A Peculiar Couple

After wondering around for some time in the Nishiki Market, Ryota and Rejiki finished their shopping. Ryota bought a small package of beni shōga and some leftovers of Ko-Ayu fish from a friend in a fish market. Rejiki after a lot of talking, Ryota finally convinced him to buy something else beside meat, so he bought a double Wagyu triple cheese rice burger which begin to munching the moment he took it. 

After a while they walk away from the market.

"Mmm so that was a good choice" Reiji said as he took another bite from his burger "bhut i sthill phrefmer mfeut" mumbled Rejiki with his mouth full of food.

"Don't speak with your mouth full, it's bad manners" 

" Okay Okaasan, whatever you say, anyway don't think i forgot about your help, this weekend will go for drinks for sure, i owe you big time for today"

"Nonsense it was nothing"

"Always acting gallant and highly, but i will keep my promise, we will drink all night for sure, and after that we will go to karaoke and find some beautiful women to hang out" Rejiki said with a cheerful and teasing expression on his face, knowing well how much Ryota despised karaoke.

"In your dreams highschooler" said sarcastically.

"We will see about that, anyway have a good peaceful night like always, but i wish for you to find a beautiful highschooler outside of your house tonight"  

" You're reading too many manga, and very inappropriate ones if i have to say"

"Whatever you say old timer, have a beautiful evening and see you tomorrow at work" 

"Yeah you too, see you tomorrow"

They wave to each other and Rejiki walk away to his apartment while he was munching the rest of his rice burger. Ryota on the other hand walked towards to the Kamo river, while the strange couple continue following him after he separated from Rejiki.

 After some walking he arrived besides the river and start walking to the road beside it. He walked slowly admiring the beautiful scenery of the light orange colour on the river because of the sundown, and relaxed by the slightly sounds of the trees from the light wind. Even if there wasn't very strong, the wind still was rather cold, but Ryota payed no attention to that, he was dressed up warm with his coat and his scarf so he didn't cold.

"Back in the day, i used to go jogging in those streets, when the weather was good, now i can just walk and breathe the fresh air to clear my lungs from the tobacco" he thought melancholically as he stopped walking to hear the gentle sound of the wind while he closed his eyes for a bit. The sound of the wind up from the river was simple kind of healing for every salaryman.

"That's why i would never move out to Tokyo or Osaka no matter how good opportunities there are there for me", he thought as he remembered how an old colleague of his, gave him a call a few months ago to tell him that he had a good post for him, into an International company to Osaka as an executive member to informatics Department. He got the proper knowledge for this position so it was easily for him to transfer to Osaka. But, he didn't do it, "how could I give up all these peaceful moments in nature and lose myself in such big city for better business opportunities" he answered back then to that offer.

Ryota never cared about to have a successful business career or to be popular among the other co-workers, for him the only things he care it was to live quiet and peaceful without any worries or regrets. He loved Kyoto, he grew up in this city, his parents was still living in this city, his friends, co-workers, the owners of the restaurants and markets he used to go. Never, not even once the thought of leaving all of these for better career cross his mind.

"Meow, Meow"

Ryota opened his eyes surprised leaving his deep thoughts as he heard this sound. He look down to his legs and saw a grey silver cat crawling and nuzzle to his trousers.

"Well well little rascal you finally decided to show up, i bet you smelled those and you acting so needy" he said while he shaked the plastic bag with the leftovers of Ko-Ayu fish inside.

"Meow, meooow" the cat meowed louder and put its upper legs on his knee and start scratching needy with its fluffy paws.

"Oh, be careful not to scratch me, okay okay you spoiled furball here you go" Ryota careful empty the inside of the bag in a corner outside of the main walking path beside the lake. The cat immediately started eating the fish leftovers with great appetite.

"Even if you look so well fed, you always have a great appetite don't you ?", he said playfully to the cat as he leaned closer to it and started petting his furry back as the cat continue eating. Ryota had met this cat a month ago while he was doing his usual walks beside the river. It didn't seem to  be strawed based on his well fed belly and its clean fluffy fur.

