Ch. 2: His Precious Item
The rain continued to fall in a drizzle…-.
OO: "Shigure, you're really wet…aren't you cold?"
Droplets continued to fall incessantly from the tips of his hair.
Shigure: "I went for a walk, and it started raining…when I thought to go back, I found this puppy. It called out in a weak howl, and I was worried…"
At that moment, the puppy pushed up with its paws and wriggled in Shigure's arms.
Shigure: "Ow…"
There was a fresh scratch on the back of Shigure's hand, tinged faintly red.
OO: "Shigure, are you alright!?"
Shigure: "Yeah…it's not that bad."
Shigure kindly pet the struggling puppy, and smiled at it affectionately.
Even though it hurt him.
Shigure: "I have to hurry, and help it…"
He gently stroked the puppy's injured leg.
We hurried to the castle…-.
OO: "Alright…that should do it."
Puppy: "Woof!"
Inside Shigure's room, we had treated the puppy. Now, it was running around the room, full of energy.
OO: "Ah."
The puppy leapt up onto Shigure's bed and messed up the sheets, then started to bite and pull them onto the carpet.
Shigure: "W…wait…don't…!"
Shigure looked troubled, and tidied up after the puppy had scattered the bedding.
Shigure: "A~aah…but I'm glad it's feeling better."
OO: "I-is anything broken?"
Shigure: "No, it's fine…probably."
Forget mad, he looks happy about all this.
Then there was a sudden bang like from something being knocked over.
Looking towards the sound, I saw the puppy had knocked off a dagger that had been decorating a shelf.
Shigure: "Ah…!"
For the first time, I saw Shigure look irritated.
Shigure: "That's not for you!"
The puppy seemed quite interested in the dagger, and before we could move it away…
It snatched up the dagger and ran out of the room.
Shigure: "Aah…oh dear."
[CHOICE]
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Let's go after it (SUN)
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What is that? (MOON)
I moved to chase after the puppy, but Shigure gently took hold of my wrist.
Shigure: "Ah, s-sorry!"
He hurriedly let go of my wrist in a panic, then tightly wrapped his arms around himself as if to protect his body.
Shigure: "…it's alright. It's not like it's anything I really need…"
Something he doesn't need?
Shigure: "It's… something I got from my father. I'm always so timid and nervous…he said it was so I could be more manly."
OO: "If it was a gift from your father, we have to get it back."
Shigure: "It's fine, really…"
Shigure cut in to stop me from saying anything else.
OO: "Shigure…"
Shigure: "I'm… too timid…I don't think I can be manly anyway."
Shigure stood there, looking isolated as he smiled and spoke softly. Seeing that, I thought he looked incredibly lonely.
The ceaseless sound of the rain echoed in my heart.
OO: "Let's go after it Shigure!"
Shigure: "Ah…no, it's fine…"
Shigure was staring at the door, flung wide open.
OO: "What is that?"
Shigure: "It's… important, or something."
Shigure's face was filled with a complicated mix of feelings.
OO: "Then we have to run after it!"