Did… she even love me?

His father's words at a last request have Jiro still for a moment. As much as he understood that he wasn't the favorite son or offspring in general, Jiro still wished and pained for his father's approval. He knew he was lazier than some of the others, carrying on in his days in a more jovial style, but he never understood why his father wished them all to be so stiff like him. A thought settled over him, wondering if maybe...

Before he could register what he was doing, Jiro gets up on his paws and closes the distance between himself and his father. He reaches out and wraps his front legs around Hattori's shoulders, leaning his head to the side to bury it into his father's scruff. Squeezing tightly, he closes his eyes and stays quiet for a second. Embracing the warmth of his father even if the hug isn't returned, it's still something he needed.