“Please have some of this.”
The manager hurried over with warm water for the guardian, who refused it. As soon as Eun Woo stepped out of the examination room, the guardian stood up.

“How is ‘Sori’ doing?”
“Guardian, the condition is quite severe. The heart has enlarged so much that the lungs are filled with fluid. We’re currently administering medication. It will take a long time. How about waiting at home?”
“I’m fine here.”
“It will take a while. You’re already wet from the rain… We will contact you if there are any changes.”
“No, I… Can’t I wait here?”
At the guardian’s words, Eun Woo looked at her intently and nodded, wearing a faintly warm smile.

“Of course. Do as you please.”
And again, Eun Woo went back into the treatment room.

They urgently administered treatment. They injected medicine, rechecked oxygen saturation, and constantly administered IV fluids.

But the treatment was of no use. Even as they tirelessly changed the hot water bags to warm her body, her temperature kept dropping, falling to 34.5 degrees Celsius.

Breathing became more and more difficult, and the cat ‘Sori’, who used to squint at the touch of a human, didn’t react even when Seol Hee softly stroked her head, only shivering.

That was all.

((()))((()))((()))

Eun Woo, who had been watching for a long time, didn’t look any better. Eventually, he made up his mind and got up.

“Guardian, are you still outside?”
Seol Hee nodded at Eun Woo’s question. Still wet, the guardian was shaking in the waiting room. Doctor Ok went out to the waiting room. Seeing him coming, the guardian stood up.

“Doctor, how is ‘Sori’?”
“I’m sorry, but the condition is getting worse.”
“Isn’t there anything we can do?”
Upon hearing the guardian’s wet voice, even the steadfast Doctor Ok’s lips wavered.

“We can administer more medication and place her in an oxygen room to extend her life a little… but…”
Thump.

At Eun Woo’s words, the guardian slumped into her chair as if she had fallen.

“I should have brought her sooner. If I had brought her as soon as her leg was in pain… If I had done that, or if I had brought her for regular checkups…”
Eventually, tears started flowing. Her slender shoulders shook for a while. Her cries echoed in the empty hospital.

“Cardiomyopathy in cats is difficult to detect early on, it’s not your fault, Guardian.”
Despite Eun Woo’s consolation, she didn’t stop crying. Tears streaked her beautiful face.

How long did she cry? The guardian who was sobbing with her head bowed, raised her head.

“So it’s… basically incurable, right?”
After a long time, when the guardian, her face soaked with tears, asked Doctor Ok, Eun Woo nodded.

“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Then, can I take her home? I think ‘Sori’ would be more comfortable at home…”
“Yes, you should do that. I’ll prepare the medication for you.”
“Thank you.”
Eun Woo hurriedly prepared the medicine, and Seol Hee approached ‘Sori’ and opened the door to the oxygen room. ‘Sori’ opened her eyes at the sound of the door opening, but closed them again, as if she had no strength left.

When Seol Hee carefully held the cat ‘Sori’ as if she might break, and handed her over to the guardian in the waiting room, the guardian bowed her head in thanks while holding ‘Sori’.

“Thank you.”
Her tears fell drop by drop onto the floor.

The sight of her holding her umbrella tightly as she left the hospital was bitter.

((()))((()))((()))

The rain doesn’t stop. Thunder and lightning hammered down. Perhaps it was due to the weather, but the last patient of the day was the cat ‘Sori’. When Doctor Choi finished surgery and heard the story, he let out a bitter laugh.

“Well, there’s nothing we can do about that… Just let it go.”
But even with Doctor Choi’s consolation, Eun Woo’s face didn’t easily brighten.

Anyone could tell that Doctor Ok wasn’t his usual self.

“I’ll be leaving now. You should head home too, Seol Hee.”
“Ah, yes. What about Doctor Ok?”
At Seol Hee’s question, the manager pointed to the examination room.

“He’s not attending the seminar today as it got cancelled.”
“Oh…”
“On a day like this, it would be better to participate in a seminar or something. He’s still like that. Even though he has a soft heart, don’t worry and you should go home too, Seol Hee.”
“YYes.”
She responded, but it kept bothering her. Her gaze kept drifting in that direction.

Even after everyone else had left, Eun Woo was still in the examination room.

Seol Hee was not feeling well either. After cleaning till the end, she finally made up her mind, packed up her things and opened the door to the consultation room.

The two of them were in a highly awkward relationship at this moment. Eun Woo might have heard that Doctor Ok disliked him. However, it was also possible that he hadn’t heard, making it hard for her to offer any explanation. She could end up scratching a nonexistent itch.

Therefore, pretending not to know and going home would be easiest on her.

But even then…

Seol Hee took a deep breath.

“Phew….”