Chapter Thirty-Two: Canines of Sapporo

Kachi had tried not to take his time in the kitchen. From the bottle he had just received from the unexpected visitors, he produced one tablet, splitting it in half before putting it into his mouth and swallowing it with a drink of water from the glass he'd just poured himself from the tap.

Once finished, Kachi placed the empty glass next to the sink and returned the pill bottle to the pocket of his sweatpants. A soft sigh left his lips as he re-entered the larger area of the apartment. He lifted his gaze from the carpet below, expecting to see that his father had dealt with the visitors. As his eyes fell upon the two familiar canines once again however, it was clear that Shen had done just the opposite.

Kachi picked up his pace in crossing the living room, arriving next to his father in just a few steps. With a disapproving and frustrated expression written on his face, he tugged at the elder wolf's shirt sleeve, causing him to glance downward at the disturbance.

Before he had a chance to say anything, Kachi had some choice words to share with him, "Why did you let them in?" he asked, almost pleading to understand the reasoning behind his decision.

While Dana and Legosi stood awkwardly in the entryway, forced to watch the exchange between father and disgruntled son, Shen had crossed his arms over his chest, returning the same disapproving look, but perhaps a bit gentler and with a smidge of concern, "Why are you trying so hard to get rid of them?" he asked.

It was such blunt phrasing. Kachi didn't want to think of himself as trying to get rid of his friends, but really, how else could he put it? He hesitated for a moment, glancing briefly toward Dana and Legosi, "I don't want to get rid of them…I just wanted to be away from everything and be somewhere where everything was just a bit easier for a while," he argued, his tone softening.

Shen sighed, putting a hand on his son's shoulder, "Okay, but spending time with your friends is one of the better things you can do if you want things to be easier. Pushing them away isn't going to do that." He gave Kachi's back a few taps before turning to head back to the kitchen, "Take it from me, it works," he added.

Kachi wanted to argue his father's words, to tell him that he was wrong, and he didn't understand. As much as he wanted to though, he couldn't. There wouldn't be anything to gain from it. He knew of his father's troubles in the past, and if he was the one telling him that friends could help, then there had to be some merit to his words.

With Shen's back turned, Kachi still shot his friends a frustrated glare, and though he knew his father was right, it wasn't him he had the bone to pick with. He wouldn't have even had to have the conversation had they not shown up.

The canine's staring was interrupted when his father's voice came echoing from the kitchen, "Get the others acquainted with the apartment while I finish with dinner," he stated. Kachi's brows creased as he gestured for Dana and Legosi to follow him deeper into the space.

They hadn't made it very far until Kachi sat them both down on the couch. He then turned his back to them, looking up at the television that was mounted to the wall, arms crossed. He tapped his foot idly against the carpet as he watched the text scroll on the news channel. As usual, nothing positive in the news that day. It's how it has been for as long as he could remember.

"This is a pretty nice apartment," stated Dana, causing Kachi to glance over his shoulder. He ignored the labradoodle's statement as he turned his head back to the TV, his father returning from the kitchen moments later. Kachi also paid him no attention, as he was still somewhat upset about allowing the other canines into the apartment.

Shen sat down in his chair just off to the right of the couch, turning it slightly to get a view of the boys sitting on it. He offered a friendly smile, "Thank you. I do what I can to keep it nice, despite being so busy all the time," he replied, having heard Dana's comment. The elder wolf reached for the remote to turn the TV down, "So, how have you two been?"

Dana leaned forward in his seat, looking over to where Shen was seated, "Good! I've been good. It's nice to be out of school, even if it's just for a couple weeks," he stated.

Shen chuckled, "Ah, yes. Winter break. You should enjoy this them while you've still got 'em. I haven't had one since I finished high school, and that was over thirty years ago," he explained.

Dana tilted his head, "Oh, wow! That doesn't sound like a lot of fun…is that where we're headed?" he asked, trying to continue the conversation.

