May 7, 2018 was the last day of the long weekend. I left home around 11 in the morning to meet my friend. When I came back home, it was already dark outside. My room was right next to the front door, so I went straight to my room. I took some time there because I was putting my stuff down. I thought I saw my mom in the living room. Usually when my mom is in the living room and sees me coming back home, she greets me and says, “Oh, you’re home,” but she didn’t greet me that day. I was in my room for a pretty long time and didn’t say hi when I came back, but my mom didn’t even care about me. I felt a little weird, so I went to the living room. My dad and my brother were sitting in a corner and looking at a box in front of them. My mom was standing right next to them and staring at the box. For the first time, my mom wasn’t saying “You’re home” and so I wasn’t responding “Hi, yes.” Instead, the first thing I said that day was “What is that?” They were startled when I talked to them. My mom said “Oh! You’re home!” at last. When my brother moved a little, I could see a white cotton ball in the box. First, I thought “What is that?” Then, suddenly the cotton ball started to move, so I freaked out. And then, I saw it had a face. It was a white and tiny bunny with black ears and eyes. 

I was so surprised and confused. My brother explained that he and dad had driven about an hour to a farm and brought her home. I started recalling that my brother had wanted a bunny for a while. I loved bunnies as well, but I was frustrated by my brother and dad because of their irresponsibility and immaturity. I was badly shaken by my hamster’s death in 6th grade, so I didn’t want to say goodbye forever to another friend again. Let’s face it. The bunny would be more likely to die earlier than any of us. Also, although my brother said that he would be responsible for the bunny, since he spent much more time outside of the house, my mom would have to take care of the bunny. I gave a long speech, reproving my brother and dad. We already had experienced living with a bunny when I was 5, and since we were so irresponsible, my mom sent the bunny back to where he came from. However, none of us was rational enough to bring the bunny back to the farm this time. From May 7, 2018, the bunny became the youngest daughter and sister to us. By the way, I found out that the bunny was a girl several months after we adopted her. Since I only had a brother, I was so excited to have a sister.

I’m afraid of animals even though I love them. Toto, my bunny is also easily scared, so during the first few weeks, we tried to be really careful to each other. When I was putting her snacks in her bowl, I was very careful not to touch her, and she stayed as far away as possible from me and just observed me suspiciously over there. One time I accidentally touched her, and we both freaked out and ran away from each other. As I saw my family getting closer to Toto, even my mom who used to be scared of animals as well, I wanted to stop being scared of her and be friends with her. I started spending time with her more and tried patting her several times. Finally, she didn’t startle when I touched her. Looking at her sparkling eyes and patting her soft fur became my favorite thing. Toto falling asleep while I pet her gave me the happiest feeling. She is curious about everything and usually observes everything by smelling. Her nose, full of curiosity, is the cutest thing in the world. Toto loves eating fruits, and I’m so happy to finally share my enthusiasm for fruit with someone in my home.  

She isn’t just a cute little bunny. She is an amazing friend and a sister. During the first semester in my sophomore year, because of Covid, I took asynchronous classes, with a 14-hour time difference from my school schedule. My sleep schedule had completely changed. Going out to the living room at 4 in the morning to print out my assignments became my daily life. The house was of course very dark and silent. Every time I saw an empty living room and closed rooms where my family was peacefully asleep made me feel left out. Full of lethargy, I used to enter the living room. Yet from the darkness, Toto always greeted me with her sparkling eyes, which were completely different from mine. When she poked me with her nose, I could forget about my tiredness. No one cheered me up at 4 in the morning when I tried to do my homework, except Toto. I can never forget how I was grateful to Toto during that semester.

She wasn’t just a good friend and a sister to me. Her existence had entirely changed my family. My family used to be like a cluster of stars. We’re bonded in a house because we are a family and so others will see us as a family. But inside the house, we don’t actually spend our time together and keep our distance from each other. My brother and I spend most of our time in our own rooms. My mom reads her books or listens to her favorite music usually in the dressing room or sometimes in the living room. My dad studies photography, Googles good places for fishing, or watches TV shows in my parents’ room. Even if we all were in the house, we had different patterns, so four of us rarely had dinner together. We spent our time doing our own activities, and we usually didn’t talk much to each other. Usually the house was quiet since we didn’t talk much, but sometimes we had big arguments, and that made the house tumultuous. 

However, after Toto came to the house, my family started to stay in the living room not just because we had to print something out or ask for help from each other but to see Toto. When someone was having a meal in the dining room and trying to have a conversation with Toto, others who listened to the attempt to converse with the bunny came out because it is hilarious but adorable at the same time, and they can’t resist. It unintentionally led us to sit and have some food together. Before Toto came to the house, when my family occasionally had dinner together, we just sat and ate and left the table. Ever since she came, we sat and ate and looked at Toto and talked about how cute she is. When we had arguments, we tried to end the arguments quickly by apologizing first so that Toto wouldn’t get distressed by the noise. 

Toto is more than just a bunny. She is special. She brought more laughter, more talk, and more care to my family. I’ve never admitted my brother is right and I never will, but bringing Toto home was a great decision. I hate to admit, but my brother made the right choice and I really should give credit to that.