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The sky had darkened long ago, and the cold grew harsher as the rain intensified.
Inside a soaked cardboard box, a small brown dog trembled without stopping.
His body was completely drenched, and the icy sensation seemed to seep all the way into his bones.
Somehow, Hirose had ended up in that situation.
Now trapped in his animal form, he couldn't help but think about how much his life had changed.
After all, his family consisted of shapeshifters.
His parents, his sister, and even his grandparents possessed majestic animal forms. Creatures that seemed to have stepped straight out of the pages of a fairy tale.
But Hirose...
Hirose had turned into a dog.
And not one of those large, imposing dogs.
Instead, one so small that many people mistook him for a puppy.
That had always bothered him.
Even if he hated to admit it, he felt a certain inferiority regarding his own height.
He was much shorter than a boy his age should have been.
He used to tell himself that he didn't care about the puns and cruel jokes other people made.
But deep down...
He knew that was a lie.
And when his animal form finally revealed itself on his fifteenth birthday...
that feeling only got worse.
—
It was Hirose's birthday.
He had expected to celebrate the occasion with his family or maybe even a few friends.
Instead, he found himself inside a temple.
He wore strange clothes and carried various accessories all over his body.
Normally, he wouldn't have minded. He might have even joked with his friends that he looked like someone straight out of the Heian Period.
But now he was surrounded by relatives he had never seen in his life.
Distant cousins, great-uncles, second cousins...
Man...
His entire bloodline was probably there.
The bracelets around his wrists sparkled for the twentieth time as he shook hands with yet another unfamiliar relative.
"Thank you for coming!" he said, trying to sound as cordial as possible.
Hirose was tense with so many people around him.
He didn't want to fail the ritual.
"Ah! I held you when you were a baby! Do you remember me?"
'Huh? Who are you...?' he thought, breaking into a cold sweat as his hand continued to be shaken by an elderly woman claiming to be his grandmother's second cousin.
He opened his mouth to answer, but a familiar voice interrupted him.
"Aiki! It's time!"
Turning around, he saw his sister in the distance, waving her arms while shouting his name – drawing everyone's attention, as always.
The sight made him laugh.
Even though she could be difficult to deal with sometimes, he loved her.
And seeing her smile like that...
Made part of the tension disappear from his shoulders.
"I'm coming!"
—
Hirose was more nervous than ever.
Standing at the entrance, he could feel every eye fixed on him.
Slowly, a strange melody began to play.
He recognized it immediately.
He had memorized it after being forced by his parents to learn the choreography, the rhythm, and every step of the ritual.
If he had to guess, he would say it was a song from the Heian Period, since his family's transformations had begun during that era.
Letting out a sigh, he closed his eyes.
When he opened them again, he raised one sleeve-covered hand to his mouth and began walking slowly in time with the music.
Every accessory on his body shimmered with each movement.
The melody ended abruptly the moment he reached the altar.
The silence that followed seemed deafening.
His gaze briefly landed on the man seated on a red cushion in front of the altar.
'As far as I know, the ritual is always led by the oldest member of the bloodline. In this case, my grandmother's older brother.'
Noticing the boy's gaze, the man offered him a gentle smile.
"It seems you've finally arrived. Did the spirits of the forest guide you here safely?"
So it had begun.
The reenactment of the first meeting between the family's ancestor and the forest spirit that had granted him the power to transform into an animal.
Hirose hesitated.
He wasn't sure he would remember all the lines.
Then he glanced to the side.
His sister looked as though she was doing everything in her power not to interrupt the ceremony.
When their eyes met, she flashed him a huge smile and gave him a thumbs-up.
Silently, she seemed to say:
"You can do it, Aiki!"
Seeing that, he smiled.
Still hiding part of his face behind his sleeve, he replied:
"Yes, Elder. Your children brought me here safely."
The elder's smile widened.
"It is good to hear that. Come."
He lightly patted the red cushion in front of him.
"Sit with me."
Hirose slipped his hands into his sleeves, lowered his head slightly, and closed his eyes.
"Thank you."
Sitting like that was harder than he had expected, but at least he managed to do it without falling in front of his entire family.
