「Sorahashi-san.」

     So that’s why she had asked for plastic cups.

     Had she been planning this from the start?

     There wasn’t any point in doing this, though.

     「Don’t you have some disciplining to do? This puppy jumped up on the table and knocked a cup over, you know?」

     This was wrong.

     I had imagined that we could become good friends. People that could sometimes share meals together, chat about all sorts of meaningless things, and laugh with each other. I was sure it would be fun to be just normal friends like that. That’s what I had just thought. Even so…

     Why?

     Why was I…

     I was tumbling deeper and deeper down. Down so far that I no longer knew where I had come from.

     “This is wrong. That’s not it. This is weird.” Vague, unstable phrases like that bubbled up in my heart and then disappeared.

     「—Sera.」

     「…Aha.」

     It’s not that I wanted to do this. It was a token of my gratitude. Thanks to her, I was able to use up all the ingredients I had bought and enjoy the evening. Just as a way of showing my thanks, I was going along with Sorahashi-san’s role-playing for a little while. I just wanted to make her happy, and the only thing that could achieve that right now was this.

     It absolutely wasn’t because I wanted to do this.

     I mean, I was just a normal person. I wanted to be normal friends with Sorahashi-san. I wasn’t into any hobbies like this.

     「Master.」

     From the pocket of her blazer, she pulled out a collar and a leash.

     The moment I took it, I heard something inside of me pop.

     Just like the bursting of a soap bubble.

     I felt a sense of ennui along with a faint pounding in my chest. I remembered feeling like this once, when I was out with my family.

     Why was I feeling this way now?

     It’s not like it mattered, though.

     I was sure this wasn’t a bad thing. It’s what Sera wanted, and she’d be happy if I became her master.

     Seeing someone else happy made me happy as well.

     She’d given me lots of joy.

     That’s why I wanted to return the favor. Just as how you should apologize after doing something bad, you ought to give thanks for the good things you’ve received.

     「So you were planning to do this from the start. Even when all I wanted was to enjoy the evening with you. You’ve been bad, Sera. …What a bad puppy.」

     I put the collar on her.

     It was easier to put on than last time, and it glowed dully from the light shining in from above. I clipped the leash on and gave it a gentle tug.

     My heart was racing. I was no longer myself. I had always lived a peaceful life with Mizuki in this house. And now, what I was doing in this very same house was anything but peaceful.

     So why was my heart beating this fast?

     「Come on, get off of there. If you want to be disciplined this much, I’ll give you as much as you want. …You’re just a dog, but a puppy, yes?」

     That didn’t sound like my voice. But I didn’t care anymore.

     I lightly slapped her cheek.

     It wouldn’t be right to hit a real dog, but Sera wasn’t a dog. She was my puppy. It was obvious that she wanted me to do things to her that you wouldn’t do to a dog. And bad puppies needed to be trained.

     I tugged on the leash, urging her to get off the table.

     However, she just smiled in defiance and showed no signs of leaving.

     I ran my fingertips over her lips. Then, I slowly parted those lips and pinched her tongue. It was as red as ever. I wondered why that color stirred me so. Not knowing why, I pulled her tongue out.

     I felt my body becoming increasingly unable to listen to what I told it to do.

     The “normal me” that I knew would never be doing something like this.

     For some reason, leaving the realm of normality didn’t seem so bad.

     「Where’s your apology?」

     「I’mh sho’ree…」

     「No, that’s not it, is it? You’re a puppy, so you shouldn’t be using human words, right? Could it be, Sera, that you’re actually a pervert that likes wearing collars even though you’re a human?」

     I exerted some more pressure with my fingertips, and she looked at me with cloudy eyes.

     Why did this make me feel so happy?

     She was a strange person, after all. I didn’t need to get involved with strange things like this. I was just showing my gratitude.

     I couldn’t help it. I had to give my thanks.

     「…Arf, arf.」

     「Ahaha. I don’t even know what you’re trying to say. Are you even trying to apologize?」

     The more I said, the more she trembled with joy.

     A chill ran down my spine.

     Her innocent smile. That cool demeanor during gym class. That beautiful face that I saw at the ticket gate, a face that couldn’t help but draw the attention of others.

