The train ride back from Ikebukuro wasn't particularly crowded.
Haru carefully leaned his packed "beloved wife's guitar" against the partition near the train door, then sat casually beside it. When he left the live house RiNG, it was already around six or seven in the evening.
Even though it was peak hour for salarymen heading home, this train car wasn't nearly as packed as Haru had expected.
Maybe it was the fatigue from work or simply the natural tendency to avoid bothering others, but the nearly empty carriage was steeped in a calm, subdued stillness.
"..."
Haru stared at the flood of emails on his phone. The one at the top was an official notification from the FIRST exhibition.
[Your work "Cucumber Afternoon" has successfully entered the final review stage. Please submit your information and name before the evaluation period.]
He had already submitted Cucumber Afternoon as his entry to the FIRST exhibition. All participating works would be numbered and evaluated before the exhibition opened, with prizes awarded based on ranking.
Haru had his eyes set on the top prize, which meant defeating every other artist in the competition.
Apparently, according to Mori Minami, there was supposed to be a so-called "genius girl" among this year's participants. With all the media hype, she had confidently declared she would take the top prize and launch her career abroad under the banner of genius.
Her name was something like Ichinomiya? But Haru wasn't particularly concerned.
From the very beginning, Haru had always placed unwavering trust in himself. A bet where failure meant losing everything didn't burden him emotionally. Compared to such an outcome, what weighed on his mind more right now was Raana.
"Phew…"
Haru let out a weary breath, rubbing his temple, then picked up his phone, wondering if he should call Manager Ririko first.
That sulking kitten had run out of the band's prep room in a huff, and he had no idea if she'd even made it home safely.
The usually well-behaved and obedient cat at his side had, for once, looked him in the eye and said the word "boring" with open displeasure. The last time she used that word was after the band's disastrous performance at MyGO's school festival. That alone showed how furious Raana had been.
After all, Haru hadn't responded to her directly, so her being upset was something he had to take responsibility for.
"Guess I should call first, just to be sure. I can't relax otherwise."
He picked up the phone, intending to call Matsugi Ririko and ask her to get in touch with Tsuzuki Shifune(Raana's Grandma) for an update.
But before he could even press "call," his phone lit up with an incoming call from Ririko herself.
"…Ririko-san?"
Frowning slightly, Haru answered without hesitation.
"Haru-kun! Where are you right now? Is Raana-chan with you?"
The moment he picked up, an anxious, urgent voice spilled through the receiver.
Just those three sentences were enough for Haru to understand what was going on. He took a deep breath to calm himself, then spoke with a steady seriousness.
"I'm on the train. Did something happen to Raana?"
"She hasn't come home. The manager tried calling her, but she's not picking up. We can't reach her at all. So she asked me to call you…"
Raana hasn't come home?
Haru quickly glanced at the time. It was already 7:05 in the evening.
Given the relaxed, hands-off approach of her family, they probably wouldn't worry about her being out this late. But her strange behavior earlier today and her refusal to answer Tsuzuki Shifune's calls had clearly set off alarm bells.
Thinking this through, Haru drew a long breath, steadying his slightly unsettled breathing.
From his perspective, he hadn't responded immediately because he wanted time to sort out his feelings for Raana. But from her point of view, she had clearly been waiting for something. Hearing nothing in return, she might even have believed he was rejecting her.
Haru saw this as his mistake.
"Ririko-san, could you please let Tsuzuki-senpai know she doesn't need to worry?"
"I'm going to head back to Ikebukuro and start looking for Raana nearby. As soon as I find her… I'll call you right away."
Resolute, Haru spoke firmly to calm Ririko, then took down Tsuzuki Shifune's contact info from her. Only after finishing that did he finally hang up the call.
But beneath his calm exterior, his heart was a storm of worry.
"Phew…"
Haru drew another long breath.
He knew that now was the worst time to lose his cool. The more one sank into the whirlpool of panic, the harder it was to escape its center.
The black-haired boy pressed his lips together and massaged his aching temples, working to regulate his ragged breathing. Only once the storm within him had finally calmed did he lift his dark, deep eyes and gaze ahead once more.
"..."
Raana's personality might lead her to run off, but she wouldn't stray too far from Ikebukuro.
He couldn't say why, but perhaps some unspoken instinct as her self-proclaimed caretaker let Haru vaguely sense where she might be.
…
The return trip by train had taken a little time.
With winter close at hand, the sun had long since gone off duty. The deserted street ahead offered almost no light at all.
Only a scattered trail of icy white streetlamps guided the black-haired boy forward. Ash and debris floated in the cold air, catching the last remnants of pale light and standing out starkly in the gloom.
