long time.

『Still, back then he at least ate food, but now he’s gone so thin, refusing to eat anything.』

“Oh, my.”

No wonder the guardian had that expression.

Strawberry probably saw both Milk and Namul as family, but to lose family in one year…

Lee Joon reminisced how he wandered aimlessly after his grandpa passed away, and then when even Kongdori died a few years later.

Lee Joon fully understood Strawberry’s feelings.

The difference was that Lee Joon had only Kongdori left after his grandpa’s passing, whereas Strawberry still had his guardians.

“Is Strawberry’s guardian a friend of your owner?”

『Yes.』

“Alright, I’ll have a word with her.”

Lee Joon approached Ddangkong’s guardian, who was paying for food.

However, there were also two bags of food and a bunch of treats piled on the counter.

“You must have a busy schedule from the looks of all that food and treats.”

Lee Joon asked with a good-natured smile.

“Oh, no. Ah, could you pack those separately? They’re gifts.”

Lee Joon had a hunch about who might be receiving the gifts.

“By any chance, is there an animal nearby not eating well?”

“Sigh, that’s right. A friend of mine’s dog just isn’t eating at all, and it’s worrying.”

Her comment was exactly what Ddangkong shared.

“I’ll tell that friend to come here because I’ve heard the director understands animals really well.”

“I’ll follow up on this.”

A few hours later, Strawberry appeared at Woof Woof Animal Clinic.

His guardian mentioned she’d come based on a recommendation from Ddangkong’s guardian.

“I’ve heard the director here can really read the hearts of animals.”

“Ddangkong’s guardian was very concerned that Strawberry wasn’t eating.”

“Yes, Strawberry used to be a lively eater, but suddenly nothing seems to appeal to him.”

“I heard on the grapevine that Namul has gone to the feline star.”

Strawberry’s guardian’s eyes widened slightly hearing Lee Joon’s choice of words.

Not ‘died’, but ‘has gone to the feline star’.

These words alone revealed that the vet before her was very considerate.

Moreover, he seemed like someone who deeply cared for animals.

‘Now I see why I was told to come here.’

Feeling thankful to Ddangkong’s guardian for recommending Woof Woof Animal Clinic, Strawberry’s guardian replied,

“Yes, that’s right. When his sister was gone last year, he got somewhat better after a few days, but it’s been over ten days now and he still hasn’t bounced back.”

The guardian let out a long sigh before continuing.

“He’s curled up on Namul’s bed all day long. He seems so stuck there. I thought a walk might help, but it seems in vain.”

“My heart goes out to you.”

“I’m worried he might starve himself to death. Could it be that something is actually wrong with him, director?”

“Hmm, without running some tests, I can’t say for sure.”

Lee Joon replied honestly.

“Sigh, I suppose so. Initially, I just thought he wasn’t eating because Namul’s gone… I mean, gone to the cat star but with him none the wiser even now – it’s becoming really worrisome. I feel bad too since Namul went way sooner than expected…”

“Could I ask if Namul had some kind of ailment?”

“Namul had a heart condition. I was told it was congenital, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.”

“That must have been hard for Namul.”

“Probably. He didn’t show any signs, so it was discovered late. We only found out because we rushed to get him checked when Milk struggled with a heart condition. Thinking back, I regret it. If I’d caught onto it sooner, he might have lived a little longer.”

“HCM, or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, often goes unnoticed, so many guardians fail to catch it. No wonder it’s the leading cause of unexpected cat deaths.”

“The vet also mentioned that Namul was fortunate.”

Lee Joon never had a chance to meet Namul.

Never got to speak with him either.

But now he understood how to discern animals’ emotions somewhat.

Pointing delicately at Strawberry standing quietly beside his guardian, Lee Joon spoke.

“These creatures are ever so grateful to those who care for them. Namul sure was grateful to you.”

Lee Joon’s assurance struck a chord within Strawberry’s guardian.

Till now, she had heard similar words many times from folks around her.

You’ve done well.

Namul is grateful.

Such comforting words.

However, never had they resonated as deeply as they did now.

The way the vet said it made it feel like Namul was speaking to her himself.

‘I came here worried about Strawberry, but I’ve found solace.’

The guardian’s face, once clouded with worry, began to lift.

“I hope so.”

A faint smile graced her previously somber face.

“I hope Strawberry realizes it too. Strawberry was the first to see that Namul had gone to the feline star.”

“Oh… Strawberry must have been immensely startled.”

“Likely. I think that’s why. Unlike Milk…well, Milk was a dog we had before…”

She proceeded to recount stories about Milk, Namul, and Strawberry.

Lee Joon, having already heard the tale from Ddangkong’s guardian, patiently listened once more.

As her story drew to a close, Lee Joon regarded Strawberry closely and addressed her.

“Unlike Milk, Namul went abruptly to the cat star, so of course Strawberry was shocked.”

“You’re right.”

To Strawberry, Namul just suddenly died even when they were fine.

‘He’s been unresponsive when spoken to. Ignoring everyone who talks to him.’

With that in mind, speaking to him fruitlessly could be a given.

Should motivate him to show interest instead.

Animal clinic dogs typically wander around here and there.

However, standing idly with his leash off was Strawberry.

Lee Joon turned his attention to Strawberry.

“How thoughtful of Ddangkong to worry about you.”

Hearing Ddangkong’s name, Strawberry’s ears perked up and twitched.

Considering he hadn’t demonstrated any reaction before during the conversation with his guardian or Lee Joon, this was encouraging.

‘He still has some interest.’

Lee Joon got down on his knees to meet Strawberry’s gaze.

“Ddangkong was concerned you looked as thin as if you were only eating greens.”

Strawberry’s eyes widened in surprise.

『H-how did you know that?』

“How do I know? Of course, it’s because Ddangkong told me.”

『Really?』

“Yes, and he also mentioned Mong-i, Kkakong, and Ddangkong all sending their encouragement for you.”

Looking into his eyes, Lee Joon continued.

“So why don’t you tell me your worries? Whatever you’re worried about.”

Strawberry didn’t say anything and just walked slowly. Ijun followed behind slowly.

The guardian was about to follow as well, but stopped.

‘He mentioned understanding animals by observing them closely, so I should let him be.’

She quietly took a seat in the waiting area.

Strawberry, who had been walking aimlessly, opened its mouth.

“I-I… It’s all my fault Hyung Namul had to go to the cat star. It was me who sent him away.”

In response, Lee Joon’s expression softened.