3. Side Story – Hello, Baby

“…cough.”

He woke up to the sound of a low cough. He wanted to sleep a little more. He burrowed back into the blankets. He curled his neck as much as possible and tried to hold back the cough that was about to burst again.

Uselessly, the coughs came in succession, chasing away the sleepiness. Because he swallowed his saliva the wrong way, he started choking, and the coughing became more violent. Jaguar, who had been leaning closely against Ju-wan, snapped his head up. In the darkness, the animal’s bright yellow eyes shone clearly.

It seemed the animal had also lost sleep because of Ju-wan. He reached out and gently stroked its head. Jaguar, who had been silently receiving the affectionate touch with his round ears drooping, suddenly pushed his face toward Ju-wan. He seemed to have noticed that Ju-wan’s breathing was different from usual.

“Cough, cough.”

The animal was likely trying to look at Ju-wan out of concern, but as its whiskers touched the tip of his nose, a sneeze inevitably burst out. His throat, already irritated by the previous coughing, stung. His lungs felt as if they were surging up into his throat. It was painful whether he held the cough in or let it out.

“Ugh….”

Holding his throat, which had become dry from frequent coughing, he got out of bed. Jaguar followed Ju-wan ploddingly as he went outside. All the lights in the house were on. He remembered Kwon Su-hyeok getting out of bed early in the morning, but everything after that was blurry. It meant he hadn’t even been able to see him off properly.

His body felt heavy, like cotton soaked in water. At some point, his throat had started stinging and his head was throbbing. That was why he hadn’t been able to leave the bed all morning. Had he caught a cold?

He went to the kitchen and opened the cupboards one by one, searching for something. Soon, a jar of honey was found in Ju-wan’s hand. He remembered that Jeon Mi-nam had carefully chosen it when they went grocery shopping together.

He scooped two spoonfuls of thick honey into a mug. Then, he put water in the kettle and slowly sat down at the dining table.

Jaguar, who had been watching blankly, approached Ju-wan. Ju-wan grabbed the animal’s face and looked at him closely. For instance, he checked if there was any runny nose or eye discharge. This was because the cold symptoms had started after he went for a walk with Jaguar.

“Su-nam, are you okay?”

His voice lacked strength. Jaguar, who couldn’t possibly understand Ju-wan’s words, only twitched the muscles around his eyes. After confirming that the animal’s condition was no different from usual, Ju-wan let go of the face he had been kneading. Just then, the water finished boiling.

He poured hot water into the mug and stirred it well with a spoon. A sweet scent rose. He held the cup with both hands to feel the warmth, then sipped the tea once it had cooled to a suitable temperature. He felt his insides warm up and his mind become a bit clearer.

Jaguar, watching Ju-wan blankly, smacked his lips. Ju-wan burst into laughter with a bloodless face.

“What, do you want to drink this too?”

As he laughed, his voice suddenly went hoarse. No matter how many times he cleared his throat, his original voice didn’t return. The warm honey water was only a temporary measure; his throat soon became dry and stiff again.

Should he go to the hospital? Thinking this, he staggered toward the living room. As soon as he took a step, his head spun. As he collapsed onto the sofa, Jaguar jumped up on top of him. He leaned his body against the animal habitually. His breathing became quite labored. His body felt as if it were boiling.

He tossed and turned to get more comfortable, but the uncomfortable sensation didn’t improve. Every time something touched his skin, he felt a stinging pain. Panting heavily, he rested his burning head on Jaguar’s neck.

His mind was hazy. It felt as if his brain were boiling and his eyeballs were melting in that heat. Even though it was his own body, he couldn’t even hold his head up properly.

“…Sorry. I’ll just sleep one more nap.”

Rubbing his forehead against Jaguar’s fur, he relaxed the tension in his whole body. His consciousness felt as if it were about to scatter. He thought he might feel better if he slept deeply and sweated it out, but the headache made it hard to fall asleep.

After some time, he sensed a presence at the front door. Jaguar snapped his head up and became alert. When the door finally opened, he slipped out of Ju-wan’s arms and dashed to the entrance in an instant. The person entering the door paused upon seeing him. Jaguar, who had been crouching low, relaxed upon seeing the familiar face. The visitor was none other than Jeon Mi-nam.

It had been decided that Ju-wan would take full charge of caring for Jaguar from now on. Partly because company work had become busier, but mostly because Ju-wan wanted it more than anyone. Naturally, the number of times Jeon Mi-nam visited Kwon Su-hyeok’s house decreased. He stopped by a couple of times a week to make side dishes, do the housework Ju-wan hadn’t been able to do, and help with Jaguar’s walks.

Perhaps that was why Jaguar seemed more distant toward Jeon Mi-nam than before. He had allowed Jeon Mi-nam to stroke his head and touch his front paws, but today he pulled his head away to avoid his hand. He even turned around abruptly and walked away into the living room.

Jeon Mi-nam looked down at his hand blankly before entering the house. He felt a strange sense of incongruity because Ju-wan was nowhere to be seen. Normally, he would have come out following Jaguar.

By the time Jeon Mi-nam reached the living room, Jaguar was sitting on the sofa. Then, he saw Ju-wan collapsed beside him with a pale face. Something dropped heavily in his chest.

“Mr. Park Ju-wan!”

He shouted in surprise. He rushed to Ju-wan in one breath and abruptly helped him sit up. Ju-wan groaned softly. He seemed to be asleep, but his breathing was labored. His brow was furrowed, and his face was drenched in cold sweat.

He called Ju-wan again and shook his body. Ju-wan’s eyelids fluttered open. His once clear eyes were now clouded. The skin he touched was burning hot. He didn’t hesitate to feel his forehead. He was like a ball of fire.

“Are you alright?”

“Ah, Mi-nam….”

A weak voice leaked from his barely opened mouth. As the accumulated sweat trickled down, he let out a groan of pain. Even the fact that Jeon Mi-nam was gripping his arm tightly seemed painful.

“Your body is hot. Since when has it been like this?”

“When I woke up, my body felt a bit heavy. I’ll be fine if I rest a bit. Please don’t worry.”

“First, let’s go lie down in bed. I’ll contact the President first and call Teacher Baek.”

“No. Please don’t. Everyone will worry.”

“You are in a state where they naturally should worry. This isn’t just a simple mild fever. Now, get up quickly.”

Jeon Mi-nam practically forced Ju-wan up. Then, he supported him and took him to the bedroom. Even though it was afternoon, the bed sheets were not yet tidied. Just in case, he checked and found that the pad was not damp. Ju-wan staggered weakly just from standing for that short moment. He laid him on the bed and pulled the blankets up to cover him well.

Jaguar, who had followed the two, quickly jumped onto the bed and pressed his body right next to Ju-wan. Jeon Mi-nam checked Ju-wan’s forehead once more and stepped outside. Then, he hurriedly took out his phone and pressed a speed dial. The other party answered before the signal had even rung once.

What brings you to call, Mi-nam? Calling me first and all?

The owner of the relaxed voice was none other than Baek Do-un. Busy noises could be heard over the phone, suggesting he was outside. Jeon Mi-nam scratched his forehead and explained the situation.

“Doctor, this is the President’s house. I think you need to come here urgently.”

Why? Is someone else sick?

“Park Ju-wan is in bad shape. His temperature is high, he’s sweating a lot, and his breathing is labored.”

Is he conscious?

Baek Do-un’s voice changed instantly.

“Fortunately, he is conscious. But it seems he’s having trouble moving on his own.”

I understand. I’ll be there right away. It’ll take about 10 minutes. Until then, wet a towel and wipe down Ju-wan’s body. Hanging up.

Baek Do-un gave the orders unilaterally and ended the call. Suddenly, a series of fierce horns blared, and as the call disconnected, the noise vanished completely. Was he driving? I worried whether Baek Do-un would arrive safely.

Jeon Mi-nam immediately called Kwon Su-hyeok as well. Before long, Kwon Su-hyeok’s voice answered, asking what was going on.

“President, this is Jeon Mi-nam. I’ve arrived at your house, and it seems Park Ju-wan’s condition is poor. I’ve already contacted Dr. Baek. We’ll know the exact state once the doctor arrives, but…”

Park Ju-wan is sick? Where, and how much?

Kwon Su-hyeok cut Jeon Mi-nam off, pressing for details. Then, he quickly changed his mind and commanded:

Put him on.

He had apparently decided it would be better to hear Ju-wan’s voice directly. However, Ju-wan was merely suffering in silence; he didn’t even react when Jaguar licked his face. It was impossible for him to speak with Kwon Su-hyeok.

“It seems it will be difficult for him to take the call right now.”

I see.

Kwon Su-hyeok let out a deep sigh and unilaterally hung up. I couldn’t tell what he intended to do.

Jeon Mi-nam first went to Ju-wan’s bedroom with a towel soaked in water, as Baek Do-un had instructed. As the cold towel touched his skin, Ju-wan flinched violently and groaned deeply. I carefully wiped his face, which had become drenched in sweat in the meantime. The towel turned lukewarm almost instantly.

“Ju-wan!”

It was just as I thought I would have to rinse the towel again. The door lock clicked open, and Baek Do-un rushed into the house. Entering the bedroom, Baek Do-un immediately placed his hands on Ju-wan’s forehead and neck. He took a thermometer from his bag and measured the temperature accurately. It was over 39 degrees.

He opened his medical bag and took out the antipyretics and IV fluids he had prepared. It didn’t take long to give Ju-wan the injection and set up the IV.

“President, you’re here.”

This happened while Baek Do-un was wiping Ju-wan’s body with the towel he had taken from Jeon Mi-nam. The front door lock clicked, and someone strode inside. It seemed to be Kwon Su-hyeok.

Bursting into the bedroom, Kwon Su-hyeok was breathing heavily, his shoulders heaving. He looked completely frazzled. Once he caught his breath, Baek Do-un gave him a rough explanation of Ju-wan’s condition.

