It was closing time.
As the hospital staff began to prepare to go home, Haein started to feel a creeping sense of unease. It was because of what Siyul had whispered to her earlier in the day.
“You know you’re supposed to spend the whole day with me today, right?”
That subtle, smiling gaze of his…
With Taeil away on a business trip, Haein had no choice but to spend the night with Siyul.
Was it animal instinct? Something told her that something was going to happen tonight.
That was why she couldn’t sit still—something about it just felt off.
“We’ll head out first, Dr. Kang.”
“See you tomorrow!”
“Have a good night!”
The hospital operated 24 hours a day, but after 9 p.m., only two people usually remained on duty: one veterinarian in case of emergency, and one head nurse to manage the front desk.
Haein felt somewhat reassured knowing that at least the head nurse would be around.
But somehow, it always seemed like Lady Luck was on Siyul’s side.
“Um… excuse me, Dr. Kang.”
“Yes? What is it, Nurse Kim?”
“It’s sudden, so I haven’t had a chance to tell the director yet, but… my son just came home on leave.”
“Ah, yes, I remember you mentioned he was in the military.”
Most of the head nurses were young, but there were a few older ones as well. Tonight’s on-duty head nurse, Nurse Kim, was in her mid-forties—the oldest of the bunch.
“He just called a while ago. Apparently, he earned some kind of reward leave and came home, all excited. He didn’t tell me beforehand because he wanted to surprise me.”
“Oh dear, and it had to be tonight of all nights.”
“So I feel bad for asking, but… would it be okay if I just went home for a bit? Maybe buy him some chicken and eat together for a while? Just briefly?”
As someone who was also a son, Siyul couldn’t possibly turn down the heartfelt request of a mother longing to see her boy. Without hesitation, he nodded.
“No need to come back tonight. There aren’t any critical patients at the moment, and it’s not often your son gets a break. Go home early and spend time with him.”
“Would that really be alright?”
“Yes. I’ll explain everything to the director for you.”
Haein, standing nearby, grew even more anxious.
“Still… I feel guilty about leaving you alone.”
“It’s alright. If you only get to see your son for a little while before he has to go back, wouldn’t that be even more upsetting?”
“Well, I suppose so…”
“Really, I’ll be fine. Go ahead. If any emergencies come up, I’ll call you. Just come in then.”
“…Thank you. I will!”
“Don’t worry and just go. I’ll take care of the front desk.”
Grateful for his kindness, the middle-aged head nurse lit up and hurried off to the locker room. Haein, meanwhile, grumbled under her breath.
“You totally nudged her to go home, didn’t you…?”
“Haha!”
“I’m serious.”
“No way. Korean moms and their sons—it’s sacred.”
Even as Haein shot him a sharp glare, Siyul just hummed happily to himself.
Had he really done it out of pure goodwill? Maybe she was overthinking things, but Haein just couldn’t shake the suspicion.
And so, the night deepened—with just the two of them left alone.
________✧⑅˖♡∘˚˳°↝^._.^_________
After midnight, the hospital was hushed and still. So still, it made time feel like it was crawling.
Haein sat near the brightly lit front desk, nodding off in a daze.
But maybe because she’d napped too much during the day, or maybe because Siyul—the number one person to keep her guard up around—was so close by, she couldn’t seem to fall into a deep sleep.
Which only made the night drag on longer…
Glance.
Trying not to be obvious, she peeked at Siyul. He was sitting elegantly with his legs crossed, sipping coffee while reading what looked like a very difficult book.
Clearly, he had prepared entertainment for himself to get through the night. How sneaky—keeping it all to himself!
“…I’m bored.”
“That’s what being on night duty is.”
“Ugh!”
She’d rather be bored at home alone.
From Taeil’s perspective, letting Haein stay at the hospital with Siyul was probably better than leaving her alone. Still…
At times like this, Haein was reminded of one of the downsides of being a pet—her opinions weren’t always considered.
A pet? Honestly, I like being alone more than people think.
Of course, being too lonely makes me sad… but still.
As she muttered to herself, Siyul walked over with his book in hand.
“Why not just turn into a human? Maybe draw something or whatever.”
“…When you say it, it never sounds innocent.”
“Really?”
“You’re asking me that?”
Do you even realize how dangerous you are?
When Haein gave him a sharp look with her narrowed cat eyes, Siyul put his hands behind his back and put on a serious face.
It was hard to believe he’d been humming just moments ago.
“Then… if I promise not to touch you, will you turn human?”
Siyul’s thick eyebrows and deep-set eyes gave him a strikingly mature look when he got serious.
Haein had a bit of a weakness for that face.
“W-What? What’s so special about my human form anyway…”
“Just seeing you is enough for me.”
“…”
“Just knowing that you exist… it puts me at ease.”
Siyul had always been obsessed with Haein’s human form—like a boy lost in his first love.
“I don’t even know your name, but I know your face. Just knowing that you look at me gives my life meaning.”
Haein found herself softening. Maybe it was the way Siyul’s eyes were so full of longing, or maybe it was because lately, he’d been keeping all his promises.
