Chapter 3
"Cat!"
"No, it's a dog."
"Cat! Caaaat!!"
"No... it's a dog!"
Shared values are incredibly important in marriage. The more things you agree on, the closer and more harmonious the relationship becomes. In fact, we share most of our values.
However, even as a married couple, we're still not the same person. There's always going to be some differences.
And one of the most classic examples of this—something that has sparked debates among humans for ages—something akin to the 'mushroom vs. bamboo shoot' debate— is...
"The pet we should have is definitely a cat!!"
"No... it's a dog!!!"
—The 'Dog vs. Cat' debate!!
Let me be clear: there is no superiority here. Dogs have their charm, and cats have theirs. It's just that Ritsuka is enchanted by the charm of cats, and I'm enchanted by the charm of dogs.
The catalyst was a shopping trip to buy a kitchen knife. While there, we casually glanced at the pet section. Ritsuka was captivated by a kitten, while I was charmed by a puppy. Normally, that would have been the end of it—just a fleeting moment of excitement. But there was one unexpected twist.
"Our place allows pets, right?"
That was Ritsuka's casual comment. When we were searching for a place to live, we made sure it was pet-friendly.
But the day came sooner than expected. The day when Ritsuka and I would argue...
"Cats are great! They're quiet, they don't need much care, and most of all, they're cute!"
"Dogs are great! They're loyal to their owners, always by your side, and above all, they're cute!"
We have no objections to owning a pet. But, due to budget constraints, we can only afford one.
"..."
We stared at each other for a moment. It could also be described as a glare, but since we're married, it was more like a gaze.
Without a word, Ritsuka laid her head on my lap as I sat on the sofa.
"Hey, Rou-kun♡"
"What is it, Ritsuka?"
"I love you♡"
Looking up at me directly, Ritsuka poked me lightly in the side with her finger, sweetly leaning in. Sweet? No, this was more like a request. She was clearly trying to win me over.
"I love you too, Ritsuka."
So, I leaned in towards Ritsuka, who was on my lap, and brushed her bangs aside to kiss her forehead.
"...Ahaha♡"
"Hehe."
We both gave each other thin smiles. Ritsuka turned over, as if to give me her back.
"Tch."
"Hey."
She clicked her tongue... If I were going to change my mind that easily, we wouldn't have this much of an argument over cats and dogs in the first place. But, I do want a dog. Not just alone, but with Ritsuka.
"Well, let's put this topic on hold for now. We’ll think about it later."
"Yeah, I don't want to fight with you, Rou-kun. I'll win anyway... (dark smile)."
"Don't start a fight right after saying that...!!"
"I'm not starting a fight~."
She turned over again and now pressed her face against my abs. I heard some muffled sounds. I gently patted Ritsuka's head.
"...Hot!!"
One part of my abs, where Ritsuka's lips touched, was oddly warm. It seemed like she was giving me a love bite.
＊
The issue was indefinitely postponed, and the dog vs. cat debate seemed to have found a temporary resolution... or so I thought.
"Rou-kun, there's dessert today. Cup ice cream! Chocolate flavor!"
"Oh, really? Nice."
"Should we eat it now?"
"Yeah, I’ll have some."
After dinner, Ritsuka placed it on the table with a small clink. It seemed to be cup ice cream.
The cup had a cute illustration of a cat on the surface, with a large advertisement on the side reading "Love, Cat Health," and the flavor written as "Gorgeous Tuna Flavor."
This definitely looks like ice cream for cats... It’s freezing cold too.
"...Ritsuka?"
"Ah! Oops, my bad! Here, this one's for you!"
She quickly replaced it with a regular cup of ice cream, hurriedly collecting the cat food cans.
"...Well, it’s something we’ll need eventually..."
She muttered that quietly to herself as she turned her back to me, clearly so I could hear.
Silently, I scooped some ice cream with my spoon. I see, so that’s how it’s going to be.
(She’s trying to win me over through the small things...!!)
Come to think of it, Ritsuka and I had long been at odds over the "fallen feather" issue. In that time, we had each experienced defeat at the hands of the other. But neither of us had ever been broken by those losses.