“He fell asleep after the injection. It looks like a severe cold. The fever should go down once he gets some deep sleep, but just in case, you need to check on him periodically. I’ll stay here until Ju-wan is back to normal, so keep that in mind.”

“What about the hospital? Is it okay not to go?”

“A man who wouldn’t go to the hospital even if he were dying can’t stand it when his lover is sick, I see. With the current symptoms, I don’t think that’s necessary. Even if we went to the ER, the treatment wouldn’t be different from mine. Moving him in this state would actually be more of a burden on his body. More importantly, was he fine when you left this morning?”

“He seemed to be sleeping in, so I didn’t wake him. His temperature is usually on the higher side, so I thought a slight fever was normal.”

“Sigh, it’s a relief Mi-nam found him. If he’d been left alone, he might have actually been rushed to the ER. Ju-wan should say when he’s sick; enduring it isn’t always the best solution.”

Kwon Su-hyeok didn’t respond, staring intently at Ju-wan. Then, as if hesitating, he reached out and placed his hand on Ju-wan’s flushed cheek. Instinctively, Ju-wan rubbed his hot cheek against the back of his hand. The stark difference in temperature made the fine hairs on his skin stand up.

Baek Do-un tapped the shoulder of the dazed Kwon Su-hyeok.

“Don’t just stand there, come out. Ju-wan needs to rest deeply. You too, Su-nam.”

Kwon Su-hyeok reluctantly pulled away his hand, which seemed unwilling to leave. Then, he grabbed the scruff of Jaguar, who had brazenly taken up a spot next to Ju-wan. Jaguar tried to resist by shifting his weight backward. He even rebelled, twitching his eyes. He was dragged down by force. Struggling as much as he could, Jaguar was pulled out by Kwon Su-hyeok. To ensure the beast wouldn’t bother Ju-wan again, the bedroom door was closed completely.

Jaguar sat stubbornly in front of the door, batting at it with his front paw. Eventually, even that was stopped, and he was dragged into the living room.

Jeon Mi-nam cooked some porridge for Ju-wan to eat when he woke up and returned to the office on behalf of Kwon Su-hyeok. Baek Do-un also left the house after strictly instructing them to contact him if anything happened. The house, now occupied only by Jaguar and Kwon Su-hyeok, became deathly silent. It was a natural scene a year ago, but now it felt too awkward and empty.

Kwon Su-hyeok sat blankly on the sofa, killing time in a state of helplessness. Because he had poured so much nervous energy into the situation, a sudden wave of fatigue and dizziness washed over him. He buried his face in his hands, let out a long sigh, and slowly swept his hands up to the top of his head. He didn’t know what state of mind he had been in while rushing here. He was told it was just a bad cold, but he couldn’t put his mind at ease. An unprecedented anxiety pooled in his eyes.

He didn’t shower, didn’t change his clothes, didn’t quench his burning thirst, nor did he close his eyes for even a moment; he remained in his spot. He didn’t even turn on the lights until the surroundings became completely dark. Since all his attention was focused on Ju-wan, he didn’t dare do anything else. He simply waited and waited for Ju-wan to get better.

It was quite a long time before the firmly closed bedroom door opened. Kwon Su-hyeok’s gaze immediately flew toward the open door. Because it was dark, he could barely make out the silhouette of Ju-wan walking out slowly. Kwon Su-hyeok immediately turned on a nearby lamp. As the view brightened, Ju-wan leaned his body against Jaguar, who was lying nearby, and slowly sprawled out. It seemed he was trying to cool his body since the floor was chilly.

Unable to even open his eyes properly, Ju-wan tightly hugged Jaguar’s neck with both arms and rubbed his cheek wildly against the animal’s face. He looked exactly like a young child acting spoiled. Kwon Su-hyeok approached him and knelt on one knee. Then, he placed the back of his hand on Ju-wan’s forehead and cheek in succession.

Perhaps thanks to the antipyretics, the fever had definitely subsided compared to the afternoon. However, he couldn’t be entirely relieved even with a slight fever.

“It would be better to rest more. Don’t do this here, go back inside.”

“…Mmm.”

Ju-wan only shook his head and burrowed deeper into Jaguar’s embrace. Kwon Su-hyeok tried to pull him up by the arm, but he stubbornly resisted.

Jaguar wrinkled his nose and growled at Kwon Su-hyeok, who repeatedly tried to separate him from Ju-wan. At that, Kwon Su-hyeok’s gaze, which hadn’t left Ju-wan for a second, fixed on the beast. The animal had become remarkably sensitive lately. Perhaps he considered Ju-wan as his own cub; whenever someone tried to touch him, he would often bare his teeth, no matter if the opponent was Kwon Su-hyeok.

Kwon Su-hyeok reached out and gently stroked Jaguar’s head. The beast, who had been receiving the touch with his ears drooping, belatedly pulled his head away. The tail that had been wagging slowly also stopped moving.

“I like it here. It’s comfortable,” Ju-wan mumbled in an infinitely languid voice.

Kwon Su-hyeok let out a low sigh and stood up. He went straight to the bedroom and brought out a blanket. Then, he covered Ju-wan carefully with it. The tension in Ju-wan’s face completely vanished, and he began to breathe in a steady, rhythmic pattern. Consequently, his body began to heave gently.

Kwon Su-hyeok sat leaning against the opposite side and gazed endlessly at his now-relaxed face. Seeing him look more comfortable than before, he finally felt at ease. A faint smile had pooled on his face, which had been full of fatigue.

“Sleep well.”

He murmured softly, knowing Ju-wan couldn’t hear him. Jaguar, who hadn’t fallen asleep yet, stared at Kwon Su-hyeok and tilted his head.

“Don’t be sick again.”

The voice, filled with sincerity, vibrated softly through the air. As if by magic, Ju-wan’s face softened.

* * *

“Ju-wan, let me take your temperature.”

Baek Do-un, who visited early in the morning, immediately held out the thermometer. Though he looked better just by his complexion, it seemed best to be sure. Even for a simple cold, it had to be caught early to avoid suffering.

When Baek Do-un patted the spot next to him, Ju-wan scurried over and sat there. With his cheeks still flushed red from the remaining slight fever, he was acting like a little chick. Watching the two of them, Kwon Su-hyeok hurriedly gulped down his coffee. If he didn’t, a laugh would surely escape.

The thermometer emitted its characteristic beep. Accordingly, Baek Do-un removed the thermometer from Ju-wan’s ear. It was 37.2 degrees. A slight fever remained, but there should be no major problem in going about his usual routine.

“The fever has gone down for now, but if you feel dizzy or have trouble breathing again, tell me immediately.”

“Yes.”

“Even if you don’t have much of an appetite for a while, make sure to eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, and meat.”

“Yes.”

“Then shall we eat first? I’m hungry.”

Baek Do-un entered the kitchen with Ju-wan. On the dining table, the breakfast Jeon Mi-nam had prepared was neatly set. It was a textbook diet, balanced with carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and vitamins.

“If your stomach is still uncomfortable, I’ll change it to porridge for you.”

“No. I think I can eat. Thank you for the meal.”

“I’ll enjoy it too, Mi-nam,” Baek Do-un greeted, already putting a spoonful of rice in his mouth. Saying it was delicious, he even placed some of the side dishes he was eating into Ju-wan’s bowl.

“By the way, where’s Su-nam?”

While filling his stomach, Baek Do-un questioned Jaguar’s absence. He had been so focused on Ju-wan’s condition that he hadn’t noticed the beast was missing.

“Su-nam is still in bed. I guess Su-nam wants to sleep in sometimes too.”

“Su-nam sleeping in?”

That was unexpected. Although Jaguar enjoyed naps occasionally, he always woke up on time in the morning. Could he have lost sleep worrying about the sick Ju-wan?

Just as he was wondering, a heavy thud was heard from inside the bedroom. The following footsteps were also heavy. The eyes of the four people simultaneously turned toward the opening bedroom door.

Soon, Jaguar squeezed through the gap in the door. He looked as if he hadn’t fully woken up. It occurred to them that he might have fallen off the bed rather than jumped off it a moment ago.

Jaguar headed slowly toward the living room. The place where he eventually sprawled out on his belly was not the sofa he loved so much, but the floor. There wasn’t a trace of vitality in the way he lay on the floor.

Jeon Mi-nam took out a fresh piece of meat and approached Jaguar. Then, he tossed the piece of meat near the beast’s snout. Normally, the animal would have pounced immediately, but today he only twitched his eyes and didn’t budge. It was rare for him to show such a lukewarm attitude in front of food.

“What’s wrong, Su-nam?”

It was just as Ju-wan wondered about Jaguar’s strange behavior. Suddenly, the beast’s large body heaved as he coughed violently. Then, smacking his lips, he slowly rolled over. However, he soon unleashed a series of strong coughs that made his entire body shake from head to tail.

Baek Do-un and Ju-wan approached Jaguar without needing to decide who would go first. Ju-wan cradled Jaguar’s limp head with both hands. Perhaps exhausted by the continuous coughing, Jaguar simply lay there quietly, his limbs sagging. Seeing him even with a runny nose, a sense of dread washed over Ju-wan.

“Doctor. Could Su-nam have caught it from me?”

“I’m not sure. I’m not a veterinarian, so I don’t know for certain, but it does look like a cold. The runny nose, the coughing, and the lack of energy.”

“He was fine until yesterday…”

“I know a vet, so I’ll ask them to come and take a look. They specialize in wild animals, so I’ve asked them for urgent favors before whenever Su-nam was sick.”

Baek Do-un immediately took out his phone and searched for the veterinarian’s contact information. Ju-wan looked pitifully at Jaguar, who lay listlessly and refused to move. If he had really given Jaguar a cold… his heart felt infinitely heavy.

“It is a cold.”

