Don’t Mess with the Puppy! - Vol.3 Extra 3 END

Extra 3

Part 1

Even if Heeseong had personally picked out his lover, there was one thing that was hard to accept.

It was separation anxiety.

“…I want to go to the bathroom alone.”

Heeseong stared blankly at the wolf who had followed him into the bathroom. Even though the bathroom was quite spacious, it felt cramped with the wild bear-sized wolf inside.

Although he was used to it by now, Heeseong wanted to use the bathroom alone, even if his lover had separation anxiety. About to take off his clothes to wash up, Heeseong looked at the unmoving wolf with disbelief.

“I’m going to wash up.”

Grrr.

The wolf growled as if telling him to go ahead and wash, nodding its head. As if asking what the problem was, the mountain-sized wolf innocently widened its gray eyes. Seeing its blatant intention to watch, Heeseong flared up.

“I’m going to pee too.”

This time, the wolf sat down on its butt. Its expression was solemn as it stared at Heeseong’s crotch. That area it always teased for having no hair and where it always put its mouth. Heeseong, who was going to let it slide, finally exploded.

“What are you sitting for! Get out quickly!”

He yelled and pushed the wolf’s back, but it didn’t budge. The wolf stood firm, pretending to be wary as if reading the room, looking up at Heeseong pitifully. But Heeseong knew its true intention was ‘Let’s look at your smooth naked body together,’ so he didn’t fall for it. After a strenuous struggle, Heeseong finally drove the wolf out the door.

“Haa… It’s tiring.”

Heeseong wearily leaned against the door, finally alone in the bathroom. Although he had kicked Yoon Chi-young out, just thinking about how he would stubbornly wait outside until Heeseong came out made him sigh. As he listlessly took off his clothes, Heeseong thought with a worried face.

‘How the hell do I fix separation anxiety?’

At this rate, it seemed like Heeseong would never have any time to himself in his life.

Of course, being with his lover was a happy thing, but it felt like it was stealing not only his own time but his lover’s life as well, leaving him uneasy.

He thought it would get better as they lived together. But there were no signs of Yoon Chi-young’s separation anxiety improving, and Heeseong’s worries only deepened by the day.

***

Even in Heeseong’s eyes, Yoon Chi-young had changed positively.

First, Yoon Chi-young had broken free from his severe gambling addiction. He still spent money extravagantly, but just quitting gambling made it seem like he had become a proper person in the puppy’s eyes. It was because he had seen so many people fall into ruin at the gambling den.

But Yoon Chi-young, who had quit gambling, fell into another addiction.

‘Why the hell is his separation anxiety only getting worse?’

Strangely, there were no signs of Yoon Chi-young’s separation anxiety improving.

Rather, it worsened day by day to the point where he wouldn’t entrust Heeseong to the hands of his trusted subordinates. Before, he would sometimes leave Heeseong alone with Ji Youngbae, but now it seemed he disliked even that, taking the puppy with him wherever he went or leaving five or six subordinates with him to feel at ease.

Moreover, even waking up from sleep, he constantly checked for Heeseong’s presence.

Once, Yoon Chi-young seemed to be having a nightmare, breathing roughly in his sleep, then woke up drenched in cold sweat and hugged Heeseong tightly beside him. Heeseong, who had been abruptly woken up, patted his back without knowing what was going on. Even if it was annoying, he couldn’t ignore Yoon Chi-young’s unstable state. He truly seemed to fear losing Heeseong.

‘But if it’s to the point he can barely sleep now, isn’t that serious?’

Heeseong fell into deep thought with a grave face.

They had clearly confirmed each other’s feelings and even had a formal meeting with family to become official partners. Heeseong had even given a romantic confession in front of the sunrise over the sea with a ring. Yet Yoon Chi-young was increasingly unable to let Heeseong out of his embrace as the days passed. Rather than because he loved him so much, it seemed like he was suffering from anxiety over losing Heeseong.

‘Could it be… my confession wasn’t convincing enough….’

Heeseong fiddled with the ring on his ring finger, feeling upset. He had vowed to take responsibility for Yoon Chi-young for life, but it must have felt lacking to him.

‘Or is the separation anxiety worsening because we’re together too much?’

Heeseong grew more and more impatient. The more severe Yoon Chi-young’s separation anxiety became, the harder it was for his pheromone levels to stabilize easily. At times like this, Heeseong even had the absurd worry that his very existence might be poison.

Then an opportunity arose for Heeseong to try a certain possibility.

“I think I have an overseas business trip next week….”

“A business trip? For how long?”

“About 3 days. Want to go together and play for another week after?”

3 days for a business trip.

Actually, it was a short period if it was short, but to Heeseong, it seemed like an opportunity to try and fix the separation anxiety.

‘If we’re apart for 3 days, maybe Yoon Chi-young will realize something?’

It would be good if he could make Yoon Chi-young understand that it’s okay to leave him alone by living disconnected from each other. On top of that, Yoon Chi-young might realize that even lovers need time alone.

It seemed like he shouldn’t miss this chance. After a moment of silence, Heeseong approached him, his eyes shining black, and asked.

“Yoon Chi-young, do you want to go on the business trip alone?”

“……”

At the question, Yoon Chi-young, who had been sitting loosely in the study, looked up at Heeseong. He was definitely wearing a soft smile, but because of his pale gray eyes that made it hard to focus, an indecipherable wall could be felt. An iron wall that said being apart wasn’t even an option.

“Ah, you don’t want to go, puppy? Then I’ll cancel the flight.”

“No, hey.”

Heeseong put down the shrimp crackers he was eating and sat on the desk in front of Yoon Chi-young delinquently. They were looking at each other from above and below. Yoon Chi-young’s gaze was fixed on Heeseong’s shoulders revealed through the loose t-shirt. Heeseong thought he should have worn Chiyoung’s oversized t-shirt and persuaded him in a calm tone so as not to get angry at his unruly attitude.

“Try going on this business trip alone. I’ll stay home for 3 days.”

“Then I’ll stay home too.”

“How can you not go when it’s for work? I’m telling you to go alone?”

“I’m working just by existing, so it’s fine. I don’t want to go.”

Heeseong’s white tail drooped down at the ironclad words.

“…Are you going to keep being stubborn?”

“Me? When was I ever stubborn….”

Yoon Chi-young chuckled and wrapped his arms around Heeseong’s waist. He gracefully narrowed his eyes and flashed a charming eye smile, even slowly wagging his black tail behind him to act cute. He was quick-witted. It was obvious that he had realized Heeseong was trying to live apart just this once.

“Hey. Yoon Chi-young.”

But even when his lover acted cute, Heeseong didn’t back down. He had become sufficiently desensitized to cuteness by looking in the mirror every day.

“Your separation anxiety has only been getting worse. So let’s try living apart just this once. I think it might be getting worse because we’re together too much.”

“……….”

When Heeseong spoke seriously, Yoon Chi-young no longer avoided the conversation. He leaned against the back of the chair with a tired expression, lost in thought, then voiced his own conclusion.

“Are you trying to punish me for laughing when you got trapped on the veranda earlier?”

“…Why would I punish you? It was infuriating, but…”

Heeseong said through gritted teeth. Yoon Chi-young had slyly tried to change the subject, so Heeseong brought it back.

“Just go on the business trip alone. It’s only 3 days apart.”

“It’s a whole 3 days apart.”

“What are you saying, we won’t die from being apart for 3 days.”

“You might not die, but I’m not so sure about myself.”

The ever-present smile disappeared from Yoon Chi-young’s face. Just that made his sculptural features stand out and appear cold. It was a rare serious look, and Heeseong almost wavered, but he didn’t back down because the reason was absurd.

“I said we won’t die! What the hell are you so afraid of?”

Yoon Chi-young spoke without changing his expression.

“What if someone else thinks you’re cute while I’m gone and kidnaps you?”

“Kidnap…?”

“Or what if the puppy leaves me for another woman…”

“……….”

Yoon Chi-young preciously hugged Heeseong as if the mere thought was unpleasant. It sounded like whining, but he was actually holding a grudge, so Heeseong’s expression was disgruntled. Yoon Chi-young kept bringing up something from a month ago like it was yesterday and annoyingly pestered him about it.

Last time, Heeseong had thoughtlessly chased after a cool noona (older girl) in the hotel lobby.

Yoon Chi-young had assigned his subordinates to the puppy and had gone to take care of some other business for a moment. The puppy, who had been dozing off sleepily in the hotel lobby, fiercely opened his eyes upon seeing something.

A woman who seemed to be the boss was passing by.

〈You came to harass my lover again!〉

The puppy not only interrogated the woman, but also barked fiercely at her, asking how she followed them here, that she was suspicious, what scheme she was plotting this time, truly keeping watch like a fighting dog. Even the subordinates protecting Heeseong couldn’t stop him, that’s how small and desperate his threat was.

But then something unexpected happened.

〈Eek, a puppy!〉

〈Huh…?〉

The cool noona wasn’t the boss, but a cat beastwoman with a similar style.

Actually, when in puppy form, humans looked tall so they all seemed similar, but when a cool noona passed by, he had mistaken her for the boss.

〈Why is a puppy here alone? Want to come home with me?〉

The cat beastwoman didn’t even realize the puppy was threatening her and patted and fawned over him. Heeseong felt bad for barking and keeping watch for no reason, so he blankly let himself be hugged, but then Yoon Chi-young, who had finished his business and come back, saw that scene.

That day, Heeseong had hurriedly appeased Yoon Chi-young and somehow moved past it. The problem was that Yoon Chi-young kept bringing it up and holding a grudge afterward.

Like a moment ago, he would whine about Heeseong possibly leaving him for another woman over the slightest thing. At times like that, he would blatantly stare as if expecting Heeseong to say “I won’t ever go anywhere without you,” but Heeseong was bad at saying such embarrassing things and was tired and fed up.

“Are you going to live like this forever, even following me into the bathroom?”

“Why? You don’t like it?”

“Yeah.”

Yoon Chi-young elegantly smiled at the solid answer and proposed a compromise.

“Then I’ll wait outside the bathroom from now on.”

“Hey!”

Heeseong felt like he would burst at this rate. He wondered how the conversation about separation anxiety had come to this.

“I don’t like it, I feel suffocated. We can’t live like this forever!”

“……….”

As soon as he shouted, Heeseong regretted it. Yoon Chi-young truly looked hurt. He was just gazing at Heeseong with a smile that had cooled a little from usual, but Heeseong saw melancholy seep into his eyes.

In the end, Heeseong avoided his gaze and mumbled sorry, his head drooping, unknowingly feeling guilty. He didn’t want to hurt his partner whom he had vowed to take responsibility for in life.

