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The late afternoon sunlight spilled through the wide windows of Natsumi Nishi's apartment, filling the cozy living room with a warm golden glow. The apartment reflected both of its regular occupants. One side of the bookshelf held Natsumi's carefully organized novels and notebooks arranged with almost perfect precision, while the other had gradually accumulated Kentaro Yamada's favorite movies, board games, and a collection of mismatched coffee mugs that somehow seemed to multiply every few months. A soft blanket was draped over the couch, a quiet jazz playlist drifted through the room, and the peaceful atmosphere made it feel like one of those ordinary weekends they both treasured.
Today, however, there was one very important guest.
Curled comfortably in the middle of the couch was Honda's fluffy gray cat, who had been entrusted to Natsumi's care while Honda spent the weekend attending a work conference in another city.
Natsumi crouched beside the cat with an unmistakably affectionate smile.
"Who's the sweetest cat in the world?"
The cat answered with a content little chirp before rubbing against her hand.
"There you are," she laughed softly. "I knew you wanted more attention."
From the kitchen doorway, Kentaro watched the entire interaction.
His expression remained perfectly neutral.
For approximately three seconds.
Then he folded his arms.
"Hm."
Natsumi looked over.
"What?"
"Nothing."
She smiled knowingly.
"That wasn't a normal 'nothing.'"
"I'm just observing."
"You've been observing for five minutes."
"I like gathering information."
She laughed.
"About what?"
"The competition."
She blinked.
"What competition?"
Kentaro looked toward the cat.
"The one I'm currently losing."
Natsumi followed his gaze.
Then looked back at him.
Then at the cat again.
"...Kentaro."
"Yes?"
"Are you jealous of a cat?"
He hesitated.
"...No."
She smiled wider.
"You paused."
"I was choosing my words carefully."
"You absolutely were."
The cat chose that exact moment to hop gracefully into Natsumi's lap.
Kentaro sighed dramatically.
"See?"
She couldn't help laughing.
"You two have known each other for less than an hour."
"It already stole my spot."
"There are plenty of places to sit."
"There is only one Natsumi."
She covered her face to hide another laugh.
"You are unbelievable."
"I've been told."
After a few more minutes of watching the cat monopolize Natsumi's attention, Kentaro quietly pulled out his phone.
If anyone could help...
It would be Tani.
He opened their chat.
Kentaro: Emergency.
Tani replied almost instantly.
Tani: Everything okay?
Kentaro: Not exactly.
Tani: What happened?
Kentaro: Honda's cat has taken over.
There was a pause.
Then another message.
Tani: Explain.
Kentaro: Natsumi has spent twenty consecutive minutes petting the cat.
Tani: ...Okay.
Kentaro: I need advice.
Tani: About the cat?
Kentaro: About reclaiming my girlfriend's attention.
Several dots appeared.
Disappeared.
Appeared again.
Finally...
Tani: Kentaro.
Kentaro: Yes?
Tani: You are beefing with a cat.
Kentaro looked offended.
Kentaro: It's winning.
Another pause.
Then...
Tani: Suzuki spends half her day talking to our cat.
Kentaro: How do you survive?
Tani: I don't compete.
Kentaro: That's your strategy?
Tani: Yes.
Kentaro: It sounds ineffective.
Tani: It works because eventually the cat gets sleepy and Suzuki comes back.
Kentaro stared at the screen.
Kentaro: That's... surprisingly wise.
Tani: Also...
Kentaro: Yes?
Tani: Stop treating the cat like your rival.
Kentaro slowly looked up from his phone.
The cat was now sitting beside Natsumi.
Watching him.
He narrowed his eyes.
The cat blinked.
Kentaro looked away.
When he looked back...
The cat seemed slightly closer.
"..."
He blinked.
Had it moved?
Surely not.
He glanced toward Natsumi for a moment while she arranged a few things on the coffee table.
When he looked back...
The cat had somehow moved another foot closer.
Kentaro frowned.
"Natsumi."
"Hm?"
"I think your guest is plotting."
She smiled.
"I think you're imagining things."
"I absolutely am not."
The cat blinked slowly.
Kentaro looked away again.
Then back.
Now it sat directly beside him.
"..."
He looked toward the hallway.
Then back again.
The cat hadn't moved.
He looked at Natsumi.
"I think it's teleporting."
She laughed so hard she had to set her mug down.
"It is not teleporting."
"I swear it keeps getting closer every time I blink."
"You've been watching too many mystery movies."
"I've watched exactly enough."
She smiled warmly.
"You know..."
"Hm?"
"I think it likes you."
"It absolutely doesn't."