The veterinarian finished the simple examination and took off the gloves. Although he had expected it to some extent, the fact that it really was a cold made Ju-wan’s expression look quite gloomy. He continuously stroked Jaguar’s body, which was heaving with difficulty as if breathing were a struggle. Meanwhile, the vet gave the animal an injection in the rump. Despite the sharp pain, Jaguar just remained sprawled out without much reaction.

“It’s not at a serious level. He’ll recover quickly if he eats well and rests. He’s a healthy fellow with great stamina. Guardian, please don’t worry too much.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Baek Do-un went to see the veterinarian out as he packed his bag. The sound of the two exchanging greetings could be heard from outside the bedroom.

“Thank you as always.”

“When else would I get to examine Jaguar? Please call me again if you need me. Well then.”

“Yes, get home safely.”

The front door opened and then closed again. Baek Do-un returned to the bedroom.

With a depressed expression, Ju-wan continued to pat and caress Jaguar. Jaguar, who had been breathing heavily with a look of exhaustion, slowly closed his eyes. Even after the beast fell asleep, Ju-wan continued to massage his legs and stroke his neck, forehead, and back.

Watching this from behind, Baek Do-un tapped Ju-wan’s slumped shoulder. Ju-wan looked up at Baek Do-un with a face full of worry.

“Why are you so down? It’s not like our Su-nam has some major illness. They said he’ll be fine soon if he rests and eats well. Stop fiddling with him and get up. Su-nam will wake up because it’s uncomfortable. What should we have for lunch?”

Baek Do-un, who was about to head to the kitchen saying Mi-nam had prepared something, stopped and looked back. This was because Ju-wan, who would usually have followed silently, was still sitting in his spot. Ju-wan was still looking at Jaguar with pity.

“I feel like I know too little about Su-nam. Even though Su-nam is still a baby, he comforts me and shares his body heat, but I have nothing to do for him. I want to take good care of him for the rest of his life, but I don’t know what to do or how.”

It was only natural. Jaguars were animals that could not naturally breed in Korea. Knowledge accumulated from long experience, like that for dogs, cats, or even cows and pigs, was extremely rare. Even outside of Korea, the number of people who kept jaguars as pets would be very small. Because of that, there were limits to understanding their habits.

Now that Jaguar was sick, he seemed to feel the lack of information and the resulting anxiety more acutely. While it was just a simple cold now, he seemed overwhelmed by what to do if a more serious problem arose.

Baek Do-un brought his laptop and sat next to Ju-wan again. Turning on the power himself, he suggested a solution.

“How about this? You know, they say there are various communities on the internet. People with unique tastes gather to share information and consult about their worries. If you look carefully, there are probably people living with rare pets like yours. Wouldn’t talking to them ease your anxiety? You could even make some friends in the process; I think it would be good.”

“An internet community?”

“Yeah. Try looking for something like a membership-based cafe.”

Ju-wan accessed the internet as Baek Do-un instructed. After logging into a pre-made account, he typed ‘Jaguar’ into the internet cafe search bar. More results appeared than expected. However, most of them were clubs for imported cars of the same name.

After pondering the right search term, Ju-wan searched for ‘rare pets.’ Then, three or four cafes appeared.

Unfortunately, most of them had ceased operations or had fewer than ten members, making them inactive. Ju-wan clicked on a cafe that had a new post uploaded recently.

A moment later, the screen shifted, and a large photo of a deer wearing chair-leg protectors on all four legs appeared. Ju-wan and Baek Do-un’s eyes widened.

“Wow, someone raises a deer?”

They exclaimed in admiration. This was despite the fact that they themselves were living with a jaguar.

Dazed, they entered the photo board. A line of photos of pets that defied imagination followed. From someone who had undergone major renovations to raise the largest freshwater fish in their house, to someone complaining that the third of four flea brothers had completely disappeared. The species and sizes of the pets were diverse.

“Our Su-nam is just a cat when he’s here, isn’t he?”

“…I guess so. It’s truly amazing. I wonder if all of this is real?”

“Well, you’ll find out if it’s real or not once you start interacting, right? If it is, you’ll be able to get the information you want, Ju-wan. Now, hurry up and sign up.”

Baek Do-un pressed the sign-up button on his own whim. Seeing Ju-wan hesitating while staring blankly at the registration window, Do-un kindly entered a nickname for him. The input was ‘Su-nam’s Hyung Su-hyeok,’ but when he pressed the complete registration button, the nickname was displayed as ‘Su-nam’s Hyung-su.’ He thought he had seen a notice saying nicknames should not exceed five characters. Since it wasn’t a terribly wrong term, he proceeded as is.

“Now, write your introductory post. It says you have to upload a photo to be promoted to a full member.”

Baek Do-un encouraged him, placing Ju-wan’s hand on the keypad. Then, he quickly skipped off to the kitchen to prepare lunch.

Ju-wan stared blankly at the stark white input window. He felt a sense of helplessness, as if he were floating in a white void. He was confused about how to start the greeting and whether this was truly a good idea.

Suddenly, he shifted his gaze to Jaguar. Seeing the creature panting heavily because of him, a surge of determination rose within him. After letting out a long breath, he carefully began to tap the keypad.

* * *

“What have you been doing for so long?”

Kwon Su-hyeok expressed his curiosity as he sat down behind Ju-wan. From the moment he returned home until now, after just finishing his shower, Ju-wan had been sitting on the floor, staring intently into the laptop. If left alone, it seemed he might actually bury his nose in the screen.

Ju-wan took his hands off the keypad and looked back at Kwon Su-hyeok. Naturally, his shoulder brushed against Su-hyeok’s knee.

“There’s a cafe I joined when Su-nam had a cold last time. Mr. Baek recommended it. I wanted to know more about Su-nam, but there hasn’t been a proper way until now. There are many people here who live with special pets.”

“And you got the information you wanted?”

“Yes. Everyone seems to be very interested in animals. Thanks to them, I’ve learned more about Su-nam. Even though the pets are all different, it’s interesting because I can empathize with the anecdotes and worries of living with rare creatures.”

Hearing his name mentioned by Ju-wan, Jaguar reacted by fluttering his round ears. Ju-wan reached out and gave the creature a long stroke on the head. Jaguar leisurely rolled over to show his belly and played with Ju-wan’s hand. The cold symptoms had long since vanished. It was thanks to getting plenty of rest without overexerting himself, just as the vet had said. Perhaps the natural cold remedy he had made and fed him based on advice from the cafe had also worked.

Kwon Su-hyeok looked over Ju-wan’s shoulder at the laptop screen. A chat window was active, as if he were talking to a cafe member. The other person was asking Ju-wan if there was a regular meetup this weekend and if he would attend. Ju-wan hesitated to reply with a ‘yes’ and looked back at Kwon Su-hyeok.

“What is it?”

“Can I go to the weekend meetup?”

“I’ve told you repeatedly. Stop asking for permission; if you want to go, then do it.”

“Thank you.”

Ju-wan gave a slight smile and placed his hands on the keypad. However, despite his eagerness, composing the text didn’t seem easy. The other person kept sending question marks to the unresponsive Ju-wan. Becoming more frantic, Ju-wan completed a sentence riddled with typos, only to hurriedly delete it.

Watching silently from behind, Kwon Su-hyeok leaned forward and placed his hand over the keypad. Naturally, Su-hyeok’s chest pressed against Ju-wan’s back. Ju-wan stopped all movement and looked at Kwon Su-hyeok. In that moment, their ears softly brushed against each other. Up close, his face looked even more surreal. His heart pounded needlessly at the scent, which had grown deeper right after the shower.

“You just have to say you’ll go, right?”

“…Yes.”

Even as he answered, Ju-wan couldn’t take his eyes off Kwon Su-hyeok’s face. Su-hyeok shifted his gaze to the laptop screen and quickly tapped the keypad.

[Got it. See you then.]

If there was a problem, it was that the tone was extremely typical of him.

With that short reply, Kwon Su-hyeok closed the chat window and shut the laptop. Then, he scooped Ju-wan up onto the sofa. In an instant, Ju-wan found himself sitting on Su-hyeok’s lap. Su-hyeok cupped Ju-wan’s face and lightly pressed his lips against Ju-wan’s before pulling away.

“You can do whatever you want regarding the meetup or anything else, but for now, focus on me.”

He gently moved his thumb to stroke Ju-wan’s soft cheek before kissing him again. As he repeatedly overlapped their lips, he naturally laid Ju-wan down on the sofa and climbed on top of him. Ju-wan smiled as if melting and wrapped his arms around Su-hyeok’s neck. Facing each other, they rubbed their noses together ticklishly before kissing, neither knowing who started it first.

* * *

He arrived early at the cafe where the meetup was being held. He had heard they rented out the entire shop, and people were sitting around a large table in the center. The atmosphere was already friendly. A person who seemed to be part of the management approached Ju-wan with a bright smile.

“Are you here for the ‘Special Baby’ meetup?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t think we’ve met before, welcome. Glad you could make it. If you go to that table over there, there are name tags with nicknames on them. Please put yours on so it’s clearly visible first. We’re having a modest cup of tea before the meal, so feel free to introduce yourself to the other members.”

Ju-wan bowed and approached the table the manager pointed to. There, he found and put on the name tag that read ‘Su-nam’s Hyung-su.’ Another manager guided Ju-wan to the center table as if they had been waiting. The members, who had been laughing and chatting excitedly, began to notice Ju-wan one by one. Some gave a slight bow or a nod of greeting. Everyone had a friendly smile on their face. A sense of kinship seemed to outweigh any wariness toward a stranger.

“Hello.”

He bowed his head in greeting and took an empty seat. Sitting right next to him was a man who looked to be between his mid-thirties and forties. The man stared at Ju-wan, then shifted his gaze to the name tag. Upon confirming Ju-wan’s name, he half-rose from his seat.

“Are you ‘Su-nam’s Hyung-su’?”

