Mandu is our cat
Minseok's Story (1)
민석
Yeoju, have a good day at school
Today, I saw Yeoju off to school and sat down on the living room sofa for a moment. Not long after, someone rang the doorbell. Who was it? No one was supposed to come.
I opened the front door without thinking.
???
Hello, Master, it's been a long time.
민석
What, why are you here?
???
You remembered me, after all.
민석
If I don't remember you, I'm not human.
???
The young master is not human, but half-human, half-beast. It seems you've forgotten that, so the leader asked me to convey this: a final warning...
민석
Warning? Huh, that's nonsense. Get out. You have no business with that person, so don't come back to me.
???
But if you don't follow the CEO's words, the CEO won't leave you alone.
민석
Okay, what can you do about me?
???
I see, I did my best. And this choice was yours, Master.
???
Children, take your master with you.
민석
What the heck, let go of this! What the heck are you guys doing! What are you doing now!
???
If you don't heed the warning, the leader has instructed you to bring the young master. Let's go.
민석
What?! No, wait! Wait!
이종석
You came so quickly
???
I'm sorry, I've been talking to you for so long...
이종석
I have so much to talk about with my son.
???
Sorry... I'm sorry
It started again. That man's murderous gaze. That look that threatened to kill me if I said anything more. I thought I'd never see it again...
이종석
I'm sorry, but I guess I have to let it slide for two times?
That chilling speech and personality are still there. I hated seeing that person since he killed my mother, and now I've seen him twice more. I feel so pathetic.
이종석
Yeah, our Minseok fell in love with a human girl again this time.
민석
...
이종석
I feel like something similar happened today... didn't I?
My father gave me a creepy laugh. It was still, no, even more chilling. That laugh.
이종석
What's wrong? I didn't say anything wrong, and the story about Lee Ji-eun wasn't a lie. What part of it makes you so angry? It's you, not me, who's at fault. What part of it are you so eager to nitpick about?
민석
I am,
민석
I don't mean to nitpick what you say, I just hate your attitude and your smile, which is so cruel and heartless that it doesn't treat people like human beings.
이종석
I gave up on being called "father" a long time ago, but it still doesn't feel good. Then I guess I'll have to start educating my son again. Take him.
My father, the man who gave birth to me, cast me out, and my mother away. I didn't want to beg someone like that for help or for my life. I was dragged along, obediently. I prayed and prayed that Yeoju, Yeoju alone, would be safe, since I was being dragged away.
박수영
I knew this would happen
민석
Park Soo-young...
박수영
I skipped school to come here because of you, and yet you're doing this?
Park Soo-young is my one, no, two, friend. She's one of my only two. We grew up together, but soon after, we grew up separately, following our parents' advice. Oh, and of course, Park Soo-young is half-human, half-cat. Half-human, half-beast.
박수영
I searched for you so much, afraid something like this would happen to you again, but in the end, it was dark under the lamp. Who would have thought that the person I searched for so long would be with Yeoju?
민석
Let's just leave it at that. The day you came to my house one morning without telling me and warned me. I should have listened to you that day.
박수영
I know, what can I do since it's already come to this?
민석
Thank you. I'm sorry I swore at you so much. I was in a bad mood after seeing your father the day before.
박수영
Okay, I said so. Oh, by the way, Yeoju... Are you doing well?
민석
I don't know, I'll be at home
박수영
Really? That's good...
민석
Why, what happened to the heroine?
박수영
No, I just heard that other people were bringing Yeoju here.
민석
what?!
박수영
Calm down, calm down, but that won't happen. Your father said that if you just get this shot, Yeoju won't be brought here.
민석
... Really?
박수영
Well, of course
The injection Park Soo-young took out was one that, if ingested by us, who are half-cat, half-human, we would lose our reasoning and become more like beasts. With our heightened sense of smell, we couldn't have been unaware of this. We felt like we were entering a strangely solid room.
민석
If I just do this, this, the heroine will be safe, right?
Park Soo-young remained silent. Then she quietly took out a syringe and injected the medication. Seeing her, I, too, quietly rolled up my sleeves.
민석
Park Soo-young
민석
Thank you for everything. We were friends in middle school, and thanks to you, I wasn't lonely. No matter what happens to me, please take care of me.
박수영
What's going to happen? What's going to happen? It's you who's going to take care of the heroine, not me, so just be quiet and lie down.
Park Soo-young must have cried more than I expected. Judging by the way her eyes quickly became moist. Lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, I thought of Yeo-ju. "I miss you, Yeo-ju. If I had known this would happen, I would have done better."
The moment the needle was inserted, I closed my eyes. And events from long before I met the heroine began to flood back into my mind.