(3.00 a.m, Yamano's suite, The Headquarters)
"Please. No. Don't leave me. I'm afraid to live in this harsh world by myself. Return to me, please." Yamano cried.
"It's okay, Darling. Thank you for bringing me joy and happiness in this world. I love you so much." She closed her eyes.
Tears flow through the unknown girl's eyes. Yamano begins to scream as the sound of pain echoes around, destroying everything that surrounds them.
"NOOOOOOO!!!!!" Yamano screamed at top of his lungs.
Yamano quickly sits on the bed, realising that it was a dream. A very bad dream. Yamano checked if all of this is also a dream. Luckily, Yamano can see his adorable wife, Miko, sleeping beside him.
"What a dream. Ouch, my head." Yamano rubbed his head.
It is painful to remember something that haunts for a very long time. Yamano walks out of his bed after tucking Miko with a blanket. He is walking towards the big window and opening the curtains.
"It's raining outside." Yamano noticed.
Yamano sits on the floor and closes his eyes. The sound of rains managed to make the young adult feel peace and escape from the sound of hustle and bustle of nearby surroundings. Suddenly, a loud sound can be heard in the sky. It's the sounds of a thunder strike upon the sky. Yamano flinched for a second.
"Wow. That is so loud." Yamano shocked.
He sighed. When Yamano begin to close his eyes, a mysterious figure hugging Yamano from behind.
"NYAAA!!!DARLING!!!" Miko screamed.
Yamano was quite surprised when his cat-wife suddenly hugged him from behind. He can feel his wife's body shaking. Maybe she was scared of something.
"Miko, what's wrong?? Why is your body…shaking?" Yamano asked.
"Nyaa nya nyaan nyaaa nyan." Miko replied.
"You're afraid of lightning? It's okay, Miko. Everyone is afraid of something. Here, lie down on my lap." Yamano petted his lap, signalling Miko to lie down.
Miko slowly rested her head on Yamano's lap. He can feel Miko's soft hair touching his knees. Yamano's heart started to beat faster than usual as he slowly patted his wife to calm her down. Miko begins to relax as she rubs her head on Yamano.
"Darling…" Miko relaxed.
"It's okay, Miko. I will always be with you." Yamano said.
"Nyaa nya nyan nyaan nyaa, Darling??" asked Miko.
"I'm having a nightmare but thankfully, the sound of rain able to make me feel relaxed again." Yamano explained while patting Miko's head.
"Nyan nyaan nyaa nya nyaaaan." Miko replied.
"Umm…Thank you for the encouragement, Miko." Yamano smiled.
Suddenly, Yamano starts to confess to Yamano about something to Miko.
"You know, Miko. I thought that my life is over. I almost end my own life but God gave me a second chance. Until I met you, Miko. I grew up without parents to guide me about how to live a good life but I was able to learn from my surroundings. Surely, I will try to be a good husband, Miko. I will try. I will not give up but just one thing, Miko. Thank you for choosing me as your husband. Miko??" Yamano called Miko.
It turns out Miko has fallen asleep on Yamano's lap for quite a while. Yamano smiled when looking at his adorable, tomboy-looking neko wife. Yamano slowly carried Miko to the bed. Yamano gently put Miko on the bed where Miko released an adorable humming voice. Yamano kissed Miko' cheek and continue to sleep together.
(8:15 a.m, Yamano's suite, The Headquarters)
Yamano slowly opens his eyes because it is morning. He can see Miko is still asleep beside him. He sits on the bed and when to the bathroom to wash his face off. Next, he went to the kitchen to eat some leftover potato bread. He sits on the chair, in front of the counter. He sips some morning tea where suddenly, Miko, from behind, closes Yamano's eyes.
"Nya nyaaaan??" Miko asked.
"There's no one other than you, Miko. Besides, I know that sweet voice of yours, Miko." Yamano knew it was Miko.
Miko giggled as she turns her attention to the potato bread. Fast as lightning, Miko begins pouting her lips.
"Darling…." Miko glared.
"What" Yamano asked.