What I’m trying to say is—Ritsuka and I are both incredibly stubborn.
"I'm home!"
I came back from work, opened the front door, and let out a sigh of relief. There's something so calming about the smell of your own home. Ah, I’m so tired after today... I absentmindedly glanced at the top of the shoe rack.
(There are more little things... )
And they’re mostly cat-themed. Is this another one of those "outer perimeter" tactics, Ritsuka?
"Welcome home, Rou-kun!"
"I'm home. Hey, Ritsuka, what’s this?"
"Aren’t they cute?"
"Y-yeah."
Ritsuka came up to the entrance, smiling brightly. There were so many things I wanted to ask, but since the conclusion of "cute" was already put out in front of me, I couldn’t really say anything. Well, it is cute, though...
"I made curry today~. You like curry, right, Rou-kun?"
"I do. Especially the curry you make, Ritsuka."
"Thanks!"
That wasn’t just a compliment, either. I can make curry myself, but the curry Ritsuka makes is way better than mine. She probably adds her own little twists to it.
With a soft clink, the curry plate was placed in front of me. I swallowed nervously.
(The rice is shaped like a cat...)
The white rice was molded into a cat's face, and the eyes, nose, and whiskers were decorated with seaweed. For a 26-year-old to be eating something this fancy, cute, and definitely not normal for a dinner is a bit much, but still, undeniably cute.
"I-I’ll eat, then."
"Let’s eat!"
I’ve had Ritsuka’s cooking many times, but I’d never seen her make something like this—character-themed food or whatever you’d call it. This must be her idea of going all out. I looked at the ingredients.
(The potatoes and carrots are also cut into cat shapes...)
She must’ve put a lot of effort into this. If I had to do it myself, it’d be too much work, and I’d probably give up.
"Uh, this curry’s something else today. I can tell there’s a lot of effort put into it..."
"It’s cute, right?"
"Y-yeah."
I’m sure kids would love this kind of look. I’m not a kid, though.
I purposely chose not to comment on anything else and simply told her it was "delicious" before finishing everything on my plate. I even went for a second helping.
After dinner, I finished the dishes and, along with Ritsuka, we relaxed and watched a variety show.
As the show was nearing its end, Ritsuka stood up from the sofa.
"I’m going to start running the bath, nya."
"Huh? Hmm...?"
Did I mishear that? No, I must have misheard. I was probably just being overly sensitive.
"Who should go in first~?"
"You can go first, Ritsuka."
"Roger, nya~."
"........"
No, there’s still a possibility I misheard. Maybe she said "roger" but added a "nya" at the end. I don’t understand why she’d add a "nya" after "roger," but then again, I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t add a "nya," right?
So, maybe my ears are glitching? I’ll bet on that possibility.
"Mm, I’m getting sleepy. Should we go to bed soon?"
"Yeah."
Around midnight, Ritsuka stretched sleepily.
"Alright, Rou-kun. Good night, nya~."
"Huh? Did you just say that?"
I picked up on the tail end of her words, like a lame joke from a second-rate comedian.
I’m sorry, but there’s no way it was a mistake the third time. Ever since the bath, Ritsuka had been completely quiet with the "nya" thing—so I’d been chalking it up to a genuine mishearing.
Apparently, Ritsuka figured out what I was thinking, and she said, "Ah..."
"Wait, did I say 'nya' again?"
"If it wasn’t my mistake, then I swear I’ve heard it a few times already..."
"I see~. It’s just a habit, from when I was a kid."
Don’t lie...!! What kind of habit is that...?!
"Do you have any old videos or something? At least as proof...?"
"I don’t think so... but..."
Ritsuka suddenly turned around on the spot, made her hands into little cat paws, and struck a pose.
"Isn’t it cute?"
"You think I’m just going to stay quiet if you say that?"
Surprised by my unexpected comeback, Ritsuka blinked her eyes wide like a cat.
"........ Chuu♡"
"Hey."
But whether it was another attack or just a way to brush things off, Ritsuka blew me a kiss and quickly disappeared into her room. She made a quick getaway, just like a cat...