“Huh? Ah… yes, I am.”

“It’s me. ‘Lion King.’ We’ve chatted often.”

An instinctive “Ah!” escaped Ju-wan. Indeed, he had received a lot of help from the man in various ways. Perhaps because they both lived with felines, it was easier to build a rapport than with anyone else. He was the one who had introduced the natural cold remedy.

A look of pleasure appeared on Ju-wan’s bewildered face.

“It’s nice to meet you. I really wanted to see you.”

“Me too. I was actually wondering why you hadn’t come. Shall we sit?”

“Yes.”

They sat side by side. Perhaps because they had interacted quite a bit, it didn’t feel awkward or uncomfortable despite it being their first time meeting in person. The man also maintained a friendly attitude throughout.

“I couldn’t ask before because it was too personal, but how did you end up living with Su-nam?”

“Um… the person I live with had him first. Since that person is busy with work, I’m the one taking care of him now.”

“Ah, so that’s why your nickname wasn’t ‘Su-nam’s Hyung’?”

The man accepted this without doubt, then muttered to himself, “Then why Hyung-su?”

“I originally wanted to write more at the end, but it got cut off because of the character limit. So…”

“Ah, so it was a kind of typo?”

The man laughed heartily as if he finally understood. With his gentle way of speaking and frequent laughter, he seemed to have a cheerful personality.

Ju-wan had a long conversation with the man. The man talked about how much trouble his pet young lion caused and how not a single day went by without an incident. Hearing that, Ju-wan became curious about what Jaguar was like when he was young. Thinking he should ask Kwon Su-hyeok when he got home, he listened intently to the man’s stories.

It was around the time his throat began to sting from talking so much. Suddenly, the man’s phone rang. After checking the caller, the man asked for understanding with an awkward expression.

“I need to take this call for a moment.”

“Yes. Go ahead.”

As the man left his seat, a female member opposite him offered some colorful macarons.

“Please have some of these. ‘BambiBambi’ made them herself.”

Suddenly, Ju-wan remembered the photo of a deer that had decorated the main page when he first entered the cafe. A woman with kind eyes like that deer was smiling brightly at Ju-wan from the end of the table. It seemed she was ‘BambiBambi.’

“Thank you.”

He bowed his head in greeting. He picked up a macaron and tasted it immediately. The harmonious texture of the crisp exterior and the chewy filling was interesting. The extreme sweetness quickly lifted his mood. When she asked if he wanted more, he looked up to find all the members at the table looking at him.

“Actually, we’ve met often. As you can see, we’re a very small, elite group. You don’t know how long it’s been since a new member like ‘Su-nam’s Hyung-su’ appeared. Everyone has been secretly spying on your posts and photos, wondering what kind of person you are.”

“That’s right. There were so many differing opinions on whether you were a woman or a man. Su-nam is so fascinating too… it’s the first time I’ve seen someone living with a jaguar. Lions or tigers are at least somewhat familiar.”

“I heard oil tycoons in the Middle East raise cheetahs or jaguars to show off; could ‘Su-nam’s Hyung-su’ actually be some third-generation chaebol?”

“Of course. Wouldn’t a normal house size be insufficient? First of all, they’re large, and they’re carnivores. Their activity level must be insane. Does he listen well?”

“Why is the name ‘Su-nam’? Is it a boy?”

“Uh, yes….”

He was quite flustered by the overwhelming interest. He couldn’t decide where or how to start answering the waterfall of questions.

The members waited with sparkling eyes for Ju-wan to speak. Unable to disappoint them, he explained everything step by step. The background of how he named him ‘Su-nam,’ his daily routine, food, personality, and even his unique intelligence. As he revealed everything one by one, it inadvertently turned into a bit of boasting. When he told the anecdote about how the creature once brought him a rabbit during a walk, all the members groaned, saying it was too cute.

Meanwhile, ‘Lion King,’ who had gone to take the call, returned. Instead of sitting back down, he approached Ju-wan and whispered in his ear.

“Su-nam’s Hyung-su, could you give me a moment…?”

Without knowing why, Ju-wan followed ‘Lion King’ outside. The man looked at Ju-wan with a very troubled expression. His eyes seemed anxious. Perhaps he had smoked a lot while on the phone, as a thick scent of nicotine lingered around him. Had some problem occurred?

‘Lion King’ scratched the back of his head, hesitated for a long while, and then spoke cautiously.

“Um, I… I don’t know if it’s okay to ask this of you upon our first meeting, but my situation is very urgent.”

“What happened?”

“I just got a call from my company, and it seems an overseas client I’m in charge of has requested to terminate the contract. I think I need to go there in person to find out what happened and why… but since I have to leave on a sudden business trip, I’m worried about the baby at home. As you know, he’s not in a condition where I can just leave him anywhere.”

‘Lion King’ looked completely devastated and flustered. Ju-wan could imagine how hopeless he must feel. If it were a small animal, it would be one thing, but his pet was none other than a lion. He couldn’t simply ask family or friends to look after him.

“I am truly sorry and ashamed, but could you please look after my baby for just one week? I will definitely compensate you!”

‘Lion King’ bowed his head and rubbed his hands together as he pleaded. It was practically a beg.

It was a difficult position. In his heart, he wanted to help as much as possible. The man’s situation seemed that desperate, and he had received a lot of help from him.

However, it wasn’t something he could decide on his own. He needed Kwon Su-hyeok’s consent. Moreover, a lion and a jaguar might fight over territory.

“Just a moment.”

Ju-wan asked for the man’s understanding and took out his phone. He had been meaning to contact Kwon Su-hyeok to tell him he was doing well anyway. When he pressed 1 long, Kwon Su-hyeok’s contact appeared. He immediately touched the call button. Before the first ring could even end, Kwon Su-hyeok’s voice was heard. A deep smile, which he didn’t try to hide and couldn’t hide even if he wanted to, spread across Ju-wan’s face.

* * *

“I wonder if he’ll get along with Su-nam without fighting.”

A subtle worry clouded Ju-wan’s face. He was on his way to ‘Lion King’s’ house to pick up the pet. Kwon Su-hyeok had told him to do whatever he wanted. In addition, he had sent Jeon Mi-nam along and provided a vehicle for transporting animals.

Jeon Mi-nam seemed accustomed to even driving the truck.

“Since both were raised in a home from a young age, it should be fine. They might engage in some instinctive psychological warfare, but once they settle their hierarchy in their own way, it’ll actually be easier, so don’t worry too much. If they keep fighting, we can just isolate them.”

“That sounds pitiful in its own way.”

While they were having their worry-filled conversation, they arrived at the address ‘Lion King’ had given. ‘Lion King,’ who had come out to meet them early, smiled broadly and waved both hands. After parking in a suitable spot, they got out of the car. ‘Lion King’ quickly approached and bowed.

“You actually came! Thank you. Thank you so much.”

“But I’m not sure if I can take good care of him.”

“You don’t need to worry too much. Nothing special will happen.”

“He must be very gentle.”

“Yes. He’s still a baby.”

Neither Ju-wan nor Jeon Mi-nam paid much attention to those words. Since Ju-wan still thought of Jaguar as a baby, he assumed it meant something similar.

“By the way, where is ‘Lion King’s’ pet…?”

“Ah, he’s right here.”

Ju-wan and Jeon Mi-nam simultaneously turned their heads in the direction ‘Lion King’ pointed. There were three or four mysterious boxes and one large basket. No matter how gentle a lion was, since it was the first time meeting Ju-wan, he had assumed a portable cage would be prepared.

Noticing their confusion and bewilderment, ‘Lion King’ opened the boxes one by one to reveal the contents.

“This here is formula. I’ve written the volume, feeding frequency, and how to mix it in the box with the bottles, so please refer to that. Over there are the bathing supplies. You can use them with Su-nam.”

“…Formula?”

Ju-wan’s expression became even more puzzled as he listened to the explanation. Then, ‘Lion King’ scratched the back of his head out of habit and walked toward the large basket. It might have been an illusion, but the basket seemed to be twitching slightly.

Soon, ‘Lion King’ lifted the blanket covering the basket and hugged something out of it. What he brought out was a baby lion whose size reached from an adult man’s fingertips to his elbow at most.

“Yes. These are the guys. They haven’t been weaned from milk yet.”

“What? I didn’t know he was this much of a baby… No, more importantly, ‘guys’?”

“Ah, did I not mention that? I thought I told you everything….”

‘Lion King’ looked as flustered as Ju-wan. Ju-wan personally approached the basket and fully lifted the half-open blanket. Inside, three baby lions of the same size as the one in ‘Lion King’s’ arms were tangled together, fast asleep.

“…….”

“…….”

Jeon Mi-nam, who had followed Ju-wan to check the situation in the basket, also froze in place. Of course, taking care of a full-grown lion would never be easy, but taking care of baby lions who hadn’t even been weaned was a problem on a completely different level.

Jeon Mi-nam and Ju-wan could say nothing and only stared blankly at each other.

“What on earth is all this….”

Kwon Su-hyeok, returning home late at night, was speechless at the absurd sight unfolding before him. Jaguar had come to greet him at the entrance as usual, but Ju-wan, who should have been beside him, was nowhere to be seen. Instead, on the entrance tiles and near Jaguar, two baby lions with short, plump legs were trotting around. What shocked him was that the house was a mess, with plastic containers and wet towels strewn haphazardly across the floor, and an unidentified powder covering the floor in a white haze.

“President, you’re home?”

While Kwon Su-hyeok hesitated to step inside, Jeon Mi-nam hurried over and gave a polite bow. A baby lion was dangling from the hem of his trousers. Kwon Su-hyeok slowly looked back and forth between the baby lions squirming at his feet and Jeon Mi-nam’s apologetic face. There were as many as three bothersome baby lions. He couldn’t fathom what had happened.

“…Where is Park Ju-wan?”

“He is inside.”

