The trash picking ended before long. The police officer dismissed us fairly easily, telling us to come again at four o'clock sharp tomorrow. He also discreetly commented on how much of a lousy job I did today— the nerve right?— and instead of retorting something like I usually would've, I kept my mouth shut and promised to do better tomorrow. Soon, I was making my way towards the nearest bus stop, tracing the sidewalk down the road.

From behind, I heard footsteps following me. I knew it was Ryu, but I didn't have the courage to turn around to say anything. It was kind of hard to, mainly because of the guilt still gnawing at me.

You shouldn't even feel guilty, a voice in my head hissed. He deserved it.

But I kinda was being too harsh, I shot back. I mean, even if Ryu was the cause of all my struggles and pain lately, joking about the stuff I did wasn't mature at all. It wasn't like there was a guarantee Ryu's life was any better than mine. And he sounded so dejected; maybe he had a history with dead people...

I bit on my lip hard.

I know I did spend the last few years blaming all my misfortune on those around me (which I still can't deny were responsible for most causes), but maybe it was because I said horrible stuff like this my life was so crummy?

Curse my volatile personality when things got rough. I needed to learn to be nicer...

When I finally arrived at the nearest bus stop, I whipped out my cell phone and clicked onto an app to check to see when the latest bus would arrive. '6:15 PM' stared back at me and I made a face. A half hour from now? What would I do for half an hour?

I glanced around my surroundings but I couldn't see a shop or any signs of productivity. I turned my attention towards the bench nearby. I flopped down into the seat furthest to the right, and, on my phone, searched around for other possible buses I could take.

My tapping came to an abrupt halt when somebody collapsed into the seat on the other side of the bench. Instantly, my body was stricken. Swallowing hard, I didn't even want to avert my gaze to check to see if it was Ryu. From the corner of my eye I could already affirm it by the orange I saw. He was most likely taking the bus too.

Shaking my head, I focused my attention onto my cell. The peace was soon obstructed when barks filled the air. I turned my head sideways to see a golden retriever come trotting down the sidewalk. The owner was nowhere to be found, which surprised me. Was it lost...?

I expected to merely ignore it but it was to my shock to see the dog scamper up towards the bench I was sitting on. Startled, I watched carefully as it approached Ryu, staring up at him with its large, beady eyes.

Ryu was caught off guard, more so when the dog's once frivolous expression shifted into one more hostile. Then, without warning, it began barking.

"What the...?" Ryu asked, moving away as the dog attempted to shove his leg with its snout. It was almost as if it were trying to get him to move.

After it began growling, the dog's barks became more incessant. Although he shifted his legs around a bit, Ryu didn't budge from his seat. "I'm not moving," he declared to the dog.

The dog barked in response, as if not to back down.

"Not. Moving."

Another bark.

"You're annoying. Go back to where you came from, dog!"

By then, they were both growling at each other simultaneously. It was almost as if I were watching a clash between a cat and dog; in fact, if Ryu was a cat, all the fur on his body would be on its ends by now. I couldn't help but find this entire situation quite amusing, even more so when the dog began pushing against Ryu yet again.

Ryu kicked at it to make it go back. He succeeded, but the dog soon sprung back. This time, it's leg shot up in the air as if to pee.

"Get away from me!" Ryu suddenly screeched, leaping away from the dog to dodge it, and he cowered behind the bench.

The dog, as if wanting that reaction, leapt onto the spot where Ryu was previously, sitting tall and proud. Its tail wagged happily, slapping Ryu in the face from behind until Ryu was spitting hysterically.

Seeing all of this, a laugh escaped my mouth. I realized I shouldn't have done that when Ryu's head shot my way with a scowl. But it was kind of hard to be scared because he was as red as a tomato in embarrassment. Without warning, he bolted upright to his feet, hastening away from the back of the bench to the front, facing the bus stop sign.

"I let it take my place." He cleared his throat. Despite his back being turned to me, I noted that the tips of his ears were red.

