Bom ran as fast as she could to the nearest bus station. Dragon was in her arms and wrapped in her favorite scarf. Don't worry, Dragon, you'll be fine, she repeated throughout her mind. It was a lie she wanted to believe in. The truth was Bom had no idea what will or may happen to the cat. She caught her breath just in time as the yellow bus slowly stopped at the curve. She slowly boarded the bus and took an empty seat at in the middle. She settled the weak cat on her lap. His eyes were closed and Bom his head to relax him more.

I should buy him a crate next time, she made a mental note to herself.

"Meww," Dragon purred as if he understood Bom's thoughts.

As the bus ride went on, Bom glanced out the window. The images rolled by in a blur as she was deep in thoughts again. Fake. The words written on the box was still etched on Bom's mind. What does it mean? Someone hates me? Bom heaved a sigh while she continued to pet the sleeping cat by her lap. turned to an upturned frowned as she recalled who had given her the box of laced cookies. If I remember it right, it's the girl who bumped into me at the stairs. But I can't recall her face too much. Her eyebrows furrowed. Come to think of it, when she talked to me, she kept her head down as if she wants to avoid eye contact. B-but, who is she?

"Meoww," Dragon purred again which broke Bom's train of thoughts. She shook her head lightly as she came back to her senses. At the same time, the bus came to a stop in front of Dankook University. 

"Well, we're off Dragon," she said as he picked him up again. "Please wait a little longer."

Bom hurriedly got off the bus and tried to remember the directions to the animal clinic she used to see near Dankook University. Her father's workplace, Dankook University Hospital, was just around the corner so she was familiar with the place. Ah, there it is, she thought as she checked the University Map near the gate. It was a five-minute walk towards the clinic, and upon entering, Bom was greeted by a chorus of barking, meowing, squealing and every other noise that domesticated animals could make. Bom cringed as she held on to Dragon tighter.

"Yes, how may I help you?" the middle-aged woman greeted Bom as she walked in. A parrot was perched on the woman's right shoulder while her right arm carried a Shar Pei puppy that kept on whimpering.

"Ahh, it seems like you have a lot on your hands right now?" Bom hesitantly asked as she moved closer. 

"Ah, aniyo, I'm not normally this busy," the woman said as she put down the puppy on her desk. She looked at the parrot and said, "Okay, TOP, time for you to return to your cage."

"Kwak, arasseo, arasseo," the parrot said before it glided back to its brass cage at the other side of the room.

"Sorry about that, I'm Dr. Oh, the resident veterinarian here," she said with a large smile as she rearranged her salt-and-pepper hair. "What seems to be the problem with your cat?" she sat down behind her desk and also motioned to Bom to sit down as well.

"He vomitted earllier, seonsaengnim," Bom said as she placed Dragon on the table between them. Dragon lied down on his sides and started to its pinkish paws. "And he is feeling weak now."

"Ohh, what a poor kitty," Dr. Oh said as she gently pat Dragon's head. "Is this your first time to visit here?"

Bom nodded and she was given an information sheet to fill out. Dr. Oh then proceeded to examine Dragon's deep blue eyes with a small opthalmic instrument, starting with the right eye to the left. She then scribbled down a few notes on her clipboard. She stood up with a scrape of her chair and got a thin thermometer.

"Everything will be fine, Dragon," Bom whispered as she finished filling up her details.

Dr. Oh smiled at Bom that showed her subtle crow's feet. Much to Dragon's comfort, she positioned the thermometer to his behind. Dragon's eyes widened and tried to protest, but because Bom was watching, he tried hard to endure it. Beep. The thermometer beeped and the veterinarian read his temperature out loud. "101º F, his temperature is normal." She gently removed the thermometer and Dragon uttered a low hiss. She proceeded to check his tongue which was slightly pale compared to the normal, pinkish tinge.

"Hmm, he seems to have an upset stomach. Did he eat something he wasn't supposed to eat?"

"Err, you see, I accidentally gave him cookies." Bom mumbled as she tried to avoid the veterinarian's sharp eyes.