Belatedly, Yoon Chi-young got up from his seat and gently hugged Heeseong, who was a hand span shorter than him. Heeseong was snugly enveloped in his broad chest, just like when he was a puppy. Yoon Chi-young didn’t forget to kiss all over Heeseong’s face to soothe him.

Even while receiving the skinship, Heeseong had a disgruntled expression the whole time. He knew Yoon Chi-young, as a purebred wolf, regarded cheating as a very crass thing to do. But because he had brought Walnut home on his own last time, he was suspicious.

“If you bring home another puppy… I’ll know to lock you up for life.”

“Will you lock me up, puppy?”

Yoon Chi-young asked with an elated tone as if the mere thought made him ecstatic. He was smooching Heeseong’s lips and smiling, but Heeseong just got angrier that his threat didn’t work. He simply couldn’t understand Yoon Chi-young’s way of thinking. He was seriously thinking of tying Yoon Chi-young up, but Yoon Chi-young was just happily acting like he had received a confession from a puppy for a day.

‘You can’t understand a lunatic.’

But they came to a compromise. Relieved, Heeseong was excited to rest and play as much as he wanted while alone. He thought he hid it so his lover wouldn’t feel sad, but in fact, his tail had been wagging in excitement since the talk of the villa, exposing everything. In the end, Heeseong had to stick close to Yoon Chi-young without being able to be apart for even a moment until the overseas business trip.

Part 2

On the day of Yoon Chi-young’s business trip, Heeseong found himself at a villa in Gangwon Province.

“When did you build such a luxurious villa…?”

As soon as Heeseong saw the three-story villa, he was stunned and couldn’t take his eyes off it.

The villa was located halfway up a mountain in Gangwon Province. Although it was in a remote place, the facilities were not just luxurious but abundant. The villa had high ceilings with a loft-style design, and one wall was made entirely of glass in a modern style.

Moreover, the interior was finished with high-end white marble, and not only were there various entertainment facilities, but the kitchen was stocked with all sorts of ingredients for a week’s worth of meals. A brand-new blue sports car was parked in the yard, and it was surrounded by lush mountain forests, looking like the only remaining modern house in a secluded world. It was exactly the kind of house the puppy had dreamed of. Heeseong wagged his tail uncontrollably as he busily looked around the villa.

Yoon Chi-young, who had moved a 30-inch carrier into the house, said,

“Do you like it?”

“It’s a bit extravagant… Wow, a swimming pool!”

Heeseong, who had discovered the indoor swimming pool, ran over with his black eyes shining. To think he would be staying here alone for 3 days. Secretly, he thought it would be fine if Yoon Chi-young returned from his business trip even later.

However, there was one thing that bothered him. He wasn’t sure if this place was safe.

Heeseong went out to the terrace and looked at the lush mountains. The villa was situated halfway up the mountain with an open view. Although it was a remote place, he wondered if it would really be safe.

“But is it really safe here? It’s halfway up a mountain.”

“Yeah.”

Yoon Chi-young, who had followed Heeseong to the terrace, hugged him from behind.

Resting his chin on Heeseong’s shoulder, he turned Heeseong slightly to the side and said,

“This mountain is called Wolf Mountain, and it’s where hundreds of wild wolves live….”

“Wild wolves….”

The puppy, startled to see that place, perked up his tail with a twitch.

At some point, two wild wolves had entered the villa’s yard and were sniffing around to check out the new scent. They were clearly young, curious scouting wolves. Heeseong, a stranger, couldn’t help but feel tense.

Fortunately, there was no need to fear the wild wolves. When Yoon Chi-young bent his knees first and extended his hand, the wolves quickly approached, sniffed, and soon flopped onto their backs. They looked even more puppy-like than the puppy.

“This is my territory, so all the wild wolves are my subordinates. I grew up here.”

“Wolves really think everything is theirs….”

While feeling dazed, Heeseong squatted down with Yoon Chi-young and touched the wild wolves as guided by Yoon Chi-young’s hand. Their fur was rough but warm, and the wolves were utterly tame. Even though Heeseong’s presence should have been unfamiliar, the wild wolves didn’t reject his touch.

“My scent is heavily imprinted on you, so the wolves will protect you.”

As he spoke, Yoon Chi-young draped his long coat over the shoulders of the squatting Heeseong. Although it was a bit uncomfortable as it reached Heeseong’s ankles when he stood up, he didn’t take it off because it was warm and had Yoon Chi-young’s scent.

Moreover, knowing that the mountain was safe put him at ease. Rather, it was nice that it was quiet and devoid of people, unlike the city. The excited puppy wagged his tail wildly as he stroked the wild wolves and said,

“Got it. Now go on your business trip.”

“You’re sending me off like this?”

“Then what?”

When Heeseong looked back, he saw Yoon Chi-young standing with his hands in his suit pockets. As he raised his gaze along his tall stature to his face, he saw a handsome face that didn’t hide his disappointment. His sensitive-looking gray eyes and tightly closed lips seemed to be demanding something from Heeseong. After some thought, Heeseong said goodbye once more.

“Have a safe trip. Don’t cause any trouble on your business trip.”

After saying that, Heeseong petted the wild wolves again. In the meantime, the number of wild wolves around him had increased to five or six, making him excited and thrilled. Knowing for sure that the wolves were on his side made them feel like his subordinate, giving him a sense of reassurance.

In the meantime, it was well past the time for Yoon Chi-young to leave for his business trip. Yet Yoon Chi-young couldn’t leave Heeseong’s side, clinging to him from behind.

“I can’t leave the puppy alone. What if something terrible happens….”

“…I saw all the vital sign cameras you installed inside the house, so hurry up and go.”

Heeseong found it annoying that Yoon Chi-young was acting presumptuous just because he was tall. But Yoon Chi-young truly looked like he was struggling, so Heeseong couldn’t even yell at him. His usually pleasant voice was low and hoarse, and his sensitive-looking gray eyes reflected a tired look.

“I miss you already….”

“Yeah, okay.”

“What if I miss you so much I feel like I’m going to die?”

“Look at the photo album on your phone. You took all sorts of pictures of me, didn’t you?”

“……….”

It was a half-joking, half-serious remark, but Yoon Chi-young didn’t respond. When Heeseong looked back, thinking it was strange, he couldn’t see any focus in Yoon Chi-young’s eyes. Seeing that expression, Heeseong became serious. He looked like he was having trouble breathing, his complexion stiff.

“Hey, Yoon Chi-young.”

In the end, Heeseong had to get up and give Yoon Chi-young a big hug to comfort him.

“Then come when you really, really miss me so much you feel like you’re going to die.”

Heeseong earnestly implored him before Yoon Chi-young could say he felt that way right now.

“Really, only when you miss me so much you feel like you’re going to die.”

“……….”

“You know we need times like this too.”

When Heeseong spoke emphatically, Yoon Chi-young finally followed his lover’s wishes.

He left butterfly kisses on Heeseong’s plump cheeks, nose, and lips, then let out a long sigh. It was the first time Heeseong had seen him struggling like this, so it felt quite strange. To think that the watcher of the clan would feel separation anxiety because of a mere puppy. It was something the beastmen who feared him couldn’t even imagine.

As expected, the anxious Yoon Chi-young handed Heeseong a black card and said,

“I’ll really come back… Make sure to have fun and buy everything you want.”

“When you’ve already prepared all sorts of entertainment at home….”

“I’ve also hidden treasures in the villa, so make sure to find them.”

“Treasures?”

He had remodeled the house so the puppy could comfortably move around, and he even hid treasures. Heeseong was grateful that Yoon Chi-young had meticulously prepared everything for him. He felt sorry to see Yoon Chi-young off when he was hugging Heeseong with all his might.

In the meantime, Yoon Chi-young had finally made up his mind.

“It’s an investment I’m making since I’ll be seeing you for the rest of my life.”

“Okay.”

Lastly, before leaving, Yoon Chi-young took the scarf Heeseong had been wearing the whole time. Heeseong had no choice but to give it to him when Yoon Chi-young said it had Heeseong’s scent on it, so he could at least find some stability with it.

Heeseong did scold him, asking if he was a baby, but he personally wrapped the scarf around Yoon Chi-young’s neck. He even gave him a kiss and pretended to be a bit sad to see him off. Although his tail kept wagging excitedly behind his back, giving it away, Heeseong was also a little reluctant to see him go.

After seeing Yoon Chi-young off like that,

‘I’m finally alone…!’

Heeseong, who had barely sent Yoon Chi-young off, looked at the beautiful villa like an amusement park.

He was really the only one left in the luxurious villa. There were no subordinates who stubbornly spoke to him politely, and he was completely alone without any surveillance. Although it felt a bit empty, Heeseong transformed into his puppy form and solemnly stretched his body.

Three days were not enough to have fun to his heart’s content. Now that he was alone, he had to rest efficiently. The puppy first ran around the villa, exploring his surroundings.

‘What could the hidden treasure be?’

The puppy sniffed around with his sensitive nose. He had wondered what treasure Yoon Chi-young had hidden, but as soon as he saw the utility room next to the refrigerator, he knew. It was filled to the brim with shrimp crackers, stacked up to the ceiling.

The excited puppy roughly grabbed a bag of shrimp crackers like prey and went to the bedroom.

‘Was this the bedroom?’

The next place he entered was a bedroom with warm sunlight streaming in. The puppy climbed onto the bed, passing a rug the same color as his fur. -There were puppy stairs placed here and there, seeming to have been prepared in advance- Lying on the fluffy bed and looking up, it was fantastic. There was a wide-open window in the ceiling, allowing a clear view of the sky. Although heavy clouds hung as if it would snow, the puppy happily wriggled his body, finding even that delightful.

Normally, he would have been showered with kisses by Yoon Chi-young and received a full-body massage by now. With the surroundings being so quiet, he couldn’t help but feel peaceful and content. The secretly excited puppy thought while lying on his back with his pink belly exposed, wagging his tail.

‘I should look around the house a bit, watch a movie, and eat some snacks if I get hungry. Ah, there’s a car too, so I should go out for a drive and buy some food. Should I drive to the department store?’

Since Yoon Chi-young had given him a card before leaving, he thought about swiping a large amount to surprise him. Just imagining it was satisfying, so Heeseong rolled around on the bed excitedly, eating shrimp crackers. The bedding was so soft that it felt like lying on a cloud, making him drowsy.

Without realizing it, he fell asleep and woke up to find that three hours had passed.

Feeling hungry, Heeseong got up disheveled.

‘I should eat first.’

Thinking of the abundant kitchen, Heeseong leaped out to the living room. The excited puppy’s steps were as light as a feather.

However, the puppy’s face, which had been happily excited, gradually fell.

‘It’s really quiet….’

The living room, which was not only empty but also had modern art pieces hanging on the walls, felt unfamiliar. The puppy, slowly scratching his folded ears, looked around in his disheveled state.

