Work Text:
A man named Rui Urashima was walking along a neighborhood made of narrow streets after finishing a long conference about new medical discoveries and had decided to stop in one of the small places to have a drink and finally return to his private clinic.
He was walking down the street when a gray cat with beautiful black stripes that made it look like a small tiger appeared in front of him and stared at him with its hazel eyes.
The cat meowed in his direction as if to invite him to follow it before entering the narrow alleys and he decided to follow it curiously.
The cat continued to walk until it reached a place and meowed once more and then disappeared into the alleys.
Rui stopped in front of the place noticing that it was small with several decorations themed to domestic and wild felines, with inside a counter stocked with various alcoholic beverages and some old and worn wooden stools where you could sit.
From inside the place came also a delicious smell of food cooked on the grill and the man, hearing his stomach growl, decided to go in to get something to drink and eat.
Rui went to sit on the first available stool, noticing that there were also stickers related to the world of felines on the counter.
From inside the place, the radio was playing a song by the Pet Shop Boys “I’ts a sin!
When I look back upon my life
it's always with a sense of shame
I've always been the one to blame
For everything I long to do
no matter when or where or who
has one thing in common too
“Good evening and welcome to the Samurai Cat place.”. A male voice rang in Rui’s ears “How can I serve you?”.
Rui looked up and found himself in front of a man slightly younger than him with amber skin, blue eyes like a clear day and black hair tied in a high ponytail.
The smile was like that of a cat, as he waited patiently to take the order.
“I would like a mug of beer and an okonomiyaki, please.” Rui ordered after reading the menu on a small blackboard.
Curious, he looked around and immediately his attention fell on the characteristic decor, which lived up to the name of that small place.
“I’ll get you the beer right away.” The man who served the place said as he began to heat the grill and prepare the ingredients for the okonomiyaki.
“Thank you ....” Rui thanked the man who must have been about twenty years old and immediately went to the refrigerator to get a cold beer and served it in a mug.
Rui took a sip of the beer, while the other returned to the grill again to complete the second request.
“Hey, Ryo!” A voice exclaimed and a peer of the man who served the place entered with a huge smile plastered on his lips.
“Ryo”. Rui repeated the name and immediately memorized it.
“Can you make me a plate of yakisoba?”. He was a boy Ryo’s age with messy purple hair and bright purple eyes.
“I’ll finish making okonomiyaki and he immediately started making your yakisoba, Shu”. Ryo replied while concentrating on cooking the okonomiyaki.
“I’ve never seen you in this place, are you a new customer?”. Shu asked while curiously looking at Rui, who was finishing his beer.
“Yes”. Rui confirmed while Ryo served him the okonomiyaki “I followed a gray cat that stopped in front of this place and after smelling the good smell of the food I decided to go in”.
“You followed a cat ...”. Ryo repeated in a low voice, while his blue eyes lit up curiously and attentively.
“Well, the food here is really good and I always stop for a bite when I pass by.” Shu agreed with Rui and then put his first bite of yakisoba in his mouth.
“I have to thank Shin’s tutoring, which helped me improve my cooking skills or I would never have gotten a job at this place.” Ryo admitted while serving a mug full of shochu.
While chewing a piece of okonomiyaki, Rui immediately thought that Shin must also be a regular customer of that place and probably it was frequented by other friends of Ryo.
His thought immediately proved to be right as he saw another boy with short, messy blue hair enter the place and cheerfully greet Ryo, who in the meantime was drying his sweat with a small sponge cloth.
“What shall I serve you tonight, Touma?” Ryo asked as he was ready to get back to cooking.
“A loaded okonomiyaki, please!”. Touma exclaimed as he sat down next to Rui before yawning loudly.
“Did you sleep little last night?” Ryo asked as he served Touma a soft drink before returning to the griddle to start cooking again.
“I didn’t sleep at all to turn in a research paper for the university.” Touma admitted tiredly as he barely held back his yawn. “And I barely managed to do it.”
“Eat and then go home and get a good night’s sleep.” Ryo muttered worriedly for his friend as he looked at the dark circles under his eyes and his tired expression.
“And I’ll walk you!” Shu offered his support in a tone of voice that sounded like an older brother to Rui’s ears.
“I also advise you to eat lightly or you risk not getting a good night’s sleep, which will also allow you to make up for the lost sleep.” Rui added with his professional doctor tone without realizing that he was not in his office, but in a place in Shinjuku.
Ryo stopped with the okonomiyaki dough to put on the hot plate and his attention fell first on Touma and then on Rui, who realized he had ended up at the center of attention of that place.
