🎩⏳🌂

The needle was dropped onto a large vinyl record. This was a record that DJ Groove often used when he wanted to have a conversation he didn't want anyone to overhear. No one in the studio knew the details of how it worked, but apparently the music played from this record prevented eavesdropping. The conductor didn't expect the negotiation to end so easily, but even so, his eyes were colder than ever. That scared him a bit. He worked with him for 10 years, and he was always cheerful. Even when something unpleasant happened, he knew that his mood would render the team terribly useless, so he was good at acting and not letting it show on his face. Whenever a shadow fell over his face, the entire crew would start to get restless wondering who had made him unhappy. The Conductor was no exception.

"Boss," the Conductor smiled vaguely and began again. Grooves intimidated him, but his threat was still powerless to change the conductor's decision. "I… I'm not saying I want to leave you or that I don't want to work with you anymore. I just want to terminate the exclusive contract, that's all." "That's all?" Grooves stared at the Conductor, at the arms he had nervously crossed.

He thought at the time that he must have said something wrong. However, he wasn't sure what else he could have said, or which words had bothered the penguin. He's not quitting acting. He'll still appear in Grooves' films. Just to be no longer their exclusive actor. The reason is simple: he's interested in other movies, like the train western. All the movies DJ Grooves makes are musicals, and almost all are science fiction. As things stand, if the Conductor wants to try acting on movies in other genres, he has no choice but to either convince Grooves or terminate the contract. So the Conductor chose to terminate the contract. That's all there is to it. He knew Grooves wouldn't be happy with this negotiation, but he hadn't expected such a cold response, so the Conductor was inwardly quite confused.

"Darling, darling, at the very least, I should be grateful that you consulted me."

Finally, Grooves began. His voice was laughing, but there was a dull gleam in the depths of his eyes.

"Do you know who I am and still say that? Look, I've been wining the annual bird movie award for the past 10 years. No bird can make a better movie than me. So why would you deliberately leave me? It doesn't make sense." "No, boss. I'm just terminating my exclusive contract. I'll accept any offers you give me, and I'll even audition…" "That's the point," he said, walking towards his crew.

"Darling, do you remember the first time we met? Ten years ago, when I was boading your train to cross the desert. I saw you putting on a small play on the train." At that moment, his voice became strangely gentle. "It was fate, wasn't it? To find such talent in a rural area like here! I knew I had to make you mine before anyone else found out."

The distance between the two birds slowly narrowed, step by step. The Conductor felt a soft, heavy feeling, as if his throat was being squeezed.

"You were lucky that the other owls only saw you as a train crew member who was a little good at acting." The red platform shoes stopped in front of the owl. A warm flipper brushed against the owl's neck. "You haven't forgotten, have you? I rode the train over and over again to meet you and try to recruit you from the train company, and I gave you the chance to leave the train and become an actor. You took my flipper. You left the train—"

He made eye contact with him through his sunglasses. Beneath the coldness, an unbelievable, intense anger was swirling.

"Who changed your life?" "Boss, -" "Just tell me. Who is it?"

The Conductor, feeling his fingertips losing sensation, answered in a whisper.

"It's you." "That's right," Grooves said, finally breaking into a smile. "If I hadn't been there, you would have just been consumed as part of the train! I'm the one who made you the world's greatest movie star."

The soft flipper caressed the owl's cheek.

"I don't think you know what's best for you. Otherwise, you would have left that train much earlier," the penguin continued calmly, slowly playing with his yellow feather. "I've been producing you all this time. I've supported you with all the lessons, tuition, everything. And thanks to that, you won a trophy. And yet other directors will be able to capitalize on that success?" "Well," the owl said, a little at a loss for words, and gave an awkward smile. The atmosphere did not soften at all.

"I'm the one who made you a star, so it's only natural that I have the power to decide your career. Right?…"

The soft flipper slowly traced the Conductor's arm, reaching his completely cold hand. He grasped it from above, clasped tightly.

It was a side of Grooves that he hadn't known. He hadn't imagined Grooves was so attached to him. Feeling the weight of the chains binding him was far greater than he had anticipated, the Conductor felt heavy-hearted.

