The Mexican Black Kingsnake I raised for five years only responded to my body heat. His favorite thing was wrapping himself around my neck, flicking his tongue against my collarbone in an affectionate display. But after returning from a two-week business trip, I suddenly heard his inner thoughts: [Hiss... that pretty lady who fed me these past few days has amazing hands. I want her to scratch my belly...] [Hiss, even the way she placed the mice was perfect.] [Snake wants to go home with her.] I laughed out of sheer anger. I called my assistant right then and there: "Get me a Hognose snake. Within ten minutes." "And make sure it's not stupid." 1 The moment I pushed open the door, the smart lights illuminated the entire penthouse. Despite the exhaustion clinging to me from the trip, all I could think about was Onyx—my Mexican Black Kingsnake of five years. This little guy had a quirky temper. For five years, he would only settle down if he felt my body heat. I was busy with work and didn't have much time for him. Usually, after a short trip, no matter how late it was, I'd let him coil around me first, feeling that faint warmth beneath his icy scales. Onyx loved wrapping around my neck, as if marking his territory. His forked tongue flickering against my collarbone felt like a silent declaration, or maybe just affection. I once thought this bond was unique to us. "Onyx, Mama's home." Even though I wasn't sure if snakes understood human speech, I greeted him out of habit. I dropped my suitcase and walked toward the climate-controlled glass vivarium, my voice betraying an eagerness I hadn't noticed. "Did you miss Mama?" Inside the glass enclosure, the snake, black as satin, moved slowly and lifted his head. His emerald eyes gleamed coldly under the lights. He slithered toward the opening, habitually reaching for my outstretched finger. Just like always. But just as his small head was about to touch my fingertip, just as I was anticipating the cool touch of his scales... A clear, unfamiliar voice rang in my ear without warning: [Hiss... the pretty lady's technique was better. Scratching felt so good, made my whole body tingle.] My finger froze in mid-air, twitching involuntarily. Who said that? I whipped my head around. The spacious apartment was empty, save for one person and one snake. Was I hallucinating? I stared incredulously at the Black Kingsnake in front of me. He seemed confused too, tilting his black head, flicking his blue-purple tongue, hissing softly. We stared at each other. He looked innocent, as if asking why I hadn't petted him yet. Must have... heard it wrong. I took a deep breath, suppressing my erratic heartbeat, and reached out to touch Onyx again. He dodged. He. Dodged. Me. I felt like I'd been struck by lightning. I stood frozen. What was happening? In five years, aside from being shy at the very beginning, Onyx had never avoided my touch. He knew my scent! He knew my temperature! I refused to believe it. I reached for his head again. Hiss— In a flash, Onyx’s head retracted violently. He opened his mouth wide, letting out a threatening hiss. It was a pre-strike warning. If I moved another inch, he would lunge and constrict without hesitation. [Don't touch Snake!] [Uncomfortable.] [Dirty.] It felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over me. I was chilled to the bone. 2 [Tsk, Owner is clumsy. Always shoves food in the corner, making Snake go hunt it down.] [Unlike Pretty Lady. She fed Snake right to the mouth. Just had to lift my head to bite.] [Owner's petting technique sucks too. Sometimes pets against the scales. Almost annoyed Snake to death.] [And always kissing Snake. Smells weird. Snake doesn't like it. Annoying.] [Miss Pretty Lady. Want Pretty Lady to scratch Snake's belly.] The barrage of thoughts hit me, making me dizzy. Was this... Onyx's inner monologue? The smile on my face stiffened, then vanished. Blood rushed to my head, then drained away just as fast. For this two-week trip, afraid he’d go hungry, I hired a temporary pet sitter at a high rate. Her resume was impressive, a supposed reptile enthusiast. Impressive. Yeah. Impressive indeed! I straightened up slowly, looking down at Onyx in the glass tank. He seemed to realize