"Cookies?" she asked. "Well, cookies shouldn't do harm for cats, unless you give them too much. Too much sugar is not advisable for its stomach."

"Ahhh," Bom bit her lower lip. "I know this is all my fault, but the cookies I gave him were laced with gochujang. I wasn't aware of it."

"Gochujang?" Dr. Oh's eyes widened in shock. "That's too much for Dragon to handle. Oh dear, so that explains his weakness. Dragon was food poisoned by the spiciness."

"F-food poisoned?" Bom stammered, too shock to formulate her own words. "Will he be okay, seonsaengnim?"

"He is dehydrated as of this moment, sad to say," Dr. Oh said and she took out some syringes and tubes from behind her. "He has to be on dextrose to recover the lost fluids. He has to be confined here for the night."

"Confined? Here? For the night?" Bom repeated again, still in shock and at a loss for words. "B-but, seonsaengnim, but…"

"I know it's hard to part with pets even for a night, dear," Dr. Oh smiled with understanding at Bom as she explained the situation. "But, please remember that this is for Dragon's health. He has to recuperate, and I'm sure by tomorrow when you pick him up, he'll be healthy and as playful as a curious kitten."

"Arasseo, seonsaengnim," she nodded as she gave another to Dragon's fur.

"Well, excuse me for a while," the veterinarian said as she stood up. "I'll have to prepare where Dragon has to stay. You can say your farewells to him for the meantime."

"Ne." Bom answered as Dr. Oh went to the back clinic. Bom and Dragon were left alone together with the now asleep Shar Pei and TOP the parrot who was busy eating. 

"Dragon, I hate to leave you here, but this is for your own good." Bom said as she tried to stop her eyes from tearing up.

I know, Dragon's eyes appeared to say. I'll try to recover as soon as I can.

"I'll come for you first thing in the morning."

I'll be waiting.

Bom scratched the back of his left ear as she planted a little kiss on the cat's forehead. Dragon, in turn, Bom's nose. "Yah, you little cat," Bom said with a small laugh. "Get well soon."

Bom heard the sharp click-clack of Dr. Oh's heels as she returned to the front clinic. "I have to take Dragon to the back now. Don't worry, he's a strong fellow," the doctor said as she gently picked up the cat. "You don't have to worry about the expenses right now. You can settle it tomorrow, dear."

"Ne, kamsahamnida," Bom said with a bow. "I'll be here tomorrow to pick him up. Get well soon, Dragon." Bom stood in the middle of the clinic as she watched the veterinarian, with her precious Dragon in her arm, disappeared through a layer of green curtain that separated the front and back clinic. Bom sighed as her perfect smile turned to a slow frown. I'll miss you, Bom thought to herself. She picked up her bag from the floor and started to go out when she heard a small whimper. It came from the Shar Pei pup who looked at Bom with his small eyes. She smiled as she squatted down and pet the small pup. 

"Kyeopta," she exclaimed as the pup her fingers. She read the name on its yellow collar that hung low on his neck. "Daesungie, what a cute name."

~~

The cold draft gave Bom chills as she walked back to the bus station. She felt empty without Dragon with her -- cat or astral form. Everything will be alright, she reassured herself and tried to keep doubts from forming in her mind. She kicked a stray pebble on the sidewalk in sheer annoyance. Ah, she stopped walking as she looked behind her. She clutched the strap of her bag as she thought of her father. 

Bom retraced her steps back and made her way to Dankook University Hospital. The brisk walk took her five minutes or so. The stale white building stood out from the rest of the red brick buildings that surrounded it. The afternoon sky on the background began to darken, and the red sign of the hospital lit from nowhere. 

It wasn't a busy afternoon when Bom entered the hospital lobby. A few patients and some students were moving out and about and Bom had to dodge her way around. The line for the elevator wasn't long either, even though Bom wished it was long. She hated waiting, and so if the line was too long, she would just have to leave. But the line was just right. She didn't have any excuses to leave and go back home. 

The elevator arrived at the sixth floor with a mechanical ding. Bom was the only one who got off. She made her way towards the long maze of the hospital corridor and she found herself standing in front of large double doors. The brass nameplate on the wall read: Dr. Park Jungho - Hospital Director, Surgeon. One door was ajar and she could hear voices from the other side.

