| Jan jan | ジャンジャン
At 19:38, exiting the bright & pleasant reception of the Maid Maid café a Human girl is immediately blasted by a rush of chilled air as the automatic doors effortlessly slide open accompanied by a jingle. Out waddles a girl slightly raised in height by black high heels secured to her feet with golden straps wrapped around her ankles, she wears a pink & white checkered coat which she pulls tightly so to guard against this frigid influx
Running her fingers through the right side of her smooth silky pink hair while firmly gripping her purse with her left hand, her shoulders jittering as the brisk air begins to accompany her. The frigid temperature of the outdoors only exacerbates the tightening agony of her toes being imprisoned by the heels
Neko: *Sighs* "I picked the wrong day to wear these new heels, nyaa"
Faintly sighing with an exhausted look on her face from finishing her shift, the sun was no longer visible, resulting in a black sky devoid of brightness. The only lights illuminating this wide busy street are the jungle of colours from buildings & passing cars reflecting off Neko's weakened pink eyes as she lazily blinks
Neko: *Yawns*
Her mouth gradually widens as she stretches all the muscles in her face, neck & shoulders for a moment, raising her arms slightly before lowering them back down. Alternating between keeping her arms straight & bending her elbows with minimal resistance in her joints after that satisfying yawn
She marginally drops her head to see the flat sidewalk between the many pedestrians passing, the darkened concrete matching the sky above in its barrenness. "I'm so tired but it's nyot a good idea to stand here with the entrance behind me" with that thought she straightens her back, puts her chest out & proceeds to walk
Neko: "Oww~"
Faintly expressing her misery as pain from her right foot shoots up her ankle, she is unable to move her toes as she applies pressure onto her foot with every step. "It's just getting worse nya!" after a full shift wearing these heels the discomfort in her feet has become troublesome to bare
???: "Konbanva! Neko!"
Amongst the crowd of people silently crossing her path, one voice stands out from the sound of boots hitting the sidewalk & car engine noises, this honeyed male voice seemingly calling out to her in a somewhat emphatic tone. Just that one word clearly spoken in a foreign accent sending Neko's brain into a mini frenzy, "male! Foreign accent! Knows my nyame! Could it be?" she cheerfully ponders as her head turns to the origin of that voice
Klaus: "Neko-san"
"It is! My Santa Kuryausu!" her mind lights up in amazement along with her pink eyes at the side of her tall, blonde, German gentleman boldly approaching her from a green vending machine not much taller than him. Wearing his tight plaid shirt under a black denim jacket & carrying a passionate smile along with physically carrying something behind his back. To this enjoyable surprise, Neko ostensibly forgets about the agony in her toes as she pounces toward him like a house cat craving treats
Neko: "Kuryausu! I mean Kurausu"
Excitingly expressing her delight at the arrival of her German Gentleman, abruptly picking up the pace as she marches to him. Her heels clack with every step as more pressure is applied to her toes however this fails to curb her enthusiasm for seeing Klaus, to her the day is all the brighter for it
With a short distance between them, Klaus moves his right arm out from behind his back to reveal something he keeps in his hand. Spreading his finger to present to Neko a small pink leather sash with a gold metallic keychain going through it, the neon pink of the sash contrasting the pail white skin of his palm
Klaus: "I got yu a little something"
He announces calmly in his accent, showing off his shiny teeth as he walks closer & tenderly straightens his arm somewhat to present this gift to Neko whose pink eyes lock onto the item in his hand
Neko: *Giggles* "Yooo! You didn't hyave to get me anything"
Her beaming grin causes her cheeks to rise & start glowing red, she closes her eyes & shakes her head in order to conceal her blushing as her whimsical enthusiasm turns into a childish reaction of unintentional giggles. Rapidly letting out short bursts of high-pitched laughter
Neko: "Eh why did you get me this?"
She turns her head to the side fast enough for her silky hair to wave in front of her flaming cheeks like a curtain, her sudden titters gradually subside as she becomes able to speak clearly as she asks the question
Klaus: "I vent shopping two days ago & saw dat dis vas for sale, it made me think of yu so I bought it"
He graciously says, his arm comes out from behind & he immediately twists his hand until his palm was facing upwards as he passes to Neko his closed hand before his fingers gradually spring open like flower petals to uncover a short sash made of leather & bright fuchsia pink in the middle of his palm. A metallic gold-plated ring attached to one of its sides through a narrow hole glistening in the lights
Hearing his reasoning for buying this particular gift Neko's eyes sparkled as she edged a little closer to examine what it could be, "What nyaspect of me could Kuryausu be talking about?"
Neko: "is it the colour?"
She asks, lightly grabbing the sash with her thumb & index finger in a pincerlike manoeuvre
Neko: "So if it is nyot the colour?"
