Chapter 4 | A Day Off for Neko

It was a bright, sunny Saturday afternoon.

I—Matsukaze Kohana—clutched a lemon-yellow pet carrier to my chest, swaying gently with the rhythm of the train.

The bag, held tightly in my arms, weighed about six kilos, give or take.

Through the transparent plastic dome window, a large, long-haired cat gazed up at me, sitting primly in a loaf-like pose.

“Your numbers got worse again, huh? No treats for you today, Mo-san… I’m sorry.”

I spoke to those yellowish-green eyes, my voice naturally tinged with sadness.

At seventeen, Mo-san suffered from chronic kidney failure—a common ailment among elderly cats.

Unlike humans or other animals, a cat’s kidneys lack the genes to recover. Once damaged, they never fully heal.

Much like diabetes in humans, feline kidney disease requires lifelong medication and dietary management.

It was our routine to reward Mo-san with her favorite chicken-flavored Churu treat after the dreaded hospital visits. But now, even that small joy felt out of reach, and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.

On the way back from the animal hospital two stations away, I stepped out of the south exit of our local station and stopped by a chain drugstore in the shopping arcade.

“Oh, hey there, Kohana-chan!”

Kurisako Akira, wearing her usual store apron and restocking shelves, greeted me with a warm smile. It was a school holiday, so the store was quiet, free of the usual gaggle of high school girls fawning over Akira.

“Is Mo-chan coming back from the vet?”

“Yeah. We got her blood tested and picked up some meds, but… her numbers aren’t looking great. I thought I was being careful with her health, but…”

Hearing this, Akira’s expression grew serious, as if she understood.

“This kind of illness is tough on both the cat and the owner, isn’t it? But we’ve got to help Mo-chan live a long life—she’s the grand dame of Matsuneko-tei, after all.”

“Yeah… That’s why I need to change up her diet. Is there anything here that might help with her condition?”

Switching to her professional demeanor, Akira walked over to the health food aisle and returned with a product in hand.

“There’s this component called alpha-linolenic acid that’s supposed to slow the progression of kidney disease. It’s found in perilla oil, and this is a supplement derived from it. It’s made for humans, but it’s safe for cats too.”

“Perilla oil? Like, a cousin of sesame oil or something?”

“Hehe, people say that a lot, but it’s actually closer to shiso. Also, make sure she gets plenty of water—it’s basic, but it’s the most important thing.”

“Got it. I’ll take it, then.”

“Alrighty. Thanks for your purchase!”

As she rang up the item at the POS register, Akira seemed to remember something.

“By the way, how’s Anya-chan doing?”

“Oh, yeah, she’s doing fine. She was saying she’s finally getting used to school.”

“Really? I’m jealous of Anya-chan.”

Caught off guard by her words, I blinked in confusion, probably looking a bit like a startled cat.

“To be able to study and hang out every day with someone as wonderful as you, Kohana-chan? I wish I’d had a friend like you back in high school.”

Wonderful—me? To be praised like that by my idolized older sister figure?

My mind went blank, and then Akira gently took my hand. My heart practically somersaulted out of my chest.

“—!”

“Here’s your twenty-five yen in change.”

“Oh… right.”

With the receipt and coins placed in my upturned palm, I finally snapped back to reality. Of course, it was just the usual transaction. I remembered now—Akira always handed back change so politely.

(But now I’m hyper-aware of it…)

My face burned all the way to my ears. As our hands parted, I finally noticed the puzzled look on Akira’s face.

“What’s wrong?”

“N-No, it’s just… wonderful? Me? I mean, people usually call me kind of ditzy.”

“No way. You’re always so cheerful, Kohana-chan. Honestly, you give me energy when I’m working.”

Forgetting my gloom over Mo-san’s illness, I felt like I was floating on a cloud. Careful not to drop the coins, I tucked them into my wallet.

“Haha… cheerful, huh? That’s about the only thing I’ve got going for me. I wish I were a beauty like Anya or you, Akira.”

