Even a Lonely Squirrel Has Its Burrow - Chapter 8

“Phew…”

Letting out a sigh, Garam curled up. Trying not to appear awkward in front of the people watching him made him feel unusually tired today.

When his shifter friends found out he was a squirrel shifter, they typically reacted in one of two ways: either they chuckled as if he had just told a funny joke or they looked him up and down and remarked how unfitting it seemed.

Garam tended to brush off such reactions with a laugh. After all, his grandmother, who had raised him, often told him he was the coolest squirrel in the world and doted on him. So, he didn’t think there was any reason to care about the reactions of people who didn’t really know him.

Still, he didn’t completely ignore or forget their responses. That was why, as he grew older, he showed his true form to his grandmother less frequently. Living in his squirrel form in front of complete strangers brought with it a strange tension, alongside a sense of liberation from revealing his true self to those who knew nothing about him.

“Eep…”

Rolling around on his fluffy bedding to find a comfortable position, Garam closed his eyes. Although it was still bright outside, the hollow was dim except for the faint light seeping in from the outside. Even though he told himself it was fine, loneliness would sometimes creep in.

Garam tightly closed his eyes and hugged his soft tail. He wanted to feel even a little warmth this way.

—

The small squirrel, sleeping soundly on his fluffy nest and breathing evenly, began to twitch his nose. Slowly opening his eyes, he rubbed his face a few times with his tiny hands and approached the entrance of the hollow to look up at the sky.

What had started as a quick nap during the bright daylight had turned into deep sleep, and now it was pitch dark outside. Stretching his body, Garam poked his head out and looked around. Without a clock, he had no way of knowing the exact time. However, judging by the absence of people in the park, he could guess it was quite late.

Carefully scanning the surroundings to ensure there were no dangerous animals, Garam finally crawled out of the hollow.

As he scurried down the tree and landed on the grass, a faint crunching sound reached his ears. Garam quickly glanced around again before leaping forward.

Thump-thump-thump—

With small, soft footfalls, the squirrel dashed between the trees. Normally, he wouldn’t be out at this hour, but running through the nearly deserted park in the dark, in his squirrel form, lifted his spirits. Thrilled, Garam darted around until he spotted a bright light in the distance and headed toward it.

At a glance, it looked like some kind of building between the trees, but it was hard to make out from afar. In his small squirrel form, everything in the world appeared enormous, making it difficult to judge the building’s scale. For now, Garam cautiously climbed a nearby tree.

“…Beep.”

From the tree, the building came into view—it was a small convenience store. Compared to the large buildings nearby, it looked modest, but for a convenience store, it seemed relatively spacious. The lights inside were bright, but aside from an employee who appeared to be a clerk, there was no one else inside.

Garam’s eyes slowly scanned the store. Moving past the yawning clerk, he shifted his gaze outside and saw a few tables set up in front. Since the sun had been strong during the day, umbrellas were open over the tables. Tilting his head curiously, Garam climbed down the tree.

He wasn’t sure if getting closer was a good idea, but finding an unexpected convenience store in the middle of the park made him want to take a closer look.

Hiding behind a tree, Garam cautiously approached the building. That’s when he noticed someone sitting at one of the tables in front of the store.

“Eep…”

Peeking out from behind the tree, Garam observed the man. It was unlikely he’d be spotted, given the dark night and his tiny size, but he still felt the need to remain hidden and watch carefully.

The man sitting at the table was alone. There was no one else around, and with his back to the convenience store, the man’s face was shrouded in darkness, making it difficult to see. However, even partially concealed by the shadows, his sharp silhouette stood out.

Garam continued to observe the man. But the man, who seemed to be doing absolutely nothing, remained seated. He wasn’t looking at a phone, eating, or drinking—just sitting there quietly. The sheer oddity of it piqued Garam’s curiosity.

Thump-thump-thump—

Emerging from behind the tree, the small squirrel stepped onto the asphalt, his footsteps so faint that they were almost inaudible. At that moment, however, the man, who had been sitting still, turned his head.

“Eek…!”

‘Oh, my…!’

Startled, Garam came to an abrupt halt. He wondered if he had imagined it, but it wasn’t a mistake. The man’s gaze was fixed directly on him. Garam stood still, trying to calm his pounding heart. It felt as if his small squirrel body was vibrating entirely.

As Garam remained motionless, the man, who had clearly noticed him, also stayed silent, simply looking in his direction. His face was still obscured by darkness, making it impossible to discern his expression. However, one thing was clear—the man seemed interested in Garam.

If he hadn’t been, he would have immediately tried to scare Garam away or turned his gaze elsewhere. Yet, the man couldn’t take his eyes off him.

When Garam realized that the man was indeed interested, his racing heart quickly settled. Regaining confidence, Garam cautiously moved closer to the man. Upon closer inspection, the man had broader shoulders than Garam had initially noticed. His height, too, became apparent, towering over Garam in his human form.

It wasn’t often that Garam saw someone this large, and his curiosity grew even more. Feeling the man’s steady gaze on him, Garam boldly climbed onto the chair opposite the man and hopped onto the table.

As Garam approached him, the man’s lips, curled slightly into a relaxed smile, came into view first. Garam’s eyes, now adjusted to the darkness, quickly took in the man’s face.

“Chirp…”

‘He’s handsome…’

Garam was grateful to be in his squirrel form. He had unconsciously muttered out loud that the man was handsome, startling himself and making his tail stiffen.

The man, still wearing a faint smile, looked at Garam with interest. He rested his chin on one hand, propping his elbow on the table, and observed Garam. Though the man’s face had drawn closer, Garam couldn’t bring himself to flee and instead continued to stare.

The man was beautiful. That was the only word that came to Garam’s mind. The broad shoulders and towering height confirmed he was male, yet the word “beautiful” suited him best.

The man’s black hair, which lightly brushed his nape, didn’t look out of place but rather accentuated his beauty. His delicate and striking features were hard to describe as anything but lovely. Yet, he didn’t appear feminine. Instead, he exuded a unique and captivating kind of beauty. Whether he wore glasses due to poor eyesight or as a fashion accessory, they didn’t detract from his appearance but added to his distinct charm.

Garam, mesmerized by the man’s face, snapped out of his trance when the man extended a single finger toward him.

“Eek!”

Caught off guard by the finger suddenly in front of his nose, Garam didn’t think to dodge or attack. Instead, he instinctively raised his tiny hands and grabbed the man’s finger.

“…Chirp.”

The man stared intently at the squirrel’s small hands holding his finger. As Garam hurriedly tried to let go, the man chuckled softly.

“Ha ha! Such a tiny thing…”

Murmuring to himself, the man slowly moved his finger to gently scratch Garam’s head between his ears. His movements were careful, showing no intention of causing harm. Relaxing under the unexpectedly gentle touch, Garam unconsciously lowered his ears and accepted the man’s hand.

“Cute…”

Hearing the man’s quiet remark, Garam snapped back to his senses and darted out from under the man’s hand.

Standing off to the side, Garam turned to face the man and let out a protesting squeak.

“Chirp!”

However, the man couldn’t possibly understand the squirrel’s words. Despite Garam’s intense protests, the man simply rested his chin on his hand and continued to watch, as if enjoying the sound. In the end, it was Garam who tired out first.

“Phew…”

With a small sigh, Garam plopped down onto the table. The man chuckled quietly before extending his finger toward Garam again. His gesture seemed to be an attempt to put Garam at ease, and it slowly worked to soften Garam’s defenses.