“……….”

Somehow, it felt a bit empty.

When Yoon Chi-young was by his side, the world seemed full, but now that he was gone, it felt like the world was empty. Even the luxurious villa felt like an unfamiliar world. To the puppy left alone, everything seemed difficult to touch and too high.

When Heeseong first arrived at the villa, he was excited at the thought of being alone, but now he couldn’t understand why the beautiful house only seemed desolate. Heeseong unknowingly kept looking around.

Awoo….

The puppy, realizing once again that he was alone, whimpered softly in disappointment. The sorrowful voice echoed through the quiet space made of marble. The puppy looked around with drooping ears and a gloomy face. He searched every corner, wondering if there might be a subordinate hidden by Yoon Chi-young, but there was truly no one. The sound he weakly let out, “nying,” was tinged with loneliness.

‘Yoon Chi-young…?’

The puppy looked around every corner of the villa with anxious eyes.

Among them, there was a storage room behind the kitchen. Worried that he might get trapped, Heeseong unconsciously entered through the pet door installed there.

The dark storage room smelled musty, and there was nothing but cleaning tools and a boiler. It just felt like the surroundings were cluttered.

However, Heeseong’s body froze at the familiar scent he caught in the storage room.

It wasn’t that he became scared like a child because he was alone. Just looking at the dusty storage room, a terrible memory suddenly flashed before his eyes.

〈…Mom told me to wait.〉

It was as if he could see a vision of himself huddled alone in an abandoned house, waiting for someone. Belatedly, Heeseong tried hard to shake his head and push the thought away. But he couldn’t help but look around anxiously.

In the end, Heeseong ran to the bedroom as if escaping and curled up his small body on top of the coat Yoon Chi-young had left behind. His sorrowful black eyes were round and pitiful.

‘I’ve never really been alone all this time….’

Even when Heeseong was alone at the gambling den, he always heard unpleasant noises from the next room. He had never been completely alone.

So he didn’t know that such terrible memories would torment him. Heeseong buried his face in Yoon Chi-young’s coat, which still had his scent. He didn’t want to be left alone in a house full of snacks.

‘…I don’t want to be alone at home.’

In the end, Heeseong couldn’t stand the silence and got up.

He thought about contacting Yoon Chi-young, but seeking him out after only three hours seemed absurd. And he could surely shake off such terrible memories with other actions.

Heeseong went outside without hesitation and took a deep breath.

The cold mountain air penetrated deep into his lungs. After taking a few deep breaths, Heeseong’s face became much more refreshed. Seeing the wild wolves prowling around and the well-tended garden, his mood improved considerably.

‘It does feel a bit better now that I’m out.’

Since he was already out, he thought he should also enjoy the mountain scenery. Hearing the clear sound of birds in the distance, he felt like even his mind was being cleansed. Heeseong wagged his tail and admired the blue sports car parked nearby, then looked around the mountain with a puzzled expression.

‘But why is there snow piled up here even in March?’

Heeseong looked up at the mountain in wonder. It seemed like some time had passed since it snowed, as the snow showed signs of melting considerably, but it was snowing again on top of it. Heeseong thought it was amazing how different Gangwon Province was from Seoul.

The puppy ventured a little further along the mountain path out of curiosity.

Somehow, he liked this mountain that was said to be Yoon Chi-young’s territory. It was a mountain that was much more lush and had a somehow magnificent spirit compared to the place where the wolf clan’s main house was located. Knowing that such a place belonged to Yoon Chi-young made Heeseong feel proud and elated for some reason.

While looking around the mountain, Heeseong discovered something strange.

‘Is that building also Yoon Chi-young’s villa?’

In the distance, there was one more building with a similar style to Yoon Chi-young’s villa. Moreover, the two villas were built together side by side, making them seem unusual. Although it looked more weathered than the villa Heeseong was staying in, it was a stylish house that didn’t appear old at all.

Suddenly, Heeseong recalled Yoon Chi-young’s words about the person he trusted the most being near the villa.

‘Could it be that the person Yoon Chi-young mentioned is over there?’

Heeseong’s tail perked up in curiosity. The puppy looked around at the villa that seemed too big, then glanced back at the other villa. He didn’t want to be left alone in Yoon Chi-young’s villa. Exploring his curiosity seemed much better than that.

‘Should I go and take a look?’

Although it was snowing a little, it didn’t seem far, so it would be fine to go alone and come back quickly.

The puppy, who had solemnly turned his body, climbed the mountain for the first time in a long while. It was a bit cold, but he was fine since he was wearing his fur coat. And after scouting and returning, it seemed perfect to melt his body in the whirlpool bath.

‘If there are other subordinates, I’ll scold them for keeping watch.’

Heeseong thought sternly, but his tail wagged and swayed excitedly with anticipation. As he climbed, Heeseong recalled the last time he had seen the clock. 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Thinking there was plenty of time, the puppy began climbing the mountain where sleet was falling. He hoped to meet someone, anyone, at the villa beyond, as he didn’t want to sleep alone.

‘This is crazy, isn’t it?’

Heeseong, who had been climbing the mountain, thought with a shocked face. The path to the villa was more treacherous than he expected. Not only was it difficult to climb due to the snow, but the villa was much farther than anticipated.

‘The building was big, so it looked close, dammit.’

Heeseong felt like he had been fooled for no reason. He thought about just going back as the sun was slowly setting on the mountain, but it was ambiguous to go back down due to the slippery snowy path. The snowy path was already difficult, so going down seemed even more dangerous. It would be better to rest at the villa, which was a bit closer now. However, there was no sign of the villa appearing, and Heeseong gradually grew anxious.

‘Could it be that this isn’t the right path…?’

The puppy stopped and looked around anxiously. There had been a fork in the road when Heeseong was climbing up. But as expected of Yoon Chi-young’s private property, there were no signposts. The puppy confidently walked in the direction where the villa seemed closer, but the path veered to the side of the mountain rather than going upward, as if it were a hiking trail. Heeseong, who was walking hesitantly, looked up at the sky with worry. The sun was gradually setting on the mountain. He had to hurry as it would be dangerous to be left alone on the mountain. But Heeseong’s four legs were already frozen stiff.

‘It’s, it’s too cold.’

The puppy shivered and sneezed twice in a row. It was so cold that his teeth chattered. He was sure to catch a cold tomorrow.

‘It’s cold even after transforming into a puppy….’

Originally, when a puppy wore a fur coat, it became quite resistant to the cold. But the mountains of Gangwon Province, where sleet was falling, were not to be taken lightly. The puppy thought about going back to Yoon Chi-young’s villa, but the way back seemed even more dangerous, so he walked forward again. Still, it wasn’t scary as the wild wolves kept prowling around and following the puppy at a constant distance.

How long had he been walking like that?

It was when the mountain had become quite dark. Just as he thought he would freeze to death, something appeared at the end of the path.

‘A villa…?’

He couldn’t tell what kind of building it was, but it was a villa with warm light seeping out. The relieved puppy barely moved his four paws, which had already lost sensation. Each step was so arduous that he resented his weak body. The puppy, who had staggered closer to the villa, sat down exhausted on the threshold.

‘Please, someone, anyone, come out….’

The puppy, who had been thinking, couldn’t even make a sound to call for someone and sat down powerlessly. With no strength in his body and his head feeling hot, it seemed like a terrible cold would come.

‘I miss Yoon Chi-young….’

The puppy, who had collapsed and curled up, heard the sound of some beast sniffing beside him. Perhaps it was a wild wolf living in the mountains, licking his body with its tongue and restlessly circling around. Awooo! Beyond his fading consciousness, Heeseong heard the howling of a wild wolf. Heeseong desperately wished for someone, anyone, to pick him up and passed out.

Part 3

“…….”

How long had he slept like that?

Heeseong felt the place he was lying on boiling. It was so hot that it felt like his flesh would melt, making Heeseong think he had arrived in hell for treating his lover coldly.

The puppy wriggled in the heat and finally came to his senses, sat up, and looked down. He was puzzled by how hot it was, but it was just a bed. However, when he looked again, finding the texture hard, it was a stone bed. Startled by the unfamiliar furniture, the disheveled puppy looked around.

‘Where the hell is this…?’

The puppy woke up, surprised to see the unfamiliar place, with the fur on one side of his face flattened. The surroundings, which emitted a strong scent of wood, were very warm despite being in the middle of winter. Heeseong, who sneezed, “achoo,” kicked off the blanket with his foot because his body was hot, then looked around again.

Perhaps it was a wooden cabin, as there were hardly any electronic devices in sight. Puzzled, the puppy went to the edge of the white, angular bed. The surroundings were filled with old wooden furniture, but rather than looking old, they had an antique elegance. Although it was a cabin, Heeseong thought it was simply a villa belonging to a wealthy old couple due to the graceful charm.

Then the puppy noticed the medals hung on the wardrobe with knife-like precision.

‘What’s this? Is it a house where a soldier lives…?’

The wardrobe had an old-looking military uniform, medals, and a neatly hung national flag. There was also a black and white photograph of a solemn-looking middle-aged woman in a military uniform receiving a medal. However, next to it was a contrasting color photograph taken with a boy. The boy was a bright-faced young master from a wealthy family.

‘I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before….’

Just as Heeseong was going to the edge of the bed to take a closer look at the photograph, an abrupt voice came from behind.

“Finally awake, are you?”

He was startled. He hadn’t even noticed someone entering the room, but there stood a middle-aged, no, elderly woman who looked exactly like the one in the photograph.

She had graying white hair and wrinkles on her face, but her posture was very upright. Her steady gait also seemed too vigorous to think of her age, and there was discipline even in the way she set down a bowl of porridge in front of the small puppy. To Heeseong, she seemed old enough to be called a grandmother, but just as the puppy was about to open his mouth, he couldn’t due to her thick eyebrows and strong-looking eyes.

“A patrol wolf of our clan brought a puppy, I see.”

‘Puppy…?’

“Yes. I’m talking about you.”

Heeseong wanted to retort, asking if he looked like a baby puppy, but he couldn’t muster much reaction as he had no strength in his body. His nose was stuffy, and his head was dizzy. It seemed like he had a severe case of the flu.

The unidentified grandmother spoke.

“You’ve caught a bad cold, so you’ll need to rest for 3 days.”

‘3 days… I’m supposed to be having fun….’

“Why would a frail-looking thing like you come out in the snow….”

Although the grandmother scolded him, she held the warm porridge to his mouth, so he ate it little by little. It was beef porridge, and while the taste was bland, it was good. Thanks to that, even Heeseong, who had no appetite, was able to eat quite a bit of the porridge. Seeing him eat well, the grandmother praised him, saying he would recover quickly thanks to his appetite.