The reenactment continued.
They were reproducing an event from the past.
And that was part of every ritual.
At the end, he was required to drink a strange beverage considered sacred.
He swallowed it all at once, unwilling to taste it.
Even so, he couldn't suppress a shiver at the bitterness.
Placing the cup in front of him, he closed his eyes.
At the same moment, everyone present held their breath.
And what happened next...
was a complete disaster.
Before his entire family, his animal form finally revealed itself.
The manifestation tied to his soul.
But when the smoke from the transformation faded away...
a small dog appeared.
...
Wait.
What?
Everyone remained silent for several seconds.
Then the murmurs began.
And grew.
And grew.
Until they became loud enough to drown out Hirose's own thoughts.
'What is this...?'
He was completely lost.
Had he done something wrong?
Did the ritual fail?
What was happening?
Wasn't he supposed to transform into a mystical creature?
Then why was he just a dog?
Slowly, he raised his gaze toward the man seated before him.
The same gentle eyes that had reassured him throughout the ritual now seemed cold.
Disappointed.
Hirose stepped back.
'Damn it...'
—
After that, his parents and sister tried to comfort him.
But he was certain he had ruined everything.
Because of that, he decided he didn't need his animal form.
His worth shouldn't be defined by it.
The problem was that his body seemed to disagree.
He had absolutely no control over when or where he transformed.
When he asked his sister why, she explained that it was normal – joking that if he found a partner, they would be able to help him.
Normally, at the beginning, nobody knows how to control their animal side.
As a result, Hirose spent the last two months trapped inside his house.
His parents were afraid he would transform in the middle of class.
But the biggest problem was something else.
The more he rejected his animal form...
the more often it appeared.
—
That was why, one day, Hirose decided to sneak out of the house just to visit the convenience store on the corner.
He knew it was risky.
His body was so unstable that it felt like a bomb waiting to explode.
But after spending so much time locked inside, he wanted to see something other than his living room.
To justify his absence from school, his parents had claimed he was seriously ill.
He still talked to his friends through his phone.
Some of them had even asked to visit him.
But Hirose managed to convince them not to, claiming the illness was contagious.
After buying a few things, he starts walking back home.
Only for a heavy rain to appear out of nowhere.
Within seconds, he was completely soaked.
He ran in search of shelter.
But that was precisely when his animal side decided to emerge.
In the blink of an eye, Hirose transformed.
Panic overtook him.
What if someone had seen?
Driven by instinct, he ran into an alley and hid in the first place he found.
A cardboard box.
Now he was there.
Trapped beneath a storm.
Waiting for his body to return to normal.
He didn't know how much time had passed when a crackling sound pulled him back to reality.
The box was beginning to collapse under the force of the rain.
If he stayed there, he would end up completely exposed.
Gathering what little strength he had left, he stepped out.
Immediately, the rain fell over him once more.
Every drop felt colder than the last.
With difficulty, he made his way to the sidewalk.
But his vision soon began to blur.
Water streamed endlessly down his eyes.
And in that form, he had no hands to wipe them.
Nor to move aside the fur that was beginning to cover his field of vision.
Eventually, he was forced to stop.
He simply couldn't keep going.
Then he heard a voice.
"Huh?"
Hirose shrank back.
'Someone's here?! Don't tell me they saw me!'
His entire body went on alert.
As he slowly backed away, he unconsciously began to growl.
Trying to see through the rain, he managed to make out a figure standing beneath the awning of a store.
They seemed to be waiting for the storm to pass.
He couldn't see their face.
"Huh? A dog?"
The voice cut through the sound of the rain.
Hirose froze.
His growling stopped.
'That voice...'
For some reason, it sounded familiar.
Driven by curiosity, he took a few steps toward the figure.
They seemed to be moving.
'Who is it?'
Before he could think any further, the person ran toward him carrying something dark.
The sudden movement made him retreat.
Then fabric wrapped around his body.
'?!'
Despite the initial shock, he quickly realized it was warm.
Comfortable.
He felt the fabric being pulled away from his face while still wrapping around the rest of his body.
As though trying to protect him from the cold.
Then the person began carefully drying him off.