She silently murmurs as she focuses on the somewhat smooth texture of the pink leather sash, she keeps it in place with her fingers while admiring the clearness of the pink before her eyes notice a brief movement on Klaus's finger. Rotating his index finger in a clockwise motion. "Turn it. Nya, I see" believing that he is prompting her to turn the sash around she does so fairly quickly
Turning the sash to reveal a symbol on the other side, fixed on the flat leather surface is a tiny golden insignia. A single line curved in a way so it forms the outline of a cat with pointy ears on the top & round cheeks, "could this be a way of saying he figured out I'm a kyat!?" jumping to a worst-case conclusion her eyes freeze & her body becomes fixed in place, if her tail was physically there it would stick out in fear. Her fur would begin to resemble an old-fashioned duster
But at that moment, her beating heart decreases somewhat as Neko realizes her surroundings & sees Klaus outside her place of employment. "Nya~ of kyourse" recognizing the situation she raises her cheeks slightly & begins to laugh nervously
Neko: "Because I'm the kyat maid?"
Klaus: "Yu were de kat maid vhen ve met"
Neko's nervous titters are followed by the ruffling of her hair, taking her free hand up to brush her mane. "Oh good, nyo kyat ears" she sighs in relief at the realization that her cat ears are not present out in the open, especially in front of her Santa Klaus. This causes a thought to pop up in her head, "would Kuryausu accept me if he found out I'm a kyat?"
Neko: "Kurausu, do you like kyats?"
She takes this thought into action by asking him a simple question, despite how mundane it seems she finds it challenging to get her voice out. She hesitates while asking, her head curving downward as her eyes look back & forth avoiding his lapis pearls
Klaus: "Nun, I am a dog person but cats are beautiful too"
Hearing this response Neko freezes, "what dyoes he mean by this? How am I supposed to react?" she thinks. Unable to move, her hair sticks up like a startled cat as her head shoots straight up
Neko: "Jya you said cats are beautiful!"
Loudly announcing with sparkly eyes as bright as stars while taking a step closer & presents the sash he gave her sitting in her palm
Neko: "Sankyuushen very much, Kurausu"
After a deep breath, she gets closer to him, standing at 162m to his 182m. her eyes level with his shoulders as they peer up at his blue pearls graciously staring at her
Klaus: "It's cute how close you were to being correct"
He replies in a calm & smooth voice along with a gentle smile, slightly blushing at her Japanese way of pronouncing words. Amused by her way of speaking he lets out a charming grin, cheeks rising up to his eyes as he exposes his pearly white teeth to the girl in her pink checkered jacket. This reaction of his lit a spark in Neko's mind & not one of affection, her lips drop as her eyes grew more intense
Neko: "Nee, what are you staring nyat? I'm nyot just a pretty kyat in a dress"
Leaning in, she shows her mild annoyance at Klaus by pushing her lower lip out & poking his solid chest with her index finger while keeping the sash tightly wrapped in her hand, like a toddler having a tantrum as her cheeks went red & her brows came closer together. This only caused Klaus to chuckle, his head tilted right as his right hand comes up to cover his mouth & conceal his small snickering laugh
Seeing this Neko can only get infected by his charm & infectious accent, she bows her head gently as her cheeks light up bright red. Her eyes stared at him then immediately looked the other way before coming back to him & looking away once again, "he's so kyute when he laughs. Nyaaa!"
Klaus: "Vould you like something from da Vending machine?"
He moves the topic away from Neko's adorable mispronunciation, he turns his torso right & steps back a bit towards the road so that the area behind him can become visible to her. His right arm comes out & with an open palm directs her to that green Vending machine he waited by to meet her
The large rectangular contraption is painted lawn green with lights flashing on the side facing the road, on that same side is a large glass window brightly displaying drinks of all colours. From plastic bottles containing black or clear liquid to tin cans ranging from violet to crimson all placed neatly on the shelves, awaiting the moment a pedestrian feels the need to purchase a drink
Her eyes turn back to Klaus after monitoring the vending machine for several seconds, as she begins to focus on him she sees the tender lips of his warm smile & the light flashing onto his bright blonde hair as if it was a lantern. He remains to present the machine to Neko as he bows somewhat with his eyes gently shut, like a true cavalier. "He really has a kyompassionate soul" she concludes as she stares at him while feeling the rays he gives off, a small placid smirk forms on her face as she makes her decision
Neko: "You kyow what, I'd love a chocolate milk tea if there is any"
Hearing Neko's silky voice soothing the air makes Klaus immediately switch sides, he instantly twists his whole body 180 degrees to face the vending machine & has his back to her. He slouches his back slightly as if he's cloaking his appearance from the cat maid
Klaus: "Hmmm"
Letting out a muffled "hmmm", he cups his hands over his nose & mouth, indeed he is hiding something & that is the deep feelings of affection as well as excitement he gets when hearing her voice in the most authentic way
Nevertheless, he speedily rubs his nose with his thumb & checks it for a brief second before turning back to Neko who stands tilting her head slightly to the left as a question mark appears above her head along with one raised eyebrow
Neko: "Hmm"
Giving a silent hum, questioning Klaus's sudden actions. "What was that about?" she asks herself
Klaus: "Das ist gut…it's all gud here"
He turns back to Neko with a look of embarrassment, cheeks slightly coloured red & minuscule bursts of laughter he can't control. He attempts to wave away his embarrassment physically with his right hand before straightening his back & making one more thing clear to Neko
Klaus: "I'll buy it for yu"
Announcing confidently with his chest out like a champion before abruptly turning clockwise & charges towards the vending machine all the while Neko stands still in bewilderment, unable to react as he moves too quickly. Mouth shut in the shape of an awkward cat's grin & eyes wide open as they fixate on him
Neko: "Nya?"
