* * *
More than a week had passed since the kitten came to the small room in the guesthouse annex.
Surprisingly, that small, fragile life was recovering miraculously fast.
Even after being discharged, when Yoonwoo and Dojin visited the vet every few days, the veterinarian would marvel at the young creature’s resilience, saying, ‘I don’t know how such vitality comes from this tiny body.’
At home, Yoonwoo also cared for the kitten with utmost devotion.
Although he still spent most of his time indoors, Yoonwoo ‘s gaze was no longer fixed on the empty walls or desperate memories, but toward the warm creature squirming inside the small box.
Yoonwoometiculously cared for the kitten, feeding it medicine at a set time every day, changing its water dish, and keeping the inside of the box clean.
He was now deeply absorbed in looking after this small life.
The kitten recovered its strength at a remarkably fast pace.
Now, it would come out of the box, stumble a bit, but practice walking with surprising vigor.
It would look at Yoonwoo ‘s extended finger with curious eyes and poke at it with its front paw.
Sometimes, when it felt good from his touch, it would let out a very small purring sound.
Each of those small, insignificant movements created tiny cracks in Yoonwoo ‘s desolate heart, which had been frozen shut for so long.
Like a stream of water flowing beneath the ice, he could feel a very faint but definite warmth of life.
At the same time, a feeling of anxiety settled in a corner of Yoonwoo ‘s mind.
What should he do when the kitten fully recovered?
Could he continue to be responsible for this small life?
He had abandoned everything in Seoul and fled to Jeju, and he had not even decided what he should do tomorrow or where he should go.
He still had his severance pay, but he didn’t want to touch that money.
He was unemployed and struggling to support himself; how could he take full responsibility for a fragile life?
Taking responsibility for another life in this unstable situation, where he was barely managing to take care of himself, felt like too great a burden for Yoonwoo.
If he were to collapse again, what would happen to this little one?
Being abandoned was enough for himself alone.
“Mr. Yoonwoo , is something worrying you? Is the kitten not doing well?”
That afternoon, Dojin, who was working on his portfolio with his laptop nearby, asked worriedly when he saw Yoonwoo sighing deeply while looking at the kitten nestled in the blanket inside the box on the porch bench.
He had noticed that Yoonwoo ‘s expression was very slowly changing for the better since he brought the kitten home.
However, deep in his eyes, anxiety and sadness still remained.
“…No. The kitten is fine. It’s just….”
Yoonwoohesitated for a moment, then spoke a little of his inner thoughts for the first time.
“I was wondering what I should do when this little one gets well.”
He honestly shared his concern.
“I… I don’t know if I can continue to take responsibility for it. My current situation is….”
His voice was clearly filled with deep anxiety and a lack of confidence.
Dojin stared silently at Yoonwoo , who was opening up to him for the first time.
Then, he smiled brightly, as always, and said:
“Why worry about something like that!”
His voice was bright and positive.
“We can just raise it here! Our yard is big! My father likes animals more than he lets on, too. One kitten is perfectly manageable! I’ll take responsibility for looking after it!”
He spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world, without any hesitation.
Yoonwoowas momentarily speechless at his hearty and unhesitating suggestion.
He felt truly grateful that Dojin, who knew nothing of his complicated circumstances, would so readily offer help.
But he hesitated to accept his offer rashly.
Should he really owe him another favor?
“Still… it would be a bother.”
“A bother? Not at all! If anything, the atmosphere in the house will improve! Does anyone dislike cats? My father seemed lonely anyway, so it’s perfect!”
Dojin waved his hands, dismissing Yoonwoo ’s worries.
“Alright, alright, then it’s decided! From today, this little guy is an official member of our guesthouse family! The first thing to do when you become family is to give it a name, right!”
Dojin had already moved closer to Yoonwoo and looked down at the kitten in the box with an excited expression.
His enthusiasm was somewhat boyish, and Yoonwoo nearly let out a small chuckle but held it back.
“Hmm… a name, you say… what would be good?”
