"Eh eh eh???"
Sure enough, Chihaya Anon was the first to get anxious.
'What's this about her mom mentioning him?'
'This Nagasaki Soyo girl her relationship with Kaito-kun is already that close?'
She didn't have a god's-eye view after all, and she was also the last to arrive, severely lacking in intel. With Soyo's intentional steering, it was inevitable she'd make incorrect judgments.
Anon was a bit panicked.
'Already meeting the parents, won't the next step be marriage talks?'
'No way, Anon-chan's life won't lose to others!'
'Meeting the parents? I I can do that too!'
Compared to her nervousness, the quiet Mutsumi and the cat were much calmer.
The former was because not only had Kaito met her mom, the two were currently living under the same roof. This little show-off trick from Soyo didn't stir any ripples in the girl's heart.
As for the latter, she hadn't even thought that much.
"Thanks to Miss Nagasaki for your concern," Kaito nodded slightly, and as if remembering something, pulled out two jade pendants from his pocket and handed them to Soyo, "Last time Miss Nagasaki helped me get a batch of good-quality jade. I made a few little trinkets from them, take these."
Actually, he should've given them to her back in Akihabara, but forgot then. Still, it wasn't too late now.
"Eh? Such beautiful koi!", Soyo was surprised and delighted, she hadn't expected a gift like this. The jealousy she'd been accumulating was instantly swept away.
She carefully received the jade pendants, held them in her palm and admired them for a long time. The affection in her beautiful eyes was completely undisguised.
Especially after seeing the envious expression of a certain pink-haired sneaky cat, the corners of her lips couldn't help but rise further.
'This is it! This is what I wanted to see! That jealous look of hers!'
The brown-haired girl's brows curved like crescents, and the look she gave Kaito was like a clear spring.
'Such a precious gift, not given to anyone else, only to me'
'Sure enough, he cares about me!'
The two jade pendants Kaito gave out were both delicate koi designs, one child, one mother, in a swimming posture. Put together, they happened to form a circle.
Anon was indeed envious. Not even mentioning that it was a gift directly from Kaito-kun, just the shape of the pendants alone was already so likable.
But she didn't dare stretch her hand to ask for one. After all, no merit, no reward. The jade pendants looked expensive, and Anon was too embarrassed to freeload.
Catching Soyo's showing-off gaze, the girl softly snorted, 'Just let her be smug for a bit.'
'Sooner or later, I'll get something even better!'
In a blink, it was already evening.
As the sky darkened, Kaito didn't stay at RiNG any longer. After paying at the counter, he left with three girls and one cat
That's right, Raana followed too.
The cat seemed to have settled on him. Wherever Kaito walked, she followed, looking like she'd found a long-term meal ticket.
What is this?
Picked up a cat, and now she wants to come home with me?
Anon and Soyo had to catch the train and already left earlier.
As for Mutsumi, the girl had always been quiet, neither fighting nor arguing. It wasn't realistic to count on her to deal with the cat, right?
Kaito sighed and had to step up himself, rubbing the short hair of the heterochromatic-eyed girl, "Raana, it's getting late. You should go home, or your family will worry. Understand?"
Raana tilted her head and looked at him, then honestly shook her head.
"Forget it. Do you have any of your family's phone numbers?", Kaito gave up on communication and planned to take a roundabout route.
This time the cat didn't shake her head. She pulled out her phone from her pocket and handed it to him.
Clearly a young girl, yet her phone was surprisingly simple. Not only did it have no password, even the wallpaper was the default one.
Kaito opened the contacts list, there were pitifully few. As for family, only three were labeled: Dad, Mom, and Grandma.
He first tried calling the Dad and Mom contacts, but only got busy tones.
Then he called the one labeled 'Grandma.' This time, after a few rings, the call was finally answered, ["Raana, what's the matter?"]
On the other end was a steady elderly voice, none of the sluggishness typical of seniors. Instead, it carried a certain sharpness and decisiveness.
"You are"
Kaito briefly explained the situation to Raana's grandma. Her name was Tsuzuki Shifune. She first expressed her apologies, sorry for the trouble her granddaughter caused Kaito, then sighed with a bit of a headache.
She herself was currently abroad, not in Japan. As for Raana's parents, they were rarely seen. Since the granddaughter didn't want to go home, there really wasn't anyone who could drag her back.
