~Chapter Seventeen : Suspicious Feelings~
~Start~
*********
The green haired cat girl, Aimi, poured tea on each of the fancy looking tea cup and carefully handed over to (Y/N) and her cat boys, with a smile. "Here you go, please be careful, it's quite hot." She warned, as she placed down the kettle on the table.
"Ah, yes. Thank you very much." (Y/N) thanked her and blow on her tea. After five blows, she took a sip but flinched as the tea was still hot, despite all the time it got to cool down. However, once (Y/N) got used to the burning sensation on her tounge, she began to realise how delicious the tea is.
"Wah! It tastes good~!" Natsuki said, with a satisfied smile on his face. "It's a bit hot, but I'm not complaining~! I have a pretty good relationship with hotness, after all~!"
Aimi laughed as cheerful as the blonde. "That's good! I'm happy that I'm slowly improving..." She said as she placed the tea kettle on the table.
Comfortable silence filled up the room for a few seconds. No noise was heard except the few rare sipping sounds from the tea. (Y/N) looked at Aimi, appreciating her first time seeing a cat girl.
"What's wrong, (L/N)-san? You look so suprised when you saw Aimi..." Hiromi commented with a slight smile on his face. "It's like it's your first time seeing a cat person, despite having five."
"Well, true, it's not my first time seeing a cat person..." (Y/N) said, as she carefully placed the cup on the table and smiled. "But it is my first time seeing a cat person with the same gender as I am."
"Ah, really~!? Then, please let's get along well, (Y/N)-san!" Aimi said, her eyes began to sparkle as she took hold of (Y/N)'s hands. She then, blinked and blushed at her actions. "Ah, I'm sorry...It's just that I never really have friends outside this mansion so...It would be nice to have a friend, if that's okay..."
(Y/N) waved her hands infront of her. "Y-Yes! Of course! Of course!" She said, almost immediatly.
Aimi gave her a big smile and her tail began to sway back and forth, making her look more like a dog than a cat. Everyone else sweatdropped as they can't really comprehend girls' friendship. Hiromi faked a cough. "Sorry to interrupt but Aimi, can you please bandaged this cat boy's arm? He was injured saving us earlier." He requested and Aimi stood up properly, dusting off her dress.
"Yes, of course!" Aimi said as she ran towards another room.
"While Aimi is getting the materials, I've been wondering, how did you guys knew we were in trouble earlier?" Hiromi asked, blinking. "As far as I know, you're always located in the entrance of the school. Is your cat ears really that powerful? Because we were all the way in the back of the school..."
"Well, no. Our hearing isn't that powerful but we still hear better than normal people." Akito said and pointed at the red haired, quietly drinking his tea beside him. "It's all because of Haruki's ability."
"Eh...? No, I didn't do anything at all!" Haruki denied. "It was all on the animals!"
"Animals?" Hiromi questioned as he tilted his head to the side.
At the same time, Aimi came skipping back to them with a first aid kit. "I'm back! Can you show me the injury?" She asked Haruki.
Haruki nodded as he complied. Aimi took a look at it and nodded. "Ah, it's not a serious cut but still needs to be bandaged." She said as she crouched down to get a better angle.
Hiromi smiled and turned back to Haruki. "Anyways, animals? Can cat people talk to normal animals too?" He asked, pulling out a confused face. "Aimi never mentioned this to me though..."
"Nah, that's just Haruki's ability. We don't have that." Chikage said as he plopped one cookie inside his mouth. "He can talk to animals and understand them and stuff. It's pretty cool."
Haruki sweatdropped at Chikage's remarks about his ability while Hiromi hummed, signalling that he understood. While taking care of Haruki's cut, Aimi looked up at him, smiling. "That's amazing! To be honest, I'm pretty envious of your ability..." She said and slowly, her smile turned into an embarrassed one. "I like other animals myself but they tend to stay away from me. Some said that I'm too affectionate and it scares them so I always wished that I could tell them that I just want to love them..."