     All of it scrambled together in my head and projected onto her face right in front of me.

     Every bit of that belonged to one person — Sorahashi Sera. But surely, this sight before my eyes — melting, blushing, trembling with joy — this was her true self.

     Her expression, crumbling with pleasure, was that of an animal’s. Who would ever believe that the one making that expression was Sorahashi-san? What would people think if they ever knew that this was how she truly was? For an instant I felt a flash of doubt, and then in the next instant, I no longer cared anymore.

     I felt a thin haze over my head, and deep inside that haze was a soft, fluffy sense of pleasure. I didn’t understand what I was doing, what I was feeling.

     「Ah, mfph.」

     Feeling some resistance from the tip of her tongue, I let go. As soon as I did, she started licking my hand. As I twisted my body from the ticklish feeling, she brought her lips up to my face and licked my cheek. The sensation sent me shivers.

     「Are you truly sorry?」

     「Woof, woof…!」

     「Hmm…」

     She licked at me desperately. Her face, which had been that of a human’s just a moment ago, was now making the expressions of a beast. It was a strange sight.

     「―Sit. Sit, Sera.」

     When I said that, she sat down on the floor.

     She was listening to what I said.

     It was thrilling. My heart felt light, and I became more of that person that I didn’t know.

     「There, there. Good job. You’ve done well, listening to what you’re told.」

     I cradled her cheek with my hand and pet her head. Breathing heavily, she leaned into my touch. Then, I suddenly noticed that her skirt had gotten wet.

     「Sera. Your skirt’s wet, so I’ll help you take it off. You’ll catch a cold if you leave it on.」

     I smiled, touching her skirt. It was the same as mine, but it seemed just a little shorter. The feel of the fabric was quite familiar. However, the fact that what I was touching was her skirt made my heart flutter.

     I put my hands on the skirt’s metal fittings and pulled down the zipper.

     Then, I gently took it off.

     It was never that exciting to me to see another person’s underwear. I’d seen my friends’ many times while changing, and I’d never thought anything of it. Now, though, I couldn’t help but feel excited at the sight of hers.

     My breathing became heavy. It had become like that of a dog’s, and I was losing my sense of balance.

     Maybe it was because the heating was on too high, or maybe it was because I was too aroused. I didn’t understand, but either way, I felt hot. I opened two buttons on my blouse to let in some air, but my body was so hot that it barely did anything.

     「Your underwear’s so cute.」

     I’d never said anything like this ever before.

     For some reason, in this moment, I was able to calmly utter those words.

     「The design is really intricate and cute, like what a human would wear. But…」

     I pulled on the edge of it with my fingertips. The feeling of the fabric as it stretched out was extraordinary.

     「Puppies don’t need these, right? Take it off.」

     I had no idea what sort of dog she wanted to be. But now, my brakes had shattered. I couldn’t stop anymore, blurting out all sorts of things I didn’t understand. But, when she saw me like this, she happily smiled.

     「…Woof.」

     She reached for her underwear.

     Seeing her trying to strip it off, I immediately caught her hand. Her eyes widened, gazing at me.

     My heated body felt a little colder.

     What in the world was I doing?

     「…I was joking. You’ll catch a cold if you take everything off. Wait here. I’ll go get something for you to wear.」

     At that, I left the room.

     My heart was beating so fast that I felt like it was going to explode. I couldn’t breathe right, and shivers kept coming down my spine.

     It felt good.

     「No.」

     If we kept going like that, if I took off her underwear, took off all of her clothes, and then made her lose all sense of humanity, then I’m sure…

     「…No.」

     It would have been even more exciting, even more enjoyable. Both for me, and for her.

     「No, no, this is wrong. I’m not like that…!」

     More and more, I wanted to see her face messy with pleasure and joy. If I could see her expression so muddy that it could write over her usual innocent smiles and beautiful countenance, then I would…

     「I’m supposed to be normal.」

     It was just a thank you.

     I just wanted to give back a little happiness in return for having dinner with me. That’s what it was supposed to be. But truthfully, that wasn’t it.

