"Hmm hmm hmm hmm…"
On the way to the park, Yuzuru hummed an unknown tune, her mischievous gaze fixed on Hachiko's back as she walked ahead.
For a moment, she genuinely wanted to ride on Hachiko's back, but reason quickly drove that thought away.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry… Next time, I'll really buy it…"
A pleading voice, tinged with a faint sob, drifted intermittently from behind the dense cherry blossom trees ahead, as if broken apart by the wind.
Yuzuru's steps froze. Almost at the same time, Hachiko beside her screeched to a halt as well. Both human and dog suspended their movements in perfect synchronization, as if copied.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting the unfamiliar sound into this usually familiar corner of the park.
Hachiko's ears turned sharply toward the source of the sound. Her wet nose twitched a few times, and her limbs subtly tensed. A hint of solemn vigilance replaced the relaxed mood of their stroll.
In stark contrast to Hachiko's alertness, Yuzuru was not frightened at all. Instead, she craned her neck, peering curiously toward the source.
Without waiting for any signal, she took the lead and walked forward. Hachiko could only follow helplessly.
As the trees blocking their view parted, the situation became clear.
In the park's play area, beside two swings, a chubby boy was squatting on the ground, picking up scattered snacks. Standing opposite him were a boy and a girl dressed like high school students.
The quick-witted Yuzuru guessed that all three were indeed "high school students," and that this was likely a case of school bullying.
Even without making a sound, Yuzuru and Hachiko had already been noticed.
"Hey! Kid, this—"
Before the boy could finish speaking, Yuzuru and Hachiko exchanged a glance. Yuzuru turned and ran.
Hachiko, however, seemed to misunderstand.
With a swift dip and flick of her head, the leash slipped cleanly off her neck.
"Woof…"
A low, threatening growl escaped her throat. Hachiko lowered her upper body, extending her head and neck forward, her sharp fangs clearly exposed. Her gaze locked firmly onto the boy and girl opposite her.
Yuzuru, who had only taken a few steps, couldn't help but stop.
Wow. Hachiko actually had such a fierce side. This was her first time seeing her like this.
Unlike the two terrified high school students, Yuzuru found Hachiko's sudden ferocity strangely cute due to the contrast.
Without waiting for Hachiko to make another move, the boy and girl could not withstand the pressure and fled.
As for the chubby boy, he froze in place, completely forgetting about the snacks falling from his hands.
He entered a full "large fierce dog death stare" mental state and trembled in fear.
In reality, Hachiko was only a medium-sized dog. She quickly returned to her usual adorable self and even slipped her leash back on by herself.
"Hey… are you okay?"
Yuzuru leaned forward. Seeing the chubby boy's dazed expression, she waved her hand in front of his face.
Behind her, Hachiko watched him warily, ready to intervene if he made any suspicious movements.
"Ah!? Ah… um… umm."
The chubby boy snapped out of his daze and nodded rapidly, beginning to thank her. He picked up the snacks from the ground and even shared them with Yuzuru.
"Chubby boy, were you being bullied at school?"
Yuzuru unhesitatingly took two bags of her favorite potato chips and asked curiously.
"…"
The chubby boy glanced at Hachiko beside her. Seeing that the dog was no longer hostile, he visibly relaxed. At the same time, he did not forget to complain.
"I'm not fat. It's called well-built, okay?!"
"…"
Yuzuru's gaze swept over him without restraint. His fluffy black hair combined with his so-called well-built figure left her momentarily speechless.
Seeing her silence, the chubby boy sat down on a nearby bench and introduced himself.
"My name is Tomohiro Nagatsuka. And you, young man?"
"Me?"
Yuzuru was still stunned by his poor eyesight when Tomohiro Nagatsuka casually nudged her.
"Yes, young man. What's your name? You're still in middle school, right? Thank you so much for helping me just now."
"…"
"Yuzuru."
As she spoke, she tore open a bag of rich tomato-flavored potato chips and shoved two pieces into her mouth without ceremony.
When school first started, many people had also mistaken her for a boy. Only after talking did they realize she was a girl.
"Oh, right. I forgot to ask earlier. Why were they bullying you?"
Tomohiro Nagatsuka shook his head without explaining. Yuzuru did not press further. After all, they were strangers who had just met, and this might be the last time they ever saw each other.
The atmosphere fell quiet for a while, broken only by the crunching of potato chips.
Suddenly, Tomohiro Nagatsuka asked, "Young man, which middle school do you attend?"
"Why? Are you planning to wait for me at the school gate?"
Yuzuru glanced at him. Hachiko, lying beside her, also lifted her head and looked over.
"…"
Tomohiro Nagatsuka was speechless. "I was just curious, okay?"
"Namikaze Junior High School."
"Oh, oh." Tomohiro Nagatsuka nodded, then continued before Yuzuru could speak again.
"Then what's this little dog's name? Why do I feel like she can understand what we're saying?"
"Just an illusion. An illusion."
Yuzuru waved her hand dismissively. "Her name is Hachiko."
The two humans and one dog sat on the park bench, chatting idly. Most of the time, Tomohiro Nagatsuka asked questions while Yuzuru answered passively.
Whenever the conversation stalled, he always managed to find a new topic. As they grew more familiar, he even reached out to pat Hachiko's back.
Hachiko did not even spare him a glance.
---
"Thankfully, Tsuna, you reminded me early. Otherwise, we would have had to change into another set of clothes."
The two walked out of the aquarium as the sky filled with fiery clouds. Shouko held a penguin doll with a goofy expression in her left hand and complained softly.
"Who would have thought that sitting in the front row for the dolphin show would mean getting completely soaked?"
"By the way, Tsuna, where do you think we should go for our next date?" Shouko asked when he did not respond.
"Futaba Street Blue Aquarium?" Tsuna blurted out.
Shouko slapped his arm without hesitation. That afternoon, Ajitani had already complained about Tsuna's mischievous humor on LINE.
At the same time, she had not forgotten to praise Takagi-mom's cooking skills.
"Ajitani-chan already complained to me this afternoon. The place you mentioned is a seafood market!"
"…"
Tsuna smiled but said nothing.
After getting on his motorcycle, he waited for Shouko to put on her helmet and climb on behind him. Only then did he start the engine and ride home, following the navigation.