“I am a doctor by profession that is why I gave this advice”. Rui quickly explained while rummaging in his pocket to show his card.
“But look at the strange coincidences!”. Shu exclaimed while looking at Ryo still undecided whether or not to fulfill Touma's request “Ryo is studying to become a veterinarian”.
“Ah, that also explains why that cat stopped in front of this place”. Rui thought while looking at Ryo who was still holding the bowl with the okonomiyaki dough in his hand.
Ryo nodded, while Touma waved his hand and invited his friend to cook the okonomiyaki since his stomach was rumbling incessantly from hunger.
“Don’t worry about me, doctor.” Touma spoke directly to Rui.
“Just call me Rui.” Rui replied while finishing his beer mug and looking at his completely empty plate.
“Would you like to eat something else?” Ryo asked Rui in a polite tone, while he continued to cook the okonomiyaki for Touma.
“Another mug of beer, please!” Rui replied while his attention was completely focused on Ryo’s serious and concentrated face.
They continued to talk until Shu took Touma by the arm to take him home and let him sleep with Rui saying goodbye to both of them and also Ryo, who remained in the place to wash and tidy up before going home.
A week later
Rui found himself back in the area where Ryo’s place was located and seeing that it was getting dark, he decided to stop for dinner.
“Good evening!” Rui greeted Ryo as he entered the small place decorated with various feline-related decorations.
“Good evening to you!” Ryo exclaimed with a smile on his lips as he watched Rui take the same seat as before “What are you having for dinner tonight?”.
“Yakisoba and a mug of beer”. Rui ordered with Ryo who immediately poured some beer into a mug and then gave it to Rui and started cooking afterwards.
“So you are studying to become a veterinarian”. Rui began as Ryo started cooking with the good smell that was spreading in the place.
“I am just a few exams away from achieving the result”. Ryo confirmed while keeping his eyes fixed on what he was cooking “I do this job to earn enough money to open my own private clinic where I can also help strays”.
“I guess the gray cat that accompanied me to this place is one of your patients”. Rui assumed with a smile on his lips.
“Let’s say yes!” Ryo commented slightly vaguely as he served the ordered dish to Rui.
Rui started eating while another person entered the restaurant and sat down right next to Rui.
“Good evening, Seiji! How are you?” Ryo greeted his friend, who quickly looked at the blackboard to decide what to eat.
“Good, Ryo!” Seiji replied while addressing his friend directly “I would like to eat a japanase hamburger steaks, tonight”.
“I’ll start preparing it for you right away!” Ryo immediately started cooking the dish his friend had requested after, as always, he had cleaned the plate thoroughly before starting to cook again.
Rui ate but continued to keep his gaze fixed on Ryo while observing his facial features and his serious expression while cooking.
“When he smiles he looks like a cat, while when he has that serious expression he looks like a warrior from another time”. Rui thought while taking a sip of beer to distract himself.
“You think you’re the doctor who gave that advice to Touma, right?” Seiji asked, turning to Rui who had started eating again.
“That’s right, it’s me.” Rui confirmed seriously, “Has he recovered his strength and the hours he hasn’t slept?”.
He wanted to ask Ryo that question once he had finished eating, but apparently Seiji had anticipated the timing.
“He slept twelve hours straight, so much so that we were worried about him.” Seiji answered with a cheerful voice, while Ryo barely held back a laugh.
They had all rushed to Touma’s house after he hadn’t answered their cell phone calls, and when they knocked on his door, they found Touma in front of them, who yawned and put a hand in his hair, muttering in the voice of someone who had just woken up, “Why did you wake me? What’s going on?”.
“If we hadn’t gone to his house, Touma would have slept for at least twenty-four hours.” Ryo added, unable to hold back a laugh.
“I wonder how long he had been working on that research ...”. Rui hypothesized with his serious doctor expression.
“Maybe ...”. Ryo exclaimed as he served the dish to Seiji who began to eat.
Rui had finished his dinner and his gaze met Ryo's, before the latter went to wash the dishes of the previous customers of the place.
“Now all that's missing is knowing who taught Ryo to cook so well”. Rui reflected as he looked at the figure behind the counter, who was washing the dishes.
When he finished washing and drying everything, Ryo ran a small rag over his forehead to dry the sweat and then adjusted the red elastic band with which he tied his long black hair.
Rui looked at him and felt a certain attraction, as he watched him work with determination to achieve his goal.
He decided that he would go to that place more often to get to know Ryo better and see if what he was starting to feel was just attraction or if he was falling in love with him.
Rui had started going to Samurai Cat more often to eat something or even for a beer.