"Trust me," the owl said weakly. "I know all about what you've done for me. I just want to explore new possibilities for myself. You'll always be the most important to me." "But there is no need to test your loyalty."

The penguin said that, then took the Conductor's hand and pulled him closer to his writing desk. Then he leaned down and whispered, his voice becoming sweeter.

"—Let's talk about something more interesting. Are you tired of my musicals? Then what do you want to do? What genre do you want to do? We can make anything, darling." "Grooves, that's…" "Of course, it's not every time like this, but for the next production, I think it's okay to do something like this in appreciation of your years of hard work." Grooves then offered him a seat and released his hand. The Conductor was still in shock.

"…Don't you get tired of it? Me being the lead every time…" "Yes, you're the one who always lives up to my expectations. Look at the others, nobody can do it as well as you. I hate it when my works are performed half-heartedly."

He said this cheerfully, then sat down next to the Conductor and put his arm around his shoulder. One could say he'd given up. Without Grooves, the Conductor would have quietly lived his life doing only train work, just as Grooves had said. He hadn't intended to do that at all, but he was starting to feel like he was just taking advantage of him to move on to the next step. Above all, he had even said he would dedicate his next film to him alone. It was extremely rare for him to say something like that. He might compromise in other areas, but he would never compromise his art. And the Conductor couldn't possibly crush such a huge concession with a vague, selfish whim like mere curiosity.

In the first place, when asked, "What do you want to do?", the Conductor had no clear answer. If he did, he would have tried to persuade his boss. He just wanted to try something that wasn't a musical. Under a director other than DJ Grooves――the director didn't even need to be better than him.

"I'll think about that," the Conductor murmured almost unconsciously. "…I'm sorry for telling you such a strange thing…" "It's alright. Everyone makes mistakes," he said calmly. "Well, how about we have dinner together? It's getting late." "Absolutely."

The two birds left the room together. The owl forced a smile, trying to change his mood. The penguin acted as cheerful as possible, while intently observing the subtle shifts in the crew's expressions.

-

1. She couldn't believe that ―― now she has a sweet iced coffee on a daily basis! Cooking Cat thought feelingly, pouring iced coffee into a narrow glass. She loves freshly brewed hot coffee and she believed there is no happier thing than having it with cool vanilla ice cream however she needed to change her opinion in sweltering heat like here. It is best to have a cup of iced coffee at the start of the day in Dead Bird Desert doubtlessly. She devided each two pieces of toasts became ready just in time, buttering them a lot. She dished up a cheese omlet, a thick slice of bacon, some slices of fried mashrooms and some lettuce leaves to two plates. Here is a lovely place ―― Cooking Cat is sure that every time she works in this kitchen. No matter what others say there is a plenty of tablewares. Plates and cutlery are to her what clothes and cosmetics are to young ladies. Quality of them effects the taste of dishes and supplies topics to guests. The time considering which glass is better to coffee or which cutlery is better to omlets in front of a huge cupboard is luxury and just like a dream.

Being ready for breakfast, she came out of the kitchen. Crossing the hallway fall silent, she knocked the door she need to.

"Good Morning, Conductor! Your breakfast is ready."

After a few seconds, the sleepy voice greeted back through the door. It sounded he was still hangover. She hoped breakfast will not be cold before he starts, as heading to the dining room.

-

Several months ago. Cooking Cat was kicked out from the port town she had been living. The mafia had founded her habitat finally. She was made to get on a ship without any chances she fled. She hates even to call their food food however they are kind of chef even so. They had taken stock of she had been replacing theirs to hers, and having had their pride hurt for years. They were pleased extremely because they managed to exclude the provoking chef. Seeing it, Cooking Cat almost got cried by surprise. (Her tears were not for them or her by the way. They were for the boss of the mafia, who will fall victim to plenty of terrible cuisine. They tried to throw a party with bad-colored spagetties.) The captain of the ship, also a member of the mafia, didn't try to drop off her at somewhere many cats live as not taking into account her. Rather, he sailed one more day on purpose even though he realized cats hate water. Eventually, the ship anchored in a port town where owls live, dropped her off there and went back to Mafia Town in a good mood. Cooking Cat got bewildered in unfamiliar town but she looked for a job to live anyway. However owls were afraid of the cat, who was brought into by mafias, so any restaurants were passive to hire her. It was no wonder ―― Who wants to stir up a hornet's nest by getting involved in the target of the mafia? But fortunately, she got a job before she starved. It was a resident housekeeper. Even now she can hardly believe, but it said that if she does housework in the mantion at the town near the desert, she can do anything after the work. Of course, this was an attractive offer for a poor cat who not having even houses so she applied for it, grasping at straws.