Haruki laughed. "That's nice of you, Okano-san. But don't worry, if you continue being nice to animals, they'll eventually open up to you." He said. "It's just the same with humans too. Oh, and we're part cat so our chances of befriending other animals had probably increased by 75% so, don't be too worried."
(Y/N) smiled at their conversation as she took hold of her cup of tea. Haruki isn't usually this talkative but whenever someone mentions something about animals, he'll get even more talkative than Natsuki. As she was about to take a sip, something about Hiromi caught her attention.
Hiromi was looking at both Aimi and Haruki, with a somehow serious look. His grip on the tea cup was slightly stronger and bit his bottom lip as he looked down. He had a melancholic look on his face that (Y/N) just can't ignore. However, before she could ask anything to him, he looked back up with a slight smile.
"Ah! Aimi! (Y/N)-san seems to ran out of tea! Can you take her to the kitchen and let her pick what kind of tea she wants to drink!?" Hiromi requested with a suspiciously loud voice.
"Ah, but my tea is not yet-!" (Y/N) was cutted off but Hiromi turned to her and smiled.
"You really look like you're enjoying your tea so it's a pleasure to meet another tea lover~!" Hiromi complimented. "So, I would like to know your favorite kind of tea, so, Aimi! Can you escort her please!?"
Aimi widened her eyes as she turned to Hiromi and looked at (Y/N). Hesitatingly, she nodded. "Um...Okay? I understand..." She said as she smiled at (Y/N). "Let's go, (Y/N)-san! Master's collection of tea is really interesting!"
(Y/N), though hesitant, decided to follow whatever is instructed to her, as she is in another house. "O-Okay...?" She said as Aimi practically dragged her towards the kitchen.
Hiromi waved at them, smiling and sighed in relief. He sat properly and hold his cup of tea. Before he could get a sip of the delicious liquid, Hiromi flinched as he was then greeted by the eyes of the five male cats in the room.
Hiromi blinked and smiled nervously. Shakily, he got his lips on the side of the cup, however, the persistent eyes of the male cats was getting into him. "...Suspicious..." Fuyuko said, like a detective interrogating a suspect. His tail swinging left and right in suspicion.
"Suspicious, indeed." Akito's intimidating voice made Hiromi even more nervous than before. The orange haired crossed his legs and brought the cup of tea near his mouth, smirking. "How about we cut the crap and just spill the beans already? Cats becomes even more mischievous when they don't get what they want, you know?"
**********
"Ah! This! This!" Aimi cheerfully said as she got one of the expensive looking containers in the cup board. "Earl grey tea! Master loves this!"
"You know, when we were just a child, I tried making Master a cup of this tea but then..." Aimi trailed as her cat ears dropped down, signalling something bad happened in that memory. "...I was clumsy so I accidentally dropped the container and it spilled everywhere...Master wasn't happy, of course."
However, Aimi smiled slightly. "But he didn't get angry at me. No, not at all." She said, smiling as she slowly placed the container back to where it originally belongs. "Though, he did forbidded me and everyone from touching his tea collection, so this is my second time after a few years touching these again."
"Seriously, Master is such weird human~!" Aimi said, giggling.
(Y/N) blinked and looked around before going back to Aimi. "If everyone is forbidden to touch his collection of tea, why did he let me go in here, though?" (Y/N) said, crossing her arms over her chest and tilted her head. "And to pick whatever expensive tea I want? That's too generous in my opinion..."
Aimi flinched and once again, her ears dropped. She turned around and opened the of the drawers, as if looking for something. "I-I don't know...Maybe Master thinks (Y/N)-san is special? I mean...You have five cat people in your hands..." She said, (Y/N) couldn't tell if she was being serious or not. "Or maybe...Master took a personal liking to you? There are only a few people that Master allowed to go in here so...It could be a start of romance or something..."
