While Twiggy and the others were caught up in their rowdy celebration, at the back door of the video store, a small kitten stood listening to the noise inside, a smile playing on her lips.
However, very quickly, she couldn't smile anymore.
'This happiness, ultimately, does not belong to me.'
Inside, a joyous gathering; outside, a weeping cat.
She was merely an outsider, and her initial motives had been impure.
Believing she wasn't qualified to stand alongside Geno and the others, Nekomata walked out the back door of the video store ahead of time.
She looked at the signboard behind her with a face full of loss, a trace of longing hidden in her eyes.
But in the end, she chose to leave.
"Hey, where are you going?"
"Meow?"
An unexpected voice came from behind. Nekomata whipped her head around, looking in disbelief at Geno, who was propped up on the wall looking at her with confusion.
"So, where are you going? We're about to go for a group meal. The kind with all-you-can-eat mackerel."
Saying this, as if he just remembered something, Geno added another sentence.
"Of course, it's on me. After all, those guys are broke ghosts."
Geno, who had just received his bonus today, was full of confidence. It was just a dozen or so people; it was merely a drop in the bucket.
"B-But I..."
Nekomata didn't understand. Their relationship had clearly been very stiff before. Although they had cooperated for a while because of the Dead End Butcher, that was all there was to it.
"But what? Don't forget, you still owe Nicole and the others their commission fees. Do you want to skip out on the bill?"
"I wouldn't! But... I really can't cough up that kind of money right now."
Only then did Nekomata remember that she simply didn't have enough money to pay the Cunning Hares' commission. Realizing this, she felt even more guilty.
"Yeah, I know. After all, you don't have any proper job."
"Well, I'm so sorry for not having a proper job!"
Nekomata bit her lip lightly. How could this guy speak so aggravatingly?! He was completely tearing open other people's scars! How could a person like him have so many friends!
If Twiggy heard this, she would probably hug Nekomata's petite body in excitement, because she thought the exact same thing!
That was why, on ordinary days, she was either beating up Geno or on her way to beat up Geno.
Therefore, Nekomata didn't plan to tangle with Geno any longer.
"Anyway, I will properly pay back this money. Before that, just tell Nicole and the others to wait a bit."
Although Nekomata herself didn't know when she would be able to pay it back, she said so for the time being.
However, Geno saw through Nekomata's plan at a glance and decisively grabbed her arm to stop her.
"What are you doing? Is there something else, meow?"
"Come home with me."
"Meow?"
After pulling back and forth for a while, Geno's sudden curveball caused Nekomata's brain to crash for a moment. Only then did she react.
"Wh-What do you mean by that?"
"Literal meaning. You come live at my house. Become my family."
Geno's sentence had no concealment or buildup; it was an unadulterated straight shot.
This made Nekomata, who had already prepared herself to return to a lonely life of wandering, feel incomparably flustered inside.
"Pervert! What are you thinking about! It's impossible for me to have that kind of relationship with you!"
Thinking of some scenes that wouldn't pass censorship, two blushes rose on Nekomata's face, though under the dim light, they weren't that clear.
"Huh? That kind of relationship? I just meant for you to become my little sister first? Is such a big reaction really necessary?"
Geno was completely bewildered. This little clumsy cat seemed to have strayed into some strange territory.
To be honest, the first time he met Nekomata, he felt he got along with this guy. The subsequent experiences had brought their relationship a lot closer.
When they escaped from the Dead End Hollow, he already had this idea.
It just so happened she had nowhere to go, so becoming a family was quite good.
In this world teetering on the brink of apocalypse, such relationships weren't many, but they weren't few either.
Just like his relationship with the Silver Squad.
"What? Is that what you meant? But, I..."
Seeing Nekomata still hesitating, Geno immediately added fuel to the fire.
"What, do you not like me as a brother? Isn't there still Twiggy as a sister? There are a full ten older sisters, you know~"
Looking at Nekomata with a playful grin, a smile as innocent as a child's bloomed before her eyes.
Such an expression, such words... what a foul play.
"Re-Really, no way to help it! Since you're begging me so much, I'll reluctantly agree to you!"
Pretending to be tough, she then pursed her lips and stammered in a voice the size of a mosquito.
"B-Brother."
"! Good little sister! Let's go! Bro will take you to eat a big feast! Tuna! King Crab!"
Draping his arm around Nekomata's shoulder, Geno laughingly led her toward the subway station.
His car had been scrapped in the Hollow, and he hadn't had time to buy a new one yet, so they could only take the subway.
And what Geno didn't notice, or perhaps deliberately chose not to notice, was that Nekomata's face was already covered in tears.
This lonely little cat had finally found a place that belonged uniquely to her.
——————————
Half an hour later, in a private box of a high-end restaurant in the center of New Eridu, Geno and the others were gorging themselves.
"Eat slower, no one is fighting you for it."
"Please! Boss Nicole! Pay a little attention to your image!"
Watching Nicole attacking the food with both hands, devoid of any ladylike image, Geno really didn't know what to say.
Beside her, Anby was blushing, wanting to pretend she didn't know Nicole.
"Cough, cough cough! Gulp, gulp."
Realizing she had lost her composure, Nicole accidentally choked and hurriedly grabbed the juice nearby to wash it down.
"Ahem, I was just... a bit too hungry, ahaha."
Are you kidding? This was a rare opportunity to fleece a rich guy; naturally, Nicole had to eat enough to make it worth it.
However, after Anby's reminder, Nicole scratched her face awkwardly, and her subsequent movements were finally much more ladylike.
On the other side of the table, with the Silver Squad, all the sisters were gathered around Anby, chattering non-stop.
Of course, everyone had put on disguises. Their originally uniform silver hair could now open a dye shop.
As for Nekomata, the little sister Geno had just taken in, she was entangled by Belle, the passionate and irresistible beautiful shopkeeper.
"By the way, Geno, how did you know that something happened at the Silver Base?"
Wise, sitting to the side, remembered that earlier, Geno had clearly just come out of the Hollow, yet he knew what had happened inside the Crete Hollow. This matter was simply inconceivable.
As for this, Geno himself didn't understand it too well.
"Hmm, I'm not too sure myself what's going on. Every time, a strange voice whispers weird things in my ear. But whenever I want to ask back, the other party just won't answer me."
Geno was very depressed. He also really wanted to figure out who exactly this strange voice was.
But judging from the current situation, this would remain an unsolved mystery.
____
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