NOVEL NEXT Chapter 15 - Chapter 15: Kuro's Feelings (Part 1)
Chapter 15: Kuro’s Feelings (Part 1)
(Kuro’s Perspective)
The earliest memory I have is of being in a dark, damp hole. I lived there with my companions, catching small bugs and fish. It seems I’m good at catching bugs and fish. The other companions couldn’t catch much. So, I always shared with them. But then, larger, stronger companions started to snatch the food I caught. It’s not like there isn’t always more to catch, but if they wanted some, they could just ask.
After living like that for a while, it gradually got colder. And there were fewer bugs and fish to catch. Even so, the bigger companions tried to take food from me. When they realized I didn’t have any food, they started hitting me. Truly, when food became scarce occasionally, the smallest companion died. This companion, even smaller than me within the group, became nothing but bones and skin, motionless like sleeping. Somehow, I started to hate being in this hole, so I decided to leave. After walking around in the hole for a very long time, I eventually noticed that there was a slightly warmer air flowing. I walked towards the direction where I felt the air strongly. And after walking even longer, I found light one day. This light connected to the outside world. When I went outside, my companions had somehow followed me.
In the outside world, there are bright times and dark times. The bright times are warm and very pleasant. Even during the dark times, it’s brighter than in the hole, and the breeze feels nice. I like looking at the small lights in the sky. And there are far more small creatures around than in the hole. When I’m hungry, I catch those creatures and eat them. But as usual, when my companions find me, they snatch away the food and hit me. Since I’m treated the same wherever I go, I’ve given up. I don’t like having my food taken away or being hit, but I’ve gotten used to it. Besides, there are many things here that I’ve never seen in the hole. Looking at those things makes me forget the unpleasantness quickly.
One day, while chasing a small, fast creature, I found something I had never seen before: a two-legged creature. It was different from any of my companions, and there were many of them, as if discussing something. Unlike my companions, they were very big. And they had various things attached to their bodies. They looked warm and nice. Wanting to see them closer, I approached, and one of them noticed me. When I waved, the two-legged creature said something loudly. Then, they all looked at me and started coming towards me, waving something like sticks. It felt similar to my companions who always hit me. Feeling somehow dangerous, I hurriedly ran towards where my companions were. The two-legged creatures followed me persistently. When my companions noticed the two-legged creatures’ voices, they all started making noise. The biggest companion, who often hit me, lunged at one of the two-legged creatures. The big companion was struck with a stick by one of the two-legged creatures, bleeding and rolling on the ground, motionless. Thinking it was dangerous, I hid behind some rocks, holding my head. Both the two-legged creatures and my companions were really annoying. I wish they’d do this when I’m not around. After a while, I couldn’t hear my companions’ voices anymore, so I slowly came out from behind the rocks. And then I found myself surrounded by many two-legged creatures. Not knowing what to do, I stood there, and roughly, they tied me up with rope and dragged me away. The larger companions, all motionless, and some of the smaller companions, half as much, were being dragged away like me. Am I going to be eaten by these two-legged creatures? Like the small creatures I’ve eaten so far.
And so, I’ve been dragged around by various two-legged creatures for a long time now. For now, I haven’t been eaten. In fact, sometimes they throw leftovers for me to eat, so I eat them. And as long as I’m tied up and being dragged, the two-legged creatures don’t hit me. I don’t like being pulled strongly, but being able to see various things is interesting.
One day, I encountered a two-legged creature that felt different from before. Various two-legged creatures had pulled my rope, but they always just pulled the rope without paying any attention to me. But this two-legged creature had been looking at me ever since our first encounter. Since I was looking at it too, our eyes met. When my eyes meet with this two-legged creature, I feel a strange sensation. It’s a feeling I’ve never experienced before, not even when I lived with my companions or when I was being led by other two-legged creatures. Somehow, I feel like I understand what this two-legged creature wants, and I feel like my thoughts are being conveyed. …Interesting! It quickly took off the rope and the heavy iron attached to my hands and feet. I feel so good that I can’t help but dance.
I learned that this two-legged creature is called Bonus. And I was given the name Kuro.