Vol. 1 Chapter 2 - Awakening

“…A dog?”

I muttered unconsciously.

The more I looked, the more peculiar this dog’s appearance seemed. Gazing up at me with bright eyes, its small ears quivered faintly.

Our eyes locked in a silent exchange.

Why am I so nervous about a dog, especially a puppy? Shaking off my reverie, I took a deep breath and approached the cardboard box.

Normally, when humans approach, dogs would run away. Yet, despite that, the bluish-white puppy remained utterly calm. Still fixed on me, its obsidian-like eyes held me captive, and now its tail began to wag.

—It’s quite cute, isn’t it?

Unintentionally, that thought surfaced in my mind.

Unmindful of my uniform getting wet, I extended my umbrella over the cardboard box.

“Why are you here? Were you abandoned by your owner, perhaps?”

Though I posed the question, the puppy couldn’t possibly understand my words, yet…

“Woof! Woof woof!”

It barked loudly.

Did it actually understand? I began to entertain the absurd idea briefly before dismissing it as utterly implausible. A coincidence. Yes, that’s all it was.

Shaking my head, I spoke again.

“You’re quite lively… However, putting a dog in a cardboard box and abandoning it is rather old-fashioned… If you can’t care for it, you shouldn’t have picked it up or bought it in the first place. Don’t you think so too?”

I reached out and gently stroked the puppy’s head. I wondered if it would dislike it, but the puppy surprised me by emitting a contented sound.

“Kuunn!”

It nuzzled its cheek against my hand as if seeking affection.

Coupled with its endearing expression, my heart melted.

…Puppies are ridiculously cute, aren’t they?

“Quite good at seeking attention, aren’t you… Well then, maybe it’s fate that we met here. Fortunately, the apartment I live in doesn’t have a no-pets policy, and besides, having one more dog won’t be an issue in my one-person household.”

Continuing to pet, pet.

I didn’t mind my hand or my uniform sleeve getting dirty. Still petting the puppy, I noticed it responding to my words with strange noises, almost as if it understood.

This made it even more charming, and I was in a bit of a bind.

With determination in mind, I stopped petting and lifted the puppy with one arm.

Since it was a puppy, it was light enough to hold.

“Please bear with it for a bit. We’re almost there. It’s dangerous if you fall.”

“Woof.”

As if acknowledging my words, it seemed to reply. Smiling softly, I began to walk alongside the puppy.

Just when I thought my life would remain perpetually mundane and unchanging, a new family member entered my life unexpectedly.

Small, adorable… a truly endearing addition to my family.

We arrived home by traversing through the rain. People we passed by glanced at us briefly. Of course, seeing a student carrying a puppy in the rain was bound to draw some attention.

Yet, this pup was smart and cute. Being looked at a bit was hardly stressful.

I opened the door and entered my room.

I pulled out a towel from the bathroom and gently wiped away the droplets of water on the puppy’s fur.

I wrapped the puppy in the towel, almost like wrapping a fukubukuro, and it didn’t struggle. It seemed content, making a soft “kuunn” sound as if it enjoyed the process.

For now, because it was so darn cute, I took a photo before taking off my uniform. “I should probably go to the cleaners tomorrow…” I thought as I threw my clothes into the laundry basket.

Since I didn’t want to catch a cold, I took a bath along with the puppy. We both sat on the couch, emitting warm steam, as we rested.

“Phew… Feels refreshing.”

“Woof.”

“True. I’m glad you’re not averse to baths. It’d be a shame to get this beautiful coat wet from the rain.”

“Woof woof!”

It seemed to be confidently displaying a smug face.

Because it was so cute, I took another photo.

However, I couldn’t indulge in pampering this little one forever. There was something important I needed to do.

When it came to having a pet…

“Well then… it’s about time I give you a name too.”

“Woof?”

“A name. Calling you ‘you’ or ‘puppy’ all the time feels odd, right? Living beings deserve names. Even I have a name—Tou Inukai. But…”

The problem was, I had terrible naming sense. I tried to think of cool or cute names, but whether the name I gave would actually make this pup happy was another matter.

In this case, a versatile name, rather than an eccentric one, would save me from embarrassment or awkwardness when calling.

In that case… a safe name.

“I guess when it comes to dogs… there’s really only one choice.”

I said with a slightly determined expression, bestowing upon the puppy the name I was so proud of.

“Alright! Your name from today on is—Pochi!”

“Woof!”

As I declared, pointing my index finger with a certain air, the puppy—now Pochi—struck a dignified pose in perfect sync with my movement.

…Wait, could this pup actually understand my words…?

As I thought that, an abrupt message resounded in my mind.

“Skill [Tame] acquired.”