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❝ Good Morning! Greetings, all. This is Morioh-Cho Radio, and your host, once again, is me, your neighbor, Kai Harada. What a refreshing morning. And I have the perfect song here to start off the day. Here's our first song of the morning. . . ❞
It is Monday, June 23th, 1999, 7 thirty in the morning. It is a sunny day, although there are talks of cloud coverage later on in the afternoon.
I don’t mind Mondays. My fellow employees at the office seem to despise Mondays, so much so that I’m dreading walking in and hearing their incessant complaining. I don’t want to hear about their exploits from the past weekend, or what they wish to do this upcoming weekend, either.
I’m nursing a cup of coffee on my patio and glossing over today’s newspaper. I prefer a dark roast, nothing with fruity or sweet undertones, and just a touch of cream and sugar. I wouldn’t call myself a coffee aficionado, but I once read an article about the importance of a good base; the base being a flavorful roast, so that you won’t have to rely on additives to make the coffee enjoyable. I’ve tried to live by this new standard which has proven to be a bit difficult considering Morioh is, for lack of a better word, a simple town— simple people with simple tastes.
That reminds me, I should stop by that cafe that recently opened— there are rumors they have a luscious croissant egg and ham sandwich with an addictive saltiness. I rarely watch my sodium intake, I’m a healthy man after all, but eating too much fast food can be—
❝ . . . pretty scary. I don’t believe Morioh Police have released a statement regarding Miss Byrne’s disappearance, but I hope and pray she is found safe and sound. Her family flew in Saturday evening and have been discussing matters with the Police, so let’s pray together they’re able to make some headway. Alright, on a lighter note, I’m gonna play a song I think that Miss . . . ❞
DING!
I stand from my wicker chair and check the toaster. Now that I’m looming over it, I’m not interested in buttered toast and jam anymore. I think I had it all last week before work. Well, sometimes routines can be broken! I won’t let it go to waste, so I slide the toast out and prepare it for my girlfriend. She’s been watching TV since we woke up; a past time I don’t find very endearing, but frankly, I like having my alone time, especially in the morning. I love to soak in the mild sunlight and the soft breeze, hear the birds chitter, and allow my mind to drift away, far from the hustle and bustle of my town. There’s been an uptick in residents and worse, street congestion .
I guess I’m as bad as my coworkers with my complaints!
“Dearest, I’ll be leaving soon. I have to beat the morning traffic.”
I clear my throat and down the rest of my coffee. I then smack my lips and try to ignore the gritty remnants in my mouth. Okay, add a ‘better coffee maker’ to my shopping list too. Should I try to find an espresso machine? That would be quite lovely. My girlfriend enjoys espresso! That’s how we met, actually. I didn’t find the appearance of a thick black sludge in a tiny cup to be seductive, yet I’m desiring something as romantic as that encounter was. Espresso is refined, so I’ve heard.
I slip on my jacket and check my hair in the foyer mirror. “I’ll be a bit late coming home. I have a few things I’d like to pick up after work. I say, at the very latest, I should be back around 6.”
I give a clean, proper smile to my reflection. How very genuine.
“Goodbye, dearest.”
I close and lock my front door. I really don’t mind Mondays.
(๑ↀᆺↀ๑)
I don’t bother to drive to work. You know, there’s harmful emissions spewed by cars? While I’m not always the most environmentally conscious, I’d like to think the quick walk is doing the world a bit of good. I could ride a bike, but that. . . would induce sweating and ruin my hair . Again, I’d like to reiterate: I'm not very environmentally conscious.
Besides, if I didn’t take strolls, I wouldn’t be blessed with the presence of the neighborhood cats who greet me daily. This morning’s guest is an orange tabby with a chip in its ear.
The alley cat purrs and meows under my touch, and bonks its head against my knee. Killer Queen’s aura lingers behind me now that its curiosity is piqued by the small animal. My ability to keep it on a leash has dwindled lately, and I don't mind it. Though, I do mind that this ethereal version of my mind palace has a feline silhouette; I try not to think about the implications too deeply.
I briefly wonder if Killer Queen is aware of the similarities between this creature and itself. Maybe so, because it attempts to replicate my petting, with this sparkle in its irises. Killer Queen tugs on the cat’s tail, earning it a bristle and a shake. I glance at the pink thing, and click my tongue as a scolding.
I swear Killer Queen huffs in exasperation.
“Good kitty, good kitty,” I murmur, continuing to spoil the alley cat. For being a feral little thing its coat is exquisitely soft. Soon, it hops onto my lap, and that’s when I have to say playtime is over.
“Oh, no, no ,” I chide, “You already brushed your hair all over me, I can’t have you snagging my coat!”