 Ryota quickly get used to those little encounters with this cat, and sometimes brought leftover fish from the market to feed it, not because it looked hungry, but because that way he could pet it all he want without any chances to walk away. The specific cat didn't have an easy character, at the start didn't left Ryota close, but after a month of  feeding and everyday encounters the cat get used to of him.

Ryota was too busy petting the cat and watching it eat that he didn't see someone approach him from behind.

" Excuse me Sir"

Ryota turn his head a bit surprised by the unknown voice. Not even one meter away from him they were standing a tall, slim well-build man, with striking silver hair in an all-back style and sharp dark eyes. Beside him was standing a girl around her twenties, with short brown hair and shiny golden-brown eyes. They both wear black long coats, and while the man was wearing a long grey scarf, the girl wore a purple winter hat.

"Ah yes what is it Sir ?, If it is about the rubbish, i will take them right away when the cat is done eating." He said apologetic, it wasn't illegal to feed cats in public, but it's crucial to be discreet and avoid creating problems for residents and always clean up.

"Ah no need to apologise Sir, i'm sorry for scaring you, i just wanted to know if you know that cat" the tall man answered in a quiet tone while pointing the cat.

"Ah yes, i usually encounter it after work and sometimes feeding it, why ?" 

"Oh nothing, it's just the cat of our workplace owner, and sometimes when it's getting late she send us to look after it" 

"I see she must be worried about her cat"

"Not really, that little fellow always do what he wants like a proper cat"

"Ehe that's true cats have that kind of character" 

" Fluffy cheeks" Ryota nearly jumped surprised from the sound of that voice, looking down where the cat still eating, the girl who standed beside the tall man just seconds ago, was know in her knees and petting the cheeks of the cat. When did she got here ? I didn't even saw her moving closer, he thought surprised by the speed and silence of the girl.

The girl look at him with inspection on her golden-brown eyes and gently raise one of the cat paws pointing it to him

"Fluffy paws" she said with an emotionless tone to him while she squeezed gently the paws of the cat.

"Ah yes it's quite fluffy and cute" he answered a bit nervous by the presence of this strange girl.

" Ah Sayaka, don't scare the gentleman" the tall man said to the girl with scolding tone like grown up to his child.

The girl look at him peculiar with wonder in her eyes. The man sighed heavily to that look.

" I'm sorry about her, she doesn't understand anything about boundaries or personal space"

"Ah it's okay no worries Sir" Ryota answered in a calm tone

"Oh right, i'm sorry i didn't introduce myself, my name is Ryosuke Ishida and this is Sayaka Takeuchi." he pointed at the the girl which now holded the cat in her embrace gently while petting her head

"Hello" she said in a quite emotionless tone

" Hello to you too, my name is Ryota Endo"

"And this little rascal is Nyoka" Ryosuke said while pointing to the cat

"Nyoka huh, you got quite the name you little gluttony" Ryota said looking at the cat

"Anyway Mrs. Ryota would you mind coming with us for a bit, i know it's rather late and it's rude for me to ask you that out of nowhere but our boss will give us quite the ear pulling if we don't bring the guy who found and feed Nyoka, she will want to thank you properly" Ryosuke asked politely to Ryota

"Oh but there's no need to thank me, in fact i was just enjoying myself petting and feeding her cat"

"Even so please come with us, or our boss will give us a hard time for not bringing the caretaker of Nyoka" Ryosuke said pleading

Ryota understood that it will be bad manners if he didn't accept the gratitude from the owner of the cat. Even if he didn't do anything special he understood that taking care of someone else pet is a good deed which makes the other party to feel gratitude. 

"Okay i don't wish to be rude to you or your boss" he complied to them.

"Splendid, please follow us our shop it's from this way, it's a quiet café beside the river" Ryosuke pointed the way to Ryota as Sayaka followed them in silence still holding Nyoka in her embrace.

"Oh i think i know which café are you referring to, i had passed it sometimes from outside during my strolls, but i never got the chance to visit it"

"I see, well then it will be also a good chance for you to try it, we have lovely refreshments especially during the Winter, i think you're going to love it. And the owner will treat you something for sure as a thanks for Nyoka" 

The three of them walked slowly to the road besides the river as darkness fell into the sky.