Sometimes Ryo's friends or other customers were there, while other times the two of them were alone for the whole evening and they talked and got to know each other better.
And Rui was convinced that it wasn't just a simple attraction, but that he had truly fallen in love with that boy.
One evening Rui arrived at the place to eat his dinner and when he entered he found four benches already occupied by Ryo's friends who were talking and joking among themselves.
"It seems like I'm the last one to arrive this time, tonight." Rui went to sit next to Shin, the last member of that group of friends he had met and turned his gaze to the blackboard to decide what he wanted to eat that evening.
"Tonight, we finished our commitments early and we all made an appointment to meet at Samurai Cat." Shu explained while giving Ryo a knowing smile.
“Also because we have to celebrate the fact that Seiji has completed his studies.” Touma exclaimed as he raised the beer mug upwards.
“Congratulations on the achievement.” Rui congratulated Seiji by raising the mug along with everyone present including Ryo who, taking advantage of the fact that there were no other customers, also allowed himself a mug of beer to celebrate his friend.
“Thank you!” Seiji thanked everyone present. “I see this only as the beginning of a journey that will lead me to become a future engineer for a racing team.”
The mugs made a dull noise when they collided, also losing a few drops of beer that ended up on the counter.
Ryo quickly drank his local and hurried to dry the counter, knowing full well how much the owner cared about seeing the place clean and how he had already been scolded in the past after finding stains.
“And you, Ryo, how long do you have left to finish your studies?” Shu asked as he held out his mug to be refilled with beer.
“It’s not long now…” Ryo replied as he checked that everything was perfectly clean and in order “Afterwards, if I have saved enough money, I can quit this job and start my internship at a veterinary practice”.
Rui looked at the dark circles under Ryo’s eyes and wondered if the twenty-year-old was able to sleep enough during the week to keep up the pace between work and studying to get his degree.
“You should try to sleep or you risk collapsing from exhaustion and not reaching your goals”. Rui spoke in a serious voice while his eyes were fixed on Ryo’s.
“It’s all useless, doctor”. Shu exclaimed, patting Rui on the shoulder “We tried to give him this advice too”.
“He wants to continue at this pace”. Shin confirmed as he shook his head, thinking about how many times they had tried to slow down Ryo.
“Just a little while and then I’ll take a few days off.” Ryo replied in a low voice, as he took his place behind the counter to start cooking again.
“I hope so for you, Ryo.” Seiji commented worriedly for his friend as he finished drinking his mug of beer.
“And if you need some tutoring on something, remember that you can call me on my cell phone.” Touma added, remembering the evenings they had spent preparing for the university entrance exam together and then preparing for some exams together.
Rui looked up, noticing how Ryo’s blue eyes were fixed on him, he immediately looked away towards the exit of the place and moved his shoulders slightly.
At the entrance he saw that there was the famous gray cat with black stripes and hazel eyes that he had seen when he was looking for a place for the first time.
“There’s the cat!” Rui exclaimed happily as he pointed to the gray-furred kitten staring at him.
Ryo looked out onto the balcony and gasped as he saw the gray cat, who began to meow and rub against the entrance of the inn.
“That cat accompanied me all the way to this place!” Rui added with his usual tone of voice, while everyone present turned their attention to Ryo.
“Really?” Ryo clarified while making a gesture with his hand towards the cat “In any case, it’s not a cat, but a female cat”.
The gray cat, seeing Ryo’s gesture, jumped and disappeared after another meow directed at Ryo.
Rui realized he was a few millimeters from Ryo’s face and observed his profile and features until he reached the tail that held his unruly hair tied up.
Once again Ryo’s eyes were on him and Rui found himself averting his gaze to the entrance of Samurai Cat and pretending to look for the gray cat again.
“Do you really like that cat?” Touma joked as Rui took his mug of beer and took a long drink.
“And thanks to that cat I met a magnificent cat.” Rui explained pretending to make a joke and laugh.
“Um…”. Ryo looked down and turned his attention to the griddle where he was cooking some food.
Rui smiled brightly as he took the last sip of his mug and waited for the food, while Touma nudged Seiji lightly to get his attention and whisper something in his ear.
The blond boy simply nodded, while Ryo served the steaming dishes to everyone present who began to eat in silence.
“I see you took my advice.” Shin exclaimed after putting a small piece of okonomiyaki in his mouth. “They really are delicious.”
“Your cooking advice is really valuable for my work.” Ryo thanked Shin again for his help.
“Let’s make another toast to our future!” Shu exclaimed as he asked Ryo to fill another mug with beer.