“What are you talking about? You’re just as charming as Anya-chan, you know.”

“Haha, you’re gonna make me blush!”

I laughed it off as a joke. If I hadn’t, the sheer force of her compliment might’ve made me keel over.

I wasn’t just over the moon—I’d circled the Earth and crashed back down. Her praise was an overload, like getting love-bombed by my favorite idol.

“Take care, okay?”

Akira handed me the plastic bag with my purchase, her face wearing the usual professional smile of a store clerk.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I shuffled out of the store like a clunky robot.

My racing heart finally calmed down as I reached the riverbank on my way home.

“Sorry for getting all giddy on my own, Mo-san. We made a little detour, but we’re almost home.”

From inside the pet carrier hugged to my chest, Mo-san gazed out at the clear March sky and the scenery along the embankment.

Her yellowish-green eyes stared blankly at the budding spring world. Looking at her profile, a sharp pang of sadness squeezed my chest.

I’d experienced the loss of cats before.

Among the many cats my family had rescued from streets or parks, some were already too frail to survive long. Injuries or illnesses took them despite our care, their small lives slipping away.

Since childhood, I’d stood by as those rescued cats passed. Each time, I cried my eyes out.

But my bond with Mo-san was different—longer, deeper.

She was already part of our home when I was born. Ever since, she’d been by my side for everything.

In old photos or videos from when I was a baby, there’s always a younger Mo-san next to me. I’ve never known a life without her.

“Lots of cats live past twenty these days. You’ll be fine for a long time yet, right, Mo-san?”

Speaking through the plastic window, I saw Mo-san listen briefly with a serious expression before opening her mouth wide in a big yawn.

Her carefree, grandiose yawn warmed my heart, easing my worries.

Back home, I headed upstairs, let Mo-san out of the carrier, and started massaging the fleshy part of her back. Immediately, she began purring like a car engine, eyes closed in bliss.

“Alright, I’m gonna go help at the shop.”

Once Mo-san was relaxed, I grabbed my apron and stood up.

Cats roamed the hallway as I slipped on the apron and headed downstairs.

“Anya! You came back!”

In the large room converted into a cat café, a silver-haired girl from Russia—Anya—stood out.

Anya held a steaming cup of cocoa latte in both hands, watching the cats lounging on tatami mats or climbing the cat tower.

The childish way she held her cup and sat cross-legged on a cushion somehow suited her doll-like beauty.

“Kohana. I heard you were out this morning.”

“Yeah, I was at the vet. Just got back.”

“Are you unwell?”

Touched by her concern, I shook my head.

“No, no, it was the animal hospital. Mo-san had a check-up.”

As if on cue—

The sound of soft footsteps came down the stairs.

“Oh, Mo-san!”

The black-and-white cow-patterned Siberian slipped past my legs and entered the room.

And then…

“Oh, again?”

Just like before, Mo-san sauntered over to Anya, plopped down, and used her lap as a pillow, sprawling out her large Siberian body.

“…Does this giant cat think I’m a cushion?”

Anya looked down at Mo-san with a complicated expression, and I couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

“This isn’t funny, Kohana.”

“Hahaha, sorry, sorry! But she’s really taken to you. She’s been getting tired easily lately and hardly comes out for customers.”

“Taken to me? Or maybe she doesn’t even see me as human?”

Ignoring Anya’s confusion, Mo-san licked her paw and started grooming her face.

“She’s totally relaxed, huh?”

For her to come all the way downstairs, she must really like Anya.

“Anya, you okay with allergies?”

“No problem.”

Anya answered while blowing her nose, her eyes red and teary, though she acted perfectly fine, not like she was just putting on a brave face.

At first, I thought Anya was some kind of super cat lover, coming to interact with cats despite her allergies.

But lately, I’ve started to think it’s not quite that.

It’s not just about liking or disliking cats—it’s like she’s driven by some sense of duty or mission, facing them with fierce determination.

