Chapter Text
On a mid-autumn day, in the living room of a cozy little house on the edge of the city, there is a large white cotton ball with two ears that are raised high, occasionally twitching slightly in response to the interesting sounds coming from the box with moving pictures. Even though his white-haired owner told him that if he curled up in one place and watched TV all day, he would get fat and no one would love him, he still didn't listen and instead remained curious in front of the TV screen every time he had the chance.
— ‘This specially prepared sugar-free jelly will not only make your cat happy, but will also give them a shiny coat ~’ —
“Meow~”
Sky-colored eyes sparkled as they looked at the colorful jelly balls dancing in the box that made sounds. The curled up cotton ball now leans towards the TV screen, its soft tail waving gently to the beat of the music.
“Nyah!”
The adorable pink paw pads tried to grab the dancing strawberry jelly, but the advertisement immediately disappeared, and even the delicious jellies evaporated, making the white cat confused.
After his front legs tried to wriggle in vain but the delicious food did not appear again, Nyatoru gave up and returned to his cozy nest and curled up. His ears, which were still up high, now drooped pitifully, and his soft, fluffy tail was no longer interested in swinging.
“Nyao..” - “Yuta..”
The feeling of sadness reminded him that Yuta had been very busy lately so she spent very little time playing with Nyatoru. Although the white cat still stubbornly climbed onto Yuta's lap and rolled around while she was working after being pulled away by Gojo many times, Nyatoru was still very lonely when those gentle ocean eyes refused to turn towards him.
Why did Nyatoru go from being sad because his favorite ad disappeared to being sad because his favorite person didn't play with him? Simply because he is a cat, and cats like to be sad all the time.
“Nheow..?”
And for that reason, Mistress Yuta forgot to give Nyatoru the usual reward every time he ate well - which was a kiss sweeter than honey on the forehead. Gojo insinuated that "This fat cat would be more commendable if he ate less", then Yuta scolded him for daring to call Nyatoru fat.
“♪♪♪~”
His flat white ears pricked up reflexively, Nyatoru's head swayed back and forth to the beat of a song advertising cat hair care products. Its mouth itched as if it wanted to move along with the lyrics.
“Meow's fur is so clean ♪, so shiny ♪~
It will be very comfortable to touch ♪, mama, do you want to touch it ♪~
Cute meow ♪, cute meow ♪, meow wants to be kissed by mama ♪~”
His sky-colored eyes sparkled, immersed in the happy rhythm of the commercial song while waiting for papa Satoru and mama Yuta to come home from work.
“Meow meoow meow meoww ♪~
"Meoow meow mmeow ♪~"
...
For some reason, recently Nyatoru's meows started to create the same rhythm, so much so that it felt extremely familiar to Yuta. While taking clothes from the washing machine out to dry, Yuta stared at the white cotton ball sitting leisurely sunbathing on the balcony.
“Meow meoow meow meoww ♪~"
'Even though I don't understand anything, it's so cute..fufu'
For a cat lover like this young girl, just the presence of that white cat is enough to capture her heart filled with sweets. Let alone the scene of Nyatoru sunbathing while meowing as if singing to the same rhythm.
‘Hmm..is it some kind of song?’
While her delicate hands were still quickly spreading the bed sheet on the perch, Yuta's mind wandered about the white cat's meaningless meow.
'It's cute but...for some reason it feels a bit lonely'
Looking at the round figure soaking in the sunlight, Yuta couldn't help but feel a little guilty. She had a big project from the beginning of last month so she didn't have much time to play with Nyatoru. Every time she was about to pet the white cat's chubby cheeks, her phone would immediately interrupt.
A few times, the white cat even stretched out his front legs to hold Yuta's hand, asking her to stay, wondering how heartbroken she was at those times.
‘Ughh…I don't want to work!! I want to play with Nyatoru!!'
Perhaps this is one of the few cases where a hardworking person like Yuta said she hated work. In fact, if Yuta wanted to, Satoru would immediately agree, because his wife is very talented, if she wanted to quit her job for a short time to stay home and play with their pet, there would be no loss.
