Even a Lonely Squirrel Has Its Burrow - Chapter 10

Indeed, it’s probably not a good idea to get too close to men. Garam, clutching his tail, lay inside his dark burrow, pondering this thought.

 

Garam had always been the type to quickly feel affection for those who were kind to him. Although he had lost his parents at a young age, he was fortunate to grow up showered with love by his grandmother. However, he had always harbored a small sense of unease deep inside. Someday, his grandmother, too, would leave his side, and when that day came, he felt he would truly be alone in the world.

 

He recalled something he had said to his grandmother when she expressed concern after Garam had turned down yet another confession.

 

“I just… I don’t really understand the idea of becoming family with someone else.”

 

It was true that he genuinely enjoyed living with his grandmother, and it was equally true that he found it hard to imagine having a new family. Yet, in his heart, he longed for someone who could truly become family to him.

 

However, for Garam, who had experienced separation multiple times, the concept of family felt impermanent. The thought of being in a romantic relationship and then inevitably parting ways was daunting. Staying close friends for a longer time seemed a better choice. After all, breaking up with someone you were close to often brought even greater sorrow.

 

“Are you still mad at me?”

 

…In the first place, he hadn’t been angry at the man. He was just startled.

 

Still, he decided that it would be wise to maintain some distance from this man who was kind even to unfamiliar squirrels. If he ever left this life behind and returned to his original one, their farewell would likely be the hardest thing to accept.

 

“Phew…”

 

A small sigh echoed in the dark burrow. Garam tried hard to push thoughts of the man from his mind as he closed his eyes. He hoped that, by the time he woke up, the turmoil in his heart would have subsided.

 

—

 

The next day, after deciding to keep his distance from the man, Garam was jolted awake from a deep sleep by the sound of heavy rain.

 

The downpour was so intense that Garam couldn’t leave his burrow and could only pace nervously. He assumed the man wouldn’t show up today either, but a part of him wondered if the man might still be waiting for him.

 

Although they hadn’t made any promises, Garam and the man had been meeting every day at the table in front of the convenience store. What if the man stopped coming altogether after Garam failed to show up today? The thought left Garam feeling uneasy as he glared resentfully at the sky.

 

But the rain, which had started early in the morning, showed no sign of stopping until the sun had set. Watching the dark skies all day, Garam finally ventured out when the rain began to let up. He leaped down from the tall tree and headed in the direction of the convenience store, moving quicker than usual.

 

In the distance, the convenience store came into view. Hiding behind a tree from which he could peek at the table, Garam caught his breath and cautiously glanced toward the front of the store.

 

“…Squeak.”

 

The man was there.

 

The air, chilled by the all-day rain, felt colder than usual. The man, who had likely been sitting there for quite some time, had a soaked jacket that was clearly visible even to Garam.

 

Unlike usual, when he would stare at the table or at the trees in the distance, the man’s gaze today was fixed on the bushes where Garam usually emerged. Seeing this, Garam could no longer hold back and dashed toward the man.

 

The rain had created puddles everywhere, and Garam, unfortunately, stepped into one, causing water to splash all over his small body. But he didn’t care; he raced straight to the man. Hearing the splashing sound, the man turned toward its source, his wide eyes soon locking onto Garam’s drenched figure.

 

Despite the water dripping from his body, Garam climbed onto the table without hesitation. He nearly slipped due to his wet fur but managed to settle in front of the man, his heart pounding.

 

The man, who usually wore a relaxed smile, now looked at Garam with an expression of surprise. Noticing the water dripping off the squirrel, the man quickly rummaged through the inside of his jacket.

 

“Ah, wait a moment. Don’t run away. Stay right there, okay?”

 

Garam sat still, watching the man intently as he fumbled around, eventually pulling out a handkerchief. Holding it in his hand, the man extended his arm toward Garam slowly, speaking in a soothing voice.

 

“Good boy, see? I’m just going to dry you off.”

 

Seeing Garam remain motionless, the man’s lips curled into a soft smile, and he carefully unfolded the handkerchief to gently pat down Garam’s head and body.

