The Unranked Monsters That I Raised

• 7 • Scary!

On his way home...

Kim Rok Soo met a dog.

A black German Shepherd, most likely a year old.

The dog was extremely skinny and looked as if it was starving with its ribcage visible. It had a thin coat of black fur, scars littered throughout, alongside two pairs of bloody paws.

Contrasting its poor state, he found that its eyes still had a hint of life.

The dog hadn't given up yet.

He watched as the dog ate the dried piece of jerky he carried around in his bag for emergencies (and Choi Jung Soo) and mumbled out a sentence.

"Seems like you haven't eaten in a while."

Getting up, Kim Rok Soo removed the dust from his blood-soaked pants and continued his walk home. He couldn't take care of a pet when he lived in a world where he could die at any moment. He wouldn't want to leave the dog all alone once he died.

Fortunately for the dog, monsters tend to ignore animals, so it should be able to survive on its own until it meets its new owner.

Turning at the corner, Kim Rok Soo suddenly stopped. He could hear the pads of paws and sharp nails hitting against the cement. Looking behind him, he saw a limping black dog trailing a few feet away.

He noted that it was a male.

Clicking his tongue, he took out another jerky stick and threw it in front of the German Shepherd.

Once he confirmed that the dog was eating, Kim Rok Soo swiftly made his way down the street, checking back a couple of times to make sure he wasn't being followed. This went on for about three minutes until a house with a broken door came into view.

Pushing open the remaining bottom half with his foot, he looked around his living room. Since he lived in an area where the company provided housing for its employees, he wasn't worried he'd have anything stolen.

Placing his backpack onto the ground, he decided to shower first before heading over to Jin Tae's. He still would prefer to sleep safely in a house with a proper door though.

Leaving his room freshly washed, Kim Rok Soo began moving around his house as he filled his spare bag with items he might need. Passing by the front door a couple of times, he felt an odd sensation, but brushed it aside. However, as the feeling continued to grow, he decided to confront it.

The sun was gone and the moon was out, yet the streets were pitch black. Squinting his eyes, he looked for anything suspicious.

Through the darkness, and right above his broken door, he saw two pointed ears and the tip of a fluffy black tail that blended into the night.

Kim Rok Soo's eyes widened in disbelief.

How did the dog find him?

Feeling his gaze, the tail started to slowly wag.

"You..."

Kim Rok Soo started to think.

'Should I not have fed him?'

His eyebrows furrowed as he accidently met the innocent looking eyes peering over the edge of the door.

'I should have ignored him.'

He pulled open the slab of wood before heading over to the living room.

Sitting on his couch, Kim Rok Soo absentmindedly stared at the wall across from him, ignoring the furry head beside his knee.

He had to get rid of the dog.

The room was silent besides the quiet tapping of his finger against the armrest. After a few minutes, he got up and looked down at the animal that was obediently sitting.

"Follow me."

Entering the bathroom, he pointed to the tub, and the dog, as if he understood, jumped in.

To get rid of the dog, the first thing he had to do was to take care of it. Who would adopt a malnourished stray that was covered in grime, dirt, and blood?

With the knobs turned on, he used the shower head to gently wash the black coat.

"Tsk."

Water wasn't enough to get out the chunks of matted fur. He didn't have any dog shampoo, so he'd have to add that to the list of dog care items he needed to buy.

...

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Park Jin Tae opened the door with a frown.

"What took you so long?"

The two lived a few streets away from each other and the restaurant Lee Soo Hyuk had placed an order for them wasn't that far away either. Examining him for injuries, he finally noticed that Rok Soo wasn't alone.

"Is that a dog?"

Kim Rok Soo nonchalantly nodded his head as he entered the house, the dog right at his heels.

"Tell me if anyone's looking for a new pet."

The dog's ears drooped.

"I'm not going to take care of you."

His voice was firm.

The dog's ears drooped further as his tail lay flat on the ground. He truly looked pitiful.

Park Jin Tae was still at the door, processing what he was seeing. Only an hour had passed since he last saw him and he now had a dog.

"...How?"

"Hmm, I accidentally picked him up."

Rok Soo calmly stated the things that ended up happening. Everything was normal until what he said next.

"Of course, I'm going to get rid of him once he's healthy."

He was at a loss for words.

'This is the only plan he was able to come up with?'

He looked at the animal that appeared depressed at the mention of Rok Soo getting rid of him.

"Heh."

Park Jin Tae could already see what would happen.

"Hehehe."

He couldn't wait to tell Jung Soo and Soo Hyuk tomorrow so they could all share a laugh behind Rok Soo's back.

Laying the food onto the table, Kim Rok Soo got up and went to the bathroom. As he watched the figure disappear into the hall, Park Jin Tae shifted his gaze to Rok Soo's dish. Using his chopsticks, he reached for a piece of chicken when something stopped him.

It was something soft.

Park Jin Tae looked down at the black paw that was placed on his hand. Slowly turning his head to the right, fox-like eyes met black dog eyes.

"..."

Retracting his hand, the dog returned to his sitting position, as if nothing had happened. Trying again, the exact same thing occurred as a paw stopped him in his tracks.

He repeated this several times.

With a smirk on his face, he increased his speed and-

Smack!

The black paw slapped his hand away with force and remained raised in the air, threateningly. Canines bared while a low growl vibrated from his throat, the innocent looking dog was gone and replaced with a cold-experienced predator.

Goosebumps rose on his arm as he felt a chill down his spine.

All Park Jin Tae could do was stare at the stray Kim Rok Soo said he randomly picked up from the streets with widened eyes.

"What the fuck!"

Were dogs always this scary?!

***
author's note: pjt and bud bonding over their dog traumas.