--
| Tatatata | タタタタ
The constant tapping of shoes on the concrete paths leading to the Ōmiya Station as nearly every Salaryman in the borough marches like a large trail of Ants from their places of work, the men & women dressed in standard dark clothing devoid of life along with their grey barren faces lacking the energy to react to the World around them
It is in this crowd where an unlikely duo follows the silent horde toward an enormous grey structure, Klaus & Neko walking to his right. By each other with their shoulders less than 10cm apart
Neko: "Shuba~infyurutto"
Klaus: "Dat's not it"
He jokingly remarks on Neko's bad pronunciation of a very difficult German word, she squints her eyes as she forces the vowels to behave in a way that would say the word probably
Klaus: "It's Sh-vai-n-furt. Schweinfurt"
Klaus comes to the rescue by breaking down the sounds & applying more pressure onto each of them so that Neko has the chance to hear before attempting a second time, turning his head to her & pointing at his lips as they sound the word out for her
Neko: "I'm nyot a child, Kurausu"
Now engaging her pout mode, she suddenly turns her face away from him & shuts her eyes while making a "hmph" noise with her breath but as opposed to crossing her arms she has them straight by her side with her handbag on her left side & what remains of her chocolate milk tea on her right
Klaus: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to to say dat"
Apologising with his warm grin, teeth shining through the dark air along with his tender blue eyes. Neko hears his apology, this causes her to open her left eye
Gradually revealing her pink pearl before her cheeks become a darker hue of red, immediately her other eye opens & she stares ahead in silence. "Keep it together! Neko!" ordering herself to focus & strengthen her composure so as not to become a beacon with her glowing face
Neko: "Shubainfaatto? Is that kyorrect?"
She furrows her brows & edges her head to him somewhat, focusing on the name of this place as opposed to Klaus aids in dimming the glow on her cheeks
Klaus: "You are getting closer, I'll give you that"
Neko: "Hmph, umu"
Taking this win she straightens herself, gives a wavy cat-styled grin & closes her eyes temporarily. She brings her drink up & takes a few sips of it, the warmth of the milk tea flows through her mouth then down her throat. The smooth chocolatey texture soothed her nerves with every sip, "This was a cat-tastic choice!" she celebrates in her mind as she opens her mouth to let tiny amounts of the steam out with a satisfying smile on her face
Neko: "Nyahh"
Klaus looks at her with warm eyes & a considerably gentle grin as if the warmth of her drink spread to his heart, he takes this opportunity to glance down at the drink he chose for himself. A tall yet slender brown & silver can of Espresso, every cold sip he takes has the essential taste of the beverage but misses the key ingredient that makes a drink like Espresso as unique as it is
Klaus: *Softly sipping*
He finishes his brief sample & the conclusion becomes written on his lips, subtly smacking them together with a look of disappointment as his eyes gaze downward along with his cheeks
Neko: "You didn't like your drink Nya?"
Klaus: "It's missing something, I suppose they can't capture da authenticity of European coffee"
His response gets Neko thinking, "He said the kyoffee here isn't as good as the Western ones" she takes her eyes off him & into the crowd of people surrounding them as she ponders. "I wonder if he has that feeling about other things here, Jyapan must be syo different from where he's from"
Neko: "Syo why did you decide Jyapan of all places, why not Nyamerica?"
