Kazuaki Theory

"Yeah... Got it... Thanks mom..."

With that, I ended my call with mom who was worried sick about me. I mean, why wouldn't she? To receive news that her son suddenly got himself involved in an accident must have really shocked her.

I put my phone down on a nightstand to the left of my bed as I scanned around my quarter, separated by a mint green curtain. The window to my right presented me with powder of snow falling down gently through the winter morning.

The doctor said I only got a minor fracture to my left thigh after the accident. And when I asked about the little girl who was with me during that time, he replied,

"Haha! To care about others when you yourself nearly lost your life! You should be a doctor kid!"

Apparently the girl was alright, not even a single scratch. Well, that's a relief. But this incident might've been a major shock for her.

Anyway, the situation still felt surreal. Am I really okay? I didn't know much about human biology. But I was sure that I would already be dead on the spot.

Also, a minor fracture? No matter how you look at it, The pain that I felt at that time was nothing more than minor. It's a bit blurry, but I even remembered coughing lots of blood.

...

I thought for a moment, looking at the clock ticking on the wall in front of me.

In the end, I won't complain. If the doctor said I'm okay, then it is what it is I guess. However, the fact that there is a contradicting notion in this situation could only mean one thing.

Kuroneko.

Her name popped in my mind. It's been two days since I got hospitalized, and not even a single visit came from her. What happened to her?

Recalling back to the incident, I remembered seeing her sorrowful face. At that time, I just thought that maybe, just maybe, she felt regret for presenting me with the red capsule.

But something doesn't feel right. She said the red capsule predicted the future. So why bear the responsibility? It wasn't as if she herself forced me into this incident – although during that time she was there with me – but the result was purely made by my action.

What's with that then? There's a deeper meaning to this. But rather than curiosity, I just simply want to help her, not that I have the power to do so. Help her? How do I know that she's in trouble?

...

There it is again. My so-called 'instinct'. In the end, I couldn't figure out what it really is even though it had played a really critical role throughout my life. From when I decide to live by myself, to my meetings with Kuroneko.

"Maybe, I really am a fool..."

Muttering this, I heard a faint tinkling of a bell.

I raised myself from lying, taking a quick glance of the unchanging room

...

Maybe it's just my imagination.

______

Several days had passed. To be exact, my stay here was from monday to friday, almost taking my entire week. I could walk by myself now without a crutch, though my right thigh still hurts a little.

"Oi~ Kazuaki~"

Takumi offered a ride back home with his scooter. I'm grateful to have a supporting friend like him by my side. During my time at the hospital, he would often check up on me and tell me the ongoings inside the school. Honestly, I felt bad sometimes for having him look up for me, but his reply to my comment was something that come out from a certain shounen manga.

"AREN'T WE! THE BEST OF FRIEND!"

With that, I gave my thanks to him as he dropped me off by my apartment. It's been nearly a week since I've stepped into my house. I'm going to have a lot of piled up homework later.

Talking about work. My boss also heard the news, so she gave me some time off, with no payment cut. Although she's a bit of a hothead, she can be really reliable when time comes.

I went up the metal stair attached to the side of the two storey building, heading towards my unit, further back on the second floor.

[ NO.6 ]

The same old sign, how I'd miss it a lot during these five days. I grabbed my key and unlocked the door. Revealing a quiet and dark interior of my house.

I turned on the lights, changed my clothes, took a shower, and made some snacks while throwing away the expired ones inside the fridge.

And then... and then...

...

There's a huge white cat-bell on top of my desk. How'd I not notice it? No, more importantly.

"Kuroneko?"

I tried calling out to her, looking around my room, in hope that she would reply. But to no avail, five minutes had passed by, and not a single response came from her. Was she hiding?

No. That wasn't it.

...

"...You in there right?..."

I picked up the bell, talking to it like some kind of maniac.

...

Not a single response. Well, that's to be expected, a bell couldn't talk. But that's not the case here. How do I know it? I don't. But my instinct told me that the white bell is Kuroneko herself.

I sat cross legged on the side of my bed, putting the bell in between, like an egg in a nest. I then pet the bell.

"Thank you for saving me."

"W– What do you think you're doing, lad?!"

A familiar voice shouted. Instantly jumping herself as she transformed into her original form. The cat girl in her kimono is now right in front of me as we met eyes yet once more.

"Glad to see you again."

"..."

She turned silent, facing away from me, looking regretful.

"I–"

"It's not your fault okay."

I can kind of guess where this is going to go, so I gave her my view about the situation first.

"...what do you know..."

She whispered.

She's right, I don't know anything, heck I don't even know how I get to where I am right now. It's a bit bitter that my life has been driven purely by my instinct so far. But I have to thank it, because without it, I wouldn't have met her in the first place.

"I don't. I just assume... ...your reaction and such?..."

"..."

"Sorry, was that bad?"

"...Fufu... no..."

One way or another, it seemed like I cheered her up.

"Wanna grab a munch?"

"It's fine... I don't need one..."

"Then how about tea?"

"..."

I tried offering her some snacks, but maybe she didn't really need one anyway.

"Aren't you going to ask?"

She prompted, expecting me to pry about her past.

"...Well... although, it's really tempting. I bet a lady wasn't so fond of talking about their past no?"

"*pfft*"

She chuckled.

"..."

"Thank you."

Hearing her bright response, I went to prepare the tea for the two of us.

"Lad... may I know your name?"

"Hm? Kazuaki. Kazuaki Sakamoto."

"Kazuaki... ...I'll remember it."

I placed two cups of instant green tea onto the kotatsu in the middle of the room.

"Kazuaki... One day... one day, I promise you the truth."

"Alright, I'll be waiting for you then."

"I– In the meantime... may I... stay by your side?..."

Somehow, different from her usual calm and collected manner, she asked for my permission timidly, now suiting her child-like appearance.

"Yeah, sure. Oh, but sorry if I can't provide some fancy food though."

"...Fufu... worry not. As I have no need for such necessities."

As expected, she really doesn't need to eat huh.

"But..."

She continued.

"It's been a long time... since I've ever enjoyed such delightful tea..."

...

Really, I just want to support her.