"Phew... Well, it was cute, but..."
I let out a big sigh. Sure, it was cute, but I figured I wasn’t the type who’d fall for a character who adds "nya" to the end of their sentences. After all, real cats don’t add "nya" to the end of their words.
＊
"──So, that's been happening recently."
"I see, I see."
During lunch break, I decided to talk to Ikoma-san about Ritsuka's recent, intense "cat attack."
"To be honest, senpai, this is your fault."
"Ugh... I knew it."
"Yep, yep. If you're that desperate to get a cat, isn't it your duty as a husband to accommodate her wishes?"
"Duty..."
Men are weak when it comes to words like "duty" or "sense of responsibility." It's like we get fixated on the size of something invisible, and the root of our pride often connects back to this.
I looked down at the bento Ritsuka made for me. Ikoma-san, too, peeked at my lunch.
As expected, there was a bento filled with cat-themed characters.
"This is so cute! This cat bento."
"Thanks. I'm happy you think so."
"Though, it loses half its cuteness when you eat it, senpai."
"Why do you have to say that?"
Well, I guess it's not every day you see someone my age eating a character bento...
Inside the bento, the cat-shaped rice balls were decorated with nori, just like the ones from the curry earlier.
It’s becoming clear—Ritsuka is really good at drawing. She's overflowing with artistic talent—something I don’t have.
"Well... since she's gone this far to make her point, I guess if I give in, everything will settle smoothly. By the way, Ikoma-san, are you more of a dog or a cat person?"
"I..."
Ikoma-san looked back and forth between my bento and my face. Was that necessary to choose between the two options?
"──I'm a dog person. When you think of humanity’s best friend, it's gotta be a dog!"
"Oh, you get it. Dogs are great!"
"Birds are great too."
An older man suddenly butted in, interrupting our newfound solidarity.
"Ugh. What’s this, boss? We don’t need a third option like that right now."
"Are you a bird person, boss?"
"Yeah. Even though the risk of them flying away and never coming back is huge, birds are great."
"The risk is way too big..."
"Well, for someone like me who's single, birds might be perfect. With dogs or cats, you end up having to take care of them constantly. It’d make me anxious if I had to leave them alone while going to work."
"But I want a dog or a cat, so birds are a no-go for me from the start."
"Yeah, that’s obvious. Judging by your bento, I can tell what your situation is. Well, as your superior, let me offer you some advice."
Compared to analyzing battle strategies or making decisions about the company, managing the subordinates seems like a breeze for the boss.
I’m not sure how much the boss understood, but the moment he handed me a piece of copy paper, I knew that a new option had opened up for me.
"Welcome home, Rou-kun!"
When I got home, my wife had cat ears on her head. That much was true.
"…I'm home. They suit you. You're cute."
To be precise, it was a cat-ear headband. I didn’t know where she got it from, or if she had it from the start, but I decided to strike first and declare how cute it was.
It was genuine; Ritsuka’s silver hair really suited the cat ears. I may not be into the "nya" at the end of sentences, but it turns out I'm the type who likes my wife with cat ears. It felt like I discovered a new side of myself.
"Oh, this? Well… they just appeared. Out of nowhere."
"Seriously? Should we go to the ENT?"
Stop with the lies…!!
It seems like Ritsuka has finally fully embraced the cat theme, to the point where she's turning into a cat herself. At this rate, I half expect that I'll be turned into a cat next. But I paused to think.
After all, I'm a guy. When I'm always on the receiving end, frustration builds up. It’s been like this for a long time—I've always been more skilled at taking the offensive than being defensive.
Perfect timing. I threw my work bag aside and loosened my tie a bit.
"But seriously──you're really cute."
"Right? Cats are cute, after all!"
"No, the one who's cute is you, Ritsuka."
It was a cheesy line, but since I meant it, there was no problem. I moved closer to Ritsuka, who looked a little confused, and cupped her small face with both hands, gently touching her.
Her skin was smooth and soft. My fingers slid over her skin effortlessly, sticking slightly but not letting go. When I applied a little pressure and pressed my fingers into her cheek, they sank slightly and met with just the faintest resistance.
