The late afternoon sun cast a warm glow over the quiet street as Yoru unlocked the door to his modest apartment. As soon as the door creaked open, a blur of black hair and violet eyes launched itself at him, knocking him slightly off balance.
"Master!" Aira cried, her voice filled with joy as she clung to him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. Her tail swished excitedly behind her as she nuzzled into his chest.
Yoru chuckled softly, one hand instinctively moving to pet her head. "Hey, little one. How's it going?" he asked, his tone gentle and full of affection.
Aira pulled back just enough to look up at him, her wide eyes shimmering with playful annoyance. "I missed you, Master. You said you'd be back quickly, but you took forever! Why did you take so long?" Her voice was a mixture of a pout and a plea, her expression making Yoru's heart soften.
