Chapter 8: Kaoe's Wonderful Day

Today I woke up on my couch. Kai had already left for school, and Yuki was doing something in the kitchen. Suddenly she shouted from inside, “You were supposed to help me!”

I lazily replied, “I’m helping by not helping.” “Huh!?” she yelled back.

Yuki can be very loud, but honestly that’s what makes it fun to annoy her. Yesterday poor Kai didn’t get dinner, and in my opinion he deserved it a little. 

I was starting to get bored while lying on the couch, so I called out again. “Hey Yuki, do something.”

She turned toward me with a scary glare and shouted, “Why don’t you help me clean the apartment!?”

I refused instantly. “Nah uh. I ain’t doing that.” She looked even more annoyed and snapped, “Then why ask!?”

While she continued cleaning the apartment, I stayed on the couch with my snacks beside me and the book I had borrowed from the library resting on the table. 

It looked interesting enough to read. Soon Yuki came near me with a broom and said, “Kaoe, can you move?”

I stretched slightly and replied, “Say please.” That only made her angrier. “Just move already!”

“Ok, ok,” I said while slowly getting up. Then I looked at her again and added, “Hey Yuki, want something? My snack stock just ended.” Her eyes flickered with interest.

“Umm… let me think… umm…” she muttered while focusing very seriously. “Umm… ummm… wait…”

While she was still thinking deeply about it, I quietly walked toward the door.

“HEY!” she shouted the moment she noticed. I waved slightly as I stepped outside. “I’ll be back with a cake.” Her mood instantly changed.

It had been a while since I walked outside alone. The wind was warm as I walked through the streets. The city looked familiar. 

I remembered roaming around these places when I was still a cat. My previous owner had been a high school student who couldn’t afford to feed me properly, so one day she abandoned me. 

At the time I didn’t really understand why. But today I suddenly felt curious. Maybe I should visit her house.

As I walked past the mall, memories of wandering around here looking for food came back to me. That was when I saw someone familiar. “Fyumi! Hey!”

She turned toward me with a little confusion. She was holding a bag, probably coming back from school. “Oh hey… you’re Kai’s friend,” she said.

I tilted my head slightly. “Huh? You don’t remember me?” She looked closer at my face.

“Pink eyes… brown hair…” she muttered while thinking. “Wait… I remember I had a cat with the same facial features.” I smiled a little. “Uh huh. It’s me. Kuri.”

Her eyes widened immediately. “What!? What do you mean?” Her voice started shaking.

I proudly explained, “You abandoned me. Kai adopted me, and Mina turned me into a human.”

Fyumi’s eyes slowly filled with tears. “Kuri… no, I mean Kaoe… I’m sorry,” she said quietly.

I looked at her calmly. “I was mad at you before, but now I’m fine.” She quickly tried to hide her face.

“I… I came back to find you after I abandoned you,” she said with a trembling voice. “But you weren’t there anymore.”

Hearing that made me feel something strange inside my chest. I quietly asked, “Really?”

After a moment I said, “Hey… let me come inside your room. I want to take a look.”

She wiped her tears with a towel before answering softly, “Alright… come in.”

Meanwhile, back at the apartment, Yuki was still cleaning while wondering where I had gone.

“Where is she? It’s been three hours…” she muttered to herself. Suddenly someone shouted from outside the door.

“Yuki!? Kaoe!? Open the door!” It was Kai. Yuki quickly rushed toward the door and shouted back, “Coming!”

But her voice wasn’t loud enough for him to hear. In her hurry she slipped. Boom!

“Ahhh that hurts!” she groaned while rolling on the floor. She opened the door while still lying there.

Kai looked down at her in confusion and asked, “Umm… Yuki, what are you doing?” He was standing there with another guy.

“Hey, this is Sean,” Kai explained. “He wanted to apologize.” Sean looked nervous as he greeted her. “Umm… hey Yuki.”

He held out a box. “Here, this is for you.” The moment she saw it, her mood changed completely.

“Huh!! Is that for me!? Thanks!!” Her ears started moving with excitement as she hugged the cake box tightly.

Sean nervously scratched his head. “Umm… you forgive me right? Yesterday I lied. Kai wasn’t with another girl.” Yuki barely reacted to that part because she was too focused on the cake.

After a moment she said casually, “Ok whatever. But listen.” Sean became nervous again. “Umm… yeah?”

She held the box tighter and said seriously, “I’m not sharing anything.” Sean blinked in surprise. “Huh? Oh… ok. It’s all yours.”

Kai then lifted a small box in his hand. “By the way, this is for Kaoe.” He looked around. “Where is she?” Yuki froze.

“Kaoe…?” Her expression slowly changed as she realized something. “Wait… she hasn’t come back yet.”