Heeseong, who had finished the porridge, looked toward the glass-walled terrace with hazy eyes.

‘There’s this much snow?’

The world was completely white. The snow that had been falling like sleet yesterday had now piled up to his ankles. Heeseong looked around at the unfamiliar sight in a daze and groaned.

Whine….

‘Yoon Chi-young must be worried….’

No matter how much they had agreed to spend time apart, Heeseong was still worried about Yoon Chi-young.

Then, as if she could understand the puppy’s words, or perhaps sensing his worried look, the grandmother deliberately said, “There, there.”

“Even if you want to go out, you can’t go down the mountain because of the snow. Since you’ve already caught a cold, rest well before leaving.”

As expected, the sight was unusual, and he couldn’t even dream of going down the mountain. Then Heeseong wondered why the grandmother was living alone on Wolf Mountain.

‘Why is the grandmother living in Yoon Chi-young’s territory…?’

The puzzled puppy mumbled a question.

‘Who are you, Grandma?’

“Who else? I’m someone who lives on this mountain.”

‘This mountain belongs to the Watcher….’

“Yes, I know.”

“……?”

Heeseong was surprised by the answer. He didn’t know she could understand puppy talk. Although dog beastmen were the most numerous among beastmen, there were many dialects, so even when returning to their original form, it wasn’t common for them to understand each other. Moreover, Heeseong had become accustomed to the wolves not understanding body language, so he found it even more amazing.

Seeing his surprised expression, she vigorously ruffled the puppy’s head and said,

“What’s so surprising? To be a mountain guardian, you need to at least understand the language of other beastmen.”

‘No, how do you know Yoon Chi-young… Ow, it hurts…!’

Heeseong, who had been curious, protested against the hand that was intensely ruffling his head. She ruffled his head so hard that the whites of the puppy’s eyes above showed. She said she was a mountain guardian, and her grip was no joke.

While the puppy rubbed his flattened head against the blanket to fluff it up again, he heard an unfamiliar fact.

“I raised that kid myself. So don’t worry and rest.”

‘What…?’

He looked up at her with a face full of static, puzzled, but her face was just upright without a hint of falsehood. Heeseong was left with an even bigger question. He had already met Yoon Chi-young’s mother at the formal family meeting. If she had raised him, wouldn’t that make her his mother? But there was another one. The puppy was confused, thinking Yoon Chi-young might be hiding something from him.

However, looking again at the boy in the photograph on the side, his bright smile definitely resembled Yoon Chi-young’s. It didn’t seem to be a lie.

‘…Anyway, I guess it means she’s a safe person?’

Heeseong barely reached a conclusion with his dizzy head and panted, lacking strength. The flu was so severe that he was tired even from thinking for a long time. Still feeling anxious, he tried to at least check his cell phone, but the grandmother kept tucking the fist-sized puppy into the blanket.

“You need to rest well. Why do you keep moving when you’ve caught such a bad cold?”

‘I just want to check my phone.’

“Just sleep, you rascal!”

‘Ah, I said I just want to check my phone…!’

Woof!

The puppy barked weakly but kept being stubborn. However, the grandmother was no pushover either. Whenever Heeseong crawled out from under the blanket, she put him back in place. Even when the puppy barked and barked that he could handle it himself, she scolded him for talking back and tucked the blanket well around his whole body.

‘Tsk, what kind of grandmother is this strong….’

In the end, the puppy lost to the grandmother’s stubbornness. The puppy kept panting even while lying down, unable to handle the grandmother’s unyielding personality. It felt like meeting his match.

The puppy, who had been grumbling like that, fell asleep in no time. The cold was terrible, and even in an unfamiliar place, his body was already exhausted and couldn’t help but fall into a deep sleep. Still, Heeseong thought it was much better than being left alone in a luxurious villa.

Part 4

The next day, after resting all day, Heeseong was finally able to wriggle around a bit.

Thanks to that, he learned the exact layout of the cabin. The puppy, who had been snooping around every corner, was shocked.

‘What is this place…? Why is it as big as Yoon Chi-young’s house?’

He thought it was a small cabin where a retired soldier grandmother lived alone, but the villa was spacious enough for a large family to live for days without seeing each other’s faces. The wooden building consisted of two structures, and the one Heeseong was staying in was the largest three-story wooden house. Next to it was a two-story building that looked like a luxury pension.

Moreover, there was a sauna room connected by an outdoor corridor. The puppy, who had been snooping around the warm sauna room, began to suspect that the grandmother really had a lot of money as Yoon Chi-young’s adoptive mother. However, it was certain that the grandmother was a safe person.

Relieved, Heeseong fully enjoyed the luxury.

“Are you cold? I should get you some clothes.”

‘Clothes?’

Although the grandmother’s words were gruff, she took meticulous care of Heeseong. Seeing the puppy with a cold shivering and wandering around, she tried to give him clothes.

‘Is she trying to give me clothes Yoon Chi-young wore as a child….’

Heeseong was fine with just his fur coat, but he still followed the grandmother with a pitter-patter, thinking it would be better to wear clothes to recover from the flu. She was so vigorous that her walking speed was very fast, just like her actions.

The grandmother started touching some fabric in the study, which looked luxurious at a glance. Looking around the place, which was furnished as magnificently as Yoon Chi-young’s study, Heeseong felt more and more that the grandmother’s identity was unusual. There were many books in foreign languages on the bookshelves, and the corners were even worn out. Her lifelong efforts were evident in her life.

On that bookshelf, there was also a photograph of a boy.

‘There’s a photo of Yoon Chi-young here too….’

It was hard to see in detail in his small puppy form as it was placed high up, but it was definitely Yoon Chi-young. He appeared to be in middle school, and even at a glance, one could tell he was a young master with a noble air. It was a photo of him when he was older than the one in the bedroom, and although his face had lost some of its liveliness, perhaps due to puberty, he was still smiling listlessly. Next to it, the grandmother in her younger days was standing with her chest out, smiling proudly.

Looking at that photo, Heeseong recalled one piece of information.

‘Could it be that purebred wolves entrust their children to a nurse like in the wild?’

He had heard that in the wild, only the alpha couple could have puppies, and they would have a nurse for communal child-rearing. And the orthodox purebred wolves were likely to follow the habits of the wild. Thinking of that, he seemed to know the grandmother’s identity. If she had raised Yoon Chi-young, there was one possibility.

‘She was Yoon Chi-young’s nurse….’

Heeseong felt a little sorry for Yoon Chi-young. To think he grew up in the hands of a soldier with that carefree and unrestrained personality of his. As Heeseong observed the grandmother, he understood Yoon Chi-young’s words about her being the person he trusted the most after Heeseong and also the one he couldn’t beat.

However, Heeseong was curious as to why the grandmother, the nurse of the Watcher, was living here alone.

‘Won’t she feel lonely living here alone….’

Heeseong felt the same way he did when he first went to Yoon Chi-young’s house. Back then, he also felt sorry for Yoon Chi-young living alone in a spacious and desolate house. Heeseong thought he had a lot of unnecessary sympathy, but knowing what loneliness and solitude were, he couldn’t help but feel melancholic.

That bitter thought evaporated as soon as he put on the clothes.

“There, it’s all done. Now wear this and go around.”

‘The clothes are already done?’

While he was muttering questions, the grandmother lifted the puppy onto the desk and struggled to dress him.

She carefully inserted his four legs into the holes and made sure his face was properly out. The thick fabric wrapped around his body in an extraordinary way. Since the material was quite stretchy, the grandmother had to adjust the fit of the clothes on the puppy’s body several times.

And, seeing the clothes in the mirror on the desk, Heeseong barked abruptly.

‘What the hell is this!’

Heeseong immediately lost his temper. He had secretly hoped for knitting or perhaps some leftover puppy clothes, but in reality, it was not just sloppy but trivial. The puppy standing in front of the mirror frowned deeply, threw a fit, and wriggled.

‘I’m not wearing anything like socks!’

“Stay still!”

Heeseong’s body was dressed in sturdy socks. They were even cheerful and bright sleeping socks. To call it puppy clothes just because they had holes for the four legs to stick out. Fortunately, the socks looked new.

Still, he hated what he hated. The puppy began to kick and struggle in annoyance. But annoyingly, the socks fit the puppy’s body perfectly. What was even more irritating was that they were warm. However, a fighting dog would not wear anything like socks. Heeseong bared his tiny teeth and looked above the mirror. The grandmother tried to put the socks back on tightly, saying it was fortunate they fit well.

‘I said I’m not wearing this!’

“Keep them on, so you can stay warm!”

Despite the stern order, the puppy, whose pride was hurt, tried to take off the socks right away. He struggled and wriggled, trying to take off the clothes that his front paws couldn’t even reach. However, the socks maintained their snugly rounded shape thanks to the fat he had healthily gained.

Seeing the puppy’s dislike, she clicked her tongue and remarked,

“Not knowing that saving is the way to live well. What an ungrateful rascal….”

Although her words were scolding, her face was full of a smile that seemed to say he was so cute she could die. But Heeseong hated the sleeping socks with the light pink pattern so much that he lay down on his back in protest. It was a demonstration demanding they be taken off immediately. If he did this, Yoon Chi-young would take a few photos while laughing but ultimately do as Heeseong wanted.

But the grandmother was a formidable opponent.

“Since you have a cold, stop doing useless things and come out to eat snacks.”

‘I’m telling you to take them off!’

In the end, Heeseong waddled after the grandmother, who coolly left the room. He tried barking irritably, but the grandmother took out red strawberries from somewhere and held them out to the puppy. Unconsciously taking a bite, Heeseong’s eyes sparkled at the sweet juice filling his mouth, and he temporarily quelled his temper. His body did feel a bit better now that it was warm.

‘…I’ll only wear them until Yoon Chi-young sees me.’

The grandmother seemed to have no intention of taking them off, so there was no choice. Thinking he had no choice because of the cold, Heeseong tried not to look in the mirror as much as possible.

That day, Heeseong had his fill of porridge and snacks under the pretext of having a cold and became even more unable to take off the socks. Lying down with his plump belly wrapped, Heeseong thought it was better to be here than to be left alone and fell asleep as if passing out. A day of enjoying luxury passed by.

Part 5

‘It snows here even in March….’

The puppy sat in a daze, staring out the window.

Gangwon Province was still in the middle of winter in March. The snow that had been slowly falling had now accumulated much higher than the puppy’s height. If Heeseong went out into the yard, he would have to jump to move around because the path was so blocked. It wouldn’t be a problem for the tall Yoon Chi-young, but it seemed impossible for a car to make it up here.

‘What if the snow doesn’t melt by the time Yoon Chi-young comes back….’

