The red light turns green. Doraku Utage speeds straight ahead, and Hiratsuka Shizuka turns left. The two cars separate at the intersection. Hiratsuka Ryosuke lets out a sigh of relief. It's a good thing there are no such things as ghosts in this world. He turns to the girl in the driver's seat, a small smile on his face. Being able to live with the person he cherishes, even if it's just a simple, ordinary life, is the kind of happiness Ryosuke desires most.
A short time later, the sports car stops in front of their familiar apartment building. Shizuka gets out and stretches in the empty lot. The wide sleeves of her yukata slide down, revealing her fair, jade-like forearms. "Ah! Finally home! I really want a beer right now~"
Ryosuke also feels relaxed. A home is a place with family; a house is just a residence. This small apartment, where he has lived with his sister for so many years, is a true home.
"I'll go buy it. We also need to restock on some daily necessities," Ryosuke volunteers.
Shizuka takes a step forward and gently pinches his cheeks with her hands. She smiles sweetly, her voice full of tenderness. "You're the most reliable, Ryosuke. I'll leave it to you~"
Half an hour later, Ryosuke is walking toward his apartment with two large bags.
Meow Meow
Faint meows come from a nearby bush. Ryosuke follows the sound. A pure white kitten is curled up in an old cardboard box, meowing continuously. Not all pet owners are responsible. Many people abandon puppies and kittens, leaving them to fend for themselves. Most of these abandoned young animals don't survive. Even if they do, they grow up to be homeless stray dogs and cats.
Should I keep it? Shizuka doesn't seem to like pets. He's never seen her with one. Ryosuke shakes his head, glances at the kitten, and continues walking.
A minute later.
Meow Meow
This time, the meowing isn't coming from the kitten in the box. Hiratsuka Ryosuke squats down and puts the bags on the ground. He pulls out a weed and uses it as a cat toy. As he plays with the little, unknown-breed kitten, he meows back. The kitten twitches its two fluffy ears, its clear blue eyes filled with a hint of fear. It has stopped meowing and is just quietly staring at the male human in front of it.
Ryosuke picks up the kitten by its neck and supports its bottom with his other hand. He observes it carefully. "Ah, it's a little female cat," he says.
He puts the cat back in the box, but this time, the kitten's fur stands on end, and its ears perk up. It meows constantly. Ryosuke crouches on the ground, takes a tissue from his bag, and crumples it into a small ball. He holds it in front of the kitten. "Little cat, look at this." The cat is momentarily stunned. Its ears twitch, and its gaze follows the tissue ball in Ryosuke's hand. It shakes its head.
Ryosuke smiles and tosses the paper ball into the box. The kitten seems to have found a new toy. Its little paws keep pushing the paper ball around. After a while, it seems to be tired and curls up in the box again. Ryosuke looks around. Good. No one around.
Meow Meow
He starts meowing again, trying to get the cat's attention. He enjoys his time with the cat and loses track of time.
"Ryosuke, what are you doing here?"
A clear, sweet voice comes from behind him. Ryosuke's body stiffens, and the smile on his face freezes. He calms himself, turns around with a serene expression. Takanashi- no, Nibutani Shinka is holding a large bottle of a drink, looking at him with a strange expression.
Nibutani Shinka blinks her big, dewy eyes and walks over curiously. "Huh? What a cute little cat." She crouches next to Ryosuke, her face filled with surprise.
Meow Meow Nibutani Shinka smiles and makes a cute sound, which makes Ryosuke's HP drop a little. But the kitten doesn't respond to Nibutani Shinka. Its eyes are filled with caution toward this new female human.
Ryosuke reaches out and strokes the kitten's chin. The kitten rubs against his hand. Nibutani Shinka is suddenly on high alert. This cat is so cunning! But then she realizes it's just a cat and relaxes. This little cat is so cute.
"Ryosuke, do you want to keep it?" Nibutani Shinka's eyes light up.
From what he knows of his childhood friend, Hiratsuka Ryosuke sees right through her. As he expected, her next words are just what he thought. "If you don't want to keep it, can I? I need a familiar. Let's call it Hecate!" Nibutani Shinka says excitedly. She's already thinking about what kind of gear she'll make for the cat.
"No, look at the cat. It clearly likes me more," Ryosuke says calmly.
Nibutani Shinka pouts and stares at Ryosuke, her silence a form of protest. Then her eyes light up. She leans closer to Ryosuke and whispers in his ear. "Hey, Ryosuke, how about I take this little cat as my familiar, and you can keep me as a pet?"
"I can meow, too, meow~" "Ouch! Why do you always poke me?!"
Nibutani Shinka cries out, covering her forehead. This time, Hiratsuka Ryosuke doesn't look at her. He turns his head away, a rare blush on his otherwise calm face. Damn it. I almost went for it.Is this girl really this cute?
Hiratsuka Ryosuke takes a deep breath to calm himself down. His face returns to its usual placid state. He turns to Nibutani Shinka. "Dummy, you can't say things like that to people."
"I didn't! I only say that to you." Nibutani Shinka complains, covering her forehead. But then she realizes what she just said, and a blush appears on her face, too. That's weird. Why did I say that?Ugh, it must be that dummy Ryosuke's fault!
"Okay, I'll take this cat home and ask Shizuka-san. If not, you can ask your aunt about keeping it." "Also, I'm going to Fukuoka at the end of the month, so I'll need you to take care of it for me." Ryosuke says calmly.
"Huh? I want to go, too!" Nibutani Shinka says instinctively when she hears Ryosuke is going so far away.
Ryosuke explains, "I'm going for a tournament. You can watch it on TV. Fukuoka is too far."
"Oh..." Nibutani Shinka is dejected. She even forgets about getting custody of the cute kitten. Seeing her like a wilted cabbage, Ryosuke feels a pang of guilt. He sighs helplessly. "I'll ask Shizuka-san to see if she can take you if she has time. I'm going with the kendo club."
Nibutani Shinka's golden eyes light up again. "Really?" she asks excitedly.
Ryosuke nods.
"Then it's a promise. No matter how far you go, you can't leave me behind," Nibutani Shinka says, extending her pinky finger with a serious expression.
Seeing her regain her energy, Ryosuke extends his pinky, and the two lock their fingers. They look at each other and say the traditional Japanese saying in unison.
"Pinky promise, pinky promise. The one who lies will swallow a thousand needles."