How To Adopt You

Sounds of barking dogs and meowing cats filling the room, one by one the plate filled with pet food distributed to each one of them. "Eat slowly, na," a soft voice comes from the owner of the place. "Doctor!!" the assistant calls him abruptly, her face shows something urgent. "What happened?" He gives one last pet to the cat and leaves the area, walking to the front office while the assistant runs in a hurry. A tall dark figure standing there, only his back shown, but he's shaking badly. "Khun kab?" he taps the person gently. "Please help this friend!!" surprised by the reaction, the doctor only can focus on the wounded cat on his arm. "Prepare the operating room," in ordered motion, they move to the operation room swiftly. Around 45 minutes later, the doctor exits the room, taking off his mask as he walks to the man sitting anxiously outside. "Your friend is okay, the injury can be healed in a month," a smile was given as he tries to assure the other person who seems still worried. "Thank you, Khun Mor," he raises his hand to give waai, but the young doctor politely puts back the hand. "It's Mix," showing the name sewn on his coat. 'Mix Sahaphap' written there, but the other person just stares blankly. "Please fill your information for the admission form," receiving the paper, the man waai again. While writing down the form, the doctor observing the mysterious person showed up in his clinic.

Besides the dark hoodie hiding his face, a mask also covers half of it. When he still tries to find his face, the form is handed out to him suddenly. Instead of his personal information, a shelter place's name was written. "You work with this shelter?" the man nods to the question. "Usually I will take them back to the shelter, we have a vet that takes care of the rescued animals, but that cat's condition was so bad," finally the mysterious man speaks more than 3 words, earning a nod from the doctor. "I will contact them first, please wait," using the telephone in the front office, he dials the number. Actually, he has his doubt about someone who suddenly ran into his clinic, concealed his face and didn't even write down any credentials on the form. But the moment he mentioned about the appearance, a laugh can be heard from the other line, "That's really my volunteer worker, his name is Earth, rarely talks but good with animals, especially cats," the lady introduced herself as the owner of the shelter assured him. After the doubt cleared, he walked back inside, "I already talked to your boss, your friend will be here for a while, you can come and check anytime," another smile offered but got the same reaction. "Next time, you can come here again to check other friends before bringing them back to the shelter, I don't mind helping," on the phone earlier, the lady said that actually, Earth is the one patrolling around the area, saving any injured and abandoned animals or pets discarded by their irresponsible owner. The shelter is on the other side of the town, around an hour ride even with a motorbike. Previously, Mix never paid attention to the surroundings of the area, he usually just sits in his office waiting for appointments or feeding the animals that are being treated in his clinic. He makes a promise with himself he will try to care more about the situation around, especially if there are any injured animals. "You may check on your friend inside," realizing the other person didn't give him any answer, he decides to avoid the awkward silence. The cat is still lying on the bed, then the man pets him affectionately until it purrs. Seeing the view, words from the lady were really spot on, he may not speak but his action shows more side of his personality.

*

Today's temperature showing it's 34°C, to be burned under the sun or sweating through this hoodie, he chooses the latter. Ever since he's working in the shelter, his usual outfit turns to hoodies and training pants. Most of his hoodies are also dark-colored so he doesn't attract many eyes. Scouting down, a pack of cat food slides out from his hoodie pocket, attracting the gang of stray kittens wandering around the street. Putting down the food into a bowl made from the newspaper, the kittens quickly attack the food. He makes sure every one of them gets to eat, those who already eaten gently move away behind his big build, some of them scratching his hoodie but he doesn't care but gives them pats instead. Done feeding them, he makes sure they drink too, after that he's checking if any of them need treatment. Even though he never received any proper medical training or study anything related, the boss taught him to recognize signs of infections or wounds that might be dangerous. Last time he watched 2 cats fighting intensively, the one attacking ran away as soon as he hissed it away. Due to the poor condition of the injured one, he ran to the nearest vet clinic without any thought, there's only one in the area, that private and obviously expensive building he stepped into. As soon as he entered the person at the front office came to him, then without any words called the doctor inside. The figure of a young man dressed in a blue striped shirt with a white coat and black trousers, walking with fine polished black leather shoes greeted him when he was holding the injured cat desperately.