Dojin began to contemplate seriously.
“‘Siksiki’ (Vigorous) so he grows up strong? Or maybe ‘Dolsoe’ (a traditional, sturdy name) so he grows up solid? Ah, no! Since he’s a Jeju cat, how about ‘Hallabong’? It’s cute! Or ‘Lasani’ to receive the energy of Hallasan Mountain?”
Dojin looked at Yoonwoo triumphantly, as if he thought these were truly wonderful names.
But all the names coming out of his mouth were either tacky or completely unsuitable for a cat.
His naming sense was truly dreadful.
“Siksiki… Dolsoe… Hallabong? And what is Lasani?”
Yoonwoolooked at him with eyes that doubted Dojin was being serious.
But Dojin’s face was full of nothing but earnestness, without a hint of mischief.
Watching him so seriously and innocently continuing to suggest such ridiculous names, Yoonwoo could no longer hold back and finally burst into a small laugh.
“Pfft… Hahaha….”
The laughter, which began as a very small sound, grew into a chuckle that made his shoulders shake.
It was a clear, genuine laughter that Yoonwoo had completely lost over the past two months, or perhaps even longer.
Startled by himself, Yoonwoo quickly covered his mouth, but once the laugh started, it didn’t stop easily.
His shoulders shook slightly, and his eyes glistened with tears of mirth.
Dojin was instantly frozen in a daze by Yoonwoo ‘s sudden laughter.
It was the first time he had seen it.
The sight of Yoonwoo smiling so brightly.
A smile blossoming on a face always shadowed by sadness and wariness.
The delicate corners of his eyes curved beautifully, and his lips turned up appealingly—that smile strongly struck Dojin’s heart.
Thump.
Dojin felt his heart beating fast and very loudly.
For some reason, his face felt hot too.
He stared blankly at Yoonwoo ‘s smiling face.
A strong, unfamiliar feeling of excitement, different from respect, was surging like a storm in his heart.
‘…He’s incredibly beautiful.’
“…Whoops, I’m sorry.”
Yoonwoomanaged to suppress his laughter and bowed his head, his face slightly flushed.
He was embarrassed about suddenly bursting into laughter, and Dojin’s intent stare made him feel awkward.
“Oh, no! Not at all! You look so much better when you smile! It truly is great to see!”
Dojin waved his hands, seemingly coming back to his senses.
His face was also slightly flushed.
“W-well, then what should the name be?”
Yoonwoo looked down at the kitten in the box again.
A small, frail life. Its fur was still dull, but the mix of brown and black spots on the yellowish base looked exactly like dry autumn leaves scattered by the wind.
‘Autumn….’
That season signified terrible pain and an ending for Yoonwoo.
A cruel time when everything had collapsed.
But the small life in front of him had miraculously survived all that ruin and was here now.
Perhaps this kitten was evidence of the small hope he had salvaged from the edge of that deep despair.
Giving this child, who resembled an autumn leaf, the name ‘Autumn.’
It was his clumsy promise to face a new beginning found at the end of his suffering, instead of simply ignoring the past pain.
“…How about just calling him ‘Gaeul’ (Autumn)? His fur color looks exactly like autumn leaves.”
Yoonwoosaid in a slightly calmer voice.
“‘Gaeul’?”
Dojin repeated.
“Oh! I like it! Gaeul! What a pretty name! It perfectly suits his color! You’re pretty, Gaeul-i!”
He nodded, clearly pleased with the name Yoonwoo had chosen.
‘Gaeul.’
Yoonwoo repeated the name internally.
Naming the cat this was partly because of its leaf-like fur color, but also because he wanted to hold onto the paradoxical hope that by giving it the name of the season that had been most cruel to him, he could overcome that time and start anew.
Strangely, the name no longer felt only painful.
Yoonwoo’s expression was a fraction softer than before.
He smiled as he looked at ‘Gaeul.’
Watching Yoonwoo ‘s picturesque profile, Dojin felt his heart pound loudly once more.
* * *
