Even a Lonely Squirrel Has Its Burrow - Chapter 20

Just then, the ringing bell caused Sa Muheon to frown slightly and turn his head. Even his frowning face was breathtakingly beautiful. Garam, staring blankly at that face, heard Sa Muheon speak as he answered the phone.

 

“Oh, Manager Han. What’s going on?”

 

‘Well… President Yoo from Mirae Construction said it’s impossible for him to visit personally due to his schedule. He’s aware of Manager Hong’s major mistake and is asking for one chance to apologize.’

 

“Ha, that kitty bastard? As if he really means it.”

 

Sa Muheon let out a short laugh, his tone laced with sarcasm. Manager Han didn’t respond. Sa Muheon continued speaking, a mix of sighs and irritation in his voice.

 

“Well… fine. Since you’re calling about it, it must be an unavoidable situation. Let’s do it.”

 

‘Thank you, Director. Then, how should I arrange the meeting?’

 

“Tell him to come on Monday. I don’t want to see his face over the weekend, but I don’t want to leave this annoyance unresolved either.”

 

‘Understood. I’ll relay the message.’

 

“Ah, and tell him this as well.”

 

Manager Han waited quietly for Sa Muheon to continue. With a crooked smile, Sa Muheon spoke.

 

“Don’t be late. If he makes me wait again, he can forget about the apology and start preparing to shut down his company.”

 

A brief silence followed. The response came a beat late.

 

‘…Understood. I’ll see you on Monday.’

 

“You have a good weekend too, Manager Han.”

 

With that cheerful farewell, Sa Muheon hung up. Tossing his phone aside, he turned to Garam, who was sitting next to him. The irritation in his voice from earlier was gone, replaced by a tone dripping with sweetness.

 

“Shall we eat, my little squirrel?”

 

“…Chirp.”

 

Garam replied reluctantly.

 

He was grateful to be in squirrel form. If he had been in his human form, his expression would have been a dead giveaway, but fortunately, as a squirrel, he appeared round and expressionless.

 

Although he couldn’t hear the other person’s voice and barely understood what Sa Muheon was saying, the man who had been on the phone seemed like a completely different person from the Sa Muheon he knew.

 

‘What kind of person is he…?’

 

The usually gentle and affectionate Sa Muheon was nowhere to be found, replaced by a man with a voice as cold as ice.

 

Though the call wasn’t very long, Garam could only stare blankly at Sa Muheon the entire time he spoke. The voice and face were undoubtedly Sa Muheon’s, but the words sounded like they belonged to someone else entirely.

 

And yet, as soon as the call ended, he addressed Garam in the gentlest voice imaginable, creating a jarring sense of dissonance.

 

Unaware of Garam’s confusion, Sa Muheon patted his head as if he had done something praiseworthy before standing up. Not long after, he returned with a small dish—used as Garam’s food bowl—filled with nuts. As always, he handed Garam a walnut personally.

 

“Chirp.”

 

“Hmm? Is it good?”

 

Frustratingly, the nuts Sa Muheon gave him were incredibly delicious. He thought walnuts and almonds were all the same, but for some reason, what Sa Muheon provided tasted particularly special. Garam pretended not to hear him, focusing solely on nibbling the walnut in his hands. Sa Muheon watched Garam with a smiling face. For a while, the only sound in the living room was that of Garam munching on the walnut.

 

—

 

“You’ve arrived!”

 

Jang Seokgyu bowed deeply at a 90-degree angle, greeting loudly. He didn’t usually act this formally, but his behavior suggested he was putting on a show for someone inside. Sa Muheon stopped walking and quietly observed Jang Seokgyu. As expected, Jang Seokgyu, straightening his posture, glanced between the closed office door and Sa Muheon, subtly signaling something.

 

Although it wasn’t an especially important guest, Jang Seokgyu and Manager Han, as Sa Muheon’s close aides, prioritized maintaining his dignity above all else. With a faint smile, Sa Muheon nodded.

 

Bang!

 

Without hesitation, Sa Muheon kicked the office door open. The door slammed loudly, revealing Manager Han, who quietly closed his eyes in resignation as if to say he couldn’t take it anymore. Smiling, Sa Muheon turned his head. Seated upright was Ryu Beomju.

 

The last time they met, he had caused a commotion, but after being scolded thoroughly by President Yoo, he now sat with a bandage on his face. However, the bandage couldn’t fully hide the faint bruises that were still visible. Sa Muheon took in his condition at a glance as Ryu Beomju stood up.

 

Though Sa Muheon had called him a “kitty bastard,” the man’s tiger-like presence was undeniable as he rose with his imposing frame. However, unlike last time, Ryu Beomju bowed politely to Sa Muheon.

