☁️

it had been raining horribly for days, and going outside was a questionable choice.

you were focused on your screen, watching a silly drama series while clutching a cushion, your eyebrows furrowed.

you truly needed the entertainment, or else you'd bore yourself after thirty-six hours of confinement.

“how dumb, why doesn't he just confess…?” you whispered to yourself, taking a sip of your sweet, warm tea without looking away from the unnecessarily heartbreaking scenes.

just then, you heard a knock on your door.

it was five past eleven, no one in their right mind would go out so late, let alone when it was raining like crazy.

you paused the series and went to your door with soft, hesitant steps, your eyes narrowing.

“...who is it?” you asked, not daring to open the door just yet.

a soft whining noise caught your attention, most likely a puppy's.

did someone abandon a pup on your doorstep?

oh gosh, who'd do such a thing?

you opened it immediately, and when you looked down, expecting to see a wet box with a poor little creature inside, you found a pair of polished yet soaked shoes instead.

“gotcha,” a voice echoed, making you jump and look up.

ah, of course.

valko, with a stupid grin on his face.

“you… what are you—?” the words died in your mouth as he stepped inside, drenched, water droplets falling onto your clean floor.

he discarded his coat and shook his entire body like a dog, not only making a mess, but getting you just as wet.

“valko!” you squeaked, covering your face in a pathetic attempt to protect yourself from the flying water.

he looked around briefly before sniffing the air, his nostrils flaring softly. he left muddy footprints all the way to the kitchen, his large frame looking out of place inside your cozy apartment.

you grunted under your breath, picking up his wet coat with the tips of your fingers, trying to avoid the small puddles he left carelessly behind.

he checked your pantry, then your fridge, his eyes slowly travelling around.

he only turned around when he sensed your presence behind him.

“you can't just come in and make a mess, valko!” you whined, crossing your arms over your chest. “what is this? why are you here so late? and… step away from the fridge, you're wet and you'll catch a cold!”

he straightened up and looked down at you.

“you don't have much protein,” he said, pointing back at the fridge before closing the door. “you need meat.”

you parted your lips to speak, then frowned.

what was this?

an inspection?

he kept walking around, and you followed despite yourself.

now, valko and you had… a thing.

you'd say it was casual, occasional.

you liked him, and he liked you, but you felt it'd be too rushed to invite him over to your sacred place, even though it'd been going on for months.

so, having him here, invading every inch as if he owned the place, was not in your plans.

he entered every room, analysing the furniture and your unmistakable scent.

he sat down on your bed, his large hands dragging one of your plushies over and holding it hostage against his chest.

that's when he finally addressed you.

“it's nice,” he nodded, leaning against the headboard. “it's big enough to have four or five pups running around.”

you immediately felt your skin turn hot, your eyes wide.

your heart almost gave out with how fast it was beating.

“v-valko?”

“okay, what about three?” he arched an eyebrow, tilting his head to the side. “and then three more when we move to my place. it's bigger.”

you finally had enough.

you stomped closer and yanked the plushie away, holding it close.

this man—

“you can't— you… first of all, you're getting my bed all wet! second of all, you…” you took a sharp inhale, closing your eyes briefly. “you can't just casually mention… c-children, valko.”

he looked down at the damp mattress before meeting your gaze again.

his fluffy ears emerged, and you hated when they did.

it was a vile tactic, a dirty move, especially when… when he made them go all droopy, and his golden eyes looked so sad…

oh, that sweet face…

no!

“stop, valko!” you turned around and closed your eyes. “bad boy, bad!”

seconds later, a pair of strong arms coiled around your waist, easily lifting you off the ground.

he nuzzled the back of your head and inhaled your scent, his tail swishing softly behind him.

“why didn't you tell me to come over sooner?” he asked, his breath brushing the shell of your ear.

you planned to squirm away and get out of his grasp, yet instead, you found yourself freezing in place.

you didn't expect him to ask that.

“why did i have to invite myself in?” he continued, his tone dropping even lower. “you didn't want me here, in your space?”

“valkie… isn't it too soon?” you whispered. “it's only been a couple of months…”

“soon?” he echoed, his fingers digging ever so slightly into your soft tummy. “it's been one hundred and fifty-seven days. that's five full moons, little bunny.”

your eyes fluttered, finally opening after a while. all you could see were your legs suspended in the air.

“we should be married by now. you, marked. me, claimed,” he nuzzled your jawline from behind, lingering there a little longer. “how much longer am i supposed to wait?”

“valko…”

“you keep saying my name. if you like it that much, use it to beg for me to make you mine.”

you gasped, his words making you feel a strange warmth in your chest, and a dizziness you couldn't explain.

he sat down all of a sudden, pulling you onto his lap. your back was against his chest, and he hid his face in your neck, as if it were his refuge.

you thought he'd grow uncontrollable, that you'd have to throw a cushion his way and make him calm down, that he'd mark you right then and there, taking what he saw as rightfully his.

but the seconds went by, slowly, and instead of the situation escalating, you heard a small whine, muffled and low.

his arms tightened around your body, refusing to let go.