Shen shrugged, "I dunno, depends how you play your cards. The way things are looking, I'm working all the way up to the twenty-fourth."

Dana's smile disappeared, "Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. I would at least expect to get the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth off instead of just the twenty-fourth."

"Well, I do get the twenty-sixth off instead, so there's that if you're so worried," Shen added.

Dana nodded, "Ah, well, I guess that makes up for it somewhat," he concluded.

Shen shifted his gaze over to Legosi, who had seemingly ignored his question along with Kachi, the latter still focused on the TV screen trying not to engage. Legosi caught on to Shen's staring, prompting him to swiftly sink into the couch a little bit, now conscious of his silence. Shen patiently awaited a response from the younger wolf, "Uh. Fine. Things are fine," he managed to spit out.

Legosi had tried his best to keep his voice steady, but he'd felt it waver ever so slightly. He'd only hoped that Shen or one of the others didn't pick up on it. He didn't know if Kachi had told Shen about what happened that day, and he didn't want to risk being the one to do so.

Shen looked back at the younger wolf, dissatisfied with his answer, "That's…good, then," he continued, "Uh, how're you liking Sapporo so far? Since you're from out of town…" he added, a weak smile on his face.

Legosi looked up from the floor, "Well, what I've seen since getting here is…stunning. It's a beautiful place," he replied quietly. Shen nodded in return, understanding that Legosi probably wasn't going to be as conversational with him as Dana was.

Kachi glanced over his shoulder, making sure that neither party knew about his eavesdropping. Just by the tone of the younger wolf's voice, he knew he was having trouble keeping things to himself. It wasn't too difficult to understand that Legosi wasn't a social person, and when pushed, all he could really do was speak his mind. In that instance, though, doing so wasn't really an option.

Kachi knew what Legosi was thinking. With events so fresh in his mind, how could he forget? In a way, Legosi was lying to his father straight through his teeth, but could he really blame him? All he was doing was answering Shen's question, but his tone of voice told him all he needed. Why would he want to tell him of what went on, especially considering it wasn't his place to do so?

Kachi turned his head back toward the television, seeing as the conversation had fallen flat. He watched the text scroll as a breath left his lips. He was grateful that Legosi kept what he needed to himself, even after what he did to him that afternoon. He still had faith in the young wolf's ability to keep a secret.

A loud sizzling soon filled the apartment, causing Kachi's ears to stand upright at the sound. Looking around the room, the other canines had caught wind of it as well. Within seconds, everyone had their eyes and ears facing the direction of the noise.

A second later, Shen got up from his chair and left for the kitchen without saying anything. The boys continued watching and listening as the sizzling fluctuated in intensity. They all exchanged glances. Whatever it was making the noise, Shen was attending to it.

Kachi finally left his spot in the middle of the living room, swiping his father's spot in the chair. He leaned his head over the back of it, staring toward the ceiling as the scent of dinner began filling the space around him.

The other canine's noses went up in the air moments later, also having caught on to whatever was cooking just behind the wall separating the two rooms. After catching a whiff, Dana glanced back over to Legosi, "I wonder what that could be?" he asked.

At the outset of the question being asked, Kachi had to actively resist answering it. He obviously knew what was producing the aroma, but as far as the others were concerned, he wanted nothing to do with them. He still didn't want them there either, he just found his will wavering as he realized that he hadn't eaten anything yet that day.

Against his sensibilities, Kachi finally gave in and looked the other two in the eyes for the first time since they entered the apartment. Dana and Legosi stared at him, awaiting a possible response from the black canine.

Quickly, Kachi looked away as he felt his face grow hot, "He's just pan-frying some leftover pasta…" he stated softly.

Dana blinked once before staring back at Kachi with a look of pure confusion. Kachi looked over his shoulder again to see the labradoodle's expression, finding the way he tilted his head somewhat irksome to him in that moment, "What?" he finally replied.

Kachi's face scrunched up, unsure of where Dana's confusion came from, "What do you mean what?" he replied, with perhaps a little more spite than he would have liked.