Only then did Kwon Su-hyeok take off his shoes and stride inside. Jaguar swayed his body flexibly, leading the way as if guiding him. A baby lion squirming near him tried to chase after, but its short legs were not enough. Before long, it tripped over its own feet and tumbled. Its plump belly hit the floor with a soft thud.

Barely avoiding stepping on the little creature, Su-hyeok arrived in the living room. The reason he paused again was that Ju-wan was lying flat on the living room floor, staring intently under the sofa. While repeatedly uttering soothing words like, “It’s okay, I won’t hurt you,” he reached his arm under the sofa and slowly pulled something out. It was another baby lion.

Ju-wan struggled to stand up while cradling the dust-covered baby lion in his arms. He was a sight to behold. His hair and clothes were disheveled, and his cheeks were smudged with formula and dust. Upon spotting Kwon Su-hyeok standing before him, he beamed a bright smile.

“You’re here now?”

“Don’t tell me… there are still more?”

“The babies? No. There are four siblings in total.”

“Four of them?”

“…I thought there was only one, but I guess there was some misunderstanding. Come to think of it, I never heard from that person whether the lions were fully grown or exactly how many there were. I just arbitrarily assumed there would be one. It felt wrong to say I couldn’t take them now… and since that person’s situation seemed so urgent, I brought them for now.”

Ju-wan explained the whole story without pause. He was passionate, as if trying to persuade Kwon Su-hyeok. However, when Kwon Su-hyeok showed little reaction after hearing the circumstances, he stopped talking and fell silent. Bowing his head as if he had committed a grave mistake, he gently stroked the baby lion that was clumsily struggling.

“I’ll take good care of them. I’ll look after them well so they don’t bother you, Su-hyeok-ssi….”

Before Ju-wan could even finish his sentence, Kwon Su-hyeok approached him. Then, he snatched the scruff of the baby lion that was repeatedly trying to escape his embrace. Pulled up by the strong grip, the baby lion suddenly became docile, as if intimidated. It let all the strength leave its limbs and remained still in Kwon Su-hyeok’s grasp. Thanks to that, its bulging belly became particularly prominent.

Despite having been seriously trying to persuade Kwon Su-hyeok, Ju-wan couldn’t help but laugh because the sight was too cute. He reached out and tickled the baby lion’s plump belly. A warm body temperature transferred to him. The feel of the downy fur was soft. It was so lovely that the atrocities the creatures had committed since arriving—scattering and hiding everywhere, spilling formula, stretching out clothes, chewing on shoes, and shredding toilet paper—were completely forgotten.

“See, they’re so cute.”

Ju-wan pleaded in a soft voice. After staring for a moment, Kwon Su-hyeok pulled him by the waist and leaned down. Then, he pressed his lips against the lips of Ju-wan, who was only looking at the baby lion. Because of this, the baby lion was at risk of being squashed between the two.

“Wait, just a second.”

Unlike usual, Ju-wan avoided the kiss and tried to set the baby lion down on the floor. Regardless, Kwon Su-hyeok planted haphazard kisses on Ju-wan’s forehead, ears, and cheeks. Jaguar also strolled over and repeatedly brushed his leg with his tail. It looked as if he were competing to get Ju-wan’s attention. No zookeeper could be as exhausted as he was right now.

“Ju-wan-ssi, I’m here!”

Baek Do-un burst through the door. However, there was no response from inside the house. Even Jaguar, who would normally run out at the slightest sign of someone’s presence, was nowhere to be seen. Looking down at the entrance, he saw shoes presumed to belong to Ju-wan and Jeon Mi-nam scattered in disarray. Even that sight felt out of place. This was because Jeon Mi-nam certainly couldn’t stand seeing things so cluttered. Had Jaguar played a prank for the first time in a while? He should be past that age.

Tilting his head, Do-un stepped inside. A rabbit poked its head out from Baek Do-un’s embrace. Twitching its nose and constantly looking around, the rabbit also seemed to find it strange that Jaguar was missing.

As he headed toward the living room, the sense of incongruity grew. The state of the house was a mess. Was something really happening? Perhaps a sudden attack by an intruder. Seeing the house unusually cluttered, he began to feel anxious.

Before long, something hit Baek Do-un’s foot. Pausing to look down, a baby bottle caught his eye. At a glance, it didn’t look like it was for a human baby, but rather for a young animal.

While he was turning the empty bottle, which still had a bit of milk left, over in his hand, he heard the sound of a door opening behind him. Baek Do-un turned around immediately. His eyes met those of Jeon Mi-nam, who was coming out of the bathroom. Despite having rolled up his sleeves and trouser hems, Jeon Mi-nam was drenched, even his hair.

“Mi-nam-ssi? What on earth happened to you….”

“Have you arrived, Teacher?”

“Is Su-nam taking a bath? Honestly, Su-nam. He was doing so well until now, why did he suddenly do this?”

Without suspicion, Baek Do-un identified Jaguar as the culprit of the commotion. At that, Jeon Mi-nam looked back at the bathroom door, saying it wasn’t like that. The breath he let out sounded like a sigh.

Baek Do-un poked his head through the gap in the bathroom door and looked inside. He saw the back of Jaguar’s head, soaking wet. Beside him, Ju-wan was crouching. He, too, was drenched, just like Jeon Mi-nam. They looked as if they had been caught in a rainstorm.

“Ju-wan-ssi.”

“Ah, Teacher….”

Ju-wan slowly turned around. Baek Do-un’s eyes widened. This was because a baby lion, whimpering because it didn’t want to be washed, was held in his arms.

“What’s that? What’s going on?”

Baek Do-un quickly entered the bathroom. As he tried to take the struggling baby lion, he glanced at the bathtub. Immediately, a scream escaped him.

Inside the bathtub, three baby lions were splashing happily in shallow water. He couldn’t understand how this situation had come to be. At Baek Do-un’s blank gaze seeking an explanation, Ju-wan looked at Jeon Mi-nam helplessly.

It was then. Jaguar, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly bolted out of the bathroom.

“Ah, Su-nam!”

He called out urgently, but the animal disappeared into the living room without looking back. A long trail of water followed in its wake. No doubt, water droplets had splattered all over the living room. Jeon Mi-nam hurried to grab a towel and chased after Jaguar. Ju-wan also went out, carrying the two baby lions that had just finished their bath. Before he could even grasp the situation, Baek Do-un followed the two of them, carrying the baby lions left in the tub.

As expected, Jaguar seemed to have shaken off the water from his fur vigorously. His fur was sticking up in all directions. Unlike him, the baby lions only shivered and couldn’t shake off the water properly. Ju-wan and Baek Do-un worked hard to dry their fur with dry towels. They even plugged in every available hairdryer to thoroughly dry the fur of Jaguar and the lions. It was as chaotic as if they were fighting a war.

“Ah, it’s hot.”

Baek Do-un leaned back deeply into the sofa and unzipped his coat. The rabbit that had been hiding inside hopped out. Perhaps because it had been living comfortably, it had gained quite a bit of weight. Moreover, perhaps because it saw Jaguar often, it no longer trembled in fear or intimidation as before. Instead, it fearlessly ran around Jaguar, who seemed to be in a good mood with his fluffy fur.

Ju-wan also finally caught his breath and stroked the lions. One fell asleep while being dried, and two played by biting each other and tumbling over. The last one repeatedly sucked on Ju-wan’s finger. At first, he thought it was a joke, but soon it began to whimper and fuss. It seemed to be hungry.

“They need to have milk.”

“I will prepare it.”

Jeon Mi-nam immediately stood up and went into the kitchen. Having done it a few times before, he didn’t hesitate and efficiently prepared five bottles of milk. Matching the correct amount of formula and the appropriate water temperature was a piece of cake.

Baek Do-un first received a bottle from Jeon Mi-nam, who had returned. Then, he pulled in and held the baby lion that seemed intent on melting Ju-wan’s finger. Supporting the scruff of its neck comfortably, he let milk drip into its mouth. The creature immediately grabbed the milk bottle with its front paws to steady it and sucked the nipple sweetly. The sound of gulping echoed sweetly in his ears. Perhaps feeling good from the milk, its hind legs and tail stiffened with strength.

As one creature worked hard to fill its belly, the others trotted over to Baek Do-un. It was part of the instinct to seek a mother’s milk. Ju-wan pushed aside the sibling that was eating diligently and pulled the baby lions, who were fighting to bite the nipple, toward himself. Then, he placed a bottle to each of their mouths. They obediently drank the milk.

Jeon Mi-nam also held the sleeping one in his arms and touched its mouth with a bottle. Even in its sleep, it firmly found and bit the nipple. It repeated the cycle of sucking the milk while moving its mouth and then sleeping. It was no different from a newborn human.

After feeding, they burped each of the five one by one. Having recharged their energy, the creatures began to roam the house again.

Ju-wan couldn’t take his eyes off them for a single moment. Whenever they got stuck somewhere or knocked something over, he diligently stood up to clean up. While doing so, he explained to Baek Do-un how he had ended up taking charge of them. Baek Do-un imagined how Kwon Su-hyeok would have reacted to this situation and burst into a hearty laugh, his Adam’s apple visible.

“Ahahaha! Kwon Su-hyeok, that must have been quite a sight. I should have seen that expression.”

“I felt really sorry. To Mi-nam-ssi as well.”

Ju-wan felt apologetic as he looked at Jeon Mi-nam, who was washing the bottles.

“It must have been certainly flustering. One suddenly becoming four. Moreover, they’re such high-maintenance young ones.”

“Yes. I was worried they might fight with Su-nam if they were full-grown lions, so I’m glad that’s not the case. I just didn’t know they’d distract us in other ways.”

“You shouldn’t underestimate them just because they’re young. There’s a reason people talk about ‘parenting hell.’ Still, whether human or animal, this age is the cutest.”

“They really are cute. Even when they cause trouble, they’re just adorable.”

