Hime is playing with a black cat.
"Meow"
"Meow"
Perhaps they were having a conversation. While exchanging meows, Hime was stroking the cat's body. The cat seemed to relax, as her small hands felt comfortable.
...Now, what should I do? Hime has become friends with the cat, but if I call out to her, will the cat run away?
Because of this anxiety, I couldn't say anything even when I approached him.
However, it seems my worries were unfounded.
"Oh, Yohei. Look, it's a kitty."
"Meow."
Hime called out first, and then the cat meowed. It was a short cry, almost like a greeting saying "Hello."
The cat's slightly bluish black eyes were looking straight at me. It had clearly seen me. However, it showed no signs of running away.
Apparently, there was no warning.
"...He's used to people. He doesn't run away at all."
"It doesn't seem to be a pet cat. It doesn't have a collar or anything."
Hearing this, I took another closer look at the black cat. I crouched down next to Hime and sure enough, there was no sign of a collar. There were no signs that it was owned by anyone.
"It's a stray kitty."
"But you don't seem to be very cautious."
"Maybe they know we won't harm them."
"You're right, Hime isn't scary at all."
The adorable girl appears so harmless that even small animals are not wary of her.
"It's not just me, it seems Yohei isn't scared either."
"Me too? Hmm, I wonder."
Compared to Hime, she is more than a size larger, so it's not surprising that cats would find her scary.
"Because, you see, he doesn't run away at all."
"...Can I touch it?"
As a test, I pointed out my index finger. I had read in an online article that this is the best way to communicate with cats.
"Meow."
Seeing my finger, the black cat meowed softly before rubbing its nose against it. It sniffed it, then licked it with its tongue before gently lowering its head.
It's as if they're saying, "I'll give you permission to pet me."
This time, when I stroked the area around the cat's head with the palm of my hand, the cat narrowed its eyes in pleasure. It seemed to approve of my touch.
"As I thought, you're not being cautious."
"Do you think we're compatible?"
"I think she has a good personality. By the way, my sister doesn't like animals."
"Hmm. That's surprising... I get the feeling you like animals, Hijiri-san."
"It's the opposite. Animals don't like Onee-chan. In fact, Onee-chan likes animals, but... I think she has a bad personality."
"It's not that he has a bad personality... I think it's that he has a bad appetite."
That's right. When you go to the aquarium, Kiyoshi is the type of person who says, "That fish looks delicious!" Perhaps animals also instinctively have a fear of being preyed upon.
"My sister boasts that she can even eat bugs."
"As expected."
While we were having this conversation, I continued to stroke the black cat. I patted its head, then its neck, then its back, and finally its buttocks, and the cat lifted its tail in pleasure. So I was able to stroke its tail as well.
"Youhei, you're really good at petting people."
"Really? Maybe it's because I see it a lot on videos."
"I see... so that's why you're so good at petting me."
"picture"
Well, I guess humans and cats are different.
But well, if it doesn't feel bad, then it's fine, right?
I was a little embarrassed when someone told me I was good at petting.