The sudden return of Kachi's attitude was no problem for Dana, as he simply rolled his eyes with a scoff, "Sorry, I didn't know you could pan-fry pasta," he commented, folding his hand to look at his claws.

Kachi shrugged, "It's leftover from yesterday. Beats the microwave and adds more flavor in the process," he slouched back into the chair, "I don't understand what's not to get. Does no one else do this?" he asked rhetorically, staring upward at the ceiling once again.

Feeling somewhat brave, Legosi entered the conversation, "I've never done it," he added, though it didn't add particularly much substance. Dana seemed glad that there was someone else on his side; Kachi didn't even acknowledge the phrase from the grey wolf.

"Yeah. We don't eat too much pasta at my place. We always make just enough for everyone when we do, so there's nothing to reheat," Dana explained.

Kachi simply rolled his eyes, looking off into the dining room, "I guess not," he said, answering his question from before.

As relative silence returned to the room, Kachi got to thinking about the practice of pan-frying pasta. It had happened often enough in his life to make him think that it was a common practice among other families, but as he thought about it more, he found that wasn't the case.

He sat upright as the realization became clear, "The only other person I know who does this is…my mom." He wasn't particularly enthused to be reminded of his mother at that time, especially considering it was because of leftover pasta. Another moment passed, "Guess it's a family thing," he finally added.

Before either Dana or Legosi had a chance to comment on Kachi's revelation, a certain black wolf had made his return from the kitchen. He smiled once he saw that his son had swiped his seat in the reclining chair. He stopped at the edge of the line that separated the living and dining rooms, staring into the former as he crossed his arms.

"I thought I heard Kachi finally say something. What were you three talking about?" he asked. "Oh yeah, dinner's ready," he added.

Kachi glanced quickly back toward Dana and Legosi, "I was just explaining to them what pan-fried pasta was. Dana seemed really confused when I told him. It also helped me realize that people in my immediate family are the only ones who seem to do it," Kachi explained to Shen.

Shen lifted a hand to his face, intrigued by his son's statement. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words became caught in his throat as he went over them again in his head. He wanted to back out, wondering if it was appropriate to say, but decided that keeping away from the subject wouldn't help him move past it.

Shen took a few steps into the living room, stopping in front of the three boys before looking over to Kachi, "Sorry if isn't right to say at the moment, but I showed your mother that trick- pan-frying leftover pasta, I mean." Shen clasped his hands together in front of him, "She looked at me funny when I brought it up before brushing it off as college food." A light chuckle escaped his lips, "Five minutes later, there she was, eating off my plate…I take it she did it at home?" he concluded, his voice trailing off.

Though he was expecting it the moment he heard his father's pre-emptive apology, Kachi still wasn't up for hearing about his mother. Regardless, he brushed it off, forcing a smile, "Yeah. It was good," replied Kachi softly.

Shen put on a straight face as he allowed his arms to fall to his sides, "Mhmm… Well, come and get it," he said before dipping into the kitchen.

At his word, the three boys left their posts in the living room, following the large, black wolf into the kitchen where, just as Kachi had seen earlier, a large skillet of freshly prepared leftover pan-fried pasta lay in wait upon the cooktop.

Kachi fetched himself a plate from the cabinets, Dana and Legosi doing so as well following his example. As he approached the cooktop to get himself a serving, he noticed that instead of a pair of tongs like his mother used, Shen had opted for a simple spatula. He questioned his father's methodology as he painstakingly scooped some of the dinner onto his plate with the utensil given. Perhaps the tongs were his mother's idea.

Kachi crossed the kitchen, heading over to the dining room table. As the first one there, he was able to observe everyone else prepare their plates before joining him, filling the rest of the chairs to his left, right, and across. Looking down toward his plate, he was met with the familiar sight and scent of the pan-fried pasta he'd grown up with.