If he really promised not to touch her… maybe it would be okay to turn human?
Whatever had happened in the past, the Si-yul of today never did anything Hae-in disliked, all in hopes of winning her favor.
If sincerity could move the heavens, how could she possibly ignore his efforts when they were so obvious?
“Well… even so… I don’t have anything to wear right now.”
“There is something you can wear!”
It was as if he had been waiting for that exact response.
That’s when Hae-in realized she’d fallen into Si-yul’s trap once again.
What a spider-like man.
________✧⑅˖♡∘˚˳°↝^._.^_________
It turned out he did have clothes for her. New ones, even. Her only complaint was that they happened to be a head nurse’s uniform.
Then again, what else could one expect to find at an animal hospital?
It wasn’t exactly a racy outfit, so she wore it, but Hae-in couldn’t shake the feeling that she was doing some kind of cosplay. What was it…? Just putting it on made her feel like a real head nurse.
“Oooh. So this is the magic of a uniform.”
She muttered seriously to herself as she stared into the mirror. She could finally understand why people had such fantasies about uniforms.
The pale blue outfit was designed for functionality—thick slacks and a T-shirt—and it actually suited her pretty well.
Since she was already wearing it, she figured she might as well go all the way and do her hair like a real nurse. Spotting a yellow rubber band on the floor, she picked it up.
Tying her hair high enough to expose the back of her neck, she felt—just for a moment—like a real human being again.
There were times when the desire to be human became unbearable. Not just this temporary form, but truly herself.
Spending all her time as a cat sometimes made her feel as if she really were one. Confused. Uncertain.
At times like that, Hae-in would deliberately transform into her human form to soothe her melancholy.
That function, at least, was emotionally comforting when things were tough. Odd as it was, sometimes you just needed to feel human again.
“Not bad.”
She didn’t look half bad. Pacing a bit in front of the mirror, Hae-in even toyed with the idea of trying on Si-yul’s doctor’s coat next.
Right then, Si-yul knocked and entered the dressing room.
“Whoa. Anyone would think you’re an actual employee here.”
“Really?”
“Mmhmm.”
“Does it suit me?”
“You look beautiful.”
Beautiful…? In this clunky hospital uniform? Hmph.
Before she could stop herself, Hae-in blushed. Si-yul was the kind of man who could say someone looked beautiful far too easily.
At first, she had assumed he was just a shameless flirt, but it turned out he was simply a blunt and straightforward person by nature.
“Since you’re already wearing that, could you man the front desk for a bit? I need to check upstairs.”
“Oh, it’s time for rounds, huh.”
Three years at a Confucian school, and even a dog can recite poetry. Hae-in had come to learn most of Si-yul’s hospital routines by now. She even had a rough idea of what he did during night shifts.
“I’ll just be checking their status and be back in ten minutes. Shouldn’t be anything unusual.”
“Got it!”
“If any calls come in, you don’t have to answer. Just note how many.”
Hae-in nodded firmly.
Si-yul was heading up to the inpatient floor, where a critical patient needed constant monitoring.
Animals could get cancer and cataracts, just like humans. If their condition suddenly deteriorated, the family had to be contacted so they could be there at the end.
Some people thought getting emotional over a sick animal was excessive. But for those who considered their pets part of the family, it was anything but.
Some animals were too ill to leave the hospital. They spent their last days on respirators, hanging on.
Their owners couldn’t bear to let go. And even animals, after all, didn’t want to die. They wanted to stay a little longer with their humans.
It was a kind of love—one that closely resembled that of a family.
Seeing their pain could make you cry without even realizing it.
That was why Hae-in, though she wandered all around the hospital, never stepped into the patient ward. The cries of those suffering animals were too much for her.
________✧⑅˖♡∘˚˳°↝^._.^_________
She rummaged around the front desk and found some blank paper and a pen. She figured she’d pass the time by drawing.
Today’s subject: the mischievous little brat who spilled yogurt on her earlier. Those chubby cheeks really left an impression…
“Huh?”
Before she even knew it, Hae-in had crouched down under the desk with lightning-fast reflexes.
The hospital entrance was directly across from the front desk, and when someone opened the door and walked in, she had instinctively hidden herself.
Who would’ve thought a visitor would show up at this hour?
Then again, was hiding really necessary? But still… she wasn’t actually an employee.
“Hello? Is anyone here?”
Hae-in held her breath, wondering what to do.
She couldn’t stay hidden forever—Si-yul would be a while longer—and going to fetch him would mean entering the inpatient ward, a place she dreaded.
The very sound of the animals’ suffering was agony. Having the ability to understand animals came with serious downsides.
“Excuse me? Hello… Anyone…?”
The unexpected visitor was a young woman, around Hae-in’s age, and she seemed to be in a panic.
Hae-in couldn’t help but feel a flash of resentment toward Si-yul, who had assured her there wouldn’t be any trouble.
Still kneeling on the floor, Hae-in finally raised her head above the desk. It wasn’t so much the woman’s voice that was bothering her—it was something else.