Baek Do-un and Ju-wan enjoyed a moment of leisure, watching the baby lions play among themselves with satisfaction. However, the peace did not last long.

“Ah, you little rascals! Stop it. You can’t do that! I’m your Hyung!”

Suddenly, Baek Do-un sprang up from his seat and walked toward the baby lions. This was because they were showing interest in the rabbit, which was larger than them, and were poking it here and there. Pitifully, the rabbit curled its body like a cotton ball and trembled.

It was then. Jaguar, who had been lying leisurely on the sofa, stepped in front of them before Baek Do-un could. Then, he used his muzzle to nudge away the baby lions that were teasing the rabbit. He pulled the trembling rabbit toward him as if wrapping it with his front paws and tucked it under the sofa. Then, he sat stretching his body long in front of it, repeatedly pushing away the approaching baby lions.

“Wow, our Su-nam is like a real adult. So kind.”

Baek Do-un showered Jaguar with praise and patted his rump vigorously. Jaguar shook his body as if annoyed and brushed off his hand. However, he couldn’t hide his sense of pride.

The baby lions ran around incessantly looking for other interests. They played well, rolling and rubbing against each other, but then they would fight by biting ears or tails, and they knocked over or toppled every single object in the house. It felt like at least three flowerpots had been broken in one day.

Because they caused so much commotion, if one was caught and put in place, another would act up; and if that one was caught, yet another would cause trouble. Even when they were all gathered in one place, one would always manage to slip away. Cleaning up the excrement they left anywhere was also no easy task.

And so, an entire day passed just taking care of them. The humans couldn’t even manage to eat their meals properly. By evening, they truly didn’t have the strength to lift a finger.

In contrast, the baby lions, who had taken plenty of naps and eaten their fill of milk, seemed to have forgotten the night. Only the second day was passing. It felt daunting to think about how to spend the remaining days.

“Has the President arrived?”

“…….”

Returning home, Kwon Su-hyeok only silently watched the baby lions, who were running around just as vigorously as on the first day, if not more. Perhaps having fully adapted to the unfamiliar place, the fearless creatures showed great interest in Kwon Su-hyeok, touching his feet and pulling at the hem of his trousers. Kwon Su-hyeok indifferently brushed them off and headed toward the living room.

Yesterday it was Ju-wan, and today it was Baek Do-un lying flat in front of the sofa. Reaching his arm under the sofa, he familiarly pulled out his rabbit. Then, he held out his hand as if asking Jeon Mi-nam to help him up. Jeon Mi-nam hesitated, conscious of his surroundings, before reluctantly taking his hand and pulling him up.

“Ju-wan-ssi. Now that Kwon Su-hyeok is here, I’ll be going. I’m tired.”

“Please do, Teacher. Thank you so much for today.”

“What a struggle this is. I’ll come again tomorrow if I can.”

“I’m sorry. I made you worry for no reason because of me.”

“No. It was interesting in its own way, in its own way. Hahaha.”

Baek Do-un laughed faintly and walked toward the entrance. Kwon Su-hyeok gestured with his chin toward Baek Do-un to the blankly standing Jeon Mi-nam.

“It’s late, take him home. And you, go straight in too.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Jeon Mi-nam bowed politely to Ju-wan and Kwon Su-hyeok and then followed Baek Do-un out. Soon, the sound of the front door quietly opening and closing was heard.

Jaguar went under the sofa and lingered around Kwon Su-hyeok. He acted cute, brushing against Kwon Su-hyeok’s leg with his long tail. Kwon Su-hyeok leaned down and calmly stroked the animal’s back. Watching this, Ju-wan pulled up his upper body from the sofa and tried to stroke Jaguar. However, Jaguar subtly avoided his touch. When Ju-wan made a puzzled expression, Jaguar even avoided his gaze. He acted as if he were deeply sulking.

After soothing Jaguar for a while, Kwon Su-hyeok reached out to Ju-wan. Then, he caressed his cheek, which had become rough over the course of a day. With a look of exhaustion, Ju-wan leaned his head against Kwon Su-hyeok’s hand. Kwon Su-hyeok regretfully withdrew his hand, which didn’t want to leave him.

“I’ll wash up first.”

Ju-wan nodded quietly. Kwon Su-hyeok immediately took off his jacket, draped it over the sofa, and entered the bathroom. Soon after, the bathroom door closed, and the refreshing sound of the shower began.

Ju-wan stared intently at Jaguar, who was still sitting sullenly. Jaguar glanced at Ju-wan stealthily but then whipped his head away again. He was clearly pouting after being neglected all day.

Ju-wan approached Jaguar on his knees and hugged his neck tightly. The animal resisted, even shaking his head. He tried to back away and escape Ju-wan’s embrace. Ju-wan leaned his head against Jaguar’s and rubbed it gently, soothing him.

“Don’t be angry. Okay? They’re just babies.”

Though Jaguar couldn’t have understood Ju-wan’s words, he let the strength leave his body as if giving in. Then, he stealthily wrapped his tail around Ju-wan. Around that time, the baby lions, who had been running around frantically, approached them. Fearing that Ju-wan’s attention would be stolen again, Jaguar repeatedly pushed them far away with his front paws.

Before long, Kwon Su-hyeok, having finished his shower, came out. However, Ju-wan, who said he would wait, had fallen asleep while hugging Jaguar. The baby lions, gathered together, tried to approach Ju-wan but squirmed after being stopped by Jaguar.

“…….”

Kwon Su-hyeok watched Ju-wan, surrounded by four-legged beasts, with a displeased look, then lifted him up with both arms. Jaguar started up in surprise. Kwon Su-hyeok carried Ju-wan straight into the bedroom. Then, he closed the door and locked it so that neither Jaguar nor the bothersome baby lions could follow. Jaguar bumped against the door as if protesting, but Su-hyeok ignored it and carefully laid Ju-wan on the bed. Then, pressing his lips kiss after kiss against his warm nape, he slowly moved up his body.

Kwon Su-hyeok repeatedly kissed Ju-wan’s cheeks, ears, and neck as he gently rolled up his top. In that instant, something writhed strongly. He lifted his head from where it had been buried deep in Ju-wan’s neck. However, Ju-wan remained fast asleep, breathing softly.

Wondering if he had imagined it, he tilted his head and was just about to press his lips against Ju-wan’s exposed white chest when something writhed again. A deep frown immediately creased his brow. Kwon Su-hyeok abruptly yanked back the blanket covering the bed.

“…Huh? Why, why?”

Waking up with a start, Ju-wan flustered frantically. Without a word, Kwon Su-hyeok snatched the baby lion that had been hiding under the covers. He had no idea when the creature had managed to crawl in there.

Kwon Su-hyeok immediately stepped off the bed and opened the door to put the baby lion out. As if waiting for the opportunity, Jaguar lunged into the bedroom in one breath. The baby lions, who had been playing with his tail as if it were a toy, followed him childishly, trotting along.

As Jaguar leaped onto the bed, the baby lions began to cling precariously to the bedsheets. Frustrated that things weren’t going their way, they struggled relentlessly, biting and digging their claws into the innocent sheets. A deep sigh escaped him.

It was truly a cat hell.

* * *

Jaguar used to go out twice a week for exercise. No matter how spacious the house was, it was too cramped for a beast in his prime, so those outings were the only time he could run around to his heart’s content.

Today was one of those exercise days, but as he prepared to take Jaguar out, the baby lions weighed on his mind. He wasn’t sure if it was okay to take the young ones, who were brimming with curiosity, outside. Then again, one person among Jeon Mi-nam, Baek Do-un, or Ju-wan couldn’t possibly handle all four alone.

Since Ju-wan began caring for the baby lions, Baek Do-un and Jeon Mi-nam had been visiting the house every day to help him. Even with the three of them sharing the childcare duties, they were often exhausted by evening; caring for them alone was an impossible task no matter how he thought about it.

Yet, if he gave up on Jaguar’s exercise, he felt the beast would be too stressed. He might become sensitive and irritable, or perhaps even treat the baby lions harshly. Above all, it was true that he had been neglecting Jaguar while tending to the cubs, and he didn’t want to deprive him of the thing he loved most.

In the end, there was only one way. Even so, he couldn’t quite put his mind at ease.

“Is it really okay to take them along too?”

“Well, we’ll just have to keep a closer eye on them. They’re still young, but they’re all healthy, so there shouldn’t be any big problems. When else would they get to feel the outside breeze if not now, right?”

Baek Do-un rubbed his cheek against a baby lion’s face. The baby lion stuck out its tongue and licked his face wildly.

“Preparations for the outing are complete.”

Before they knew it, Jeon Mi-nam was holding two baby lions, one in each arm. Ju-wan, having made up his mind, scooped up the last one that had been clinging to his ankle.

“Then, let’s go.”

The three of them looked at each other, nodded solemnly, and left the house. Perhaps feeling good about being outside for the first time in a while, Jaguar’s steps were light.

They decided to split into two cars. First, Baek Do-un herded the cubs into the backseat of his car and took the wheel. Ju-wan decided to go with him to prepare for any unexpected behavior from the little ones. As usual, Jeon Mi-nam was in charge of Jaguar.

Jeon Mi-nam’s car departed first, followed by Baek Do-un. As soon as the car moved, the baby lions began hopping, trying to climb over toward the driver’s seat. Ju-wan, sitting almost turned around, broke into a sweat as he gently pushed back or held tight the creatures that were wiggling their way up.

Baek Do-un chuckled.

“Taking care of babies isn’t easy, is it?”

“It really isn’t.”

“Our Su-nam was quite quiet. He didn’t even cry much.”

“What was he like? Since he was alone without any kin, I imagine he must have been lonely and scared….”

“That’s true. That’s why it took a long time for him to let his guard down. At first, he wouldn’t even eat. I was so worried he might starve to death. You know that feeling? That detached aura of someone who has crossed the line between life and death? Su-nam was exactly like that. Even as a baby, he didn’t fuss.”