And there is where she has been living now. It has a lot of tablewares and a comfort kitchen but too lonely. The homeowner is an owl in yellow, who conducting his train and directing movies. He was single but a rich because his business has been succeeding, collecting tablewares out of habit as his ex-wife does. There are a lot of valuable dishes however they are useless treasures because he has rarely guests.

It is not many what he expexts to Cooking Cat: to do minimum housework to keep the mansion, to cook meals for him when he was at home, and to do what he asks for her. As long as she does these easy tasks, he allowed her to use this beautiful house as if she possessed. Indeed, the Conductor hardly went back home, futhermore, when he noticed she planted some basils in the garden, he didn't take any action but said one word: "they'll wither here, lassie." Thanks of him, she has been spending a best lifetime ever.

This yellow owl has hated or cursed by myriad of birds however Cooking Cat has got along with him so far unexpectedly. One thing is the Conductor is too busy to spend a long time at home, and another thing is Cooking Cat had lived with much worse people than him. No matter how his personality is difficult, he is no more than a bird participating in public society after all. He doesn't beat children or olds and he shows some respect to her in his own way. And luckily his palate is not unsophisticated! Even if she wanted to argue with him, they didn't have many conversations, so it rarely happened, and sometimes he would even show consideration for her as the employer. Beside, they are becoming friends little by little recently. When she first came here, she didn't know how he drinks coffee so she prepared a cup of hot coffee, ice cubes, two types of milk (hot and cold) and sugar cubes each mornings but now she know she just has to serve a glass of iced black coffee. He came back to go so far as wrapping up work at her birthday moreover he gave a present to his employee: the milky-colored ceramic teaset. The teaset was stored in her room and she uses it when she would like to have a tea. Brewing decaffeined harbal tea with it before she goes to bed makes her calm down a little. This is a lovely tea utensils enough to she feels anxiety whether she can bring it to Mafia Town safely when she goes back there.

In a nutshell, she is satisfied with this job and feels some happiness. If she tried to complain, it was only about here is lonely.

This mansion is too sufficient for the Conductor. There are a lot of rooms and they seem to be way beyond his capacity. Even to the dining table, he can say the same thing. He decolated flowers and candles to reduce spaces, however the loneliness still stood out. He said the mansion is just adequate them when he had lived with his family, but now, his children had already left from his nest and he had got divorced with his ex-wife. If only he was a party bird, the mansion would be shone every night, but he isn't in reality. Neither the Conductor nor Cooking Cat have friends so much. On the other hand, his daughter visits here with her family once three months and then this mansion regain its liveliness originally. (The Conductor at the times is just like another bird. When his grandchildren pulled his feathers, he just smiled and gave them his feathers with a word: "Is there anything more precious than being children lively?") Anyway, the Conductor also knows this problem. He has made an effort to come back here not to make his housekeeper feels lonely in these days. However he seems he wouldn't like to take works home no matter what, so as expected, he can come back here not all nights.

――And it has come to the present. Cooking Cat handed a skittle to the Conductor wearing the coat. It is filled with scotch. Checking the skittle is full, he said thank you briefly with leaving. On being its homeowner absent, the entrance fell silent as if someone turned off the switch. She got the feeling she could catch her heartbeats. Cooking Cat went back to the living room, turning on the TV even though she wasn't so interested.

---

2. "Tonight is the worst night ever." Saying it pathetically, The Conductor hanged his coat up. "Forecasters said tonight would be sunny. Thanks of them I got one more coat I hafta take to the dry cleaners." "But you still have some. We have no eggs."