"R-Rou-kun, what are you doing?"
Finally, Ritsuka started to feel something was off. I continued stroking her cheek, jawline, and the area just below her neck with my fingers, as if checking a delicate piece of pottery.
Yes, this was part of the "preparation" I set up before our wedding anniversary──I called it the "Gradually Closing the Distance with Ritsuka (so I can eventually lose my virginity) Strategy!"
Of course, it wasn’t about being forceful. It was more about becoming a little more proactive with touching Ritsuka in the course of our everyday lives. If she showed any sign of discomfort, I’d stop immediately, but if she accepted it, I'd take it as far as I could—keeping things flexible.
"Th-That tickles! And the way you're touching me… it's a little, um, inappropriate…"
"I'm just petting a cat."
"You're so bad at lying that you sound like a robot…"
If someone were to touch their face this much, they’d usually feel uncomfortable. Especially if the woman had makeup on. But we’re married, and Ritsuka is mostly bare-faced at home. Perhaps it’s not so much that she dislikes it, but more that she doesn’t mind it as much, even if she's confused, she doesn't resist.
Gradually, I could feel warmth through my fingers. Ritsuka was blushing. I see—when humans blush, they get this warm. Ritsuka must have a naturally high body temperature because she felt very warm.
"I’m just petting a cat... just petting a cat... a cat..."
"Rou-kun, um—"
Ritsuka’s eyes were glistening. I’m not really aware of things like erogenous zones, but if you keep touching the same area over and over, it seems inevitable that the body would react.
It wasn’t just cute, it was endearing. Since I loved her, that was natural. Whether or not she had cat ears, just looking at Ritsuka's face and touching her made my heart race.
I gently slid my index finger along her plump, pink lips. It was getting to be that dry time of year, and my lips had started to get rough. But hers were nothing like that—moist, like freshly ripened fruit. Her texture was different from her skin, and while we should be used to this with kisses, I’d never really touched her lips with my finger like this before.
"Ritsuka—"
I wanted to claim her. I moved in another half-step toward her—
Bite.
"GUAAHHHHH──────!!!"
"Fshhh!!"
—I got bitten. It was a pretty deep bite, too. I thought she was a cute kitten, but she turned out to be a wild cat.
"Don’t bite me!!"
"Huh? Cats bite, you know? Just like dogs."
"But here, at least give me one chance—"
"Shut up! You haven’t even washed your hands or gargled yet!"
"Oh, right…"
Of course, she bit me… I had no words in response to Ritsuka’s valid point. Honestly, I was moved by her kindness for allowing me this much.
"I’m making dinner, so hurry up and get ready!"
Ritsuka, her ears turning red, said that and turned on her heel.
The cat ears that had seemingly sprouted remained the only part of her that kept its natural color.
After dinner, I sat on the couch with the copy paper the department head had handed me and called out to Ritsuka.
"Ritsuka. I need to talk to you—"
Throughout dinner, Ritsuka had been wearing cat ears, but now, her head had transformed, and she had dog ears instead. I must have been gone to get the paper when she changed them. And seriously, why does she have so many different types of ears...?
"Oh, these? Yeah… they just grew in. Out of nowhere."
"You might need to go to a more specialized clinic than just an ENT at this point..."
"By the way, what’s the talk about?"
"Ah, well, it's about getting either a cat or a dog."
I handed Ritsuka the copy paper. She immediately began reading it aloud.
"Information on the animal rescue adoption event—"
Rescue animals. These are animals that have been abandoned or can no longer be kept by their original owners, temporarily taken in by some organization. The adoption event is meant to find new families, meaning they’re looking for people to adopt them.
There are various pros and cons to adopting a rescue animal, but one major benefit is that adoptions are usually cheaper than buying from pet shops.
It’s not that Ritsuka and I wanted a pedigree dog or cat raised by a breeder.
The biggest issue we were debating over, however, was the budget. So—
"My department head seemed to sense what we were thinking, and said, 'If the budget’s the only issue, why not just get both?' If we can’t decide between a dog or a cat, why not just get both…?"
