After a minute or so, I offered to heat up the food using magic anyway. I'm used to it, but I don't want Mina to be having her dinner cold. I only heated it up until it's not cold, since I'm not sure how this may affect the taste of the food.
The sun has already set, and is replaced with the blue glow of moonlight. As we continued to enjoy our dinner, which now has at least some sort of flavour, Mina starts talking to me again.
"So... Have you heard about the beastkin incident from eight years ago?"
Is this the incident that I overheard Maria talking about this morning? About human babies being converted to beastkin?
"Yeah, I think so."
"Then, well... You see..."
Mina starts to hesitate, for a few seconds, before she continues talking.
"I'm... I'm actually one of them."
"Really?"
So Mina is originally human as well... I can't really believe it, still, considering how cat-like her behaviour is. But, I don't really know much about that incident, so maybe it's not related.
Saying that, Mina brushes away her short, brown hair using one hand, revealing her human ears that are normally covered by her hair. That means she has four ears in total, two human ears and two cat ears.
"That's so... cute!"
"D-Don't say that so suddenly!"
Somehow, seeing her like this, with four ears, makes her look even cuter! Her slightly blushing red cheeks, her big, cat ears turned sideways, and her human ears slowly turning red from embarrassment. What is this cuteness? I just want to look at Mina all night!
"You... Your mood change... all of a sudden... That worked better than I expected."
"You're way too cute, Mina!"
I got a sudden urge to headpat Mina, so I put down my plate of food on the table, and created a tiny amount of water using magic to wash my hands. I must make sure that my hands are clean before I touch her hair!
"Uwah! That's, um... Thanks..."
Somehow, I'm able to feel happiness again. It's probably thanks to Mina's cuteness. Well, whatever the reason is, it's nice being happy again after so much negative feelings.
"A-Anyway... Let's finish our food... It'll become cold again if we don't finish it soon."
"Well, that's true, but... Fine, I'll finish my food first. I'll continue head patting you later!"
----------
Soon after dinner, Mina hands me my clothes back and I change into it, after we leave the empty plates on the table. It's the clothes that supposedly resembles a shrine maiden's outfit, that Tails made for me. I've had these clothes for four years now, but this still doesn't feel quite right. Like, I still feel that this doesn't look like a shrine maiden's outfit.
Thinking about Tails and these clothes, reminded me of the Silverwolves and White Foxes again. So, before I go onto the bed and sleep for the night, I try to pray for them. I'm not sure what to do, or if I should even be doing this. Still, I let my intuition take over and do according to what I feel is right.
Similar to how I made a wish upon the shooting star last time, I kneel down on my knees, on the ground and facing the window, put my hands together, and close my eyes.
Fluffy, Tails, Papa and Mama, and everyone... rest in peace...
...
I feel calm and relaxed, somehow. It's like that feeling, that I've finally done what I need to do. And now, I feel like I can move on, without being too sad, about what happened to the Silverwolves and White Foxes.
"Mimin, what are you doing? Are you not going to sleep?"
"Ah, yes, I am."
I get up onto the bed and lie down in a comfortable position next to Mina, that doesn't hurt my ears and my tail. I'm already tired, but there's something that I want to ask Mina about.
"Mina, just now... Why did you change your manner of speaking?"
Even if Mina tries to convince me otherwise, I still hate those people, especially Selena. I want to avoid seeing her face whenever it's possible, and never talk to her. So, having Mina talking like that, it still unsettles me.
"No... It's nothing much. I'm sorry, for talking to you that way..."
But, she's not willing to talk about it? Then, I shouldn't ask her anymore. Maybe she's not comfortable with telling me about herself yet? We've only known each other for today, after all.
"Also, Mimin. Please promise me that... you won't run away like that again. You had me worried, for so long."
"Yeah, I promise."
"..."
Mina narrows her eyes and looks away from me, with a sad expression. She looks like she's expecting a different response from me, somehow. What is she expecting me to say, though?
"Here, cheer up. Maybe, everything will get better after one night of sleep."
Without thinking too much, I start head patting her again, to help her feel better. I liked it a lot when I was head patted by her, so I'll do the same for her as well.
First day in a new environment... I'm already starting to hate everything, but Mina's really kind... and cute! She's the only person I can rely on at this point in time. If it wasn't for her... I don't know where I'd be, or what I'd be doing now. Hopefully that'll change soon, though.
"Thank you, so much... For everything, Mina."
I think, I'm starting to fall asleep. It's becoming difficult to keep my eyes open, or continue head patting Mina for longer. I think... this is where my day ends.
...
"No, thank you, Mimin."