“That’s kind of sad.”

“It was like that then. Not now. Su-nam has become an adult, and now he has family like you, Ju-wan.”

Ju-wan nodded silently. Surely Jaguar must have had a childhood just like the baby lions. A time when he ran around almost crawling, frantically flailing his short, plump legs, or when he did nothing but sleep, sucking on his mother’s milk until his belly bulged. Looking at the innocent baby lions made his heart ache and tingle with thoughts of Jaguar.

“We’re here!”

At the sudden abrupt stop, Ju-wan’s body lurched forward. The baby lions also tumbled down under the seats. Only Baek Do-un stepped out of the car nonchalantly, as if rapid acceleration and sudden braking were a daily routine. When he opened the backseat door, the baby lions were tangled together, whimpering. Baek Do-un picked them up one by one and set them outside.

“Wow….”

Ju-wan unconsciously let out an exclamation at the scenery unfolding before him. The snow that had fallen overnight was piled high on the vast field and the hills behind it. The pristine snowfield, without a single footprint, looked as if a cotton quilt had been spread out.

Jaguar leaped energetically from the car and roamed the snowfield to his heart’s content. The baby lions, likely stepping on snow for the first time in their lives, flinched in surprise. Then, as one of them trotted after Jaguar, the rest followed suit in unison.

Dainty footprints of the baby lions were etched frequently upon the snow. Compared to Jaguar’s, they were so small that they still had a long way to grow. Ju-wan crouched down in front of them and gently touched the footprints they had left in a cluster with his finger. He felt the characteristic softness of snow—chilly yet fine.

It was while he had been fiddling with the footprints for a while. A baby lion approached and suddenly bit Ju-wan’s hand.

“Ah….”

He was a bit surprised, but it didn’t hurt. As if asking him to play, the cub repeatedly nipped Ju-wan’s fingers with its toothless muzzle and rolled around in the snow. Thanks to that, snow clung to its golden fur, making it look like a piece of glutinous rice cake. Ju-wan laughed out loud.

The baby lion shook its small body to shake off the snow clinging to its fur. The remnants flew straight onto Ju-wan.

“Ugh, it’s cold.”

The baby lion, tilting its head and staring blankly at Ju-wan, rolled around in the snow again. Then it approached Ju-wan and shook its fur thoroughly once more, just as before. When Ju-wan laughed while blocking the cold debris with his hand, the cub hopped around as if it found it amusing. Intending to play along, Ju-wan scooped up a bit of snow and tossed it at the cub. When the small snowflake tapped its rump, the cub moved its body this way and that, provoking Ju-wan. It would approach the still-watching Ju-wan, nudge him with its front paw, and then retreat. It seemed to be asking him to throw snow again.

“Alright.”

Ju-wan pretended to bunch up snow again. The cub wagged its tail, watching Ju-wan’s hand with interest. He pretended to throw the snowball in his hand, then moved in to catch the cub. The cub quickly pulled its backside away and ran off. Even as it ran hurriedly, it glanced back at Ju-wan, appearing as if it wanted to play hide-and-seek.

“Stop right there.”

For the first time in a while, Ju-wan ran after the cub. Ju-wan’s footprints were soon stamped over those of Jaguar and the baby lions.

“Ah, no!”

Meanwhile, Baek Do-un rushed out to rescue a baby lion that had fallen into a ditch. It seemed the cub had been hopping around childishly, unaware that snow had piled up in a deep ditch, and had plunged straight in. He rescued the struggling baby lion and brushed the snow off its face.

In front of him, two baby lions who had adapted to the snow ran energetically in the opposite direction. Jeon Mi-nam looked back and forth between the two, anxious.

He had expected it, but it was even more chaotic once they left the house. If he kept a close eye on one, another would vanish. If he fished one out of a crisis in a corner, another would be stuck somewhere whimpering. When exercising Jaguar, he only had to wait for the beast to run until it was exhausted and then return, but these naive ones certainly required a lot of attention. He felt like putting leashes on them.

Jaguar roamed the surroundings as if he had found his own world. Every time he kicked off the ground, a small snowstorm rose from his toes. Every time he landed softly and then leaped powerfully using the rebound, it felt as if the entire ground was thumping. Because the surroundings were entirely white, his golden fur and brown patterns stood out even more.

Jaguar returned after roaming his territory to his heart’s content for a long time. By then, the baby lions had been gathered in one place by Ju-wan, Baek Do-un, and Jeon Mi-nam. Even after playing so much, they didn’t seem tired, continuing to squirm as they dreamed of escaping.

“Su-nam.”

Ju-wan stretched out both arms toward Jaguar. Jaguar calmly entered his embrace and rested his head on his shoulder. The scent of the cool winter wind clung to him. Ju-wan brushed the snow off him as if stroking his fur.

“Su-nam Hyung is really cool, right? You guys will be like this soon too.”

Baek Do-un praised Jaguar while pushing the baby lions inside. As if he understood the words, Jaguar loftily raised his chin and looked down at the baby lions wiggling beneath him. The baby lions also raised their heads in unison and looked up at him. Perhaps there was something they communicated among themselves.

Before long, Jaguar left Ju-wan’s embrace again and ran back into the snowfield. Then, the baby lions who had been held by Baek Do-un leaped over his arms or thrust their heads underneath to escape, diligently chasing after Jaguar.

Jaguar discovered the creatures following him in a line and growled. Then, he dashed even faster and further. The baby lions did not give up and followed him fiercely.

The three people watching from a distance smiled warmly.

“Those little guys seem to rely on Su-nam quite a bit. How cute.”

“Would you like some coffee?”

“Oh, you brought coffee too?”

Jeon Mi-nam went to his car and brought back tumblers. Baek Do-un immediately gulped down the coffee he received, saying it was great. He leaned his back deep into the chair and rested for a moment, feeling the warmth.

Ju-wan craned his neck, following the tails of Jaguar and the baby lions. Then, perhaps still unable to put his mind at ease, he returned the tumbler to Jeon Mi-nam.

“I’ll just follow those guys for a moment.”

“I’ll go. Please keep resting.”

“No, Mi-nam, you should rest too. I’ll be back quickly.”

Fearing that Jeon Mi-nam would step forward if he hesitated for even a moment, he quickly stood up. Then he strode toward the direction Jaguar and the baby lions had gone. The creatures had already disappeared into the brush. He felt he had to follow the footprints.

He crossed the vast field for a long stretch. The clear air rushed into his lungs. It was a bit breathless and tiring, but his mood quickly became refreshed. He felt as if his mind was being washed clean. He felt he could finally understand why Jaguar loved this place so much.

After running after Jaguar and the baby lions for a while, he came to a sudden halt. It was because the footprints of the creatures were no longer visible on the snowfield. Since it was Jaguar, who usually scoured the hills and was an apex predator, there was no great concern. The problem was the baby lions. If they had followed Jaguar into the mountains and scattered… the mere thought made him dizzy.

Urgent, Ju-wan walked toward the hills from the point where the footprints of Jaguar and the baby lions ended. Dried fallen leaves and twigs rustled under his feet. Just from that, he felt he could detect any presence if Jaguar or the baby lions were nearby.

Breaking or lifting the branches hanging in front of him, he went deeper and deeper inside. Before long, a familiar sound reached his ears. It was the sound of Jaguar growling. He also heard the faint, squeaky cries of the baby lions.

“…What is it?”

With an ominous feeling, he hurried toward the sound. He didn’t even have time to care about the branches scratching his skin.

Soon, Jaguar’s figure entered his shaking vision. The beast was repeatedly issuing threats, wrinkling his snout toward something. The cubs were not visible. He only continued to hear them all crying out in unison nearby.

With a cracking sound, something approached Jaguar. Its size was as large as Jaguar’s.

“Su-nam!”

He called Jaguar’s name as if screaming. As Jaguar turned around in response, the black beast that had been confronting him lunged toward him. Jaguar nimbly dodged just before being rammed by the beast. Thanks to that, Ju-wan was able to clearly identify the beast’s identity. It was a wild boar. It seemed it had come down here as food ran out with the onset of winter.

The wild boar, having failed to attack Jaguar, did not stop and charged toward Ju-wan. It intended to push Ju-wan aside and head down the hill. Its excited eyes flashed fiercely. He thought he had to avoid the approaching wild boar, but his two legs wouldn’t budge, as if they were glued to the ground. He felt he understood why the whole body freezes in the moment of an accident.

“Ah, this is….”

Ju-wan closed his eyes tight as he saw the wild boar arrive right in front of him. There was nothing else he could do of his own will. It felt as if the wild boar’s yellow tusks would pierce his body at any moment. Feeling the vibration of the ground, he anticipated a massive impact.

However, even after a long time, his body remained intact. Opening his eyes in bewilderment, he saw Jaguar biting the neck of the wild boar that had come right in front of him.

Pinned down by Jaguar, the wild boar thrashed its massive body, kicking angrily in the air. Ju-wan was anxious that Jaguar might be kicked by those legs. Jaguar stubbornly tightened the grip on the wild boar’s windpipe, adjusting his posture several times. The wild boar gasped for breath. The cries of the terrified baby lions grew louder.

“What happened!”

“What’s going on, Ju-wan!”

Jeon Mi-nam and Baek Do-un came running. They had set out to find them because they were worried when Jaguar, the baby lions, and Ju-wan didn’t return. Upon hearing a beast’s roar from the mountain, they seemed to have intuited that something unusual was happening.

The two stopped in their tracks upon discovering Jaguar overpowering a wild boar larger than himself. The wild boar, which had resisted until the end, soon trembled its four legs and went limp. Even then, Jaguar shook his head from side to side to completely cut off the wild boar’s breath. It was only when no biological response was detected from the wild boar that he let go of its neck.