 

The handkerchief carried the familiar scent of the man, and as it wiped over him, Garam felt as though the scent now clung to his own body. Feeling oddly self-conscious, he wrinkled his nose, prompting the man’s movements to grow even more cautious, as if he feared Garam might bolt.

 

“Hold on, almost done, okay?”

 

Of course, Garam had no intention of running away. He sat quietly, blinking as he let the man continue. Though slightly embarrassed by the touch, the soft handkerchief managed to remove much of the dampness from his fur, so he decided to endure it for now.

 

Finally, the only part left was his tail. The man hesitated, seemingly remembering how Garam had fled the last time he touched his tail. Watching him waver uncertainly, Garam let out a small sigh and rolled his body over the handkerchief the man was holding.

 

“Uh…”

 

Now his tail, along with his body, was roughly dried off. Garam shook himself, scattering any lingering droplets. The uncomfortable dampness from earlier had mostly disappeared. As Garam inspected himself, he noticed that although he still felt slightly wet, the man’s efforts had brought back some sense of dryness. Looking up, he saw the man smiling down at him, his earlier surprised expression completely replaced by warmth.

 

“Why did you come all the way here in the rain?”

 

The man, who had clearly waited for a long time, lightly scolded him. In response, Garam snorted dismissively.

 

“Hmph.”

 

“Haha, I’m not mad. Thank you for coming.”

 

The man gently stroked Garam’s head as he spoke.

 

“I was worried because of the heavy rain. I thought you might be outside, so I came out. But then I worried you might show up after I’d left, so I decided to wait.”

 

Just as Garam had feared not meeting the man, the man, too, had been worried about missing Garam. Though the day was cold, a warm feeling, like sunlight, spread through Garam’s heart.

 

“Wait here for a moment. I’ll get something to eat.”

 

The man dashed into the convenience store after telling Garam to wait, as if he truly believed the squirrel could understand him. Remembering his resolve from the night before, Garam briefly considered leaving. However, he wasn’t heartless enough to abandon the man who had waited for him in the rain.

 

In the end, Garam stayed. He gratefully ate the nuts the man bought for him and stayed by his side until the rain subsided before returning to his burrow.

 

Though his body was damp from roaming around in the rain and the night was colder than usual, his dark burrow somehow didn’t feel so chilly tonight.

 

—

 

Lawyer Yang poured tea into the cup in front of Garam. Carefully cradling the cup in his hands, Garam felt the comforting warmth spread through him. Watching Garam focus intently on the teacup, Yang smiled and asked,

 

“So, how’s life in the park?”

 

“Hmm…”

 

Garam didn’t answer immediately. It was a simple matter of saying he was doing well, but for some reason, the words didn’t come out easily. When Garam didn’t respond quickly, Lawyer Yang looked at him with a worried expression.

 

“Why? Did something happen?”

 

“No, it’s not that… I’m doing well. It’s more manageable than I thought.”

 

It wasn’t a lie. Garam had come to think that living as a squirrel wasn’t so bad. But what made him hesitate to respond was the man he met every day in front of the convenience store.

 

Even though he had decided to keep his distance, after that rainy day, the distance between the man and Garam had become much closer than before. Garam no longer roamed the park in search of food. When he woke up, he naturally headed to the convenience store, and the man was always there waiting for him.

 

Before he knew it, meeting the man every day had become something Garam took for granted. Although he thought he shouldn’t get this close, part of him believed it might be okay since he was in a squirrel’s form.

 

He was indeed hiding from the loan sharks, but as long as he remained in his squirrel form, no one would recognize him or come after him.

 

“Do you have any new updates…?”

 

But he couldn’t live as a squirrel forever. He needed to find Ryu Beomju quickly. Only then could he deal with the debt that Ryu had passed onto him without his consent and protect his grandmother’s house full of cherished memories.

 

When Garam cautiously asked the question, Lawyer Yang nodded knowingly and set down his teacup.

 

“I happen to have some news to share with you.”

 

“Really?”

 

Garam’s face lit up at Yang’s words.

 

“I looked into Ryu Beomju, the tiger shifter, based on the information you provided. However…”

 

Garam gulped nervously. He had a bad feeling.

