But then, from the other side of the park, came a familiar voice. It was one of his humans, rushing towards him with a big grin. “Mon! There you are! Happy Birthday, you little rascal!”
Before Mon could even react, he was scooped up and hugged tightly. His heart skipped a beat. Was this real? Could someone actually be celebrating him?
And just as he was about to dismiss it all as a fluke, another voice chimed in. “There’s the birthday pup! We’ve been looking all over for you!” More and more of his family gathered around, pulling out a small, handmade cake just for him, with his name written in icing.
Mon’s tail began to wag ever so slowly, gaining speed. Maybe it wasn’t about how he looked. Maybe, just maybe, he was loved just the way he was.