"Something like that actually happened…?"
"Huh?"
Ritsuka looked surprised. She quickly said, "Wait here," and ran to her room before returning with a copy of the same flyer.
"Information on the animal rescue adoption event… huh, this is the same one as mine?"
"Well, um… actually, I talked to Yoshino about it recently. She scolded me, saying, 'Don’t just push your own preferences onto your husband.' And she was right, I hadn’t really considered you at all. I’m sorry, Rou-kun. I’ve been so focused on cats lately…"
"What do you mean by 'focused on cats'...?" I wondered, but I understood the general idea.
"I see. Well, I was at fault too. I kind of played it cool when you were getting all cat-obsessed, but, uh, earlier I did touch you how I felt."
"Yeah, so I ended up putting on… dog ears."
"That doesn't really make much sense…"
It seemed that Ritsuka’s decision to switch to dog ears came after reflecting on the intensity of her earlier "cat attack." It sounded like the department head had given her similar advice to what he had given me, essentially suggesting, "Why not just get both?"
"We should check out the adoption event this weekend, just the two of us. But let’s not feel pressured to adopt both. We should really think it through and decide. I’m a dog person, but if you want a cat, then a cat’s fine with me."
"Yeah, I’m a cat person, but if you want a dog, I’m okay with that too."
Adopting an animal means taking responsibility for its entire life. It’s too convenient to think you can get both a dog and a cat just to satisfy your own preferences. So, we should get the animal that we both really want. If it turns out to be both a dog and a cat, then we’ll just get both.
What should you do if there’s a difference in values between a couple? It’s simple, I think.
Instead of denying or being intolerant, we just need to understand each other, accept each other, or share our opinions.
The adoption event was surprisingly busy with people. A quick glance around revealed not only the usual dogs and cats, but also birds, snakes, lizards, and even insects and fish, all of which seemed to be endorsed by the department head.
However, according to the notice handed out when we entered the venue, it seems that simply saying "please" doesn’t mean "here you go." To adopt an animal, one must present identification, as well as provide detailed information about living arrangements, financial status, and family structure. After that, a meeting takes place, and only if the organization approves will the adoption be finalized.
"Quite a bit of paperwork, but I guess it’s thorough..."
"Well, they’re not just handing over animals, they’re looking for 'adoptive parents.' The people at the rescue organizations want the animals to live happy lives, so they’re probably just being careful. I think it’s a good thing they’re being so thorough."
"That’s true."
This isn’t the kind of event you should attend thinking, "I can just get a cheap pet." Even though that might be one aspect of it, adopting an animal, especially a rescue animal, comes with significant responsibility. I took a deep breath and reset my thoughts.
"You don’t need to look so serious, it’s fine."
"Huh?"
"Yeah, Rou-kun. If you look like that, you’ll make these little guys nervous too."
A cheerful voice came from one of the rescue organization staff, a lady in her 40s.
The staff member’s gaze shifted to our hands. It seems she had noticed our wedding rings.
"Are you two married? You look so young. Are you interested in adopting a rescue animal?"
"Yes, we are. Well, there’s been a lot going on…"
"Ah, I-I’m not saying it’s about money, or that we’re fighting over dogs and cats or anything!"
Why was she confessing that? I thought, but the staff member smiled and reassured us.
"Whatever the reason, the saddest thing for these animals would be if no one was interested in them. Just the fact that you’re here is enough to make us grateful."
When I thought of rescue animals, I had this heavy image of them having terrible pasts, making them distrustful of humans. However, although the pasts of most of the animals were unclear, nearly all of them were comfortable around people, and only a few were barking or acting up.
"...Every one of them is cute. Dogs or cats, it doesn’t matter."
"Yeah, I think they probably make sure the animals are used to people before bringing them here."
[Ah~ it stinks here!]
"Well, the smell can’t be helped. We’ll just have to bear with it."
"Huh? Oh, yeah, I guess."
[It’s unbearable how much it smells like a beast here! My nose is going to wrinkle!]
"If it’s that bad, I can give you a mask, Ritsuka. I have some disposable ones with me."
