Together they journeyed about 70km on foot, and after pleading and negotiating with Hachiko's actual owners, Alixson Mangundok will be keeping the dog.

If you're lost, well, here's a little background on the story.

34-year-old Alixson made the headlines recently after deciding to journey on foot from Kota Kinabalu to his hometown in Kota Marudu for fear that he would infect people with COVID-19.

Alixson had just returned to the country from Japan, and after being screened at the airport, authorities confirmed that he did not show any symptoms of the disease but told him to go home and self-quarantine for 14 days, just in case.

"I was a bit anxious when they told me that. I did not want to take a bus home for fear that I would infect other people and also did not want to return home as I have elderly parents and children as well.

"I then remembered this pondok that my father had built on our farm, and I thought that I'd just walk and stay there until the quarantine period was over," he said when contacted by Rojak Daily.

The pondok Alixson was referring to is actually a traditional house built by his father several years ago. There's more on the house later on in the story.

When man met dog

"If I remember correctly, I met Hachiko about an hour into my journey. He was walking towards me, and when we met, he just suddenly decided to tag along.

"I like animals, and I did not mind the dog tagging along. In fact, when I look back on our journey, I believe that he was my protector and guide," he said.

Alixson said that he had to pass by many different villages along the way and if Hachiko was not there, people would have been more weary of him.

"Imagine a strange man walking through your town. Now, with Hachiko by my side, no one saw me as a threat," he said.

He also added that people with ill intentions would also think twice about doing anything to him because he had a dog by his side.

"Hachiko was also a blessing because I walked mostly at night because it was cooler and with Hachiko by my side, I felt brave. Nothing much worried me," he said.

Hachiko, the motivator

Alixson said that there were a few times when he stopped along the way to take a nap and he remembered how Hachiko would scratch at him, pull his shirt with his teeth and urge him to move on.

"He did that about three times the first night. I think it was either to motivate me to move on or perhaps he sensed danger and did not want me to sleep there," he said.

The whole journey took the two of them about three days to complete.

Roadblocks along the way

Surviving on mostly water, Alixson and Hachiko travelled together and even bumped into police roadblocks along the way.

"Most of the time, the police could not believe that I was making the trip on foot, but after checking my papers, they realised that I was indeed doing it.

"Some of them offered me food, water and even advised me to just put up at a nearby hotel instead of travelling by foot," he said.

He added that despite engaging in conversations with strangers along the way, he was still mindful of keeping a distance.

Determined to break the chain

"I really did not want to infect anyone. Some offered to send me home but I declined.

"When I reached the Kota Belud city border, my brother spotted me walking by the side of the road.

"It was quite a reunion because he told me that the whole family was worried and was wondering what happened to me," he said, explaining that his phone had died on the first day and he had no way to contact them.

Alixson said that his brother offered to bring him home but he declined as well.

"My brother eventually went home, brought a relative with another vehicle and then I used that one to drive home with Hachiko," he said.

When the owner came calling

After news broke out on Alixson's amazing journey, Hachiko's actual owner, who revealed that the dog's original name was Kutu, came forward to claim him.

"I agreed at first but then the owners had problems getting to my place because of the MCO roadblocks.

"I then took it as fate and pleaded with them about keeping Hachiko," he said, adding that the owners eventually gave in.

Alixson said that now, he was just waiting it out at the hut in his farm with Hachiko by his side.

In need of help

"I'm happy that I got home safe and sound and I truly never expected for our story to go viral," he laughed, saying that if he could change one thing about the experience, it would be that he had a fully charged phone to take pictures throughout the trip.

Alixson said that the both of them were doing fine but what he actually needed was to put up a fence to keep Hachiko away from the main road.

"It's a huge open space and he likes running around so it gets me worried sometimes. I just hope an NGO or someone else can help me put up a fence," he said, adding that he also hoped to put up a small monument of Hachiko on his property one day.

Alixson said that a monument could even be at the farm where he was currently being quarantined.

"Why not. Hachiko is here and we're living in a beautiful 'Walai Tobilung' which is a traditional house by the Tobilung tribe built single-handedly by my father," he said.

On if he plans on more trips with his faithful friend, Alixson cheerfully replied: "With Hachiko by my side, I would not mind!"