A few moments passed as everyone started eating their dinner. The silence didn't last long however, as Shen took it upon himself to be the first to speak again. Looking around the table, an observation was made, "It's been a while since all four chairs at this table have been occupied at once," he commented.

While nobody bit at Shen's little conversation starter, a separate observation was made by one Dana. He squinted downward at his plate, unsure if the flavors he tasted really fit with what he was presented with, "I don't mean to offend…but I'm surprised by how good this is," he stated, taking another bite for himself.

Kachi wasted no time in looking up from his plate, a slight smirk having crept onto his face. Only minutes earlier, the one who seemed the most skeptical of the meal had found himself enjoying it, "It's because of the sauce. The noodles have had time to absorb it. That and the spices he puts in."

Dana smiled, "Huh. Might have to tell Dad to give this a try if we ever have any leftover."

Kachi chuckled before looking back down to his plate, "Just be sure to pay royalties to my dad if and when you do it," he teased.

Dana rolled his eyes as he returned to his meal. Shen, having been listening in to the conversation, set his fork down on the table, "Yes. Uh, just another note; besides the meal itself, I also showed your mother my sauce recipe. She's the only one I shared it with."

Kachi looked up from the table again, an irritated expression spread across his face. He set his own fork down before allowing his hands to fall into his lap, "Dad. Could you please stop mentioning Mom? Please? I just don't want to her about her right now." he asked softly. He tried his very best to not dig his claws into his thighs.

Shen stopped himself mid-thought as he heard his son's voice grow softer. The other occupants at the table had stopped their meals to look over at the black canine as well. A wave of guilt washed over him immediately afterwards. He should have known better, he thought. There was a reason he wanted to be with him, after all.

He started off slowly, lifting a hand to his neck, "I…Sorry. I'll remember for next time," he stated.

Kachi looked up from the table toward his father, the blue glow thankfully still in his eyes, "Thank you," he replied, just as softly as before.

Kachi returned to eating shortly afterward. Dana, Legosi, and Shen all exchanged glances before doing the same, continuing the rest of their meals in silence.

Shen was the first to finish his food. He wasted no time in leaving the table and heading into the kitchen. He held the empty plate under the tap, rinsing whatever was left on it down the drain before placing the plate off to the side among the other dishes that needed to be washed.

With the boys still eating, it was the perfect opportunity to speak to them while they were all together in one place. Shen returned to the table, pushing his chair in and leaning upon the back. Neither canine paid him any attention as he did so, forcing him to clear his throat to get their attention. The atmosphere in the dining room was still heavy from when Kachi spoke up, and he was able to see discomfort in everyone's eyes before he spoke.

"Uh, well, I'm sorry to do this to you, but I'm afraid I can't stay for too much longer. I've still got a few lessons to teach downstairs, as well as some other office-related things to take care of before closing up," A chuckle escaped his lips, "People seem to like cramming appointments in before the holidays," he added.

Kachi nodded, looking up at his father from his now empty plate. It wasn't exactly news to him, as he'd already known that Shen was just going to be up for dinner, so he figured he was only announcing that fact for Legosi and Dana's sake rather than his own, "It's fine, we'll survive," he said, trying to add some cheer to his tone.

Shen looked over the faces of Dana and Legosi. Seeing as they didn't seem too bothered by his announcement, he nodded once, leaving the table for the final time and headed toward the door. As he put his hand on the knob, he quickly looked over his shoulder, "I'll be back about nine, maybe ten at the latest," He looked his son in the eyes, "Kachi, could you please put the food away and do the dishes? And please apologize to your friends for your behavior earlier?" he added, pointing an authoritative finger in his direction.

Kachi folded his brows. While he was fine with the chores that had been laid out for him, he wasn't too thrilled about being asked to apologize. It reminded him of when he was a child, being asked by his teachers to apologize to kids on the playground though he'd done nothing he could discern as wrong. It made him feel like a child.

