Like a cat on a hot tin roof

The sun was shining brightly, yet it felt more like a warm spring day than your typical summer day. The weather was perfect for a walk! As I was waiting for Yuki in front of the animal shelter, I kept checking my phone for any news about Hikaru and Rika. Nothing yet. I let out a sigh and hoped for good news soon.

The front door opened, and Yuki appeared in front of my eyes. She was dressed simply in a white top and a pink skirt. She was also wearing a pair of nude sandals, and she was holding a small white purse. Not only that, but she looked like a doll! I thought I'd gotten used to being alone with her by now, but it turns out I'm still a little nervous.

"So...where do we go from here?" Yuki was the first to break the silence

"Let's visit the playground near our school," she suggested. I nodded, and we both started walking towards our destination. A lot of precious memories from that rainy day pop up in my mind: Yuki and I saved a little kitty, and it was the first time we shared an umbrella! I'll never forget that day!

"Do you remember that rainy day in the playground?" I asked her.

"Of course I do! Your umbrella kept the kitty safe from the rain! You were her hero! But I still can't believe the owner did such a horrible thing!" she hung her head down and bit her lip in frustration.

"You are right! Oh, and that reminds me! Don't you think we should give her a name? We could be her godparents until she finds a real home." Yuki said excitedly. I was taken aback by her comment, and I tried to keep my composure. I laughed a bit and tried to play it cool. But my face was already red! Think of a name, Akio! Think of a name!

"Hmmm, what do you think about... Bowtie? Because a bow tie often accompanies a tuxedo," I said.

"That's a wonderful name, Akio!" Yuki said excitedly. And I was so happy she liked my suggestion.

When we arrived at the park, there was not a cat in sight. We took a break and sat on a bench while Yuki kept me up-to-date with the social media posts. The views were fantastic, and there's a chance that a few posts might go viral in the future. Mainly because of Hina. She loved them so much that she shared all of our videos and photos! In exchange, I told her everything that happened between Hikaru and Rika. Yuki was happy for them!

I checked my phone once more and noticed a notification. Oh, no! My phone was on silent mode this entire time! I'm such a dummy! I quickly taped the notification and saw a voice memo from Rika. Not only that, but I pressed play and turned up the volume so Yuki could hear as well.

"Hey, Akioooo! How are you? I hope you're doing great! So, where do I begin? Oh yes, I believe I owe you an apology as well! I'm sorry for hiding our relationship from you. It won't happen again, I promise! And now... Hikaru and I want to inform you that we're officially back together! Thank you for putting some sense into my dumb, sweet boyfriend! I have to thank Satoru, too! Now it's your turn! Make us proud! hehehehe "

"Yay! I'm so happy for them!" Yuki clapped. I was happy as well, but damn, Rika! Why did you have to expose me like that?

"Ohhhh, so you have a girl you like?" Yuki stopped clapping and looked at me with curious eyes.

"Yes! Actually, I..." Before I could say something, we were interrupted by a loud meow.

An orange cat was rubbing its head against Yuki's leg. She quickly turned her attention to the feline and stroked its back. She then grabbed her purse and took out a small can of cat food.

"You probably think I'm a weirdo who brings cat food wherever she goes. And you are correct," she laughed.

"No, not at all; I think your love for cats is very beautiful," Yuki blushed, and I continued to observe her.

"I know you love cats a lot, and they seem to adore you, too. And I wish I could be like that, but I have a confession to make: I suffer from ailurophobia! Which means I'm afraid of cats." I said, lowering my head in shame.

"I see... So that's why you fainted that day! This explains everything! I'm so sorry, I had no idea." Yuki looked at me, worried.

"You don't have to worry! I'm doing better now, really! Volunteering helped me a lot! Bowtie helped me a lot! And you helped me a lot!" I said this in an attempt to calm her worries.

"Me?" she asked, confused.

"Y-yes, your love for cats gave me strength. I've been terrified of them since I was a child. They make me nervous and anxious, but the way you treat them, and they treat you back, makes me feel at peace somehow, I don't know, it's hard to explain." I rubbed the back of my neck as I said this.

"I think I know how you feel; I'm terrified of spiders myself. Seeing one close makes my skin crawl!" she laughed and covered her shoulders with her arms like she was shivering.

"But I'm glad you told me. I think it's very brave of you to face your fears head-on like this," she said as she put her hand on my shoulder and looked at me with a lot of compassion and a hint of admiration. Knowing that I have her support means the world to me!

Sadly, we weren't able to find Michi today. And I wasn't able to fully confess either. But I have a plan, and I need Satoru's help for tomorrow!