2) Is Being a Puppy Just My Constitution?
I’ve already fallen behind in class for days now. At this rate… what if I never turn back into a human?
The longer Yi-hyeon’s days of living as a puppy dragged on, the more frantic his heart became with each passing day.
If he kept vaguely waiting for Han Jun’s birthday—whenever that might be—his grades were bound to hit rock bottom. On top of that, he was deeply worried about his own body, which had been unconscious for nearly three weeks now.
“Why do you look so low on energy? Are you sick?”
Han Jun, having no way of knowing Yi-hyeon’s inner turmoil, grew concerned as his pet seemed to be getting worse by the day. After taking him to the animal hospital for a brief checkup, they were told it might be stress, so Han Jun headed to a park farther from home.
Of course, he took Louis out for walks every day. But because he usually had no choice but to do it after finishing all his daily tasks, Han Jun figured that today, of all days, it would be good to come out early to a distant park—so Louis could run around freely with other dogs while breathing in the scent of sun-dried grass.
“Nice weather, huh? Right, Louis?”
Yi-hyeon barely registered Han Jun’s words. He was too busy desperately looking for a mouse hole to shove his tiny head into. Why did Han Jun insist on dressing him in these ridiculous outfits every time they went out? He couldn’t understand it at all. His face burned with shame as he rubbed it repeatedly with his front paws.
Today, he’d been brought out wearing a yellow hat.
The hat resting atop his fluffy fur made him look like he’d tucked a dandelion flower behind his ear. Yi-hyeon was the only one embarrassed by his appearance—every time he trotted along on his tiny paws, people around them burst into exclamations about how cute he was.
Apparently, even another passing dog found Yi-hyeon’s face appealing, because it tried to mount him—only to yelp and tuck its tail between its legs when it met Han Jun’s terrifying glare.
“Is the elastic not too tight? Does the size fit? God, seriously—crazy cute.”
Han Jun, completely smitten with Yi-hyeon’s cuteness, showered him with kisses as usual. Realizing that resisting with his tiny front paws was utterly pointless, Yi-hyeon gave up entirely. Letting his legs dangle limply, he resigned himself to being held while Han Jun stamped his lips all over him.
Just wrap it up already. How long are you planning to keep this up…
After spending a good while kissing and nuzzling Yi-hyeon, Han Jun switched to gently rubbing the small paw poking out between the two holes of his cape.
“What was up with that guy earlier? Sure, our Louis is gorgeous, but shoving a sausage at him like that—right in front of his dad who isn’t even mentally prepared to get him married yet? The nerve. Hah… is this what it feels like when your kid brings home a lover?”
Unbothered by the stares of passersby, Han Jun continued grumbling as he passed the park’s concession stand. The men sitting under its parasol pointed at him with their chins.
“Isn’t that Handog?”
“What’s Handog?”
“Han Jun’s nickname. They say he’s a mutt—born because his mom slept around with this guy and that guy, like a neighborhood dog.”
“Wouldn’t surprise me. He’s the only one who looks like he doesn’t belong.”
Only then did Han Jun notice the gazes fixed on him and glance back. When he recognized the faces of the two men—who looked to be around his age—his expression hardened, like the cement slapped onto a cracked park path for repairs.
“Ah… the weather’s nice, but the air’s filthy. The fine dust is really packed today.”
Han Jun said it with a twitch of his upper lip. The guys immediately shot back.
“If we’re fine dust, you’re dioxin. A walking social cancer.”
“Look at that—one dog taking another dog out for a walk. You’re a dog too.”
From the way they whispered about how he must’ve been born to some random dog his mom slept with, Yi-hyeon realized they were Han Jun’s former schoolmates.
That’s just vile. There are things you say to people—and things you don’t.
With that kind of unfiltered garbage coming out of their mouths, who wouldn’t throw a punch? Yi-hyeon growled, baring his fangs at the students, a low rumble vibrating in his throat. He knew he wouldn’t have been able to hold back either.
“Even the dog takes after its owner—filthy personality and all.”
“That dog—your mom give birth to it too?”
“Hah, I’ve got plenty of time and money today. Want me to turn you into another Joo Eungeol?”
Han Jun ran a hand through his hair, then let out the breath he’d been holding. He shot them a warning glare.
“You avoid shit because it’s scary? Let’s move somewhere else.”
The students stood up, picking up the tray with their drinks. As they did, they pointed Han Jun out to another student walking over from the restroom.
“Ah, fuck.”
The newcomer twisted his face like he’d just bitten into a bug, eyes fixed on Han Jun.
“Can’t the law do something about this? Like branding bastards born from adultery with tattoos on their faces saying born from cheating, so they can’t come outside.”
He said it loudly enough for everyone around to hear.