His breath, warm and white, faded quickly into the chill. A sharp wind sliced across his cheek, rudely shattering the quiet.
"This place really is too familiar."
Haru looked straight ahead, eyeing the street aged and weathered like the back alleys of Shimokitazawa. The wind whipped through the bare branches, sending brittle yellow leaves skittering across moss-covered stone walls.
But for one of the official "caretakers" of a stray cat, finding a runaway kitten might not be all that difficult.
Raana's willful nature was hard to grasp, but in Haru's eyes, she was also unexpectedly simple and straightforward.
If the kitten was upset, there weren't actually many places she would go.
First, anywhere near the "culprit" who upset her, Haru himself, was off-limits. Next came her usual haunts, like the live houses they frequented. And finally, the most likely spot in his mind: the secret place where they'd once met by chance.
The coin-operated parking lot known as "PARKING SPACE."
"..."
Haru's eyes came to rest on a faded bulletin board outside an old record store. The worn, yellowed poster still bore the faint, blurry word "SPACE."
He remembered that Tsuzuki Shifune had once run a live house called "SPACE." Now it had become the coin lot "PARKING SPACE." The memory filled Haru with a murky mix of melancholy and fatigue.
But he knew full well, now wasn't the time to dwell on the past.
Meow~
A light, airy mew like cotton candy reached his ears. The closer Haru moved toward the sound, the more he began to hear the trembling resonance of metal guitar strings.
When the black-haired boy stepped into the narrow alley he knew so well, he found the delicate, fragile figure of a pale-haired girl sitting with her back to him, cradling an electric guitar, surrounded by a cluster of multicolored stray cats.
The scene was like something out of a fairy tale, and for a moment Haru just stood there, dazed.
BZZT!
A sharp metallic twang pierced the air, and the soft flow of guitar notes came to an abrupt stop.
The strays around her seemed to pick up on the shift in mood. They scattered in every direction, vanishing in a heartbeat. Only the girl with short silver hair remained, still perched on the steps, casting a sidelong glance his way with her mismatched eyes, tinged now with ripples of emotion.
Haru took a deep breath.
"Sorry for scaring off the rest of the audience, but… can I be your listener again, just like last time?"
His words echoed that moment long ago, when they'd first met in this same parking lot.
"..."
Raana only puffed out her pale, flawless cheeks, her pudding-soft face puffing up into a round, pouty bun. Her usual curious blue and yellow eyes no longer met his, dimming slightly with annoyance and gloom.
She gave no reply, just turned her head away and ignored him completely.
The kitten was upset.
Very upset. Furious, even.
"Well, then I'll just help myself."
Haru gave a small, helpless laugh and sat down beside her, regardless of whether she wanted him to or not.
This was one of those moments where you had to channel a certain pink-haired brat's shameless persistence. If he backed off just because she was mad, afraid of making things worse, nothing would ever get resolved.
Then Haru intentionally rustled the plastic bag he was holding. Inside were Yamabuki Bakery's signature "chocolate twist rolls" in their special matcha-chocolate flavor, along with an assortment of candies and cookies.
The crinkle of snacks clearly caught the kitten's attention.
"..."
Raana stole a glance his way, then quickly turned back and resumed playing her guitar.
Despite the cold shoulder, she seemed more gloomy than angry. Her snow-white hair drooped like wilted cat ears.
Normally, she would have launched herself into his arms without hesitation, whining for snacks from the person she trusted most. But now, the kitten had chosen to push him away, treating him with the coldest indifference.
Even though she hadn't eaten dinner, she would rather starve than say a single word to him.
Haru watched her in silence and sighed quietly to himself.
He had assumed that her willful behavior was just a small tantrum. But now, it was painfully clear that Raana was truly, deeply upset.
She had waited patiently, full of hope, for Haru to return her feelings. But Haru had hesitated, and hadn't been able to give her grandmother a clear answer.
Haru felt the strange stirrings in his chest and finally spoke, his voice calm but slightly hoarse.
"Raana, I owe you an apology."
"I was careless. I didn't consider your feelings. I told myself I wasn't sure about my own emotions yet, and used that as an excuse to avoid giving you a proper answer. But I never meant that as a rejection. I've never once disliked you, not even a little."
The stray cat's fingers kept strumming her strings, but her eyes blinked and her pink lips pressed into a line. She lowered her head, silent.
The truth was, Raana had already decided. Starting today, she wouldn't attend band practice anymore. She wouldn't play guitar anymore either. Haru had said he couldn't be her "home." Her grandmother had shut down SPACE and turned out to be a liar too. Despite everything she had done, she still hadn't found a place to belong.
Raana no longer had a "place of her own."