     Because…

     「…I’m smiling.」

     Reflected in the mirror in my room was my own smile. The same as the one that Sorahashi-san had shown me earlier, a smile melting with pleasure. I didn’t know I could make a face like that. I didn’t want to know.

     This was wrong. It was ridiculous to enjoy treating someone like a dog.

     Yeah, this was no good. If I kept going like this, I could end up doing something even weirder to her, something that I didn’t even understand. I had to have a proper conversation with her when I returned, one about being just normal friends. As she was right now, I was sure she would accept it.

     Otherwise, I…

     I grabbed some thick pants from my closet and returned to the living room.

     Sorahashi-san was still sitting on the floor.

     「Sorahashi-san, I brought you something to wear.」

     「Woof.」

     「Sorahashi-san? We’re already done with that. Sora…」

     A shock ran through my body. The chill of the floor penetrated through my uniform, freezing my back. The moment I realized I had been pushed down, I felt a pain run down my neck.

     My body jumped in surprise.

     She undid several buttons on my blouse and began to gently bite the area near my underwear. For a while I was speechless, but eventually I came to my senses and spoke up.

     「Hey, quit it…!」

     「It’s not really disciplining if you stop halfway through, is it, Master?」

     「That’s…」

     「Untrained dogs can bite, you know.」

     When she bit me around my chest, my body jumped.

     「This is weird. It’s strange. You have to stop this.」

     「Why?」

     「Well, because…」

     「Even though you were having as much fun as I was, Master?」

     She grabbed my arms and pressed our bodies together, leaving me unable to move. Knowing that struggling wouldn’t get me anywhere, I relaxed.

     As I did, I felt her weight on me even more. It was the weight of life.

     Then, she put her lips to my ear.

     「You seemed like you were enjoying yourself so much, the way that you were smiling. …I’m having fun. You’re having fun. So is there really any need to stop?」

     「That’s what you call fun?」

     I asked, trying to avoid myself. Her chuckle filled my ears.

     「Yes, it is. I’m being both scolded and given plenty of love. I’ve always, always, wanted a relationship like this. It excites you too, doesn’t it, Kurumi?」

     There was a refreshing scent.

     One like the ocean during springtime. It reminded me of humans. It wasn’t the scent I wanted right now.

     I felt the restraint on my arms loosen, and I naturally reached for her blouse. Unbuttoning it, I could see the sweat on her breasts.

     It was probably by instinct, I think.

     I raised myself up a little and nuzzled my nose into her sweaty skin.

     It smelled of life. It wasn’t a beautiful scent, but it was one that certainly aroused my instincts. It must have been this scent that I’d longed for all this time. Why else would my heart be beating this heavily? My back tingled. My heart melted like honey.

     「Aha. Kurumi, you’re like a baby.」

     「…All wrong.」

     That wasn’t meant to be a rebuttal to Sorahashi-san.

     She chuckled.

     「That’s right. We’re in agreement.」

     She spoke as if she had guessed at the meaning of my words.

     Reason, the gazes of others, society, all of it — everything that I had been taught and understood since birth was crumbling to pieces. No matter how much we tried to cover it up, in the end, it might be that people are unable to act against their own instincts.

     But, something like that…

     I’d become so wavering that I no longer understood anything.

     「Let’s become beasts, Kurumi. In the end, humans are just beasts, after all. …It’s not anything bad.」

     「But…」

     「As long as we can both feel good, don’t you think it’s fine to just live by our instincts? It’s tiring to be rational all the time, isn’t it? So, come on…」

     She held me tightly to her chest.

     It felt soft, and the scent became stronger.

     Her scent was so strong that it made me choke, and my head was shaking. It felt as if I was going to cry, but it wasn’t a bad feeling. It was a scent that reminded me that humans were beasts.

     「…Is what you smell a lewd scent?」

     「…It is.」

     I heard the sound of something on the surface of my heart cracking.

     With all my common sense now shattered, what would I now desire from Sorahashi-san? Without understanding anything, I pressed my nose against her chest.

     This was wrong. No, it wasn’t. It was wrong after all.

     As those words battled inside my heart, my normal self faded away. However, her scent was pleasant to me. Of that, there was no doubt.

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