His ears twitched when he heard the voice again.
"You poor thing... You're completely soaked!"
When the fabric finally moved away from his eyes, he recognized the person standing before him.
'Nakamura?'
Nakamura's black hair was damp from the rain.
His white shirt was also marked with dark patches where the water had soaked through.
Looking down, Hirose realized he was wrapped in Nakamura's school uniform jacket.
When he lifted his gaze again, he met those dark eyes.
Eyes that usually remained hidden behind his bangs.
Now they were fixed on him.
Filled with concern.
Nakamura's lips tightened slightly.
Then he pulled him against his chest, trying to warm him up.
Hirose froze.
Of course, Nakamura had no idea who he was.
To him, Hirose was just a stray dog caught in the rain.
Even so...
He was trying so hard to help him.
Something warm stirred inside his chest.
Hirose had considered Nakamura a friend for a long time.
But perhaps he had been too tense to realize it before.
After all, during the school trip, Nakamura had gathered the courage to ask whether they could be friends.
Hirose remembered that day.
The smell of the sea.
The sound of the waves.
The golden light of the setting sun.
The flowers blooming.
...
He remembered Nakamura.
The aquarium.
The smile on his face while explaining something about octopuses.
The crab keychain he gave him after Hirose mentioned liking them.
The shops they visited.
The laughter they shared.
The sunlight reflecting on his skin.
The dark strands of his hair.
His voice.
His eyes.
In the end, they had even taken a picture together to celebrate.
The memory made Hirose smile.
His tail wagged slightly.
Nakamura adjusted the jacket around him more securely.
The gesture brought them so close that Hirose could clearly hear his heartbeat.
He heard the boy mumble something, but he was too exhausted to understand.
His body began to relax.
The steady rhythm of those heartbeats slowly lulled him.
The tension he had been carrying gradually faded away.
After spending so much time trembling inside that box, exposed to the cold and rain...
the warmth of the jacket, Nakamura's gentle voice, and the calm rhythm of his heart felt like the perfect invitation to rest.
His eyelids grew heavy.
And just before falling asleep, he heard Nakamura say:
"I'm taking you home with me."
—
When Hirose finally woke up, he realized he was somewhere unfamiliar.
That alone was enough to chase away any lingering drowsiness.
Quickly getting to his feet, he looked around.
'...Looks like a bedroom.'
His gaze swept across the room until it stopped on a large tank positioned against the wall.
Inside, a red octopus moved slowly.
The sight immediately made him think of Nakamura.
With that, whatever fear remained disappeared.
A smile appeared on his face.
'If he were here, he'd run straight to that aquarium.'
Hirose had always liked seeing Nakamura excited.
Especially when the topic was marine life.
The boy could spend several minutes talking nonstop about octopuses, sharing fact after fact, until he suddenly realized he was rambling and immediately fell silent.
Hirose never liked it when that happened.
Why couldn't Nakamura just be honest with himself?
Then again, who was he to say that?
How many times had he agreed with something in his friend group just to avoid conflict?
How many times had he put himself in uncomfortable situations to please other people?
Whenever he noticed Nakamura withdrawing from a conversation or becoming isolated within a group, Hirose always tried to pull him back in.
He didn't like seeing him alone.
Then a memory struck him.
Wait.
'Wasn't I in Nakamura's arms before I passed out?'
The bedroom door opened.
Hirose jumped slightly.
Looking toward it, he found the very person he had been thinking about.
His tail wagged before he even realized it.
Nakamura entered carrying several dog supplies.
The moment his eyes met Hirose's, his expression brightened.
"Ah! You're finally awake."
A small smile appeared on his face as he approached.
He placed everything on the floor and sat down on the carpet.
"I'm glad. It's good that you're not hurt... otherwise I'd be in trouble..." His voice grew quieter at the end of the sentence as he looked away.
When he looked back, he noticed the little dog staring at him without blinking.
Nakamura let out a soft laugh.
Then he extended his hand toward him.
'Huh?'
Hirose blinked.
Seeing the hand stopped in front of his nose, he hesitated.
'He... wants me to smell him?'
A strange feeling twisted inside him.