Still, he knew he probably should. If he didn't it would most likely start a completely pointless spat with Shen, something he didn't want in the slightest. Kachi looked into his father's eyes from across the room. Seeing the seriousness in them, he wasn't up for the argument that would ensue.

Kachi looked over to Dana and Legosi, both of whom had finished their plates of pasta as well, "I'm…sorry for what happened at the door. I was feeling a bit off today. Maybe Dad was right, maybe it was the medication. I didn't mean to get so agitated," he said.

Satisfied with the apology, the smile returned to the elder wolf's face. He pulled the door open, turning to look back one last time before leaving for the gym, "I'll see you later…maybe. I wish I'd had more notice of your arrival, then I might have had time to come up with something. There isn't much to do in here," he stated.

Surprisingly, Dana shrugged off his concern as if it was nothing, "It's okay, I'm sure we can figure something out."

The labradoodle's optimism had gotten a laugh out of Shen before he waved goodbye, heading through the doorway, closing the door behind him. The smile remained on Dana's face, confusing both Kachi and Legosi. His tone had also caused some confusion as well.

Kachi looked over the table, seeing the empty plates, "I'll take those," he stated. The two other canines had no objections as Kachi scooped up the plates in front of them before making his way into the kitchen. With nothing to do at that moment, Legosi and Dana retreated to the living room while Kachi did as he was told by his father.

It was in that moment he realized how much he took the dishwasher back at Nevers Road for granted. Most of the time, there were only a few large items to wash before the job would be done, but since there was no dishwasher in Shen's apartment, Kachi had to take on the task of washing every single dish himself by hand.

Just as he'd done countless times before, he ran some warm water, feeling it run down his fingers before plugging the sink and adding some soap. He then tossed a few things gently into the soapy water before adding the dishcloth shortly after. He was grateful there were two sinks at least.

He opted to allow everything to drip dry in the second sink to get the job over with quicker. While he scrubbed whatever came to him, he stared out the window. Though it didn't have a particularly nice view, it was enough to allow his mind to slow down a bit.

Kachi pondered the true reason why his friends showed up. It sounded a bit odd to him at first when he asked himself. They had a reason, and a good one at that. He'd simply forgotten to grab his medication in his haste. But if that was their only directive, then why were they, Dana specifically, so adamant about staying?

Kachi felt himself grow not angry, but just a little frustrated. He didn't understand why his friends felt the need to lie to him just to see him. As their little altercations, both over the phone and at the door played over, he recalled some important details.

The stories he'd been told over the phone also didn't make much sense to him either. Why were they both under the impression that he wouldn't answer the phone if his mother had called? Sure, he was in no mood to speak with her, but if she were calling him after what he did that afternoon, there's no way whatever it was she had to say wouldn't be important.

Dana also cited the fact that he didn't answer either his or Legosi's texts. It was a point in which he had to concede with himself. He didn't have a good reason other than he didn't feel like talking. A sigh left his lips as he realized that he'd have to apologize to them for that too.

Kachi pulled the plug from the drain once all the dishes were washed and drying in the second sink. He then quickly washed his hands with the handsoap that Shen had stationed there before drying them off. Once the last of the dishwater had drained from the sink, Kachi decided that he would have a little chat with Dana and Legosi. He only hoped his concerns wouldn't spark another disagreement between the three.

He crossed into the living room to see that Dana and Legosi were busy with a conversation of their own. He stopped a few feet away from them, standing an equal distance away from both canines. Once their conversation had ended, they'd both caught on to the fact that they were being watched.

Kachi placed both hands on his hips, staring down at them with a stern expression. As Dana raised an eyebrow, Kachi did as well, "So, what was the plan?" he asked, looking more at the labradoodle than the wolf. Still, Legosi looked over to him as well.

Dana crossed his arms, unsure if this was another attack or just a simple question, "What are you talking about?" he asked in return, exercising caution.

Kachi took a few more steps forward, lowering his arms and trying to keep the little bit of frustration off his face, "I don't know, really. I just figured there was more to this trip across town than just dropping off my medication. Seeing as you two're still here, it only makes a better case for it," he explained.

