Happy moments always seem to vanish in the blink of an eye. Before they knew it, their reserved time at the cat café had already run out.
Natsukawa Kanade stood up smoothly, carefully lifting the sleepy Russian Blue from his lap and placing it gently on a cushion nearby. The cat let out a faint nyan, its tail flicking once as it returned to napping. Kanade gave it a soft smile and turned around—but Miko Iino hadn't moved at all.
She was still surrounded by fluffy cats, practically buried in a living blanket of purrs and warmth. Her expression was one of pure bliss… but also mild panic. Her legs were pinned, and she looked like she wasn't quite ready to leave this feline paradise.
"Wanna extend the time?" Kanade offered, tilting his head slightly with a casual smile.
Miko looked tempted. Her eyes flickered toward the staff at the counter, then down at the cats draped across her lap, then back to Kanade.
"Ugh… I want to… but if I keep staying, I might never leave," she muttered with a reluctant sigh.
Eventually, she steeled herself. With visible effort, she gently picked up the cats nestled against her, whispering soft apologies as she shifted them off. She finally stood up, brushing off her skirt. Then, taking a step back, she squatted again at the edge of the circle to wave goodbye.
"I'll come back to see you again… okay? So… don't forget me, alright?" she said, her voice almost pleading.
Kanade couldn't help but chuckle at the scene.
"Mou, even if you say that," he replied with a smirk, "They see like, dozens of guests a day. I doubt they'll remember one single high school girl."
"Ehh? That's so mean!" Miko pouted, clearly frustrated. "Tch… in that case…" She clenched a small fist with uncharacteristic fire in her eyes. "I'll just have to visit them every day! That way, they will remember me!"
Kanade blinked. "Uh… is this how rich girls think?"
"W-What's that supposed to mean!?" Miko flailed slightly, her face turning red.
Kanade shrugged, a playful grin tugging at his lips. "I mean, if you really love cats that much… why not just adopt one yourself?"
"…That's…" Miko suddenly looked awkward, her confidence draining. "That's a little…"
Seeing her hesitance, Kanade adjusted his posture slightly and spoke in a warm, sincere tone.
"Miko, listen. Suki koso mono no jouzu nare—the things you love, you naturally get better at. If you want something, the so-called 'obstacles' don't matter. You just solve them. If you don't know how, ask someone. There's always a way. The only thing that matters is whether you're willing to try."
He wasn't usually the type to talk people into doing things. But when it came to someone who clearly wanted to do something, yet was held back by hesitation… well, Kanade found himself wanting to help.
"People aren't born knowing how to take care of pets. Nobody's perfect on their first try," he continued, looking her straight in the eye. "The only difference between someone who raises cats and someone who doesn't… is that tiny bit of courage, and the willingness to take responsibility."
Miko's lips parted slightly. She didn't say anything right away, but her expression softened.
Kanade could tell—she was already leaning toward the idea. Something inside her had been stirred. But perhaps it wasn't something she could decide on immediately. Maybe there were worries she hadn't voiced yet.
"Hmmm… how about this?" Kanade said after a short pause. "You know our school has a breeding garden, right? They take care of all sorts of animals there—cats included. I heard they've got some new kittens recently, too."
Miko blinked. "Really?"
"Yeah," Kanade nodded. "If you're worried about not being able to take care of one, why not volunteer there first? You'll get hands-on experience and learn directly from the caretakers. It's like an internship. That way, you'll know for sure if you're ready."
He looked at her seriously now. "And I honestly think you'd do great. You're responsible, detail-oriented… and you love cats. That's a strong start already."
"This…" Miko hesitated again, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "But would they really let me? I've never done anything like that. I might make a mistake…"
Kanade gave her a light chop on the head. "Baka. Everyone makes mistakes. What matters is learning from them."
He folded his arms and tilted his head thoughtfully. "Besides, they'll be happy to have someone like you. The truth is, not many students volunteer, and the caretakers are always short-staffed. Trust me, they'll be grateful to have someone so earnest."
Miko fell silent. But this time, she was clearly thinking seriously.
"…Then… okay." She nodded, slowly but with growing conviction. "I'll give it a try. Volunteering sounds like a good idea. Thank you, senpai."
Kanade gave her a proud nod. "That's the spirit."
