Chapter 42 : The Maltese Conspiracy

“Doggy Daycare?”

These days, with celebrities appearing alongside their pets on variety shows and YouTube, it was an offer I couldn’t easily turn down.

The idea sparked a flicker of excitement—something fresh, something fun.

“Oh, that doesn’t sound half bad!” 

Taehwan nodded, his eyes lighting up with approval at my suggestion.

His enthusiasm was contagious, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“I’ve got a dog myself, you know,” he said.

“I bet he’d get along great with Bbi Bbi.”

“You’ve got a dog?”

I asked, surprised.

“Yup. Sweetest, most well-behaved little guy you’ll ever meet.”

“Perfect! I’ll run it by Hyungcheol then.”

Hyungcheol, it’s time to earn your keep.

I glanced at Hyungcheol, my trusty companion, and smirked.

“You’ve got this, right? Nail it today, and you’re getting a juicy cut of beef for dinner.”

“Woof! Woof!”

Hyungcheol’s tail wagged with fierce determination, his confidence practically radiating.

“Atta boy.”

I’d already given him a taste of beef at home and put him through his paces, so he was primed to obey every command.

“Thanks, man,” I said to Taehwan.

“It’s just another gig,” he replied with a shrug.

Since we were bringing dogs along, Hayoon offered to drive.

“Woof woof!”

“Hey, hey… easy, buddy,” I said, chuckling at Hyungcheol’s excitement.

Hayoon, though, seemed oddly on edge.

Every time Hyungcheol let out even the tiniest yip, he flinched like he’d heard a gunshot.

“Uh… you scared of dogs or something?”

I asked.

“Er… maybe a little?” he admitted sheepishly.

“Woof! Woof!”

Look at me! I’m adorable!

Hyungcheol poked his shiny black nose through the bars of his crate, staring at Hayoon, who was gripping the steering wheel like his life depended on it.

“He might just be nervous about being in there,” I offered, trying to ease the tension.

“Whine…”

That’s harsh!

I’d spent so much time praising Hyungcheol, calling him “pretty boy” to cheer him up, that now he was practically a diva with a princess complex.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he stays put,” I reassured Hayoon.

There was something oddly endearing about a grown man, built like a linebacker, trembling at the sight of a palm-sized pup.

“Tch… thanks,” Hayoon mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper.

The car rolled to a stop at the designated park.

“This the place?” I asked.

“Yup,” Taehwan confirmed.

“We’re here. Let’s go.”

I scooped Hyungcheol out of his crate and stepped out of the car, cradling him in my arms.

Near the meeting spot, a small crowd had already gathered, their eyes fixed on Taehwan, curious and buzzing with excitement.

“Bbi Bbi! Over here!” Taehwan called out.

“Haha, cut her some slack, she’s just excited,” he said to the onlookers, his voice tinged with affection.

Among the crowd were a few staff members and Taehwan, who was being thoroughly dragged around by a fluffy white Maltese that looked like a living cotton ball.

Man, that dog’s got him wrapped around her paw.

Bbi Bbi was clearly the boss, ignoring Taehwan with an air of superiority that screamed she saw him as little more than her lackey.

“Hey, Hyunjae! You made it!”

A staff member spotted me as I approached and greeted me warmly.

Before I knew it, a microphone was clipped to my waist.

“Yo, get over here quick!”

Taehwan called, his voice carrying a hint of desperation, like a man drowning and begging for a lifeline.

“I saw you from way back there,” I teased. “What’s going on? What’s with the chaos?”

As I approached with Hyungcheol in tow, Bbi Bbi, who’d been giving Taehwan the cold shoulder, trotted over and started sniffing Hyungcheol curiously.

“Phew,” Taehwan sighed, his face haggard.

“You’ll see when you watch the footage later, but getting here was a nightmare.”

His sunken eyes told the story without him needing to say another word.

“What, she doesn’t listen because you’re not her owner?” I asked.

“Ugh, this tiny thing barks like she’s possessed…”

Taehwan groaned, his voice heavy with exhaustion.

Just then, a writer held up a sketchbook with the word “Introduction” scrawled across it.

“Oh! Right, let’s introduce our furry friends first,” Taehwan said, snapping back into host mode.

I bowed slightly, offering a wave.

“Hello, I’m Jung Hyunjae.”

“We’re currently filming a drama together called Today’s Fruit Shop,” Taehwan added.