“Is there… something wrong?”
“Oh! You’re here!”
“Uh… I dropped something…”
She offered a vague excuse while her gaze shifted to what the woman was holding in her arms.
The persistent, high-pitched sound that had been nagging at her came from a tiny kitten.
It must’ve been a newborn. Had it even been weaned? So small and fragile, it was crying softly as if looking for its mother.
“Please help. I found this baby kitten…”
“Where? Just now?”
“I was leaving the convenience store and went into the alley to toss some trash… and then it suddenly crawled right onto my shoe. What should I do?”
The short-haired woman was dressed casually, like someone who lived nearby. Her face was filled with worry as she held out the kitten.
She looked completely lost, unable to decide what to do with the helpless little creature in her hands.
“Was the mother cat nearby?”
Now that she’d shown her face, Hae-in decided to step out from behind the desk and check on the kitten.
Ironically, in cases like this, more than half the kittens brought in by people were actually not abandoned. The mother cat was often just off looking for food.
People would assume the kittens were deserted and pick them up, not realizing that once a human’s scent rubbed off on them, the mother often wouldn’t take them back.
“No. I waited for a long time, not knowing what to do, but there weren’t any other cats around… just this little one.”
“Hmm… Looks like it’s been without care for a while.”
Young animals like this trembled constantly, even without any particular reason. The woman’s voice was filled with concern as she asked,
“Did the mother abandon it?”
“Judging by its condition… that’s probably the case.”
Its eyes were crusted shut with discharge, and its nose was running to the point where Hae-in couldn’t even tell if it was breathing. She took the kitten gently into her hands.
As soon as she did, the little creature—who hadn’t yet learned how to communicate—transmitted an overwhelming wave of emotion: a desperate longing for its mother.
The feeling was so raw, so intense, it was almost like the kitten was crying. No matter how many times she felt this, it never got easier.
“It’s so cold out… I brought it here, but I wasn’t sure if that was the right thing to do.”
“No, you did the right thing. Whether the mother abandoned it or something happened to her, if it had stayed out there, it wouldn’t have survived.”
“Really?”
“Though in truth, it’s always best to be cautious when picking up animals like this.”
“Oh… Are you a vet?”
What a flattering misunderstanding.
She was just the hospital cat—like a temple dog who had picked up knowledge by osmosis. The idea that she sounded knowledgeable was a bit embarrassing.
Hae-in hurriedly waved her hands.
“Ah… no, sorry. I’m actually not affiliated with this hospital.”
“What? You seem to know so much…”
“What’s going on?”
“Oh, Kang! This person found a baby kitten…”
“Let me see.”
There were bad timings, and then there were good ones.
Hae-in quickly handed over the tiny kitten, barely the size of her fist, to Si-yul, who had arrived just in time.
When he extended his large, steady hands, she felt a wave of reassurance.
“Its belly’s full. Could you grab a warm, damp cloth for me?”
“Okay.”
As soon as she left it to Si-yul, Hae-in felt at ease. This was something best left to a professional.
She ran off and quickly prepared a warm cloth, using what she’d learned by watching him before.
When she returned with the properly heated cloth, Si-yul gently wiped the discharge from the kitten’s eyes and examined its pupils.
Then he checked its ears and inside its mouth before nodding slightly.
“Other than some cold symptoms, there don’t seem to be any major issues. But I’ll need to take a closer look.”
“Thank goodness… I was so scared. It looked like it wasn’t even breathing.”
“Judging from how dirty its ears are, it’s probably been on its own for a little while.”
“I see…”
“See how its belly is so full? Kittens this young can’t defecate on their own unless the mother stimulates them by licking.”
As he explained calmly, Si-yul gently rubbed the kitten’s rear with the warm cloth.
Amazingly, it immediately began to relieve itself. The amount it let out was almost unbelievable, given its tiny size.
“Oh my gosh…”
“Luckily, it looks pretty healthy.”
“Thank you, Doctor. I’ve never cared for such a young kitten before… I really didn’t know what to do.”
“I didn’t really do much.”
He handed the kitten back to the woman, who carefully cradled it in her arms and tenderly stroked its now-clean fur.
Thankfully, she seemed to know a thing or two about cats.
“Do you have any other cats at home?”
“No. Just a few strays that visit my family’s house, but I’ve never kept one indoors.”
“In that case, take the kitten home for tonight, and bring it back in the morning for a check-up. We need to test for any contagious diseases it might’ve picked up on the street.”
“Can’t we do the test now?”
“We could, but there’s an additional fee for after-hours treatment.”
When Si-yul shrugged, the woman nodded in understanding.
“Ah, got it. I’ll come back tomorrow afternoon.”
“Sounds good. I’ll prepare some kitten formula for you to take.”
Si-yul was competent but never money-driven. The clinic itself was built on integrity, which was why they had so many regulars.
Hae-in was sure this woman would become one of them, too.
Just then, the woman met Hae-in’s gaze and asked,
“By the way… you said you weren’t a hospital staff member. So… who are you?”