As they brushed off their uniforms and started removing the layer of cat hair clinging to them, Kanade found himself glancing at her with a complicated look. Compared to the stern, confident girl who used to stand tall during student council speeches, declaring boldly, 'I will supervise this council without mercy!'—she seemed… smaller, quieter now.
Was it because of what happened during the forest training camp?
That incident had clearly shaken her. Even now, she carried herself with a kind of hesitance, like someone second-guessing their every move. Kanade felt a twinge of concern, but said nothing.
The two of them tidied up their uniforms, brushed off the last stubborn traces of cat fur, and made their way to the sinks near the café entrance. Natsukawa Kanade, ever the quick one, finished up first. While Miko Iino was still scrubbing her hands with delicate focus, he casually drifted over to the counter and paid the bill before she could notice.
So, when Miko walked out a moment later, drying her hands with a soft paper towel, she caught sight of him standing there waiting—and her gaze immediately sharpened.
"…Senpai, why do you look so suspicious right now?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him like he'd just been caught sneaking cookies from a jar.
"Suspicious? What're you talking about?" Natsukawa blinked innocently. "Did I miss a hair or something?"
He patted down his jacket quickly, giving himself a once-over. Nope—clean.
Miko puffed out her cheeks a little, clearly not buying it. "It's your bill-paying jutsu! You're too good at it—it's basically a stealth skill at this point!"
"Oi oi, I didn't do anything shady," Kanade retorted, sweatdropping. "You make it sound like I committed a crime…"
"But today's my birthday!" Miko protested, hands on her hips. "How could you go and pay before I even had the chance? That's totally against the spirit of the occasion!"
"Well, it's not like I'm trying to 'take care of you' or anything," Kanade replied, scratching his cheek sheepishly. "You could just say I wanted to satisfy my own mood. Think of it as my way of saying omedetou—a birthday tradition, if you will."
Miko's lips twitched, her face turning slightly pink. "A-Anyway… you already gave me a birthday present earlier…" she mumbled, voice trailing off like a whisper in the wind.
"Hm? What was that?" Kanade leaned in slightly.
"Nothing!" she yelped, bolting upright. Then, with surprising agility, she dashed past him, flung open the door, and scampered outside.
Kanade blinked, stunned. That was unexpected.
But she didn't run far. Just outside the café entrance, she turned around, stuck out her tongue with all the grace of a sulking anime heroine, and mouthed something dramatic with exaggerated flair.
"Baka senpai!"
Kanade chuckled under his breath. Thanks to his faint understanding of lip reading—and the fact that she was clearly saying what every tsundere-type girl in anime says—he caught it immediately.
Huh… was it because the gift wasn't thoughtful enough? He frowned, mulling it over. Maybe the earlier gift felt too casual… too impersonal. Something off the shelf, perhaps? That could explain her reaction.
After confirming he hadn't left anything behind, Kanade stepped out into the mild afternoon sun and quickly spotted Miko standing by the road, rummaging through her small handbag with visible frustration.
"Did something fall out?" he asked, walking up beside her.
"No… I think I forgot to bring it," she admitted, her voice tinged with a bit of embarrassment. "My hair tie. When I was playing with Mimi earlier, I noticed my hair was coming loose. It got in the way a few times and almost got pulled… so I wanted to tie it back for convenience."
Kanade glanced at her now slightly-messy chestnut hair, the strands more free-flowing than usual. It was a far cry from the neat, composed look she usually carried like a badge of honor. She must've been really into the cats to ignore it for that long.
"Wait here," he said with sudden resolve. "Don't wander off—I'll be right back."
Miko looked up in surprise, brows raised. "Eh? Where are you—"
But he was already off, jogging away with the confident strides of a man on a mission.
It didn't take long. Barely five minutes later, Natsukawa Kanade returned, a small decorative box in hand. He handed it to her with a casual, almost nonchalant smile.
"There's a hair tie inside. Not sure if it fits your style, but if not, I can run back and exchange it for something else."
Miko blinked, surprised. "Eh? You didn't have to go that far…"
Her fingers trembled a little as she took the box. With careful hands, she untied the ribbon and opened it. Nestled inside was a red lace hair tie, adorned with twin clusters of soft frills at each end. The texture was velvety, almost silky, and the red hue popped vividly against the soft interior.
