Chapter Text
It was a quiet walk home on a Friday afternoon. You were vibing to the music playing in your earbuds and the wonderful summer weather. The sun was fully out today, with a few clouds sharing the sky, but to your happiness, none were blocking the dazzling sunlight.
You made it a game to avoid the shade while walking so that you could feel the sun. The fuzzy warmth on your arms and face filled your soul with joy. The burning heat upon your hair wasn’t uncomfortable- it was more of a reassuring headpat than anything.
With sunkissed cheeks and a skip in your step, your heart soared with the dreamy chorus playing in your ear.
‘This day couldn’t get any better!’ You adjusted your school bag with a bounce. ‘First, the English test I didn’t study for was postponed, and during lunch Haruka-senpai said hello to me!’ A sigh of pure bliss. ‘And the weather is so nice today, I think today’s my lucky day!’
You curved around the block, a convenience store to your right. Outside the store was a bored looking adult, his blonde hair pulled back by a band and a red apron tied around his body. In his hands was a plastic tray, half full with what looked like long pieces of bread.
“Hey! Kid! Do you want a sample?” The adult called out to you the minute you were in his line of sight. You lightly jumped from his sudden call and turned the volume of your music down.
“Ah, I should be getting home right now-”
“I’ll let you take the entire tray.”
By some divine power your day got even better as you rounded another block, munching on your ninth and last biscotti. Yep, this was really your lucky day!
‘Mom is going to get mad that I ate before supper, but whatever. It's a long walk back home, I’ll just tell her I needed a snack to keep my energy up. The biscotti was so good, I couldn’t resist!’ You couldn’t help but give a little smile as you wiped the corner of your mouth of crumbs. ‘And that poor store worker, he looked like he wanted to go back inside. Who would want to stay inside while the weather’s this perfect, though?’
You continued skipping your way home, a small breeze rustling against your neck as you bopped your head back and forth to your music. The cool air felt refreshing against your warm skin, and you couldn’t help but to spread your arms out to your sides.
While making it up the hill your house resided on, a vending machine near a mom and pop shop caught your eye.
Well, it couldn't hurt to make your day even better, right?
The vending machine stood tall before you, and you put a finger to your mouth.
“Hmm…”
‘Should I get a sparkling grape soda or an apple juice… Maybe a chocolate milk because we ran out at home, but the biscotti I just ate was thick and I need something to wash it all down…’
From the corner of your eye, you saw a small form of movement, and a soft “meow!” yipped through the blaring of your earbuds.
Meekly hugging the side of the vending machine was a small cat. The majority of its coat was white, save for a few orange and black splotches scattered along its back. The darker splotches surrounding its ears made its deep, orange eyes pop out as it looked towards you expectantly.
You gasped and crouched down, immediately going into “psspsspsspss” mode to let the little cat come near. You reached a hand out, trying to keep your body low to the ground in order to look the least threatening.
‘Woah, its spots are so cool!’ You thought, noting one particular orange spot on the middle of its forehead. ‘It looks a little like a star, so cute~’
“Hey Neko-chan, what do you think I should get from the vending machine?” You asked the little kitty, as if it could understand you. “Do you think I should get chocolate milk?”
The cat immediately stopped walking towards you, stretched, and sat down.
“Hmm, that’s what I thought too. How about some apple juice?”
The stray blinked a few times before licking its paw.
“Yeah, we have that at home, so it would be a waste. Alright then, sparkling grape soda it is!”
The cat stopped licking its paw and watched as you fumbled your wallet out from your school bag and navigated the vending machine. The cat didn’t jump when the drink fell into the retrieval area, or when you bent down to grab your drink and pet the cat at the same time.
You smiled warmly, your head blocking the sun for the cat and making the stray strands of your hair light up in a heavenly glow around your face.
“You’re nice Neko-chan, you let me pet you even though we just met.”
“I think we’re going to be good friends!"
By the time you approached your street, the sun was nearly down. To your happiness, the vending machine cat had followed you home, by padding from a distance or opting to follow from a high wall. It had only been about 15 minutes of silence, but you were now emotionally attached to this vending machine cat.
You sighed as you stretched your arms up in the air.
‘Goodbye, perfect sun. Thank you for giving a beautiful sunset and welcoming the moon so warmly! Rest well.’ You smiled once more, looking up into the darkening oranges and pinks of the sky. You rested your hands behind your head as you lazily observed the beautiful sight before you.
As you were about to enter your house gate, your ears picked up the sound of another gate opening. Further up the hill, a familiar head of orange hair caught your eye, and you threw up a hand in greeting.
“Hey Sho-chan!” Said orange-haired boy popped up, eyes brightening in recognition. He immediately matched your grin, calling out your nickname with matched excitement.
“Did you just come back from school?”
“Yeah, practice with the girls went longer than usual today.” You tilted your head towards your neighbor’s attire. “Are you going out to train at this time? The sun had just set!”
Hinata only smiled brighter, giving an affirming grunt and a nod of his head. His bright energy almost rivaled the sun, you noted.
“I wanted to wait until the weather got cooler before going out.” He started to make his way towards you to go down the hill. “Don’t worry! I’ll be back before the moon gets any higher!”
