Even a Lonely Squirrel Has Its Burrow - Chapter 11

After finishing the meal, Garam returned to Lawyer Yang’s office. Using the time Yang had bought to sneak in unnoticed, Garam transformed back into his human form in a room provided by the lawyer.

A squirrel emerged from a pile of clothes and approached the window. Pushing through the open gap, Garam leapt onto a tree branch nearby. Although it was frightening at first, living in the park had helped him become accustomed to moving as a squirrel. Now, he could jump such distances without hesitation.

Thud-!

Landing safely on the sturdy branch, it swayed slightly under his weight, rustling the leaves. Garam scurried down the tree trunk. After ensuring no one was watching on the street, he quickly headed toward the park.

Today, he was late to meet the man because of his appointment with Lawyer Yang. At times like these, living in his true form felt a little inconvenient.

If he were in human form, he could set more precise times and locations or contact the man in advance if something came up. However, as a squirrel, none of this was possible. All he could do was rush to meet the man he imagined waiting for him.

Hiding in the bushes, Garam checked to ensure few people were nearby before darting to the next cover. Occasionally, someone would scream in surprise at the sight of him, which often drew unwanted attention. Therefore, he did his best to avoid people altogether.

Fortunately, there weren’t many pedestrians today. Breathing a sigh of relief, Garam slipped out of the bushes. Having just reached the park’s entrance, it wouldn’t take long to get to the convenience store.

With a full belly thanks to the meal with Lawyer Yang, he wasn’t hungry. Still, squirrels had cheek pouches. Thinking about storing away the almonds and walnuts the man would hand him made his steps light.

Rustle-.

Bursting out of the bushes, Garam dashed toward the direction of the convenience store. However, a shadow loomed above him.

“…Squeak?”

A bad feeling crept over him. Slowly, Garam tilted his head upward.

“Hisss!”

A scream erupted. A massive cat was looming over him, drooling hungrily.

Cats were natural predators of squirrels. This one, a stray that appeared to have gone hungry for a while, looked particularly famished. Its drooling mouth left no doubt about its intentions. In human form, Garam had patted the backs of cats that approached him. But as a squirrel, encountering a cat was nothing short of a nightmare.

While Garam froze in place, the cat crouched, preparing to pounce. Seeing one of its paws extend cautiously, Garam snapped back to his senses.

“Squeak, squeak!”

The tiny squirrel began sprinting with all its might.

His heart pounded like never before, to the point where he thought it might burst. It was a fleeting thought, but there was no time for reflection. Garam focused solely on running as fast as possible. He could feel the cat closing in from behind.

Not knowing when the cat might catch him, Garam pushed his body to its limits. He had been careful to avoid large birds or cats, but his guard had slipped today. Normally, he would have sensed the presence of such a large cat easily. Now, he berated himself for his carelessness.

“Squeak!”

“Mrrrow!”

Garam’s shriek was met by the cat’s growling yowl as it chased him. A chill ran down his spine. Should he transform back into his human form now? But this was a park, a public place where people could see him. Worse, he had no clothes to cover himself if he transformed. The thought of exposing himself to everyone made him squeeze his eyes shut in frustration.

Panting heavily, Garam refused to slow down. He knew that even a moment’s hesitation would lead to the cat’s sharp claws catching him. Climbing a tree wasn’t an option either. He could only imagine the horrifying consequences if he slowed down to climb.

‘What do I do?’

Panicked, Garam sprinted blindly, unsure of where he was headed. He couldn’t shake the feeling that the distance between him and the cat was shrinking.

There was no time to look back. He thought he could feel the cat’s breath on him, but he kept his eyes fixed forward. If he could reach the tree where he lived and make it to his burrow, he might be safe. But it was already too late for that.

The cat relentlessly pursued him, growling in frustration. Unlike the agile cat, Garam felt his energy draining rapidly.

‘No, this can’t be…!’

It seemed like there was nothing left but to be caught by the cat. If he were really caught, there was the option of transforming into his human form before being eaten, but if someone saw him, it would feel as humiliating as death itself. He would certainly be reported, and even if he immediately returned to his true form and fled, rumors would spread that a crazy squirrel-like being was living in the park.

That was absolutely unacceptable. Garam gritted his teeth and forced strength into his legs.

The surrounding scenery blurred as it flew past him. Strangely, the fast-moving scenery felt familiar. Before long, he realized where he was.

It was the road leading to the convenience store where he met the man every day. Even in the face of danger, his instincts must have guided him here.

Noticing that he had entered a familiar path, hope began to surface. Garam ran with all his might. The cat was still following him, but if his calculations were correct, he could escape this terrifying predator and survive.

Rustle!

Bursting through a bush ahead, the tiny squirrel darted out, with the cat immediately following. But Garam wasn’t focused on the cat anymore—his gaze fixed on someone ahead.

‘He’s there!’

The man was sitting in his usual spot, seemingly waiting for Garam, gazing toward the bushes. At the sight of Garam bursting out more noisily than usual, he looked startled, but his expression quickly changed when he saw the cat chasing behind. The man shot to his feet just as Garam reached him.

“Squeak, squeeeak!”

Before the man could say anything, Garam clung to his pant leg and began climbing his body. The distance he had managed to put between himself and the cat after bursting from the bushes made it possible.

Perhaps all the time spent climbing trees hadn’t been in vain, as Garam quickly scaled the man’s body. By the time the cat reached the man’s feet, Garam had already made it to his shoulder.

While Garam collapsed, exhausted, onto the man’s shoulder, the cat, now under the man’s icy glare, hesitated and began retreating.

Garam, struggling to calm his wildly pounding heart, didn’t notice the cat backing away. His heart wasn’t the only thing racing—his arms and legs felt as though they might give out after running with all his strength.

“Hiss!”

The cat hissed one last time before vanishing back into the bushes. Only then did the man cautiously reach out and lift the limp squirrel off his shoulder. Garam saw the man’s hand approaching, but he was too drained to move, flopping onto the man’s opposite palm.

“…Squeak.”

‘…I’m done for.’

Panting heavily, Garam felt the man gently stroke his back as if to calm him. The soothing touch slowly eased the tension in his body. It was only then that the pain hit him. His whole body ached. His scratched hands came into view, and he realized he hadn’t even noticed the pain while he was running for his life. Now, along with the pain, an overwhelming sense of sorrow welled up.

“Squeak, sniff, squeeeak…”

He wanted to cry, but he didn’t even have the strength for tears. Suddenly, all the energy drained from his body. As the squirrel in his hand went limp, the man looked alarmed and tried to lift its head. But soon, all strength left Garam’s body, and his eyes began to close. In the dimming vision, he saw the man’s worried face and finally let go.

“Squeak…”

‘It’s… okay…’

Still… It was a relief that this man was here. He could feel the man calling out to him, but he could no longer keep his eyes open. Garam’s eyes shut completely.