Heeseong was worried about Yoon Chi-young and kept thinking about him, but he couldn’t bring himself to contact him first. They were already trying to spend time apart to fix the separation anxiety, so if he contacted him even once because he was worried, Yoon Chi-young might immediately return to the country and take a helicopter to come here.

Soon, the puppy made up his mind.

‘…No. Yoon Chi-young is coming tomorrow night, so I just have to wait a little longer.’

Since they had already decided to try and treat the separation anxiety, he thought he should endure it a bit more.

Having woken up early in the morning, Heeseong scouted around the quiet house and went outside in his disheveled state. He heard the sound of wood being chopped and thought it couldn’t be, but there was the grandmother, chopping firewood. It was the middle of winter, and she was wearing only a long-sleeved t-shirt on top.

‘Wh-what a scary grandmother….’

The puppy bounced through the snow and sat on top of the pile of chopped wood. It seemed she had been chopping firewood since early in the morning, as the amount of stacked wood was quite substantial. As if pleased that he had come to greet her, the grandmother smiled but bluntly pretended not to know.

“You’re up already, puppy? Why? Go sleep in a bit more.”

‘I know you’re nagging me….’

Heeseong mumbled as if whining with sleepy eyes. Just from her tone, he could tell the grandmother was scolding him for being lazy. Yoon Chi-young, who seemed to be a natural-born loafer, must have heard it even more than him growing up. He was even more stubborn than Heeseong, so if he had lived with the grandmother, every morning must have been like a war.

She seemed to find the puppy talking back simply adorable, so she came close and vigorously ruffled Heeseong’s head with her gloved hand. It was still a rough touch that exposed the whites of the puppy’s eyes. If the puppy hadn’t thrown a fit telling her to stop, she would have ruffled him until he was flattened on the ground.

The grandmother, who had been laughing and saying how small and cute he was, spoke.

“If you’re hungry, go find something to eat on your own.”

‘On my own? I’m a puppy, you know.’

Heeseong grumbled. He had grown accustomed to being pampered in Yoon Chi-young’s arms and treated like a master. For a moment, Heeseong thought to himself that he had really become spoiled. The grandmother had taken care of him all day yesterday, feeding him five meals and snacks. Feeling guilty for talking back, he began to gauge her reaction.

But the grandmother just laughed out loud and pointed to the furnace.

“Go to that furnace and dig up some sweet potatoes to eat.”

In the back, there was a makeshift furnace made by placing stones. A large pot was placed on top, and there were traces of a fire being lit. Through the black ashes, the scorched aluminum foil could be seen here and there.

‘Sweet potatoes…?’

Heeseong got down from the firewood and walked through the snowy path. Even though the sun had risen, it seemed colder than last night. He wanted to warm his paws by the remaining embers.

‘Sweet potatoes….’

The puppy approached the furnace and sniffed with his nose. A subtle scent of sweet potatoes wafted from the ashes. As he pawed around with his front paws, the ashes flew up. It wasn’t hot but warm, as if the fire had been out for a while. Heeseong found sweet potatoes wrapped in aluminum foil among the burnt firewood.

After rummaging for a while, the puppy rolled out the biggest sweet potato with his front paws. It was too hot to keep his paws on for long, so he had to move the sweet potato carefully. As he was digging around for a long time, the grandmother, worried, approached from behind.

“So greedy, you dug up one as big as your own body.”

‘Don’t scold me and peel it for me.’

Heeseong pushed the sweet potato with his front paws. Then the grandmother laughed heartily, mumbling how cute he was and that she couldn’t hate him, and peeled off the aluminum foil. The puppy, who had heard countless times from Yoon Chi-young that he was cute, only stared at the sweet potato with a scorched skin. Perhaps it was because he had been eating fancy cuisine with Yoon Chi-young all the time, but seeing a well-roasted sweet potato after a long time made his mouth water.

Soon, the grandmother split the large sweet potato in half and pushed aside the skin, revealing the steaming, golden flesh inside.

“It’s hot, so wait a bit, puppy….”

Woof!

“See, I told you it’s hot!”

Before she could finish speaking, the puppy bit into the sweet potato and flailed around from the heat. The grandmother only scolded him verbally but couldn’t stop laughing. The puppy, despite trembling from burning the roof of his mouth, ate the sweet potato again with difficulty. Having experienced severe hunger in his childhood, Heeseong developed a habit of stubbornly eating food. Although he couldn’t eat much due to his weak digestive system, he always overcame his lacking digestion with a strong appetite.

Seeing the puppy greedily eating the sweet potato, the grandmother remarked as if impressed.

“You’ll live a long life, thanks to that appetite of yours.”

‘I have someone to take responsibility for, so I have to live long.’

“Yes, that’s how it should be.”

She laughed as if she really liked what he said. In front of her, Heeseong chewed the sweet potato and thought of Yoon Chi-young. Had his separation anxiety gotten a bit better now, or had he tried to come back to Korea because he missed Heeseong but gave up? Once the thought came to mind, it kept lingering.

Heeseong thought he was the type to be indifferent to others, but his worries about Yoon Chi-young never ceased. He found himself constantly looking outside whenever he had a chance, to the point where he wondered if he was the one with separation anxiety.

‘…No. Still, we need some time apart.’

That way, Yoon Chi-young would also realize that it’s okay for them to be apart. Heeseong was here, eating sweet potatoes with difficulty and doing well. The puppy raised his head and looked somewhere in the sky, hoping Yoon Chi-young would work hard and come back.

Heeseong also drank the milk the grandmother brought him, filling his belly to the brim. The milk tasted really good with the sweet potatoes. He wanted to give some to Yoon Chi-young, who had a very refined palate, to try.

‘Thinking about Yoon Chi-young again….’

The puppy, lost in thought, looked down at the sweet potato he hadn’t even eaten half of with a sad expression.

It was delicious, but eating alone didn’t feel good. Normally, Yoon Chi-young would have eaten with Heeseong, wiped around his mouth, and praised him for eating well. He used to find it bothersome, but now that he wasn’t here, it felt empty.

However, the grandmother’s words made his dejected thoughts evaporate.

“Your white fur is all covered in ashes, what do we do?”

‘Ashes?’

The puppy looked up with a puzzled expression. Hearing that he was black, he couldn’t gauge his own condition and was confused, but when he saw his reflection in the scorched stainless steel pot, he understood.

‘Sh-shit….’

The white puppy’s body had become grimy with charcoal soot. It was the consequence of rummaging through the furnace to eat the biggest sweet potato. His front paws and chest fur had turned completely black, and his face had become a spotted puppy with the area around his snout and the middle black like a Siamese cat.

It was a big problem. From experience, Heeseong knew that once his white fur got dirty, it took a very long time to clean. Heeseong tried rubbing his body hard with the towel the grandmother had temporarily brought, but the charcoal soot only spread evenly all over his body.

‘Ah, Yoon Chi-young will definitely make fun of me if he sees this.’

Heeseong, who had tried to wipe his fur, ended up sprawled out in a daze, having become the perfect image of a country dog. If Yoon Chi-young had seen him, he would have laughed to his heart’s content, said he was so cute he could die, and taken videos and photos to tease him, saying he had to record it forever.

Just thinking about it was annoying, but Heeseong realized he was thinking about Yoon Chi-young again and rubbed his forehead with his front paw, feeling embarrassed.

‘…I guess I was the one with separation anxiety after all.’

But admitting it made him feel at ease. A puppy who thought it was okay to miss his lover sat down on the firewood, feeling drained.

Like that, he spent the whole morning thinking about Yoon Chi-young and stayed by the grandmother’s side until she finished chopping all the firewood. She told him to go inside and wait first, but he couldn’t act heartlessly after receiving sweet potatoes. The puppy helped out by biting small branches and piling them on top of the firewood. Just that made the grandmother praise him greatly, making him feel proud.

Then, as the grandmother finished chopping all the firewood, she wiped the sweat from her forehead and said,

“Thanks to you, I finished quickly. Now, let’s go eat breakfast.”

‘Wasn’t the sweet potato breakfast…?’

While Heeseong was dumbfounded, the grandmother easily carried the puppy with a full belly into the house with one hand. Heeseong, whose stomach was already stuffed, refused, saying he wouldn’t eat breakfast, but at the stern order of why he was wasting food he hadn’t even eaten, he ended up eating all the rice too and passed out flat. It was a luxury, no, an extravagance that left no room to even miss Yoon Chi-young.

Part 6

The mountain guardian of Wolf Mountain had many tasks.

As Heeseong was digesting his breakfast, a pregnant wild wolf came to the mountain guardian seeking help. It seemed to be asking for assistance as it couldn’t find food in the winter mountains.

“Just play around, puppy.”

Heeseong naturally thought the grandmother would give food from the villa, but she transformed into her original form and headed for the mountains. The startled puppy tried to follow her, but the grandmother, who had turned into a red wolf, pushed the puppy back into the house. The puppy couldn’t move anyway due to the accumulated snow.

In the end, Heeseong waited at home and watched the mountain guardian’s work. The mountain guardian seemed to teach the wolves how to find food in the winter mountains and organize their hierarchy. Still, perhaps because of Heeseong, she returned quickly. Heeseong belatedly began to look at the agile and wise red wolf with admiration.

After spending a peaceful day, the night that came to the villa was tranquil.

Outside, the snow continued to fall with no sign of stopping. The puppy, who had become a Siamese cat pattern from rummaging through the furnace, sat in a daze, staring out the terrace.

‘Yoon Chi-young will only return tomorrow night….’

Tomorrow was already the day of Yoon Chi-young’s return. But if it snowed this much more, the path might be blocked, and he might not see him for another week. Perhaps because the villa was so peaceful, the waiting time felt even longer. Moreover, with his body sick, he missed his lover even more. Heeseong wished he could fly to Yoon Chi-young.

When even watching the snow fall became tedious, the puppy lifted his butt and got up.

‘What is the grandmother doing?’

When he went to the living room out of curiosity, the grandmother was sitting in an armchair reading a book. Heeseong didn’t want to be alone, so he scratched her ankle with his front paw. It was a request to be held. Having experienced being alone this time, Heeseong realized that he actually disliked being left alone, so such demands became natural to him.

Whether she understood his feelings or saw the puppy’s listless expression, the grandmother readily hugged him. Heeseong lay on her thigh and blankly stared out the window at the heavy snowfall. The snow, which had barely reached his ankles when Heeseong climbed the mountain, was now piled up to his knees. Accordingly, worries accumulated in the puppy’s black eyes.

‘I miss Yoon Chi-young… At this rate, we won’t be able to come or go.’

Since they had been apart, Heeseong couldn’t stop thinking about Yoon Chi-young. But time passed slowly, and heavy snow fell. Somehow, Heeseong felt like he was being punished for treating his partner coldly.