He knew it was normal.
Humans did that so dogs could become familiar with their scent.
But it still felt far too strange.
His animal side insisted that it was completely natural.
His human side strongly disagreed.
For a few seconds, he remained frozen.
Nakamura seemed to interpret that as fear.
"You don't have to worry. I won't hurt you."
His voice sounded soft.
Gentle.
Comforting.
After another moment of hesitation, Hirose finally leaned forward.
He inhaled.
And froze.
'He smells like the ocean.'
His tail started wagging again.
Harder this time.
'...I like that.'
A soft chuckle reached his ears.
A moment later, he felt a hand patting his head.
Before he could panic, Nakamura spoke.
"You're so cute."
Hirose completely froze.
His brain short-circuited.
'No! No! Calm down!'
He desperately tried to organize his thoughts.
'Nakamura is only saying that because he thinks I'm a dog!'
Yes.
That had to be it.
Definitely.
While struggling not to die of embarrassment, he barely noticed Nakamura continuing to speak.
"It looks like you've dried off completely. That's good."
The hand moved away from his fur.
"You must be hungry."
Nakamura turned around and picked up the bag of dog food he had brought.
With his back to Hirose – and completely unaware of the silent breakdown happening behind him – he poured food into one bowl and water into another.
"You're pretty small. You must be a puppy. Better not overdo it."
Hirose was just beginning to recover his composure when he suddenly felt the ground disappear beneath his paws.
'?!'
Nakamura had lifted him off the bed.
A few seconds later, he was sitting in front of the bowls.
"Here. Eat as much as you want."
Hirose stared at the dog food.
His human side didn't find it appealing in the slightest.
But his animal side...
His animal side was practically drooling.
The food he had bought before the rain was probably gone by now.
And he was starving.
Reluctantly, he lowered his head and tried a single piece.
His eyes widened.
'So good!'
Any dignity he had left vanished as he began devouring the food.
His tail wagged so fast it looked ready to take flight.
Nakamura seemed concerned.
"Hey, slow down! There's plenty more."
He lightly held Hirose back to stop him from shoving his entire head into the bowl.
The sight earned another laugh from him.
The bowls looked absurdly large next to such a tiny dog.
When he finally finished eating, Hirose turned toward Nakamura and barked enthusiastically.
The boy raised an eyebrow.
"You want more?"
A rapid series of barks answered immediately.
"Alright, alright. I'll get more."
As he served another portion, Nakamura commented:
"To be honest, I was worried you wouldn't like this food."
He poured more kibble into the bowl.
"It's the same brand we bought for my cousin's dog when he stayed here."
Hirose resumed eating while Nakamura continued talking.
"He was huge. And honestly pretty scary. I was afraid of him for a long time."
His tone became slightly indignant.
"But after my sister decided feeding him was my responsibility, I didn't really have a choice."
Hirose had already finished eating and was now simply watching him.
He liked it when Nakamura talked about himself.
"At first, I'd just put the food down and run out of the kitchen. But after a while, I noticed he had stopped eating altogether."
Nakamura laughed as he remembered the situation.
"My cousin spent a fortune taking him to the vet. In the end, we found out he'd simply gotten tired of that brand of dog food."
"We had to try several different brands before finding one he would actually eat."
The smile on his face softened.
"Who would've thought a dog that scary could be so picky?"
He looked down at the bowl.
"But I think that's what made me stop being afraid of him."
Nakamura seemed to realize how much he had been talking.
"Ah..."
His gaze drifted away.
"Sorry... I tend to ramble."
Hirose didn't like that expression.
He preferred seeing him excited.
Preferred seeing him talk without worrying.
That was when Hirose eyes landed on the words printed on the dog food bag.
"Refined Steak Flavor."
...
Oh.
That made Hirose go still.
Now everything made sense.
'So that's why the food was so good.'
He felt a little guilty for eating such expensive dog food.
But he couldn't deny it.
It was delicious.
His train of thought was interrupted when Nakamura stretched.
The hem of his shirt lifted slightly, exposing part of his stomach.
A strange feeling swept through Hirose's body.
He immediately looked away.
'What was that...?'
