For nearly ten minutes, all I did was lick Delphin’s cheeks, until she tilted her head back slightly.
“Hang on, Ha-rang. I think I’ve licked enough, don’t you think…?”
“Hm? Already?”
She hadn’t tasted satisfying enough yet. Disappointed, I blinked at Delphin and noticed one of her cheeks gleaming smoothly.
“Wow.”
It was shiny like freshly baked pottery. Almost as if my licking had a skin-whitening effect. Yoon Ba-da seemed to sense this too, as she came over and kept staring at Delphin’s face.
“How strange.”
It occurred to me that maybe my saliva had some kind of whitening ability. After all, I’d never licked one spot for so long before.
“Maybe I should try testing it?”
While still clinging to Delphin, I incessantly licked the back of my hand. If I lick the same spot for ten minutes, I’d surely see some results. I started my tongue’s work with that idea in mind, when suddenly Yoon Ba-da picked me up.
“Let’s give Ha-rang a break?”
“Yeah, let’s take a break.”
I didn’t bother asking where we’d rest. I just let them hold me. If my body wanted to rest, it would find a place on its own. With that thought, I returned to my task.
“Nomnomnom—”
Still licking the back of my hand, Delphin poked my side.
“Ha-rang’s body is like a balloon.”
“Balloon?”
I tilted my head as I looked at Delphin, perplexed, and she giggled, covering her mouth.
“Yeah. You’re so light, it feels like you’ll pop if I stick a needle in you.”
Saying that, Delphin’s gaze turned toward my chest. It was a look that sent shivers up my spine.
“Uh… Delphin, don’t stick me with a needle, okay?”
“Because of what Ha-rang did.”
“Hng…?”
That was definitely something I’d said teasing her, and now it was coming back to bite me. Feeling deflated, I had to stop licking my hand.
“Wow, Delphin’s pretty sharp too.”
She was clever enough to turn my words against me. I felt utterly defeated and slumped into Yoon Ba-da’s arms, who carefully sat down on a park bench. I sat on her thighs.
“Feeling better, Ha-rang?”
“Yeah. Playing around made the pain go away.”
“Thank goodness.”
Yoon Ba-da started stroking my belly, and I felt at ease enough to look around.
Rolling my eyes, I saw the immaculately kept park—green trees, colorful flowers, all radiating with natural vitality. It was hard to believe this was a hospital park.
“Everyone should be here.”
Like Yoon Bo-ra, or Jin Hyang. We always went out together.
“Ba-da?”
I tapped her thigh with my palm.
“Hmm?”
“Where are Bo-ra and Manager?”
Upon my question, Yoon Ba-da’s hand paused for just a moment. But then she continued stroking my belly, so it didn’t seem to be a big deal.
“Bo-ra has something else to do, and Manager’s talking with the hospital director.”
“Hospital director?”
“Yeah.”
If this was the hospital director, then Jin Hyang must be nearby. That thought brought a sense of relief, making me want to see her sooner.
“How long will it take her to come?”
When she arrives, I’ll lightly rub faces with her. Maybe I’d even lick her cheek. Just the thought made me feel good and my tail wagged on its own.
“Hey, wait a minute… I’m a patient, aren’t I?”
The hospital gown is invincible and the patient is a god. Maybe I could make requests I normally wouldn’t dare to, thanks to my patient status.
“Hehe.”
Maybe being sick isn’t so bad after all. Whenever I wanted, I could act clingy.
Thud.
Ha-rang’s hand went limp and slipped beneath the bench. Her body remained eerily motionless.
“Ha-rang?”
Yoon Ba-da shook Ha-rang, but she didn’t stir. At that moment, Yoon Ba-da’s heart skipped a beat, pounding madly.
“Eh?”
As she continued to gaze at Ha-rang’s unresponsive body, Delphin moved and placed her hand over Ha-rang’s chest.
“She’s sleeping.”
“Wh-What? She’s sleeping?”
“Yeah. Didn’t she eat rice and take medicine earlier?”
Delphin gestured with her eyes toward Ha-rang, as if urging Yoon Ba-da to check for herself.
Swallowing hard, Yoon Ba-da placed her hand over Ha-rang’s chest. The small, light body revealed a heart beating weakly but steadily. Checking her nose, she noted a faint but steady breath.
“Haa…”
Yoon Ba-da sighed in relief. Now that she thought about it, Ha-rang did always sleep like she was dead.
“Miss, Ha-rang must have been really tired.”
“Yeah. Seems so.”
Yoon Ba-da chuckled softly at Delphin’s words and lightly rubbed Ha-rang’s belly.
Then, an unusual warmth caught her attention, making her frown. It was warmer than normal, even bordering on hot. It definitely wasn’t a healthy temperature.
Please let nothing be wrong.
As she looked up at the sky, Jin Hyang’s voice called out from behind.
“Were you two here all this time?”
Turning her head slowly, Yoon Ba-da nodded at Jin Hyang.