Then, perhaps seeing the puppy looking gloomy, the grandmother remarked,

“Originally, heavy snow often falls here even in March.”

“……”

“But in March, the snow melts quickly. Before long, a perfect spring scenery will unfold.”

‘Not that…’

Regardless of whether the snow melted quickly, he missed Yoon Chi-young right now. The puppy buried his head in his front paws with a sorrowful heart, making a small sound. His body was sick, and without his lover by his side, he only felt lonely. Although the winter mountain scenery was beautiful and the occasional visits from wild wolves were refreshing and nice, Heeseong couldn’t muster any energy no matter what he did.

Unable to bear it any longer, the grandmother asked as she closed her book,

“What, are you bored?”

‘I wish time would pass faster…’

That way, the snow would melt, and he could see Yoon Chi-young sooner. Heeseong nodded his head, thinking the meaning was similar anyway. Then, as if finding him cute, the grandmother gently scratched the puppy’s neck, set him down on the floor, and said,

“Then I’ll show you something fun. If you see it, you’ll like it too.”

‘I hope she’s not going to make me wear socks again…’

The puppy followed the grandmother, waddling without much expectation. He had been eating three meals a day plus snacks so diligently that he had gained more weight in the meantime. The sleeping socks he wore on the first day felt even tighter, but Heeseong tried to ignore it and followed the grandmother to the study.

She was rummaging through the bookshelf. As if it was preciously kept, she took out a luxurious leather box from next to the safe right behind the desk. Not knowing what was going on, Heeseong scratched his ear with his hind leg and waited obediently.

Soon, a thick album emerged from the box. Heeseong thought the grandmother might be bragging about her family. As expected, it wasn’t anything fun. Until the grandmother spread the album in front of him, Heeseong sat there disgruntled, without much anticipation.

“I took it out to show you my son.”

‘Photos of Yoon Chi-young? Or does she have another child?’

If he was going to look anyway, he hoped it would be childhood photos of Yoon Chi-young. Yoon Chi-young told Heeseong many things, but strangely, he didn’t talk much about his past or childhood.

Heeseong was curious about his childhood, which must have been the opposite of his own. He expected it to be abundant and happy since he was a young master from a wealthy family. Soon, an old paper scent wafted strongly as the album spread in front of the puppy, and a photo album with worn edges opened.

“How is it? He has a great appearance, right?”

‘Huh…?’

The photo album was filled with pictures of a boy who looked to be in middle school. As if he had gone to a wedding, there was a photo of him standing side by side with the grandmother in a formal attire at what seemed to be a hotel. His height was similar to the grandmother’s, but even in the low-quality photo, it was evident that he had a handsome face and a good appearance. He had distinct features that were sure to grow up to be a beautiful man.

‘Yoon Chi-young was pretty even then….’

Heeseong’s eyes sparkled, recognizing Yoon Chi-young. His tail wagged and swayed just from seeing his lover’s childhood photos.

In the photo, Yoon Chi-young had refreshingly long eyes under thick eyebrows, with a sharpness in one squinted eye and a confident smile. It was an unfamiliar yet new sight to Heeseong. Somehow, he thought Yoon Chi-young was always an elegantly polished person, but seeing his childhood photos, he seemed to have the impression of someone who would have caused a lot of trouble.

In the meantime, the album slowly turned, and the grandmother’s explanations continued.

“Back then, he mainly stayed in wolf form. He was so wild as a child that he would live in the mountains for a week at a time. Seeing him living like a human now, it’s truly remarkable.”

‘Wow, a week…’

The puppy listened with fascination and examined the album. She also looked at each photo with affectionate eyes. As the pages turned, the boy in the photos grew little by little.

There were many photos of him in wolf form, still seeming to be in his growth period. The pitch-black wolf looked smaller and more agile than the one Heeseong knew. The photos were diverse, with one showing the wolf holding a pheasant in its mouth, standing proudly against a forest background, and another showing him howling with other wild wolves. Strangely, there was also a photo of him sleeping stretched out on the hood of a sports car.

The more Heeseong saw, the more amazed he became, even pressing his front paw on the album before it turned, saying he wanted to look at it more before moving on. Each time, the grandmother would chuckle, gently stroking the puppy, and say,

“He’s not my bloodline, but I still raised him like a real son.”

There was a hint of bitterness in her affectionate words. When Heeseong looked up at her, puzzled, he saw her face looking at the photos with sorrowful eyes.

“I thought his innate wildness was a blessing and hoped he would become the guardian who protects the clan… But in the end, he didn’t want that path until the very end.”

“……”

“Still, thanks to you, puppy, he said the position of the guardian has finally become good. He’s so grateful to you…”

‘…Thanks to me?’

The puppy was puzzled. Yoon Chi-young had never said such a thing to him. Moreover, he seemed to be merely accustomed to the guardian’s work, not particularly fond of it. It was a strange thing to say.

As the album turned to the back, the passage of time could be felt. However, the boy in the photos gradually lost his expressions.

‘Huh…?’

Even the puppy’s wagging tail stopped moving.

As Yoon Chi-young grew older, he noticeably became more haggard and didn’t even put on an artificial smile when taking photos. It was a slightly unfamiliar sight to Heeseong. He wondered what kind of experiences Yoon Chi-young had gone through during this period.

The grandmother vaguely told that story.

“Actually, he grew up quite lonely. Even though he was an exceptionally talented child, he was shunned by his own family.”

‘Shunned…’

Heeseong looked at the photo of Yoon Chi-young in his school uniform, leaning against a wall with an expressionless face. Although his body was almost fully grown, his expression was so dark that he looked like a completely different person from now. Yoon Chi-young’s lips were turned down, expressionless, and his dark circles under his sensitive-looking gray eyes only seemed tired. To put it bluntly, he looked more unhappy than before Heeseong met him.

‘His expression back then is similar to the one I had as a child…’

Heeseong began to rethink Yoon Chi-young. He thought Yoon Chi-young had grown up in a wealthy family, living a smooth and easy life, but unexpectedly, he had many similarities to Heeseong. He was shunned by his family and walked a path he didn’t want. He must have wanted the same things as Heeseong.

‘I should have hugged him more when he was suffering from separation anxiety…’

Rather than the shock therapy of living apart, he needed a word of affection. Growing up, he must have been as lonely as Heeseong, who was always alone.

The puppy looked at him in the photo, who seemed lonely and desolate, with a sorrowful face for a long time.

‘I miss Yoon Chi-young….’

He wanted to run to Yoon Chi-young right now and tell him that he missed him. He wanted to hug him tightly first, making up for all the times he couldn’t express it because he was clumsy.

But reality was not favorable. The news said the snow would continue to fall heavily throughout the night. The puppy whimpered softly, “awoo,” looking at the photo in sorrow. Yoon Chi-young would return tomorrow morning. If more snow accumulated than now, he might not be able to climb the mountain. But it was the first time Heeseong missed him so much. He wished he could even hang onto a helicopter and go down.

That’s when it happened.

Awooo…!

In the middle of the night, a distant howling was heard from afar. The puppy’s ears perked up sensitively.

It was a common howling without any signal or pattern. In Wolf Mountain, it was a sound heard more frequently than birdsong.

‘Could it be?’

But Heeseong, with his keen senses, realized at once that it was different from the howling of wild wolves. The puppy stared out the window with his round eyes that had been pitiful moments ago. The howling he had heard just now was definitely the howling of a wolf Heeseong knew.

A howling with a deep and heavy resonance. Moreover, there was a subtle scraping sound mixed in with the thick cry.

Awoo-!

It was definitely Yoon Chi-young.

Convinced but in disbelief, Heeseong desperately stared out the terrace. Yoon Chi-young’s return was supposed to be tomorrow, and unless he was crazy, there was no way he would climb the snow-covered mountain in the middle of the night.

But Yoon Chi-young was the only strange one who would think of climbing the wild mountain. Another howling was heard from a slightly closer location.

‘Yoon Chi-young?’

The puppy, convinced, frantically scratched at the terrace door. Then the grandmother clicked her tongue as if she had expected it and opened the door. The puppy, who had dashed outside, couldn’t go to the yard where the snow was piled higher than his height, so he stood on the terrace steps, wagging his tail and butt, barking wildly.

Before long, something large and black emerged through the heavy snowfall. Normally, the puppy would have run away, thinking a wild beast had appeared, but knowing its identity, Heeseong couldn’t help but greet it excitedly, his front paws trembling. A wolf with black mane and white snow like sugar covering its entire body. Even through the falling snow, Heeseong recognized him just by seeing his silhouette.

‘Yoon Chi-young!’

He wanted to nag at him, asking how he came all the way here in this heavy snowfall, but the joy came first. Heeseong kept howling and calling for Yoon Chi-young, sneezing repeatedly.

Awoo, awoo!

Unable to contain his joy, Heeseong barked wildly, forgetting his own appearance. He was desperate to show his delight, saying he was here and had waited so long. Having heard that small howling, Yoon Chi-young responded with a howling that had a considerably higher range. He was clearly happy too.

As they got closer, their shapes became clearer to each other. The wolf also barely distinguished the white puppy through the falling snow and hesitated.

“……?”

Then he tilted his head first. Heeseong, forgetting that he had become a Siamese cat pattern due to the ashes and was wearing tight sleeping socks, howled several times to make his presence known.

Barely recognizing his partner, the wolf approached leisurely with a sly smile. Despite the considerable amount of snow, he easily walked with his long four legs. As soon as he reached the terrace, Heeseong greeted him with a nose kiss and rubbed his body all over him. The two, who had exchanged greetings, entered the outdoor corridor with a warm fire lit to escape the falling snow. It was an outdoor corridor connecting to the sauna of another building.

The wolf, who had shaken off the white snow on his body, licked the spotted puppy a few times, then slowly transformed into his human form. He stood up tall, put on a sauna robe hanging on the wall, and let out a refreshed sigh.

“Baby.”

He bent his knees and called out affectionately, extending his hand. Not wanting the puppy to be cold, he couldn’t touch him properly with his frozen hand and carefully wrapped him in the inside of his arm. The puppy, who had clung to his wrist, was wrapped in another towel as he asked,

“Did you wait for me?”

‘Of course I waited! Right?’

The puppy mumbled intensely, not knowing what to do. He couldn’t hide his joy and was busy tapping his front paws. Yoon Chi-young’s signature elegant smile and his shameless words in a low and clean voice were all delightful. The impatient puppy groaned and demanded something. Fortunately, he seemed to understand the meaning quickly, as Yoon Chi-young struggled to take off the tightly worn sleeping socks. The puppy, who had vigorously turned his body, immediately transformed into his human form.

“Yoon Chi-young!”