I tried to stifle another laugh but to no avail. I proceeded to clasp my hand over top of it, this time laughing harder.

"Hey!" Ryu shouted in defence. "That wasn't—"

It ended up that my hysteric laughter wasn't able to be contained, and my hands fell to my stomach before long as I doubled over. I even snickered until tears were running down my face. It had to be a good few minutes before I wiped my tears away, and I was chortling—more so, when I saw how exasperated Ryu was.

"This never happened!" he hollered, still flustered.

I giggled at just how funny this entire situation was. "You're blushing!"

Ryu's un-scary glare was replaced with sudden bashfulness. He spun around, quickly clasping his hands over his ears. "No, I'm not!"

"You are," I giggled even more. "The dog so owned you!"

His shoulders rose defensively. "Shut up, Kikuchi!"

I was tearing up yet again. This was hilarious. I've never laughed this hard in forever. As scary as Ryu was, I guess even he had this kind of side.

"Sorry," I apologized before I could stop myself.

"I get it, it's funny!" fumed Ryu.

I let out a breath, peering down at my hands on my lap. "No, not for that. I'm apologizing for earlier. I had no reason for saying what I did."

Ryu went quiet.

I leaned back against the bench. "I agree I was overreacting. It's not like me blaming you for this all will change anything, so I should stop being so sour about this all," I confessed. "But as you can already tell, I'm naturally sarcastic and negative and can never get along with anyone... I usually say things before I think, too."

Silence filled the air for a brief second.

"I don't need to hear that."

My eyes widened incredulously. Heat crept onto my cheeks and I shifted my focus to him. "I was trying to apologize—"

Ryu pulled a face. "I don't like apologies."

"Then, what do you want me to say?"

"Nothing."

"But aren't you mad?"

"At what?"

"Me!" I cried, rising to my feet. "You dumped out your garbage bags because you were mad at what I said, right?"

Ryu's lips curved into a frown. "I was mad...?"

My mouth moved but no words surfaced. What? He wasn't mad? Was he being serious? This was exactly like that time he kept spazzing at me and telling me he wasn't scary when he really was.

He was making me feel like I shouldn't have felt so guilty in the first place!

Told you so, that voice in my head cooed.

Shut up, I shot back.

"But you sounded so sad!" I accused quickly, recalling back. "That's why I—"

"I wasn't sad," he objected.

My eyebrows knitted together, perplexed. "But you... you..." My words trailed off. "You dumped out... your garbage... and I felt so guilty... and..."

"Is this about the popsicle?" Ryu asked out of the blue, spinning around to properly face me. He was no longer flushed, and his expression was somewhat hostile. "I keep telling you to stop worrying so much about it. The officer typically gives me something after I finish a couple bags."

My mouth shut close. "Typically...?" I repeated after a pause. I locked eyes with him. "You know him?"

Ryu immediately avoided my gaze. His reluctance told me he didn't want to say. Some part of me didn't want to find out, anyway.

Letting out a loud exhale, I collapsed back into my seat. What the heck... It was like I worried for no reason. Ryu really was difficult to understand. He was impossible to figure out; like a puzzle. He was mad when he wasn't and he wasn't sad when he really was...? "You're a confusing guy," I confessed.

"No, I'm not," he denied.

"Yes, you are," I told him. "You're the weirdest delinquent I've ever run into."

"I'm not a delinquent," he snapped, eyes refocused on me in a scowl.

I smiled at the familiar reaction. "There's no way you're Class President."

"I am," he insisted.

I shrugged. "Don't believe it."

"I am."

"Still don't believe it."

He glared. "Don't smile."

I pulled back my lips even wider. "I'm not smiling."

"You're smiling even more now."

"I am?"

"You are."

I stifled a laugh. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about. I'm naturally like this."

He rotated his head the other way. "Stop."

"Why?" I asked cheekily. "Am I too cute for my own good?"

He snorted, "There's ice cream all over your face."