That statement made (Y/N) widen her eyes. "Wait, that's impossible. Hiromi-kun and I just met." She said and sweatdropped. "I think you've read too much shoujo mangas..."
(Y/N), though Aimi hasn't turned around yet, can feel her puffing her cheeks somehow. "Y-You never know! Master has always been an unpredictable person! I know that better than anyone else. Like how he enjoys cheap snacks in a convience store rather than those high quality steak and lobsters!" Aimi turned around with, indeed, a puffed cheeks. "Even though he acts mature and serious around his parents, Master doesn't like the dark! He's suprisingly childish and spoiled too! He easily gets into a bad mood whenever he doesn't get what he wants! But despite that, I know that Master is kinder than anyone else!"
(Y/N) took a little step back as Aimi was leaning into her too much. She gulped as she didn't expect such out burst coming from the green haired cat girl. "...A-Aimi..." (Y/N) said, unsure of her next statement. "This is just a guess but..."
"What is it!?" Aimi asked, looking up at (Y/N).
"...Do you like Hiromi-kun? As in, do you romantically like him?" (Y/N) said and immediatly closed her eyes, in case Aimi gives her a violent reaction. But there was nothing so she slowly opened her eyes, only to be suprised to see Aimi's face burning red.
"Ah...Uhm..." Aimi exclaimed as she began fidgetting. After a while, she turned to look at the side, sighing. "...Master is too nice, that's why..."
**********
"I'm sorry, (Y/N)-san...I'm the one who's supposed to make you tea but you ended making one for me instead..." Aimi said as (Y/N) placed a cup of tea in the table. "Thank you very much..."
"It's fine, it's fine! You have nothing to apologize for." (Y/N) said, smiling at her as she sat down on the chair beside her. "Also, I don't make tea that often so I'm not a professional when it comes to making teas. Please don't expect it to be that delicious..."
Aimi giggled and took a sip of the tea. "Ah, it's pretty good, (Y/N)-san!" She complimented, making the said girl sigh in relief. Aimi then, looked down with a sad smile and her tail swayed left and right. "Atleast, it's better than my first time making tea..."
(Y/N) listened carefully as she took a quiet sip on the tea she made. "You see, I was considered as a failure of a cat person. My body isn't all that strong and I don't have any special ability whatsoever. To sum it all up, I'm useless." Aimi explained. "And of course, no one wants a useless cat person so I was rejected again and again and again. So much so that it reached the point where I gave up on hoping that someone will become my master."
"But Master Hiromi...He was interesting..." Aimi said, her smile getting brighter. "He became my Master despite the fact that I basically can't do anything...At first, I was suspicious. I thought there was a catch. I mean, why would someone buy a useless cat person like me?"
Aimi then, looked up and leaned back on her chair. "But there was nothing. Well, actually, there was one thing." She said as she laughed. "Master was simply lonely and he wanted a friend."
Aimi looked at (Y/N) with bright eyes. "That's why, I'm trying my hard to become as useful as possible! It always ends up in some troubles though..." Aimi said as she puffed her cheeks. "But not once Master got angry at me..."
"That's probably why..." Aimi said as her face began to heat up and turn red. "...I-I like him so much..."
(Y/N) hummed as she understood her situation. She then, giggled at what she looked like right now and opened her mouth to say something. However, Aimi, getting too embarrassed hold out her hands infront of her. "A-Ahh...! You don't need to say anything! I-I'm too embarrassed right now! I'm sorry!" She exclaimed, covering her blushing face.
(Y/N) smiled and shrugged. "Alright, fine, fine..." She said as she raised her hand above her pat her head as a sign of comfort.
**********
"Thank you for inviting us over for some tea, it was really good." (Y/N) thanked Hiromi as she and the cat boys began to put on their shoes. "But the sun is going down, we need to get home soon."
"Ah, it was my pleasure!" Hiromi said, smiling. "I hope you have a safe walk back!"
"Yes, and I hope that you'll come back again!" Aimi said, cheerfully. "(Y/N)-san! I want to get to know you more!"
