The Boy With The Blank Stare: The Promise

Chapter Forty Five: A New Friend

Ouma's POV:

The week passed by in a haze, I did what I was expected to do, morning exercises both the physical stretches and the writing Maiko told me to do but I always felt exhausted.

The house had fallen into a strange excitement and rush, and winter break had begun unexpectedly. It didn't seem right though, for it to already be winter.

Summer seemed like just yesterday, and meeting Shuichi a lifetime ago.

I paused as I considered tomorrow. Christmas.

I never celebrated Christmas without DICE and my mother. When I was young and Mom was still fine we would go outside and she would let me play in the park all day. Her gifts would always be little trinkets she found or some craft as a toy.

When I met DICE we would go out on someones roof and drink hot chocolate and exchange Christmas pranks instead, we would party till the sun was far gone, and wake up sick to our stomachs in a random area.

When DICE was gone, Momota would take me to the nearby docks, we would sit there in silence with just the sea. He would always give me a giftcard for some music apps, and I would make him a new playlist.

But today the house smelled of spices and there even was some arguments over ornament arrangement, I never even could afford a Christmas tree before, and the rustling of decorations.

It didn't feel like Christmas.

I didn't expect to spend Christmas without my mother or Momota this year, and it was a bit disappointing when Momota insisted earlier in the month I spend the holidays with Kiibo's family instead of with him in the hospital.

Maybe he just wants to spend it with Harukawa this year...

As the song of overrated Christmas music played and the evening divulged into long family traditions I knew nothing about I kept missing home.

"Uh dear?" My Uncle's voice asked panicked, "what- oh no" She responded and...is that scratching?

I tried to listen in on the conversation more. Maybe a stray cat had somehow found its way in.

"Uhh hey why don't we uh?" Kiibo stuttered nervous, is this a distraction? I decided to play along for curiosity sake and handed Kiibo a small envelope.

"Wait...is that for me?" Kiibo asked shocked, 'no it's for the homeless man a block away' I told him.

"A letter?" He asked confused and I felt myself getting embarasssed, 'don't read it when I'm around ok?' I told him. 'Merry Christmas' I quickly added for good measure.

"I didn't know you liked writing" Kiibo asked, he seemed excited, I shrugged 'don't know if I like it, just something that passes time I guess' I told him honestly.

I wish Shuichi was here.

"Well we can't keep them here overnight! You know his hearing is great we might as well take him out now as an early gift!" My Uncle argued.

Wait what?...no it can't be...

Right?

The couch creaked as Kiibo seemed to bounce in the chair excitedly, I held my breath as I heard the clicking sound come from the garage and into the living room.

"Merry Christmas Kokichi" my Aunt said with some small pride, "he came a bit earlier than we expected though, but we all agreed that this was something you really needed" she told me as...

I brushed my hand against fur as my breath hitched in surprise as...is this a dog?

"How...?" I started but she quickly cut me off, "hes a service animal, you honestly should've been given one years ago but he's been trained to help with blind people and those suffering from anxiety, we thought he would be a good match for you" she explained.

'This is to much' I told her, "well seeing as your going to be an adult and from what I've been hearing moving out it won't be, someone needs to look after you so we thought this little guy would be up for the job" she said.

"What're you going to name him?" Kiibo asked, his voice carried a lot of joy and I could barely believe that this..I have a dog....

...

Name huh...

I continued petting the dog wondering, it seemed he was one of those bigger and fluffier dogs, and while I had always been more of a cat person this was definitely one of the best things to happen to me.

"DICE" I decided, there seemed to be a still silence but I nodded my head to myself, "his name is DICE" I repeated and I couldn't help but smile.