Chapter 62 – I Was Captivated
teku teku teku… (note: sfx of walking at a steady pace)
toko toko toko… (note: sfx of briskly walking with small steps)
teku teku teku…
toko toko toko…
teku teku…… *stop*.
toko toko…… *stop*.
The footsteps, which came from behind me, stopped at exactly the time I stopped.
「Haa…」
I breathed out a sigh and looked back, then turned my eyes towards the culprit who was following behind me.
「Nya~」
The culprit sat there well-behaved(?), looked up at me, and let out a cute cry.
「Why are you following me?」
「Nya~」
I’m sorry, I don’t understand what you’re saying.
「Haa~」
I faced the sky and let out a sigh of the who knows how many Nth time.1
To begin with, the start of this event began from a casual encounter.
Today, when I completed my commission, I finished reporting to the guild and was on my way to go shopping2. When I was walking along the street, I heard the cry of a cat. When I casually turned my face towards it, a white kitten with light brown spots was crouched there.
It didn’t show any signs of escaping when I tried approaching, when I examined its state for a little while, I discovered it was somewhat hungry.
I remembered I kept the remaining sandwiches from lunch, so I decided to give a little to it.
The kitten bit into the sandwich without any vigilance, maybe it was extremely hungry, it immediately finished eating. I gave the remaining sandwiches (although I say that, there was only one) to the kitten, and returned to go shopping after I saw it finish eating, but…
teku teku teku…
toko toko toko…
*Turns around*
「Nya~」
teku teku teku…
toko toko toko…
*Turns around*
「Nya~」
It seems its somewhat attached to me. How troublesome…
「That sandwich just now was the last one. Even if you follow me, there’s no more you know?」
Though I say that, it probably doesn’t even understand ne.
teku teku teku…
toko toko toko…
「Like I said, even if you follow me, I’ll be troubled you know.」
「Nya~」
Its tail slapped the ground with a ‘teshi teshi‘ sound.
For the time being, would it give up if I ignore it?
「This and this…… and this as well please.」
「Sure thing. Oh, did you start raising a cat?」
「Nya~」
「The usual bacon and…… sausage as well please. Ah, could I also get 500g of pork?」
「Alright, it’ll be delivered by the evening. n? Is this cat Sakura-chan’s? Oh, does it eat bacon?」
「Nya~」
「Wait, please don’t feed cats something that has such strong taste!」
「Excuse mee, 1 litre of milk please.」
「Wait just a moment…. Okay. Oh, that sure is a cute cat. Does it drink milk?」
「Nya~」
「Aah! It’ll damage its stomach if it drinks it cold you know!」3
「Uhm…… lettuce and tomatoes, cuc.u.mbers and bell peppers, and…」
「Sorry to keep you waiting. n? Did you start raising a cat? Does it want to eat something?」
「Nya~」
「You mustn’t serve it onions!」
「Aah, geez! Why does everybody try feed it weird things!? In the first place, even though it’s not my pet cat, why am I…」
「Nya~」
I involuntarily dropped on my knees and dejectedly hung my head down.
teshi teshi
Something soft tapped my hand which was placed on the ground. When I shifted my attention to it, the cat’s foreleg was tapping my hand.
「Are you trying to comfort me…?」
「Nya~」
Could it perhaps understand my words?
「Why are you following me?」
「Nya~」
「Do you like me?」
「Nya~」
「Do you hate me?」
「Ni~」
「Will you come to my house?」
「Nya~」
「If you’re going to live with me, you’ll have to listen to me okay?」
「Nya~」
I gently lifted it up.
「You sure are fluffy ne. But a little dirty. Let’s have a bath together when we return home.」
「Ni~」
teshi teshi
Maybe it’s a reaction to the bath, my arm was. .h.i.t with a cat punch. (NEKO PANCHI)
「That’s not good you know. Didn’t I say you have to listen to me if we’re to live together?」
「Ni~」
teshi teshi
「Now, shall we return?」
「Nya~」
「fufu…」
I unconsciously spilled out a smile from my mouth.
Oh? When did I decide to keep…? Is this a cat’s charm…? Wa! It can’t be, is this the so-called popular ‘nyandare’ thing!?4
「Hey, keep still.」
*scrub scrub*
「Ni~」
「Just a little more…… now, what’s left is to wash it away…」
「Ni~」
「Look, you’ve become clean you know? It’ll be over after I dry you properly.」
gacha
I left the dressing room with the kitten in my arms.
pyon (note: sfx for leaping away(?))
「Ah, hey! Wait up! If you don’t dry properly…! Kya.」
*shake shake shake*
The kitten shook its body and drops of water went flying.
During the gap when I flinched, it jumped up and opened the door.
Wait, aren’t its abilities too high for a kitten?
「Nya~」
「Wait up! Ah, Prince, please catch that…… cat?」
Eh? Prince? How come…?
「Ah, Sakura…? Uhm, This is, uh……, you didn’t answer even when I called out, and the door was opened as well…」
「Ah…, I’m sorry about that. I was taking a bath so…」
「Nya~」
「This cat is…?」
「Ah, I picked it up. It seems to be somewhat attached…」
「Nya~」
「I see…」
「Right…」
「Nya~」
「So…… if you don’t cover yourself with something soon…. I’m worried about where to look….」
Cover? Eh? Aah, now that he menions it, I’m…
「……KYAAAAAA!! Please turn around without looking!」
I hurriedly covered my body with my arms and crouched down on the spot.
「S-Sorry!」
「Nya~」
teshi teshi
Don’t ‘nya~‘ me! Speaking of the cause, isn’t this your fault!?! I was seen again! I was seen by the Prince again…!
Afterwards, I returned to the dressing room and didn’t come out for a little while.
And one more thing as well, the atmosphere of today’s dinner was incredibly awkward.
「Nya~」