Her When She Was 16
H - 5 / LAST
Vol / D - 1
A beautiful morning again—the start of a new season.
I heard many humans call it "spring."
Maybe that's how they separate seasons?
Humans are very intelligent, huh.
As always, I don't have much to do.
I sleep most of the time now, and since I'm pretty old, I can't go out and play like I used to.
I watch my master cook. I watch my other master stare at that strange glowing box all day.
Sometimes, instead of staring at other humans, he presses keys on another glowing box.
Strange devices... humans sure are funny.
My days of death feel near. I'll be leaving soon.
I wonder... will my masters be sad after I'm gone?
Or will they just adopt a new pet and forget me?
I hope they do.
I don't want them to be sad for me.
But then again... the old human who took care of my girlfriend didn't adopt a new pet either.
Maybe my masters won't, either.
It's hard to tell when humans are happy or angry.
Sometimes they smile but argue.
Sometimes they cry but laugh right after.
I'll never really understand them.
But one thing I do understand—they never leave each other.
I'm still grateful to my masters.
I often wonder what would've happened to me if she hadn't called out to me...
Or what if I hadn't trusted her?
No point thinking about that now.
My young master left one day in a strange moving object.
It released steam when it moved.
But this time... she didn't come back.
I waited.
And waited.
Six months passed.
And now... I'm lying on a white cloth.
My masters brought me somewhere.
I can see my own body.
But... I can't move it.
My masters are crying softly.
The air here feels strange.
Heavy. Quiet. Unkind.
I don't like it.
But I must protect my family.
Wait...
Did they just bury my body?
Why?
Is it because…
Have I... died?
But I can still see everything the same as always.
How can I be dead?
---
POV Change
"It's time, little one," said a voice—dark, yet soothing.
A devil-like figure appeared.
It seemed only Shyam could see it.
Kalu's real name had always been Shyam—when she, Ananya, first adopted him.
But everyone called him Kalu because of his deep black fur.
So she, too, had no other choice.
Ananya's mother Arovi and father Ankit stood by silently.
Ankit didn't cry, but the weight on his chest looked too heavy to carry.
"Who are you?" Shyam asked.
"I am Death," the figure replied.
"I show the path to souls who've lost their way."
Death stared at Arovi and Ankit.
"You had good parents."
"Yes," Shyam said softly.
"So… are you here to take me?"
Tears fell from Shyam's eyes as he watched his body be buried, and his family mourn.
"Yes," Death replied.
"Then… can I see her? Just one last time?"
Shyam's voice trembled.
Death simply nodded.
With a blink, they stood inside Ananya's new classroom.
She sat quietly at her bench, staring at the blackboard.
Sunlight touched her cheeks gently.
The room was still.
"She looks good," Shyam whispered.
"You can rest now," Death said. "She will be okay. I promise you."
"I hope you're right," Shyam said.
And then…
He vanished.
---
This story was inspired by Makoto Shinkai's She and Her Cat, but it's based on my real dog—Shyam.
All the characters named Shyam in my stories were born because of my love for him.
I don't know if I'll ever get to see him again…
But I hope I took good care of him while he was with me.
I hope heaven is kind to him.
Fly high, my best friend Shyam.
Your name will shine in my least popular stories and my most celebrated ones.
From tales I whisper only to myself... to stories I share with the world.
Thank you for being a small part of my life.
And thank you for staying beside me.
I look forward to meeting you in heaven someday—though I'm not sure if I'll make it there.