“Just be careful not to stain the counter.” Ryo recommended as he took the mugs and began to fill them again with cold beer from the refrigerator.
Everyone raised their mugs and made another toast, being careful not to spill even a drop of beer on the counter or the floor.
They continued talking and laughing until it was closing time for the place.
“What’s closed?” Rui exclaimed in surprise when he found a small sign that said the place would be closed for a week and apologized to the customers for the inconvenience.
The doctor let out a long sigh as he thought that he would not be spending an evening with Ryo and the others that evening, when he heard a meow in the distance.
Rui thought that it was the cat with gray fur and black stripes again and followed the meow.
As the doctor walked, he noticed that the meow was soon joined by other meows that animated that neighborhood wrapped in the silence of the afternoon, which was approaching sunset.
He turned a corner and Rui found himself in front of a small abandoned place with a small square and with Ryo, who was feeding several cats of various colors and ages, who rubbed and purred against his legs.
“Ryo ...”. Rui called the young man who immediately jumped slightly to turn and look at the doctor with his blue eyes.
“How did you get here?” Ryo asked in surprise, as an old orange cat approached Rui to rub itself on his legs and ask him for food too.
“I came to eat, but I found the place closed and I came here following the meow of our mutual acquaintance ...”. Rui explained as the big cat continued to rub itself forcefully on his leg.
“I have nothing to offer you, I’m sorry.” Rui apologized to the big cat as he bent down to scratch his head.
“The owner’s mother got sick and he decided to close the place for a week.” Ryo explained as he watched Rui with a smile, who was petting the cat.
“At least by not working for a week, Ryo will recover his strength and will be able to concentrate only on his studies.” Rui thought as his hands continued to run over the cat’s shiny orange fur.
The big cat began to purr that had the same noise as an old motorcycle and then showed his belly to Rui to continue being petted.
Rui noticed that all the cats were well fed and clean thanks to the care and temptations of Ryo who had been taking care of those cats for who knows how long.
“How quickly you got into his good graces.” Ryo watched as he approached Rui followed by the cats, who continued to rub themselves along his legs asking for more food.
“How long have you been taking care of these cats?” Rui asked as he noticed that Ryo did not wear his hair tied, but loose.
“Since I discovered them while I was looking for a job to save money for my veterinary practice.” Ryo replied as he scratched the head of a white cat with several black spots “I was amazed to see how these cats manage to survive in a place like this.”.
The two remained silent cuddling the cats who began to purr or meow asking for more food from both Ryo and Rui.
“I’m sure that many have given food because they couldn’t resist the beauty of these cats.” Rui speculated as a cat began to climb up his jeans to be picked up.
“Not all of them unfortunately.” Ryo murmured sadly, “Many people in the neighborhood complain about their presence and accuse them of making the streets dirty and smelly.”
“Absurd!” Rui exclaimed as he took the cat in his arm and began to gently stroke its back.
Ryo let out a long, painful sigh, as he petted one cat at a time to give each one their dose of cuddles.
“That’s why you’re working and studying like crazy, despite my advice and that of your friends.” Rui supposed as he saw a cat playfully trying to grab Ryo’s long hair that was swinging slightly in the wind.
“I want to hurry up and set up my own studio and move the cats to a safe place where they can be treated well and maybe be adopted by a family.” Ryo stated firmly, “This is the task I have set myself and my friends are helping me as much as they can even though they don’t have a house where they can host a cat.”
“And I can’t bring a cat home either since I still live in a small studio apartment.” Rui admitted dejectedly, as he continued to pet the black and white cat’s head.
“I just have to hold on a little longer…” Ryo repeated in a low voice, what had become a really important goal for him.
“And I’ll also help you by buying food for these wonderful cats.” Rui placed a hand on Ryo’s shoulder and applied light pressure.
Ryo turned to Rui before his lips were covered by Rui’s in a first, awkward kiss.
When they broke apart, the two looked straight into each other’s eyes before it was Ryo’s turn to kiss Rui’s lips while the cats watched the scene curiously with their heads raised.
“What do you say, if they exchange phone numbers? Also to keep in touch to come here to feed the cats.” Rui suggested once the second kiss was over.
“Great idea!” Ryo picked up his phone and gave his number to Rui, after Rui gave his number to him.
“So we can meet up in the next few days, before we meet again in Samurai Cat.” Rui exclaimed happily.
Ryo nodded cheerfully before returning to the cats, who began to meow incessantly again.
“There are too many stray cats in this neighborhood.” An old man complained as Ryo cooked the dish he had ordered. “They should be gotten rid of, since the terrible stench of their piss invades the entire neighborhood.”