Having tasted blood, Jaguar smacked his lips and trotted off somewhere. Then, he cleared away the fallen leaves he had used as a cover and nudged the baby lions huddled inside with his front paw. The squeaking baby lions slowly crawled out. Without knowing the full story, Jeon Mi-nam and Baek Do-un first grabbed the cubs.

Jaguar personally brought the baby lion that wouldn’t budge from the shelter by biting its scruff. The stiffened baby lion obediently complied, dangling in his mouth. From the tear-filled eyes and the mucus on its nose to its stiffly frozen four legs—one could tell how terrified the cub had been. And also, what had happened.

A wild boar had appeared before the baby lions who were chasing Jaguar, and Jaguar had seemingly saved them upon seeing this. His heart sank thinking about what would have happened to them if it hadn’t been for him, or if he had been even a little late.

“Good job. You did so well, Su-nam.”

Ju-wan embraced Jaguar, who had brought the baby lion, and patted him several times. His whole body trembled with relief.

Jeon Mi-nam and Baek Do-un looked down at the dead wild boar while holding the other lions in their arms. A wild boar as big as a house—they had only heard of it, but this was the first time they had seen one in person.

“Anyway, what do we do with this wild boar?”

Baek Do-un looked back and forth between Ju-wan and Jeon Mi-nam with a bewildered look. The other two were equally unable to find a suitable answer.

Just then, Jaguar leaped over and pressed down on the dead wild boar with his front paw. He seemed to be in high spirits, having saved the babies and caught a massive prey.

“Su-nam, what should we do with this?”

As if he understood the words, Jaguar lifted his paw from the wild boar. Then, he nudged it with his muzzle as if telling Ju-wan to take it. He even made a gesture of pushing the motionless beast toward Ju-wan.

He was so adorable that I gave Jaguar a sudden, tight hug.

“Thanks for the gift. I’ll make sure to eat it well.”

Jaguar’s tail lifted elegantly and fluttered happily.

“Here, enjoy your meal, Su-nam.”

I placed the wild boar’s front leg, which Jeon Mi-nam had prepared, in front of Jaguar. Jaguar seemed to look at the boar he had caught himself with pride, then began to tear into it vigorously. Perhaps because he had run around so much, his appetite seemed more ravenous than usual. Ju-wan watched Jaguar with a satisfied smile before standing up.

They decided to take the boar Jaguar had hunted to the open lot in front of Kwon Su-hyeok’s company and have a barbecue. It turned into an impromptu company dinner.

Kwon Su-hyeok couldn’t hide his surprise when Ju-wan, who had messaged saying he was taking Jaguar for exercise, suddenly appeared with a massive wild boar. He heard the full story of what had happened there, and even as the boar in question was roasting to a golden brown, it still felt surreal.

Just then, a lion cub trotting around the lot bumped its head into Kwon Su-hyeok’s leg. As if it had encountered an obstacle, the cub nudged and pushed against his leg. Ju-wan quickly picked the little one up and patted it. Kwon Su-hyeok looked down at the cub with a distinctly displeased expression.

“One day left, right? The day that guy said he’d return.”

“Ah, yes. A week has already passed, hasn’t it?”

Ju-wan brought the tip of his nose to the cub and rubbed against it repeatedly. However, Kwon Su-hyeok’s gaze remained cold as he looked at the cub.

Over the past few days, both stress and desire had built up to their limits. Whenever he finally finished work and returned home, the house was a mess, and Ju-wan, who must have been scurrying around all day, would have already fallen fast asleep. He only had to endure one more day. Even as he consoled himself with that thought, there was no way he could look kindly upon the lion cubs he was currently boarding.

“Thank you for the food!”

The meat must have been finished grilling, as the office employees greeted them loudly. They then served themselves the perfectly cooked meat onto their respective plates. A savory aroma wafted through the air.

“Su-hyeok, you should eat too.”

“Come here for a second.”

“Huh? Why?”

Kwon Su-hyeok suddenly grabbed Ju-wan’s wrist and led him toward the office. Along the way, he handed the cub Ju-wan was holding over to another subordinate.

As soon as they entered the inner hallway, he pressed Ju-wan firmly against the wall. Then, he tenderly caressed the cheek of the flustered Ju-wan.

“Don’t you think you’ve been too indifferent to me lately?”

Kwon Su-hyeok’s thumb subtly pulled at the corner of Ju-wan’s mouth. Naturally, the plump lower lip stretched, and his mouth opened. Then, Kwon Su-hyeok tilted his head and softly overlapped their lips. A warm breath rushed in together. Ju-wan let out a small laugh and silently took his upper lip into his mouth. He reached out with both arms to wrap them around Kwon Su-hyeok’s neck.

He repeatedly sucked on Ju-wan’s lips, then pushed deep inside, rubbing the space between the lips intensely with his tongue. Simultaneously, he wrapped his leg around Ju-wan’s thigh to pull him closer. Ju-wan let out a groan and tilted his head back, accepting the surge of Kwon Su-hyeok’s tongue. The smooth inner flesh rubbed together sweetly.

Perhaps it was because he had been starving. The smooth mucous membrane felt sweeter than before. He wanted to devour it even more thoroughly. Without giving Ju-wan a moment to breathe, Kwon Su-hyeok greedily sucked in his breath, saliva, and inner flesh.

“Ngh…”

Their lips, which had been rubbing together with an intensity that almost stung, slowly parted. Gasping for air, Ju-wan looked up at Kwon Su-hyeok. Kwon Su-hyeok’s pupils were consumed by a deep red excitement. Seeing him with a furrowed brow, his back undulating in agony, Ju-wan felt himself heating up as well.

Ju-wan suddenly hugged Kwon Su-hyeok and locked their lips first. In response, Kwon Su-hyeok lifted him up effortlessly. Ju-wan’s legs wrapped around Kwon Su-hyeok’s firm waist. Immediately after, they kissed frantically, pulling each other close.

It was then.

“Ju-wan, I think these little ones are hungry!”

Baek Do-un’s voice rang out loudly from outside. Startled, Ju-wan pulled his head away as if waking from a hypnosis. Kwon Su-hyeok instinctively tried to follow and bite his lips, but Ju-wan blocked his mouth with his hand. A low curse escaped Kwon Su-hyeok.

“Ha… damn it.”

“I’m sorry. I think I have to go.”

Ju-wan asked for understanding with an awkward smile. Kwon Su-hyeok stood there with a dissatisfied face before reluctantly letting Ju-wan down.

“Let’s go together.”

Ju-wan gave a quick peck to the back of Kwon Su-hyeok’s hand and led him outside. A long sigh escaped Kwon Su-hyeok. Despite this, he followed Ju-wan obediently.

Baek Do-un was surrounded by lion cubs who were crying loudly that they were hungry. In their urgency, they were whining and sucking on Baek Do-un’s fingers and clothes. Those who couldn’t even manage that stumbled, pushed aside by their siblings.

I quickly went to Baek Do-un’s car and took out the prepared formula and bottles. Just then, Jeon Mi-nam brought warmed water. I mixed the milk immediately and placed a bottle in each of the cubs’ mouths. Only then did peace finally arrive.

Ju-wan gently stroked the foreheads of the cubs who were practically clinging to their bottles. They were troublemakers who relieved themselves regardless of time or place, cried fiercely if they were even slightly hungry, and broke every object they touched, but they were still utterly adorable. As is the case with all young lives, I felt a sense of pity and affection for them.

I only hoped that they would grow up healthy and without incident.

* * *

“My babies. Have you been good? Who’s a good boy…”

The ‘Lion King’ approached the cubs with his arms wide open. However, the cubs clung tightly to Jaguar and ignored him. When the ‘Lion King’ picked one of them up, the cub pushed his face away violently to escape. It flailed its short legs toward Jaguar, letting out squeaky cries.

“Oh my, so cute. Did you eat well, poop well, and sleep well?”

The ‘Lion King’ showered the cub with kisses. The other cubs, watching their sibling’s tragedy, continued to back away and burrow under Jaguar’s legs.

It had been like this ever since Jaguar protected them from the wild boar. Last night, they had fallen asleep huddled close to Jaguar. It seemed they had recognized him as their protector.

“I guess the babies don’t want to be apart from Su-nam.”

Ju-wan crouched beside Jaguar and repeatedly stroked his back. Regardless, Jaguar simply pushed the clinging cubs back toward their owner.

Kwon Su-hyeok roughly handed the cubs’ luggage over to the ‘Lion King’. He had intentionally made time to accompany Ju-wan.

“Oops.”

“It would be best if you didn’t cause this kind of nuisance again. I’m somewhat lacking in patience.”

Though he was smiling with the corners of his mouth lifted, his tone was ice-cold. His eyes were full of chill. The ‘Lion King’ smiled awkwardly and bowed.

“I’m truly indebted to you. If it weren’t for ‘Su-nam’s sister-in-law’ [Ju-wan], I don’t know what would have happened… I will definitely repay this kindness. I’ll see you at the cafe later.”

“Yes. Get home safely.”

Ju-wan said goodbye and waved to the lion cubs. Even as he headed inside, the ‘Lion King’ kept looking back and bowing his head. The cubs in his arms cried sorrowfully, as if they were being separated from their mother. Jaguar’s round ears flickered as if reacting to the sound.

“I feel a bit sad. I wonder if we’ll see them again?”

“No, we won’t. Never again.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Ju-wan smiled faintly and apologized at Kwon Su-hyeok’s resolute attitude. Soon, Jeon Mi-nam returned after moving the cubs’ luggage. As if he had been waiting, Kwon Su-hyeok pulled Ju-wan’s waist tight.

“Let’s go. There are plenty of things to do once we get back.”

It seemed he had been planning this all along. I thought I could escape the exhaustion of childcare and get some deep rest tonight, but I must have been mistaken. Rather, it felt as though days more tiring and exhausting than the past week were about to begin.