As the boy passed you, you bent your arm up, hand in a fist. Hinata stopped to return your signature greeting, knocking the side of his fist against yours. Before he could bound away, however, you were quick to link your smaller forearm with his. You put your other hand on his bicep as you leaned in.
You motioned your head towards the sky. “Enjoy the sunset while you’re training, Sho-chan,” you said in a soft tone. You smiled warmly, the pink hues of the sky reflecting off Hinata’s cheeks as you let go. ”Oh! And watch out for the wild boars, they might eat you!”
“O-of course! Have a nice evening!” You gave a big wave towards your best friend before turning around to go through the gate of your house.
‘No no no, don’t run out of ink on me!’ You started to frantically scribble in the margin of your notebook, but to no avail. A pout stayed on your lips as you warmed the pen between your hands before trying to write once more.
‘This was my favorite pen too!’ You scrunched your face in disappointment as you tossed the pen off the side of your desk. It landed right next to your unopened can of sparkling grape soda, which you eyed before grabbing for closer inspection.
‘I was going to save this for lunch tomorrow, but it wouldn’t hurt to drink it now. Maybe I can recycle the can into a memento in honor of Neko-chan!’
The minute you opened the can, however, a horrible smell shot out, and you couldn’t help but to physically cringe. You held the can away from your face and gave it a few heartbeats before bringing it close to your face and sniffing again, only to quickly hold it away once more.
‘Yuck! How long has this been sitting in the vending machine?’ You immediately stood up and left your room, making your way to the backyard. The smell of the can was too pungent to throw away inside the house. It was like spoiled trash mixed with foul body odor.
To your surprise, a familiar speckled cat was stationed on the fence above the trash bin, looking as if it had been waiting for you in loaf form. Its dark gray tail flicked about as it watched you put on your outside slippers.
“Neko-chan! The drink you made me pick was spoiled!” You dramatically cried towards the cat. No response, as usual, was given.
“You’re lucky that I opened it now and not at school, or else we would both have really been in trouble. I’m sorry Neko-chan, but I’m throwing the drink away.” You pouted before quickly adding, “I still love you though!”
The cat simply blinked in your direction, and you stared back into orange eyes for a couple of heartbeats.
“You know what, you’re right Neko-chan, I should at least try it before I throw it away, it could be good for all I know!” You gave a brave face, not paying mind to the concerned cat eyes that shot ‘you-idiot-don’t-do-it’ daggers at you.
“If I die from this, Neko-chan,” you started in a serious tone with a hand to your heart, “I want you to take my guitar and sell it before my sister steals it.” You put a finger up in realization. “Oh! How about you bury it with me? So that I can play guitar in the afterlife.” You nodded confidently to yourself. “Yes, please bury my guitar with me so that I may play awesome music in the afterlife, Neko-chan!” You looked towards the cat for an equally heartfelt confirmation, only to see it had opted to stretch out on the fence, ignoring your final will and testimony.
You gave a small sweatdrop, only to bounce back up and hold the can near your mouth.
“You’re right Neko-chan I should just get on with it here it goes-!”
The cat watched as you took one sip of the soda, pause, swirl it around in your mouth, and gulp it down in thought. Your face made no change as you lifted the lid of the trash bin.
“Yeah, I was right, this tastes really bad!” Without another thought, you tossed the foul smelling can where it belonged, not having the guts to empty it out on the grass
‘Not even the grass deserves a drop of this! It tastes as foul as it smells- so revolting!’
You spat out the aftertaste before addressing the cat again, its gaze now back onto you.
“Neko-chan, I am still alive, but I might die in my sleep tonight, so I would like to ask you to watch over me!” You gave a small bow to the white cat, and when you stood up straight, the cat had also sat up fully. You grinned before your eyebrows shot up in realization.
“Oh! Wait here Neko-chan. I will come back with a gift.” With that, you dashed back inside, frantically kicking off your slippers and allowing them to fly somewhere random. The cat flicked its tail idly under the quiet moonlight until you came rushing out again, this time with a small bowl in one hand and a crumpled napkin in the other.
“Here are some snacks for the night while you watch me! We had chicken katsu for dinner so I took the rest of the leftovers,” you announced as you placed the bowl of water and chicken on top of one of the trash bins, “and if you want rice you can just ask! I was going to save the extra rice to fry tomorrow morning but you can have it if you want.” You huffed your torso on top of the trash bin for leverage to place the gifts in front of the cat.
“If you need to take my body away to bury, my room is the one with plants looking out the window. I’ll leave the window a little open for you tonight, Neko-chan. Enjoy your meal!”
With confused orange eyes, the cat watched you go back into your house, this time carefully placing your slippers in the right place before closing and locking the sliding door.
It wasn’t until later in the night, katsu gone and bowl politely placed by the door, that the strange scent from the trash bin began to waft up in the air once more. A sickly, violet plume slowly grew out from under the lid, growing more and more thick until a shadow of stench formed above the bin.
The gaseous mass hung unnaturally stationary. Wisps of dark purple bubbled menacingly as it searched the area in a growl.
It was hungry, and it needed to eat .
It needed to find something to devour.
And it needed it now.