There's just something about having a pet that can make people warm and happy. Taetae has Ginger, and when she plays with her I see a lot of her unknowing cute and caring side. And there's also my nemesis who has a pet cat, and I've seen her once make a smile that's not overdone and actually something really sincere.

So now, I'm on my way to pulling my parents in to let me have a dog. I was supposed to present to them a list why it's good to have a pet in the house, but the moment I'm in front of them---

"Please, daddy, I promise to take good care of it! And I'll be the one to feed it everyday!"

I can only go and plead, palms rubbing together in hopes of having one. I'm not Taetae, I can't write out big and meaningful words like she can!

Daddy and Mommy are busy giving signals to each other between my pleas. Meanwhile, Leo and Michelle have smiles on their faces. I know they're silently laughing at me, but I'm in a cru...crushall was it? A crucial moment!

Mommy's hand takes one of mine, and she rubs it with warmth, saying, "Stephanie, honey, you have to remember we're only staying here for the summer, right?"

"Then we'll take it back to Cali!" There's a strong whining mark when I end my sentence. I can't help it, I really want a doggy.

"Pffft, haha!" I can hear Leo's snicker beside me. I shoot him a look and he laughs even more. Ugh, what a brother.

"Mom, Dad, you know what, just give dear Steph a pet dog."

My eyes whip to Michelle in an instant and I feel great joy knowing someone's on my side. Yes, please! Please, please, please, please!!

My focus turns to Leo, as everyone else's, because he suddenly bursts in loud laughing that almost silences all our voices in the house.

"And why are you chuckling so hard, son?" Dad asks Leo.

Leo controls his outburst, shoulders shaking. "See, Stephi here just used too much aegyo for the world. Dad, Mom, this is serious. She's learning how to pull tricks up her sleeve and fast."

I hear Michelle hiss, "Please, you like it when Maria acts cute."

Daddy coughs, and we stop at him. He looks at me. "Do you promise to be responsible for the dog, Stephanie?"

"I promise."

"Pinky promise?"

I don't answer and curl my finger around Daddy's pinky. I see him smile from above.

"Alright, so here's what we're going to do. Leo here will accompany you tomorrow-"

"What?!" 

"-after your pottery class and you both can go eat out after."

"Can Taeyeon come with us too?" I ask between Leo and Dad's one-sided conversation. Leo will agree in the end (because food, duh) anyway.

"You're both sharing one mini pizza then, little missy," Leo agrees as an afterthought.

I don't say anything and run up to hug my parents and shower them with kisses. "Oh thank you thank you thank you thank you!"

For the love of all things pink, I am so thankful for having considerate parents. And sister. Aaaand brother. (I don't tell him though or his head will grow.)

They say when you feel excited for something to come, time either moves too fast or very, very slow. I don't know my case, just that after several small winks and now I'm inside the pet shop looking at all the animals in their cages. Taeyeon's by my side, us both crouched and going "ooh" and "aah" from here to there because there's so many!

"Yo Steph, Taeyeon, over here!" Leo shouts from somewhere.

"C'mon, Tae." I call my best friend who's having a staring contest with a white rabbit. "Tae. Tae. Tae!"

"Ha, I win!" She suddenly shouts, pointing a finger at the furball. "She blinked, Pany-ah. Haha!"

I snort softly and drag her along to the back. We finally see the source of the collective barks on a side surrounded by a fence. Leo pats my shoulder and pushes us to go near it. I grab Taeyeon's hand on instinct and we move over.

"What do you want, Pany-ah?"

"I'm not sure," I reply absent mindedly. I look around. "Something big? Something baby-ish? Something-" I gasp and continue, "something cute oh em gee!" My voice turns to a high-pitched squeal as I skip to the right and try to pet a small white dog. "Look, Taetae! It's a puppy!!" 

Taetae's hand goes over to my hand's side and I laugh at how the length of our hands fit almost all of the animal.

"You like that?" Leo asks me, also now by my side.

"Is it alright to get---"

The worker there encourages us with a laugh. I immediately hunch over and gently scoop the baby up to my lap. The white furball is warm and as excited as me, wagging its tail and paws.

Taeyeon gasps excitedly, "wow, he sure is fluffy!"

Fluffy furball is a boy. Too cute, I just---

I see on my lap a small baby with a face of an angel. Small black pearls stare back at me and I feel him breathing, knowing he is alive.

"It's..." I start.

Taetae urges me to go on, Leo too.

I release a laugh and almost shriek, "IT'S SO FLUFFY I'M GONNA DIE." With it, the pup barks back at me. It's like a small yip. He is adorable I can't even--- I just---

"Prince Fluffy." I choke out. "You're now Prince Fluffy. And you're mine, you hear me?"

"Oh dear, she's babying it already..." Leo's mutter passes my ears. "Alright then, we'll take it."

"Yah," Taeyeon calls me. "Prince Fluffy? Really?"

"Uhn." I enthuse. "I'll call him Prince, for short. He's the cutest dog in the world. And he's mine."

"...you're like a mom now."

"Then let me be one. Hmph!" I turn to Prince and ruffle his hair softly. He tries to bite my finger multiple times but surprisingly it doesn't hurt.

"A'rightie then, missy." Taeyeon leans over to our side. "I'll teach you how to take care of dear Prince over here. He can play with Ginger too-"

"And they can be best buds! Like us! Oh wow, this is perfect. I like it, I really do."

"Yeah, haha! Hey but first we need to go out to the cashier man. Leo oppa's there too, come on girl."

"Tsk, Taetae."

It's a short trip. I sign my and Prince's name on this scented paper and then we travel home, Prince on my lap, Prince wrapped on a small towel (he's so small, seriously), and very lastly Prince sleeping like the baby he is.

"Thanks for accompanying me, Tae..."

"No big deal, Pany-ah. I get to see your very first pet. It's nice, right?"

"Yeah. I'm gonna take care of him real good."

"Also, I tagged along because..."

"'Cause...?"

"OF THE FREE PIZZA! HELL YEAH-"

"Yah!" This is the only time I let go of a hand to push her and her cheeky laugh away from me and my sleepy baby. Prince better not wake up-

There's movement on my lap and theeen he's up and about. So much for peace in this car, aish. Good thing Leo will be taking our food home.

"Uh-oh. HellPany is here oh no oh no-"

"Hey Prince," I whisper to my dog. "Go and bite her for me, will you?" When I unwrap the blanket, Prince wobbles a little, taking small steps on the backseat where we sit. "Bite Taetae. Go!" I push him. Prince slides to Taetae's side the same time the front door opens, Leo and the pizzas in sight. All our attention goes to him.

"I have our food---oh," Leo stops, laughs midway, eyes crinkling the way mine also does. "Geez, you three are too cute. We'll eat our pizza when we're home, okay?"

"Ne, oppa!" Tae and I chorus. Prince barks too.

We all laugh at our silliness.

"Not you, Prince. You have dog food. For now. Heehee."

An hour later and our tummies are full of pizza, Prince with his dog food and me? A sense of responsibility and gentle love and care for him.

I think I was right in saying there's a different light when someone takes care of something. This sense of achievement under all the trials (goodness he wees like crazy it's cray cray) makes the end all the worth it.

Prince Fluffy is now a part of my world.