Suddenly on a Leash (1)

Chapter three

"I-I-I'm sorry, what?!"
This guy was just joking, right? I motioned to the new collar on my neck. "What's with the collar?? You're kidding me, right??"
He was as expressionless as when I first saw him. "No, I'm not kidding." He tugged lightly on the leash. "This leash is like a contract. You now belong to me."
"What?! No way! Let me go!" I tugged on the leash uselessly; it was tightly bound to me and didn't even budge. The man eyed me skeptically. "Didn't you hear me? We're bound. You can't just take the collar off."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. What was wrong with this fox-eared freak?! What did he mean we were bound?! None of this was making any sense! This couldn't be for real!
Maybe I'd died after all...!!
I tugged again at the leash, struggling to break free. In my breathless struggle, the man raised a hand. "Stop."
I scowled deeply at him, but even so, I could feel my body lose the will to fight. Lose the will? Why...?
When I looked at the man questioningly, he explained dryly, "I am your master now. You do as I say."
"... Who ARE you..?"
The fox straightened up to his full height, nearly a foot taller than I. "Sora."
I froze. Why did that name ring a bell..?
"Why does your name sound familiar?"
Disrespectfully, the man called "Sora" didn't answer my question. "I have given you your masters name. Give me yours; or I will make one up for you."
I growled, already growing irritated with this guy. "Excuse me?"
"Name."
"... It's Ayano."
He put his hand to his chin, seeming to think something over.
"... How about Cocoa instead?"
"DONT ASK MY NAME IF YOURE GOING TO CHANGE IT ANYWAY!!"

My head was spinning like a top. Talk about insane; first my bus crashes, then sinks into the lake, I almost drown, then suddenly I'm rescued by a strange youkai weirdo dude who then puts a leash on me and claims me as some weird pet of his. What kind of messed up day was I having?!
This wasn't real... That's right, it's all just a dream... I'm sure that I'll close my eyes, and when I open them, I'll be at Haruka's house, safe and sound...
"It's not a dream, Cocoa."
I flinched as Sora spoke unexpectedly.
"Hey, wait.. You can...?"

"Yes. Yes, I can."

I slouched.
This man was a psychopath.
He scratched the back of his soft-looking ear lazily. "That isn't a very nice thing to say about your master, Cocoa."

"Would you stop calling me Cocoa already?!?"

He shrugged it off nonchalantly and started to walk away, tugging lightly on the leash. "C'mon, girl."
I found myself dragging my feet after him, struggling to stop in my tracks as he dragged me away. "H-Hey! Stop! What're you doing!?"
Sora released a heavy, impatient sigh as he dragged me behind him. "How many times must I explain that you now belong to me, Cocoa?"

"My name is NOT Cocoa. And what do you mean 'I'm yours'? What makes you think you have some ownership over me?"

He stopped and turned to look at me blankly. "Don't you remember saying 'I'll do anything'...?"
I stopped fighting to blink at him in surprise. "... B... But I..."
I said that...?
Oh... That's right...
I'd been so desperate that I...
"But... I thought you just wanted money...! I-I mean, I can pay you, I have some money saved up..."

"I don't want money, Cocoa."

"Ayano."

"I'm claiming you as mine. That's all there is to it."

"What?! No! You can't make me...!"

"Oh, okay, then I'll just throw them all back in the water."

"... You wouldn't."

"I would."

I growled, furious. He was such a pain in the neck! "Fine. Whatever. But what about my life...? I have a family, you know!!"

"Well, you'll have to come up with something believable, then."

"You're seriously going to tear me away from my family?!"

"I'll give you visitation days."

"Are you serious?!"

"Pretty serious, yeah."

This couldn't be! Why???
Why did I have to have such a horrible turn of events?!
I was supposed to be this guy's pet forever...?

"... Why do you want me as your pet so badly?!"

I was surprised to find that he fell quiet.
"... That's classified."

"Classified? Why?"

"It's none of your business. Now, c'mon. I'm taking you to your new home."

He began to drag me away and I started to flail. "W-Wait! I still need an excuse to give my family!!"

"You're supposed to be with Haruka for two days, right? They'll never even notice."

"Huh?!"

How did he know about...?!

"But, how did you...?!"

"I just know things. Now c'mon."

He kept forcing me down the sidewalk. I struggled to dig my heels into the cement, trying to plant myself.
"B-but...! H-Haruka will notice! What then??"

"Call her and tell her your situation. She's your best friend, right? She'll believe you. We can trust her, can't we?"
I momentarily stopped struggling and just looked at him as he pulled me along.
But... How was it that he...?
"I can read your heart, Cocoa."

"QUIT CALLING ME COCOA!"