That was weird.
He had never reacted that way when seeing his friends shirtless at the pool.
Much less any other boy changing clothes in the locker room before gym class.
...So why was Nakamura different?
When he finished stretching, he rubbed one of his eyes.
"Ah, I'm so sleepy..."
His voice sounded a little different because of his exhaustion, but not in a bad way.
"I hope I don't catch a cold from that rain."
After putting the dog supplies away in a corner of the room, he turned off the light.
Now only the soft glow coming through the window illuminated the room.
When he approached again, he easily picked Hirose up and carried him to the bed.
The action still surprised him, though not as much as before.
The two settled beneath the blankets.
"Sorry, buddy. I don't have a dog bed, but I think my bed is more comfortable than the floor."
Hirose mentally agreed.
He definitely preferred being there with Nakamura instead of lying on the cold floor.
Since he was facing him, Hirose easily noticed a smile appearing on his face.
But this one was different.
Softer.
More distant.
More genuine.
Nakamura raised a hand and began stroking his brown fur again.
Hirose's body stiffened for a moment.
Then he sighed.
"...You look a lot like him."
That left him confused.
'...Who?'
Nakamura's gaze softened.
"Your fur is exactly the same as his hair."
A small laugh escaped him.
"The same shade of brown. Even the curls."
That was when Hirose understood.
The affection in his voice.
The way his eyes shone.
The involuntary smile.
'Oh...'
It was obvious.
Nakamura liked that person.
That same strange feeling tightened in Hirose's chest again.
Jealousy?
No.
It couldn't be.
'I don't like Nakamura that way.'
...Right?
He had nothing against boys liking other boys.
But...
"I like you, Hirose."
...
What?
His brain simply stopped working.
This time, he truly looked at Nakamura.
The moonlight illuminated part of his face.
His head rested against the pillow.
His cheeks carried a faint blush.
His eyes were slightly widened.
And his entire body seemed tense.
As though he had never imagined saying those words out loud.
At the same time, there was something gentle in his expression.
Something vulnerable.
Something frightened.
His eyes softened.
"I like you so, so much."
His voice came out low.
Almost shy.
"Since the first day of school, I haven't been able to stop looking at you."
Hirose remained silent.
"At first, I had... a lot of trouble talking to you."
He still seemed hesitant while saying those words.
Nakamura let out a humorless laugh.
"You seemed perfect. And I felt like I'd never be able to get your attention."
He hesitated.
For several seconds, he simply stared into nothingness.
"But whenever I'm at my lowest... you show up."
His smile faltered.
"I feel like you're always there to help me."
Those words made something inside Hirose tighten painfully.
The smile disappeared completely.
Nakamura looked away.
As though he were doing something wrong.
Then he buried half of his face in the pillow and let out a long sigh.
As if trying to force all the accumulated tension out of his body.
"...What am I doing?"
His voice was so quiet that Hirose almost couldn't hear it.
"What's wrong with me?"
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
But he couldn't answer.
"Did I really just confess to a dog that looks like him?"
Nakamura turned his face slightly.
And for the first time, Hirose saw regret in his expression.
That hurt.
He wanted to comfort him.
Wanted to make him smile again.
Wanted to tell him that he had heard everything.
That he understood.
That...
Maybe he felt the same way...
Without realizing it, Nakamura had started petting him again.
Hirose hadn't even noticed when he stopped.
He had been too busy dealing with his own feelings.
At first, he had thought Nakamura might have discovered his identity.
But no.
Nakamura truly believed he was talking to a dog.
A part of him wished it were different.
Wished that Nakamura had recognized him.
Because then he...
...
Nakamura opened his mouth.
He seemed like he wanted to say something else.
But gave up.
"I should get some sleep..."
His voice remained quiet.
Strangely restrained.
Sad.
Then he pulled Hirose closer against his chest.
The boy's racing heartbeat was perfectly audible from that distance.
He let out another sigh.
"Good night."
Then he closed his eyes.
For a few seconds, only silence remained between them.
Hirose stayed still.
Feeling the heartbeat echo through Nakamura's chest.
Feeling the warmth of his body.
