Dark to Baby: A Changjin Story

Chapter 4

"Ruff, Ruff!"

"Hey, Kkami! Did you miss me?" Hyunjin exclaimed as he bent down to rub the dog's head.

The little dog wiggled around in happiness from the affection, making Hyunjin laugh.

"I guess that's a yes. Want to go for a walk?"

Kkami's ears perked up at the word 'walk,' and he immediately ran to the door. Hyunjin smiled at the little fluff ball while he threw down his backpack and proceeded to grab the leash from the side table.

"Okay, calm down." He tried to control the hyperactive dog as he clipped on the leash, but it took several tries, since he was constantly moving out of his reach.

"There!" He waved his arms around in celebration as the leash was finally attached.

"Okay, let's go bud!" He slowly stood up before realizing he was still wearing his uniform.

Quickly, he took off his jacket, vest, and tie and threw them on top of his backpack. He then untucked his white dress shirt and unbuttoned a couple more of the top buttons. He finished the look with some fluorescent orange tennis shoes.

He nodded approvingly at his reflection in the myriad of mirrors his mother liked to put in the hallway.

Kkami impatiently watched his owner get ready; his tail wagging wildly and his feet getting tangled in the leash.

Hyunjin bent down one more time to pick Kkami up and loosen the leash from his feet. Then he set him down while letting the leash run through his fingers and grabbing it at the last second.

Kkami ran and jumped on the door, signalling that he was more than ready to leave the stuffy house. Hyunjin carefully opened the door, making the dog back up, and they both stepped outside and made their way down the front steps.

Kkami walked in front, pulling at the leash when anything caught his attention.

After a few minutes, they reached a small play area that Hyunjin had found on his first walk around the neighborhood about two weeks ago. They veered right and began to walk on the short trail that surrounded the playground.

Hyunjin stopped for a second to close his eyes and breath in the scent of mulch and flowers. He had been amazed when he first saw this place because from the road it just looks like a wall of trees in the middle of the city, but inside, the trees make a beautiful barrier between the noisy city and a blissful natural paradise.

Hyunjin opened his eyes and smiled at the children climbing up the bright blue slide only to fall back down and start all over again. He scanned the rest of the area to see a mother pushing a baby on the swings and two kids clambering up the wooden platforms while playing tag. Other parents sat down on benches nearby, and one lone jogger flashed past Hyunjin as he raced around the concrete path.

It felt so calm, and Hyunjin could feel his body relax for the first time that day.

He began to walk again with Kkami trotting alongside him in utter glee. However, Hyunjin's calm didn't last long because suddenly his right arm was whipped across his body as Kkami sprinted towards a random guy standing at the edge of the playground.

"Kkami! No!"

But it was too late, Kkami broke free from Hyunjin and barreled towards the stranger with his leash trailing behind him.

Soon, he was running through the guy's legs, making him let out a strange sound sorta like 'gaah!' He didn't stop as he ran around and around the dude's legs, causing his leash to get tangled and almost making the guy lose his balance.