A CATastrophic Summer

The beauty of summer can be seen all around us. From the warmth of the sun to the vibrant colors of the flowers, summer is a season of relaxation as well as productivity! With only two days left of school, I feel more energized than ever. Teachers, students, and all the staff involved have worked so hard this past year. It's a well-deserved vacation, and we should enjoy it to the fullest.

It was a pleasant Monday morning. I made my way through the living room between canvases and paintbrushes. My mother must be working on a painting for her long-awaited exhibition. The whole room has now been turned into a mini-art studio. And I couldn't help but notice just how tired she looked. She must have pulled an all-nighter. The deadline is close after all. I think she still has less than a month until the big day. I didn't want to disturb her, so I just waved at her as I made my way to the kitchen to grab some breakfast.

I think I'm only going to have some cereal because I'm in a hurry this morning. And I have to meet Yuki before school starts to sort out the paperwork required for volunteering. My mind is made up. I did a lot of thinking last night, and I'm ready! It's about time I stepped out of my comfort zone!

Last night, I asked Yuki about the application process for new volunteers. Since we're all over 16, we don't need adult supervision, but we do need our parents' approval. So they need to sign some documents for us. That's no problem; I told my parents about it, and they were more than happy to help. They felt really proud of me, too!.

We couldn't submit our application online because the animal shelter doesn't have an official website yet. According to Yuki, the owners aren't exactly tech-savvy. They're a married couple in their 70s, and just like the majority of people their age, technology is not something they're passionate about. However, Yuki does run a social media account dedicated to the animal shelter. I've seen it, and as you might expect, the content is mostly cat videos and photos. But it does help a little; she managed to get some sponsorships with cat food companies for some free food.

I think the animal shelter definitely needs more online presence. Who knows, maybe we could actually help with that if our applications get approved? I talked with Rika too last night, and I convinced her to join me. She confessed that she is in a creative slump right now, and she believes a change of scenery might help bring back the inspiration she is looking for. The only problem is Hikaru. We tried so hard to convince him to join, but nothing worked.

I washed my bowl and got ready for school. As I put on my shoes, I said goodbye to my mother, whose hands were now covered in paint. As I made my way to school, I noticed the lack of cats. To my surprise, there were none this morning! It must be too early for them. After all, cats really do enjoy their naps, especially in the summer. It must be nice to live a carefree life like that!

Speaking of carefree, I saw Rika sitting on a bench near school. And she wasn't alone; in fact, she was chatting with Yuki!

"Morning!" They both greeted me at the same time.

"Morning!" I replied.

"Here is all the paperwork we need! The owners of the animal shelter and I are very close. And they were kind enough to give these to me just a few minutes ago. I brought extra just in case Hikaru plans to change his mind." Yuki said.

"Wow! Amazing! Thank you, Yuki!" Rika said as she took some papers from the stack in front of Yuki.

"Make sure you give these to your parents also. And I'm going to tell you a secret. The whole process is just a formality; we're all going to get accepted!"Yuki replied with a wink.

"Thank you, Yuki! That's great news!" I said this while taking a few documents from her.

"You're welcome! If you don't mind, I have a question. And I don't want to sound nosy, but is Hikaru really going to study all summer?" Yuki asked.

"Yeah, unfortunately," Rika answered.

"Yes. Hikaru's dream is to attend one of the best universities in Europe, after all. The competition is tough out there, so I guess he wants to prepare ahead of time," I said.

"But is that really his dream? I mean, think about it: why does he try so hard for it? Hikaru is such a dummy! He's already extremely smart. He told me that he wanted to repay his parents for something. I don't get it. His parents already love him so much. The university he will choose has nothing to do with their love for him," Rika said, worried.

She's right. I admire Hikaru for having goals and future plans. But everyone needs a break once in a while. Even geniuses like him. We sat there in silence for a few minutes. Yuki looked at me for a moment but decided not to speak. Is my disappointment that noticeable?

"Akio, what should we do? I doubt we will get him to join us with gummy bears alone. He won't budge when he's in "study mode". We need bigger bait!" Rika said, interrupting the silence.

"Why are you talking like he's some kind of fish, and you're a fisherman?" I laughed.

"Speak of the devil, there he is!" Rika said as she got up from her seat and started running towards Hikaru.

"Don't worry, I will help you convince Hikaru to join us! Leave it to me!" Yuki said.

What's happening? I also began to run towards them to find out more. Yuki greeted Hikaru and offered him some documents from her stack.

"I know you're serious about studying, and I don't want you to think we're not considerate of your free time. But we please rethink your decision!" Yuki told Hikaru.

Hikaru looked at the papers in front of him and let out a big sigh.

"I don't know if I'll have enough time to help," Hikaru said while reading a page.

"No problem! They request a minimum of two hours per week," said Yuki.

"Only two hours?" Hikaru was intrigued.

"Yes! The owners are really nice people, too. There's no pressure! They're very understanding." Yuki said.

"I want to try, but I don't want to be a burden. What if I'm not good with animals and I mess things up?" Hikaru said this while still reading the document.

"Don't say that! Just try it for a day or two. If you don't like it, that's fine. But you'll never know unless you try! Think about it; you can even add volunteering to your resume. I'm sure many universities are impressed to see this on your future applications," Yuki said.

Hikaru opened up his backpack and put the documents inside. So this means he's in?

"Ok, I'm going to try my best to help," he said.

We all cheered and hugged him! This was the start of a memorable summer vacation!

The hours flew by, and it was time for us to go home. Before I could leave, I was approached by Rika, who told me she had some important news to share.

"So out of curiosity, I've asked Yuki about the number of cats at the animal shelter," she said.

"Oh, no! And what did she say?" I replied.

"Guess how many are there?" Rika asked.

"I don't know? Five?" I said, trying to be optimistic.

"No," Rika answered.

"Ok, maybe ten or so," I said, trying to be more realistic about this.

"No," Rika replied again.

"I don't know. Just tell me," I said, trying my best to stay composed.

"Well, currently there are 31 cats at the animal shelter. I'm so sorry, Akio!" Rika said this while patting my shoulder in a sympathetic way.

I think I need to sit down for a moment.