"Seonsaengnim, the patient's vital conditions have stabilized for the last 24 hours," a female voice said.

"Ne, ne, that's good," a deep familiar voice echoed throughout the room. "Please transfer the patient from the ICU to a private room."

"Ne, seonsaengnim. I'll take my leave now."

Bom stood still outside as the nurse who was talking a while ago nearly bumped into her. "Jeosonghamnida," the nurse bowed and recognized Bom. "Ah, annyeong Bom-ssi. Go inside, your father is inside, although he is a little busy, he won't mind a visit from his daughter."

"Ne," Bom said as the nurse walked off.

Bom nervously knocked on the heavy wooden doors -- exactly three times. She waited until she heard her father say "Come in," before she stepped inside.

"Appa," Bom greeted her father who was buried in the stacks of paper on top of his desk. "I came to visit."

"Oh, Bommie, what brings you here?" Her father asked with a smile as he set the paperworks aside.

"I was just around the area and decided to come for a visit," Bom answered politely as she took a seat in front of her father. 

He wasn't like Bom's mother who seemed fake and restrained everytime. Bom's father, although he's known to be the iron fist when it came to work, was a jolly and loving father whenever his only daughter is around. He truly cared for his daughter and gave her the best of everything. He probably cared too much, that he wanted her to follow his footsteps. He assumed that Bom would take after him and insisted that Bom should also take Pre-medicine at Yonsei University, where he had graduated as well. He was an achiever, clearly something that Bom inherited, and the wall behind his desk proudly displayed his unwasted efforts. Diplomas, certificates, and different achievements stood proudly as if to tell the whole world how great he was. However, his glory stopped there, for his life at home was a different story.

"Appa, I have good news for you," Bom lied with a smile as she rummaged through her bag looking for the dreaded white envelope. Her father set his gold pen down and rested his arms on his desk. Bom handed him the white envelope with shaking hands.

"And this is?" he asked quizzically.

 "Erm," Bom played with her fingers under her bag. "I got accepted at Yonsei University, appa."

"Mwo?" His father exclaimed, halfway through taking the letter out of the envelope. "Jongmalyo, Bommie?"

"Ne," Bom answered with a slight nod. "You weren't around when I received the letter so I only had the chance know to tell you about it appa."

"It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter, dear," he dismissed her apology with a wave of his hand. "Ahhh, you really make your father so proud. I have to brag about this to all my colleagues."

"Kamsahamnida, appa."

"Ahh, keep up the good work, dear. In the future, you'll take over my legacy."

"Uhm," Bom nodded half-heartedly. Appa, I don't want to be a doctor… If I tell you this, will you listen to me? Bom wondered as she smiled with a tinge of sadness. Her father noticed her expression and immediately asked if something was wrong.

"Aniyo," Bom slowly answered and she felt her heart thumped hard. "But appa, I would love to have dinner with you at home later. Can you go home early today?"

The orange afternoon sky began to turn to darkness, the same as how her father's smiling face darkened to a somber expression, although slightly subtle. He cleared his throat as he picked up his pen once more. "I'm sorry, Bommie, but there's a lot of patients I have to oversee tonight, and I have a very important meeting too. I don't think I can make it early tonight."

"Ah," Bom gripped her bag's handle again. "Arasseo, appa. You're, after all, the busiest man in the hospital. Fighting!"

"Thank you, dear," he chuckled, a bit empty and hollow.

"I have to go now, appa," Bom quickly stood up and bowed. In a flash, she was gone from his office and tried her best to stop her tears from falling. They did, eventually, but it was in the solitary confinement within the metal doors of the elevator when her tears fell down her cheeks.

~~

end ^-^;; this chapter turned out a bit long.. since I typed it up in Textedit instead of typing it directly to aff. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and... lol, daesungie as a shar pei, and top as a parrot XD cameo cameo.. and don't forget, vote, comment and subscribe if you like it... please wish for Dragon to get well soon *bows* m(_ _)m