It was… cute.
Too cute.
Dangerously cute.
Her heart skipped a beat—no, several beats—as her cheeks grew warm and a gentle "kyun" echoed in her chest. The color, the texture, even the frilly design… it was like it had been made for her.
"…You were watching that closely, huh," she muttered, almost to herself.
Kanade tilted his head, noticing her blank stare. "Is it not your style? I thought you liked this kind of thing. I remembered most of your other ties are the same color, so I figured something bright might be nice for a change. If you don't like it, I can—"
"I like it."
"Eh?"
"I mean… I like it a lot," she said, finally lifting her head. Her eyes shimmered under the afternoon light, full of soft emotion. "Thank you, Senpai. This is… probably the best birthday present I've ever received."
Kanade blinked. "Huh… that's good to hear then."
A bit much for just a hair tie, isn't it? he thought. But maybe it just really hit the right note. It wasn't even that expensive, just something cute and thoughtful. Then again, maybe that's all it took.
"Senpai… can I ask for a favor?"
Her voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Hm? What is it?" Kanade tilted his head.
"…Can you help me tie my hair?" Miko Iino asked, her voice so quiet and shy it could've been carried away by the breeze. "I forgot to bring a mirror, and it's a little inconvenient…"
"Ah, no problem. Leave it to me," Kanade nodded without hesitation. He was surprisingly experienced in this sort of thing—mostly thanks to his time tying up the angel's hair, and occasionally helping Eriri and a few others. "Do you want a specific style?"
"Senpai sure is… well-versed in these things," Miko muttered, giving him a slightly complicated look.
Kanade paused. Wait, was that a tinge of jealousy he heard?
"No specific style," she said before he could ask. "As long as it's easy to move around with, I'll leave it up to you."
"Got it. I'll keep it simple."
With that, Kanade gently lifted Miko's soft chestnut hair. The strands glided through his fingers like silk, impossibly smooth, delicate, and light. It almost felt like handling a stream of water—one careless tug and it might just slip away entirely.
He couldn't help but admire how well she took care of it. Her hair not only looked flawless—it even smelled amazing. A fruity, sweet scent lingered faintly in the air, refreshing and clean. Girls really do smell nicer than guys… he thought, blinking.
Maybe it was the shampoo. Or maybe girls just had a magical ability to make everything smell better.
"U-Um…"
A soft, unexpected whimper reached his ears.
Startled, Kanade looked down. Miko was gripping the back of the chair tightly, her face flushed a rosy pink.
"Se-Senpai… please don't mess around," she mumbled, her ears trembling.
"Ah, sorry," Kanade quickly apologized. "I must've touched your neck by accident."
His hands weren't cold or anything, but her reaction… it was like her whole body jolted. That meant—ah, so her neck was sensitive, huh?
He glanced at her, only intending a quick peek, but ended up stunned.
Her skin was pure and pale, like fresh snow, smooth enough to reflect the soft afternoon light. From the side, her neck's curve was graceful and elegant, like something out of a painting. When he lifted her hair earlier, a small part of her ear had been exposed—it was now flushed red, like a ripe cherry or a polished piece of agate.
"…"
Dame da yo, he scolded himself. This wasn't the time to be thinking weird things.
Must be leftover effects from being teased last night. That was the only explanation for why he suddenly found this kouhai so unbelievably cute. And worse—he had the strange urge to tease her back.
Her voice earlier… that soft moan. Too dangerous, he thought. She'd let her guard down without even realizing it.
But Kanade quickly snapped out of it, forcing his thoughts back to normal. No—he wasn't that kind of senpai.
Still, Miko seemed to sense his gaze. Her neck, already pink, began to darken—slowly soaking in color like watercolor paint bleeding into paper. Her cute ears had gone from soft pink to full-on red, radiating heat.
Eyes squeezed shut, she gripped the chair like her life depended on it. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears.
Senpai is looking at me… isn't he?I-Is he going to tease me…?I have to resist… I should resist, right?I can't just… let him do whatever he wants…
Her thoughts swirled, messy and fast.
Meanwhile, Natsukawa Kanade just quietly focused on tying her hair into a neat, practical ponytail—careful, gentle, and entirely composed.
…Well, mostly composed.