"Darling. Nyaa nyan nyaa nyaaan." Miko huffed.
"Oh. I'm so sorry. I should be waiting for you so we can it together." Yamano explained.
Miko suddenly smiled as she kissed Yamano's cheek as a sign that she accepts Yamano's apologies.
"Nya nyaan." Miko said.
"Thank you, Miko-chan." Yamano smiled.
As they are about to eat breakfast together, someone rings the doorbell. Miko quickly stands up and when to the door. Yamano wondered who that is. Maybe Dr Sarah Lensz is waiting for Yamano and Miko. Before Miko opens the door, she makes sure that her appearance is good for welcoming other guests. Slowly, Miko opens the door.
"Oh. Hello there." The unknown man said.
Miko screams on top of her lungs.
"NYAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!" Miko screamed.
Yamano was shocked, hearing his wife screaming like that. Miko quickly ran and hide behind Yamano.
"Miko?? What's wrong." Yamano asked.
"Nya nyaaaan nyaa nyaa nyaa nyan nyaaan nyaa nya nyaan." Miko scared.
"A vampire and a ghoul are waiting at the door??" Yamano said.
Both Yamano and Miko could a man and a woman are arguing.
"Did I tell you to smile in front of Yamano's wife??" The man said.
"Don't blame me. I already smiled. It's your pale skin that made her scared." The woman replied.
Meanwhile, Yamano can recognise those familiar voices.
"Wait. I know that voice." Yamano told Miko.
Yamano slowly heads towards the unknown couple with Miko behind his back. Turns out, it is Yamano adoptive big brother, Akihito Yajima and his wife, Kurumi, the ghoul girl.
"Aniiki, it's you. What are you doing here??" Yamano asked.
"Dr Lensz asked us to meet her with you in your suite. Can we come in??" Akihito asked.
"Sure. Come on in." Yamano replied.
Akihito and Kurumi entered Yamano's suite.
"Damn. Fine room you got here, Yamano. I kinda like this place." Akihito said
"Looks like you hit a jackpot, Yamano-kun." Kurumi said.
"But, Kurumi-neechan. There's a lot of stuff that I did not use here. Like that pool table over there." Yamano pointed.
Suddenly, Kurumi noticed a sweet-looking nekogirl hiding behind Yamano.
"Honey. Look over there." Kurumi said.
Miko slowly walked out of his hiding place behind Yamano. Akihito looks at Miko.
"Wow. Yamano, she is so beautiful. What is her name?? Akihito amazed.
Miko slowly approached Akihito and Kurumi and bowed in front of them.
"Akihito-Nii-chan? Kurumi-neechan?" Miko asked.
Boom. Akihito and Kurumi's hearts begin to beat faster than usual. Such a sweet voice can make Akihito and Kurumi fall in love with Miko.
"That's so cute. Awww. I want to keep her." Kurumi said while hugging Miko.
"You cannot do that, dear. Wow, Yamano. You're one lucky man. She's so beautiful that I might faint when looking at her." Akihito praised.
"Thanks, I think." Yamano smiled.
Yamano smiled when he saw Akihito and Kurumi fully accept Miko into this family. Yamano invites Akihito and Kurumi to eat breakfast together, which they accept too. Kurumi begins to treat Miko like her own little sister. Akihito and Yamano begin to start having a conversation with Yamano and Miko.
"For real. Seriously, how did you find Miko in just one day? Unlike me, it took me one whole week to find Kurumi in Ghoul-Selection Room??" Akihito asked.
"There, I was resting under a tree and slept. After that, I saw Miko resting her head on my chest. So, I thought that maybe I should spend some time with her, to see if the Love Seeker is active. When I take a look at the device, the heart symbol turns red. Miko became my wife and here we are." Yamano told them.
"Wow. That's so romantic, Yamano-kun. Unlike your brother here, he gave me a lot of cheesy lines. It was so cringy if you asked me." Kurumi said.
"That's what I called a pick-up line, sweetheart" Akihito said.
"But I didn't love you for that. Your effort and how pure your heart made me fall in love with you in the first place." Kurumi said.