 

“It turns out Ryu Beomju has been reported dead. Since there aren’t many tiger shifters, there’s no chance of someone else with the same name. Records show he passed away about ten years ago, leaving no further leads to follow.”

 

“What…?”

 

Garam asked, dumbfounded. Ten years ago? That couldn’t be. Ten years ago, Garam had just moved into his grandmother’s house. The last time Garam saw Ryu Beomju was only about two years ago.

 

“That’s impossible… that can’t be true.”

 

Garam’s voice trembled with confusion. He distinctly remembered Ryu Beomju attending his grandmother’s funeral. How could Ryu be dead?

 

“It’s definitely suspicious. According to your account, Ryu was alive and well just two years ago. Yet, official records show he died a decade ago. It’s hard to accept, so I immediately dug deeper…”

 

“……”

 

“But the conclusion is, someone named Ryu Beomju does not exist in this world.”

 

Garam felt like he couldn’t breathe. But what Yang said next allowed him to take a breath again.

 

“However, I found a man in his mid-30s who matches Ryu Beomju’s description almost exactly. The name is different, and he’s officially recorded as a non-shifter. If he is the Ryu Beomju you’re looking for, it seems he has been living under a different identity.”

 

“Ah…”

 

Garam let out a small sigh of relief. But Yang shook his head and continued.

 

“Nothing is confirmed yet. We’ll need to gather more information to be sure. But the odds of him being the person you’re looking for are high.”

 

“Yes, but… thank you for looking into it.”

 

“That’s my job.”

 

Yang spoke casually, but Garam felt deeply grateful. At his most helpless moment, Yang’s assistance had prevented him from helplessly losing his grandmother’s house to the loan sharks.

 

“The signature under your name was likely forged as well. The lawyer who took those documents would know the details best. Do you remember anything else about him?”

 

Garam tried hard to recall. But not much came to mind. The most he could remember was…

 

“…He left a bad impression?”

 

“Hmm… that’s vague. Can you describe it in more detail?”

 

“Well…”

 

Garam concentrated, trying to reconstruct the image of the lawyer he had met back then.

 

“He was quite tall. But he wasn’t bulky; more on the lean side, I’d say…”

 

“Good. What else?”

 

“Uh… his eyes were narrow, and his hands were freezing. He probably wasn’t human and seemed like a shifter who struggled with temperature regulation.”

 

“Hmm…”

 

Yang appeared deep in thought as he listened to Garam’s description.

 

“With those traits… there’s a chance he could be a snake shifter. But this complicates things. It would’ve been better if he weren’t.”

 

“Why?”

 

At Yang’s troubled expression, Garam hesitantly asked.

 

“Snake shifters make up the largest percentage of lawyers.”

 

“Oh, I’ve heard about that.”

 

Garam nodded in agreement.

 

Having grown up in the shifter community, Garam was well aware of the general perception of snake shifters. They were often regarded as cunning or unscrupulous. Historically, scheming individuals were referred to as having “a snake’s tongue,” and that reputation hadn’t changed much in modern times.

 

However, snake shifters were unfazed by such stereotypes. Some even took pride in it. Perhaps because they were seen as articulate, many pursued careers in business or persuasion, making law a natural fit for them.

 

“Of course, not all of them are involved in good work.”

 

“Ah…”

 

Garam nodded quietly.

 

“Snakes tend to have strong solidarity among themselves. It’s almost impossible to extract information from them.”

 

“Then…”

 

“Finding Ryu Beomju might be faster than locating the lawyer. Even if that man isn’t officially recognized as a shifter, it’s difficult to completely erase shifter traits.”

 

“Yes…”

 

Garam responded, looking a bit downcast. Yang refilled his teacup and spoke reassuringly.

 

“Don’t worry. We’ll figure something out. Just focus on staying safe.”

 

“…Yes. Thank you.”

 

Yang finally smiled and stood up.

 

“Now, how about we grab a meal? I hope it suits your taste today.”

 

Hearing Yang’s attempt to lighten the mood, Garam couldn’t help but break into a laugh.