Ryo hissed angrily and held back from answering and tried to concentrate on cooking and serving the two old men who continued to complain about the cats.
“Get rid of the cats? Do you really want to curse this neighborhood?” Rui exclaimed in surprise and attracting the attention of the two old men.
“What do you mean?” The old man asked hesitantly and fearful of the serious tone that Rui had used to address them.
“Simply that there is a risk that a cat killed in a barbaric manner could come back to life as a yokai known as a Nekomata.” Rui spoke in a cold and serious voice, staring straight into the eyes of the two men, “And bring his curse and bad luck to whoever killed them.”
The two men jumped in fear and looked straight into each other’s eyes.
“You’re kidding us, right?” The man stammered as he trembled in fear.
“No! Because a member of my family has been cursed by a Nekomata.” Rui recited those words in a serious tone, his brown eyes fixed on the two men.
The two men quickly ate their dinner and after paying Ryo, they quickly left the place, afraid that the Nekomata curse might hit them too.
Rui turned his attention to Ryo and after a moment of silence, they both burst into laughter, with laughter filling the small place.
“Thank you!” Ryo thanked Rui as he wiped away the tears from the sides of his eyes.
“Hey, what’s going on here?” Shin asked as he entered the place and found both Ryo and Rui laughing.
“There were two old men who wanted to get rid of the cats, but Rui scared them with a story related to the world of yokai.” Ryo explained as he began to prepare a mug of beer for Shin.
“Good job.” Shin exclaimed knowing full well how Ryo took care of the stray cats in this neighborhood.
“Shall we meet tomorrow morning to feed the cats?” Ryo asked Rui as he served him some yakisoba.
“I’ll buy the food for the cats.” Rui volunteered as Shin also ordered yakisoba to give his opinion on Ryo’s cooking.
“Okay!” Ryo exclaimed happily as his anger towards the two old men had completely vanished and he could only focus on cooking.
Later Seiji, Shu and Touma also arrived and Ryo told them what had happened between the two old men and Rui's story.
Another evening passed in Samurai Cat.
The next morning Rui bought some canned cat food and also some kibble before going to where Ryo was already checking the health of the cats.
"You are all in perfect shape!" Ryo exclaimed and then turned to the gray cat "While you know you are expecting kittens".
Meow. The gray cat only responded while climbing on Ryo's legs and rubbing her face against Ryo's face.
Ryo returned the cuddle affectionately and hugged the cat while giggling with happiness and Rui watched that scene with a smile on his lips.
"Good morning, Ryo!". Rui approached while holding two coffees in one hand, and the bag of cat food in the other hand.
“Good morning to you!” Ryo replied with a yawn and immediately took the coffee that Rui offered him.
The cat smelled the food and got off Ryo’s lap to start meowing desperately in Rui’s direction.
“She looks like she hasn’t eaten in a week!” Ryo commented amusedly as he began to take a can from the bag with the other cats, who came out of their hiding place meowing desperately.
“She has the right to behave like this.” Ryo replied jokingly as he touched the cat “It seems to me that our beloved gray cat is pregnant.”
“Really?” Rui exclaimed in surprise as he watched the cat quickly devour her can of cat food.
“I’m not sure yet…” Ryo admitted cautiously as he watched the cats eat “I should take her and take her to a vet to do an ultrasound to confirm.”
“And then possibly give her a warm and safe place to safely give birth to her kittens.” Ryo added after a moment of silence.
“Do you already have something in mind?” Rui asked curious to know what his companion’s plan was.
“I was thinking of asking my father for help, since he has a small house here that he uses when he has to do some work in the city.” Ryo guessed while scratching his head slightly. “Of course, by locking the room where he develops and keeps his precious photography equipment. I can’t have kittens ruining his equipment and photos.”
“Your father will end up doing a whole photoshoot on those kittens.” Rui joked as he approached Ryo. “They must have a beautiful mother cat.” He gave Ryo a quick kiss on the lips.
Ryo imagined his father, who used the kittens as models for a photoshoot dedicated to cats and couldn’t help but smile, touched by that image.
“That would be wonderful.” Ryo admitted and then covered Rui’s lips with kisses with the cats, who began to meow again asking for more food.
“You guys are insatiable!” Rui commented as he took out the kibble, which he had brought with him to start giving to the cats.
“And we can’t always fulfill their requests.” Ryo commented as he petted a cat’s head “Or we risk taking them all to the clinic for problems with their tummy later.”
They both looked at each other as they both kissed again surrounded by the cats that meowed and asked for more food in that little corner of happiness.