“...please,” he whispered. “how much longer, bunny?”

your heart melted.

you didn't know if you were ready.

hell, you didn't even know if he was being serious about the six kids, and if he was, then you had lots of things to think about beforehand.

but the idea of being his, of being marked and claiming him as yours in return, wasn't strange.

you'd had a taste of what valko would be like as a partner for… a lot of days, as he so explicitly recalled, and you didn't regret a single moment spent with him.

“i… i'm not sure yet, valko,” you whispered, not daring to move an inch. “i can't give you a date.”

he sighed, and while you weren't looking at him, you knew his tail had dropped when you could no longer hear it thump against your bed anymore.

“but…” you continued.

one of his ears perked up with interest, his golden eyes now bright.

“but you… could stay the night. get to know where i live, and… explore my space.”

that's all it took for valko to stand up again, turn you around with ease, and pull you against his chest in a tight hug.

his tail wagged like a propeller, and he buried his nose in your hair, shamelessly taking deep breaths to carry your scent with him for longer.

“two more full moons at most,” he whispered, more to himself than to you. “no more.”

“valko, i just said—”

“i'll go clean up,” he kissed your lips, tilting your chin up with his index finger just to keep you in place. your eyes shut, and you instinctively returned the kiss, though it took you a few seconds to react.

when he pulled back, he brushed your lower lip with his thumb, noticing how it glistened with his saliva under the soft light of your lamp.

marked.

his.

“don't go anywhere,” he whispered, and that crooked, stupid grin came back to his face.

you were left speechless as he left your bedroom, his chest puffed out, and his fangs showing as he smirked.

you knew he'd take this as an opportunity to snoop around and mark his territory however he could, but instead of irritating you even more, you found it… somewhat adorable.

the rain kept falling outside, and your laptop had long since run out of battery, but you didn't mind.

the wet puppy now invading your space, checking whether you had enough food, whether your windows were secure enough, or whether your plushies were fluffier than him, was far more interesting than anything else.~

Do repeatedly submit/post/send your feedback over the next few weeks. Email them today, in a few days, on 9 July, and in the weeks after. Post on their social media every day. Overwhelm them and show them this isn't going to go away over a few free Wishes.

Do prepare to CONTINUE submitting/posting/sending your feedback over the next few months. Infold needs to see that we won't let this issue go. Schedule emails to be sent to them over the next 3 months. Draft X posts today and copy and paste them to post in a few months time. Draft your long-form in-app feedback in preperation for the update and the upcoming banners. Create reminders to check and comment on their posts weekly. Don't let them get comfortable. Be a dog with a bone (lol).

Do maintain a polite tone in your feedback (even when you are issuing a threat like leaving the game).

Do specify your current disappointments, long-term criticisms, and expectations for the future of the game should you continue to play.

Do clearly isolate your long-term issues with the game from the current issue of Valko's release. Make it clear that those issues are not resolved by delaying or permanently canceling Valko's debut.

Do talk positively about whatever you can (ie. enjoying other LIs, enjoying the content of the Main Story itself, appreciating the worldbuilding, etc). This may feel difficult, but it demonstrates that you are a passionate player. Infold can assume that a player so invested in the game would need something drastic to push them to leave.

Don't use profanity.

Don't reference CN players.

Don't bring up Infold's past mistakes. We need to stay focused on the current issues.

Don't criticize anything about Valko's teased content. This one may be unpopular, I know. If Infold is pulling back Valko's release, I don't think it's likely that they will be willing to invest any more time and money into his development. If they continue to get more and more criticisms about him and don't care to change anything about him, they will never release him. I'm not minimizing any fan's concerns; I'm suggesting we choose a priority.

If you are unsure where to start, here are some talking points:

Express your excitement over Valko (bonus points if you give reasons why). Did you come back from a long hiatus for him?

Express your disappointment over not having Valko in the game. How will it impact your enjoyment of the game?

Describe how you prepared for his anticipated arrival. • In-game (farm for dias, bought packs, etc) • On your devices (created storage space, bought a new device, etc) • Financially (budgeted for buying packs upon his release, etc)

Describe how you engaged in fandom around Valko. Did you create fanart, fanfiction, or other fanworks? How much were you consuming fanworks showcasing him? Demonstrating how beloved he was before any real content of his being released indicates a warm reception if/when he is released.

What are the current issues you experience with the game? Be specific. Describe exactly how they impact your gameplay. Suggest a concrete way those issues could be resolved. Assert that Valko's release being postponed or canceled will not resolve these issues.

Express concern for the changes to their planned story arc his absence would create. Question if those changes would be as enjoyable as their original plan.

(If you're feeling up to it) Acknowledge the amount of time, effort, and money that must have gone into creating Valko. Let them know it would disappoint you to see it go to waste.