B's Log R1ze Short Story

[gyaxa]

Daily Life at the HAMA House
Chapter 1: R1ze

Short stories featuring the 18TRIP characters will now be released bimonthly! For the very first story, the Morning Squad come together to search for Kafka’s pet dog Shumai. 

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A typical morning at the HAMA House—

Clambering loudly as can be, Renga rushed into the living room.

“Guys, we're in trouble!”

Yukikaze, who was in the middle of serving Liguang his breakfast, tilted his head. “What's wrong, Renga? You can have some of the leftovers of what I made for Liguang, if you missed out on breakfa—”

“That’s not it! I mean seriously… we're in trouble!”

After thanking Yukikaze for the food, Liguang sighed as he took hold of his chopsticks.

“Don't kick up a fuss in the morning. Just spit out what happened already.”

“Shumai…! Shumai went missing…!” Renga shouted out, Shumai’s leash gripped tightly in his hand. “He always runs straight over when it’s time for his walk, but he’s nowhere to be found…!”

Calmly, Liguang looked over the living room for any sign of Shumai before speaking up, “did you check if he's in any of the rooms?”

“I did! He wasn’t anywhere!”

“Then maybe Kafka is taking him out right now.”

Yukikaze rested a hand on Renga’s shoulder, who looked like he could burst out into tears any minute. Renga managed to calm down a little, thanks to the Yukikaze and Liguang’s composure, but he just shook his head in response.

“Kafka’s out fishing today, which is why I was gonna be the one to take him.” Just like that, Renga’s unease came right back, and a look of distress swept across his features. “W-What do we do…?! He must’ve ran away…!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll help you look for him. You don’t have to cry.”

“I-I’m not cryin’!”

Yukikaze readily offered his aid, and Liguang, seated beside him, set down his chopsticks as he wiped down his mouth. “... I’m free until noon. I can lend a hand.”

Upon seeing Liguang’s empty plate, Yukikaze’s eyes widened the slightest bit. “You’re already finished, Liguang? You must be really worried about Shumai, too.”

“... Don’t come up with any weird ideas, Kamina—”

“Y-You guys… Then let’s get searching!!”

The second they made to leave, however, the door swung open, and in came Kafka, holding his fishing gear as he blinked in surprise.

“Oh? What are you all up to?”

And right behind him was Ten, back from a long night out.

“‘m back… Is something up?”

“The two of you were together?”

Kafka shook his head in response to Yukikaze’s question. “We ran into each other just now.”

“Oh, I was out on the town drinking all night~”

“What are you guys doing?”

At Kafka’s question, Renga raised his voice in a panic, “Shumai’s missing! We were about to go searchin’ for him—” he cut himself off with a gasp, before hanging his head in shame, “I-I’m sorry, Kafka. I know I said I had it handled…”

“Don’t apologize, I’m always asking you for help with Shumai anyway. Let’s all search for him together.”

“... Why does it kinda sound like I’m included in that?”

“Because you are, Ten. Why wouldn’t you be?”

“... T-Tha… Thanks, you guys!!” Renga shouted out, his voice shaky.

After letting out a sigh, Liguang pointed at Kafka and Renga, “you two check around the routes you usually walk him on.”

“G-Got it!”

Liguang showed his phone, opened to the map app, as he continued, “most lost pets are usually found within three kilometers of their home if they’re found the same day. The rest of us will split up and go looking for him.”

“Alright.”

“Welp, whatever ya say~”

“I’ll ask everyone else to let us know if they spot him.”

Nodding their heads in agreement, everyone then went their separate ways.

 

After some time had passed since the five members of the Morning Squad went looking—

“Where the heck did he go…” Renga recalled the time Shumai ran away during one of their walks. “We managed to find him pretty quick then, but… what if we can’t this time…?”

At the very second Renga’s heart was about to give in from worry… he received a notification on PeChat.

 

“... SHUMAI!!!!”

When the five members of them came rushing back to the living room, they were greeted by Shumai, tilting his head with a confused bark.

“W-WHERE… WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU~~~?!”

Renga, on the verge of tears, took Shumai up into his arms, making Yachiyo start to tear up in turn. “W-What a heartwarming reunion…! I’m gonna cry too… *sniffle*!”

“Thanks for letting us know, Yachiyo. But… aren’t you supposed to be at the office right about now?”

The teary-eyed Yachiyo froze at Kafka’s remark. “AH, I’m… I’m so sorry!! I slept in… I’m on my way right now….!!”

“I’ll turn a blind eye just this once, so hurry~”

“O-OF COURSE!”

Once Yachiyo hurried off, Yukikaze began to speak, “so where was he?”

“Havin’ a lil photoshoot in our room! My shutter was flying—I got so many killer shots of this genius little puppers!” Akuta turned to face them, sporting a thumbs up.

To that, Liguang responded in a harsh tone, “so he was here the whole time? I recall a certain idiot telling us he checked everyone's rooms.”

Renga stiffened, before shrinking in place, “I mean… I couldn’t just barge in and risk waking someone up, so it’s not like I checked every room…”

“... Bèndàn.”

After spitting out his biting remark, Liguang started to make his leave.

“Shouldn’t you thank Liguang for helping, Renga?”

“Urgh… Damnit. Fine, Liguang, I wouldn’t mind offering you my thanks… Hey, wait up!”

Renga placed Shumai down, after which the dog rushed to his owner’s feet.

“Woof!”

“Hehe. Thanks to you, everyone in R1ze just got a little bit closer.”

As Kafka moved to pick up Shumai, Ten shot him a side-eye. “... You're sure ya didn’t know Shumai was home, Prez~?”

“How could I have? I came home the same time as you.”

“I wonder.”

Ten found himself shrugging at Kafka’s taciturn response.

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