Rui was about to enter the neighborhood to go to Samurai Cat, when he heard the cell phone ring and picked it up.
He read Ryo’s number and immediately answered.
“Ryo, did something happen?” Rui asked as he saw some men taking away black bags, while the people around began to mutter something among themselves.
“Something terrible happened!” Touma exclaimed while in the background you could hear Ryo, who was screaming in pain and crying desperately.
“Please don’t tell me something happened to the cats!” Rui exclaimed, while the hand holding the phone began to shake.
“Unfortunately, yes ...”. Touma could only say those words, while Shu held Ryo in his arms, while trying to console Ryo who couldn’t stop screaming.
“How did it happen?” Rui asked as he began to walk to the building where the studio apartment where Ryo lived was.
“Apparently, someone revealed the abandoned place where the cats took refuge and, finding them, decided that ...”. Touma stopped, unable to say those words, also for fear of being heard by Ryo.
“He could have captured them and sent them to a facility that takes care of stray cats! Why did he make that decision?!” Rui shouted furiously, while remembering Ryo’s joy in taking care of those cats and his plans for them.
“We don’t know ...”. Touma commented sadly and sadly, “Also, the owner fired Ryo after someone told him that he was taking care of stray cats. He said that it was the cat hair that was to blame for the fact that his place was always dirty.”
Rui hissed angrily and stopped, ready to go back and talk to the owner of Samurai Cat, who certainly wasn’t living up to the name and decorations of his place.
“Ryo has priority over that asshole!” Rui continued walking towards Ryo’s studio apartment.
“I’m coming!” Rui announced as he picked up his pace and began running to catch up with Ryo right away.
“Ryo!” Rui called out as Touma opened the door to Ryo’s studio apartment for him to come in. The doctor found the interior in complete disarray with objects thrown to the floor and Seiji and Shin trying to put them in their place.
“He doesn’t want to eat…” Shu commented sadly as he walked out of the bedroom with a grim expression.
Touma let out a long, painful sigh, while Shu let go of a fist, while he imagined that in place of the wall, there was the new owner of the abandoned place.
Shin tried to hide a tear, while Seiji didn't know what to invent to console Ryo and make him recover.
Rui immediately ran into the room and found Ryo with his face hidden in the pillow and with his body visibly shaking while his hands clawed at the covers.
"Ryo ...". Rui called in a slow voice while his hand caressed Ryo's hair with his fingers that untied the various knots that had formed.
Ryo raised his face slightly to look at Rui and then threw his face back on the pillow and started crying again.
Rui noticed how his eyes were red from crying, but also dull from the pain and sadness of having failed to save the cats.
"I'm here, I won't leave you ...". Rui just commented as he lay down next to Ryo and hugged him to convey his presence and love.
Ryo turned around and hugged him back as he buried his face in Rui’s chest and continued to cry for the rest of the day.
“Don’t give up…”. Rui whispered in Ryo’s ear “There are other animals you can save, Don’t let one evil man stop your dreams and ambitions, please”.
Ryo just sobbed painfully before closing his eyes and falling into a long sleep.
Rui kissed Ryo’s forehead several times, sensing that it would take a small miracle to help Ryo climb out of the deep pit he had fallen into.
A week later
Rui had decided to return to the neighborhood again only to argue with the owner of the Samurai Cat about Ryo’s unfair dismissal.
“And to point out how inconsistent it is to decorate a place with feline themes and then not care about their survival.” Rui wrote that note down in his mind to tell the owner of the Samurai Cat.
Just then he heard a faint meow, which sounded particularly familiar to Rui's ears and he immediately looked around with his heart that began to beat so hard in his chest that it felt like it was going to explode.
“Kitten!” Rui called as he bent down slightly and looked around waiting and hoping that in that small alley a small miracle would happen.
Another meow was heard and then a gray-furred cat with black stripes appeared in front of Rui while limping with one leg and a tail that had a visible wound.
“You're alive!” Rui exclaimed as he took the visibly pregnant, but injured and very thin cat into his arms.
The cat began to hiss weakly and attempted to scratch her arm with her claws as she bound, and Rui knew that she would not seek treatment from any human after what other humans had done to both her and her now-deceased friends.
“There is only one person who can save her and the kittens she is carrying.” Rui thought as he ran to his clinic and the nearest phone.
“Whoever it is, don’t call this number! He doesn’t want to be disturbed!” Touma began as soon as he answered Ryo’s phone.
“Touma! It’s me, Rui!” Rui shouted into the phone “The gray cat is alive and pregnant, but only Ryo can cure her since she doesn’t trust humans anymore.”
