The soft jingle of bells was the first thing you noticed. You were sitting in your room, sketching in a notebook, when a gentle scratching sound at your door caught your attention. You opened it to find a familiar sight: Megumi's two Divine Dogs, the white one and the black one, sitting patiently on your doormat. Their tails were wagging, and the white dog held something in its mouth—a small, carefully folded piece of paper.

Your heart did a little flutter as you knelt down, the dogs nudging their heads against your hand as you took the note. You knew Megumi was shy, but this was a whole new level of adorable. You unfolded the paper, a small, elegant rectangle with his neat, precise handwriting on it. It wasn't the usual report or a reminder of a mission.

It simply said, in clear, direct prose: "I know you love dogs. I'm not as good with words. Will you go out with me? I'll buy you dinner. -Megumi." A blush crept up your cheeks. It was so perfectly him—straight to the point, no frills, but with a quiet sincerity that you knew was genuine. He hadn't just sent one dog, but both, a symbol of his complete trust in you. You looked back at the pair of canines, and they both sat, their ears perked, as if they were waiting for your answer.

​You quickly grabbed a pen and a piece of paper, writing your reply. You wanted to match his directness, but with a warmth that you knew he'd appreciate. You wrote: "Yes, I'd love to. Tell me when." You carefully folded the note and handed it back to the white dog, who took it gently in its mouth. The black dog gave a happy bark, its tail wagging so hard its whole body shook. They turned and trotted down the hall, disappearing around the corner, leaving you with a racing heart and a stupidly large grin on your face.

​A few minutes later, your phone buzzed with a message from Megumi. It was short and to the point, just as you'd expected: "Friday. 7 PM. I'll pick you up." You smiled, looking out your window. You could see Megumi in the courtyard below, his back to you, as he stood and pet his dogs. He hadn't even looked up to see if you were watching. But you knew, from the way his shoulders were a little less tense and the slight curve of his posture, that he was relieved.

He was a man of few words, but his actions—and his dogs—spoke volumes. You knew this was the start of something special, and you couldn't wait