This Sunday, Dina was lying on the sofa while watching her favorite cartoon movie. The house was quiet. Her older brother had gone to campus to work on an assignment while her parents had gone to a wedding reception, leaving Dina and Percy alone.
Speaking of Percy, Dina suddenly realized that she had not fed her cat that morning. She hurriedly got up and rushed toward the small cage in the corner of the living room. Usually, just hearing her footsteps was enough for Percy to stand up, his tail raised, ready to ask for food.
"Peciii… morning—"
The sentence stopped in midair. Dina froze. Her face immediately went pale.
Percy was lying there weakly. His breathing was short and rapid. When Dina picked him up, the little body went limp in her hands. His eyes were closed.
"Percy… what's wrong with you?!"
Dina's hands trembled violently. She tried to stroke Percy's body, but there was no reaction at all.
"Don't be like this… Percy, come on… don't be like this…"
Without thinking, Dina grabbed her phone and pressed Ando's number. Her hands were shaking so badly that she had difficulty pressing the buttons.
Beep… beep… click.
There was a long pause before Ando spoke, making Dina remember again how Ando had been distancing himself from her. But whatever, right now the most important thing was Percy.
"Hello? Din? What's wrong—"
"Do!" Dina's voice broke, almost hysterical. "Help! Percy's sick!! He's not moving, his breathing is weird! Do, I'm scared! I'm really scared!"
The voice on the other end immediately changed—serious and alert. "Din, listen to me. Don't panic. I'm coming to your house now."
"Do… hurry, okay? Please. Please, really."
"Okay. I'm on my way."
Dina hugged Percy tightly, pressing her face against the cat's fur, hoping to hear something… anything. But Percy remained silent, with only those short breaths audible. She kept calling Percy's name in panic. There was no response.
A few minutes later, the sound of a motorcycle stopping abruptly could be heard in front of the house. Dina immediately opened the door even before Ando had the chance to knock.
"Where's Percy?"
Dina handed the cat over with tears in her eyes. "Do… he hasn't moved at all."
Ando held Percy with both hands, examining him slowly, touching his stomach and chest, gently moving his body as if searching for even the slightest reaction.
There was none.
Ando's face was tense, serious. "Din, he might have an infection."
"Then what do we do?? What are we supposed to do, Do?!" Dina's voice trembled badly.
"We're going to my mom's clinic. Now."
Dina immediately nodded even though her knees felt like they were about to give way. She put Percy into the pet carrier and carefully closed it. Ando grabbed his jacket and put it on Dina. He opened the motorcycle's storage compartment, took out a helmet, and put it on Dina as well.
They moved quickly. Without talking, without any small talk. Ando placed Percy's pet carrier at the front of the motorcycle, making sure it was secure. Dina got on behind him.
"Hold on tight."
Dina wrapped her arms tightly around Ando's waist.
The motorcycle sped away from the house. The morning air hit Dina's face, but she did not feel it. Her sobs broke softly—she did not care whether he could hear her or not. Meanwhile, Ando leaned slightly forward, his gaze focused, with no smile, no relaxed expression. There was only a sense of worry as heavy as Dina's.
The two of them sped toward the clinic—hoping it was not too late.
Ando's family veterinary clinic always smelled faintly of antiseptic. Posters of pets decorated the walls, but everything looked blurry to Dina's tear-filled eyes.
The air conditioner made the air feel cold against Dina's arms, making her even more aware that Percy in her arms was getting weaker—and hotter. His breathing was still short and labored, becoming increasingly unstable.
The examination room door opened.
Ando's mother appeared—wearing a white coat with her hair neatly tied up. Her face, covered by a medical mask, looked calm, like someone who was accustomed to dealing with emergencies, yet there was gentleness in her eyes when she saw Dina.
"Come in, come in. Put him here, Dina."
Her voice was gentle, but focused. Professional.
Dina placed Percy on the stainless-steel table. Her hands were trembling so badly that her fingers felt numb. Ando stood beside her, saying nothing, but his face was extremely tense.
Ando's mother began the examination. A small light was turned on. Latex gloves brushed against Percy's fur. She examined his eyes, mouth, and nose, then pressed a small stethoscope against Percy's chest.
Dina hugged both of her arms around herself, her hoarse voice coming out almost in a whisper. "Doc… what's wrong with Percy? He was still fine yesterday…"
There was no immediate answer.
Only the clicking of medical equipment and the long breath Ando's mother slowly released. She kept her gaze on Percy for several seconds before finally looking at Dina.
"Dina… Percy is already very weak."
Dina swallowed, holding back the tears that were beginning to well up in her eyes. "But… but he can be cured, right, Doc?"
Silence.
Ando looked at his mother, worried. "Mom… how is he?"
