Big Hero 6: The Art Theives
Chapter 11: Here, Doggy Doggy
I'm at school the next day, heading back to class from lunch when I see a dog wandering around aimlessly. It has light tan fur and big, ice-blue eyes. I watch it for a moment or two, and then step towards it. The dog looks at me curiously, and I smile.
"Aww, you're so cute," I say. "You must have an owner around here somewhere. You can't be a stray..."
The dog lets out a small bark, and I smile.
The bell rings for the next class, and I turn and begin walking in the other direction. However, after a little while, I realize that the dog is following me.
"Sorry," I say, turning to it, "but you have to say here."
It barks, almost sadly, and I pat its head with a small smile. "I'm sorry," I say again, and I turn and continue to class. The dog lays down, resting its head on its paws with a sad whimper.
At my next class, I draw a replica of the dog, and when class ends, I head outside again to search for it. Sure enough, the dog is still there, and as soon as it sees me, it runs towards me, wagging its tail.
"Hi there," I say, smiling. "I missed the last cable car for the day, so, do you want to walk home with me?"
The dog lets out a happy bark, and we head home. The moment I open the door to my house, the dog runs inside and leaps up onto the couch. I race in after it, shutting the door behind me.
"Get off the couch," I say, "my dad won't like that." The dog doesn't move, though, so I try pushing it off. Still, it doesn't budge.
My dad chooses that moment to walk into the room. "There's my little cherry blossom!" he says. "Now, can you tell me why there's a dog on the couch?"
"Well, he was following me around school all day, and he came home with me," I answer. "He doesn't have a collar, and no one was looking for him, so he must be a stray. Can we keep him?" I give my best "baby doll" eyes, trying to get him to say yes.
"Well, alright," my dad says, "but we need to take him to the vet first and make sure he's healthy."
I smile widely. "Thank you!" I say, leaping up from the couch and racing upstairs. I grab my phone from the desk and call Honey Lemon to tell her about the new addition to our family. She congratulates us, and I head back downstairs.
"Since he's a family dog," my dad says, petting the dog's head, "his name is going to be Kiba."
I laugh softly.
...
"Hey, Aunt Cass, we got a new dog at our house," I announce as I enter the cafe later on that day.
Aunt Cass looks up from the counter and beams. "Oh, that's great!" she says, and I begin telling her all about it.
Tadashi, who is washing dishes, pauses and walks over, eavesdropping on the conversation with a light blush on his face. Aunt Cass looks over with a sly smile.
Hiro races down the stairs and into the kitchen. "What are you guys talking about?" he asks with a confused look.
I tell him about our new dog, and he grins, looking over at Tadashi with a smirk. "That's great," says Hiro, turning back to me. "I'm happy for you." I thank him, and then leave the cafe, heading home once again.
...
"You're jealous of the dog," Hiro says to Tadashi. "Oh man, I can't wait to tell the rest of the gang about this!" Tadashi rolls his eyes.
...
The next day, as I'm getting ready for school, I realize that I hadn't seen Kiba all morning. "Hey, Mom?" I ask, just before heading out the door. "Where did Kiba go?"
"Oh, he's in the garage for now," my mother answers. "Since we'll be out today, we don't want him making a mess while he's alone."
I nod in understanding, say goodbye, and leave for school.
...
Once I get home from school, I let Kiba out of the garage. He jumps around, excited to see me again.
"You're so cute," I say, smiling. "I wonder where you came from..."
Kiba only licks my hand in response.
Night falls, and I get ready for bed. Just as I'm about to turn out the lights, Kiba walks into my room, looking at me questioningly.
"Hi, boy," I say. "Do you want to sleep with me tonight?"
He bounds over and licks my face, which I take as a yes. Laughing, I climb into bed and turn out the lights, Kiba curling up to sleep right beside me.
...
Back at the cafe, upstairs in the boys' room, Tadashi lies in bed, staring up at his ceiling. The whole day at school, his friends had teased him after hearing that he was jealous of a dog.
"Why was I jealous of a dog?" Tadashi moans at the ceiling, and then sighs. "Oh well..."
"Bro, you're crushing hard," says Hiro knowingly. "Time will soon tell."