All she could do now was sit alone in this parking lot, trying to relive the time she had once played guitar in front of SPACE.
"Liar."
The girl finally spoke after a long silence. Her soft voice carried a faint edge.
"Haru… you've always hated me."
She murmured the words in a dejected whisper, her grip on the pick going slack.
The pale stray cat's frustration and sadness seemed to have taken on solid form. Her usually bright and cheeky mismatched eyes had dulled without him even noticing.
At her words, Haru let out a long sigh filled with emotion he couldn't express. Then he gently reached out and, just like always, began to softly ruffle her snow-white hair. The kitten turned her head away in protest, though only halfheartedly.
Even so, she couldn't help but sneak a glance at him from the corner of her eye.
Haru frowned slightly, and spoke in a sincere, patient tone.
"I wasn't lying. I never meant to lie to you."
"The reason I spent time with Taki and the others was because I needed to be sure of my own feelings. After thinking things through seriously, we both mutually agreed to be together. But at the time, I wasn't sure if you really understood what those feelings meant."
"Your feelings for me might've just come from the way I spoiled you. And when you copied Taki and the others, I thought maybe it was just curiosity."
At those words, the kitten pouted, clearly displeased. But before she could speak up, Haru cut in first.
"But now I finally understand."
"You're no different from Taki, Tomori, or Anon. You're just a girl, like them. And that's why I've decided to treat you as someone I can seriously consider a future with. I was planning to take a bit more time to sort through all of it, but…"
Haru gave a tired laugh, raising a finger to pinch Raana's puffed-up cheek. Her soft, round face deflated like a sulking pufferfish.
He hadn't expected her to be this upset. But she was. She was angry, far more than he thought possible. And it was that intensity that finally made him realize how much this meant to her. From the beginning, she had seen him as the one she wanted to entrust her life to, the "home" she had been looking for.
Maybe it was thanks to her grandmother's offhanded remark that Haru had finally come to understand how pure and sincere Raana's feelings really were.
Tsuzuki Shifune had shut down SPACE for her sake, to give her a real future.
"And honestly, it's thanks to your stubbornness that I realized how I feel."
Haru's lips curved up slightly. He pulled a familiar green candy from his pocket.
Every time Raana practiced hard, every time she got praised, every time she behaved or simply wanted a treat, Haru had placed this same matcha-flavored candy into her hand.
It was their little ritual, their private bond.
"Maybe SPACE, the place that used to be your shelter, is gone now. But I want to create a new one for you. A place that's truly yours."
"Raana, will you come 'home' with me?"
The black-haired boy knelt on one knee, holding out the matcha candy in his palm. His handsome, gentle face softened into a smile.
The catlike girl stared at the scene before her, stunned.
Without realizing it, she opened her mismatched eyes wide, clear now with purpose. The jingle of wind chimes in summer seemed to echo faintly in her ears, and with it came the memory of her grandmother's words.
"Someone will create that place for you someday."
"But you have to go find it yourself, too."
The snowy-white stray narrowed her delicate eyes. Her gaze, now bright with the familiar spark of mischief, locked onto Haru's dark ones. Slowly, a graceful smile curved across her lips.
She opened her mouth and swallowed the candy whole.
…
"Yes, I've got Raana with me."
"No, I'm not holding her for ransom, and I don't want anything in return."
Haru's face was blank as he held his phone and gave his report to Matsugi Ririko on the other end of the call.
The once-sulking stray cat was now curled up contentedly in his arms, more affectionate than ever before. She pursed her lips and looked at him smugly, waiting to be fed more matcha chocolate twists.
Feeling the soft silver hair tickle his neck, Haru let out a helpless smile.
The kitten's clinginess had skyrocketed.
"Phew, if you've still got the energy to joke around, I'm guessing you managed to cheer Raana-chan up just fine?"
"You really are the 'band girl hunter,' huh? Big cats, little cats, doesn't matter, you've got every kind of girl wrapped around your finger. Good thing we thought to call you in."
"…Narita Top Road, did you win?" (Umamusume Reference)
Haru's face stayed blank as he muttered into the phone, drawing a confused pause from Ririko.
"Huh? Who's Narita Top Road?"
"I just said it randomly. Don't think too hard about it, Ririko-san."
"Anyway, I am not this 'band girl hunter' you're talking about. That nickname is way too malicious! I, Haru, am devoted to just three things: pure love, pure love, and pure love! It's not like I'm interested in every single band girl out there."
...Unless they're really cute.
On the other end of the call, Narita—no, Matsugi Ririko fell silent for a few seconds. It was as if she instinctively ignored Haru's firm protest just now. With an awkward smile, she casually asked,
"So, Kazami-kun, are you planning to have Raana stay over at your place tonight? It is getting a bit late."
