[MANâS BEST FRIEND]
âArenât you allergic?â Is how Su informs Sakura of his presence. The aforementioned allergy, of course, were the numerous stray cats- many friendly with the expectations of tourists eager to win their favor with scraps of food from nearby shops.
No wonder so many of them sold things like dried fish.
It doesnât matter what Sakura tries, the friendlier cats- the hungry ones, still approach her eagerly, waiting for their prize. Su, for his part, was much like them, drifting nearby, revealing his presence but ignored by the strays- merely a shade saying hello to a familiar face.
â .・â THIS SIDE OF PARADISE.
The tip of her nose is already reddened by the time heâs arrived, her only response to his question but a small, resigned smile. Itâs as one would expectâwhether Sakura wanted it or not, the cats were relentless. They pawed at her leg for attention, with one bold orange cat claiming her shoulder as its perch. Another sleek black cat with golden eyes circled around her ankle, meanwhile, as if contemplating whether her head might make a suitable throne or not. Itâs odd. She didnât even have any of the snacks with her, and yet they flocked her anyway.
âI am. But as you can see, itâs already too late for me to try and escape. Theyâre quite the persistent bunch.â She doesnât start at his sudden presence. If any, there this hint of amusement in her voice, though itâs uncertain if itâs because of him or the cats.
Already resigned to her fate, Sakura bends down to scoop up one of the more rotund strays. A gray calico with a belly so round one would think it has never missed a meal in its life, her eyes widening at its surprising weight. She carries it in her arms like one would a fussy infant, scratching gently under its chin, until she hears a rather pleased purr in response. Loud enough that it nearly drowns out the other touristsâ voices.
âHah. Look at this one, Su.â Turning to him more, she fixes the catâs position in her arms. âDoes it not remind you of Pardofelis?â It seems to have already made its home there, utterly content, if its slow sway of its tail is of any tell. âItâs a shame sheâs not here. Perhaps she would have been able to make friends with one of the strays, seeing how affectionate they are.â
One of the bolder strays, a scruffy tabby, nudges against Suâs leg as if finally acknowledging his presence, looking rather confused when its paws phased through his form. At that, Sakura raises an eyebrow. âHm. Maybe youâre not as invisible to them as you think.â
Then, finally, a sneeze.