"...? No, I’m fine. What’s with you, Rou-kun?"
"Huh? Didn’t you just say the smell was bothering you?"
"Nope, not at all."
Ritsuka shook her head. I thought maybe she was saying that because she was looking at the cats, or maybe because of her childhood habit of speaking in a "nya" tone (laughs). Was I just tired...?
Ritsuka was interacting with various animals, both dogs and cats, while I watched her. My gaze shifted to a cage in the back, which was unnervingly separated from the others.
"Excuse me, that cage over there. What’s the deal with it?"
"Ah, you’re curious about that one? Well, that animal is a bit… volatile. We weren’t even planning to bring her, but she insisted on coming along, throwing a fit until we gave in."
"What kind of animal is it? ...Wait. Isn’t that a Bombay?"
"Oh, you know your cats, huh?"
"Bombay?"
It must be a breed of cat. I checked the cat Ritsuka had called a Bombay inside the cage.
"Wow… it’s pretty cool-looking."
If I had to describe a Bombay in one word, it would be a small black panther. Its black fur was short and shiny, with a sleek body, and its limbs were muscular yet graceful. Its tail stood up straight like a single line.
[Stop staring at me like that! I'm not a showpiece, you know!?]
"!?"
"But Bombay cats are pretty rare, right? I mean, you don’t really see them around in Japan, do you? I’m sorry if I’m being rude, but I feel like this kind of place doesn’t suit a cat like this..."
"Wait, hold on..."
"Right? Strangely enough, none of us remember how we ended up rescuing this cat. One day, she just appeared at our place... it’s like she snuck in unnoticed."
I found myself once again questioning whether my ears had malfunctioned. If it was just a misunderstanding or some kind of hallucination, that would be one thing, but my instincts told me it wasn’t. There was no doubt in my mind—this Bombay cat had just spoken!
"She’s really been acting up in her cage, huh? Is she a bit of a troublemaker?"
"Yeah... I wish it were just that. She looks fine, but she’s got a really bad temper. Everyone who’s tried to interact with her so far has avoided her because of it."
[Let me out!! This is a violation of my cat rights!!]
"What the heck is 'cat rights'...?"
Without thinking, I blurted out a response. At that moment, the Bombay stopped her tantrum and stared directly at me. Both the staff member and Ritsuka were also looking at me.
"Rou-kun, what’s 'cat rights'?"
"Hehehe, what a unique husband you are!"
"....Yeah, haha. I just felt bad seeing her locked in such a small space, so I ended up saying something weird. 'Cat rights'! It’s got such a cute ring to it, right?"
It seemed like only I could hear her voice. Why? I had no idea.
"If you’d like, you can take a look up close. She seems to have calmed down a bit. This cat has white fur around her belly that’s shaped like wings, and she’s really cute."
"Wait...! Is that a... 'mark'...!?"
One of the characteristics of those who possess the "Blessing," or "marked ones," is the presence of a birthmark shaped like wings somewhere on their body. Could it be that this cat...
"Hey, Rou-kun! What’s gotten into you all of a sudden?"
"No, I was just talking about the birthmark that looks like wings..."
"You mean the white fur that’s shaped like wings? That’s not a birthmark. I mean, it’s a cat, after all."
As Ritsuka pointed out, the "Blessing" is something only humans possess. I’d never heard of a cat having it, not in the last ten years or even now. However, if I were to rationalize the phenomenon of this cat seemingly "speaking" in a way I could understand, the most logical explanation would be that this Bombay cat possessed the "Blessing."
[Oh? You can hear my voice, human? Ah, it's been a while since I've met someone who can! I was sure I'd find someone in a place full of humans, and just as I expected, here you are. I'm a genius, after all. I caught my chance—despite being a cat!]
While being cradled in the arms of the staff member, the Bombay cat continued speaking. Ritsuka smiled and remarked, "She’s saying 'meow meow'." The staff member confirmed with a chuckle, so it seemed like to everyone else, the cat was simply meowing.
I chose to ignore her. This cat... She seemed like trouble.
