Hello Vet! How are you?

Cocker’s Desperate Plea for Rescue.

Although it was a very faint and powerless bark, to Lee Joon, who had been on alert since Cocker’s arrival, it resonated deeply.

“Just as I thought!”

Lee Joon’s expression turned icy as he realized his unlikely suspicion was correct.

At that moment, following Lee Joon reluctantly, cocker flinched.

“This guy is quite perceptive.”

Seeing that Cocker instantly noticed Lee Joon’s change in demeanor, it was clear he was well-versed in reading people.

Lee Joon quickly softened his expression and spoke to Cocker.

“It’s okay. It won’t hurt, so don’t worry.”

Instinctively, he reached out to comfort the trembling Cocker, who had his head hung low.

However, Lee Joon retracted his hand before touching Cocker.

He thought his gesture might be perceived as violence by the already scared Cocker.

“If I touch him now, he’ll think I’m going to hit him.”

With that in mind, Lee Joon sent a glance to Kkamnyang, conveying his message with his eyes.

“You reassure him.”

Having understood Cocker’s words, Kkamnyang spoke to him.

『Go in without worry.』
『Yes, that’s right. If you tell our hyung, he’ll help you!』

The person the cats referred to was undoubtedly the vet who was guiding him.

Cocker stared at the person in the white coat walking ahead.

『The vet can’t understand me…』

For the past five years, whenever Cocker visited an animal clinic, he always pleaded with the vet to save him.

However, not a single vet had ever heeded his request.

Realizing that even asking the cat for help was futile, cocker’s already droopy eyes sunk even lower.

With a mopish expression, cocker trudged into the examination room, where Lee Joon said at the entrance.

“Dr. Go, could you please bring the medical history form once you’ve completed the initial consultation with the guardian?”

Go Gijin, who was following Lee Joon into the examination room, turned back to look at the guardian.

The guardian, who was texting on a phone while sipping coffee, seemed uninterested in what was happening.

There were so many questions to ask, especially since it was an initial consultation for treating a skin disease.

Questions about diet, how the fur was dried after a bath, and so on.

But looking at the guardian, it seemed unlikely he’d step into the examination room to answer those.

“Alrighty. Leave it to me.”

Go Gijin took the questionnaire to the guardian, while Lee Joon entered the examination room with Cocker.

Lee Joon hadn’t just left the interrogation to Go Gijin to converse comfortably with Cocker.

Talking with Cocker would inevitably bring up stories of abuse, and given Go Gijin’s personality, he’d likely react rashly.

“That rascal Gijin would probably grab the guardian by the collar.”

Though Go Gijin could easily subdue the guardian with his strength, that wasn’t the important issue right now.

When discovering an abused animal, one had to report it to the relevant local government or animal protection facility.

If Lee Joon had directly witnessed the abuse, he could have secured evidence and reported it immediately.

However, in the current situation, Lee Joon’s method was to gather evidence of suspected abuse.

“I need to secure evidence of abuse. Even if there’s a fracture mark, I’ll see.”

Lee Joon resolved not to return Cocker to that guardian.

“Cocker, what’s your name?”

『…… Aji.』

“Aji. That’s a cute name.”

Cocker, now Aji, widened his eyes suddenly.

『How, how do you know my name?』

“You just told me.”

『Well, that’s true, but……』

“Do you remember what Gray one said? That he’d help you if you told me.”

『Yes.』

Cocker—Aji slowly nodded.

“Alright, Aji. Do you want to tell me what’s troubling you?”

『Trouble?』

“Yes, but before that, let’s weigh you first.”

Those who abuse animals would never provide adequate food.

Holding Aji to weigh him, Lee Joon was dumbstruck.

His hand sank into the soft fur and touched fragile bones.

‘It was all just fur.’

He was thinner than he could have ever imagined.

A Cocker of Aji’s size should weigh at least 9 kilograms.

After seeing the scale’s number, Lee Joon lifted Aji again and placed him on the scale.

‘I wasn’t mistaken.’

The weight remained unchanged from the first measurement.

6.3 kilograms.

‘How starved was he?’

Lee Joon clamped his teeth tightly, looking at Aji.

As if retreating into a shell, like a turtle, Aji hunched over and muttered.

『I’m sorry. Please, don’t hit me.』

Clearly, Aji could sense the sharpness in Lee Joon’s demeanor.

“Why would I hit you?”

Lee Joon patted Aji’s head.

In response, Aji’s already tense body became even more rigid.

His posture pained Lee Joon.

Kongdori, Gray one, and Kkamnyang had all asked for more petting from Lee Joon before, but none had ever trembled in fear like this.

‘Just how badly was he beaten…’

Lee Joon gently rubbed Aji’s head.

Aji’s body was stiff as a board.