“Are you sure it’s one of the cats Ryo used to take care of?” Touma asked as Seiji, Shin, and Shu also came closer to hear the conversation.
“I’m sure it’s her!” Rui confirmed as he looked at the hazel eyes of the cat who was lying still inside a cage and wrapped in an old wool sweater.
“Touma, please bring Ryo here!” Rui pleaded with a painful voice, while the cat remained still
Touma looked at his other friends to make a decision together while Ryo continued to remain locked in his room without the will to do anything or continue his studies.
“I think we should give it a try”. Seiji spoke first while casting a glance towards the room.
“I think so too!”. Shu found himself agreeing with Seiji.
“Maybe this way they will save each other!”. Shin added in a calm tone.
Touma nodded before moving towards the room where Ryo had locked himself and almost never came out.
“Ryo”. Touma called entering the room and turning his attention to the bundle wrapped in blankets, which was not moving.
“Rui just called us and found the gray cat with black stripes.”. Touma continued speaking while placing a hand on the bundle “You remember her, right?”.
Touma felt a slight movement under the covers and then Ryo's face appeared and he looked at Touma with his dull blue eyes.
"How can you be sure it's her?" Ryo asked in a thin voice.
"Because she's pregnant." Touma answered and then added while delicately moving the blanket further to get Ryo out of bed "And you told us that a gray cat was pregnant."
Ryo sat up while looking at the door and trying to find the strength to stand up and go out into a world that had shown itself to be so evil.
"Why does she want me to cure her? I'm not a vet yet ... ". Ryo muttered skeptically, afraid that it was just another cat found by chance in that neighborhood.
"Because she doesn't trust humans anymore, after what happened ... ". Touma explained unable to continue for fear of causing Ryo more pain.
Ryo felt a spasm of pain and tears welling up in his eyes, as he remembered what had happened to those poor cats.
However, he decided that no matter how painful it was and how much he no longer wanted to leave his room, he would at least make one last attempt.
Touma helped him put on his shoes and jacket and, accompanied by his other friends, reached Rui's new home.
When Rui opened the door, Ryo immediately heard the cat's meow and immediately went in the direction it was coming from and found himself in front of a cage where the head of a gray cat was sticking out of an old red sweater.
Rui observed how Ryo had lost weight over the course of that week and that he probably hadn't eaten a decent meal for several days.
The cat looked at Ryo with her big hazel eyes and immediately started meowing several times in his direction.
"It's really you ...". Ryo muttered while stifling a sob.
The aspiring veterinarian immediately knelt down and opened the cage to stick his head and arms in and begin to check the cat.
The cat didn’t try to bite Ryo or even hiss, but simply touched the face of the one who was a friend to her with her muzzle.
Ryo waved and Rui immediately handed him all the supplies he had bought to treat the cat.
Ryo began to speak softly and whisper words of love, while he administered the medicine and then fed the weak cat with a syringe. The cat slowly ate all the food while her ears moved as she listened to the words Ryo whispered to her.
When she finished eating and drinking, Ryo placed a hand on the cat’s belly and noticed how much bigger her belly had become compared to the last time he had seen her.
“You survived to give your kittens a future, right?” Ryo asked smiling slightly with the cat who responded by meowing while touching Ryo's forehead again with her muzzle although still weak.
Rui watched the scene in silence as did Touma and the others, while he saw a new light in Ryo's eyes as he continued to take care of the cat.
"Then I will also fight with the same determination to make my dream come true". Ryo promised while his hand continued to scratch the head.
After a few minutes, Ryo came out of the cage and whispered in a serious voice "We need to take her to a veterinary clinic to check her wounds and belly. Of course I won't leave her alone since she is still traumatized".
"Okay, Ryo". Everyone exclaimed together, while Ryo went near the cage again to stand near the cat and tell him of his intentions to take her to the vet.
"Meow!". The gray cat seemed to make a noise of protest towards Ryo.
“Don’t worry, I’ll stay with you until you’re completely healed and ready to give birth to your kittens.” Ryo comforted the cat as a hint of a smile appeared on his mouth.
It wasn’t the usual smile that appeared on Ryo’s lips, but for Rui it was still a good sign.
Several days passed in which Ryo stayed next to the cat for the duration of her therapy and hospitalization at the veterinary clinic where she had been taken. Many times the cat meowed and cried and Ryo entered the cage to make her understand that she wasn’t alone and whisper affectionate words under the gaze of his friends or Rui himself.
He also started studying again to take the last exams he needed to become a veterinarian, but always staying next to the little cat who was slowly recovering together with him.