And…

“…”

Watching Anya’s profile as she quietly let Mo-san rest on her, I felt a wave of bittersweetness.

Sometimes, when she’s with the cats, Anya gets this far-off look, like she’s lost in precious memories. I found that gaze utterly captivating.

“Eek!”

Suddenly, Anya let out a startled squeak.

She shrank back, looking down in surprise. Mo-san was licking her hand with her pink tongue.

“W-Wait, does she think I’m food now?”

“Haha, no way! She’s grooming you, Anya.”

Grooming is essential for a cat’s comfort. When they groom someone else, it’s a sign of affection—maybe even seeing them as family or a close companion.

“You mentioned this cat is sick, right? Is it serious?”

“She’s old, so it’s kind of serious. But with proper care, I think we can help her live longer.”

“I see—”

Anya’s eyes took on that distant, wistful look again as she gazed at Mo-san.

What—or who—was she thinking about?

Cats are so good at reading human emotions. If I were a cat, could I understand what’s in Anya’s heart?

I felt an even stronger urge to know more about this mysterious girl.

“Hey, Anya.”

“What?”

“Who do you live with at home? Your parents?”

“I live alone.”

“Whoa, really? Are you okay? No troubles or anything?”

Living alone in a foreign country as a first-year high school girl? I was so shocked I couldn’t help but ask.

“No, everything’s fine. No need to worry.”

“What about your parents?”

For a moment, I sensed a slight hesitation in Anya’s demeanor.

“I came to Japan because my father was headhunted by a Japanese company and remarried a Japanese woman he met through that. I’m his daughter from his first marriage, but… I don’t get along so well with his new wife.”

“Oh…”

I didn’t need to hear more to understand. I regretted asking.

“My parents live in the prefectural capital, but my father tries to balance things between me and his new wife. So, I ended up living alone in this town, where the high school I wanted to attend is located.”

The prefectural capital’s station was just over an hour away by private railway and JR—not too far.

“Sorry for prying into your family stuff.”

“No need to worry. It’s a natural question.”

Anya’s cool response made my heart skip a beat. So cool!

I really, really wanted to get to know her better.

“Hey, can I come over to your place sometime?”

Riding that feeling, I mustered a bit of courage to ask.

If you want to get closer to someone, you’ve got to take the first step, right?

“—”

For a split second, Anya’s expression looked like a startled space cat.

“Oh, sorry! If it’s inconvenient, forget I asked!”

“…No, it’s fine.”

She quickly reverted to her usual cool, composed self. Maybe I imagined that look.

“Then it’s a promise! Pinky swear?”

Just thinking about visiting Anya’s place made me giddy with excitement. I held out my right pinky, buzzing with energy.

Anya stared at my finger, then swallowed hard. Was she thirsty?

“…Got it.”

Slowly, hesitantly, she raised her right hand, one pinky extended.

With an almost comically serious expression, Anya linked her pinky with mine.

“Pinky promise, sealed with a vow! Heehee!”

Overcome with excitement, I swung our hands back and forth, sealing the promise.

That night, back home.

I—Anna Gratskaya—soaked in the bathtub, staring at my right pinky through the steam.

(It was like a gun barrel suddenly aimed at me…)

That pinky, offered with Kohana’s pure, unfiltered kindness—its intensity and sincerity felt like a bullet to someone as unaccustomed to it as me.

And, as expected, I had no defense against it.

Matsukaze Kohana. That radiant, goodwill-filled smile was nothing short of a threat. It disarmed me completely, piece by piece.

How could she be so fearless, so unafraid to connect with others?

But…

(If she ever learned I’m someone who lives in a world of blood and slaughter…)

Would that sun-like smile dim?

Imagining it, I felt an inexplicable pang in my chest.

To drown out that tiny pain, I sank deeper into the bathwater, submerging my head.

My sigh escaped as bubbles, rising and popping in the warm water.