Feeling the words of that confession repeat endlessly inside his mind.
Finally, he closed his eyes as well.
'...Good night, Nakamura.'
—
Hirose woke up in the middle of the night.
He had no idea what time it was.
His head felt foggy, as though a thick mist had settled over his thoughts.
As he shifted slightly, he noticed something different.
He had returned to his human form.
Or almost.
Before he could think much about it, he noticed something else.
Nakamura was closer than ever.
Their faces were only a few inches apart.
Normally, Hirose wouldn't have minded.
His friends had commented more than once that he had a problem with personal space.
Especially when it came to Nakamura.
Just thinking about him brought a smile to his face.
But the smile faltered when he felt something strange brush against his back.
Confused, he slipped a hand beneath the blankets and grabbed it.
The instant he did, a sharp pain shot through his spine.
"Ow!"
He curled up.
The pain erased every trace of sleepiness.
More carefully this time, he grabbed it again.
And froze.
It was a dog's tail.
His tail.
Slowly, he raised a hand to his head.
As expected, he found two ears.
Hirose let out a long sigh.
He was already tired of all of this.
Letting go of the new appendages, he looked forward again.
And found Nakamura's sleeping face.
The memory of their earlier conversation returned immediately.
The confession.
The words spoken in the dark.
The way Nakamura had said his name.
His face grew hot at once.
Meanwhile, his tail began wagging nonstop, repeatedly thumping against the mattress.
The more he thought about it, the more that strange fog returned.
It felt as though a different part of him was waking up.
His animal side.
'Oh no...'
The feeling grew stronger.
Hirose's pupils widened slightly as he watched Nakamura.
The black strands of hair scattered across the pillow.
His pale skin.
His eyelashes.
His peaceful expression.
Everything seemed to hold his attention.
His gaze drifted downward.
Carefully, he searched for one of Nakamura's hands beneath the sheets.
When he found it, he gently took hold of it.
Then he brought it closer to his face.
Closing his eyes, he rested his cheek against it.
The sensation was comforting.
Warm.
Familiar.
He had always thought Nakamura's hands were beautiful.
His tail started wagging again.
Without realizing it, he found himself leaning further into the touch.
"Mine..." He murmured softly.
Not in the sense of possession.
But like someone who had finally found something precious.
When he opened his eyes again, he realized just how close they were.
A part of him still tried to keep his distance.
But the fog made everything difficult.
Slowly, he rested his forehead against Nakamura's shoulder.
Breathing in.
The scent of rain.
The scent of the sea.
The scent of Nakamura.
It calmed him.
His tail thumped against the mattress once more.
For a few seconds, he simply remained there.
Listening to his breathing.
Feeling his warmth.
Trying to engrave the moment into his memory.
Then something touched his head.
A hand.
Hirose froze.
Normally, he would have jumped back immediately.
But his mind was too sluggish to react.
The hand began stroking his hair.
Carefully.
Slowly.
Almost absentmindedly.
He lifted his gaze.
Expecting to find those dark eyes looking back at him.
But Nakamura was still asleep.
"???"
Hirose watched for a few more seconds.
The hand remained there.
Now lightly playing with one of his ears.
"Hirose..."
His eyes widened.
His tail began wagging even faster.
No.
That couldn't be.
Nakamura was still asleep.
And yet, he had called his name.
A small laugh escaped Hirose.
"Don't tell me you're dreaming about me..." He said teasingly.
There was no response.
Only another gentle stroke against his ear.
Something warm bloomed inside his chest.
Without thinking much about it, he moved closer.
Wrapping his arms around Nakamura and hiding his face against his chest.
The steady sound of his heartbeat was comforting.
Safe.
Familiar.
The hand continued stroking his hair.
And Hirose felt the weight of the past few months gradually disappear.
A smile appeared on his face.
"Good night, Nakamura."
The hand stopped for a brief moment.
Just a moment.
Then a sleepy voice replied:
"...Good night, Hirose."
Hirose froze.
For a few seconds, he wasn't sure whether that had really happened.
But then he heard Nakamura's peaceful breathing once more.
And lulled by the sound of his heartbeat, he eventually drifted back to sleep.