Ando's mother sighed again, more quietly than before. "It looks like Percy has FPV… Feline Panleukopenia Virus. This virus attacks very quickly and is highly fatal… especially for animals that haven't been vaccinated or whose bodies are already in poor condition."
The words felt like a blow to Dina's chest. She covered her mouth with one hand.
"I… I've never vaccinated Percy…" Her voice broke. Tears fell uncontrollably.
Ando put an arm around her shoulders to give her strength, but Dina did not react. Her eyes remained fixed on Percy, who lay there silently.
Ando's mother reached for Dina's hand and gently patted it. "This isn't your fault, Dina. Many pet owners don't know about vaccinations yet. And you love Percy very much. It's obvious."
Dina shook her head hard. "If I had known… if I had cared more… if I hadn't been careless… Percy wouldn't be like this…"
Percy's breathing weakened. Shorter… slower…
Dina's sobs grew louder. She leaned closer. "Percy… come on… wake up…"
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
There was no movement.
Dina lifted Percy to her chest, hugging the giant ball of fur tightly. Percy's body was still warm… but his little chest was no longer moving.
"Percyyy…" Dina finally cried out loudly. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I was too late… I'm stupid…"
Ando held Dina's shoulder tighter. "Din… don't keep blaming yourself…" His voice was low, full of empathy.
But Dina shook her head harder, tears falling nonstop. "I said I loved Percy so much… but I didn't take care of him…"
No one answered.
Ando no longer tried to comfort her with words, only slowly rubbed Dina's back. Because he knew—there were no words that could lessen that pain. He let Dina cry until her voice became hoarse.
The room was too cold, too quiet, and too full of loss.
There, accompanied by the white light of the examination lamp…
Percy was gone.
And something inside Dina slowly collapsed with him.
---
In Dina's backyard, the afternoon breeze made the clothesline sway gently. Dina stood hugging Percy, who had already been wrapped in a soft cloth. Her eyes were swollen, her lips cracked from holding back too many tears. Her cheeks were still wet. Nearby, Dino was crouching, digging the ground with a small shovel he usually used while gardening. Dina's father and mother stood not far away; her mother was also crying, while her father and older brother merely held back tears that were almost falling.
Beside Dina, Ando stood in silence. His hand held Dina's shoulder carefully, not pressing, not forcing—just being there. Occasionally, he rubbed Dina's back to make sure the girl did not collapse.
The house was silent. There was only the sound of the wind… and Dina's occasional deep breaths as she tried to hold back her sobs.
Dino patted the edge of the small hole he had dug.
"Din… are you ready?"
Dina nodded, although it was obvious that her face was not yet capable of accepting the reality. Her body trembled as she knelt down. Ando also crouched beside her.
With hands that were trembling as well, Dina handed the small bundle of cloth to her brother. Dino held it with both hands, carefully, as though Percy could still feel it. Slowly, he placed Percy inside the cold hole in the ground.
Dina bit her lip hard, her shoulders shaking beneath Ando's hand as he held her. Dina's mother covered her mouth, trying to suppress her sobs. Dina's father lowered his head, his hands still holding his wife.
Slowly and carefully, Dino covered Percy's body with soil again. The sound of dirt falling from the shovel was so soft, yet every fall felt like it was pressing against Dina's chest.
On top of the small mound of soil, they placed a large stone painted with the letter P—the initial of the little name that had once filled their home with spoiled little sounds and tiny footsteps. Red and white rose petals were scattered over it.
"He's not in pain anymore now," Dino said softly.
The sentence was simple, but it shattered Dina's defenses once again. She covered her mouth with her hand, her sobs breaking out again. Ando hugged her from the side, giving her strength, even though his own eyes also looked teary.
Time passed. The sun had already descended lower, leaving an orange hue clinging to the sky above the backyard. Dina and Ando now sat together on the terrace, facing the yard that still held the colors of the afternoon.
Dina leaned weakly against Ando's shoulder. Ando's arm remained around her shoulder, never letting go.
Dina's voice came out softly, like a cracked piece of wood. "Do… I'm a bad sister."
Reflexively, Ando answered quickly and firmly. "No. You love Percy so much. I know that."
Dina wiped her eyes. "But… I didn't even think about getting him vaccinated."
"Din… everyone makes mistakes," Ando replied softly.
Dina stared at the ground, her eyes once again growing hot. Then she spoke quietly, "Thank you… for staying with me all day today."
Ando shook his head slightly. "I'm just doing what I have to do."
"Even though these past few days you've been ignoring me," Dina muttered softly but sharply.
Ando shifted uneasily, acting awkward, but still trying to make excuses.
"No, I haven't. Maybe that's just how you feel."
Dina tried to smile, but failed. Well, whatever. For now, she did not want to argue, let alone pretend to be strong.