Dana blinked a few times before briefly looking down at Kachi's feet, "I didn't exactly make my want to see you again a secret, y'know," he replied somberly. "I guess I was just upset that it seemed like you didn't want anything to do with me."

Kachi sighed, "Come on, Dana. It's not like that at all. I don't not want to be friends with you. I just wanted to alone for a while." His words did make Dana feel a little better, but it seemed that it wasn't enough, as the labradoodle's smile didn't make a return. Seeing the silence as an opportunity, Kachi stiffened his upper lip, "Look. I'm sorry, to both of you, for how I've been today. You didn't deserve it."

Kachi stepped forward and joined the others on the couch, "I should let you know why I didn't answer. Dad was showing me around the gym this afternoon and I didn't want to be interrupted. I should have just told you I was busy and that I'd talk later instead of ignoring you, and I'm sorry," Kachi continued.

Dana sighed, "It's fine. I should be sorry, too. I was upset because you didn't answer me, and when this opportunity arose, I took it upon myself to make it about me and what I wanted. I pretended not to know about your medication and used it as a way to get to you. I was so desperate that I roped Legosi into it," Dana looked across the couch toward the wolf, "Sorry for giving you so much trouble, and for lying to you, and anything else that I'm too frazzled to remember right now,"

Legosi shrugged, a weak smile appearing on his face, "Yeah, don't worry about it, it's fine. I'd be lying if I didn't want to see Kachi again, too. I wouldn't have gone along with your whole scheme if I didn't. I told you that, right?" he asked in return.

Dana shook his head, "If you did, I don't remember. Today's been such a blur and it's only five-thirty," he stated, lifting a hand to his forehead, "I'm exhausted," he added.

Kachi and Legosi chuckled, the room falling silent shortly afterward. They three canines sat watching the news channel for the next few minutes, regaining some energy from the short, but tiresome conversation that they'd just shared. After nobody had bothered to change the channel or speak up first, Kachi leaned forward in his seat.

"Well, I suppose you get your wish, Dana. My dad thinks you two're staying over, why not keep it that way?" he said, looking over to the auburn labradoodle.

Dana's face lit up, "Really? Awesome! Thank you!" he replied, unable to contain his excitement and gratitude. His vibrant reaction put a wide smile across Kachi's face.

"Yup, but here's the kicker: Dad wasn't lying when he said there isn't much to do in here. Well, I mean, there's a TV here with cable and a computer in the room I'm staying in for anything else if we feel like watching something. Unfortunately, I don't know the area well enough to justify going out and trying to find something around here," Kachi explained, counting the options on his fingers.

Dana scoffed, a smirk appearing on his face, "Like I said, I'm sure we could figure something out. And, come on, you're not telling me you're afraid of the dark, are you?" The labradoodle extended both his arms, gesturing toward the black canine; Legosi glanced over as he did, "I mean, what do you have to fear? Look at you! I think most would be more scared of you than you are of them," he continued.

Kachi flashed a nervous smile as he leaned back into the couch, lifting a hand to his neck as he shied away, "Yeah, yeah. Don't remind me," he stated softly, his ears falling flat against his head, "Anyway, getting lost in the dark isn't something I find fun, personally. And yes, I know our phones have maps, but still. I just think it would be best if we stay in tonight."

A dejected sigh left the labradoodle's lips, "Fine. Any ideas, Legosi?"

Surprised he was being called upon, Legosi quickly sat up, looking the other two canines in the eyes. After a short silence, he shrugged, "I dunno. What's on TV tonight?" he asked, not really thinking about it.

Kachi and Dana exchanged confused glances before the former left his seat, walking over toward where Shen had set down the TV remote. Kachi snapped his fingers, getting Legosi's attention shortly before he gently tossed the remote in his direction. With the little warning he'd been given, Legosi was only barely able to catch the remote.