After thinking about it for a moment she straight up asks him why he would choose to study in Japan, "I'm dying to knyow why Saitama & not Tokyo like most foreigners"
Klaus: "Nun…ja"
This question stuns him, he lowers his right hand as it carries the now empty can & tilts his head away from Neko. His eyes stare off into the sea of cars, rectangular automobiles speeding past the crowds & illuminating the road with their white & red lights
Klaus: "I'd say it's because I'm a big fan of cars & Japan has many famous brands like Shibishi (四菱) & Okazaki Motors (岡崎)"
As he talks the words rapidly come out of his mouth & he takes this opportunity to share with Neko his greatest interest
Klaus: "Dese brands are seen all over the Vorld so being in Japan is a huge privilege to me, I'm hoping with my engineering diploma I could vork at a company like dose"
His eyes brighten like deep-sea fish as elaborates on his plans for the future, this passion of his unfortunately isn't transcribed to Neko who walks closely by him but reduces the joyful light emanating from her presence. "Myoh he's a Car Otaku" she laments in her head, "my Kuryausu loves those large metal Monsters of the road…Nyaa" unhappy as she rolls her eyes & puffs her cheeks somewhat at this ill-fated revelation
Neko: "Is that syo?"
She responds with a less than impressed demeanour, tilting her head to her right & audibly exhaling through her puckered lips
Klaus: "Of course, dey can't beat Da legendary German manufacturers Leute Auto & Gosler but dey are still great in dere…Neko?"
He begins to silence himself after noticing Neko's body language expressing her deep lack of interest in what he's saying, this puts his mind into a frenzy over what he could have done to cause this. His shoulders become stiff & his head turns forward while his eyes pace about, swapping between looking right so Neko is in the corner of his vision or viewing ahead so as to not appear awkward. All the while contemplating what went wrong in their conversation
Klaus: "Neko"
A shining light ahead of him gradually grows larger as they both near their destination, a large rectangular building made of grey steel & concrete with a huge sign displaying the words (JR 大宮駅) on a huge sign above the entrance, even at such a distance that the sign is visible to him
Hearing Klaus's voice Neko turns to him only to see that he is gazing ahead, she does so immediately & spots the same sign indicating that the station is within reach. This site is accompanied by louder footsteps of people entering the station, voices grew louder too as the crowd gets crammed into smaller spaces. This along with the noises of smooth iron rolling onto each other, "must be the trains" she thought as she approach the station
--
20:04 in downtown Saitama, inside the station by the wall stands a gentleman clearly alien to his surroundings towering over the locals like a statue wearing a white & blue plaid shirt as he watches over the river of Salarymen. "I never like standing in crowds like this" thinking cautiously while men in suits slumber past him lifelessly & all synchronized like Ants, their unhospitable demeanours reflecting the frigid breeze infiltrating this station's main hall from outside
This chilled air wraps around Klaus's body like a spiteful blanket however, the warmth inside his chest combats this cold as he stands holding his arms close. Cloaking himself as if he wore a cape, coupled with his heart fluttering at the thought of Neko
To the left of this gentleman stands a pink goddess in her checkered coat & long black skirt, watching the railway map intently with her acute pink eyes like a predator. Pressing her face closer to the glass barrier in front of her before arising to a crucial inquiry
Neko: "Which station would you stop at?"
She jumps from her stooped position to ask him with a tinge of anticipation, directing her gaze toward him as if switching to more desirable prey
Klaus: "Nun my apartment is in Nisshin"
He turns his head to her but his eyes are positioned left, his lips shut tightly as his eyebrows come together momentarily before he answers. "I hope dat's da right area, vould she know?" he considers
Neko: "Nyah! The green line"
Promptly announcing while pointing her finger to the green & white striped line on the map, she taps her nails against the window. Running two fingers of her right hand along the line until she locates Nisshin Station
Watching her enthusiastically search for that station is a breath-taking sight, from the way her deep eyes follow along with her fingers to the adorable way her hair slides when she moves her head. Klaus's chest tightens as he finds himself unable to speak, "my Japanese language skills are not da best, I'm worried I'll say something rong or put Neko off" this thought sits in his head as he turns away from her. A lull forms in the atmosphere between them, with Neko humming away while Klaus maintains a distance from the crowds ahead of him causing the most noise with their constant rate of tough shoes trampling the smooth solid ground
| Ring Ring |
The stillness was immediately interrupted by a ringing of a jingle gripping the attention of both Klaus & Neko, his eyes swiftly opened wider & eyebrows rise considerably at the noise & gentle vibrating sensation in his right pocket. "My phone?" noticing this phenomenon as his phone ringing he takes his hand into that pocket & clutches his rectangular device before hastily pulling it out
Klaus: "My phone"
He says turning to Neko who lightly nods
Neko: "It's fine, take it"
Klaus: "Thank you"
The phone screen reads "Kate" in a plain white font on a green background surrounded by minimalistic phone icons rattling with the vibrations of the phone
But seeing that name on the screen causes a change in Klaus, his eyebrows descend at the same rate as his cheeks. The enchanting glow of his blue eyes dimmed as that four-letter word burns into his good mood, "vhat does she vant now?!" he thinks as he takes a few steps away from Neko & pulls the phone close
| Pi | ピ
He tapped the green circle on the left side of the screen, within an instant the sounds & vibrations ceased as he took the phone up to his ear. Keeping it to his ear, his jaws & lips tense up while his brows furrow
Kate: "Guten Morgen"
A young woman's brittle voice comes out of the phone, Kate greets him with an ill-timed greeting in German
Klaus: "It's almost midnight for me"
Responding in the same language Klaus reluctantly corrected her with a tone of irritation & a face in shock, his blue eyes wider & mouth agape
Kate: "Nun ja, I forgot"
She takes it sarcastically, lowering her voice as she dismisses her mistake as if waving away a repulsive insect. This only adds to Klaus's irritation
Klaus: "Vhat do you vant!?"