Heeseong, who had gotten up with sparkling puppy ears, hugged him with shining eyes. He felt like he would fly away with his tail spinning like a propeller behind his back. Yoon Chi-young, who had put a sauna robe on Heeseong first, wiped his grimy cheeks and smiled with the corners of his eyes curved.

“Why is the puppy so happy? I secretly came early, prepared to be scolded.”

“If you know you’ll be scolded, why did you come up this late at night? Why, why?”

Although his words were scolding, Heeseong rested his chin on Yoon Chi-young’s chest and looked up at him with sparkling black eyes. Unable to hide his joy, he was busy rubbing his forehead hard against Yoon Chi-young’s shoulders. Overwhelmed with affection, Yoon Chi-young couldn’t resist and hugged Heeseong, kissing him all over his face first. His words, spoken while hugging him tightly, were filled with affection.

“Didn’t I say to come when you miss me so much you feel like you’re going to die?”

“Even so, how can you climb the mountain in the middle of the night?”

Heeseong spoke his mind even while unable to hide his joy. It was because he had almost died climbing the mountain himself. After nagging him with a voice full of worry, Yoon Chi-young sniffed the puppy scent from Heeseong’s puppy ears and whined,

“I had to come because I couldn’t even sleep properly….”

“How much sleep did you get?”

“Barely an hour. I couldn’t sleep because I couldn’t hear the puppy’s snoring….”

As if it wasn’t a lie, dark circles were subtly visible under Yoon Chi-young’s eyes, and his eyes were red with bloodshot veins. He seemed to have really struggled to sleep.

Feeling sorry for him, Heeseong whispered very softly that he had come well then, nestled in his arms. He wanted to tell him that he had missed him too, but hesitating to say such a cheesy expression, he ended up just patting Yoon Chi-young’s back. For now, going inside was a priority because of the cold weather. He couldn’t let Yoon Chi-young catch a cold too.

Moreover, behind them, the grandmother had come out to the terrace and was standing with her hands clasped behind her back. Although her eyes were looking at them as if they were quite a sight, there was a smile on her lips as if she found them truly delightful to see. As their eyes met, Yoon Chi-young lightly lifted Heeseong, who was barefoot, like a princess and headed towards the terrace.

“Nanny, I’m here.”

“Welcome, young master.”

Even from ten steps away, her face was sternly stiff. The polite speech was also unfamiliar, making Heeseong puzzled beside them. He had thought that although they didn’t see each other regularly, Yoon Chi-young and the grandmother were very close.

At that moment, Yoon Chi-young quietly spoke so that only Heeseong could hear.

“She’s angry because I came after a long time.”

“S-scary….”

While Heeseong muttered to himself without realizing it, the nanny, who had glanced up and down at Yoon Chi-young, spoke with a dismayed face.

“You really climbed the mountain through the heavy snowfall in this blizzard. If you had this much persistence, you should have quit gambling long ago. What a pity.”

“Didn’t you tell me to bring my lover when I find someone to marry? I listened to your words, Mom.”

At his shameless remark, the nanny finally gave a hearty laugh as if giving up. The atmosphere became gentle in an instant. She opened the terrace door wide as if telling them to come in quickly. Her gaze was warm as she looked at the grimy Heeseong awkwardly held in Yoon Chi-young’s arms.

“Welcome. You brought the lucky charm well too.”

“You two already introduced yourselves?”

“I already accepted him as my new son. There’s no room for you in the house, so figure it out and stay over.”

“Oh no. Should I seduce this house’s new son and sleep with him…?”

Heeseong was dumbfounded after hearing their conversation. The two of them, who were like water and oil, seemed to be fighting, but they were clearly bantering based on affection. The precarious conversation between the nanny and Yoon Chi-young came to an end with the puppy calling her “mother-in-law.” It was a night that finally felt warm in a long time.

Part 7

After exchanging pleasant greetings with the nanny, Yoon Chi-young entered the warm bath to thaw his body.

His body was frozen from wandering through the snow for a long time, and he was not in good condition. The nanny directly measured Yoon Chi-young’s pheromone levels, then hurriedly hit his back hard, telling him to transform into a wolf.

“Your pheromone levels have skyrocketed like this, and you thought of climbing the mountain. You must have had a death wish.”

Grrr.

Yoon Chi-young, transformed into a wolf, was busy pressing his cheek against his lover’s waist and sniffing his scent all over his body, regardless of whether Heeseong nagged or not. Just that alone made his pheromone levels drop little by little, so Heeseong decided to bathe the wolf himself. Although the huge wolf’s body was daunting, Yoon Chi-young was considerate by nature, so it didn’t require much effort.

Heeseong led the pitch-black wolf to the bathroom. In the meantime, he had become familiar with the layout of the vast house, truly leading Yoon Chi-young like a new son.

“Come here, your body is still cold.”

Grrr….

The wolf raised its front paws in front of Heeseong as if asking what was so good about being cared for. When the wolf stood on two feet, it was much taller than Heeseong. Barely holding the heavy wolf, Heeseong was kissed until his cheeks were wet, then managed to lead the wolf to the edge of the bath. Still, even when Yoon Chi-young showed brutal affection out of joy, Heeseong was only delighted.

But something was strange. Heeseong, who had been admiring the wolf’s elegant fur, asked with a surprised face as he lifted the black mane.

“Why do you have so much white fur?”

Originally, Yoon Chi-young’s original form was so pitch-black that it seemed like he had been dipped in ink, but now, white fur was noticeably visible all over his body. It had grown innumerably like gray hairs, but he hadn’t noticed at all earlier because the fur was covered in snow.

Yoon Chi-young just wagged his tail as if it was no big deal and kept lifting Heeseong’s t-shirt with his nose bridge. Heeseong scolded him, telling him to stay still for a moment, and closely examined the black fur that he usually loved the most. While he had become a gray puppy from being covered in ashes, Yoon Chi-young had truly grown white fur from the roots.

“Do wolves also grow gray hair…?”

While he was puzzled, the answer was provided by the grandmother who brought the bath towel.

“That happens when he’s under stress.”

“Ah….”

“How weak. I never raised him like that… Tsk.”

When the nanny scolded him, Yoon Chi-young roughly exhaled as if throwing a tantrum. Perhaps wolves could understand each other, as the nanny retorted, asking if he was talking back. Although the tone was fierce, the atmosphere was only warm. Only Heeseong was examining Yoon Chi-young with sorrowful, sunken eyes.

‘It’s because of the separation anxiety….’

In just 3 days of being apart, the days of Yoon Chi-young, who couldn’t even sleep properly and was lonely, flashed before his eyes. Heeseong regretted telling him to try being apart without much thought. He wished he had considered other measures or called for him as soon as possible, even after going on a business trip.

Saddened, Heeseong silently entered the bath with Yoon Chi-young and hugged him tightly. Under the warm yellow light, his black eyes, filled with thoughts, were trembling narrowly. His heart ached to think of him enduring loneliness alone in a foreign place, unable to sleep.

This time, Heeseong recalled that Yoon Chi-young had a past similar to his own.

Yoon Chi-young was always alone and didn’t even have a family to share his heart with. Being separated from the first companion he formed a group with must have been painful. Heeseong had pushed him away, thinking it was suffocating to receive too much love.

Rather, he should have reciprocated Yoon Chi-young’s expressions of affection. Then there would have been no reason for Yoon Chi-young’s separation anxiety to worsen. Heeseong pulled the wolf into his arms and gently stroked his body while whispering.

“…Without me, you’ll become a white wolf.”

Grrr.

It was a remark made with a sorrowful heart, but perhaps thinking it was a joke, the wolf licked Heeseong’s cheek.

Still, Heeseong’s gloomy expression showed no signs of lifting. He felt sorry for treating his beloved lover harshly. He had only experienced such things in his life, so he ended up reciprocating the same way. If he truly knew what coldness was, he should have made sure his partner would never feel such emotions….

Suddenly, Yoon Chi-young’s words brushed past his ears.

〈You might not die, but I’m not so sure about myself.〉

〈What if the puppy leaves me for another woman…〉

Since when did he think the size of their hearts was different? Heeseong hugged him tightly, as much as the size of his regretful heart.

Now, Heeseong decided not to hesitate to express affection just because he was clumsy at it. If you don’t show it and express it, the other person won’t know. Even earlier, despite his resolution, he couldn’t say a single word to Yoon Chi-young that he had missed him. Heeseong resolved to fully show his affection to Yoon Chi-young, for his sake and for his own sake.

Cheesy words were hard to say, but it would be enough to reciprocate even just half as much as Yoon Chi-young did.

“Hey, Yoon Chi-young….”

Expressing affection. Despite his resolution, as soon as Heeseong called out to him, his words got stuck in his throat.

Expressing one’s feelings to a lover was a natural thing. Saying it and showing it as much as you like them, but he couldn’t understand why it was so difficult. Until now, Heeseong had lived feeling that if he showed affection for the other person, it was like handing over his own weakness.

But not being able to say what needed to be said was not like a fighting dog. Heeseong, who had made up his mind again, decided to honestly confess his feelings.

“You know, that… You see.”

Grrr.

As Heeseong hesitated to speak, the wolf, perhaps puzzled, poked his moist nose bridge against his neck. It was a rare case for Heeseong to hesitate, so it seemed like he thought Heeseong was going to say something very serious. The mountain-sized wolf was about to shake off its body and get up, ready to run anywhere if something had happened to the puppy.

Perhaps because of that, he couldn’t even show his usual shameless reaction to the puppy’s clumsy confession.

“After being apart this time, I realized… I don’t think I can be apart from you anymore.”

“……”

Rarely, the wolf’s eyes widened in surprise. It was the first time Heeseong had seen such an expression on Yoon Chi-young, who was always composed. Seeing Heeseong avoiding eye contact and being embarrassed, the wolf, perhaps excited, slowly wagged its lush tail in the water. Heeseong’s confession turned even the wolf into a puppy.

Overcoming his embarrassment, Heeseong stammered and continued his confession.

“Uh… Honestly, I think I could live without you.”

Grrr….

“Listen until the end.”

The wolf growled as if whining. It was amazing how he could act cute so well in such a beastly appearance. Heeseong spoke as if soothing him, ruffling Yoon Chi-young’s mane.

“Even if I can live, it’s just… It doesn’t feel like living.”

“……”

“Even when I was so sick with a cold that I thought I would die, I was worried about you first… Even while enjoying sweet potatoes, I only thought of you. Also, even when wearing socks as clothes, the first thought that came to mind was that you would have liked it if you saw it.”

At those words, the wolf let out a long, languid sigh. He was clearly happy. As if wanting to be closer to Heeseong, he deeply leaned his head into Heeseong’s embrace. With the fluffy sensation, Heeseong also gradually softened and found it easier to express his inner thoughts.

“Even when apart… Far from spending my own time, I only thought of you.”