After looking over the button layout, a much larger selection than the remote used for his TV back at the dorm, Legosi navigated to the TV guide. The wolf quickly realized he was out of his depth as he counted the four digits denominating the channel number. The channel they were already on, a local news channel, was also unfamiliar to him.

Legosi squinted, confused, as he wondered what to do. There were channel numbers he didn't recognize, in a layout he was unfamiliar with, and he had no idea where to go to find anything he'd seen before. A quiet sigh left the wolf. All he could really do was pick a direction and start scrolling, and that's exactly what he did.

Kachi and Dana watched as Legosi flipped through the TV directory. Every once in a while, a program would catch one of their interests, but ultimately, they were unable to decide on anything to watch together. After about five minutes of this, Legosi finally called it quits, returning the remote to the table next to the couch.

"There really isn't anything on TV these days, huh," Dana commented, putting his hands into his pockets.

Kachi shook his head, leaving the couch, "No. I don't remember the last time I actually sat down and watched TV intentionally." He took a few steps forward before turning to face the other two, "Why don't we try the computer then? My dad has all his streaming accounts signed in on there," he stated, lifting a hand to his chin as he looked off to the side, "I don't know why though, he said it was his old office PC."

Dana shrugged, "Doesn't matter, dude. That sounds like a much better idea in my opinion," he glanced over toward the wolf, "Legosi?"

"Yeah?" his eyes went wide, "Oh. Yeah. Sounds a lot easier. I only really watch TV because I don't exactly have a computer of my own to stream things from. That, and my phone's screen isn't that nice to look at, nor do I really like spending that much time on it," he added, pulling his aging device from his pocket.

Immediately able to recognize the make and model, Dana squinted, "I'll say, that thing's like, five years old at this point," he teased.

Also having nabbed a look, Kachi couldn't help but agree, "It seems you are due for an upgrade," he added.

Legosi folded his brows, "It works just fine for what I need. I'm sorry I don't need the newest things like you two do. I just said I don't like spending time on it. Why would I spend money on a new phone when I wouldn't use it enough to justify it?"

Dana tilted his head, the smirk remaining on his face, "I didn't know you were so defensive of it," he lifted his hands in front of himself, "I'm knocking you or the phone, I just feel like your complaints could be resolved with a newer device, that's all."

The expression on Dana's face shifted into a much more genuine smile. Legosi looked to the floor, unsure why he was even being so defensive of it, "I guess. Can we move on from this topic, please?" Legosi asked, returning his phone to his pocket.

Kachi quickly stepped in, "Certainly. Come with me," he stated, gesturing for the other two canines to get up from the couch.

Once everyone was standing, Kachi wasted no time in directing them to their destination: one of two spare rooms in his father's apartment. Kachi led them through the living room and into the darkened hallway, stopping in front of the first doorway on the right. The door had been left open. Kachi stepped out of the way, allowing the others to enter.

The room itself was nothing special, which became much more apparent when Kachi flipped the light switch. On the left wall was a door leading into a small closet. The double bed, which took up the most space in the room, was pushed up against the wall in the furthest corner from the doorway.

At the foot of said bed sat Kachi's bag. It was unopened, as Kachi hadn't needed to get into it yet. The bed's sheets were also untouched for the same reason. Across from the bed, on the closest wall, rested a computer desk which contained the computer Kachi spoke of. Every surface of every object upon the desk had a nice thin veil of dust on it save for the keyboard and mouse, which had been dusted off very recently. Kachi had been messing with it.

Kachi closed the door behind him, watching as his friends stood awkwardly in the open spaces of the room. He placed his hands upon his hips, a short sigh leaving him, "The computer isn't much, but it's more than enough to just watch stuff on, even if the screen is a bit small and the viewing angles are terrible," Kachi commented idly.

Dana chuckled, "That's fine, man. We don't care as much about technology as you do. You really are into computer gaming, aren't you?" Dana sat himself down on the bed, shifting into a cross-legged position, "I forgot that you built that computer over the summer. That thing's, like, a supercomputer, isn't?" he teased.

