Chapter 56: Too Presumptuous!
Yukinoshita watched Luke—with a cat in his left hand, a cat in his right, cats all over his body, just short of becoming a cat magnet.
"Are you trying to become a cat magnet?"
"Is that considered sarcasm?" Luke held the cute cat, gently stroking its head.
"It's not?"
Hearing his words, Yukinoshita looked at him strangely.
"Then why did you catch so many cats?"
"They weren't caught. He just went like this—"
Yuigahama put her hands together and clapped lightly: "Just like that, the cats ran over. The dogs earlier did too!"
Yukinoshita fell into contemplation again.
Looking at Yuigahama's blinking big eyes, she asked him: "How did you do it?"
"Cats and dogs, in stories, can see things humans cannot. This is because they can sense soul fluctuations."
Luke stopped swinging the cat's paws up and down, put the cat down, and rummaged through his bag.
"And my well-intentioned clapping is the soul's cheer. This is..."
He revealed the manga he pulled from his backpack: "It's from the story in 'Horror Manga Special: Scream'. Do you two want to take a look?"
"...Sigh."
Yukinoshita sighed faintly, once again feeling helpless about his words.
And Yuigahama, seeing the cover he had shown her earlier, directly refused: "Don't recommend such scary things. I don't want to see it, I'll definitely have nightmares."
"Scary? I don't think so..." Luke said doubtfully.
Yukinoshita was about to go back and find another cat but was grabbed by Yuigahama, who had been freed from the cat's clutches because of him:
"Why don't we take a picture together right now! How about it?"
"Refused."
"I'm not really... Never mind, okay then."
But seeing the heartlessly refusing Yukinoshita, Luke immediately changed his mind: "Yukinoshita, you can take a picture with the cats."
Yukinoshita still refused: "Even if you s-say that, I still won't..."
"Come on, come on," Yuigahama instantly interrupted her, pulling the reluctant Yukinoshita over.
Luke tossed her one of the cats clinging to him.
Yukinoshita held the cute cat, pursed her lips, and stopped voicing her refusal.
Gently cradling the cat in her hands, her eyes instantly softened considerably.
It seemed the temptation of taking a photo with a cute cat perfectly suppressed her reluctance to be photographed.
Yuigahama opened the camera function and handed her phone to the attendant, asking her to help take a picture.
"Look this way," the attendant called out.
"Together, together," Yuigahama happily grabbed Yukinoshita's arm.
"Too close, Yuigahama-san," Although she agreed to the photo request, Yukinoshita helplessly reminded Yuigahama.
"How about we all say cheese?" Yuigahama ignored Yukinoshita's subtle refusal, continuing to hold her arm, while making a 'V' sign next to her eye with the other hand.
She's quite skilled at posing for photos.
"Cheese!"
Responding to her own suggestion, Yuigahama shouted it out without any shyness;
Yukinoshita, however, moved her lips slightly, unclear if she actually said it or not.
Of course, he didn't even bother moving his mouth anyway.
Soon, the photo was taken.
"Thank you," Yuigahama retrieved her phone from the attendant.
"Let's add each other as friends, I'll send the photo to you guys!"
"Let's send it some other time."
He glanced at the time.
It was past eight.
He asked the two: "It's getting late, I plan to head back. What about you?"
"Let's call it a day then."
Yukinoshita held the cat in her arms, reluctantly petting it one last time, mouthing a silent cat call, bidding farewell to the cat before standing up.
"Th-then I'll head back too," Yuigahama said, sounding slightly regretful, still holding her phone.
Leaving the pet cafe, the setting sun had completely dipped below the horizon, and the surroundings became much quieter.
Luke asked the two: "Do you need me to walk you? I need to go back the way I came."
"My home is near the station, I can go by myself," Yuigahama waved her hand.
"I am a person with independent capabilities, please don't worry. Besides, you have things to do, right?"
Yukinoshita adjusted her school bag, speaking softly.
"Alright then, I need to go buy some fried chicken."
He pointed to the fried chicken shop across the street.
"Ha... I estimate I won't be eating any chicken products for a while," Yuigahama sighed inexplicably upon hearing this.
Luke felt helpless.
Did his words in the cafe really have such a high impact?
Out of politeness, he still asked the two: "You really don't need me to walk you, right?"
Neither of them had any particular spiritual constitution, and plus, he had swept the city area clean before.
The probability of encountering supernatural issues was likely lower than being struck by lightning.
"Where does Yukino-chan live? Do you need to go to the station together?" Yuigahama Yui asked Yukinoshita Yukino.
"Um... Yes, I need to go to the station," Yukinoshita Yukino hesitated for a moment, then said directly.
"Then let's go together. I'll safely get Yukino-chan to the station," Yuigahama Yui said happily.
Yukinoshita raised her shoulders, defending against Yuigahama's head trying to lean over.
"Don't say it like that, making me sound like a child who can't take care of herself. Mm, but, since you said so, let's walk together."
Okay, this slightly directionally challenged girl is sorted out.
"Okay, see you then."
He could go buy fried chicken now.
The little bit of dessert he ate in the cafe wasn't enough to satisfy him.
Yukinoshita had already started walking, while Yuigahama released Yukinoshita's arm comfortably and remained beside him.
Luke looked at her puzzled. "Is there anything else?"
"Thank you for the previous request. Um... the method was very useful, Yukino-chan is very cute," Yuigahama looked at him with clear eyes.
Why did that sound so awkward?
Luke paused, hesitated slightly in his heart, but couldn't help reminding Yuigahama: "Although it's very presumptuous, Yuigahama-san... it might be best not to emulate Ebina-san in certain aspects."
Organizing his words, Luke nodded lightly towards Yuigahama to express his certainty. "Mm!"
"...Hmm?" The foolish Yuigahama took a moment to react, blinking at him...
"Ah?! That's not what I meant at all, you... you, you're too presumptuous! You idiot."
Yuigahama finally understood, blushing furiously as she quickly retorted, her hands flailing like a butterfly.
"As long as it's not that," he waved his hand, relieved.
"Yuigahama-san, please don't waste time," Yukinoshita called her from a distance.
"Hmph! See you tomorrow!"
Yuigahama turned away shyly and angrily, still managing a polite farewell despite her agitated emotions.
Feels like I forgot something.
Luke thought as he watched the two leave.
Forget it, whatever, going to buy fried chicken...
...
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