He asks with a somewhat raised tone, realizing this he swiftly turns to Neko before swinging his head back & prays she doesn't understand. "Neko is next to clueless vhen it comes to languages outside of Japanese so she vouldn't know the vords I'm saying" this thought brings momentary comfort to him. "But she's good at seeing vhen something is rong, dat I cannot hide from her well" but this next thought increases his anxiety, causing his breathing to pick up & the tips of his fingers to twitch
Kate: "Vater wants to speak to you"
Just when things got bad for Klaus this woman on the phone brought up "Vater", chills are sent down his spine as the thought of speaking to his Father spreads fear as it settles into his soul like a seed of insecurity. "I haven't seen Vater in over a year"
Klaus: "If yu are about to hand the phone over to him I'm leaving"
However, he gains the courage to sternly decline the offer to speak to his Father, taking the phone at a short distance from his ear & hovering his thumb over the red circle
Kate: "No he's not here, he's in the hospital"
In an instant his body froze, eyes widened as his breathing picked up in frequency
Klaus: "Ah"
All he could do when being confronted with that news was make a subdued gasp while his body remained stone solid in its immobility, his cheeks dropped & his deep blue eyes sank into his palm as glimpses of the past flooded his mind. Klaus can remember a time when he was with his Father, in a green grassy field under the clear blue sky. A young boy in a grey button shirt welding a pointy wooden twig like a sword as he raced towards a man in traditional lederhosen, this man bends over to pull the young Klaus closer in his warm embrace
Kate: "His illness is getting vorse, Doctors he has months left"
This little piece of detail from Kate flows into his ear like acid as if the knife in his heart is being twisted, he remembers how they used to giggle together. Partners in crime he & his Father used to be. "Vhat I could give to have that old life back" Klaus remarks as he raises his head up & keeps the phone to his ear
Klaus: "Nun ja, thanke for that information"
He calmly thanks Kate with a subtle laboured breathe as if hiding the pain from his little sibling, taking his palm up to tightly rub his forehead
Klaus: *Yawns*
Yawning as he does so, he begins to lean on the red bar of the wall behind him. "Got I'm so tired now" he thinks while covering his mouth, anticipating a second yawn
Klaus: *Deeply yawns*
He yawns once again, this time louder than the last
Kate: *Sighs* "Ah"
Klaus hears his sister sighing in frustration & impatience through the phone,
Klaus: "Vat vas dat?"
He confronts her callous demeanour with a stern & broody "vhat", which results in fiery retaliation
Kate: "Everyone's been asking vere yu've been!"
Suddenly his eyes spring open like a Jack-in-the-Box as that string of words swoops into his ear like an electric shock, this brings with it an eruption of adrenaline from the resentment he has toward the situation he's in
Klaus: "dey all can keep asking, I left Exorcism behind & I'm not going back to dat life"
He's finally able to let out his resentment, lashing out at Kate with an antagonistic raised voice. He tightly grips the phone & presses it to the side of his head like it is a precious gem he won't be separated from, the rage being channelled through his veins as every fibre of his is pulled in the direction of anger. "Not after vhat dey've done, I von't come back! I vill never hunt Monsters ever again!" his mind proclaims as the anger flows causing his heart rate to pick up
Kate: "How long do yu think yu can keep dis up? dey vill come for you"
She announces in a subdued tone, her breathy murmurs remaining calm as her brother verbally severs his ties to their family profession. Her mild declaration leaves him unable to respond, the moment after her inquiry is met with enough silence to hear a pin drop on glass. The only noise filling this void is the crowd of people reducing in number
Klaus: *Deep breaths*
He crosses his eyes & straightens his back, his eyebrows coming together as he takes several deep breaths to calm his nerves. "dat sounds like a threat" concluding to himself that Kate meant to petrify him & prevent any future moves against their family. The fingertips on his left-hand wobble like noodles, his shoulders jitter & his heartbeats increase tenfold. "If dey find me here who knows vhat dey could do, Neko vould certainly be targeted. Simply for da crime of knowing me" this dreadful thought causes him to securely cover his mouth & stare out with wide eyes like he's ferociously searching for something, "it's unfair dat she vould be seen as a threat & she's not even a Monster"
With all that in mind Klaus takes his hand down & looks at his phone, the large screen displaying "Kate" in dark writing on a smooth beige background. His eyes focus on those letters as he finds the courage to counter these thoughts that push his spirits down, "after putting da past behind my life hasn't been more amazing, I have a shot at a normal life & defending it is so important"
Klaus: "Mark my vords Kate, whoever comes. dey vill regret it"
He proclaims in a stern commanding voice originating from his broad chest, his sternness is carried to his face as he stares out at the signs all over the station with venomous pupils
