Bricolage - Bricolage-Episode 151

151.

Before we knew it, the sun was setting. Looking up at the orange-tinged sky, I was suddenly embraced by Jaechaeui’s arms. With his back to White Lily, he walked with his steps.

The destination we reached was none other than the zoo.

‘Are we going on a date? ?’

I was silent as my eyes scanned the old sign and the deserted entrance. Even if he didn’t have any energy, he would have just stayed silent and listened to Jae Cha-ui at this moment. Just to that extent, the place called the zoo seemed unexpected and absurd.

Why a zoo? I think this is my first time visiting a zoo in my life. I’ve never even thought about going to the zoo.

When I was in middle school, I had a vague memory of an amusement park being included in the course of a field trip from school. The only special animals at the amusement park were two peacocks. I felt sorry for the animals living in a narrow cage where they couldn’t even fully unfold their gorgeous tails, so I passed by without taking a picture… .

Taking me, who was already quite confused, Jaechaeui strode into the zoo. Every time he took a step, my dull heart gradually changed to a more mysterious color.

somewhere… It was strange. The entire facility seemed very old, but some of the kennels were brand new and very spacious. To the left, there was a beautiful aquarium overlooking a forest with a small pond at a glance, but the aquarium located in the distance looked like it had been out of business for a long time.

Some of the cages even looked like demolition work was in full swing. Materials piled up could be seen through a gap in the large fence. The white lights typical of construction sites are turned on, but no workers are visible. It looked like he had just gotten home from work while working on construction.

My gaze quickly moved to follow Jaechaeui, who was walking languidly on his long legs. One farm is full of trees with particularly dark soil around their roots, as if they were just newly planted. Next to it, there are tangled vine plants and hammocks, reminiscent of a cat tower. Another kennel has bright red lights and is simply filled with dry logs, rocks, and desert sand.

But there isn’t even a single animal.

Blinking my eyes, I looked up at Jaechaeui. I wondered if he had brought me here without realizing that today was a non-business day.

But unexpectedly, Jaechaeui’s face was full of anticipation. With his eyes wide open and his eyebrows raised, he looked down at me in his arms. A smile appears on his straight lips.

‘How do you like it?’

It seemed like he was asking that.

‘Do you like it? Do you want to laugh now?’

In confusion, I twitched my fingertips. My dulled senses are slowly coming back. However, it was still not enough to get down from his arms, walk on my own feet, or open my mouth to express my thoughts.

Jaechaeui easily corrected me as I struggled to move my stiff tongue and kissed my forehead. As a grown man, I was embarrassed to be held in someone else’s arms like a child, but I was even more embarrassed when they kissed me like I was handling a young animal.

Jaechaeui said as if bragging to me who was rolling his eyes, wondering if there was anyone watching what he couldn’t see.

“All the animals that were dying here were moved to the shelter. Those that still have wild nature will be sent to the national park, and the older and sick ones will be treated.”

I furrowed my eyebrows.

‘What does this mean again?’

Usually, remarkings are straightforward and simple, so their meaning is easy to understand. As long as you don’t distort it or over-interpret it to mean something else, no one will be as easy to communicate with as Jaechaui.

But this time, I have no idea.

‘Why do you care about the animals at the zoo?’

I know for sure that he is a man who doesn’t even care about people’s lives… .

“Because Song Morae likes animals.”

Jaechaeui explained in a lively voice as if he was very happy.

“I did it because I thought you would not like it if I sold it off or euthanized it.”

Then, he passes through a dark alley and walks indoors, pushing the hidden door with his foot. The sound of shoe feet clattering on the dirt creates an urban sound.

Thanks to my much slower steps, I was able to take a closer look at my surroundings. The interior, lit with incandescent lights, was bright and clean. I could see a bedroom with wooden walls and a large bed, a study with bookcases filled with books on three sides, and a kitchen with a large refrigerator, a table for two, and chairs.

Soon, we arrived in front of a very large door. Jaechaeui roughly waved the index finger of the hand holding my shoulder, and the door opened softly with a clicking sound.

And our destination was revealed. Delaying my return to headquarters, the place where Jaechaeui took me was in a very large and special kennel.

Jaechaeui set me down on the ivory-covered sandy beach. I moved my waist, arms, and legs around and sat down with my back against the wall with the sky drawn on it.

“… … .”

I just blinked blankly and couldn’t think of anything. There were no complaints and no questions. I can’t help but stare quietly at the dark sea spreading out before my eyes… .

When Jaechaeui raised his arm and snapped his fingers, the wave pool in the artificial sea began to move. In the distance, the water rushing in from the sky and cloud mural painted to create a sense of perspective had foam like real waves. Shoot at me sitting with my feet outstretched… It comes rushing in, then retreats at a slow pace and repeats.

Just right.

When the sound of a finger snapping rang again, a yellow light came on from what I thought was a dry palm tree. Bright yellow light bulbs shone brightly even on the high ceiling covered with transparent netting. Its shape was like the moon and stars. The sky turned pitch black and the foam of the waves sparkled silver.

After perfectly creating the fake night sea, Jaechaeui sat down next to me with his large body. Then he took off his shoes and became barefoot like me.

Shoot… The approaching artificial waves tickled our toes. It felt good to feel the lukewarm water licking my tired skin.

“Sand.”

While wrapping his right arm around my waist, Jae Chaui made eye contact with me.

“You don’t like it?”

He seemed to find my indifferent reaction strange and disappointing, so I rolled my eyes from side to side and expressed ‘no’.

‘in the heart… listen.’

I like it so much that I don’t know how to react… .

On the other hand, a small question arises. I was curious about how on earth they knew a place like this existed and what plan they had for bringing me here.

‘I want Song Morae to smile.’

Not for such a cruel reason… .

As if he understood the question in my glaring gaze, Jaechaeui shouted ‘Ah’. Then, four beats later, he spoke the most important introduction.

“It’s ‘doghouse’, it’s sand.”

My thoughts were paralyzed by the short and clear words. It felt like I had been hit on the head.

“You said you wanted it. “I want a dog house to raise the dogs.”

My lips slowly opened to a simple and clear sound. As if it had finally thawed, its tongue moved sluggishly.

“brother… .”

But I couldn’t think of anything to say.

I’m so happy, thank you, thank you… Even words like that can’t express it properly. There is no way I can explain everything about how I feel with those words.

This is my first time receiving a gift like this.

It was a gift so big that it was like receiving birthday presents that I had not received in 26 years all at once.

I was happier than when I received the Dashman Center’s main building and hotel building… .

‘Here, these are all…’ for me… .’

For me, not for anyone else, I bought and sold an old zoo and turned it into a proper ‘dog house.’ Just for me… I have no interest or affection for monsters, so much so that the easy name ‘dog’ is mistakenly called ‘dog’, but I built this wonderful kennel for the sole reason that I wanted them to like me. They gave treatment and freedom to animals that had suffered while being confined in zoos, and created a fake night sea with an artificial moon and stars.

I remembered that even I had forgotten that I love the sea… .

Slowly, I moved my right hand. I raised my hand, which felt tingly as if it belonged to someone else, and gently placed it on Jaechaeui’s cheek. Jaechaui willingly tilted his head so that I could cup his cheek and caress it.

It feels like the world is spinning. It is unclear whether it is because of the medicine or because the heart is pounding due to great emotion.

It doesn’t matter either way. I just focused on lowering my shoulders and extending my neck.

His lips and mine touched softly.

side… .