Even though it saddened Lee Joon, he wanted Aji to feel a gentle touch.

So, Lee Joon continued to softly stroke Aji until tension slowly dissolved from his body.

Eventually, Aji rested his head against Lee Joon’s hand on his own.

『…… It’s warm.』

Aji giggled, but his expression was comically awkward.

Because Aji had never had occasion to smile, the muscles used for smiling were likely unused.

Lee Joon embraced Aji affectionately, making Aji relax entirely into him.

A sign that he trusted Lee Joon.

Lee Joon gently asked Aji.

“Aji, the doctor will help you, so can you tell me where and how you were hurt?”

Aji began to hesitantly narrate his story.

How he was often beaten, starved, and even deprived of water sometimes.

The reasons for the beatings were numerous.

He was beaten for eating too much, for defecating, for urinating.

Sometimes, he was beaten for no reason at all.

The tiresome stereotypical pattern of animal abusers.

Hearing that Aji had been beaten even a few days ago, Lee Joon soaked Aji’s body with alcohol.

He wanted to check where Aji had been hit.

‘Though I want to shave away all the fur and confirm, let’s settle for this for now.’

With the bright light shining on the skin tightly covered by black fur, bruises in various shades of purple appeared on Aji’s body.

Lee Joon photographed every affected area with a camera.

Then he also took X-rays.

‘There and there are traces of fractures that healed.’

The bones had healed without surgical intervention, along with signs of fractures on the toes.

“Sssshh…”

How terrifying and grueling it must have been for such a small body?

Although anger surged within Lee Joon, he suppressed it with deep breaths.

‘I can’t let Aji feel fear. Now, what do I do with this despicable excuse of a person?’

After confirming the fracture marks, Lee Joon definitely didn’t want Aji to return to his original owner.

‘Ultimately, the only course of action is to report this… If I report to 112, someone from the police station will come, right?’

Looking at Aji, who appeared much more at ease than before, Lee Joon thought.

‘Seeking Representative Nam Gung’s help will be quicker.’

Initially, he considered simply reporting to 112, but upon reflection, it seemed best to resolve this matter swiftly.

Lee Joon sent Nam Gung-hyun a brief message detailing Aji’s situation.

A reply came back almost immediately.

– I’m looking into it, please wait a little while.

Shortly after, another text arrived.

– They said they’ll arrive within thirty minutes, so please hold onto him until then.

Upon confirming the message, determination flashed in Lee Joon’s eyes.

“Done!”

Sensing hope in Lee Joon’s voice, Aji tilted his head, his eyes sparkling.

Once again, he quickly grasped Lee Joon’s mood.

“Aji, the doctor will make you comfortable.”

『What does comfortable mean?』

Explaining comfort to someone who doesn’t know it was challenging.

Lee Joon simply petted Aji and gently said.

“You’ll find out gradually.”

After instructing Aji to wait inside, Lee Joon stepped outside.

“Sir.”

“Ah, is it all done?”

“Not exactly. Inserting a tool to drain the pus is difficult because the ear canal is swollen. So we’re waiting for the medication to reduce the swelling.”

Though it was a statement made to buy thirty minutes and keep Aji’s owner around, it was also true.

Aji’s ears were in such a deplorable state that it was astonishing he could hear at all.

The swollen ear canals were blocked, full of yellow pus, making it difficult even to apply ointment.

“Tsk, what a bothersome mutt.”

Seeing the owner’s dissatisfied expression, Lee Joon’s eyes turned cold for a brief moment.

He wasn’t the only one.

Go Gijin, jang Sora, and even the cats hardened their expressions.

Whether the owner noticed or cared, or perhaps noticed but disregarded, his complaints continued.

“Why does this mutt cost so much? Well, doctor, are these guys known for being prone to ear infections? Or is this one just particularly weak? Always ear infections, skin diseases… Ugh, not to mention the smell. Doctor, don’t Poodles smell less?”

The owner abruptly dragged Lee Joon into his conversation.

Yet, everyone present understood what words were missing from his comment.

“So you’re thinking of getting a Poodle next time.”

Lee Joon, Go Gijin, Jang Sora, and even the cats reflected discontent with the owner’s talk of getting another dog without properly caring for the current one.

“Is that how you care for dogs?”

Especially Go Gijin, whose face grew redder by the minute, Lee Joon gripped Go Gijin’s hand tightly, shaking his head.

A signal to hold back.

Lee Joon was restraining himself too.

“Let’s endure a little longer.”

With the thought of what was about to transpire, Lee Joon replied to the owner’s question.

“Any dog can be odorless and kept clean with proper care. The same applies to Aji.”

“Aji, that mutt?”

“Yes, with about two months of consistent treatment, he’ll be clean. Then there won’t be any smell.”