The only person to notice the hatred grow within Klaus is Neko, after turning to him a few seconds prior she was able to catch what he just said however as it was in German she could only react with slight confusion & even larger eyes overflowing with admiration at being able to hear another language being spoken however Klaus's stiff frame suggests to her that he's in some kind of trouble so before she inquiries the ogling eyes become subdued
Neko: "Kurau…"
Klaus: *Slight giggling*
Just as she makes a few short steps to him & faintly calls out Klaus immediately starts laughing, his tense shoulders drop as his chin rises considerably. He lets out this brief burst of laughter as Kate's voice enters his ears once again, the animosity he held in his heart rapidly dissipates once he turns back around & Neko re-enters his field of view making whatever Kate throws at him ineffective. "I think my second chance at a good life is right dere" with kind blue eyes he looks at Neko longingly
Klaus: "Tschüss Kate"
| Pi | ピ
At the sudden press of a button followed by a muffled beep, Klaus swiftly & blissfully ends the call with Kate as he pulls the phone away from his ear. A grin fuelled by satisfaction forms as he puts his phone back into his pocket & turns his attention back to Neko
Klaus: "Hallo Neko"
He whimsically grins as he steps closer to her
Neko: "Is everything ok? Kurausu"
She asks with a calm respectful voice, toning down her as well as her outgoing personality. Reducing herself to an insecure frame as her arms come closer together & defensive posture takes hold, she brings her head forward slightly & tilts it gently to the left. "Is she ok? I've never seen her like this before"
Klaus: "I'm doing great because I'm with you"
Hoping to ease her anxieties, Klaus answers openly with that endearing grin. Still motivated by the victory he had when vanquishing the witch on the phone line. However, this attempt gave no favourable results considering Neko stands nervously by the railway map. "Nein! Don't tell me she knew vhat I vas saying" his mind panics & a thunderstorm of alarm paralyzes his body, causing his limbs to jitter gingerly
Klaus: "Nek…"
Neko: "My train will nyarrives, I have to go quickly"
She hastily interrupts him with this announcement with a tinge of frustration, sticking her head up & raising her voice somewhat to make herself heard
Neko: "Sorry to cut this short but I have to get home tonight"
Stepping away from the map hanging from the grey tiled wall & gradually approaching Klaus, her former anxious demeanour broke down as she reaches him twirling her pink hair with her right hand & clutching her hand back with her left. While strutting closer her back straightens like a tree trunk
Klaus: "Nun, I understand…"
Taken aback Klaus responds affirmatively yet his voice conveys a hue of discontent with this revelation, his eyes are taken to the floor as he begins to caress the back of his head & brings his lips tightly together. "I'm sure she couldn't understand vhat I said. Got I vish I didn't answer that phone call" Neko's sudden change in behaviour as well as her abrupt decision to leave causes more uneasiness in Klaus's heart. Enough to dictate his next move
He swiftly takes his arm out & lightly grabs Neko's barehand with his firm grip
Neko: "Nyah"
She faintly meows at the shock of Klaus suddenly grasping her hand, his fingers gradually wrapping around her wrist & his thumb securely clutching her pinkie finger. His robust palm radiates warmth onto her soft silky hand causing her cheeks to light up like a lighthouse & as red as a strawberry
Klaus's eyes burst open as his cheeks too blush heavily as well as his ears, without a second thought, as Neko leaves he grabs her hand. Shifting glances while his head wobbles, "vhy did I just do dis? Nun, Nein! She's totally going to be put off by dis" he thinks as his head turns to avoid her. Furthermore, his legs begin to stutter like dangling spaghetti as his left foot starts twisting on the ground
Neko: "Oh Kurausu…"
Rapidly shutting her eyes as she faintly moans, hearing that tone Klaus is hit with even more waves of awkward embarrassment. With a bent spine, he keeps his mouth locked so as not to ruin his reputation anymore by giving the wrong response. "vhat vas that? Is she into this? I don't know where to go from here"
Neko: "Is this what you do to girls in Germany?"
Taking initiative Neko deliberately rotates her head 100 degrees in Klaus's direction, not stopping until he enters her periphery like a possessed doll & speaking with an impassive domineering tone of voice along with a deep glare from her peachy pink eyes. As she locks onto Klaus he moves his eyes left to avoid any potential ridicule, even sealing his lips completely before he decouples his hand from hers. "I've ruined it now"
Klaus: "I'm sorry, I vasn't trying anything"
He weakly whispers, slightly lowering his neck like a dog who's aware it has misbehaved
Neko: "Nya ha ha"
The sight of Klaus suddenly acting submissive brings Neko to burst out laughing, she turns her entire body to him & takes a few steps back. Holding her belly with her one free hand as the laughter comes out
Neko: "Nya ha ha!"
