You're My Pet (きみはペット)

nijong

Momo…

Dad and Mom were fighting again.

Momo, I love you.

This is the pet I used to own as a child, Momo.

Hey, could you wash properly behind my ears too?

You're moving too much.

Don't splash so much! Momo!

More towards the front.

Where?

There, there.

Oh, that feels good!

And this is the pet I now own, Momo.

It was on a rainy day two weeks ago.

Two weeks ago

Let me see…

The last time I cried, I was in middle school.

It was when my pet got sick and died.

Since then, I've never cried again.

Oh, and when I broke a bone during Aikidou,

I felt the tears coming, but I didn't cry.

Lately I don't even laugh much because I've been too busy with work.

That's not very healthy.

My coworkers call me names like cyborg, Noh mask and kokeshi doll behind my back.

But you're so beautiful.

No…

I got dumped by a man.

He said that I lacked a sense of peace.

He said he felt inferior when he was with me.

Well, I graduated from Tokyo University and I've studied abroad at Harvard.

He was inferior to me in income, education, even in height.

But he's the one who cheated, not me.

I'm sick of men and their inferiority complexes.

Not that I still feel any attachment, nor am I hurt.

But I can't sleep.

My head has been hurting for ten days now.

I see.

I understand.

This is my first time seeing a therapist so I don't know,

but do you prescribe medication? Like a tranquilizer?

Well, let's try to smile.

Let me see you smile.

I see… It is true. You do lack a sense of peace.

Today's people are dry.

A smile is like a drop of water falling onto their dry hearts.

A beautiful drop of water… don't you think so?

No. I don't quite understand what you're trying to say.

No matter how beautiful and successful you are,

if you are not able to offer that water to people, as a person, you are the worst.

The worst?

Even a kokeshi doll could be considered cuter.

Thank you very much. That'll be enough.

Forgive me, I have not yet made my diagnosis.

It's fine.

It was stupid of me to see a counselor just for a slight headache.

Did you love him?

That man who was inferior to you in height and income.

I have just the cure for you.

Try crying…

... as much as you can.

No, I'd rather die than cry in front of other people.

Next patient, please.

You're lucky. You're pretty and smart.

Honestly speaking, it's easier for me to be with her.

Kuraki-san, where are the papers that I asked for?

I'm sorry, I'll prepare them right away!

If you start now, how long will it take?

Oh, umm… about an hour and a half.

Didn't I tell you to have them ready by 2 o'clock?

Nevermind. I'll prepare them myself.

I'm so sorry.

It's all right. I shouldn't have asked you.

I see Iwaya-san is scary as usual…

It's okay.

I know I'm not as smart as Iwaya-san…

Are you crying?

Don't cry, you poor thing.

Come on, don't cry.

Don't cry.

Iwaya-kun, don't cause trouble.

Don't behave the way you did during the government officials' visit.

My behavior?

I just greeted them as usual.

What I'm saying is…

Just because they touched your back a little, you don't have to jump out of your seat like that.

Excuse me, but they didn't touch my back, they touched my ass.

Oh, really?

Only Mr. Suzuki would have the guts to touch the butt of a fearsome woman like you.

Normal men would be too scared to do that.

Don't look so scary...

Would you like me to touch it too?

Shoot…

Getting angry over something like this...

What's wrong with me?

What am I going to do?

It'll either be a salary reduction or expulsion for improper behavior.

Trash?

Is he dead…?

What should I do… call the police?

No, an ambulance…

Rain?!

What am I going to do?

Oh, excuse me…

Umm, excuse me…

Good evening.

What is this box?

Oh, this actually isn't mine.

I told you, trash in bulk must be reported.

It's not trash. I just found it and picked it up.

Picked up? So it's an animal?

I told you pets are not allowed in this apartment complex.

It's not a pet.

Let me look inside. Is it a doggy or a kitty?

No!

It's even more suspicious that you try to hide it.

I will have to inspect that!

I'm telling you, it's not.

Iwaya-san,

Excuse me.

Iwaya-san,

Iwaya-san!

I guess first off, I should notify the police.

He's like a dog…

Wow… 39 degrees?

It tastes good.

The next morning, as the rain cleared,

the headache that had lasted ten days had also disappeared.

Oh… oh man, the report!

You are my pet

1. How to care for a beautiful boy

Shibusawa Rumi?

You know Goda Takeshi, correct?

Of course you know him,

he's your boyfriend.

What's this old man talking about?

I want to know his whereabouts.

If I knew, I would go see him myself, stupid!

Leave her alone. Rumi and Takeshi just broke up!

Don't say insensitive things to her, you old man.

Excuse me,

this man just asked us for prostitution.

Stupid Takeshi…

Please eat the soft rice.

Even if you have no appetite, I think you should eat.

I will take the key with me, so you can go home whenever you want.

What? You let a boy sleep at your house?

Yeah, it's just how things ended up in the course of events.

Sumire, even someone like you has to be careful about that kind of things.

What do you mean, someone like me?

Even for a strong person like you,

it could be dangerous to let a young man into the house so easily.

It's okay!

He has a delicate build. Plus, his arm was injured.

Injured? That seems even more suspicious.

He could be involved with something dangerous, like the yakuza.

That's hard to believe.

As soon as he wakes up, I'm sure he'll just obediently go home.

You make it sound like he's a stray cat.

Yes, that's it, Yuri-chan.

What?

He reminds me of Momo.

Momo?

Wasn't Momo the dog you had back in middle school?

Yeah. So I felt like I couldn't just leave him there.

Are you stupid?

Iwaya-kun.

Oh, chief. I'm really sorry about yester—

Official announcement

Iwaya Sumire of the External Affairs department will be transferred to the Lifestyle department.

Look, Iwaya-san from External Affairs is being moved to Lifestyle.

What? From External Affairs to Lifestyle?

That sucks, she was such an elite.

I heard she punched the External Affairs chief and knocked out his front tooth.

Scary.

Yeah, and she just got called to the Head Chief's office.

Sorry, I'll call you later.

Long time, no see.

Thank you very much. Please come again.

Here is your ashtray.

Thank you.

Please enjoy.

This is your spare key.

You could've just thrown it away.

Sorry, were you busy now?

Not particularly. How is your girlfriend?

Her baby's due next month, right?

How are you?

What do you mean?

Huh? Uhh… I mean…

how are you lately?

I'm fine.

Does it look like I've been spending my days crying?

But… you got transferred to the Lifestyle department, right?

I heard you had some trouble with your department chief,

so I was kind of worried…

He just broke his front tooth. In any case, it has nothing to do with you.

You don't have to talk like that.

It's pretty hard on you, isn't it?

Because I know that deep down, you're a very timid and thoughtful person.

I'm sorry I can't support you in a time like this, but…