“……”

“I, I think I like you a lot too.”

The more Heeseong confessed, the stranger he felt. Even though he was only telling Yoon Chi-young his true feelings, he felt like his own past was being comforted instead. And even though it was embarrassing, he knew that expressing his feelings left no regrets compared to hesitating. Feeling relieved, Heeseong smiled comfortably, flapping his puppy ears.

The response to the confession came back intensely.

“Mmph, hmm…!”

In an instant, Yoon Chi-young, who had transformed into his human form, kissed him. The bathwater rippled and overflowed like someone’s heart. For the first time, Heeseong had the composure for skinship and soothed Yoon Chi-young, who was mixing his tongue as if yearning. Having waited as much as Heeseong had, he accepted him without regret.

Part 8

For once, Yoon Chi-young slept soundly without waking up to look for Heeseong.

‘Ugh… I’m tired.’

However, Heeseong was exhausted from enduring Yoon Chi-young’s shower of kisses and knotting throughout the night. Waking up in puppy form in the morning, Heeseong could only sit blankly due to fatigue.

In contrast, Yoon Chi-young woke up with a very refreshed face, and as soon as he saw the dazed puppy, his expression turned serious.

“…What’s with you?”

…Whine.

Yoon Chi-young asked in a low, serious voice. At the rare sight, Heeseong also tensed up nervously and glanced at him.

“You… Why are you so cute?”

“……”

“Hmm? Why are you cute from the morning?”

‘Fucking bastard.’

Suddenly, Yoon Chi-young rubbed his cheek against the puppy and acted flirtatiously. Heeseong forgot his resolution from last night and cursed at his lover, baring his teeth in annoyance. But he couldn’t push him away. In fact, he didn’t even have the strength to push him away. The cold and flu still lingered, and all his energy had been drained from bathing the wolf and enduring the skinship last night.

After peacefully rolling around on the bed for a while, the two finally got up only after feeling hungry. Heeseong, who belatedly transformed into his human form, thought he looked worse than when he first caught a cold and flu on the first day after looking in the mirror.

The nanny, whom they met at the dining table, seemed to think the same. She clicked her tongue after seeing Heeseong’s disheveled appearance, not his words.

“My goodness, bringing a much younger kid and biting him….”

“I’m fine though….”

“Fine, my foot.”

No one believed his words. As Heeseong resolutely grasped the chopsticks, he dropped one side, making a pitiful clattering sound. Heeseong felt a bit upset about showing a weak appearance in front of his mother-in-law.

The nanny brought a fork to Heeseong, then glared at Yoon Chi-young, who was sitting at the table with a bright, wrinkle-free face, and hit his back hard. Calling him a thief, she hit him, but Heeseong considered it a good sight and ate the sausage with a fork. It was the first time he had seen Yoon Chi-young being helplessly beaten by someone other than himself.

Only after his back had turned red from being beaten did Yoon Chi-young, who was sitting at the table, whine with a thick skin.

“There’s no way I would bully my lover. Mom, you’re too much….”

“Why don’t you directly look at the puppy’s condition and say that?”

‘There they go again….’

Having lived together for a while, Heeseong was now used to the sound of the two bickering. Rather, it was nice to see Yoon Chi-young looking comfortable. Sometimes, he heard that Yoon Chi-young called the nanny “Mom.” In fact, he had never heard him call his biological mother that way. While Heeseong thought this was the position he should be most mindful of, he had also grown fond of the nanny, so it was ambiguous what attitude he should take.

‘I’ll just be the new son.’

Heeseong thought with ease and ate up the grilled fish the nanny offered. He also passed various side dishes to Yoon Chi-young, who was eating slowly with large bites. The nanny praised him profusely, saying he had chosen his partner very well and that he was pretty for eating abundantly. Heeseong, not knowing that the reason he earned points from his mother-in-law was his cuteness, thought he had done well to eat with his own hands instead of Yoon Chi-young’s, as usual.

Like that, they spent the afternoon chatting with the nanny about various stories and ate strawberries, a specialty of Wolf Mountain. The two, who had spent a long time with the nanny, decided to go down the mountain only when the sun was about to set.

“It will be dangerous with the accumulated snow. Is there anything else I should pack for you?”

“No, Nanny. The snow will melt quickly, so it’s fine.”

“Not for you. I’m worried about the puppy.”

“Only caring for the new son. You’re too much….”

Yoon Chi-young whined without actually feeling sad. Heeseong also said he was fine with a reliable tone. The snow had mostly melted, and if they took a different path than the one Heeseong had climbed up, it would only take about 30 minutes to reach Yoon Chi-young’s villa.

By the time they stood at the door, Yoon Chi-young’s hands were full of luggage. Heeseong also carried a small piece of luggage and vigorously bowed to the nanny.

“Well, Mother-in-law. I’ll come again next time. Thank you for everything.”

When he bowed with his puppy ears flapping, both the nanny and Yoon Chi-young laughed out loud. But Heeseong became even more excited. He was happy to finally meet Yoon Chi-young’s family-like family. It felt like he had gained a family of his own. It was a new and strange feeling.

While going down the mountain, they held hands tightly, saying it was dangerous, and deliberately carried the luggage in one hand. The mountain path, which had been only difficult and scary when climbing alone, looked beautiful when walking with Yoon Chi-young. The lush vegetation and the wild wolves that followed them out of curiosity from a distance were also grateful and nice. When Heeseong told Yoon Chi-young that the wolves had saved him, he even said he should give them beef as a reward.

While talking like that, Yoon Chi-young asked as if he had thought of something.

“By the way, puppy.”

“Yeah.”

“Did you find the treasure I hid at the villa?”

“Huh? Yeah.”

Heeseong answered, wagging his tail excitedly. Although his answer was nonchalant, in fact, thinking of the villa filled with shrimp crackers, he was secretly excited. He thought about asking Yoon Chi-young to stay at the villa for a week and fully enjoy it. The puppy, who liked anything, vigorously waved Yoon Chi-young’s hand in the direction he was pulling and said,

“I saw it packed with shrimp crackers. It’s decorated just like the dream I had last time, right?”

Last time, Heeseong had said he dreamed of falling into a field of shrimp crackers. He had mentioned it in passing as a trivial story, but he remembered Yoon Chi-young particularly liking it.

This time too, Yoon Chi-young smiled broadly as if adoring Heeseong and lightly touched his forehead.

“You thought the treasure was just snacks?”

“Huh? It wasn’t?”

“Seems like you didn’t see the kitchen table….”

Yoon Chi-young couldn’t hold back his laughter. As if finding him cute, he even bit the puppy ears that stood up on Heeseong’s head. Heeseong, not knowing what was going on, asked bluntly what the hell it was. He would have been perfectly satisfied if the hidden treasure was shrimp crackers, but it seemed there was something more. Heeseong thought maybe he had hidden jewels among the piles of snacks.

As they carefully descended the mountain, Yoon Chi-young began giving hints like a game of twenty questions.

“Among the things you saw at the villa, tell me something more precious than snacks.”

“Uh… Game consoles?”

“Something better.”

“A huge TV.”

The mountain, where the sun was gradually setting, was peaceful. Holding hands tightly as they walked, Yoon Chi-young kept telling him to say something better, something bigger. Heeseong, who was continuing to answer, was made to say the most expensive thing he saw in the house.

“Then… That art piece I said felt nice?”

“That’s expensive too. More.”

“What the hell is it? …Could it be the sports car?”

Heeseong stopped abruptly, his eyes sparkling.

The brand-new blue sports car that looked like a painting parked at the villa came to mind. He naturally thought it was Yoon Chi-young’s car, but could it have been a gift? Heeseong’s white tail stood up straight in anticipation. His black eyes, filled with anticipation as he looked at Yoon Chi-young, widened and sparkled.

Yoon Chi-young gazed at Heeseong like that, then smiled subtly and said something unexpected.

“Something even bigger.”

“……?”

Heeseong’s brow furrowed somewhere between disappointment and anticipation. Seeing that, Yoon Chi-young, who had been chuckling, whispered softly into Heeseong’s ear.

“The villa and the car, they’re all the puppy’s.”

“……”

“Everything is a gift I prepared for our puppy.”

“…Huh.”

The puppy ears lying flat behind Heeseong trembled.

Only then did the peculiarities of the luxurious villa come to mind. Any furniture or door. There were stairs placed so that even a very small puppy could move around easily. Moreover, the art pieces placed in the house were the ones Heeseong had once unconsciously said he liked, and the car was the one he had raved about as his dream car. In addition, as he had said he dreamed of being immersed in shrimp crackers, the utility room was packed with snacks. There were even all sorts of game consoles and a private pool that Heeseong had said he wanted.

“Y-Yoon Chi-young….”

Heeseong learned for the first time in his life that when you’re too happy, you can’t even speak properly and even your tail breaks down. His tail, which was always honest, could barely twitch at the end with all its fur standing up.

Yoon Chi-young, who had been watching that sight with delight for a while, kissed Heeseong’s fingers and smiled with his eyes curved.

“Let me sleep over at your house.”

My house. At the unfamiliar word he heard for the first time, Heeseong’s face turned bright red. To think that the playground he had thought of as a dream house was his own. As he grasped the reality, his tail, which had barely broken down, wagged rapidly. He was so excited that he tightly grasped Yoon Chi-young’s hand. In the distance, his new house was in sight. Beautiful, with Yoon Chi-young’s wolves guarding the yard.

Dazed, Heeseong unknowingly followed through with yesterday’s resolution. The puppy, looking up at the back of Yoon Chi-young’s tall head, spoke in a stammering tone, too excited.

“You’re really, really. A cunning bastard.”

“Why?”

“You make it so that I, I can’t help but like you immensely. To the point where I can’t refuse… So nicely.”

At the intense confession, Yoon Chi-young’s laughter rang out loudly. After exchanging butterfly kisses at the end of their laughter, the two walked towards the villa, wagging their tails. Heeseong rambled on about his true feelings in joy the whole way. He shamelessly confessed that he wanted to live here with Yoon Chi-young forever when they were old, and he also said that what he wanted to do most was go for a drive.

However, among Heeseong’s countless sincere words, what Chiyoung liked the most was the confession, “No matter how nice the villa is, it’s only good with you.” Heeseong, who no longer felt embarrassed to express affection, looked even more upright and solid than when he acted stern and fierce.

Thanks to that, Yoon Chi-young didn’t regret the time they had spent apart to try and fix his separation anxiety. Although being apart from Heeseong was extremely painful, just being able to see his young lover’s growth made the investment for a lifetime worthwhile. A lifetime. At the end of the wait, the sweet time that remained for Yoon Chi-young .now seemed as lush as endless vegetation.

~ 〈Don’t Touch the Puppy〉 Side Story Ends ~