The Secret Promise

A corner of the park. From inside the bushes came a tiny voice. "...mrrn." When Hana peeked in — a fox kit. Curled in a ball, trembling. One front paw was hurt. "Are you okay?" As Hana drew near, the kit flinched and shrank back. Two round eyes stared, fixed on Hana.

Hana held out a biscuit from her pocket, very gently. The kit sniffed it… and chomp. Hana smiled. "Can I call you Kon?" Kon licked the tip of Hana's finger, just once. But whenever a person passed by, Kon scrambled back into the bushes to hide. "Hey, Kon. I won't tell anyone. It's our secret — just the two of us." And Hana made a pinky-promise.

After that, every single day, Hana slipped away to see Kon. She shared her food, and they talked in tiny whispers. Kon began to rest its chin on Hana's knee. A time no one else knew about — just the two of them. "Kon, you're my very best friend." And Hana's heart felt warm all over.

But one day, Kon's hurt paw just wouldn't get better. It was red and swollen now, and even walking seemed to pain Kon. Kon wouldn't even touch the beloved biscuits. "Kon…? What's wrong?" Kon slumped weakly against Hana's knee. Its little body was hotter than usual. And something in Hana's chest pulled tight.

Hana knew. She couldn't make Kon better all by herself. Her mother could. The animal doctor could. Surely, they would help. But — "Don't tell anyone." The pinky-promise she'd made with Kon. And Kon was so afraid of people. If Kon were taken away, maybe they'd never meet again.

Hana hugged Kon close, ever so gently. "I made you a promise." She remembered the day of the pinky-swear — the precious promise, the first time Kon ever trusted her. But in her arms, Kon's breathing was growing shallow: huff, huff. If she kept the promise, then Kon would… A tear spilled down Hana's cheek.

Kon opened its eyes just a sliver and looked at Hana — as if to say, "I'm okay." But Kon was not okay at all. Keep the promise, and Hana stays the friend who never betrayed Kon. Call for help, and the promise is broken — but maybe, just maybe, Kon could be saved. The park was deep in sunset now. What will Hana do?