Chick 286
by Cristae286
Chapter Let’s Go for a Walk
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There are many things one needs when walking a dog.
Waste bags, a small spade, and a harness…
“Grrrr—”
When On Groo picked up the pink harness, Yulian growled.
On Joorim, scared Groo might get bitten, stepped forward out of concern.
“I’ll do it.”
“No! Groo can do it!”
Groo glanced at Joorim and whispered quietly.
“A good dog puts it on, just like a good person does.”
At that, Yulian hesitated, then obediently lifted one leg.
Though trembling with barely contained anger, Yulian let Groo slip the harness around her legs without resistance.
Groo let out a sigh of relief and slipped the other leg in, securing the harness quickly.
“All done.”
The white Maltese now wore a pink harness.
At that moment, creatures began to crawl onto the Maltese’s back.
They were the hamster Bailach and the snow rabbit Lucifer.
The two climbed onto Yulian’s back as if she were a mount, then plopped down.
“Myu.” (The bag is too stuffy.)
“Gyuu.”
Lucifer shook his head vigorously, clearly in agreement.
Groo, calming the grumbling Yulian and the two on her back, scurried over to Joorim.
“All ready!”
After tidying up the wriggling Groo’s clothes, Joorim reached out his hand.
Groo, holding Yulian’s harness in one hand, took Joorim’s hand with his free one.
Today’s destination was the neighborhood dog park.
It was to walk Yulian, who had just recently become, albeit temporarily, a new member of the family.
And today marked the second day since Yulian had unexpectedly turned into a Maltese.
‘Why won’t it work?’
Riding the elevator down with Joorim, Groo fell deep in thought.
For the past two days, Groo had failed repeatedly. Even in the snowy fields, it was impossible to return Yulian to her human form.
‘I thought if I used “Mold and Shape” like I did with Bailach, it would work.’
According to Bailach’s explanation, every form of life has homeostasis, always seeking to return to its original shape.
Thus, it should be much easier to restore something to its original state than to transform it into something completely different.
Just like Bailach, who, even if turned into a hamster, kept reverting to the form of a child.
But then, why doesn’t “Mold and Shape” return Yulian to being human?
Ugh.
As Groo’s failures piled up, so did Joorim’s misunderstandings.
Until now, from the strange, indefinable monsters Groo had brought home, to Gnosis, the homeless man, and so on, Joorim thought this was the first time Groo had picked up something normal.
Perhaps finding it to his liking—
“Shall we take the puppy to the dog park?”
He had even suggested that.
Groo’s eyes trembled as he cautiously watched his father.
‘Sorry, Dad. But she’s not just a dog.’
And so, with both harboring different thoughts, they stepped out of their building.
Yulian ground her teeth.
‘Wretched villains.’
It wasn’t enough that they’d turned her into a Maltese—they didn’t seem like they intended to let her go anytime soon.
Worse, they now used her as a mount for that ugly hamster and rabbit.
“Myuu!!!”
“Gyuu!!”
Bailach and Lucifer, relishing their freedom outside the bag, cried out in satisfaction.
‘I hate this.’
She despised her weak, helpless self.
Is this how Dominic met his end—subdued and powerless?
The thought made her shudder.
As the Maltese trembled, Groo tilted his head curiously.
“Are you cold?”
“Would you like to buy some clothes?”
Still shaking with anger, Yulian was swept by these foolish humans into the store attached to the dog park.
“Oh my, what lovely princesses~”
The clerk smiled brightly, welcoming Groo and the Maltese.
Realizing the clerk had called Yulian a princess, Groo quickly corrected her.
“No, he’s a prince!”
She’d seen Yulian in human form before and knew—Yulian was a boy!
Yet the clerk, after examining Yulian more closely, replied,
“Our Maltese friend doesn’t look like he wants to be a prince. She was born a princess~”
“She’s a girl?!”
Groo gaped at Yulian in shock, having just learned the truth.
Yulian turned her head away.
She’d cross-dressed only for easier movement.
And to better hide her face.
That made it easier to avoid that girl.
A fleeting image of Lea crossed Yulian’s mind, but she shook it off.
In the end, she found herself wearing the cute yellow dress the clerk had recommended.
Stepping out of the shop, they headed straight into the dog park.
Watching Yulian toddle awkwardly in the dress, Groo fell into thought once more.
‘Groo, maybe I failed the skill because I didn’t know enough.’
Groo wanted Yulian to return to her original form.
But it wasn’t working. In truth, Yulian as a boy wasn’t her real form.
‘Then next time, I’ll try returning her to her original—female—self.’
For now, since Joorim was watching, she had to finish the walk first!
Just as Groo firmed her resolve, Yulian stiffened in surprise at the sight of dark figures approaching.
“Woof! Woof! Woof!”
Sociable dogs, eager to make friends, were heading towards Yulian, pulling their leashes and owners along.
Yulian bared her teeth and backed away, wary.
“Grrrrr—!”
Damn it, someone help!
“No! Stop! You’re scaring her! Go away!”
Groo scooped up Yulian and shouted.
The dog owners apologized and called their dogs back.
“Oh dear, sorry.”
“That’s all right. Our puppy’s not very social yet. I think she gets scared.”
Joorim graciously accepted each apology, shaking his head.
Worried for the small Maltese in Groo’s arms, he saw the dog’s face drained of color.
Joorim gently stroked Groo’s cheek.
“They weren’t trying to threaten you. The dogs just wanted to be friends.”
“But Yuli says she doesn’t want to make friends.”
At Groo’s words, Yulian nodded vigorously in agreement.
Gasp! Groo’s eyes went wide as she looked down at Yulian.
You’re not supposed to nod!
“……?”
Joorim narrowed his eyes.
What was that? Did the dog understand human speech?
“……”
“……”
A brief, awkward silence fell between them, and feeling guilty, Groo turned her head aside.
Clearing his throat, Joorim suddenly put out his hand.
“Paw.”
“Arf!”
Yulian bit his hand.
“She doesn’t understand…”
He muttered, and Groo let out a sigh of relief.
Thankfully, the Maltese’s ill temper explained it away.
“She’ll learn social skills with time and training.”
“Okaaay…”
But that wasn’t the end of their troubles.
Standing on the wide lawn, Joorim lightly tossed a plastic disc.
“Go on! Fetch!”
Yulian half-closed her eyes and gave Joorim a blank stare.
“……”
“……?”
“Grrrrr—”
When Yulian bared her teeth, Joorim locked eyes with her in a silent standoff.
Tension hung in the air, and Groo gulped.
‘I-i-it’s up to me.’
Groo scampered onto the grass.
The other dogs paused to watch Groo pick up the red disc.
If someone had to fetch the disc—
“Dad, Groo got it!”
I’ll do it!