(Y/N) smiled at her as cheerfully as her. "Yeah! Me too!" She said and stood straight. "Well, we're gonna get going now! Bye-bye!"
Everyone bowed and said their own farewells and began to walk towards the exit gate.
**********
"So, it's your first time seeing a female cat person." (Y/N) said to the cat boys as they walk home. "What do you guys think about Aimi? She's cute and nice, right?"
"Indeed. She's decent." Akito simply said, walking beside (Y/N).
"So-so..." Fuyuko commented as he kicked a tiny rock.
(Y/N) raised an eyebrow on the two cat boy's sentence. "That's it? No more comments?" She asked.
"Well, as you said, Master...That female cat person is cute and nice..." Chikage commented with a bored tone, however, his expression changed to a happy one and suddenly, hugged (Y/N)'s arm. "But you're the most adorable and kindest being in the entire world, Master! Nothing will compare!"
"A-Ah, okay...?" (Y/N) said, sweatdropping.
Natsuki pouted at Chikage and hugged pulled on (Y/N)'s other arm. "Let go of Master, you pervert!" He said, but the black haired cat was too busy cuddling with his Master to even give a comeback.
(Y/N) just laughed off their childish fight and moved on to another topic. "Then, how about Hiromi-kun?" She asked. "What do you think about him?"
Everyone freezed and blinked, which made (Y/N) worry for a moment. However, the cat boys then, began to snicker, which made her confused. "W-What's so funny?" She asked.
"There's nothing, Master..." Haruki said but snickered softly. "It's just that Hiromi-san...He's..."
"He's interesting...!" Natsuki continued to sentence for Haruki and began to laugh soon after.
(Y/N) blinked at the cat boys with a suprised look on her face. Even the usual emotionless Fuyuko's lips were twitching upwards. "Eh? What happened? What happened?" (Y/N) asked, curious. "I definitely missed something big here!"
The cat boys looked at each other and nodded. "Well, I guess we'll tell Master..." Akito said and all began to walk. "...Later..."
(Y/N) puffed her cheeks. "No fair...!" She said as she walked beside them. "I want to know now...!"
**********
~End~
**********
A/N :
H-Hi...I'm back! *breaths* I'M BACK! After a few months (?), I'm finally back! ｡ﾟ(ﾟ'ω'ﾟ)ﾟ｡
My deepest apologies to everyone who waited for SO LONG for this chapter to finish! (;￣◇￣) My only excuse is that I was busy...with school... ⊂((・x・))⊃
I had so much fun in school that I almost forgot I have a story to finish and gosh...My birthday is almost here...(*'ー｀*) I'm going to turn 16 soon...Oh, god...I...I feel...I feel like I'm dying... (._.)
ANYWAY! Of course, I've done something productive while I was gone! ٩( ᐛ )و For example, I already planned this story from beginning to end, meaning I now, know the type of ending I will give this story! Oh, and the chapters that this story will take! (￣▽￣)
Honestly, there's some chapters that made me had that "Oh-my-god" moment. And thinking that I, the author of this story, got suprised by my own creation is just...LOL （≧∇≦）
I also did things like study deep english to increase my vocabulary, experimented on my own cat for the reactions, improving my art skills, and...school... (._.)
Anyways, that's all! Thank you very much for sticking with me!
**********
**Character Information #4**
**I-I don't know about this as well...I tried my hardest to improve...But this doesn't satisfy me at all as well...(*'ー｀*) Don't worry, I'll try harder and I plan to change Akito, Chikage, and Fuyuko's drawings!
Tsukino Natsuki
Hair Color : Yellow
Cat Tail/Ear Color : Yellow
Eye Color : Pink
Age : 16
Height : 175 cm
Blood Type : O
Likes : Grassy places
Dislikes : Being alone
Hobby : Basketball
Specialty : Can do almost any kinds of Sports
**********
**Please Wait Patiently For The Next Chapter, Nya~**