his aggression was inappropriate and shrank back slightly. But in those eyes—eyes I used to call the most beautiful emeralds—there was a lingering longing for that "Pretty Lady." [Hiss... hiss... Snake misses Pretty Lady. She smells so good. Unlike Owner, too pungent...] [Snake wants to go home with Pretty Lady.] It felt like someone had chiseled a hole in my heart, the wind whistling through it. Five years of meticulous care. The climate-controlled tank alone cost me tens of thousands. I even shortened my trips because I was afraid he’d be lonely. And a two-week absence gets me "I want to go home with Pretty Lady"? The absurdity and the rage of betrayal made my heart tremble. But then, I laughed softly. I took out my phone and dialed my assistant directly. "Get me a Hognose snake. Within ten minutes." My voice was surprisingly calm. My assistant on the other end was clearly confused. "Huh? Ms. Su, you mean... a Hognose?" "Yes, a Hognose." I stared at Onyx, whose body had gone rigid inside the tank. I enunciated every word clearly. "I want an adult. The best specimen you can find. And—" I drew out the syllable. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Onyx poking his head out, staring at me. Fear, confusion, inquiry... He was observing me. "If it's stupid, I don't want it." I hung up. The air was dead silent. I watched Onyx slowly retract his head. His voice sounded in my ear again. [Hognose? That idiot snake that plays dead when scared?] [Too dumb. Only good for being a human pet.] [But good food for Snake. Just right.] [Owner still cares about Snake. Feeding me snake instead of mice now.] The funniest part was hearing the smugness in his tone. [Must be compensation for leaving Snake alone for so long.] [Every time Owner goes on a long hunt, she brings back good stuff. All-you-can-eat mice, comfier bedding, and...] I hadn't expected that walnut-sized brain of his to remember so much. He remembered all the good I did for him. Did that mean... there was still a chance to reconcile? A flicker of hope rose in my chest, only to be extinguished by his next thought: [Snake is willing to let Owner go hunting more often.] [That way Snake gets yummy food and gets to see Pretty Lady.] [Owner can stay gone forever. Just provide food.] ... Ha. My face went cold instantly. Dream on. Too bad the good life he fantasized about was never going to happen. 3 While waiting for my assistant, I sat near the vivarium and worked. My mind wasn't on it. I didn't have many hobbies, but I had a natural affinity for snakes. Even as a kid at the zoo, I only wanted to see the pythons in the reptile house. Other kids cried in fear; I wanted to climb in and sleep with them. Cold-blooded animals that lay in wait, gathering strength to deliver a fatal strike. I admired that. So five years ago, when I started my business from nothing and finally became "Ms. Su," my first gift to myself was Onyx. He was my first and only pet. I took care of him with everything I had. Even on business trips, I demanded daily reports, photos, and videos. I bought him the cleanest, most tender mice and filled his bowl with premium mineral water. And in return, he proved fickle. I slammed my laptop shut. I let out a long breath. It's just a snake. If his heart changed, then I didn't want him anymore. The doorbell rang. My assistant squeezed through the door, hugging a box, sweating profusely. "Ms. Su, here's the Hognose you asked for... I bought it..." She sat on the floor, carefully placing the box down. I opened it. A beautiful yellow-and-white Hognose snake flinched, sensing the change in environment. It looked up with blood-red beady eyes, appearing very confused. My assistant caught her breath and asked, "Ms. Su, is this... food for Onyx?" She had learned a thing or two about snakes from me over the years. "But... snake eating snake... isn't that dangerous?" "What if it hurts Onyx..." I smiled and shook my head. "It won't." "Huh?" The assistant was lost. I didn't explain. I pointed to Onyx's tank. "You know how to catch a snake, right?" "Y-yes." "Good." I stood up, holding the Hognose box, and winked at her. "Take Onyx out and clean the tank." "Then put this Hognose in." Onyx, who had lived in a luxury villa for five years, was getting evicted. 