"…You're right. And it doesn't seem like Raana wants to go home either."
Haru glanced down at the white-haired kitten in his arms. The gloomy sadness she'd carried just moments ago had been completely replaced by pure joy.
Utterly delighted, Raana kept rubbing her cheek against his chest. If he reached up to squeeze her face, he'd probably hear a soft purring hum. She was clearly showing all the signs of being content and relaxed.
It was as if invisible cat ears were twitching on her head, and a snowy white tail was swaying happily behind her.
"Want me to let the manager know for you?"
"Thanks, Ririko-san, but I should be the one to tell her."
Hearing this, Matsugi Ririko let out a laugh full of subtle implication. She offered several enthusiastic "Good lucks" before finally hanging up.
Only after the busy signal started beeping did Haru finally exhale in relief.
Perhaps that faint sigh caught the kitten's attention. Raana looked up at his profile, tilting her head slightly in confusion. Even without saying anything, the curiosity in her gaze made it clear what she wanted to ask.
In response, Haru gently ruffled her soft hair. Only after the fluffy silver strands became a bit tousled did he chuckle and say, "Don't worry, don't worry. I just need to give your grandma a heads-up, that's all."
"Grandma?"
Raana blinked and tilted her head again, a bit puzzled.
"Don't want to stay at my place tonight?"
"Want to."
A faint glimmer of light flickered through her eyes as she tightened her lips and nuzzled her chin against his chest.
"Also, want to sleep with Haru."
"Well, that's..."
Before he could finish the sentence, Haru noticed the stray cat in his arms squinting at him, clearly displeased.
Realizing his mistake, Haru swallowed his words and gave her a helpless yet indulgent look. "You really don't give me a choice, huh? Fine, we'll do it just like we did at the training camp, so long as you behave a little."
"Why?"
The kitten tilted her head in genuine confusion, clearly feeling justified.
"No particular reason. It's just not something we can do right now."
Simple words, but they carried surprising weight. Raana, who had been focused on the "why," just nodded quietly. Then she squinted her mismatched eyes and gently rubbed her cheek against him again. Seeing her behave, Haru finally let out a soft laugh.
Sleeping beside her wasn't the issue. Haru trusted himself to maintain control.
And when it came to Raana, he let his guard down more than with anyone else. Because she really didn't have any bad intentions. Especially now, she was being more obedient than ever. If he refused something, she would drop it immediately without pushing.
"All right then…"
Haru picked up his phone again and called Tsuzuki Shifune.
…
Maybe because Raana had already spent a night at his place once before, Tsuzuki Shifune didn't seem especially bothered.
But once Haru told her he was ready to take on the responsibility of being Raana's "home," she spoke in a tone laced with meaning, entrusting her granddaughter to him.
Still, she wasn't going to hand Raana over casually. She told Haru she'd come see their next MyGO performance in person. She wanted to watch as Haru, the keyboardist, performed onstage alongside Raana and showed her a truly captivating show.
This little "test" was something Haru had no intention of avoiding. He responded with nothing but earnestness.
With that settled, Haru let out another deep breath, then pulled out his key and unlocked the apartment door.
"..."
Raana pursed her lips into a catlike smile and stepped inside without hesitation.
"Raana, why don't you go take a bath first? I'll get started on dinner while you're in there."
"Mm~"
She nodded eagerly and obediently headed into the bathroom, already peeling off her clothes. It was as if shame or even basic gender boundaries didn't exist in her world.
Fortunately, Haru was long used to her free-spirited ways. He simply reached out and closed the bathroom door.
…Wait a second. This routine feels oddly familiar.
Realization hit him all at once. Haru's brows twitched as he recalled the last time he brought home a drenched stray kitten.
"She's not going to come running out soaking wet again, is she?"
Haru sighed with a twitching smile, shaking his head. Just as he turned to head toward the kitchen, the bathroom door creaked open from inside.
A pale-haired kitten peeked out, revealing a milk-white shoulder.
Haru blinked in confusion. "Raana? What is it?"
"Hehe~"
A sly grin curved on her lips. Taking advantage of Haru lowering his gaze, she tiptoed toward him.
Her soft, white hands curled around his neck as she rose onto her toes. Like a mischievous prank, the kitten gave him a quick kiss. The scent of warm milk and the faint taste of matcha filled his senses. Haru's eyes widened in surprise.
"Now I'm satisfied~"
Raana licked her lips, beaming, then darted back into the bathroom before Haru could say a word.
After a long silence, Haru's expression slowly turned stiff. With an awkward mutter, he finally managed to speak.
"…Okay, this time the routine really is getting off track."