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Suruga stopped as the railroad crossing’s lights began flashing.
About a minute later, the train finally passed, and she spotted someone standing on the other side of the crossing.
An ominous, familiar silhouette.
…
Rouka Numachi.
…
“Evening, Kanbaru.” She said, her voice so low it she had almost growled the words.
Suruga stared at her for a moment, trying to process the situation.
“Something up?” Rouka asked, noticing the silence.
“How are you… alive?” Suruga asked, cautiously stepping forward.
“Who knows?” Rouka shrugged. “Not me.”
After that, a silence enveloped the two of them. Rouka passed through the crossing, then said.
“Why don’t we do some catching up, Suruga?”
“Hm? Catching up?” Suruga replied.
“You know, sit down, talk about how we’ve been.”
“Ah, right.”
Eventually, they found themselves sitting across from each other in Suruga’s room.
“Ah, that’s great, finally off my feet.” Rouka mumbled. “Geez, this place is a mess.”
“Yeah, sorry. I haven’t had the chance to clean it up lately.” In fact, the last time would’ve been shortly after their last encounter, Suruga recalled.
“Eh, whatever. It’s not that big of a deal.” Rouka said, sounding bored. In spite of that, Suruga thought she seemed… impatient.
As Suruga dragged an extra futon into the room, Rouka said “Hey, why don’t you grab another, that way I don’t have to drag myself across the floor.”
“Eh?” Suruga said, tossing the one she was carrying on the floor. “Oh, right.”
Once that was settled, Suruga sat across from Rouka
“So… catch up?” Suruga asked, staring across the unoccupied futon at Rouka.
“Something like that…” Rouka said, her eyes wandering. “Say, why don’t you let in some fresh air, this room is awfully stuffy.” Rouka groaned.
Suruga turned her back to Rouka, and started walking towards the door to the patio. Before she could reach the window; however, suddenly, she felt Rouka’s body press against her back.
“Wh-”
“Don’t mind me.” Rouka mumbled, reaching her arms around Suruga. She was holding… a collar?
*Click*
The collar snapped shut around Suruga’s neck. There was another click, and Suruga realized that Rouka’s other hand had been holding a leash.
“So how’s that collar feel?” Rouka asked, hooking said leash onto it.
“Scr-” As Suruga started to speak, Rouka jerked on the leash, nearly dragging her head to the ground.
Rouka laughed, and squatted down so she was eye level with Suruga.
“Dogs don’t speak.” She said, “You know what dogs do, Suruga, right?”
“?”
“They sit.”
Suruga cocked her head and shot Rouka a look, remaining standing.
“I said, sit.” She knelt on the ground, and then dragged Suruga down to her level, forcing her to a nearly prone position, and held her there, for a while.
Eventually, she let go of the leash.
“I’ll be right back, dog. Behave while I'm gone.” Rouka said, stepping out of the room to use the bathroom.
Once she was sure Rouka wasn’t simply hiding around the corner waiting to pounce on her, Suruga reached for the collar around her neck, began feeling for the latch. After fumbling with it for a few seconds, she found it. Rouka hadn’t even locked it. A very silly mistake on her part. Suruga slowly undid the collar, then crept to a spot where she could surprise Rouka.
Rouka entered the room, and immediately noticed her absence. Suruga heard her mutter something, but couldn’t make out exactly what. Once she’d stepped close enough, Suruga saw her chance. She leapt onto Rouka. They collided, and after tumbling across the floor for a few moments, Suruga ended up on top, and managed to pin her down. Once she was sure Rouka wouldn’t escape, she put the collar on Rouka.
“Gah…” Rouka looked up, and realized what had happened. She grinned. “Oh no, what’s Suruga gonna…” She trailed off when she realized something. Suruga had actually bothered to lock the collar shut.
“Ah.”
“Now, I’m going to sleep.” Suruga said, smirking. “But don’t worry, I know how puppies are. I can’t have you wandering.”
Rouka stared up at her, confused. Suruga dragged her over to the futons, then tied the leash around a hook on the wall, near her futon.
“There we go…” Suruga said. “Good night.” She grinned, then turned out the lights.
“Night.” Rouka groaned, before settling onto a nearby futon for the night.
“I thought dogs didn’t talk.” Suruga said.
“Guh… woof.” Rouka groaned.
“There we go.” Suruga said, before settling into bed for the night.
A nagging thought sprung from the back of Suruga’s mind.
“Wasn’t I trying to figure out why she’s back?”
“Eh, I can do that tomorrow.” She yawned.
Suruga woke up with something heavy on top of her.
Ah, no, someone.
“Morning, Rouka.” She mumbled, rubbing her eyes.
Rouka didn’t stir. Her body was draped across Suruga’s stomach.
So that’s how it was. She’d resorted to the pettiest payback imaginable.
Typical.