Shutting her eyes & bending her back slightly, her gleeful chuckles catch Klaus by surprise. His back uncoils itself as he regains his composure, "Nun she vas joking around" this splendid discovery allows Klaus to relax moreover letting the red on his cheeks & ears evaporate as rapidly as water in a desert. With Neko's extreme amusement, he can take his notches down & laugh with her
Klaus: "Ha ha ha"
As he laughs he firmly grabs his hips & pumps out his chest, letting out his hearty chuckles
Klaus: "Yu have much to learn in the vays of da German"
This little taste of Klaus's humour gives Neko great intrigue, she brings her arms together & pouts her hands like they were paws before presenting to him her large, adorable eyes
Neko: "Nyaa, Kurausu Onii Chan. Teach us your ways"
With puckered lips & big, beautiful eyes, Neko speaks to him in her Kawaii Maid voice as she begs to be taught the ways he speaks of. Klaus not being so used to such levels of Kawaiiness naturally freezes while his heart melts in his chest & eyes wide open, breathing intensifies & lips clench themselves. The only thing would be a gigantic nosebleed however the Kawaii levels would have to go beyond the recommended doses
Neko: "But that would have to wait for later, my train is kyoming so this will be where we say gyoodbye"
She switches from back to her normal self, tucking her arms to her sides & straightening her posture before rapidly waving goodbye with her right hand
Klaus: "Nun ok, I'm sure ve…can see eachother again soon"
Slightly dropping his head as the inevitable approaches, after looking down at the ground momentarily he fights this disheartening emotion & inquires to meet again. Nervously stating that there is a possibility of it happening, stumbling on his words as his pupils shrink & move all over the place almost sporadically. "Ja. Of course, ve vill see each other again, I'm just getting really paranoid" hoping for this to be true he takes a deep breath & opens his ears for Neko. Awaiting a response
Neko: "Nya it's annyoying because I'm working most of the week"
She says while tiny clinking sounds emanate from her handbag as she rummages causing several items to rattle, head turned away from Klaus & towards her bag as she continues
Neko: "Though we can meet up on Thursday evening if you like"
Casually makes a value proposition to him as her right arm shoots out of the bag with a blue & white plastic ball with holes along its surface, inside is a small bell causing all the chiming. She smiles with glee at this important find
Neko: "Nyah!"
Verbally celebrating with the ball firmly planted in her palm but while her attention is held by this cat toy Klaus sees an offer he can't refuse stationed in front of him. "I might not get another chance to see her this week so I must take it"
Klaus: "I vould enjoy dat"
His warm words feel like honey to Neko, this causes her cheeks to glow red like a traffic light & her legs to shake in embarrassment
Neko: "Nyaa that's gyood, I look forward to it"
After hearing his sweet German accent she gains the confidence to answer & with a spring in her step she suddenly bows to Klaus before twisting around like a ballerina, using her left foot to turn 180 degrees. Following this action is a large pounce forward as she begins racing head-on towards the platforms like a lioness perusing her prey, waving her right hand in the air as she does so before passing a row of large black screens displaying the many train lines in & out of Saitama prefecture along with their times. Neko heads for the train heading for Minami-Urawa station (南浦和駅)
Klaus Contentedly watches on before he rubs his forehead with his sleeve & joyfully makes his way to his platform heading for Nisshin
--
The time displayed on the top right of Neko's phone is 20:02, showing in dark magenta with a handwritten style font matching the many icons to its left all radiating against the blush pink tab running along the top of the screen
| Gatan gatan | ガタンガタン
Fixed in the middle of a cramped train surrounded by Salarymen, Neko feels the pressure of a hundred people pressing against each of her shoulders. The environment of this train carriage treats its passengers like sardines as it attempts to stuff as many people as it can, all squeezing against eachother as they stand upright in & firmly grasping meager handles hanging from the ceiling
One of these individuals is Neko highlighted by her pink checkered jacket & general Kawaii attire contrasting the dark & dingy suits of monotonous office workers all hunched down on their phones, she doesn't deviate from this trend as she taps away at her screen like everyone else
Neko: "_"
Her tired expression sets in as the journey continues, 2 minutes into this train ride & Neko already has laboured breathe as she struggles to keep her eyes open to see the images & videos on her Jinx feed. With every clack of the rails, she steadily returns to her homely self, her true form. Drowsy & dopey as spends most of her free hours lost in the realms of sleep as she lies on any surface she could, not moving for anyone & proceeding to irritate her Oni homeowner. "I just wyanna sleep now"
