Chapter 3

Later that day, Kai wandered through the bustling city streets, hands shoved deep in his pockets. The sun hung lazily in the sky, its warm glow reflecting off the cobblestone roads. He had no work today — a luxury he rarely experienced in his old life. Back then, his days were a relentless blur of obligations. Any free moment he could snatch was spent watching anime, reading books, or sketching illustrations… but those moments were fleeting.

Most of his time was consumed by an endless cycle of work and household demands. If it wasn’t the honey-do list, it was the job. If it wasn’t work, it was taking care of the kids. He’d even started sleeping on the floor to be more attentive to the children, hoping to ease his wife’s exhaustion. Yet no matter how much he did, it never seemed enough.

Here, in this strange dreamlike world, there was nothing pulling him in every direction. No demands. No expectations. Just… time.

As he strolled through the market square, the scent of freshly baked bread and roasted meat filled the air. He glanced at a street performer juggling knives to the cheers of a small crowd. His lips twitched into a brief smile.

But that smile faded as he noticed a small shadow trailing him. Kai sighed, glancing over his shoulder.

The neko girl was still there, tail flicking as she followed him at a cautious distance. She wasn’t even trying to be subtle about it.

"Don't you have somewhere you have to be?" Kai asked.

The girl blinked, ears twitching. "No," she mumbled, turning her head slightly to avoid his gaze.

Kai exhaled. "I guess if you go back empty-handed, things aren't gonna go well for you."

She said nothing, but the way her shoulders slumped told him everything.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Listen… I’m not gonna go defend you. But I’m not gonna stop you from hanging out. Following… well, me."

Her eyes flicked toward him, wide and surprised. For a second, she looked like she wanted to say something — but instead, she simply nodded.

They walked in silence again, but this time, the quiet felt a little less heavy.

Kai’s stomach growled loudly, breaking the silence between them. He placed a hand over his gut with a sheepish sigh. "I'm famished. I think I need to get something to eat."

The neko girl’s ears perked up slightly. She glanced at him but didn’t say anything.

"You wouldn’t know a good place where I can go and not be bothered by the adventurers, would you…?" Kai added, eyeing her curiously.

She hesitated, tail flicking behind her. "Maybe," she muttered.

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Maybe?"