“Yup, we were shooting just yesterday,” I said.

“Feels like we see each other every day now,” he laughed.

“Pretty much! But… is she always this hyper?”

I asked, glancing at Bbi Bbi.

The little Maltese had finished inspecting Hyungcheol and was now clinging to my leg, whimpering and pawing at me.

“Calm down, girl,” Taehwan said, scooping her up. Bbi Bbi squirmed, desperate to break free, but human strength won out.

“What a mess,” I chuckled.

“Where were we?”

Taehwan asked, trying to regain control of the situation.

“Oh! Hyunjae, tell us about your dog,” the writer prompted.

“Right. His name’s Hyungcheol…”

“Woof!”

No way!

“Okay, okay,” I laughed.

“I named him Hyungcheol, but somehow, in a moment of distraction, it got changed to Jayden.”

“Jayden? That’s a big leap from Hyungcheol,” Taehwan said, raising an eyebrow.

“Right? Hyungcheol’s way better, don’t you think?”

“Woof! Woof woof!”

Hyungcheol barked enthusiastically, clearly agreeing with me.

Jiwon, you little…

How much had that guy drilled into this dog to make him hate the name Jayden so much?

“He’s stubborn about it,” I said with a grin.

“Says he prefers Jayden. So, Jayden it is. Say hi, buddy.”

Jayden tilted his head toward the camera, giving a little nod.

“Whoa!”

“Did he just… say hi?”

The staff and Taehwan gasped in unison, floored by Jayden’s charm.

“Haha, cute, right?” I said, beaming.

“Adorable!”

Taehwan crouched down, still holding Bbi Bbi, and ruffled Jayden’s fur.

“Hey there, buddy.”

I turned to Bbi Bbi. “Hi, cutie.”

“Woof?”

She eyed me warily, unsure about this stranger talking to her.

This one’s gonna take some time to warm up.

But I wasn’t worried.

I’d come prepared with a secret weapon and a trusty ally by my side.

“How about we start walking and head to the next spot?” a staff member suggested.

“Sounds good,” I replied.

As the crowd of onlookers grew, we smoothly transitioned to the next location.

“Can we drop the formalities now?”

I asked Taehwan.

“Man, I was getting tired of all the ‘-yo’ this and ‘-yo’ that,” he admitted.

“Even in the drama, we’re supposed to be friends. Keeping up the polite talk is exhausting.”

As we chatted, I kept an eye on Jayden and Bbi Bbi walking side by side up ahead.

Nice work, Jayden.

He was following my instructions perfectly, striking up little “conversations” with Bbi Bbi.

And she, despite her famously prickly Maltese attitude, was warming up to him—grudgingly, but still.

For a dog like her, that was practically a love letter.

“So, am I your first guest or what?”

I asked.

“First one,” Taehwan said.

“Thought so.”

“Why?”

“No reason,” I said, smirking.

“Just looks like the staff’s working overtime to keep this together.”

The walk to the dog café wasn’t far, but Taehwan’s hosting was so painfully awkward it felt like an eternity.

“I’m trying, okay?” he said defensively.

“I know, I know,” I laughed.

“I’m just saying, the staff’s got their hands full.”

“He’s always teasing me like this,” Taehwan said to the camera, feigning indignation.

“Hey, don’t start rumors! The fans’ll get the wrong idea,” I shot back, playing along.

“I’m the one who’s suffering here!”

Our bickering chemistry smoothed over the awkwardness, keeping the energy light.

“Is this the place?”

I asked as we reached a sprawling dog café with a wide grassy field.

“Yup, looks right,” Taehwan confirmed.

“They’ve reserved the whole place, so we can let the dogs off their leashes,” a staff member chimed in.

“Freedom!”

I declared, unclipping Jayden’s leash.

He and Bbi Bbi bolted onto the grass, tearing around with unbridled joy.

“Let’s grab a drink, take a breather, and then we’ve got a little agility course set up for them to try,” the staff member said.

“Nice!” I replied, though inwardly I cringed.

Ugh, I’d hate doing that.

Back when I was a dog, agility courses were the bane of my existence. Why humans loved watching dogs jump through hoops, I’d never understand.

“Agility, like obstacle courses, right?” I asked.

“Yup—tunnels, jumps, that kind of thing,” Taehwan said. “It’s a pain, but my girl’s a pro at it.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yup!”

The PD’s face lit up at the mention of Bbi Bbi’s skills.