But as her mind doses off along with her consciousness a thought rushes into her brain & violently jolts her bloodstream, "Oh no what if my Potion wears off now!?!?!" this worry increases her heartbeats & brings life into her joints as her eyes suddenly open. Like a reanimated corpse she turns to her phone & swiftly taps away with her fingers, eyes following every move she makes
Coming off of Jinx she opens the search engine Woddle Web, in the corner is a button that should take her to Camouflage mode. After clicking that button the bright background swiftly turns into a dark, sinister-shaded backdrop. Here she along with millions of others make anonymous moves online, a barrage of adrenaline pours through Neko's veins as she begins typing in the search bar. "As a Kyatgirl" she begins to ponder, "as a Myonster, I've always had to hide from the World" with this newfound energy she is able to expand on this idea. "Always had to shy away from new opportunities because I worried the Potion would stop working & the World would see what I truly look like"
(longer-lasting masking potion sale)
She swiftly types before taking her finger to the porpoise grey search button, once she clicked it the screen goes black for a second before hundreds of results pop up for her to explore. "Nya that is a lot of results" the amount startles her enough to raise her eyebrows & brighten her face with the possibility of a Masking Potion that could last long enough for her to do the things she wishes amongst Humans. "If I was Hyuman things would be different, I could have sleepovers with Rannyan, day trips to the countryside & even…" her train of thought was interrupted by the many offers that are presented in front of her, as she scrolls down she sees
10ml = 48hrs (¥6630)
20ml = 60hrs (¥7220)
Neko: *Gasps*
Her mouth widens with astonishment as she reads the amount of time these portions are offering & how low their prices are, "Nyo way! I could get more time in Hyuman form with such low prices!? It costs me almost ¥5000 for just 2hrs of Hyuman time" with these offers being so enticing Neko twitches her fingers & licks her lips. "With these, I could really have a relationship with a Hyuman" her heart suddenly skips a beat at this thought, in particular. She begins to twirl her hair while considering this even further, "maybe Kuryausu would accept me more if I were Hyuman like him, our relationship could blossom much more than what it could if I stuck with the Potions I already have"
50ml = 100hrs (¥9600)
"Nyaa!" After scrolling further Neko comes across another enticing offer, this one is too difficult to ignore. Her eyes light up & her Human ears stick up with intrigue, "with this one I could save so much money, I could spend that on going places. With Kuryausu!" with that in mind she immediately clicks on the offer & is taken to a new page with several messages about this product
"Longer lasting"
"Easy to use"
"Can go weeks without replenishing"
"No need to fork out on tiny doses"
All of these statements & the gifs to match set in stone Neko's desire to acquire a sample, she scrolls further to find a link to a Jinx user. "Oh the seller is on Jinx, that's syo convenient" she eagerly presses down on the screen before being taken back to Jinx where a user's direct chat room pops up
Say hi to Taku_Ro17
A tiny vertical line faintly flashes next to that line, Neko stares down at that line with immense thrill but also skepticism. "What if this person is a scammer?" she questions herself but shortly after that another thought enters her mind, "What if I just meet him & see" this idea not only rivalling her rational question but also overriding it with her shire desire to get her hands on a longer lasting Potion. Neko swiftly starts typing
[Hi]
Sent
[Is that potion you're offering sti]
She pauses mid-type, both her wrists rapidly shaking as her heart beats faster. "What am I doing?" she asks herself. "Why am I doing this?" as her actions become deconstructed she looks away from her phone & longingly into the crowd that surrounds her, "I live in Japan, a place where standing out is frowned upon" as she gazes at the lifeless Salarymen all preoccupied with what's on their phones she thinks even further. "Why must the way I was born to affect my chance at a happy life with someone I love? Why can't it be changed?" she asks before turning back to her phone
[Is that potion you're offering still available? I'd like to buy some]
Sent
Neko: *Sighs*
Finally, she sent the message & can breathe a sigh of relief. Her heart gradually decreases as the rush of her incognito online shopping spree lessens, coupled with more thoughts combating eachother for dominance over Neko's next move. "Am I doing the right thing? Was it irresponsible of me to make a move without consulting Hoshi-chan first?" these ideas flow through her mind & they're all met with some form of counterargument from her subconscious. "You've had a taste of what is possible, why can't you take that leap to get what you deserve?", "you are an adult, after all. Stop waiting for the green light from Hoshi-chan or Hyaru-san"
Neko: *Sighs*
She sighs once more as these thoughts battle for control
| Puru | プルッ
A message notification causes her phone to vibrate, this sensation immediately catches Neko's attention. She turns her phone back on to see it was a message from Taku_Ro17, the sight of that name makes Neko just in celebration
She opens the app to see what his response is
[We may have some bottles left but it's gonna cost ya]