If problematic, delete; no intention to disparage the artist.
All content is unrelated to reality.
Ding-a-ling- ding-a-ling-
Hana "Mmm… just 5 more minutes…"
I reached out to turn off the alarm, but my hand touched something warm and squishy.
…Squishy?
I opened my eyes wide.
Next to me, a tiny little kid with black hair was wrapped up in the blanket, fast asleep with soft breathing.
Hana "……"
Hana "Aaaahhhhh!!!!!"
Myungmyung "Waaaaahhhhh!"
Hana "Wh-who are you?! No, who are you?! How did you get in here?!"
When I opened my eyes, there was a kid I’d never seen before.
What, when did I have a kid?
In the blink of an eye, a flood of thoughts flashed through my mind
The kid rubbed his eyes, then looked at me and smiled brightly.
Myungmyung "Noona! I’m Myungmyung!"
Hana "Myungmyung is a puppy, okay?! A palm-sized black puppy!"
Myungmyung "I am Myungmyung thoouugh…"
No way.
Was I that tired yesterday? Am I still dreaming?
In this 21st-century modern society,, an animal turning into a person..?
I pinched my cheek, and it hurt. This isn’t a dream.
Hana "Ah,, it hurts,,?"
"Ssh, kid, where’s your mom? Go to your mom"
Myungmyung "Ssh, Mommmmy!"
…He just copied my tone exactly.
Hana "No, seriously, who are you…"
Myungmyung "You, kiddo~ If you follow just anyone, you’ll be in big trouble~"
Hana "……"
Even though his pronunciation was clumsy, it was exactly what I’d said to the puppy before going to sleep last night.
And even the tone was the same.
This house only had me and the puppy.
The moment I heard that, I was convinced. This kid really was Myungmyung.
The kid, no, Myungmyung, was wiggling his bottom and staring at me.
If he had a tail, it definitely would’ve been wagging furiously.
Just as I was at a loss for what to do, the alarm went off again.
If I didn’t get ready fast, I’d be late immediately.
Hana 'What do I do… I have to go to work…'
I couldn’t leave a kid alone at home.
But I couldn’t skip work either.
Credit card bills don’t wait.
In the end, I put my T-shirt on Myungmyung.
It came down to his knees, almost like a dress.
Hana "Myungmyung, let’s go to the hospital with noona. But you have to stay quiet, okay?"
Myungmyung "Mhm! I’ll stay still!"
…Believing that was my mistake.
I arrived at the hospital with my hair flying everywhere.
Hana "Huff, huff, huff"
Myungmyung "Wooooow~" (looking around curiously)
Nurse Yoon Yulim "Oh my, Hana-ssem! Who’s this cute little kid?"
Hana "Ah… m-my niece! My older sister asked me to watch them for a bit…"
Nurse "A niece, huh~ Hi there? Uncle’s gonna give you a quiz. Who’s the poorest king in the world?"
Myungmyung "I dunnooo!"
Nurse "Minimum wage~!"
Myungmyung "……"
Hana "……"
The atmosphere got so cold it basically froze solid.
Nurse "Looks like nobody here gets humor~" (laughing awkwardly)
I got scared Myungmyung would learn even this, so I hurried him into the break room.
Myungmyung followed me around all day long.
Myungmyung (trail-trail-trail)
If I went into an exam room, he’d squat by the door and wait; when I came out, he’d trail after me again.
He even charmed the pet owners in the waiting room and got snacks out of them.
Owner "Oh my, who is this~? So cute~"
Myungmyung "Our Choco worked hard today~" (stroking the dog)
…He was copying exactly what I say to the dogs in the waiting room when I’m examining them.
Hana 'They say you can’t even drink cold water carelessly in front of kids'
But while I was busy for a moment, Myungmyung went quiet.
I should’ve known then that a quiet kid is dangerous.
Myungmyung (busily drawing something)
A stack of medical charts was covered in pen scribbles.
Hana "Myungmyung!!! Those are noona’s medical charts!!"
As if realizing he’d done something wrong, Myungmyung started pouting and looking up at me from below with a pitiful expression.
Myungmyung "Noonaaa… love yew~"
He was so cute I kept laughing, but I had to be a proper guardian!
Hana "No. That was wrong!"
I picked up the medical chart to scold him, but on the top page there was a crooked handwritten note.
'I love noona, Myungmyung will protect you'
Hana "……"
At this rate, I can’t even scold him.
Myungmyung "Noonaa,, I did a bad…"
Myungmyung clutched my pants with trembling eyes and looked up at me.
How am I supposed to scold you, you cute little mutt.
....
It was just about time for afternoon consultations to end.
Hana "Myungmyung~ Let’s go home now~"
No answer.
Hana "Myungmyung?"
He wasn’t in the waiting room, the exam room, or the bathroom.
Nurse "Doctor! Where did your nephew go?!"
Hana "Exactly!!!"
I searched the whole hospital with the nurse. My heart was pounding.
Then something rustled under a chair in the waiting room.
It was my T-shirt.
A black tail was swishing softly inside the T-shirt.
Hana '……No way'
I lifted the shirt a little, and a palm-sized black puppy was sticking out its tongue and panting.
Hana "Myungmyung…?!"
Myungmyung "Woof!"
Nurse "Doctor! Did you find him?!"
Hana "Ah, no!! Not yet!! I’ll go take a quick look outside!!"
I wrapped Myungmyung up in the T-shirt and rushed out of the hospital.
Hana 'You were running around all day like that… did you come back after exhausting yourself?'
Myungmyung in my arms just wagged his tail, looking like he didn’t know anything.
Hana "You really had me worried sick"
Myungmyung "Yip yip"
I told the nurse that my older sister had come to pick him up. I have no idea how many times I lied today.
Hana "Because of you, noona aged ten years"
Myungmyung "Eek…"
As I locked up the hospital door with this troublemaker Myungmyung in my arms, something yellow flashed under my feet.
A black cat was sitting in front of the door.
One paw raised, staring straight at me with yellow eyes
Hello!
Myungmyung appears!
Please take care of me!