“Geez, two months. Just a money-sucking hippo. Maybe I should have gone with a Poodle instead… They shed less and didn’t smell as much back when I had one. But how much are black Poodles these days?”

Listening to the owner, Lee Joon understood immediately.

‘He’s a repeat offender.’

And a shrewd one at that.

Dogs with dark, long fur typically don’t show injuries easily.

They don’t reveal bruises even when beaten, or even bleeding.

Vets experiencing trouble with black-coated dogs grasp this issue, just like this man knowingly picked dogs for that very reason.

‘I absolutely can’t give Aji back to him!’

And he vowed that this man would never raise another animal.

However, that remained only as Lee Joon’s wishful thinking, unaccomplishable in today’s society.

‘If it doesn’t work, I’ll make it work.’

Lee Joon was determined to ensure that the man wouldn’t get his hands on another pet in future.

“Well, as we’re care providers, I’m not sure.”

“Is that so? Anyway, please finish treating that mutt quickly.”

With a look of clear annoyance, Aji’s owner seemed poised to leave any moment.

“We’re waiting for the medication to reduce the swelling before we can open his ear canal to drain the pus. It’s taking longer than expected.”

Upon hearing Lee Joon, the owner clicked his tongue and checked his watch.

“Are you busy? If so, we could wrap up here today. It’s a shame, though. We were so close to eliminating the ear odor…”

Lee Joon deliberately left room for longing in his words.

“Ah, is that so? Then please proceed with the treatment today. And the odor will really go away, right?”

“Yes, of course. But it’ll probably take another thirty minutes, are you okay with that?”

“Yeah, I suppose I can wait that long.”

Lee Joon called for Go Gijin as he returned to the examination room.

“Dr. Go, bring in the medical questionnaire, please.”

“Alright.”

Before Go Gijin arrived, Lee Joon had already informed Aji of Go Gijin’s return.

When Go Gijin entered the examination room, though Aji flinched slightly, he quickly calmed down.

Upon entering, Lee Joon showed Go Gijin a note with a warning.

– Whatever I say from now on, keep your mouth shut and show no reaction. Got it?

“Is there something up?”

Go Gijin inquired, but Lee Joon simply displayed another note.

– I said, stay silent!

Only then did Go Gijin nod in understanding.

“I’ll explain while you look at this.”

Lee Joon turned his gaze to the monitor, and Go Gijin followed his lead.

“This part here.”

Lee Joon pointed to a naturally healed bone.

“It was broken by a club, left unset, and healed that way.”

Upon hearing Lee Joon’s words, Go Gijin’s eyes looked ready to roll out of his head.

“What the… Hitting a defenseless animal?”

Even knowing he shouldn’t speak, Go Gijin couldn’t help himself after hearing such a detestable thing.

“Y-you crazy bast…. mmm-hm!”

Lee Joon quickly clamped Go Gijin’s mouth shut.

“Didn’t I tell you to keep silent?”

“Mm-hm.”

With Go Gijin finally nodding after his face turned beet red, Lee Joon released his hand and continued.

“If you raise your voice, that guy will rush in and take Aji away. Or flee.”

Breathing heavily, Go Gijin furiously scribbled on a piece of paper on the table.

〈That’s not right.〉

Understanding the consequences of speaking aloud, the violence of Go Gijin’s scribbles conveyed urgency.

“He seems to be a habitual offender. He hit Aji both yesterday and today.”

Lee Joon displayed previously taken photos of Aji’s side and abdomen.

Dark purple bruises covered Aji’s flank and belly.

“That crazy…. And that’s a sports-injured dog, right!”

Through gritted teeth, barely restrained words escaped Go Gijin.

While his urges were clear, Lee Joon added his own solemn words.

“He must face consequences. He has to.”

Vigorously, Go Gijin nodded, saying more calmly.

“I’ll go report it.”

“No.”

“Didn’t you say to report it?”

Misunderstanding his comments about facing consequences as instructions to report it, Go Gijin continued.

“I did.”

“You, you did?”

“Yes. So pretend not to know. Authorities will arrive soon, and meanwhile, you handle ensuring that man doesn’t escape.”

“Got it. Now that’s something I’m good at.”

“And don’t resort to physical force recklessly.”

Go Gijin reassured them, then exited the examination room.

True to his word, Go Gijin engaged Aji’s owner in prolonged conversation, buying time.

Precisely after thirty minutes, a series of cars drove into the Woof Woof Animal Clinic parking lot.

One was a police car, another wore the logo of the local district office, and another was…

“Huh? Isn’t that Senior Han Na-Hyuk? Why is he here?”

As Go Gijin blinked in confusion at Han Na-Hyuk’s arrival, Lee Joon was informed of the situation by the cats from inside the examination room.

“Dr. Go, could you please bring Aji’s guardian over?”

“Yes.”