"I told you that I am a romantic person." Akihito replied.
"No. Yamano is far more romantic than you could ever be." Kurumi teased Akihito.
All of them begin to laugh. For Yamano, he smiled because his family are finally complete. As for Miko, she is happy to have new siblings that make her happy. Miko begins to remember her own family who is waiting for them at home. Yamano holds Miko's hand, to remind you that family will always be there for you. They will laugh with you. They will cry with you. That's what makes a person happy. A family. As they are eating breakfast together, Sarah arrived, while holding a briefcase.
" HELLO, YOU GUYS." Sarah said.
All of them welcomed Sarah.
" You guys are having breakfast?? Can I join you?? I am so hungry right now." Sarah asked.
" Be our guest." Yamano replied.
Miko quickly took a stool for Sarah to sit on. Sarah has to climb in order to sit.
" You know that I am short, right. Why do they have to do such a thing." Sarah asked.
" Nyaa nya nya nyaaan nyaa??" Miko offered her help to Sarah.
" It's fine, Miko. I think that I can climb this stool. See??" Sarah managed to climb it.
Sarah quickly grabbed a potato bread on the table.
" No one can beat Minazuki's bakery in terms of potato bread. These buns are so delicious." Sarah said.
Yamano begins to notice the briefcase that Sarah's holding.
" Say. Sarah-neechan. What's that briefcase that you are holding over there." Yamano asked.
" Oh, I forgot to give you this. Hang on for a moment." Sarah said.
She took two kinds of encyclopedias from the briefcase.
" Here you go. One for Yamano-kun and one for Akihito-kun." Sarah gave a book to Yamano and Akihito.
" What's this?? Some kind of enchantment book that you need to charm your wife??" Akihito asked.
Kurumi quickly hit Akihito's chest using her hand.
" Ow. Why did you do that??" Akihito asked.
" Quiet and listen." Kurumi replied.
" Thanks, Kurumi-chan. This here is not some ordinary book. This is a Monster-Girl Index Encyclopedia. In this book, you can learn all about the history of monster-girl, the species of each monster-girl that you can find many many more to come. I suggest that you focus on the topics about your wife's species just to help you understand even more." Sarah explained.
" Sure. I can do some readings in the meantime." Yamano said.
" Oh. Another one. I want to ask you this question to Yamano." Sarah said.
" Sure, what is it??" Yamano asked.
" Back in the Nekogirl Selection Room, how did you understand what Miko is trying to say??" Sarah asked.
Yamano turns his attention to Miko. He didn't know how to answer that question. He hesitates.
" I have no idea. It's just there, you know. Whatever Miko said, my head just translated it perfectly. Like she is speaking normally to me." Yamano replied.
"Yes, Yamano. Even I cannot understand what Miko is trying to say. All I can hear is Miko is meowing about something. What about you, dear??" Akihito turns his attention to Kurumi.
" I can understand it but partially. I know that every monster girl shared one thing in common but Miko. I can barely catch what she said." Kurumi said.
Sarah continues to ask Yamano a question again.
" Yamano-kun. In the past, have you known anyone who is a nekogirl beside Miko??" Sarah asked.
Yamano is thinking. Miko beginning to get nervous.
" No. The only nekogirl that I have met first is Miko. No one else other than Miko. Why??" Yamano asked.
" This might be a theory but somehow you already met a nekogirl in the past. Your brain managed to recognize the pattern on everything Miko said. You can translate every word fluently." Sarah said.
" I don't know about that. I can barely remember my past. It's there but it won't show up. Maybe, there's a chapter in my life that has been erased." Yamano said.
" One thing for sure, you need to teach Miko how to communicate with other people." Kurumi said.
" If you say so. I will teach Miko." Yamano said.
" Nyan nyan." Miko replied happily.
All of them are smiling. After that, all of them continue to have breakfast as a new happy family.
What is the unknown chapter been erased from Yamano's life? Is it a happy memory that he tried to remember?? Or is it bad memories that he needs to forget?? The only thing is, the unknown chapter will give a huge impact on Yamano's life.
( TO BE CONTINUED )