Visiting

“Ugh.” Hayami looked with disgust at Koshiro and gritted her teeth. “Is this guy stalking me or something? I’ve never seen him here before and…” she looked at a carrier beside the boy, where a black cat was sprawled, “Did he kidnapped a cat or something?”

Hayami Takayama didn’t know that Koshiro Koike and the black cat Scar, who had taken medicine to travel, were on their way to Sumiye Suto’s house. It was a Saturday, they were on a train, and she was wearing casual clothes while hiding from the boy, who apparently was too busy abducting the mammal to pay attention to her. “Yes… this loser is definitely a bad guy. iI only I could help that c…” she stopped her thoughts as she tried to decipher what the boy was mouthing:

“Yes, little cat… there’s no turning back now, MUAHAHAHAHA! You’ll become someone else’s food while I gain a lot from selling you.” 

“No! No! Someone help me! I beg you!” the cat tried to shout…

“Wait! was the cat really talking just now?”

“If someone tries to save this cat… I’ll be sure to sell its kittens as well.” 

“Shit… why is this so similar to the movie I watched last night?” Hayami tried to stare at the cat’s eyes, “I’m sorry little friend… but for the sake of your kittens I can’t assist you…” she whispered.

Of course, if Hayami Takayama was closer to the two she could hear what they actually said:

“Scar-chan, there’s no turning back now…” Koshiro smiled, “Sadly you’ll have to bear the dizziness until we get off. By the way, how are you feeling now?”

“Scar-chan my ass, you can’t call me that! Now shut up that I’m trying to sleep.”

“Anyway.” Koshiro sighed, “I’ll let you sleep, if anyone tries to wake you up saying that you’re cute I’ll stop them.”

“Yeah, yeah… huh?” Scar turned to a beautiful girl who was whispering to her: 

“Little cat, I can’t resist you!” 

Scar closed her eyes: “It looks like all the preparation for today was worth it! I hope Sumiye-chan and Suto-san like my smell as well!”

“What did you say Scar?” Koshiro asked.

“I WASN'T TALKING TO YOU!”

***

Scar and Koshiro arrived at their destination about one hour later.

“DING, DONG.” Koshiro rang the bell of the Suto’s reasonably sized house with his right hand, while his left was holding a cat carrier.

“Yes, we’ll do that right now.” a muffled female voice was drawing closer to the door.

“W-What if it is a bad person?” a slow second voice asked.

“You don’t have to worry mom, it’s probably just some idiot…” the door started to open.

“Hello, Sumi-nee! Suto-san!” Koshiro greeted the two women.

“Hello, Suto-chan! Sumiye-chan!” Scar followed his lead.

“Oh, I was wrong mom, Scar is here too.” a weary-looking Sumiye said while smiling at the cat.

“Hey! What about that ‘idiot’?! He’s not here, right?” Koshiro queried her.

“It’s been some time Scar-chan! I’m sorry I couldn’t visit you these days!”

“It’s okay, I’m here now!” Scar managed to jump out of her carrier.

“Ooh! If it isn’t Scar-chan!” an old lady in a wheelchair being pushed by Sumiye stretched her arms to pick the black cat, “The last time I saw you you were… you were… you were Scar-chan!” 

"Oh my god, they totally ignored me." Koshiro brooded with a downcast face. 

“Hello, Suto-san!” Scar snuggled into her lap.

“And Kochiru Koi-san is here too!”

“Hehe…” Koshiro smiled awkwardly. He was already used to that.

“Please, make yourself at yourself…” the lady said while petting Scar.

After this, Sumiye turned the wheelchair around and was now side by side with Koshiro.

“Hey, let me do this.” Koshiro started to push the chair in Sumiye’s place.

“No, I can…”

“It’s okay, Sumi-nee.” the boy gave a faint smile, “It’s been ages since I’ve seen your mother.”

“Hmm…” Sumiye didn’t resist much, it didn’t seem like she could do so either. “Okay…” she looked down, “What... are you doing here?”

“Scar was missing you…” the explained, “... and I was too.”

“Hoho.” she tried to smile, “Came all this way to try and beg for an obento?”

