Tapu had barely unpacked two suitcases when he realized he wasn't the only new resident in Flat No. 13. There was a third one, with four legs, a wagging tail, and the kind of confidence only a Parisian dog could have.
The little brown creature sat on the arm of the sofa like a king on his throne. His ears were alert, his nose twitching, and his round dark eyes studied Tapu as if weighing his worth. Then, as if announcing his verdict, the dog let out a loud bark.
"Tapu, meet Baguette," Alina said casually, walking past with a cup of coffee in hand.
Tapu blinked. "Baguette? Like… the bread?"
"Yes, like the bread," she answered, unfazed. "Because he's long, thin, and always around food."
As if to prove her point, Baguette leapt off the sofa and nosed his way into Tapu's half-open suitcase. Within seconds, he was chewing the corner of Tapu's favorite shirt.
"Arre! Yeh kya kar raha hai?" Tapu rushed to rescue his shirt, but Baguette darted away, tail wagging mischievously.
Alina laughed. "He likes you."
Tapu raised an eyebrow. "In India, liking someone doesn't mean destroying their clothes."
But secretly, Tapu found the dog oddly charming. Baguette had an energy that made the apartment feel alive. Still, that didn't change the fact that his shirt now had a fresh set of teeth marks.
The next morning, Tapu got his true welcome to life with Baguette. He was peacefully making chai in the kitchen when he heard a loud crash. He turned to see the tiny beast dragging an entire baguette loaf—probably stolen from Alina's grocery bag—across the living room floor like a victorious hunter.
"Hey! Drop it!" Tapu chased him, but Baguette was too fast. He darted under the table, circled around the chair, and sprinted straight toward Tapu's legs. Tapu tripped, barely saving his tea from spilling.
By the time Alina came out of her room, Baguette was happily munching the bread. Tapu stood there with hair sticking up in frustration.
Alina just shook her head. "He does this with everyone. The bread never stood a chance."
Tapu groaned. "Your dog is a terrorist."
"No," Alina corrected him, "he's an artist. A performer of chaos."
That same afternoon, Tapu decided to step out for a walk around the neighborhood. Paris was still new to him, and he wanted to explore the streets. But as soon as he grabbed his jacket, Baguette bounced at the door, barking insistently.
"He wants to come," Alina explained.
Tapu hesitated. "But he doesn't listen!"
"Exactly. That's why you should take him. Consider it a training session," she smirked.
Reluctantly, Tapu clipped on the leash. For the first ten minutes, everything seemed fine. Baguette trotted proudly beside him, drawing attention from passersby. A few tourists even stopped to pet him. Tapu smiled awkwardly, pretending to be in control.
But peace didn't last. The moment Tapu paused at a café corner to check his phone, Baguette spotted a street performer juggling oranges. Before Tapu could react, the dog lunged forward, yanking the leash so hard Tapu stumbled.
In seconds, chaos erupted. Baguette darted into the middle of the performance, barking furiously at the flying oranges. The juggler lost his balance, the fruits came crashing down, and one orange smacked Tapu right in the chest. The audience burst into laughter.
"Baguette!" Tapu shouted, his face red as the tomatoes on the café tables. He wrestled the dog back into his arms while the juggler muttered angry French words Tapu didn't understand.
When Tapu finally returned to the flat, hair messed up and shirt stained with orange juice, Alina was waiting at the door.
"What happened to you?" she asked, trying not to laugh.
"Your dog ruined my reputation in Paris," Tapu declared dramatically. "From now on, I'm known as the guy who fought with oranges."
Alina burst out laughing, nearly spilling her coffee. "Don't worry. Paris forgives quickly. Especially if the dog is cute." She scratched Baguette's ears affectionately.
Tapu narrowed his eyes. "Cute? He's the devil in fur."
Baguette wagged his tail innocently, as if mocking Tapu.
Days turned into weeks, and Tapu realized living with Baguette was like being in an unpredictable comedy show. One day, the dog stole socks and hid them in Alina's plants. Another day, he barked non-stop at the neighbor's parrot, starting a shouting match between bird and dog.
But strangely, Tapu didn't hate it. He began to notice something: Baguette had a way of pulling him and Alina together.
Like the evening when Tapu was editing some video clips on his laptop. Baguette jumped onto his lap and accidentally pressed the keyboard, deleting hours of work. Tapu almost screamed, but before he could, Alina rushed over with a bowl of ice cream.
"Emergency peace offering," she said, handing him the bowl. "Trust me, ice cream fixes everything."
Tapu grumbled but took a spoonful. Baguette sat between them, happily licking Alina's hand.
For the first time, Tapu noticed how Alina's laughter softened her sharp edges, how her eyes sparkled when she teased him. Maybe Flat No. 13 wasn't cursed after all.
The turning point came on a rainy Sunday. Tapu was half-asleep on the couch when he heard frantic scratching at the door. He opened it to find Baguette standing outside, drenched and shivering, holding something in his mouth.
It was Tapu's missing wallet.
Tapu blinked in disbelief. "You found this?"
Alina appeared behind him, equally surprised. "He must have smelled it somewhere outside. He's actually clever when he wants to be."
Tapu crouched down and patted Baguette's wet fur. "Maybe you're not so bad after all, hmm?"
The dog barked happily and shook himself dry, spraying water all over Tapu's clothes.
Alina laughed so hard she nearly fell over. "Now you two are even."
Tapu sighed but smiled. "Fine. Maybe he can stay."
Baguette wagged his tail, as if declaring victory.
That night, as Tapu lay in bed, he thought about his strange new life. An unlucky apartment, a sarcastic French roommate, and a mischievous dog named after bread. None of it made sense, but for the first time in months, Tapu felt like he belonged somewhere.
And maybe—just maybe—the chaos wasn't so bad.
✨ End of Chapter 2