["Though it's presumptuous to ask this could you let Raana stay at your place for one night? Of course, I'll also try to return to Tokyo as soon as possible."]
"That's not really a problem", Kaito paused, "But, Miss Tsuzuki, aren't you worried I might be a bad guy?"
'Seriously, these parents seems to have nerves of steel'
'Miss Nagasaki was like this, Mori Minami was like this, and now even this elder Tsuzuki is like this.'
They didn't seem worried at all that their daughters might run into danger.
["Not at all,"] Tsuzuki Shifune chuckled over the phone, ["Since you're someone Raana approaches on her own, then there's definitely no problem."]
That granddaughter of hers, while solitary like a cat, also had the alertness of one.
She seemed born with the ability to distinguish between good and bad people. When faced with ill-intentioned individuals, Raana could keenly detect the malice in their hearts and stay far away.
Someone she actively got close to at least character-wise, there wouldn't be an issue.
If it weren't for this special ability, Tsuzuki Shifune wouldn't have been so at ease letting her granddaughter wander around outside every day.
[T/N: Just to clarify, Kaname Raana and Tsuzuki Shifune are anime characters and humans. Raana is implied as a cat because of her behaviour, just like Bocchi=Pink hair, Mutsumi= Cucumber(she likes it), etc.]
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Chapter 118: Kirara: You're secretly raising other cats behind my back?
The lights had just come on.
When Kaito returned home with Mutsumi and the cat, it was already an hour later.
The last glimmer of the sunset had disappeared beyond the horizon. The night curtain hung low. Fantastical neon lights flickered like endless starlight, decorating this steel jungle into something dreamlike and illusory.
Opening the front door, as usual, upon arriving at the entrance, Kaito bent down, just about to change his shoes, when he heard a cheerful "meow meow" sound.
'Boss, you're back, nya!'
Just like always, upon sensing the familiar aura, Kirara couldn't wait to rush to the door to welcome its owner's return.
In comparison, a certain green-haired sword spirit was really lacking in awareness Kaito used divine sense to scan, and saw that Kumiko was hiding in the bedroom, hugging a controller, her face full of focused concentration, unwilling even to blink.
'They say it's best to beat kids on rainy days, since I am idle anyway It's decided. In a bit, I'll secretly check her browsing history and see what this girl has been learning online.'
After changing his shoes, Kaito casually stroked the fat cat that jumped into his arms. Kirara, who had been peaceful up to this point, suddenly exploded in fluff.
"Meow!"
'On Boss how come there's the scent of another of the same kind?'
The cat raised its head, face full of disbelief, 'You actually secretly raise other cats outside behind my back?'
Kaito was somewhat puzzled.
He clearly hadn't touched any other, 'Wait, if I have to say, maybe yesterday I did stroke a "cat"?'
"Cat cat! So cute!", A certain cat-like girl's eyes sparkled, clearly itching to move when she saw Kirara appear suddenly.
Raana's nickname "stray cat" wasn't without reason.
She not only had a cat-like, unfathomable personality, but even her habits were similar.
For example, she had a cat tongue, and feared scalding-hot food.
For example, she liked playing with yarn, and before heavy rain, she'd scratch her face with her hand.
For example, she loved to sleep, curling up beside the heater, on school benches, rooftops, and even in trees.
And then even though she was an ordinary girl, she could understand all cat meows.
This was an ability that a certain cat-lover second young lady(Yukino) dreamed of having.
Even her birthday, Raana's, fell on Japan's Cat Day, February 22nd.
Although Kirara was a bakeneko, its intelligence was no less than that of ordinary humans. But after all, it still retained part of its youkai instincts, habitually recognizing identity by scent, and had actually mistaken Raana as a fellow transformed kin.
At this moment, kitty's mood was very aggrieved and indignant.
'It's one thing to stroke other cats behind my back, but to even bring her home! Not even trying to hide it from me anymore!'
'Heh so much for raising me for life. In the end, it was all just empty promises'
Seeing it put on such a wronged expression, like a betrayed female lead from a melodramatic soap opera, Kaito didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Grabbing the cat by the scruff of the neck with one hand and lifting it up, he sighed helplessly, "What have you and Kumiko been watching all day Clearly you're a bakeneko, why are you acting like a chaste maiden?"
