Chapter 44

A little after the group had left for the Fujikoba manor, Shy-kun was lying in his bed, looking at his phone.

He was still deeply upset about the whole ordeal.

One of his rabbits, Kaburagi, had lept up onto the bed with him.

It looks up at him, wanting a carrot.

Shy-kun was staring at his phone, looking for a sign.

Something, ANYTHING, that could be an indicator that this was a ruse, a sick joke.

He knew deep down, however, that by doing so, he was only living a lie.

The rabbit brushed its furry head against Shy-kun's arm to get his attention, snapping him out of his trance.

"Aiee!", exclaims Shy-kun, jolting and sitting up at the feeling of what touched him.

Shy-kun, looking down at the little culprit, says, "Oh, it's just you, Kaburagi. Don't scare me like that. Who let you out of your cage?", completely forgetting he had let the rabbit out of its cage to play with it a hour ago.

The rabbit looks up at him, confused, then proceeds to nudge his arm again.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me...", Shy-kun responds, putting his phone away, as if he could speak Lagomorph.

The rabbit nudges his arm once more.

"Really, I am. It's just...if Mademoiselle Delaroux were here, would she tell me not to worry?", Shy-kun asked Kaburagi.

The rabbit looked down, and grunted through its buck teeth.

"Y-yeah, maybe you're right. Still, it wouldn't hurt to check my messages to see if Fujikoba-san called...", he says, as he pulled out his phone.

Kaburagi had enough. He wanted his god damned carrot.

The little devil jumped off the bed, and started to chew Shy-kun's ankle.

"AAH! I GET IT! GOMENASAI! PUTTING MY PHONE AWAY NOW!", he shrieks in pain, tearing up.

Through the pain, formed his epiphany.

He picked up the rabbit, and nuzzled his nose with its nose in an Eskimo kiss.

"Mon cherie lapin! I know what I have to do now, thanks to you. Arigatou.", Shy-kun says, smiling at the fuzzfall.

He puts the rabbit in its cage, but not before taking a carrot out of the bag, and laying it next to him.

"That's for helping me solve my problem. I'll be back, ok?", Shy-kun says, turning off the lights, opening his room door.

He gives Kaburagi and the other rabbits one long look before closing the door behind him, putting on his shoes, and heading out.

(Okasan, Otousan, Anikis, my beautiful babies, and Delaroux-sensei...I know. I know what I must do. It's clear to me now that this is the answer.)