As murmurs spread, Han Jun clenched his fist and turned away. If he got tangled up with this guy again here, things would get complicated in every possible way. He might even end up running into a certain assemblyman he really didn’t want to see right now. Veins bulged over his tightly clenched fist as he forced down his rage.
“Wow, did Handog’s personality die or something? He’s actually holding it in.”
“Yeah, if he causes trouble again, his dad’s gonna ditch him for real. That’s why he’s putting up with it.”
“Looks like he already got ditched. Didn’t his dad not even show up last time? Just sent some shadow fixer or whatever.”
“He’s got a real son—why would he care about a knockoff?”
Yi-hyeon couldn’t take it anymore.
“Woof woof!”
“That mutt’s noise pollution—just like his owner’s air pollution.”
“Shut that dog’s mouth already, will you?”
Yi-hyeon wanted to scold them in Han Jun’s place, since Han Jun couldn’t afford to cause a scene. But all Yi-hyeon could do right now was bare his white fangs and bark.
No—wait. My legs are free, aren’t they?
The moment that thought struck him, Yi-hyeon bolted straight toward their table.
“Woof!”
“Louis!”
Han Jun shouted, yanking on the harness leash—but it was too late. Yi-hyeon was already lifting his leg over the shoe of the student who’d said the most humiliating thing about Han Jun.
Drip, drip.
He dyed the student’s pristine white sneaker yellow.
“Uh—ah! Fuck, you little bastard!”
The student jumped up.
So enraged that his upper lip curled back, he stretched out the raised leg and tried to kick Yi-hyeon. But he staggered violently when Han Jun slammed a kick into his shin, nearly knocking him into a chair.
“Are you fucking insane?!”
The student, face flushed red, tried to grab Han Jun by the collar. Han Jun easily smacked the rough hand away and narrowed his eyes sharply.
“You’re the insane one. Where do you think you’re swinging your leg?”
“Can’t you see what your fucking dog did to my shoe?!”
“I see it perfectly. But that’s that. How rotten does your personality have to be to try kicking a small, precious lifeform that doesn’t even weigh a thirtieth of you—just because your trashy shoe got ruined?”
“Ahh, guess I messed up back then. I should’ve crushed your mouth properly so you’d never spout dogshit again.”
“The one who got crushed was you.”
“Fuck. Say that again, you bastard. This time I’ll make sure you get beaten properly—and maybe squeeze some money out of it while I’m at it.”
While the two men argued, Yi-hyeon darted wildly between the table and the student’s legs, deliberately weaving back and forth until the harness leash tangled into a mess.
“What the hell—hey, again with this fucking dog! You not managing it properly? The leash is completely tangled!”
“Hey, Joo Eungeol! Don’t move—stay still! It’s tangled around the table, you lunatic!”
“Hey, hey! The coffee—the coffee’s gonna spill!”
“Is coffee the issue right now? I just bought these shoes!”
The student tried to lift his foot to show off the luxury sneakers he’d bought with part of the settlement money he’d whined to his mom for—but the table wobbled. Coffee and iced chocolate spilled over, the liquid running down the table’s edge and soaking into the bags piled on one of the chairs.
Having run around to his heart’s content amid the chaos, Yi-hyeon finally reached the end of the leash’s length, his waist tugged tight. When Han Jun spotted Yi-hyeon dangling helplessly between the tangled cords, he rushed over, unclipped only the leash from the harness, and scooped him up.
As Han Jun stroked his soft fur, Yi-hyeon noticed the corners of his mouth twitching in clear satisfaction—and somehow, his heart finally felt at ease.
“No matter how I look at it, our Louis really is a genius dog.”
Han Jun murmured softly, pressing a kiss to Yi-hyeon’s forehead. As his warm breath brushed against him, the sensation tickled all the way down to Yi-hyeon’s heart, and he instinctively curled into a small ball.
***
The moment they got home, Han Jun held Yi-hyeon in his arms and trailed after Mi-jin, explaining everything that had happened at the park. Mi-jin had just finished reviewing the portfolio for the next collection and was coming out of her room, her face heavy with the exhaustion of working life.
“Okay, okay. Auntie needs a coffee transfusion before she collapses from fatigue.”
Mi-jin waved her hand dismissively, clearly telling him to stop and get lost.
“I’m serious—Louis totally got revenge on those bastards for me!”
“Yes, yes, of course. Because Louis is a genius dog.”
She replied halfheartedly as she headed down the stairs. Irritated by her attitude, Han Jun stepped in front of her, blocking her path. Even though he was standing a few steps below, his eyes aligned perfectly with hers.
Only then did Mi-jin stop, letting out a deep sigh. She crossed her arms and leaned against the wall at an angle.
While this novel is great, holy crap I’m glad animal abuse isn’t a trigger for me because the Author seems to enjoy abusing puppy Yi-Hiyon in every way possible….