"Meow~", Kirara meowed with some grievance, stretched out a little white paw, and pointed at Raana beside them, her eyes full of accusation and sorrow.
"Look closely, Raana isn't one of your kind,".Kaito flicked its forehead, finally calming down this fat cat.
Kirara sniffed again with its little nose, 'Seems like it really is a misunderstanding?'
Though the two-legged creature in front looked very much like its own transformed kind, there was still a faint human scent.
'As long as she's not a kitty, it's fine.'
'My status as the number one pet under the Boss remains unshaken.'
Originally very hostile toward Raana, Kirara now wasn't in such a rush. Facing the mismatched-eyed girl's petting, it no longer deliberately dodged.
However, kitty made a decision in its heart.
'Since Boss really likes this two-legged form'
'Then I, kitty, must hurry and transform too!'
[Dinner Time]
Kumiko was still holed up in the bedroom playing video games, showing no sign of coming out. But as a sword spirit, she didn't need to eat, so Kaito let her be.
Still, he made a mental note to settle the score with that girl someday.
Given that a guest had come to the house, dessert was added to the dinner, a matcha parfait. The house had ingredients and full equipment, plus spiritual energy assistance, nothing but a small effort for Kaito.
Raana wasn't picky at all. Cat types were easy to raise, so long as there was parfait to eat, that was enough. As for the main meal?
That sort of thing, not really important~
"Parfait~ Parfait~ Parfait~", After finishing one cup, still feeling unsatisfied, cat looked at him pitifully, gently tapping the rim of the glass with her spoon. Even sitting on a stool, her petite body didn't sit still, swaying back and forth.
"You mustn't casually tap your glass in public places. It easily disturbs others," Kaito tapped her little head, like a kindergarten teacher correcting a misbehaving child.
"Mm?", Cat obediently nodded and stopped tapping the glass.
Seeing her so well-behaved, Kaito handed her another matcha parfait and deliberately reminded her, "This is the last cup. Kids shouldn't eat too much at once."
Cat's eyes lit up.
She didn't care at all what he said. Taking the parfait, she scooped a spoonful and went "ah-woo" and swallowed it down, then closed her eyes in contentment.
That genuine happiness even affected Mutsumi beside her.
The light-green-haired girl glanced at her own portion of parfait, scooped a bite with her spoon, and quietly placed it in her mouth.
'Hmm, a bit cold.'
'But it is really delicious.'
A lovely arc lifted at the corner of the girl's lips. Her always-cold eyes curved into charming crescents.
Ever since leaving the Wakaba household, her mood had grown more and more relaxed.
Good food to satisfy the stomach. Beautiful people to please the eyes.
Maybe this once-cold and indifferent Mutsumi, might one day smile brightly too?
After dinner.
Washing pots and dishes and such chores could've been left entirely to the cleaning spell.
But Mutsumi volunteered, wanting to do what little she could, so Kaito didn't refuse her good intentions.
The bathtub already had hot water prepared, and steam rose.
In the bathroom, Kaito took off his last piece of intimate clothing. Testing the water with his hand and finding the temperature just right, he stepped in.
The sensation of hot water enveloping the skin was quite delightful. He relaxed his body, leaned against the edge of the tub, closed his eyes, and silently savored this moment of comfort.
Then
Splash.
The bathroom door slid open, and the next second, a cat walked in.
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Chapter 119: Kaname Raana: Weigh Yours
"Raana?"
Kaito opened his eyes, originally thinking it was Kumiko playing a prank. After all, the little knife girl had done such things before. She had seen similar plots in some shoujo manga and wanted to imitate them: sneaking into the bathroom while he was soaking, trying to take advantage of her master, who had his eyes closed.
The final outcome, of course, was being caught red-handed by Kaito, spanked, and then thrown out.
"Is there something wrong?", Looking at the silver-haired girl who opened the door and walked in, he felt a bit puzzled, but didn't think too much of it. He thought Raana might just be unaccustomed to the new environment, after all, cats are creatures that love familiarity.
"Mm"
Kaname Raana extended an index finger and gently pressed it to her lips, seemingly thinking.
Then, calmly lifted her head and said with complete seriousness, "Want to take a bath, together."
