Chapter 16 Friend

The Boss Cat opened his eyes, his pride was hurt. A tough cat like him can not fall for such a temptation, especially from humans. He started to wiggle, trying to escape, and bit the soft hand.

  But to his surprise, he was met with kindness and a soft, sad voice, "I'm sorry for holding you without asking, Mr. Cat"    

The Boss Cat looked up and saw a woman holding him, it was Ayumi. A tear fell on Cat Boss's head, she was crying, and her face showed no emotion other than a warm smile.  For a moment, everything else faded away, and all he could see was the kind, caring woman who held him in her arms.

The cat looked up at her with remorse in his eyes. His tough exterior had cracked, and he felt guilty for hurting her. The Boss Cat started to lick the spot where he had bitten her as if to apologize for his behavior. She could feel his rough tongue gently licking her wound, and she couldn't help but feel a twinge of warmth in her heart.

As the cat stopped struggling, she realized that this tough cat was not so different from her. He had been hurt before, and he was just trying to protect himself. 

As Ayumi sat against the side of Koji's vending machine, the setting sun cast a warm glow on her face. The tough-looking Cat Boss lay purring contentedly in her lap, as she stroked his fur with a tenderness that belied his rough exterior. Looking up at Koji, Ayumi's eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"Hello Koji," she said with a smile. "Is this your friend?" she asked, nodding toward the contented feline in her lap.

Koji stepped out from behind the potato chip pack with a grin, admiring Ayumi's caring demeanor toward the notorious Cat Boss. Trying to keep his act going on Koji said, "What? This vile creature? This monster is not my..." But without finishing the sentence Koji stopped his adventurous act and admitted, "Yes, that's him, he is my friend," Koji replied. "He may look tough, but he's just a big softie at heart."

Ayumi gently lifted Cat Boss from her lap and took a better look, "Ho, this is Koji's friend. You have a strong-looking friend here, I am impressed."

Ayumi put Boss Cat on the ground and he walked off, he put his pow to his eye and pointed at Koji, signaling to him that it was not the last time he sees him. 

 Koji couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy as the cat took his leave, he wanted to feel her embrace as well. But the sight of Ayumi's radiant smile quickly pushed those thoughts aside.

 They chatted as the evening settled in, and Koji found himself entranced by Ayumi's beauty and kind heart. As the night grew darker, Koji realized that he had never felt this way before. He couldn't wait to see Ayumi again and was already imagining all the wonderful moments they would share together.