Vet's Heartbeat | Minsung |

1

Working is like therapy—well, it is for Jisung. After years of studying to become a veterinarian, he found himself distracted by various jobs. Who could blame him? He was forced to take this course.

He applied to become a cook at a restaurant. Sounds fun, right? But life can be tough, and he ended up washing dishes. After three months of cleaning, he quit.

He also tried tutoring preschoolers, claiming he loved teaching adorable kids. That lasted a week, he did not sign up for a crying child.

Baking sounded good. Opening a bakery was once his dream because it gave off a "very chill vibe." He tried different recipes, from cookies to cake, almost everything. But the requirements for opening a bakery were difficult, and his credentials definitely did not align with baking.

Jisung is smart, he adapts quickly. His decisions, however, are just... not it. He prefers to listen to his impulsive thoughts.

After a year of struggles, he returned to the path he had tossed aside. This was his last attempt. For the final time, he asked his parents for help in opening a clinic. Jisung found his situation ridiculous, it seemed like he was stuck on being a vet.

---

Today was a busy day. The clinic was fully booked with several cases. Thankfully, they were mostly minor problems or injuries: ingrown nails, bones stuck in teeth, matted fur, and insect bites.

"Name?"

"Kisses. This is the last patient," his assistant, Josh, announced while handling the form. "The owner noticed her dog has a hard time walking."

"Let them in," Jisung replied, preparing the tools for the check-up. Sanitation always comes first, he hates unwanted trouble.

Josh headed out upon hearing the instruction. Soon enough, he returned with a cute white puppy. Jisung cooed, the puppy's eyes were too adorable to ignore. Observing the puppy, he noticed a slight trembling in its left foot.

"Hi there, Kisses. I'm here to help you, okay? Jisung said, gently taking Kisses from the owner's embrace.

He carefully placed the puppy on the table and began checking. There it was. A small rock lodged between a broken nail. After a few minutes of examination, he was relieved to find no other injuries or symptoms present.

Finally, after an hour of removing the rock and cutting the nail, he carefully trimmed the other nails. "Focused" is an understatement; he poured his whole self into trimming the nails.

"Good news! It was successfully removed," Jisung said, organizing the used items. "Apply a soothing balm to her paw, the broken nail was pressing hard against it. I suggest keeping her indoors until it heals."

After the owner purchased the balm and checked out, the shift came to an end. "Bye, Kisses! Take care," Jisung waved happily, finding satisfaction in seeing the puppy free from pain.

---

"You can head out now if you're done cleaning," Jisung said, turning to his assistant. The younger man started walking toward the couch, sleep sounded too tempting right now.

It was already 9:30 PM, and their closing time was 10:30. Finishing early was one of Jisung's favorite things in the world. As much as he loved working, nothing beat the silence after a long day—until it got interrupted.

"We have a new patient. The cat returned with a few scratches. The owner was worried some might be deep," his assistant explained. "They'll probably come late at night."

Oh. That was all Jisung could think. Sitting back up, he could feel the ants laughing at him. The thoughts of sleeping slowly disappear.

"Or early in the morning. The owner didn’t specify when they would come, but it sounded urgent," Josh continued, still organizing the tools. "The name's Mimi."

Jisung internally cheered; there was a chance for a good night's sleep. "You can go now. I can handle a few scratches alone if they come," he said. The younger man lay back down on the couch. "Take care."

"Sure, I’ll head out now. I left the keys in your drawer."

"Thanks! Have a nice day!"