“Hmm~”
Stretching her shoulders after completing the laundry, Yuta proudly looked at her own handiwork. Although it would be easy to leave this task to the laundry shop, both Gojo and Yuta agree that doing these things themselves will have a more real sense of life.
With just two people and a cat, the housework divided between husband and wife doesn't look too difficult, only that fat cat is leisurely wreaking havoc around without doing anything. It's a bit unfair to say that, actually sometimes Nyatoru is very good and helps them.
Looking at the white cat that was sunbathing and yawning loudly, Yuta chuckled.
'Maybe there's still some time left, I can–'
“Ring—”
The phone ringing couldn't have been more familiar over the past few weeks, interrupting the young girl's unspoken plans. Even though she let out a frustrated sigh, her hand still quickly pulled out the phone from her apron.
‘Mou! It's like that again!'
“Okay, I'll be there right away.”
After hanging up the phone, Yuta quickly took his jacket that was hanging on the wall and shouted out to the balcony before leaving.
“Nyatoru! I've already put your lunch in the bowl, remember to eat it. I'm going to work."
“Nyao!!”
The white cat turned his head and meowed as if he agreed, but inside he felt both sad and hateful. He hated that Yuta had just finished doing the housework and then immediately ran to work. But maybe the cat doesn't need to worry too much because at least his second owner can definitely take good care of Yuta and not let her health be affected by work.
...
“Phew—it's the best right after a shower.”
Sitting down on the specially designed large sofa, Gojo used a towel to vigorously rub his white hair, which still had drops of water. Feeling his hair less wet, he leaned back, quietly looking at the room where his wife was still engrossed in documents and words on the laptop screen.
'My wife is really a hard worker...'
His sky-colored eyes curved up subtly, no one knew what he was really thinking. The hair that was wiped with a towel was not yet dried, normally Yuta would dry his hair for him and he would help her dry her hair. Although it may sound childish, today, this university professor doesn't want to blow-dry his hair...it's okay to leave it like this.
‘Yuta would definitely scold me fufu..I wish she would scold me'
The past month has truly exhausted both Gojo and Yuta physically and mentally. Even though they live in the same house, they don't say many words to each other after work. Yuta's work would get busy like that sometimes while Gojo's work would be especially slow except when exam season came.
Except for preparing lesson plans for the day, Gojo doesn't seem to pay attention to other troublesome activities. Sometimes he thinks...this job seems to be born for him, it has a certain familiar feeling. It was like…he had been attached to this job since his previous life.
“Hmm?”
Glancing at the seat next to him when he suddenly heard a rustling sound, as expected, it was the remaining member of Mr. and Mrs. Gojo's cozy little family. Nyatoru was sitting snuggled on the sofa, his feet curled into thick white fur while his eyes focused intently on the girl he loved.
“Oh, are you waiting for her too? Why do you look even more pitiful than me?”
A weak cry rang out.
“Meow..” - “Is Yuta working too hard..”
Feeling both funny and pitiful, his sturdy hand patted the white cat's head.
“Who do you think Yuta's husband is? It's GLG Gojo Satoru, I won't allow her to skip meals or overwork herself. But it's strange, even though you're so worried about Yuta, you've gained so much weight."
Gojo raised his eyebrows in admiration as he looked at their cat, which had clearly grown bigger in just a month. Surely he will be scolded by Yuta...
“Nyao–grrrrrrrr!“ - “I'm not in the mood to fight with you, old man”
'But it's obvious on your face that you want to fight me?'
Gojo thought while looking at the ferocious face baring its fangs and claws at him. Ignoring Nyatoru's weight, Gojo turned his eyes to the closed room of their lover and joked .
“Yuta is the worst, making two men sad at the same time ~”
The white cat's ferocious eyes drooped as he looked at the same position as owner number 2.
“Meow…”
...