Embarrassment swept over me all at once. My hands went to my face only to be met with the stickiness of it. I grimaced as I wiped my hands off against my skirt. I can't believe I nearly forgot about it. I frowned. He did realize he was the one to do this to me, right?

But, I noted, eyes wide, the impossible did occur. I spoke with Ryu like normal. Well, better than normal actually. Our reconciliation went smoother than I thought it would've.

The sound of a bark broke me out of my thoughts. I cocked my head in surprise only to see the dog was still there. Oh, yeah... Its eyes were pleading as it whimpered sadly. My eyes lit up at its 'aww' inducing pout and I lunged at it before I could stop myself. "What a cute dog!" I gushed, squealing as it lit up in happiness almost immediately.

"What the heck? Why are you touching a random dog! Are you stupid?" Ryu yelled at me. He had to have a fear of dogs.

"Why shouldn't I? It's so cute," I told him simply, running my fingers through its smooth fur. The dog's tail swayed from side to side.

"You're gonna get rabies!" Ryu shouted, still hiding behind the bus stop pole.

Rabies? "What's that?" I asked, blank.

Ryu hesitated. "I... Miyabi told me when you touch a wild dog you start shaking like crazy and foam fills your mouth... Also that you transform into a dog too!"

"Transform into a dog?" I said after him, eyebrows raised. Miyabi told him that...? Something in my mind clicked. Oh... that guy that called me 'sheep.'

Suddenly, Ryu was sheepish. "N-never mind! All I know is that you get it from wild dogs!"

Digesting his words, my gaze fell back to the adorable dog. I snorted at the idea. Even if people did get these so-called 'rabies', this dog definitely didn't have it. It couldn't be wild. Besides, that Miyabi seemed prone to exaggerating. He most likely was playing with Ryu. "Good boy," I cooed, using both hands to pet its fur, and giggling as it barked ecstatically. Grinning, my gaze fell upon his naked neck.

Instantly, my heart stopped.

"It doesn't have a collar!" I literally screamed, lurching away from the dog. My eyes shot to both my hands. My heart beat rang loud in my ears. "Holy shit! Holy shit! I'm going to die! I touched it! It licked me! Is that how you get rabies?"

"I told you!" Ryu rang out from behind me.

My neck snapped towards him. It felt like my eyes were swirling as I raced up to him. "Help me! The rabies is soaking through my skin! I-I feel it!"

"Get away from me!" Ryu screeched, holding up his arms. He ran from me immediately.

I darted after him. "N-no! H-help me, Iwasaki!"

"Fat chance! Get away!"

"D-don't say that! H-how about i-if I transform? Rabies can do that, right? I'm going to turn into a dog!"

"Agh! Stop chasing me!?"

My extremities began trembling. I shut my eyes, feeling my entire body convulse. "I'm transforming!?"

Ryu gawked from a good mile away, eyes wide and watching me. I also waited for the foam to start falling from my mouth.

"Marco!"

My eyes snapped open at the sudden shout. I could only witness as a girl came running out of nowhere, scooping the golden retriever into her arms. "Marco!" she wailed dramatically. "I thought I lost you! Don't run away next time, and without your collar!"

My eyelids slowly flickered open and closed. The shaking had come to a halt as my arms lowered by my sides. The dog... belonged to someone?

The girl eventually pulled away from the dog. I was caught off guard when she shot a murderous glower my way. She stood up straight, a hand to her hip. Her eyebrows scrunched up disgustedly. "Who the heck do you think you are, bitch?"

I blinked slowly. I peeked behind me to see if she were referring to some other bitch, but nobody was there. Then, my focus went down to my hands and then back to her, puzzled. My index finger lifted in my direction. "H-huh, me?"

"No, I was talking about my male dog." She spat a bit of saliva on the grass at the idea before crossing her arms firmly across her chest. "Of course," she drawled, sassily flipping her sleek brown hair over her shoulder, "I was talking to you, Reina."