[To put it bluntly, human, you will set me free.]
"Look, look at this. Right here on her belly."
"Ah, so cute! Even though Bombays are solid black, this one is unusual!"
"Right? Maybe she’s a mix. We don’t have any papers, so we can’t say for sure."
[Feeding me was nice, but these humans are blocking my freedom and it’s annoying. You, human, either let me go or take me somewhere safe where I can eat well and be free. Do you know the opposite of 'dogs and monkeys'? It’s 'cats and humans'.]
This cat really talks a lot... What does 'cats and humans' even mean?
I continued to ignore the cat, but her blatant attitude seemed to provoke her. With a deep voice, the cat spoke again.
[If you don’t listen to what I say, I’ll kill every human in this place.]
"...! What do you mean by that?"
[Your answer is either 'meow' or 'nya'. So, what will you do?]
(Which one is which...)
I didn’t think this was just an empty threat. If this cat really was a "Marked One," then it might possess combat abilities that far exceed that of a normal cat. If it went on a rampage, things wouldn’t end well.
I swallowed hard and simply replied, "Nyaa."
The cat let out a sigh. "...Negotiations have failed."
(What am I supposed to do?)
"Ow! ...Ahh!"
The staff member screamed out. It seemed the cat had bitten her hand, and in the ensuing pain, managed to escape from her arms. The cat landed gracefully and then dashed off, fleeing like a lightning-fast blur.
[Nyahahaha! Now it’s too late! I’m free!!]
"Someone! Catch her!"
The small, black leopard-like appearance was no joke. That cat seemed to be very agile.
I exchanged a glance with Ritsuka. She nodded firmly.
"I’ll corner her, Rou-kun, you help with the support!"
"Got it."
There was nothing nearby I could use as a weapon—just my wallet, body bag, and smartphone at most. If that cat is using Blessing, then—worst case, I might not be able to avoid a fight.
[Get up, beasts!! Humans are just weak little bugs! Beat them up!!]
The cheerful atmosphere that had filled the venue abruptly shifted. The cat dashed past the other animals, and with what seemed like a rallying call, one after another, the other animals started to stir up. The noise turned the place into a chaotic hellscape.
[In this confusion, I'll head for a new world! It's all on my own power!!]
The cat made a beeline for the exit, moving with typical feline speed.
"Hey! Don’t cause trouble for everyone!"
[Nyaa...!? Eh? How did you get ahead of me?!]
However, at the exit, Ritsuka stood firm, blocking the way. The surprised cat stopped in its tracks. If I had to explain, it was simply because Ritsuka is faster than you.
(Almost everyone in the venue is in a state of confusion, so no one is watching us.)
This was, if anything, a favorable situation. While Ritsuka faced off with the cat, I quietly approached from behind. Similarly, Ritsuka slowly closed the distance between herself and the cat.
"Hey, it's okay~. I won't do anything scary, come over here~?"
[Did this human just move faster than me? Isn’t that a little scary?]
(She just spoke normally all of a sudden.)
[Let’s see... I’ll come up with a plan.]
The cat sat down, licking its front paw. At first glance, it seemed like it had calmed down.
But, of course, the cat herself had just said "plan."
"Good girl, good girl. Now come over here──"
"Ritsuka! It's a trap!"
"Huh?"
[Fuhh—nnyaa!!]
"Whoa!"
Deceived, Ritsuka crouched down and reached out, but the cat swiped her paw at her in one swift motion.
Ritsuka barely managed to pull her hand back in time, but she lost her balance and fell onto her rear.
[You avoided that? What kind of woman are you... Oh well!]
The cat leapt high into the air, jumping over Ritsuka. I followed suit and leapt into the air, closing in on the cat from above.
"Hey."
[Nyaa...?]
I didn’t have a weapon, but I did have something that could act as handcuffs. I pulled a rubber cord from my body bag and hooked it around the cat’s front legs while we were still in the air. It wasn’t exactly handcuffs, but more like shackles. Trapped in midair, the cat landed but couldn’t move immediately, clearly flustered.
I landed as well, grabbing the cat by the scruff of its neck. I pulled it close and whispered softly into its ear.
