I.N.K. (Inu No Kaneko) | Original Kemonomimi Light Novel

Chapter 3: Its A Boy

It had been a week since the incident. Kaneko spent each day the same way-she'd wake up, go to school, go to work, and come home. She would sit in her room and draw for hours, not eating, barely sleeping because when she did all she had were nightmares. Her heart felt absent as her days went on, now a constant shade of grey. One day she went to the kitchen and opened the fridge, finally deciding to try to eat something. The cold chill of the fridge touched her skin as she opened the door and something surprised her. It was a plate of what she could only guess was cookies sitting in the fridge. She picked it up and found a note tied to the clear plastic wrapped around it. She read it out loud as tears started to fall, her heart finally beating for the first time in a week, as she realized what had been wrong. To Mistress. Love, Inu, she read, falling to her knees and hugging the plate of wrapped cookies as tears streamed down her face. She realized she needed him; she couldn't live without him. Kaneko got up off of the floor, now more determined than ever, and went to the phone, picking it up and dialing a number she had repeated, over and over again, wondering why she had typed it the first time a week ago. She waited as the phone rang. "Hello? This i- " a voice said from the other side and Kaneko didn't let them finish before she cut them off.

"I want a boy!" she blurted out to the lady from the orphanage.

The next day, Kaneko woke up over-joyed to get out of bed. For the first time in what felt like forever she had been... happy. She ran about the house, taking a shower and getting dressed quickly in her nicest dress before grabbing a piece of toast and chocolate spread and heading out the door with her coat and shoes on. The world seemed brighter that day with more color, more beautiful sounds, and the air even smelling sweet. She got in her car and drove off down the road towards the orphanage. She was going to see him-the boy she had missed so much in the past week. She was going to see Inu and she couldn't wait one more second.

She drove into the drive way of the building, large, brick, almost Victorian. She pulled into a parking spot and hopped out onto the snow-covered ground, trying her best not to slip on the ice as she ran up the steps and to the door, trying her best to ring it with howuch she was shaking. She breathed in and out, calming down and shaking off her jitters. This was important; she needed to be mature. The door opened and an older woman with a smile on her face was on the other side. "Why hello, welcome to Daniels home for Lost Boys and Girls. I'm Anjela and I'm here to help you find your perfect child," she smiled a bit cheesily; she had obviously rehearsed that speech many times. "And you are?" she asked politely

"Kaneko, Kaneko Ai Hogosha," Kaneko smiled back and shook her out reached hand politely.

"Pleased to meet you; won't you come in?" Anjela said stepping out of the way, revealing the huge interior of the house. Bigger on the inside, Kaneko thought to herself, amazed. She stepped in and Anjela started the tour. "What age?" she asked

"Around 5ish," Kaneko replied, getting a bit excited as she began to almost be able to hear her heart beat. Anjela walked her to a room full of young girls around Inu's age. "Oh no, no, no, I want a boy," Kaneko said with a small chuckle. Anjela looked at her a bit surprised.

"Are you sure about that?" she said with a bit of a nervous laugh. "As a single mother, a boy might be-" Kaneko cut her off

"A boy," she interrupted, and the lady nodded, leading her out of the room and up the stairs. She walked into the room and the boys lined up at the ends of their beds. They walked down the line and each boy looked almost like they were in the military. They had straight backs, straight faces and nothing seemed out of order except for one thing...there was one boy missing. Kaneko knowing exactly who it was. A sudden, familiar sound bounced a crossed the empty walls, a small sneeze came from the closet.

"Please stay here," Anjela told Kaneko before walking to the closet. "What are you doing in here?!" she said a bit angry.

"The other boys were picking on me." An oh so sweet and familiar voice said from the closet, just about making Kaneko cry. The boy came out from the closet, stepping out from behind the door and Kaneko put her hands to her mouth as tears started to fall, so happy to see that small boy once again. Her heart snapped when she saw his reaction of her. He looked at her with fright, pure fear and he ran out the back door.

"GET BACK HERE!" Anjela screamed, about ready to run after him but Kaneko ran after him, stopping next to Anjela.

"Let me handle this." Kaneko smiled confidently. She chased after him, following the sound of his footsteps as he ran down the halls. The sound stopped in a large living room. She looked around the room, a bit worried and nervous. Suddenly she heard something...a small sound of a child crying; she followed the sound up to a large chair that was sat in the corner of the room. She moved the chair, finding Inu curled up in a ball, crying into his hands, his back pressed against the corner. "Aw Inu," she said sympathetically as she went up to him and put her arms around him. Suddenly, she felt him push her away.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" he yelled, pushing himself further against the wall, looking fairly angry "YOU LEFT ME! LEFT ME WITH THEM!" He yelled louder at her as tears streamed down his face, breaking Kaneko's heart. She wanted so badly to kiss him, hug him, tell him everything would be alright, but it was her fault he was here.

"Hunny, I know you're mad, and I realized my mistake. I know you probably hate me right now but I just want to let you know tha-"

"NO! YOU DON'T TALK! YOU DON'T TALK TO ME!" he screamed as he covered his ears and closed his eyes, tensing up and whimpering like he always did when he cried very hard. She slowly wrapped her arms around him again and petted his hair.

"Shhhhh, everything will be alright," she said to him as she held him in her arms.

"Why?" Inu said, in between whimpers. "Why did you leave me?" he choked out as he leaned against her, too weak to fight it.

"I was scared, Inu, I was afraid I wouldn't give you what you needed," she said as her hands brushed through his thick cloud like hair.

"I was happy." He moved into her hug more as his tears slowed. "I was happy with you," he cried into her chest.

"I know, I realize that now, and I want to be happy with you, for as long as I can. I want to be there for you Inu, and, you know what?" she said lifting him up a bit so he can see just how serious she was. "I want to be your mommy... officially, and I want you to be my little boy." She smiled nervously "And I promise..." she hugged him again, placing a kiss on his head "I will never leave you again."

"You promise to never ever leave me?" he said pushing back to look into her eyes, his eyes filled with hope that was hanging on by a thread.

She kissed his nose than placed his forehead to hers. "Never again." She smiled, looking into his light blue, tear filled eyes. "Do we have a deal?" she asked, feeling hopeful.

He suddenly burst into tears, but this time it was different. They were tears of joy "YES, YES, YES!" He cried for joy and she smiled, hugging him. They sat there for around an hour before she picked him up and brought him to the office.

"I would like to adopt this little boy," Kaneko said, Inu on her hip as she smiled at him and then at Anjela.

Inu fell asleep on the way home from the orphanage, getting well deserved rest. They pulled into the driveway and Kaneko turned around, just happy to see him in the seat. He was sleeping so peacefully, she couldn't help but smile. She got out of the car and took him out of the seat, carrying him to the house and opening the door. She walked in; her house was completely different with him there. It was happier, brighter, and warmer. She brought him to her bedroom and laid him down before leaving to get ready for bed. She showered and put on her pajamas, putting her hair up in a ponytail before heading to her bedroom. She laid down next to her son as she smiled brightly. She scooted closer to him and kissed his small nose before running her fingers through his hair. "You're mine, my little boy," she whispered to him. "And I'll never let you go. I promised, and I keep my promises, okay?" she said, a tear slipping from her eyes. "I promise I'll never leave you again my sweet little boy... my sweet little Inu."