“Haha.” Koshiro laughed a bit, “Maybe that was the real plan…”

“Hmm…” she stopped for a minute, almost as if she suddenly fell asleep.

"Sumi-nee?"

 “But I’m… serious Koshiro." she continued as if nothing had happened, "I know you have just enough money to buy your food while they’re gone. You shouldn’t waste with something like this.”

“No, this is definitely not wasting.” his eyes were fierce when he looked at the woman, “And besides, I saved a lot when you were staying at my house.”

“Aa…” the woman opened her mouth but couldn’t voice her reply.

Koshiro went to the living room, where he left Suto-san and Scar. He then went to the kitchen, where Sumiye was preparing some tea.

“Hey, let me do this.” 

“Hmm?” Sumiye looked at him, “Are you serious?”

“Of course! Even I can brew some tea!” Koshiro said confidently.

“...”

“...”

“Hahahahahahahahaha!” Sumiye burst into laughter, “You really said it!”

“Hey!” Koshiro frowned, “Why are you laughing?”

"Isn't it obvious?" she almost couldn't hold her laugh.

"No!"

“It’s because you told me you can brew tea!”

“And I can!”

“Oh well.” Sumiye wiped her tears, “You and Daichi are the only ones in the world that can mess that up.”

“C’mon, just let me do it! I’m sure your mom is going to be impressed!”

“I wouldn’t count on that.”

“Aargh. You should get some rest anyway, so leave everything to me.”

“Hmm…” Sumiye stared at the ground, and once again it was like she was sleeping while standing, “...are you… serious…?” she said slowly.

“Yes, you have to rest.”

“...O… Okay…” she started to trudge forward, until:

“Hey, Sumiye!” Koshiro held her shoulder before she fell.

“Hmm…?”

“Oh my god, she’s sleeping already. How did she manage to stay up all this time?” the boy supported the young woman, helping her trudge to the living room. “Suto-san, I’ll take Sumiye to her bed and I’ll be right back! Please take care of her, Scar!”

“She is… the one… taking care… of me...” Scar was dozing in the old lady’s lap.

Koshiro headed to the second floor, where Sumiye’s bedroom was. While doing so, he could hear the woman murmuring some nonsense:

“Bacon… lettuce… Anpan? Anpan… two… snowboarding.”

But then she started to say more coherent things:

“We don’t need you.” “Mom? How are you today?” “I don’t need you.” “I’m here, mom.” “You can leave.” “Hi guys… let’s start today’s homeroom…” “If you can’t stay by her side you should leave.”

While hearing this, Koshiro managed to support Sumiye to her room, it was a bedroom a little bigger than his, with grey walls (that had one poster of a space cat), a bookshelf (filled with books of different types), a bedside table (with two pictures, one of a high school version of Sumiye and a boy wearing glasses, and other of those two with a bunch of other people, which included Koshiro, Scar, Nyoko, Nobu, Suto-san, and other to be revealed characters), a desk (with a computer, some bottles of beer, and not as much paper as a teacher should probably have), a TV (with a gaming console near it, but not plugged), a simple closet, a chest of drawers, and a single bed.

Koshiro helped her get on the bed and tucked her in, after that, he turned around and headed to the door, but suddenly stopped when his name was uttered:

“Koshiro.”

“What?” the boy returned to the side of Sumiye, “Do you need something? Water maybe?”

“Koshiro, what do you think he would’ve said?” she murmured.

“I… don’t know. But that’s not reall...”

“‘No’ it was probably a simple ‘no’...” she continued.

“This should be betw…”

“...because you can’t forge a ‘yes’ in one week…”

“She’s probably still sleeping… I should leave her to rest then.” “Hey, I’m going now Sumi-nee…” the boy whispered, “Have a good night.” and then headed to the door again, but behind him, the woman sleeping was focused on another thing:

“Daichi… Daichi? Daichi, why? Why didn’t you come before? Why that had to happen to you…? I’m sorry Daichi! It’s all my fault…” tears were forming in her eyes.

“Sum…” Koshiro considered going back, but he decided not to. “There’s nothing I can do about it, I’m just an observer of their story…” "I'm sorry." he whispered before leaving.