“Hah~”
After getting out of the steamy bath prepared by her husband, Yuta enjoyed life after work by lounging on the sofa. Behind her was her husband drying her shoulder-length black hair, and on her lap was a fluffy white cat curling up while smiling happily.
“You did well Yuta~”
Hearing her teacher's praise, Yuta's heart felt like it was covered with a soft, warm blanket floating in an endless sea of hearts. The corner of the young girl's mouth curved up happily. Yuta has always especially liked being complimented by Gojo-sensei since the days she first entered college.
It can be said that Gojo-sensei's compliment became an invisible motivation that motivated Yuta during those not so bright days - the time when she almost gave up on this life that she thought was meaningless.
“Fufu thank you Satoru-san”
Looking at Yuta so happy like she was about to bloom, Nyatoru also felt his heart flutter, he also wanted to praise Yuta!!
“Meow! Maow!” - “Yuta! Well done!”
Somehow, Yuta felt like she could understand the meaning of the meow when she looked into her pet's proud and eager eyes. Yuta's heart melted, she couldn't help but bend down and hug the lovely cotton ball tightly to her chest.
“Thank you Nyatoru, you are the cutest in the world~”
Giggling sounded from behind, Gojo reached forward and hugged both his wife and son into his big arms.
“No, no, you both are the cutest in the world, right?”
While the cozy family was still enjoying the healing warmth of each other, the TV screen suddenly switched to an advertisement for a cat hair care product. Gojo and Nyatoru snuggled close to the girl sandwiched between them, unmoved by the sound of the advertisement. While Yuta blinked in surprise, something was very familiar..?
“♪♪♪~ ♪♪♪~ ♪♪♪~”
‘This melody..?’
Still sandwiched between the two most important men in her life, Yuta frowned tightly, trying to remember why this melody was so familiar. Obviously, sometimes there are songs that sound very familiar but we can't remember where we heard them...
“Meow meoow meow meoww ♪~
"Meoow meow mmeow ♪~"
‘Ah…’
Yuta let out an ‘ah’ as if enlightened as Nyatoru growled in his throat in response.
“It's the song that Nyatoru has been singing along to lately!”
Both Yuta's husband and cat looked at her questioningly. Yuta focused on the lyrics of the commercial song and gasped in surprise.
“Hmm..that's right, it's true that this cat sometimes hums to this tune.”
Gojo searched through his unclear memory, apparently this cat also bit his pants leg, asking him to buy it this hair care product.
‘Could it be..’
Pondering the lyrics as if for a child, Yuta suddenly understood something. Recently, because she was so busy with her recent project, she forgot to give Nyatoru a kiss on the forehead as a reward every time he ate well. When Yuta looked at Nyatoru, he didn't seem angry at all, but maybe…just maybe…the white cat had put his sadness into that song.
'Surely...the way Nyatoru sings gives such a lonely feeling'
Covering her mouth tightly to stop her gasp of disbelief, her gentle sea-colored eyes began to ripple, surprising both Gojo and Nyatoru.
“Wait–Yuta? What's wrong?"
Yuta shook her head while wiping the corners of her own wet eyelids, she smiled softly to reassure them both.
“Well I just feel like I'm so bad…”
Yuta turned, took the white cat's front legs and squeezed them gently.
“Sorry, Nyatoru, for forgetting your reward.”
The white cat tilted his head in confusion as he looked at his owner's guilty face. Even though he was very sad, he wasn't angry at Yuta at all, he was more worried about Yuta's health these past few weeks.
“Meow meow! Gr Nyaooh!” - “Yuta, no need to apologize!”
Bending down, Yuta respectfully placed her lips on the white cat's forehead. So gentle, so sweet, this is the kiss that the cat has always cherished in his sensitive heart.
“Meow ~”
The cat's sky-colored eyes narrowed happily as her lips lingered on his silky white fur. From now on, it's best to be like this, a family of three, living together, eating together, embracing each other whether in cold winter days or scorching summer nights, just like this is enough to make meow meow happy for the rest of his life...