Cooking Cat replied with taking a look inside the fridge. She cannot go outside if it is rain, especially, bucketing down like this night. Cats hate water. They are still fine if only use it to take a bath or wash dishes, however, cats are to walking in the rain what owls are to walking in the lively discotheque. The weather forcast was wrong and it had been raining since afternoon. That was why she couldn't go a grocery shopping and the Conductor had to walk in the heavy rain between the nearest station and his mansion without an umbrella.

"What is for dinner?" "I'm gonna simmer chickens with beer. The seasoning is just salt and pepper, though." "Great! I thought you'll serve just a piece of bread." "We don't have any." "What?!" The Conductor screamed and he ran up to the kitchen. He checked the inside of the fridge, comprehend they literally had nothing but chickens and beer and hang his head. "The worst dinner ever." "How about a soup?" "With salt? Stop kidding." Buttoning a new shirt, he said. "The store will be closed in three hours. I'm gonna go there, lassie. Getting wet once or twice, it's all the same."

The moment he replied, the two could hear the thunder rumbling outside. Both of them got shocked of it and met face to face with anxiety.

"……… Sorry, neither can I."

He begun unbuttoning his shirt. "Well, it's better salt soup than just boiled water, right? Even though we don't have any bread." "I'm going to do my best." Cooking Cat replied apologetically with folding her ears. "Please, I know that's not yer fault…"

Thus, a tender chicken and a bowl of bland soup were served at the table. They didn't have any pre-packaged food because there is a chef. Also they didn't have any alcohol also because the Conductor drunk all stocks to blow off some steam yesterday. They laughed at the unsuitable dinner to this beautiful mansion but the weather still didn't recover. In spite of that, he recognized the cat is a great chef again: the chicken was tender as if he doubted why he used the knife for it and the taste of soup was full and gentle. Hoping tomorrow would be sunny, the two finished their simple dinner.

Usually they go back to their business after dinner. The Conductor is shut up in his bedroom with a few bottle of scotch and Cooking Cat washes dishes and takes a bath. Naturally they did so tonight as the others, but after two hours they got gathered in the living room to kill their time. Neither cats nor owls can sleep well in the heavy rain and loud thunder. Especially the Conductor cannot fall asleep without alchol so he decided to watch a movie until he got sleepy.

"What is this?" "The latest movie… of DJ Grooves." He shrugged and put in the DVD to the television. "Now that I've bought it, I need to watch it before I recommend to my grandchildren."

Cooking Cat nodded without a word. Musicals DJ Grooves writes is the best choice to make loneliness and silence ambiguous. His music beats the thunder. The cat took a seat next to the movie director and stared at the wide screen.

Surprisingly, he collected all movies of his rival. That's true the Conductor hates DJ Grooves and his works, however his daughter loves ―― according to the Conductor called ―― 'the lowbrow movies for the mass'. After all he couldn't sell out them even after his daughter's leaving, and now he collects the movies he hates for his grandchildren. He knows very well that his works are too stimulating for them.

Then the movie begun. ......And the Conductor frowned in boredom and crossed his legs.

"Are ye feeling lonely 'ere?" Suddenly he said. "Wanna go back to yer homeland?" "Why are you asking like that?" "Just because." He sighed. "……I know a cat who lives in underground. She told me there is no rain so she can go anywhere whenever she wants. I just wonder you are jaded in this desert." "There is no denying it." She sighed too. "But I figure here is better than Mafia Town. There is no ocean and residents are gentle to me." "How about yer job?" "If I should get bored this, I couldn't do any job." "I see." She could hear his little joy was smuged in his voice. "I'm glad to hear that from you. Thanks, lassie."

Surprising at that, Cooking Cat shifted her gaze from screen to him. The expression of the owl looked normal however only his ear-feathers were honest so they were almost drooping.

"Are you feeling lonely?" She asked. "Now I'm not so much. But before you came I didn't like to come back here." He sank his back to the sofa. "Here is totally quiet, right? I used to watch movies. Even I bought a piano to play something. Gradually, however, I was feeling bad for movies consuming just comfort my loneliness and the piano having no audiences. This mansion makes people depressive." "Exactly." "Frankly, I feel sorry if you feel lonely like I had felt before. If you agree to renew a contract next year, I will allow you to have a pet. If you wanna have yer friends over, you can do it, and if you want a coworker, I will consider it. How is it?" "Could I ask you to… anything?" She said as if she whispered. "Well, I've never worried about money. Only if you asked me to move this mansion to somewhere, I'll do my best."