“Manager!”
“Yeah. How’s our little one?”
Jin Hyang rested her hand on the bench’s backrest and looked down at the sleeping Ha-rang.
“She doesn’t look sick, but the fever’s still there.”
“Hmm…”
Jin Hyang gently took Ha-rang into her arms and nodded.
“It’s too hot.”
“Yeah, even after giving her a fever reducer.”
Yoon Ba-da sighed deeply, marking the umpteenth sigh of the day.
“Don’t worry too much. Bo-ra’s gone to fetch a treatment.”
“Really?”
Yoon Ba-da looked at Jin Hyang in surprise. Jin Hyang was no one to lie.
“Ba-da, you remember Ha-rang belongs to the feline family, right?”
“Yes.”
Yoon Ba-da nodded, and Jin Hyang smirked.
“Ha-rang is the Silver Tiger species.”
“Silver…?”
Yoon Ba-da stared at the sleeping Ha-rang in Jin Hyang’s arms. The fur did have a similar silver hue. Though, their personalities were exact opposites.
“Come to think of it, that’s why the Silver Tiger protected Ha-rang.”
Had he recognized her as the same species?
Yoon Ba-da couldn’t believe it and gripped her own arm.
“I’m sorry…”
When Ha-rang said she was a tiger, Yoon Ba-da never believed her. She thought it was just a young child wanting to be a hero. Not once did it occur to her that Ha-rang was truly a tiger.
And not just any tiger, but the top predator species—the Silver Tiger. Yoon Ba-da nervously scratched the back of her head.
“Do you remember the Silver Tiger we saw in the mountain?”
“Yeah, wasn’t Ha-rang the one who named him Silver?”
“Yeah. The hospital said if we had an adult Silver Tiger, treatment would be much easier.”
“So, then…”
Swallowing, Yoon Ba-da nodded. But it was filled with anticipation, not tension.
“Bo-ra went to the mountain to bring him. Let’s hope for the best.”
“Ah…”
“Unfortunately, Silver couldn’t come because we rushed out.”
“Yeah.”
Had Ha-rang wanted it, they would’ve brought Silver. But the sudden accident didn’t allow for that.
Yoon Ba-da sighed in frustration, wishing Silver would be there any moment.
Even though my eyes were closed, I instinctively knew. I was in Jin Hyang’s arms.
The softness when she held me, her sweet scent, the gentle sway of her body as she walked—it all told me.
“Manager…”
I cracked my eyes open slightly and looked up at Jin Hyang. My vision was blurry, and I wanted to rub my eyes, but my hands were too weak. I could only blink and half-open my eyes.
“Are you awake?”
“Mmhmm…”
Gazing blankly at Jin Hyang, she reached out and gently rubbed my eyes with her soft fingers, massaging them. I smiled dumbly, like a fool.
“How’s your body?”
“It’s happy.”
“Happy?”
“Yeah. I’m happiest when I’m with the manager.”
I couldn’t find the words to describe the feeling. So I expressed it physically. Like a puppy excited to meet its owner, I wanted to wiggle and bounce around.
Of course, lacking the strength, all I could do was rub my face. And when the urge was too strong, I softly nibbled on Jin Hyang’s ear without using my teeth.
Happy, I wagged my tail. Yet, for some reason, the bell’s jingle wasn’t there. When I managed to lift my tail, I realized it was gone.
“My bell.”
It was really important to me. Where had it gone? Feeling slightly teary, I stared at my tail when Jin Hyang grabbed it and pulled it down.
“Bo-ra took it.”
“Bo-ra…?”
“Yeah. She thought it might be needed if we brought Silver.”
Ah.
If it’s for Silver, it couldn’t be helped. I relaxed my tail and turned toward Jin Hyang.
“Manager.”
“Hmm?”
“I’m in so much pain…”
“…Really?”
Worry crept into Jin Hyang’s voice, making me chuckle inwardly.
“Before I d*e, could you grant me one request?”
“…What is it?”
Whatever it was, Jin Hyang’s voice had suddenly dropped low. Even though I wasn’t dying, why was she reacting like this? Still, I decided to continue.
“Can you stop calling me by title…?”
“Title?”
“Yeah. I can’t keep calling you ‘Manager’ forever, can I?”
“We need to clarify things then?”
“Not ‘Sister Jin Hyang.’ Just Jin Hyang.”
“Nope.”
“Eh…”
So firm.
I thought it might work. Feeling a bit down, I nibbled on Jin Hyang’s ear with my lips, and she retaliated by pulling my cheek.
“If you call me ‘sister,’ then I’ll call you by your first name anytime.”
“That’s… Hmm…”
I’ll consider it.
But only for now.
Disappointed, I tugged on Jin Hyang’s ear with my lips.
“If you call me ‘sister,’ then I’ll let you call me by my first name anytime.”
“That’s, Ugh…”
It needed some thought… Of course, only thought.