Never tried it with Jayden, but I’ll have to sweet-talk him into it.

We chatted about fan meetings and funny moments on set while the dogs played.

Then we called them over.

“Jayden!”

“Bbi Bbi!”

The brown Pomeranian and white Maltese came sprinting, their little legs pumping.

“Having fun?”

I asked Jayden.

More like working my charm.

“Woof woof!”

Obviously.

I’ve got her wrapped around my paw.

“Good boy.”

I patted his back and pulled out a treat as a reward.

“Woof!”

Bbi Bbi, spotting the treat, trotted over and demanded one for herself.

“You too? Alright, here you go.”

“Woof woof!”

I handed her a treat, and after a cautious sniff, she took a bite.

Her eyes widened in shock.

What is this?

She stared at me, her round eyes sparkling. Why’s it so good?

“Pretty tasty, huh?” I said with a grin.

This was my ace in the hole—homemade treats crafted by someone who knew exactly what dogs craved.

Bbi Bbi devoured it in seconds, then propped her front paws on me, whining pitifully for more.

“Whiiiine—”

This guy knows he’s cute.

Any other human might’ve caved to that sad-puppy act, but not me.

Nothing in dog life comes free.

“Not yet, little lady. Let’s be friends first, then we’ll talk treats.”

“Woof?”

She tilted her head, confused, her expression almost comically forlorn.

“Bbi Bbi, c’mere, baby!”

Taehwan called, scooping her up.

I turned to Jayden.

“Alright, buddy, we’ve gotta do this agility thing…”

Jayden glanced at the course and immediately turned his head away, as if pretending it didn’t exist.

“Hey, you ate the treat,” I said, lowering my voice.

“I bragged about you being a star. Don’t make me look bad now.”

“Woof!”

He barked in protest, but I had a trump card.

“I brought extra treats today, but if you bail, I might just give them to Bbi Bbi…”

“Woof! Woof woof!”

No way! Those are mine!

Jealousy was a Pomeranian’s weakness, and I played it like a fiddle.

“Alright, just a few runs. You’re smart—you’ll nail it. The sooner we wrap, the sooner we’re home.”

Jayden sighed dramatically but nestled into my arms, resigned.

“You remember those sweet potatoes I snuck you, right? Behind the old man’s back?”

Deal sealed, Jayden tackled the agility course like a pro.

His brown fur danced in the breeze as he zipped through obstacles with lightning speed, following my every cue.

“Whoa, he’s killing it!” Taehwan exclaimed.

“Good boy!” I cheered.

“Woof woof!”

Psh, this is nothing.

Jayden grabbed the giant jerky treat I offered and strutted to a sunny spot, lying down with a smug air.

“Do you train him for this?”

Taehwan asked.

“Nah, Jayden and I just click,” I said, dodging the question.

“Your turn, Bbi Bbi. Let’s do this!”

Taehwan said, full of hope.

But Bbi Bbi, true to her diva nature, ignored him completely.

No amount of pleading could sway her—she just snorted and turned away.

“Please…”

Taehwan was practically on his knees.

“Give it up, man,” I said, laughing.

“She’s not listening.”

“Ugh… fine. You win with your cuteness,” Taehwan sighed, defeated.

With the agility course done, the shoot finally wrapped.

“Good work,” I said to Taehwan.

“You too!” a staff member called, unclipping my mic.

“Where’d you park?” I asked Taehwan.

“Lot over there.”

“Same. Let’s head out together.”

As we walked side by side with the dogs, I schemed about how to get a moment alone with Bbi Bbi without Taehwan noticing.

“Hold up, I need to wash my hands,” Taehwan said suddenly.

“Her slobber’s all over me—gross.”

Perfect timing.

He handed me Bbi Bbi’s leash and headed to a nearby water fountain.

“No rush!”

I called after him.

The second he was out of earshot, I crouched down and picked up Bbi Bbi.

“Alright, answer me quick,” I whispered.

“Your owner… is he going to the military? Or did he get exempted? You hear anything like that?”

Bbi Bbi blinked at me, her eyes wide and confused.

“You know what I’m saying,” I pressed. “Military service, draft, anything like that?”

“Woof!”

Oh, I know something!

Finally, we were getting somewhere.

“Spill it. What’d you hear?”

“Woof woof! Woof!”

I froze. Wait, what?

Her answer caught me completely off guard.