The next day, as I was setting up the tablet, Potato was clearly fascinated by it, poking at the screen with intense curiosity.
He was surprisingly skilled at navigating the screen with his paw.
I never knew tablets could even register paw touches.
「Hey, that’s not food, you know.」
I had set the wallpaper to a picture of potato chips so it would be easy to recognize if he ever dropped it.
But instead, he tried to bite the tablet.
This was the literal definition of “glued to the screen.”
No, in Potato’s case, it was more like he was about to take a bite out of it.
He looked just like a kid who had just gotten a brand-new toy.
「Potato, you should keep some distance from the screen.」
『Ehh…』
The moment I looked away, he actually sank his teeth into the tablet.
Maybe he was just hungry.
His eyes were locked onto the potato chips on the screen, and drool was dripping onto the floor.
「Pote-chan, there’s potato dishes for you again today.」
Grandma was just as soft on him as ever.
The second he heard about potato dishes, he completely lost interest in the tablet and was already sitting in the living room, waiting.
His drool wouldn’t stop, so he even had a bucket ready.
「Tato tato!」
「There’s plenty for you too, Dori-chan.」
Actually, it wasn’t just Potato—Grandma was sweet to everyone in this house.
Cooking for her family was probably her greatest joy.
Lately, Haruki had been eating at our place less often, and she seemed busier than ever in the kitchen.
That’s why I started helping her out more.
Maybe this was my way of being a good grandson.
「Chips-chan’s pups will be born soon, so Potato, you’re going to be a father.」
「I’m not sure if he’s ready for that…」
『Grrrrr…』
See? He’s already glaring at me.
Chips’ belly had grown a lot, and she was struggling to move around.
Lately, she spent more time lying down than anything else.
She was probably exhausted.
「Papa! Hangwy hangwy!」
Dori came running into the kitchen, pointing at Potato.
So that growling sound earlier wasn’t from anger—it was his stomach rumbling.
He was just starving and giving me death stares to hurry up and cook.
I really wonder if he can handle being a father.
Then again, I’m just as unsure if I’m doing a good job as Dori’s dad.
Lately, I feel like I’m the one being raised by Dori instead.
Maybe that’s just how parents grow into their roles over time.
「Grandma, is it okay if I give Potato some cucumber?」
「It’s better than giving him candy, at least.」
I took a cucumber out of the fridge and quickly made some miso mayo dip.
All it took was mixing miso, mayonnaise, and a bit of sugar, but it paired perfectly with cucumbers.
Ever since Potato and Karaage had a taste of it at the dining table, they’ve been obsessed with it.
Now, they regularly beg for it, so I’ve started giving it to them as a treat.
「I brought some cucumber snacks.」
The moment I set the plate on the table, a small crowd gathered around.
「I really like this veggie miso mayo dip too.」
Sena, who had been watching over the fields through the tablet by the TV, perked up and rushed over.
She was doing a solid job as our household’s guard.
「By the way, is it really okay for a dog and a chicken to eat miso mayo dip?」
I glanced at Potato and Karaage, and they exchanged a look before nodding in sync.
It’s completely normal in our house by now, but they really do eat just about anything.
Dori used to hate meat, but over time, he started eating it bit by bit.
Now, he doesn’t seem to have any food preferences at all.
Potato and Karaage, on the other hand, have been devouring anything and everything from the start.
「Maybe they’re just in their growth phase.」
Kids tend to be picky eaters at first, but the fewer preferences they have, the bigger they tend to grow.
「Yeah, Karaage’s gotten a lot bigger than before.」
The once round and tiny Karaage was steadily growing.
He was already about the size of a medium-sized dog.
At this rate, I was starting to worry about how much bigger he’d get.
Right now, he still sleeps inside with us, but if he gets too big, he might not even fit in the house anymore.
If he ever gets stuck on the staircase, I might have to build him a new sleeping area.
「Dinner will be ready soon, so just wait a little longer, okay?」
「Okay!」
『Woof!』
I headed back to the kitchen to continue helping out.
Meanwhile, Dori and the others happily munched on their cucumber with miso mayo.
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