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“Shiro, it’s time to come back inside. I have your favourite toy.” Mahiru stood in his backyard and he squeezed a cat toy in his hands. Usually, his pet would dash to him once it heard the squeak of the mouse. He became worried when he couldn’t hear it meow in return. Shiro was a stay cat when he adopted it a month ago but it never wandered far from his home.
He searched the backyard for anywhere Shiro could be hiding. He mostly hoped that his cat hadn’t been hurt or become trapped somewhere. With that thought, Mahiru ran to the tall tree growing in his backyard and he searched the branches for his white cat. Mahiru wasn’t able to see anything among the dense leaves so he picked up a chair to climb the tree.
He set down the chair at the base of the tree and it swayed slightly as he stepped onto it. Something in his neighbour’s backyard caught his attention and Mahiru felt both relieved and confused. His neighbour was sleeping in a hammock with Shiro lying on his chest. Mahiru had only spoken with his neighbour a few times because Kuro rarely left his home. He was intrigued by how relaxed Shiro appeared with Kuro.
“Excuse me!” Mahiru called to wake Kuro and catch his attention. He didn’t move and he assumed that he was sleeping too deeply to hear him. He considered climbing over the fence and retrieving Shiro. Though, he could only imagine how Kuro would react to someone breaking onto his property. “Shiro, come here. Why are you sleeping there when I bought you a very nice cat bed?”
He stood on his toes and he leaned as far over the fence as he could. They were only a few feet from him so he hoped he could draw Shiro back to him. Mahiru squeezed the cat toy and then he shook it gently to get the cat’s attention. He smiled with relief when the cat’s ears perked up and it seemingly understood Mahiru. Shiro stood and stretched on Kuro’s chest with its paws digging into his shirt. Its tail slapped his nose and woke him abruptly.
“What the hell, Shiro?” Kuro groaned and he waved his hand in front of his face to blindly push away the cat’s tail. The hammock swayed as he shifted his weight and it began to turn over. He began to fall out of the hammock and he fumbled to catch himself without crushing Shiro beneath him. He winced when he fell onto his back but Shiro landed safely on his chest.
“Are you okay?” He opened his eyes to see a brunette above him. His neighbour was leaning over the wooden fence and Shiro stretched its small paw up at him. It was clear that the cat recognized him and he reasoned that he was its owner. Kuro stood and he started to hand Mahiru the cat.
As he leaned forward to take Shiro, the chair beneath him shifted and it threw him off balance. He tried to grab the fence to stop his fall but he only managed to scrape his hand against the wood. Mahiru quickly wrapped his arms over his head and he braced himself for the impact. He felt himself crash into the ground but the dirt was much warmer than he expected.
“First Shiro uses me as a crash mat and now you? Can’t deal.” Mahiru felt the ground grumble beneath him and he realized that he was actually laying on Kuro. He blushed and quickly rolled off him. His leg burned as he moved and he looked down at his torn pants. When he fell, his hands and leg were hurt by the fence. Shiro must’ve noticed his pain because it nestled against his body.
“This is a mess.” Mahiru sighed. The scrape on his leg burned and he tried to hide his pain from Kuro. They didn’t know each other well and he didn’t want to worry him over his own clumsiness. He scooped Shiro into his arms and forced a smile onto his lips. “I’m sorry Shiro sneaked into your backyard. Then, I trespassed as well.”
“Cats like to come into my place so I’m used to visitors.” Kuro shrugged and he reached over to pat Shiro’s head. The cat purred happily and he wondered how long Shiro had been visiting Kuro’s backyard. Mahiru was glad that he wasn’t angry with the awkward situation. They didn’t know each other well but he appeared to be a good person with how Shiro felt comfortable with him.
Mahiru attempted to stand but the scrap on his leg throbbed painfully and he was forced to sit down again. He made a sheepish smile at Kuro and said, “I already caused you trouble but can you lend me your shoulder and help me get back? I don’t think I can walk back to my house and get my first aid kit. Since I live next door, it won’t be a long journey.”
“You really are like the cats who sneak into my backyard.” Kuro told him. “I have some bandages in my kitchen. I’ll get them for you so just sit still out here. That will be less troublesome than carrying you all the way back to your place. I’ll be back in a minute.”
“Okay.” He nodded. Kuro didn’t leave immediately and, instead, he gently eased Mahiru to his feet. He helped him to the porch so he could sit on the steps rather than the ground. Mahiru was surprised by how strong Kuro was to be able to lift him. His hold was also gentle and light though. After he lowered him onto the porch, he went back into his home.
Mahiru played with Shiro as he waited for Kuro to return. He looked through the window, hopeful to see what Kuro was doing. He trusted him but his uncle was a detective and he taught him that he should be cautious of people. Through the sliding screen of his door, Mahiru could see him filling a bowl of water. There were various pet toys and items in his home so he wondered if he had a pet as well.
Kuro finished filling a bowl of water and then he carried it outside with the first aid hanging from one arm. He walked to Mahiru’s side and he placed the items next to him. His expression was a little embarrassed as he admitted, “I don’t know much about treating wounds like this. My sister insisted that I keep this box in case anything happens.”
“I can clean these scraps myself so don’t worry about it.” Mahiru reassured him. Since his mother died when he was a child and his uncle was often busy with work, he learned how to be independent at a young age. He pulled up his pants and studied the scrap caused by the fall. He felt Kuro staring at him and he added, “It looks worse than it actually is. My leg doesn’t hurt that much and nothing’s broken.”
