In the Ijichi residence above the Starry Showroom.
"Just how long are you planning to stay here?"
Seika Ijichi, the manager, frowned at Ryo Yamada, who had turned the living room sofa into her personal kingdom. Ryo sat there in her bear-pattern pajamas, endlessly scrolling through her phone. Ever since Ryo was kicked out of her house, she had been crashing at the Ijichi place. She was Nijika's best friend and a frequent worker at the showroom.
Despite her constant complaining, Seika—a classic tsundere—had put up with her for two weeks.
"Just go home and apologize. You're eating all my food, and your wages don't even cover your expenses."
"No," Ryo shook her head firmly. "I won't go back until I can support myself."
Seika's lip twitched. Support yourself? You're just a leech. But as she looked at Ryo, her hands trembled—not from anger, but from a painful memory of her own youth when she neglected her family for her band. She didn't want Ryo to end up lonely like her.
Nijika, watching from the side, secretly messaged Rin.
Nijika: [President!!! Ryo is finally getting kicked out by my sister!!!] Rin: [Why do you sound so happy that your best friend is being evicted?] Nijika: [Hehe... it's for her own good. She says she wants to earn money, but she just rots on the sofa and doesn't even practice bass or singing! She's useless!]
Rin laughed. If the "Angel of Shimokitazawa" was calling Ryo useless, Ryo must be truly annoying.
"Go home, Ryo. Stop bothering me," Seika snapped.
Ryo looked up with the eyes of a abandoned kitten in the rain. She knew Seika was 30 but still slept with stuffed animals; she was a sucker for "cute."
"Ugh..." Seika looked away. "Get out! Nijika, help her pack and take her home!" Seika retreated to her room before her heart could soften.
"Tch..." Ryo's pathetic expression vanished instantly once Seika was gone.
"Ryo, where will you go?" Nijika asked. "I can give you a cardboard box... like the one Hitori wore for her first show. At least you'll have a roof."
"..." Ryo stared at her. When did the angel become a little demon? "Maybe I'll go to Hitori's? Her parents would be happy she has a friend. Or Kita's..."
"And then what? You have no other friends. You need a long-term plan," Nijika said.
"Lend me money for rent, then," Ryo held out her hand.
"No money," Nijika winked. "And don't ask anyone else, or I'll tell your mom."
Ryo realized Nijika had blocked all her exits. "Fine... I'll ask the President if I can crash at his place. I already owe him money, what's a bit more?"
"Sure, go ask," Nijika said, secretly sending a "Thumbs Up" emoji to Rin.
Ryo's parents had already asked Rin to look after her. Nijika had just been waiting for Seika to lose her patience. Ryo packed her bass and suitcase.
Outside Rin's house, Nijika went to ring the bell, but Ryo stopped her. "Wait. I have a high-probability strategy."
Ryo set up her suitcase and opened a cardboard box. She took a marker and wrote on it: [I am well-behaved. Please adopt me.] Then she curled up inside the box, looking like a discarded pet.
Nijika stared, dumbfounded. "What is this?"
"I'm mimicking the heroine from his manga. Nijika, ring the bell for me. I haven't eaten, I'm too weak."
Nijika rang the bell and hid. Rin opened the door. He looked at Ryo in the box.
"..." "..."
"Nijika said you were coming, but... what's with the get-up? This looks familiar."
It was the opening scene from his debut manga, Stray Cat Girl, where the lead characters meet.
"You know what usually happens to the 'heroine' after she gets 'adopted' in that manga, right?"
"This is reality, not a porno," Ryo said flatly. "Just treat me like a pet. Give me the sofa and food."
"A pet, huh?" Rin turned and yelled into the house. "Mashiro! Someone's trying to steal your job!"
A moment later, a blonde girl in just a shirt and a collar appeared. Mashiro looked at Ryo in the box. Ryo recognized her from Hitori's vacation photos.
Mashiro tilted her head and curled her hands by her ears. "Meow?"
"Meow," Ryo replied. They seemed to be on the same wavelength. Both looked expectantly at Rin.
"Get in... are you waiting for me to carry you?"
"Legs are numb. Pull me up. And move my bass and suitcase," Ryo ordered.
"Are you the pet or am I?"
"If it's a dog, you're the master. If it's a cat, the cat is the master. I just said 'meow'."
Rin pulled her up. "Fine. But I don't have a spare bed. You sleep on the sofa or in your box."
Ryo sighed in relief. At least she had food. She decided to ignore the fact that he hadn't mentioned her debt.
Ryo began to colonize the sofa. But before she could finish, Mashiro stood over her.
"I have a gift for you," Mashiro said. She handed Ryo a box.
Ryo opened it to find a collar—not a decorative one like Seika's, but a heavy-duty pet collar with a ring for a leash.
"Put it on," Mashiro commanded.
"???" Ryo looked at the collar, then at the one Mashiro was wearing. "Is this a joke?"
"If you don't wear it, you leave. This house only has room for pets, not people."
"..."
"Pets don't eat at the table. They eat from bowls on the floor."
"???"
"No cups. You lap up water with your tongue."
"?????"
"No toilet. You use the litter box. If you spill, you lick it clean."
"..."
Ryo couldn't tell if Mashiro was joking because her face was dead serious.
"In this house, pets don't walk. They crawl on all fours."
Ryo finally found a loophole. "Then why are you standing?"
"I am a High-Rank pet. You are Low-Rank. Put on the collar."
Ryo looked at the collar. Fine... I'll wear it for tonight, then raid the fridge when she goes upstairs. Sleep first, deal with reality tomorrow. Being a pet is better than being a hobo.
She put on the collar. It was actually quite comfortable. Kind of cool, actually. If I add some studs, it'll look punk.