VII - More than a Pet

Suzuki Kazuya's POV

I can still remember that day when I first met Natsu, he was just a little puppy while I just turned 5 years old.

My adoptive parents gave him to me and I was so happy to receive it as my very first gift I have since I was born. We played everyday and we were inseparable from each other even during the day when I lost my parents.

It was during a holiday when I was 8, my family planned to travel in the country side and I was too excited because that will be my first trip but on that day, Natsu suddenly got sick and so we brought him to the veterinarian and they told us that he need to stay for further monitoring. I was worried back then so I insist on staying behind with Natsu instead of going with the trip even though I looked forward to it so much, so my parents have no choice but to leave me under the care of Harada-san, the old lady who is in charge of the clinic and promised to me that they'll come back with a lot of souvenirs for me.

That trip was supposed to fun and I really hoped that my parents enjoy it and buy me a lot of souvenirs but during the last night before they can go back home a tragedy happened. An earthquake occurred and the hotel they were staying at was one of the buildings that collapsed and it took three days for them their bodies to be retrieved from the debris.

I was abandoned again. I am always left alone by everyone that I thought will be with me forever. I blamed myself from that tragedy and always wished that I just come along with them and that I just wanted to die with them instead of being left again.

I only have two choices that time, it was to stay living in our old house with the little money they left or come back to the orphanage I came from but after thinking it overnight I realised that I don't want to be adopted by anyone ever again because I am afraid that a tragedy might happen again so I just stayed living alone with a little help from Harada-san who helped me in taking care of Natsu and teaching me how to cook and do every chores in the house alone. At first, nobody would believe that an 8 years old kid can live alone but I did it, I finished my elementary days with the money my parents live and having Harada-san acting as my guardian during important school meetings.

When I turned 13, I stared working as a part-time employee every afternoon after my classes and during weekends, while maintaining to be an honor student to keep my scholarship.

I continued working hard and it was a miracle that I survived every hardship when I graduated from high school and managed to save up some extra money to study in a university to pursue my dream, to be a movie director.

Thinking about everything that happened in my life until now makes me sad but thankful at the same time. As I held Natsu's paws for the last time and feeling his weak tongue licked my hands, I can't help but cry while whispering to him my last farewell.

"Thank you for being my family until your last breath. I'm sorry that our playtime lessen as I grow up and became too busy with work. Natsu, always remember that you are the best dog in the world. You are a good boy, thank you for everything. You can rest now and leave everything to me, I promise that I will continue living so you don't have to worry about me anymore, Goodbye Natsu." I patted his head for the last time before I left the room carrying his collar which will be the only thing I can bring home now that he's gone.

When I came home, my loneliness increased as I eat alone and saw Natsu's feeding bowl at the corner. I can feel that I will be having a breakdown the whole night if I don't stop thinking about the old memories so I have to think about something different.... something happy... something bright....

I closed my eyes and starts to imagine things when I finally everything happened earlier cleared up. Did I really hugged Shinobu-san at the heat of moment? and why did I make him make such promise to me and it sounds like something like a proposal and it makes me feel embarrassed just thinking about what I have done. Maybe I should visit him tomorrow and clear things up and maybe invite him to watch some movies. I remembered that I won 2 cinema pass before and I was supposed to asked Naomi to come with me before we broke up last month and this movie pass is expiring soon, let me see the date.... oh tomorrow is last day to use it! I really need to have Shinobu-san come with me tomorrow.