犬との生活(一種の) (life with a dog (kind of))

chapter 2: a walk

"hell no! you're not dragging me by that thing!" katashi says, gesturing to the leash with his muzzle. "i wouldnt have to drag you if you'd actually walk." i say, clipping the leash to his red collar. katashi sighs. "fine, but we stop at the shop and i get a snack of my choice." he says. "why? this shouldn't be hard to just take my dog for a walk. you don't need bribery." i say, starting to walk out of our apartment. "i'm no one's dog, i'm not even a real dog." katashi says, walking next to me. "i don't care. you do basically nothing so it's about time you got out and did things. you're so darui all the time." i say. (怠い (Darui) means lazy or sluggish in japanese) "says the computer scientist who sits at a desk all day, being payed to be a nerd." katashi mumbles. "i'll stuff cotton in your mouth, you foolish-" i cut myself off when one of the front desk people that works at our complex giving me a weird look. i grumble and walk out quickly as katashi follows. once outside, katashi bursts out laughing. "shut up, you prick! you make me look crazy talking to a dog like that!" i exclaim, blushing slightly from embarrassment. "oh god! that's too good... that made my goddamn day!" katashi says in between chuckles. "i'm glad you find my suffering entertaining." i say sarcastically. "ok, ok. enough messing about! to the market!" katashi says, starting to run ahead of me. i stay put and watch as katashi gets yanked back. "gah!" he yelps as he falls back towards me. "i'm not running. also, we're not just going to the store and back. that's not the point of this." i say. katashi gets up and shakes himself off. "where else would we even go?" he asks. i smirk at him. "you'll see." i say. "i hate every bit of that." katashi says, giving me a look.
me and katashi walk until i stop in front of a park. "why are we here?" katashi asks, sighing. "it's about time you started being a dog, katashi-kun. this is a dog park and you're going to socialize." i say, starting to walk into the gate. "oh hell no! dogs are annoying and stupid!" katashi says, hesitantly walking slowly behind me. "yep, that's you. now, go and stop talking. you'll freak out the dog owners." i say, shutting the gate behind us as we enter and i unclipping the leash from katashi. he grumbles but walks over to a tree and sits under it. i go over to a bench to observe and get some much needed alone time. ever since i found out about katashi not being a full dog, my apartment has become a chaotic hell. katashi isn't what i'd call a good roommate and mostly relies on me for basic care and a place to live. maybe that's why that guy left him out on the streets. well, i don't really know so i can't really know unless i ask. maybe i'll ask him later. i see a japanese spitz walk up to katashi, seemingly curious of him. katashi growls at him but the small white dog doesn't back down. katashi rolls his eyes and gives me a look of 'look what you've done, get me out of here' and i chuckle slightly. the spitz snorts at katashi and sits down right next to him. katashi barks at the spitz and he retaliates with a huff and looking away from katashi. i wonder what they're saying. katashi just sighs and leaves the spitz be, letting him sit next to him but katashi scoots away slightly. i start watching the other dogs and how they all play with each other as their owners watch. i glance back at katashi only to fully look at him to see both dogs staring right at me. i give katashi a questioning look. katashi and the little white dog trot over to me and stand in front of me. "what do you want?" i ask. "he doesn't believe me when i say i can speak human." katashi says. "why is this important exactly?" i ask. katashi gives the little dog a look that says 'i told you so' and the spitz looks at katashi and barks. katashi looks up at me. "he said to tell you, hello, human. do you speak dog?" katashi says. "no, but maybe you could teach me though, katashi." i say. "mmm no. you're too much of an idiot." katashi says. "oi-" katashi cuts me off with a yap to the spitz dog, to which he yaps back. "he says his name is toshio. his owner is the small lady with a bean hat on. whatever that means." katashi says, shrugging slightly. "oh, i think he means a beanie. but tell him it was nice to meet him for me, please." i say. katashi huffs and does a mini growl and the little whit dog yaps back. "he says to you as well." katashi says. "toshio!" i hear someone call and the little dog nods slightly to katashi before running over to a short lady with a flannel and beanie on. "see? i told you you'd make friends." i tease. "shut up, dumbass. i talked to him for my own entertainment, not to make friends." katashi says as i clip the leash to him again. "alright. i'll call that progress." i say, shrugging. we both walk to the shop, a bit farther than just going home. "katashi. you're still a dog." i say. "oh, right. i forgot." katashi says, dashing into an alleyway and changes into a human. "how could you forget? you're literally either 60 cm or 180 cm. that's a big difference." i say. "shut up, dumbass. let's go get lunch now." katashi says, walking out of the ally and gesturing to follow him. we both walk to the market, aki on their phone. aki glances up and smiles at us as we enter the shop. "long time no see, guys. here for lunch?" aki says, putting their phone in their pocket. "you bet. you got 2 bentos?" katashi says, leaning on the counter. (bentos (べんと) are common and like packed lunches of sorts, commonly filled with rice, meat, vegetables, etc.)i smack him off the counter and he scowls at me. "don't be rude." i say as aki gets the bentos. "jeez, you need to relax once in a while. maybe it's that stick up your ass that's making you so worried about random crap." katashi says, crossing his arms and proceeding to lean on the counter again. "i do not have a stick up my ass! you're the one who's so careless." i say. "i'm not careless, i just know how to have fun. you, on the other hand, never have fun. i don't think i've even seen you laugh properly." katashi says. i go quiet for a moment and chose to not reply. "here you guys go. is that it?" aki says, putting the bentos on the counter, visibly uncomfortable in our unusual silence. "we're good." i say, handing them the money. aki takes the money and gives me the change after putting the right amount into the register. "alright, have a good day! hope to see you guys soon!" aki calls after us as we leave the small shop and i wave at them. we both walk back to the apartment in silence. this is weird. katashi is never quiet. i unlock our front door and open it, closing it behind us as we get in. while eating our bentos, i put mine down after a sigh. "oi, katashi-" i get cut off by katashi's voice from the couch. "don't get all mushy and apologetic on me, dumbass, i wouldn't want you have no dignity left." he says. "quit being annoying. i was just trying to start conversation, idiot." i say, looking over at the couch at katashi's leg dangling off the edge of the arm rest. he sits up slightly to look over at me. "hey, dumbass is your name, not mine." katashi says. "i said idiot, not dumbass. they're different words." i say. "same difference." katashi says, me not understanding what he said. "what the- what did you say?" i say. katashi sits up fully and fully sits on the couch arm rest and stretches. "it's english." he says nonchalantly. "what?! you know english?! please, teach me!" i say excitedly, watching his face turn into slight surprise. "you? learn english? pfft. don't make me laugh. you're too stupid to do that." katashi says, scoffing. "oh, come on! please, sensei! teach me english, please!" i plead. ( 先生 (sensei) means teacher in japanese) katashi looks at me skeptically but sighs. "fine. but don't complain when it gets hard. i wasn't lying when i said it was hard to learn." katashi says, jumping off of the couch and into our room. "yes! thank you, sensei katashi!" i exclaim excitedly. i've always wanted to learn english and it would look really good on my resume for getting a new job in the future. katashi scoffs but smiles slightly. "alright, let's get started." he says.