"Then stay with me just a little longer." She lowered her eyes. "Stay here until another movie will end."

"……What? With me?" "Yes. You said anything is okay." The cat pressed her face into a cushion. Neither she nor he no longer watched the movie. "I have no friends I can invite here. Having a pet, I'm afraid to be responsible for taking care of. And you can't hire one more because this mansion doesn't need a lot of care…… Rather than something like that, I'd like to know more who you are."

For a while, they kept silent. Grooves' singing tried to fill the awkward speechlessness but it didn't work at all. Ears of them couldn't catch any notes of his jolly song.

"……Am I bothering you?" "No, no, not at all. I… I just got surprised." He scrached the back of his neck. "I hadn't expected you asked me to do such a lil' thing. That's fine anytime I'm not busy. There are noisy movies just like this countlessly ―― and also tickets, as much as." "Tickets?" "Sometimes I got invited. Cause now I'm most popular director, as you know! Wait a minute."

Stopping the movie, the Conductor stood up. After a few minutes he came out of the living room, he came back with a lot of envelopes, and a wallet for some reason. Spreading out what he brought sloppily, he opened them one by one. All of them were movie tickets for pairs. As he opened envelopes, he complained: "Perhaps they don't know I'm single, otherwise, they did to make fun of me." There was a invitation from DJ Grooves of them, and a letter he might handwrote was enclosed, but the Conductor tried to tear it before she read.

"I haven't read it yet!" "No need to, lassie. He writes same every time." He tore the letter with on swift and did an impression of his rival maliciously. "'Oh, how pity you are, darling! Enjoy your solitude? If you should have a friend having a unique individual and going to a theater with you, by all means!'……Maybe you think he's good because he pretends a nice bird to you, but he's also one of the directors, who giving me a pair ticket as a harassment." "Well, you aren't alone."

Cooking Cat took a flayer out from the envelop. Colorful stars were scattered in bright cobalt blue. This was also a musical as always however it was a modern romance, not a science fiction, moreover DJ Grooves wasn't a lead actor. (Perhaps a star who is loved by a lot of fan acts someone's lover causes a lot of trouble.) Handing the flyer to the Conductor, and while it drew his attention, Cooking Cat stole a glance at the torn letter. ――As long as she read, as expected, the writer was gentle as she knows. It was 'I hope this will be a trigger of something wonderful to you' rather than 'if you should have a friend, by all means'.

"Until when his movie shows?" "What! You wanna watch his, with me of all? There's no accounting for taste." He laughed lowly. "Till next week." "Then how about next Sunday?" "I'm with you. Let's go take seats on a late-night screening."

Writing down his schedul journal hastily, he gave a wallet he brought with envelops Cooking Cat.

"This is apart from your salary. Give me back with receipts on Monday."

"For what?" "That's beauty expenses." He collected envelops and aligned their corners. "If paparazzi are gonna snap our picture anyway, you might as well look stylish, right?" "Papaprazzi?!" "I told you, I'm even more popular than you think." He said proudly. "Photos remain forever. Take my advice for your own good, lassie. You should get a cloth, not a chef coat."

Saying that, he banded envelops and restarted the movie. Cooking Cat felt her heartbeats became faster and faster because of the fast-paced development. ――A late-night screening? What was he going to do until that? Will he work or stay with her? ――Beauty expenses? The wallet was too heavy to regard it so. If she were to spend to do nails, to fix her hair in a salon, to buy a complete outfit, she wouldn't use up all. ――Paparazzi? If they took a photo of her with him, who would say what? Even when she appeared on a cooking show with DJ Grooves, several anonymous messages mailed her. Would they think it's a kind of serious relationship?

Lot of thoughts were floating and disappearing to her mind rapidly. What should she do tomorrow? Going grocery shopping, call dry cleaners…… and she might need to ask her help. Cooking Cat stiffened her expression. However, after all, she sent a message to one of her friends, who didn't see a long time.

---