Amid the conversation, Haru had returned after searching around the store.
"Miaw~! (No, there's no scent of that child at all!)" The little one seemed a bit impatient.
Homura picked her up and comforted her, "Don't worry, we'll find your little brother soon."
After speaking, Homura handed Haru over to Nana.
With a puzzled look on her face, Nana received Haru and held her in her arms. As soon as Haru entered her embrace, she smelled the scent of her little brother...
"Um..." Feeling that the cat was getting quiet, Nana asked, "May I know what's her name?"
Upon hearing this, Homura hooked his mouth.
He knew that answering this question poorly would cause a misunderstanding!
Nana was asking about the cat's name. Would it be interesting if he told his own name?
Thinking of this, Homura almost laughed out loud. Would the name "Homura-chan" be called out by Nana later?
However, he had a feeling that something was not quite right. What could it be?
"!!!"
Right, "Homura-chan" wouldn't do, since this is the nickname that Kaname Madoka gave to Akemi Homura! He suddenly felt a bit annoyed. He didn't want to be called by that name either, and he also felt that it was just too much since this was their first meeting.
So, Homura looked at Nana, who had been looking at him strangely for a long time, and he asked, "Only the cat's name?"
"Yes... Ah! Can you tell me your name as well, sir?" Nana blushed a little. She also felt that her previous question was a bit rude. Fortunately, this guest noticed it and wasn't offended, or she would have been embarrassed!
"Sure! The cat's name is Haru, and my name is Minamiya Homura." Homura didn't want to keep her in suspense, so he just told her directly.
"Minamiya-san..." Nana repeated, looking down at the cat in her arms. "And Haru-chan huh."
"Meow? (What's going on?)" The little one lifted her head upon hearing her name, looking strangely at the woman who smelled like her little brother.
Gently stroking the cat, Nana asked Homura her initial question. "Minamiya-san, what's the matter with Haru-chan's brother?"
"First of all, may I ask if it's okay to know your name, Clerk-san?" Although Homura knew, he still had to ask.
"Ah, sorry." Nana was a bit embarrassed. "I should have introduced myself earlier. I am Okami, Okami Nana."
Homura nodded and asked back, "Then, Okami-san, take a closer look at Haru's appearance. Don't you feel familiar?"
Nana looked at Haru carefully, and after a moment, she exclaimed, "Hachi!"
The more Nana looked at Haru, the more she felt that she resembled the male kitten she had not adopted for long. That was a male kitten with a similar appearance to Haru, and she named it "Hachi."
When she paid more attention to Haru, she felt like Haru's appearance was a lot older than Hachi's. Only then did Nana realize what Homura meant by Haru's younger brother.
"So that's it. Hachi is Haru-chan's younger brother!" Nana patted Haru's back, feeling happy. "That's great! I'm sure he will be very happy to see his sister!"
"Minamiya-san, let me take you to see Hachi!"
Despite the pressure from Nana's gaze, Homura felt a bit pressured. Wasn't Okami Nana supposed to be a gentle girl? Why does she not seem like one now? Is it because of her love for pets?
"Um... Okami-san, don't you have to keep your store open?" Homura asked, concerned about the potential impact on her business. But judging by Nana's behavior, she would have rather closed the store to let Haru and Hachi reunite.
"No problem! Closing is fine!" Nana responded promptly.
Homura had no choice but to accept her offer. "Thank you so much, Okami-san."
"Call me Nana," Nana said, handing Haru over to Homura's arms.
"In that case, call me Homura, Nana." The pronunciation of her surname "Oukami" sounded the same as "Ookami" which meant "Big Bad Wolf" in Japanese. Hearing Okami Nana introduce herself sounded just like saying "I am Big Bad Wolf." It was just too comical!
{TN: I will write her name "Okami"; I just want to make it easier and simpler to read, just like "Kato/Katou", "Kosuke/Kousuke", or "Kosaka/Kousaka"}
Nana closed her store, and Homura took Haru with him to visit her brother at Nana's home.
===
On the way.
"By the way, Homura-kun, can you tell me about Haru-chan?" asked a pair of curious eyes staring at him.
Being stared at, Homura had to explain what he knew about Haru.
It started with five abandoned kitten siblings, and then Haru took on the responsibility of taking care of her younger brothers and sisters as an older sister. She learned survival skills from two cats named "Tora" and "Kuro". Two of her younger siblings were adopted by people, and one younger sister was killed by a crow. Haru lived alone until she met him at the cemetery...
Since Nana did not feel strange when she heard that he could understand the meaning of cats, Homura told her Haru's background in detail.
" ...Oh, I see." Nana was a bit silent. She did not expect Haru's past to be so heavy. Sighing, "So one of Haru-chan's sisters has already..."
She stopped speaking halfway. Although Haru did not understand her words, Nana still felt that she should not bring up Haru's sad things again. Because Haru was very happy now...
"Very happy" She murmured while watching the two.
Nana understood as she watched the interaction between Homura and Haru; one man, and one cat. Homura was very good to Haru, and Haru was fortunate to have met this person!
"What did you say, Nana?" Homura asked strangely. How did this suddenly come out? What happy?
"I said, isn't it fortunate for Haru-chan to meet an owner like you?" Nana smiled.
"No, you're wrong, Nana." Homura denied, "I never thought of myself as Haru's owner. I treat Haru as my family member because I can communicate with her. Besides, this is not just Haru's happiness. It is also my fortune and happiness to meet such a sensible little one like her!"
He picked up the little cat and pressed his forehead against hers, and Homura smiled happily.
Haru also pressed her small paw against Homura's face and licked him.
"Haha, it's itchy."
Nana smiled heartily watching this scene.
'Yes, I was wrong. The fact that you two can meet each other is the greatest happiness...'
===
Arriving at Nana's apartment and standing in front of her door, the Haru felt a little uneasy.
Was all of this just a dream? Could she really see her little brother?
Homura kept stroking her and said to Nana, "Nana, open the door. Only when Haru sees her brother can this unease be stopped."
Nana nodded, feeling a little excited herself. Haru would find her little brother, and her little brother could finally see his sister too! They would be overjoyed!
"Hachi! Roku! I'm back!" Nana called out, "Hacchan! Come and see who's here!"
Hachi, Haru's younger brother, peeked out from the house. Haru and Hachi saw each other.
The two cats looked at each other, neither making a sound nor approaching each other...