"Answer my question. Do you have Blessing?"
[Huh? Blessing? What’s that? Are you high on catnip or something?]
"...Why can I only converse with you?"
[I want to know that too. Why is it that sometimes, there are humans who can hear my voice? Are you one of those humans, even though you look like that?]
"What kind of human are you talking about? What does my appearance have to do with anything?"
[Ugh, forget it! I give up! I’ll admit defeat! Fine, let’s call it off!]
What an arrogant cat... There were still things I wanted to ask, but as Ritsuka came over, brushing off the sand and dust, I decided to temporarily halt my interrogation of the cat. I also removed the makeshift restraints—the rubber cord—from its legs.
"Nice job, Rou-kun! That was so acrobatic!"
"...Well, no one was watching, so it wasn't too bad. But still, this cat is pretty smart."
"Yeah, it is. But hey, don't do anything like that again, okay?"
[Yeah, yeah, sorry! Nyaa-kyu!]
"Heh. It sounds like it apologized."
(I’m pretty sure it probably threw out some pretty harsh insults in cat-speak…)
Ritsuka still hadn’t realized that I could communicate with this cat. If I explained, she'd probably understand, but... there was no need to bring it up. I’d prefer to believe it was just some kind of weird joke, and anyway, this was the last time I’d deal with that cat.
We returned the cat to the lady from the group. She expressed her sincere gratitude.
Once the commotion had settled down a bit, I turned to Ritsuka again.
"Alright, now that everything’s calmed down, how about we continue looking around? Personally, I’d like to see the dogs next."
"Yeah, sounds good!"
＊
A few days later, when I came home, the same Bombay cat was lying on the sofa.
It wasn’t like it suddenly appeared out of nowhere. It had come after going through the proper channels.
In the end, after we looked around, I didn’t feel any strong connection with any of the animals, but Ritsuka seemed to really like this black cat. After discussing it between the two of us, we decided to adopt it.
To be honest, I had some reservations... but since Ritsuka was happy, I decided to let it go.
"It’s so cute! It seems like it’s already settled in here!"
"Yeah, it seems so..."
"Oh, it’s almost time for its meal. I need to prepare it!"
Ritsuka hurried to the kitchen, and I sat down next to the cat. Without looking at it, I muttered in a low voice.
"Hey, I’m telling you in advance—don’t cause any trouble."
[What do you mean by trouble? As long as you give me food and let me roam freely in a safe place, I’ve got no complaints. That female human is obedient to me, so you should be too.]
I’d heard stories about how dogs make their owners their masters, while cats make their servants their subordinates, but hearing a cat talk made that idea feel all too real. Was this one just particularly cheeky, though?
"As long as you’re in this house, Ritsuka and I are your owners. Remember that."
[Nyakkyuu. You two are just taking care of me on your own. There’s no master or anything.]
"You little...!"
"What’s wrong, Rou-kun? Why the serious face—ah! I get it now!"
Ritsuka, holding the food bowl, seemed to have realized something on her own. As for the cat, it had sensed the smell of food and was now sitting in a neat pose, staring intently at the bowl.
"Her name, right? For this one!"
"Ah, now that you mention it, we haven’t named it yet."
[Name? Doesn’t matter to me, but if you're going to give me one, make it something noble!]
"…I don't have a good sense for names, so Ritsuka, you should name it."
"Heh heh heh. I thought you'd say that, so actually, I’ve already decided!"
The cat began eating the kibble it was given. It probably cared more about the food than its name, but it was clearly listening carefully. Ritsuka puffed out her chest and proudly declared:
"This cat’s name is 'Nyankichi'! ‘Nyan’ from ‘nyanko’ (cat), and 'Kichi' from 'Daikichi' (great luck)!"
Goff!
"Isn't it cute?"
"Yeah. It's really good."
I don’t have a great sense for names, but I wouldn’t say Ritsuka has a bad one either.
"Well, I’m actually a female cat, though…"
"Nice to meet you, Nyankichi!!"
And so—our family, the Saigawa household, gained a new member: Nyankichi.
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