Shizuka drove the two kids and the puppy to a well-known pet hospital nearby for a thorough check-up.
The veterinarian examined the puppy carefully, inside and out, using various instruments. He confirmed that the pup had already received three rounds of vaccinations, along with both internal and external deworming treatments. Thankfully, the little dog was in perfect health and behaved exceptionally well throughout the entire process.
After the check-up, Shizuka went on a small shopping spree for the new family member. She bought a spacious dog cage made of sturdy stainless steel pipes, with six reinforced sides. Thinking ahead, she picked the largest size, expecting the pup to grow into a large dog. She also picked up dog food, goat milk powder, a leash, chew toys, teething sticks, and other essentials to ensure the little guy would have everything it needed in its new home.
After stuffing all the newly bought supplies into the trunk, Shizuka drove to the mall to pick up some adult urine pads. She had thoughtfully considered that the puppy, still unfamiliar with its new home, wouldn't know where to go to the bathroom yet.
Originally, Shizuka had planned to buy pet-specific pads at the animal hospital. However, a new intern had quietly advised her that there wasn't much difference between pet urine pads and adult ones, except for the price. Pet pads were just more expensive. Taking the intern's suggestion to heart, they headed to the mall to get a more affordable alternative.
By the time everything was done, it was already noon. Shizuka drove the car into the garage. Shoko climbed out of the back seat, happily cradling the puppy in her arms, while Tsuna got out from the other side. Turning around, he gently said to Shoko, who was waiting patiently, "Shoko, go to the door and wait for us. Mom and I need to carry all the stuff."
Shizuka stepped out from the driver's seat just in time to hear Tsuna's words. She gave him a playful pat on the head, covered her mouth with her other hand, and laughed softly, teasing, "You and Shoko go ahead. With those short arms and legs, you'd be lucky to carry even one or two toys."
Shizuka finished speaking, and before Tsuna could say a word in agreement or protest, she added with a smile, "Your mother isn't as delicate as you think." With no choice, Tsuna gave a helpless nod and trotted off to catch up with Shoko, who was already walking ahead.
He opened the door and led her to the entrance. There, he asked Shoko to sit on the wooden step while he crouched down and carefully untied her shoelaces, helping her take off her shoes.
Shoko gently placed the puppy on the corridor floor. "Woof! Woof! Woof!" it barked excitedly, its tail wagging like a little propeller, eyes wide and sparkling as it watched the two new owners interact in front of it.
"Where is the barking coming from!?" Tsuna heard the voice of his father Daisuke coming from the living room, and looked towards the entrance of the living room in surprise.
After a while, Tsuna saw Daisuke walking out of the living room and coming into the corridor. Puzzled, he asked him, "Dad, why did you come back so early today?"
Daisuke stepped forward, bent down, and gently picked up the puppy, who stood there obediently, its tail wagging with excitement. He answered Tsuna's unspoken question with a warm smile, "There wasn't much to do at the office today, so I came home early to surprise you. Are you happy?"
Tsuna, kneeling by the shoe cabinet, pulled out Shoko's slippers and handed them to her without turning his head. In an exaggerated voice, he replied, "Wow! I'm so happy that you came back early just to spend time with me!"
Daisuke immediately caught the playful, perfunctory tone in his son's voice. Still stroking the puppy's head, he let out a laugh and playfully scolded, "Haha… that was way too dramatic. At least try to sound sincere, you little rascal."
Tsuna suddenly remembered that his mother was still in the garage, moving the doghouse and other supplies by herself. He looked up at Daisuke, who was playing with the puppy nearby and called out, "Mom's still moving all the stuff in the garage by herself. Dad, aren't you going to help?"
Tsuna's words immediately interrupted Daisuke's curiosity about where the puppy had come from. He handed the puppy over to Shoko, who hugged it happily, and hurried out with a light scolding tone, "Why didn't you say so earlier?"
After changing his shoes, Tsuna walked into the living room with Shoko, who had been patiently waiting for him. Shoko placed the puppy down on the tatami and began gently teasing it. Tsuna turned on the TV and flipped to a comedy show. He glanced over and saw how obedient the puppy was and how happily Shoko was playing, grateful that, for now, she had a new companion and wouldn't be clinging to him as much.