Of course, when I pull the cat off of me one of its paws cling to my lapel, and I cringe when I hear a tiny ‘snap!’. I’m not angry, just disappointed. If it weren’t so cute I might’ve been a lot more discriminatory. But, when its glassy, predatory eyes gaze at me, and it emits a light ‘mrow?’ any ill will I harbored has vanished.
“You play a dangerous game.” I announce. “You’re not aware of the cruel powers you possess.”
Alley cat’s nose twitches and it licks its mouth. I will take that as an affirmation. I set the kitty down and brush off the fuzzy hairs, but they cling to me like tape. It’s not a big deal! I believe a lint roller is stashed inside my office drawer for this exact reason. You always have to be prepared, no matter what. Always be one step ahead!
Goodbye, sweet alley cat, and hello, Kame-yu offices.
…
Now, you didn’t think I’d bore you with the details of my work, did you? I’m much more compassionate than you might believe!
The second highlight of my day starts when a coworker insists on walking home with me. Her name is Kaede, and she says she lives a block from me hence following the same path, but I have yet to see her in this direction before. There’s no harm in allowing her this privilege anyway, since she wears a pleasant perfume and has a manicure painted orange and pink. The pink nails are bright and glossy while the orange ones are decorated with a small bow charm. I usually find such trends gaudy, yet she wears them effortlessly. The sunset rotation also reminds me of the orange tabby I hung out with earlier.
I watch her everytime she flicks her hair back. Her mouth moves but I don’t listen to that. Her nails click with each motion, and it’s a bit addicting to listen to.
Kaede drones on our entire walk about office gossip and something about the weather. She mentions a sweater she’s thinking of wearing that might be a bit ‘risky’. I don’t understand what that means nor do I care enough to ask. She attempts twice to loop her arm through hers but I deflect both times with a fix of my hair and a check of my wristwatch.
Women have become so bold, haven’t they?
“Do you have dinner plans, Mr. Kira?” she asks me.
“Not particularly.”
Kaede stares at me oddly, briefly, then recovers. “I’m planning to make mushroom ankake udon and matcha pudding tonight? Would you like some? I always have a seat free.”
Neither of those fit my appetite though this is a golden opportunity I can’t pass up. “That sounds absolutely delicious, Miss Kaede. I would love to join.”
Kaede celebrates her victory with a cheer and clap, while mine is silent. And as if the day wishes to bless me once more, a small black cat saunters up to us. Its scrawny, poor thing, and I haven’t seen it around before. It doesn’t wear a collar, either.
I patiently await its affections, yet its hellbent on Kaede instead. The white puff on her kitten heels attracts its attention and it dives for her, paws outstretched.
“Oh my god, get away from me!”
In slow motion, as if I’ve been taped to a chair and forced to watch a wretched movie, this woman stabs her pointed toe into the ribs of the alley cat. The poor creature yowls and rolls away. It regains its balance and stays crouched, staring at the offender with fearful eyes. Its back arches in a weak display of ferocity.
I maintain a mask of apathy. Kaede whips around toward me and bellows, “Did you see that? It was going to bite me!”
“Highly unlikely.”
“What if it had rabies?” she screeches, ignoring me.
“Even less of a chance.” I sigh. Not a great end to a rather sweet day. My soul flickers and melts out of me as a poisonous shadow. Kaede continues to screech about this utterly terrifying creature, unaware of her looming demise.
“I really should put a leash on that thing.”
“Huh? What— Is this yours? Oh, I’m sorry, I—I didn’t know! I mean, you just have your cat running around?” Kaede rambles.
“It’s okay. You didn’t know. How could you have?” I reach for her and she meets me halfway.
She never felt it. She never stood a chance. I hardly register the shockwaves anymore, and the magical flames no longer appease me. The kitty also sees nothing but the ominous energy surrounding the street has it skittering around the corner.
What a pity.
Killer Queen attempts to gift me Kaede’s beautiful hand with her gold bracelet still intact. I stick up my nose. “I don’t want it.”
Killer Queen looks down at the sad stump and incinerates it in an instant. All traces of Miss Kaede have now been eliminated. She will be missed, for a few days anyway, and she too will be forgotten, just like all the others. It’s a natural process. The supposed stains that I have left on this town have been scrubbed for long enough that the people are tired; too tired to care for every missing person. The public outrage lasts barely a week before everyone returns to their usual routines. There’s something to be said about the irony of vouching for safety while blanketing the crimes to aid tourism, but I care not for the town’s reputation or its reliance on foreign salaries.
I aimlessly swat at Killer Queen and it vanishes just as quick as it appeared. I already made up my mind to break up with my current girlfriend, so I may be lonely for a spell. That’s fine. With or without a girlfriend, Lady Luck is always by my side.
I’m quite excited to see what she shall bring me tomorrow.