고양이와 신수들의 심상찮은 상생 관계

When a pet dies, aren’t they supposed to wait beyond the rainbow bridge?

Though I wasn’t expecting a river of pet milk or trees bearing treats, I never imagined that such a bleak cityscape awaited.

After sending off his black cat, Kamangi, in tears, Baek Rokdam fell asleep.

But upon waking, he found himself in the afterlife for pets.

Unlike what he imagined, the gray buildings stretched endlessly, a harsh and lifeless world beyond death.

Before he even had a chance to be disappointed, he was thrust into grueling labor and unrelenting hardships.

One day, amidst his exhausting life, he stumbled across a tiny egg on the street.

Thanks to his gift of seeing things others couldn’t, he noticed that this seemingly ordinary rock actually held life within.

Unable to just walk past, he picked up the egg…

“So, could I ask why the kitten over there keeps glancing this way?”

But it seems that three divine beasts are searching for the egg I possess.

* * *

The little one, who was barely the size of Rokdam’s arm, had a smooth, black shell on its back.

Despite its tiny and adorable appearance, this one was a full-fledged divine beast, a black tortoise, born for the first time in twenty years.

The little black tortoise giggled as it nestled in Rokdam’s arms, reaching up to touch his face with its soft, chubby hand.

As he caressed the baby’s plump, soft hand, Rokdam smiled brightly in return.

You’ve already grown a lot in just one month.

“Ma.”

“I’m not your mom; I’m your uncle, okay?”

In just a bit more time, it was said that this little one would fully grow into an adult form, but for now, it was hard to imagine this small baby turtle ever growing big and mischievous like the others.

“Ma, waah. Ma.”

Unable to call him “Mom,” the little tortoise furrowed its round eyes in frustration, its pouty lips sticking out.

Rokdam chuckled helplessly at the sight, realizing there was nothing he could do.

“All right, all right. Call me whatever you want.”

“Mm, Ma. Food.”

‘Mom, uncle—whatever makes you happy.’

Rokdam patted the little black tortoise and rummaged in a pocket under the cradle.

“Ah, geez.”