“That’s good. I was worried about being sued since you got hurt on my property. I’m living off cup ramen so I can’t really afford it.” Kuro joked and his dry humour made Mahiru chuckle. His voice was surprisingly warm and Kuro found himself enjoying their conversation despite the strange way they met. He only spoke to him when Mahiru moved next door and he introduced himself with a plate of cookies.
As Mahiru cleaned his leg with a damp cloth, Shiro became curious with the first aid kit and tried to climb into the box. Kuro kept the cat from taking the bandages by lifting it into his arms. Shiro began to fuss but it quickly settled into his warmth once he scratched its ear. Mahiru asked, “Do you have pets as well? You’re really good with Shiro.”
“I babysit other people’s pets while they’re at work. You’ll be surprised by how much rich people will pay me to just sit and watch their pets. It’s not going to make me wealthy but it’s a comfortable job.” Kuro said and he gently moved Shiro’s arm to make it wave to Mahiru. “What about you?”
“I’m a vet and I love animals. I worry about Shiro while I’m at work so meeting you is great. Will you watch Shiro for me? Shiro likes you and it looks like he already sneaks into your backyard for catnaps. I don’t know if I can pay your usual fee but I’ll cook dinner for you each time you watch Shiro.” Mahiru took Shiro and he held him up against his cheek. He grinned at Kuro and said, “Can you say no to a face as adorable as this kitty’s?”
He couldn’t say no but for a different reason than Shiro’s pleading eyes. Kuro wondered how Mahiru would react if he told him that he thought that he was much cuter than the cat. He lifted his hand and reached towards him. At first, Mahiru thought that he intended to cup his face in his hand. He didn’t understand why he felt a little disappointed when Kuro only patted Shiro’s head.
“I’ll take curry as my first payment.”
“I’m back!” Mahiru’s voice travelled down the hall as he entered Kuro’s house. A few weeks had passed since Kuro agreed to watch over Shiro for him. Since he visited him so often to have dinner together, he gave him a spare key. He had a few grocery bags hanging from his arms and he struggled to slip off his shoes without his hands.
He expected Kuro and Shiro to walk down the hall to greet him but the house was strangely quiet. Mahiru placed the bags on the kitchen table and then he went to the backyard to search for them. He had become familiar with Kuro’s habits after spending so much time together. Like he expected, he found him enjoying an afternoon nap with Shiro.
“To think I rushed back from work while you’re lazing around like this?” Mahiru wanted to sigh but he couldn’t feel irritated when he looked at the quaint sight of them sleeping together. He had looked forward to Kuro greeting him as he always would when he came home. He lived alone so having someone to come home to was nice. The sight before him was heartwarming.
Lightly, Mahiru patted his shoulder and roused him from his sleep. Kuro groaned slightly and he winced slightly against the sun when he opened his eyes. The haze of sleep he felt disappeared the moment he saw Mahiru leaning above him. Shiro woke up as well and it jumped into Mahiru’s arms. Mahiru hugged the cat in return and Kuro felt a little jealous.
They quickly became close friends and Kuro enjoyed spending time with him. He wanted to ask him to have dinner outside of their agreement but he didn’t know if Mahiru liked him in return. Kuro sat up and he lightly kicked on the ground to make the hammock swing. “I don’t smell dinner so I’m guessing you didn’t start it yet. Do you want my help?”
“I was planning to make homecooked ramen tonight so you can help me knead the dough. You’re stronger than me.” Mahiru worked late so he would usually start dinner as soon as he came home. This time, he wanted to see Kuro first. “Was Shiro much trouble while I was away?”
“He tried to break into your house. I guess it’s because he misses you and he thought you would be there. I tried to explain that you’re at work and he can’t visit you.” He began to tell him about their day. Kuro stopped the hammock and he shifted to the side so Mahiru could sit down as well. “How was work? You look tired. We can always order pizza if you’re too tired to cook.”
“That would actually be great. I had to perform a difficult surgery today and I’m exhausted.” Mahiru slumped into the spot next to him and he leaned his head against Kuro’s shoulder. His familiar warmth was a comfort to him and he closed his eyes. He told him about his day and he thought of how he came to rely on his silent support. Kuro seemed to understand his feelings and simply listened to him.
His eyes were closed yet Mahiru and Kuro pushed the hammock in time with each other. He felt strong fingers brush over his bangs and then tucked his hair behind his ear. The gesture made Mahiru smile softly and eased the tension he felt from the long day. He wondered how Kuro knew exactly what he needed even before he told him.
“You said that Shiro tried to break into my house because he missed me. Shiro would do the same when I take him home. He misses you and scratches at the window.” Mahiru opened his eyes and petted Shiro. He was looking down but Kuro thought he saw a hint of a blush on his cheeks. “It keeps me up at night but I think I’ve thought of a solution. How about I stay here after we finish dinner? We can watch a movie.”
“That almost sounds like a date.” Kuro said and Mahiru’s blush deepened.
“I don’t mind if we call it that.” He moved closer to Kuro and he finally looked up at him. His brown eyes drew him to him with how open and honest they were. Like the first day they met, Kuro couldn’t disappoint him. He reached out to him again and, this time, he cupped his cheek in his palm.
“I’ll order us that pizza and you can choose the movie.”