As though determined to prove her right, the cat calmly stretched, hopped onto the couch beside Kentaro, circled twice...
And promptly curled up in his lap.
Kentaro froze.
The cat sighed contentedly.
"..."
Natsumi watched the entire thing happen.
Then burst into laughter.
"I told you."
Kentaro looked down.
The cat had apparently made its decision.
It had claimed him.
He cautiously rested one hand on its back.
The cat immediately began purring.
"...Oh."
Natsumi smiled.
"It really likes you."
Kentaro gently scratched behind its ears.
The purring somehow became louder.
"I think..."
He laughed quietly.
"...I may have misjudged my opponent."
"The opponent?"
"My new friend."
She moved closer, smiling at the sight.
"I think you've been adopted."
"I wasn't prepared."
The cat leaned comfortably against him.
Kentaro shook his head with an amused smile.
"I spent half an hour trying to compete with this little fluffball."
Natsumi rested her shoulder lightly against his.
"And now?"
He looked down at the peacefully sleeping cat.
"I owe it an apology."
She giggled.
"Go ahead."
Kentaro cleared his throat dramatically.
"I'm sorry I was jealous of you."
The cat continued sleeping.
"I was mistaken."
Still asleep.
"I now recognize that we can peacefully coexist."
Natsumi laughed again.
"I think it accepts your apology."
"I certainly hope so."
She leaned over and kissed his cheek.
"I'm proud of you."
"For making peace?"
"For realizing affection isn't a competition."
He smiled.
"I suppose I was being a little ridiculous."
"A little?"
"Moderately ridiculous."
She laughed.
"I'll accept that."
He turned toward her.
"You know..."
"What?"
"I wasn't actually jealous because of the cat."
"No?"
He shook his head.
"I just like having your attention."
Her smile softened.
"I know."
"I love seeing you smile."
She reached over and intertwined her fingers with his free hand.
"And I love spending time with you."
"You do?"
"I do."
He smiled.
"I guess I forgot that affection grows."
She nodded.
"It isn't something we run out of."
"You always explain things better than I do."
"I've had practice."
He leaned over and kissed her forehead.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For reminding me."
She smiled before giving him a gentle kiss.
When they pulled apart, Kentaro laughed quietly.
"I think we've officially become a family couch."
Natsumi looked down.
She was leaning against him.
The cat was asleep across his lap.
The blanket covered all three of them.
"I think you're right."
The apartment door unlocked a few minutes later.
Honda stepped inside carrying an overnight bag she'd forgotten before leaving for her conference.
"I just need to grab..."
She stopped.
On the couch sat Kentaro and Natsumi cuddled comfortably together.
Between them and stretched across Kentaro's lap was her cat, sleeping so deeply that not even the sound of the door had disturbed it.
Honda smiled immediately.
"Well..."
Natsumi looked up.
"Oh, you're back."
"I forgot my charger."
She looked from Natsumi...
To Kentaro...
Then to her cat.
"I see everyone gets along."
Kentaro smiled sheepishly.
"We had a rough start."
Honda raised an eyebrow.
"Rough?"
"I accidentally declared a rivalry."
Honda laughed.
"With my cat?"
"...Maybe."
She couldn't stop laughing.
"And who won?"
Kentaro looked down at the peacefully sleeping cat.
"I think we both did."
Honda smiled warmly.
"I'd say that's accurate."
Natsumi rested her head against Kentaro's shoulder again.
"He made peace."
Honda nodded approvingly.
"I'm glad."
She picked up the forgotten charger from the kitchen counter before heading back toward the door.
As she reached it, she looked over her shoulder one last time.
"My cat doesn't cuddle with many people."
Kentaro blinked.
"Really?"
Honda nodded.
"It usually takes a long time before it trusts someone."
Kentaro looked down at the sleeping bundle of gray fur.
"I feel honored."
"You should."
Honda smiled.
"Take good care of each other."
"We will," Natsumi replied.
After Honda left, the apartment returned to its quiet calm.
Kentaro looked down at the sleeping cat, then over at Natsumi, who was already smiling at him.
"What?"
"I think this was a pretty successful day."
He laughed softly.
"I gained a new friend."
"You did."
"I got to spend the afternoon with my favorite person."
She squeezed his hand.
"And?"
"And I learned never to compete with a cat."
Natsumi giggled.
"A valuable lesson."
"The most valuable."
She leaned in and gave him one more gentle kiss.
"I love you."
He smiled with the easy certainty that always accompanied those words.
"I love you too."
The cat responded with a sleepy purr, and the three of them remained curled together on the couch, perfectly content to enjoy the quiet afternoon without another rivalry in sight.