Tsuna let out a small sigh and reached for an orange on the coffee table. As he quietly peeled it, Shoko, who had been gently petting the puppy, seemed to notice his sigh through his expression. She spoke softly,
"Tsuna! Mom said if you sigh all the time, good luck will slip away, and it'll also make you less pretty."
(She had seen him sigh, of course. Since Shoko couldn't hear it, she had picked up on the subtle change in his face.)
Tsuna smiled at her words, broke off two small slices of the orange, and offered them to her. "It's 'happiness' and 'bad luck,' Shoko," he said with a chuckle, gently correcting her.
"Oh~ I want more!" Shoko said cheerfully. Still stroking the puppy in her lap, she quickly chewed the orange segments, then turned and looked at Tsuna with expectant eyes.
Tsuna didn't say anything and broke off two small halves and fed them into Shoko's mouth.
"Click!" A sound came from the entrance of the living room, followed by a flash of light. Tsuna turned his head and saw Shizuka standing there with nothing but her phone in her hand.
He blinked in confusion. "Shizuka? Weren't you and Dad moving the dog house? Why do you have nothing with you?"
Shizuka tucked her phone away, walked into the living room cheerfully, and chuckled. "Your dad got all worried I'd get hurt and did everything he could to stop me from helping. So, I had no choice but to come inside first."
She walked up to Tsuna, patted his head, and gave him a playful glare with her sharp, beautiful eyes. "And you, calling your mother by her name again? So disrespectful!"
After a while, Daisuke came into the living room, carrying the dog house filled with all the supplies. He placed everything down on the tatami, then turned to Shizuka, who was leisurely enjoying the orange Tsuna had peeled for her, and asked, "Where should I put all this?"
Shizuka swallowed the orange segment in her mouth, glanced around the living room, and casually raised her hand to point at the empty corner on the far left. "Over there. That's where the little guy will live from now on."
Daisuke nodded, bent down again, and lifted the dog house. He carried it to the corner Shizuka had indicated and gently set it down. Shizuka stood up from the tatami and walked over to him, then crouched next to the dog house and began unpacking its contents.
Shizuka handed the dog food, leash, and toys to Daisuke, instructing him to store them in the dining room cabinet and the utility cabinet in the living room. She placed the dog bed directly inside the cage, while the food and water bowls were set up neatly in a corner of the dining room.
Once everything was arranged, the four of them gathered around the puppy, sitting together on the tatami floor.
By now, Daisuke had already learned about how the puppy had come into their lives while he was in the garage.
As the laughter and voices from the comedy show filled the room, Shizuka glanced at the two with a sly smile and asked, "Have you decided on a name yet?"
Daisuke was focused on the TV but still caught Shizuka's question, sitting there quietly as usual.
Without hesitation, Tsuna turned to look at Shoko and said gently, "Let Shoko come up with the name. I can go along with whatever she chooses."
Hearing their conversation, Shoko lowered her head thoughtfully, pondering the perfect name.
Shizuka's mouth curved into a smile at the corner as she said, "How can it be just one of you? This is both yours and Shoko's little one, so of course, you two should come up with the name together."
Since Shoko often played house with Tsuna, acting as parents, she wasn't bothered by Shizuka's teasing at all. Tsuna didn't mind either, in fact, he thought what his mother said made perfect sense.
Shizuka realized her teasing wasn't having any effect and immediately felt a bit bored. She glanced over at Daisuke, who was quietly watching TV and chuckling to himself, and for some reason, a flicker of irritation crossed her face. To ease her mood, she reached out and gave Daisuke a light pat on the back.
Daisuke's smile faded as he turned to look at her with a puzzled expression. "What's wrong?" he asked.
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Hello! There are two things I would like to say:
1. It seems that I have gotten Shoko's name wrong; it should be Shōko or Shouko. I will try to write correctly in the future.
2. There seems to be another translation of fanfic that appears to be more popular than this. So I have been thinking that I should drop this or continue this fanfic?
Yes.
No.