We make our way around the cat cafe. Every time our cat comes into our view, we stop to play with it. The sounds of flashing from our phone cameras can be heard between the playing. It takes some time to fully navigate the place, as it's one of the largest cat cafes in the cities, but it doesn't feel like a waste of time, as we enjoy ourselves thoroughly.
After we freely charged up our fluffy batteries, we find ourselves sitting shoulder to shoulder on a four person sofa. I open my mouth.
"I'll be getting some drinks, you want some?"
"Oh, let me come too."
"It's fine. I mean, you're still holding onto that little one."
A white cat is quietly sitting beside Rin. Her dainty fingers are caressing its chin as it purrs away.
"I'll take you up on your offer then. Thanks a bunch."
"No problem. What do you want?"
"I'll have some ice cocoa."
"Sure thing."
After receiving my command, I head out to complete my important mission. I leave the free space and head to the refreshment corner. The main part of the store has a self-serve drink bar and with a press of a button, anyone can have a small slice of what it feels like to be wealthy. No money required! As I fill the paper cup with ice and cocoa, I survey my surroundings before pressing the button for a fantastical carbonated drink that only a few of this world know the recipe for. After the paper cup is filled with a jet black liquid and flavouring, I head back to the free space.
"Oh."
My feet involuntarily come to a halt. The white cat has surrendered itself to Rin's thighs, laying itself on there for a relaxing nap. Rin gently brushes the sleeping cat as she looks at the cat with caring eyes, as if it were her own child. Every particle in the spectacle before me has such a sacred feeling to it. I want a painting of this so bad, since it holds such a mystique feeling. I put the cups on the nearby desk as a camera shutter goes off.
"One picture will cost you a hundred million yen."
"You mean for a painting?"
"How about I jack up the price to a billion yen"
"No way, might as well use that to buy a mansion instead."
I take a seat beside Rin.
"Here."
"Thanks."
I hand her the ice cocoa as I take a sip out of my own cup. The fuzziness of the bubbles hits me strongly, which combines well with the strong flavours. My brain feels like it's bursting as my whole body begins to be corrupted, as I start craving pizza. This is the type of drink that makes the blood, not the stomach, shout with joy.
I turn my gaze to my side. Rin holds her cup with two hands as she takes small sips She looks like a hamster holding onto a cookie for dear life. How cute. I find myself reaching for my phone again.
"Since you seem so inclined, you could at least choose a better angle than this."
"You seem to be pretty gung ho about this."
"The storage in your head must be running out of capacity by now."
"Are you trying to imply I have a small brain?"
With a wry smile, I throw away both our cups and stand in front of Rin.
"Are you going to be taking a cute photo?"
"Don't worry, it'll be cute no matter how I take it."
"Well..."
After letting out a word, Rin looks down at the cat and looks back up at me.
"So which one are you referring to?"
Shouldn't that be obvious?
"A-anyways, hurry up and take a picture already..."
Her voice becomes all shrill as her white cheeks become slightly dyed in red. I'm sure it's embarrassing for her to say that.
"O-okay."
I feel my pulse speeding up as my shaky hands grasp my phone. In contrast to my nervous display, Rin softly inhales some air and lets out a soft smile.
I told you so.
The electronic shutter closes. But it's a scene the shutter in my mind will never forget. I look at the image projected on the screen as I nod to myself.
"This is absolutely priceless."
I'm sure this picture is worth more than any mansion.
"You're exaggerating so much over one picture."
"It'll be the same no matter how many pictures I take."
"I see..."
Rin turns red again as she restlessly rubs her thighs together. At the same time, the white cat on top of her starts to wriggle. I take a seat beside her. We sit there side by side in silence for a while.
Some time passes and I feel warmth on the back of my hand. It's from Rin's hand herself, as if it's wrapping my own hand. I take a glance at her and she has an impish smile on her face, like she's a kid who just pulled a prank.
I feel my own devilish desires starting to take over, as I turn over my hand and entwine my fingers with Rin's fingers. She looks at me with wide pupils. I give her a proud smile as Rin puffs out her cheeks and lets her mouth relax. With a sweet and tender smile, like sponge cake, we both end up smiling together as I feel Rin's hand squeeze mine back.
This is pure bliss. This serenity is something I wish could last forever, spending peaceful days with Rin like this.
"This little kitty seems so much like Syrup, don't you think?"
Rin lets those thoughts slip out.
"Now that you say that, yeah I can see it."
Besides the white fluffiness, it has a smug face like it's saying it's the ruler of the world. It really does look like Syrup. But there is one key difference.
"I wish Syrup was as fawning as this cat."
As I gently stroke my index finger under its chin, the cat closes its eyes as if it were enjoying itself. If I even considered doing this Syrup, he would immediately bat away my finger, no questions asked.
"I'm sure Syrup will be jealous once he smells an unfamiliar scent on you."
"No way. Syrup has no interest in me at all. He'll just demand food from me as usual."
"Ignorance is a sign of love for a cat, you know."
"How so?"
"Well, you know..."
She looks at me.
"Tohru-kun, you're Syrup's saviour after all."
Those words, spun carefully as if it were caressing a precious treasure, imparted such a mysterious weight onto me. The corners of my mouth slowly rise up and my pupils become narrow as I begin to reminisce. Seeing that gentle smile from the corner of my vision causes my brain to flash like a strike of lightning. The source of it all gushes out as fragmented memories start to scatter.
The dripping rain that soaked me to the core, that sopping wet cardboard box and the kitten the size of a phone crying out for dear life. As that memory flashes through my mind, I feel a jolt running throughout my body. As if I were solving a complex math equation, the hints to the solution suddenly jumps to mind. A hand out of nowhere slowly hits my slanted head. As I'm lost in thoughts, a sound like snapping branches hits my ear.
"Ah."
I'm brought back from my brooding and before I know it, the white cat starts clawing at Rin's skirt.
"Oh, that little fuzzball!"
I try pulling the cat away, but as the cat twists to avoid my hand and its nails embedded itself deeply in the fibres of her skirt.
"Wha...!?"
"Hyah...!"
Dealing with this as calmly as possible should be ideal. The combination of its impatience to pull away and the shock of unexpected movements causes the cat to lose its balance. Rin notices as our eyes meet and my hands are wrapped around Rin's body.
Several seconds pass.
Her eyes and nose look like the work of a professional sculptor. Her eyes open in shock, as she starts blinking like crazy. Slowly realizing our circumstances, we begin to heat up.
"M-my bad."
I compel my arms to let go of her body; however, I'm interrupted midway through. Simply put, Rin wraps her arms around my body and pulls me in.
A calm and sweet scent drifts up to my nose as my head goes numb in shock. Rin's warmth is gradually transferred to my head. My eardrums feel like they're bursting, due to intensely pulsating heartbeats. Whose heartbeat it is remains a mystery.
"In a place.. where no one else can see, yeah?"
She continues.
"If something like this happens, then I guess I don't have a choice."
She sounds embarrassed, but happy too. As I'm shot through the heart, I return Rin's hug in silence.