Kachi grimaced, his ears falling flat, "Yeah, I did build that thing. No, it's not a supercomputer. And since leaving Sapporo…I haven't really been into gaming. Guess it was more of a time waster than anything. I've been thinking about selling it so I could have something I can actually carry around with me for school," Kachi's eyes went wide. "School! Postsecondary, I mean. I don't even know what I want to take, let alone where to go. When do I have to decide that?" he asked frantically.

Dana chuckled again, "end of January, I think. I'm not sure. Point is, not right now." Dana leaned forward, placing a hand on Kachi's shoulder, "Don't stress yourself out with that. You're on break, enjoy it with us. You'll have a few weeks to think about it when you go back," he comforted.

Kachi took a few breaths to steady himself, realizing that what Dana had told him was right. In the meantime, Legosi had been silently looking around the room further, "It's nice and cozy in here," he stated as he walked toward the room's only window. Peering through it, his smile drooped a bit, "Not too much to look at outside, though."

Through the window, a single tree, bereft of its leaves. Beyond that, the unpainted grey texture of cinder blocks making up the wall of the neighboring building. Kachi crossed the small space, reaching upward and pulling the window's shade down, "No, but we'll just keep this closed," he stated.

Kachi returned to the computer desk, occupying the chair while powering on the old PC. Legosi found himself a spot on the floor to sit in. The room's carpet is soft to the touch, a welcome change from the stiff carpet in Kachi's room back at Nevers Road.

Kachi fiddled with the aging machine's mouse, which didn't seem to track very well. He also waited rather impatiently as the rather noisy hard disk seemed to struggle with the most basic of processes. Finally, Kachi arrived on the proper site, signing into his father's account. Once the site loaded, he swiveled back around to face the other two canines.

"What's being screened tonight?" he asked.

A short silence fell upon the room before Legosi spoke up, "I'm fine with whatever," he stated in reply.

Kachi nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine with whatever, too."

Seeing the opportunity, Dana left his post on the bed. He stood in front of Kachi, waiting for him to get the hint. As they stared at each other for a couple seconds, Kachi finally caught up, leaving the chair so Dana could sit down.

While Dana browsed, Kachi stepped over to the door, placing his hand upon the knob, "I guess while Dana finds something, I'm gonna go see what Dad has for snacks," he pulled the door open, putting a foot into the hallway, "Hope he doesn't mind," he added.

At a brisk pace, Kachi entered the kitchen, opening cupboards left and right in search of where Shen kept his snacks. As expected for someone living alone, most of them were somewhat empty. When he was about to give up and come to terms with having to return empty handed, his eyes fell upon a single bag of plain chips, resting at the back of the last cupboard he checked. Seeing as it was better than nothing, Kachi quickly took the bag into his arms, closing the cupboard before leaving the kitchen.

Kachi re-entered the bedroom, the sounds coming from the computer's speakers indicating to him that Dana had decided on something to watch together. As he closed the door, the two canines looked over to him, "Alright, this is all we got, so don't be greedy," stated Kachi as he stopped in front of Dana.

Taking the hint, Dana left the chair, allowing Kachi to move the chair out of the way of the small screen. Dana returned to his seat on the bed, Kachi joining him by sitting on his right. As the first few minutes of the show passed by, Kachi glanced over to the labradoodle, an eyebrow raised, "What did you put on? I've never seen this before."

Dana grinned, "Oh, just something I thought we'd all enjoy. Problem is, I've already seen it," he said sheepishly.

Legosi shrugged from the floor, keeping his eyes on the screen, "That's fine as long as you don't spoil anything," he stated dryly. Dana glanced over at Kachi, who was nodding in agreement.

Dana chuckled, "I won't, I promise!" The room then fell silent, save for the sound of the show, and the brief noise the chip bag made as Kachi opened it.


~A Quick Author's Note~

Sorry for the delay. Thanks for reading.