 

“You’ve arrived.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Sa Muheon casually waved a hand, accepting the greeting half-heartedly, and headed toward his desk instead of the sofa where Ryu Beomju was seated.

 

“Manager Han, where did I leave those documents?”

 

“Which ones are you referring to…?”

 

“Ha, you know, the ones with our squirrel’s name suggestions.”

 

There were no such documents, but Manager Han, quick to catch on, immediately played along.

 

“Ah, they’re over here.”

 

Manager Han, who had approached the desk, grabbed a random sheet of paper from the pile and handed it to Sa Muheon. Ryu Beomju remained in his bowing position. Sa Muheon spent a long time staring at the meaningless piece of paper, adding occasional sounds like “Hmm” and “Ah.” When he felt it was enough, he set the paper down and walked toward the sofa.

 

“Sit.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

Only then did Ryu Beomju straighten his back and sit on the sofa. Unlike last time, when he had dressed sloppily, he was now neatly dressed in a suit. Sa Muheon looked at him and smirked as he began to speak.

 

“I heard President Yoo is quite busy these days.”

 

“Yes, the president has been extremely busy lately. More importantly, I wanted to apologize for my rudeness to you during our last meeting, Director Sa.”

 

Ryu Beomju’s tone was completely different from last time, as if he had turned into a different person. It was clear he had received a harsh reprimand from President Yoo. Judging by his face, it seemed the scolding wasn’t limited to just words. Sa Muheon chuckled softly and spoke.

 

“Well… if Manager Hong insists he’s sorry, I suppose there’s no helping it.”

 

“…Yes. I truly apologize.”

 

Though Ryu Beomju briefly showed a hint of frustration at the teasing tone, he suppressed it and answered obediently. Sa Muheon, convinced that Ryu Beomju wouldn’t dare act out for the time being, straightened from his relaxed position on the sofa.

 

“Well, let’s get to business now.”

 

Manager Han, as if on cue, placed the documents in front of him. It was time for Sa Muheon to do what he did best.

 

“Alright, let’s revise this as discussed, and this one too, to something more suitable.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

Ryu Beomju nodded with a resigned expression. Knowing it was impossible to out-talk Sa Muheon, he seemed to have given up entirely, likely following President Yoo’s instructions.

 

Satisfied, Sa Muheon accepted the pen handed to him by Manager Han and left a stylish signature on the document. Ryu Beomju also affixed his seal, and Manager Han collected the papers.

 

“Good. Let’s stick to the repayment schedule. Like I said before, we can’t have infighting among our people.”

 

“I understand.”

 

Ryu Beomju nodded compliantly. Manager Han reviewed the documents once more and handed one of the copies to Ryu Beomju.

 

While Ryu Beomju skimmed through the document again, Sa Muheon stood up first. Manager Han glanced briefly at the seated Ryu Beomju before addressing Sa Muheon.

 

“Are you leaving?”

 

“Yeah. My little one’s waiting at home.”

 

“…Little one?”

 

“Yeah. Tiny.”

 

About this small. Sa Muheon gestured with his hands and chuckled.

 

“So small and adorable.”

 

“Well, it seems you’re quite fond of it. That’s good to hear.”

 

“Yeah. I plan to be with them for a long, long time.”

 

Sa Muheon nodded with a smile that hinted at anticipation. Manager Han shook his head, as if exasperated, but Ryu Beomju, who had been sitting quietly, interjected into their conversation.

 

“Ahem, um…”

 

“Hmm?”

 

Raising his eyebrows as if giving permission to speak, Sa Muheon turned his attention to Ryu Beomju, who stood up and faced him.

 

“I couldn’t help but hear you mention a squirrel earlier…”

 

“So you signed the document and now you’ve got time to eavesdrop on other people’s conversations?”

 

Sa Muheon chuckled, looking Ryu Beomju up and down.

 

“I called you a kitty, but I guess you’re not even that—just a lowly rat.”

 

“…I heard you’re fond of small animals.”

 

“What’s this? You know that too? Seems the real rat here is you.”

 

Letting out a laugh of disbelief, Sa Muheon cast a glance at Manager Han, who nodded in acknowledgment. The fact that Sa Muheon liked small animals wasn’t a big secret or a weakness, but the issue was that any information about him had leaked out.

 

Oblivious to Sa Muheon’s silent exchange with Manager Han, Ryu Beomju continued.

 

“I happen to know a squirrel shifter. If you’re interested in squirrels, I could introduce them to you.”

 

TL- stfu you 고양이 새끼 i love kitty cats but not you