Soon the wounds healed and the weight returned to the right one for the cat, who saw her belly growing week after week.
The cat began to trust Rui again and let him pet her on the head, while her paws clawed at the old sweater to knead it and create imaginary wool biscuits.
She started purring loudly again and Ryo never got tired of hearing it, when he was next to her and petted her gently.
Until one day, the cat began to call Ryo loudly and knead her biscuits with even more energy.
“Here we go!”. Ryo immediately ran to the cage and began to gently massage the cat’s head.
Thirty minutes later the cat began to have contractions and Ryo stayed next to him while he cuddled his head and whispered words of encouragement while the latter continued to move her paw as if she were massaging Rui’s sweater.
After several hours in front of the gray cat there were five kittens that were sucking the milk offered by the mother with Ryo who was crying with joy.
“You were really good, your kittens are beautiful!” Ryo congratulated the cat with tears in his eyes.
The cat meowed in response and Ryo knew that was a message addressed to him.
“I will reach my goal too!” Ryo reassured the cat, who began to purr while the now full kittens fell asleep.
Rui and Ryo were in the garden of the house that Rui had bought after the studio apartment had become too small for two people, five kittens and a cat.
A cat who was proudly sitting next to her two doctors, while enjoying the sun with her eyes closed and purring.
The five kittens are playing in the garden also using Rui's old wool sweater and other toys bought by Touma, Shin, Shu and Seiji.
“When are your friends coming?” Rui asked as he saw the food already cooked on the table while the kittens continued to run to the garden.
“They are coming with fruit, sweets and lots of alcohol”. Ryo answered smiling as he looked up at the sky and a cloud had taken the shape of your cat.
“Your father will be there too, right?”. Rui asked to confirm and to know if they had prepared enough food for everyone.
“Yes! He finished his work early to be here to celebrate, that I managed to graduate”. Ryo exclaimed as a hand caressed Tama who began to purr loudly and regularly “Why do you care to know?”.
“Touma and I had an idea and we would like to propose it to you and your father after the celebrations”. Rui spoke as the gray cat baptized with the name Tama, jumped on Ryo’s legs to ask for more cuddles.
“Do you want to do a photo shoot on the kittens?”. Ryo asked curiously before giving Rui a kiss on the lips and moving a lock of hair.
Tama immediately put a paw on Ryo's face to break the kiss and began to meow asking for her dose of cuddles.
Ryo chuckled while Rui snorted seeing, that he had to share his boyfriend with a cat who was overly possessive and jealous towards her savior.
"But after all, it's thanks to her that we met and that Ryo recovered." Rui admitted as the kittens continued to run around the garden.
"Tell me what idea you and Touma had." Ryo encouraged Rui to talk, while fulfilling Tama's requests for cuddles.
"We want to make a book with the photographs of Tama and her kittens to tell what happened to the other cats and hopefully get justice by denouncing the barbarity that was committed." Rui explained in a serious voice, while reaching out to pet Tama too.
The idea came spontaneously as they talked and waited to know if Tama would get better and give birth to her kittens.
“It could work, at least those cats will get justice.” Ryo exclaimed while his expression became more serious as he thought back to how they died.
Just then the doorbell rang and Rui, after giving Ryo a quick kiss on the lips, stood up to open the door.
“Sorry I’m late!” Shin apologized as soon as he entered and handed over a cake he had made with his own hands to Rui.
“We were undecided about what to drink and what fruit to bring.” Seiji added, while Shu immediately went to hug Ryo and ruffle his unruly, long hair.
“Happy birthday, Ryo!” Touma exclaimed as he also approached to congratulate his friend with Tama who was once again claiming Ryo's affection.
"She sure is a jealous cat!" Shu watched with a chuckle.
"I think it will be hard to tear Ryo away from her." Touma joked with Rui as he offered Rui a bottle of beer.
"One of the hardest battles I've ever fought." Rui confirmed with the same playful tone as one of the kittens began to climb up Shin's jeans and meow like a little tiger.
"It looks like there's someone else claiming someone as their property." Seiji watched with a laugh at the scene.
"Maybe..." Shin replied vaguely as he picked up the kitten with one hand while holding the bottle of beer in his other.
“Let’s dedicate this toast to the cats that are no longer here and to those that will come in the future and that I will be able to save as a veterinarian.” Ryo proposed as he raised the bottle of beer towards the light with its reflections, which shone with orange and red reflections.
“To them!” Everyone present shouted and began to bang the bottles together, producing a sound that spread throughout the courtyard.
After drinking, they waited for Ryo’s father to arrive to begin the celebrations, while the cats ran and meowed towards their future.