4 My assistant was stunned. She had been with me for a long time. Back when the company was just starting and the pay wasn't great. She was a fresh grad who knew nothing but handed me her resume. I saw she was willing to work, so I kept her. She watched me raise Onyx. She knew how much I cared. She opened her mouth to ask, but seeing my face, she swallowed her words. Rule number one of being an assistant: Don't overanalyze the boss. She gulped and walked silently to Onyx's tank. Onyx seemed to understand. He flattened his head, his blue-purple tongue flicking out with a warning hiss. [What is Owner doing! Why not feed Snake?] [Owner must be joking. Owner never lets anyone else touch Snake.] [Snake doesn't like this human. Go away!] [Snake wants Pretty Lady! Pretty Lady!] His thoughts were giving me a headache. If there was a mute button for Onyx, I would have pressed it. "Ms. Su... ah!" The assistant was still scared of Onyx. Her finger barely entered the tank before Onyx struck, forcing her to recoil. She didn't dare move again. She looked like she was about to cry. "Maybe you should do it... I'm scared..." Even though I told her Black Kingsnakes are non-venomous and constrictors. Their actual bite force might be less than the Hognose in my hand. But getting bitten by an adult snake isn't fun. "Get the spare tank from over there. I'll grab him." "Okay!" Relieved, she ran to get the plastic tub. I walked up to Onyx and looked down at him indifferently. Seeing me, his small black head reached up, tongue flickering. [Owner, Owner, Snake hungry...] [Why haven't you fed me the Hognose yet...] I reached out. Like always, he wrapped dependently around my finger. But the moment I touched him, I pinched his neck, right at the "seven-inch" mark (the vital spot). Hard. [Owner!] His panicked voice exploded in my ear. His tail instinctively wrapped around my hand, squeezing tight. A final struggle. [Owner! Pain! Can't breathe!] [Owner!] His screams elicited zero sympathy. I tossed him into the spare tank my assistant held out. The spare tank was basic. Just substrate, a plastic hide, a heat mat, and a water bowl. Onyx landed in a daze, curled up on the floor. It took him a while to lift his head, trembling. My assistant looked shocked by my roughness. "Ms. Su, th-that's Onyx... why..." I rotated my wrist, expression calm. "When I came back, he tried to attack me." "Five years and he's not tame. I don't have time to waste on him." "If you like him, take him." She shook her head vigorously. "No, no, I can't afford a snake." "Just leave him there. I need to clean this tank. Give me a hand." "O-okay, Ms. Su!" She closed the lid on the spare tank and helped me scrub the big vivarium. Snakes are sensitive to smell. I needed to wipe away every trace of Onyx so the Hognose could settle in. The process took three hours. Occasionally, I checked on the Hognose, not sparing a glance for Onyx on the floor. But I could hear his confused thoughts: [Is Owner cleaning the house for Snake?] [Snake knew it. Owner still loves Snake.] [But Owner hurt Snake too much! Snake has a temper now. Even with good food, Snake won't talk to Owner!] [What is Owner saying... Snake attacked her? Snake is just a snake, couldn't control instincts.] [Besides, Snake didn't hurt Owner.] [Owner is so petty. Snake bit Pretty Lady before, and she didn't throw Snake away. She called Snake strong...] Onyx, the dramatic snake, decided to ignore me and slithered into the plastic hide, leaving only his tail visible. I ignored his internal drama. Once the big tank was clean, I put the Hognose inside. This snake was either stupid or incredibly chill. The moment he was in, he started exploring. And his voice was full of wonder: [Wow, is this Snake's new home?] [So big, so majestic, love it!] [Snake saw it. Owner cleaned it herself.] [Thank you, Owner!] Those two sweet "Owners" filled me with satisfaction. And amusement. So cute. Totally different from Onyx. They say you should leave a new snake alone for three days, but I gently tapped his little head. "From now on, your name is Sunny." His yellow pattern looked like sunlight on snow.
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