Rain pattered against the window, not stopping for a moment. Yukinoshita let go of her teacup and looked at him speechlessly.
Uchiha Ryo, holding the black tea Yukinoshita had just brewed, with the white cat lying in his arms, sat leisurely by the window admiring the summer rain scenery.
"The tea is a bit hot... Yukino."
Yukinoshita remained expressionless. "Who told you to take the first cup? Let it cool down yourself."
Uchiha Ryo held the teacup up to Yukino. "How about you blow on it for me?"
Yukinoshita rolled her eyes. "You sure are comfortable.... Hurry up and go downstairs after you finish your tea. I'm going to cook."
The heavy rain outside was still pouring, but Yukino's mother and Haruno had long since left. Uchiha Ryo also turned to look at Yukino.
"Are you so eager to chase away your benefactor? If I hadn't persuaded your mother just now, you would probably be packing your bags right now."
Yukino: "....."
"Alright then, I'll go make dinner. You can leave after you eat."
Uchiha Ryo sighed. "I didn't expect Yukino-san to be so heartless. Looking at how heavy the rain is outside, do you have the heart to kick me out?"
Your house is right downstairs! Yukinoshita opened her mouth, then glanced at the cat in his arms. Forget it, she was too lazy to retort. She'd better just go cook.
Turning her head, Yukino's gaze fell on the things Haruno had left before she departed.... Two movie tickets, and the time was tomorrow at noon.
Uchiha Ryo blew on the black tea himself, then downed it in one gulp. He stood up and shouted to Yukino in the kitchen.
"I'm borrowing the bathroom. I got rained on a bit just now, so it's better to take a shower."
Yukinoshita continued preparing the food without turning her head. "Be my guest."
Uchiha Ryo stretched and pulled open the frosted glass door of the bathroom. "Don't peek while I'm showering."
"Only a ghost would peek at you!!"
Yukinoshita was angered by Uchiha Ryo's astonishing statement. Ah... as expected, little kitties are cuter. Why did Enyun-chan end up with such a scumbag master?
In the living room, Enyun-chan held her head high arrogantly. What a scumbag master. Unlike her... speaking of which, she was already the owner of a cafe.
Just yesterday, [Cloud Cat Cafe] finally opened. The cats Enyun-chan had found were all as obedient as if they had seen a youkai, which reassured Boss Enyun. As expected of Maki Ryuko! What a great cat-herding fox.
The sound of the shower came. Yukinoshita was cutting the beef for cooking, her mind a mess as she pondered the conversation between Uchiha Ryo and her mother.
She knew about the strength of the Shinomiya family, but the recent unrest in the Shinomiya family was not something she should know about at her level.
But this was normal. Shinomiya Kaguya didn't even know how hostile her three brothers were now, so how could Yukinoshita Yukino know?
About twenty minutes later, Yukinoshita, wearing loungewear and an apron, lifted the lid of the pot. The aroma of meat and potato stew instantly filled the kitchen.
Suddenly, a pair of chopsticks reached into the pot and picked out a piece of plump and juicy beef. The freshly showered Uchiha Ryo was lucky enough to eat the first piece of beef.
"Mhm, it's cooked, and the taste is just right."
Yukinoshita took a deep breath and looked speechlessly at Uchiha Ryo, whose hair was still a bit damp.
"Coming out halfway through your shower to steal meat, you really are something....."
Uchiha Ryo raised an eyebrow.
"Hey, hey. First of all, for us guys, if it's just a quick shower, is twenty minutes long? I came out after I finished washing."
"And don't go slandering an innocent man. How can something a scholar does be called stealing? I took a piece of meat openly and honestly to eat."
Yukino snorted lightly and served the pot of meat and potato stew into three bowls.
Yukinoshita: "One bowl for each person. You carry them out."
Uchiha Ryo pointed to the bowl with the most meat. "This is so embarrassing. As expected of Yukino-san, you know I love meat."
"Meow—"
Looking down, Uchiha Ryo found a certain white cat clawing at his pant leg.
And Yukinoshita said with a smile. "What are you talking about? The one with the most meat is for Enyun-chan."
"....."
At the dinner table, Uchiha Ryo also noticed the two movie tickets Haruno had left behind.
"Tomorrow.... are we going?"
Yukinoshita kept her head down eating. "Go where? I don't know if the rain will stop. I want to stay home and read tomorrow."
Uchiha Ryo nodded. "I understand. If the rain stops tomorrow, we'll go to the movies."
After dinner, Uchiha Ryo sat on the sofa, boredly scrolling through his phone. "Yukino-san, how about going to the beach during summer vacation?"
"Not interested. And when are you going back?"
Uchiha Ryo shook his head. "Is that how you talk to your benefactor? And, I suddenly remembered something. When we played table tennis last time, we seemed to have made a bet, right?"
Yukinoshita's dishwashing paused.
"What bet? I...."
"No way, Miss Yukinoshita wouldn't deny it, would she? Very good! From now on, you are my maid, for one day."
Yukinoshita, walking out of the kitchen, didn't want to speak. She just silently picked up Enyun-chan, ignoring this benefactor who had indeed saved her in front of her mother just now.
Enyun-chan: "Meow— (Scumbag master)"
Yukinoshita Yukino smiled. "Mhm, Enyun-chan is better. I'll definitely take you with me when I go out tomorrow."
"Meow— Meow! (I'm way better than my master, okay!)"
Uchiha Ryo looked at the person and the cat. "Why are you talking to a cat? Do you understand her?"
Yukinoshita didn't even look at a certain someone. "What's wrong? Can you understand her?"
Uchiha Ryo looked disdainful. "Of course I can. Please! That's my cat."
"Meow meow? (Crap? He can't really understand, can he!)"
Yukinoshita Yukino: "Then translate what Enyun-chan just said."
Uchiha Ryo glanced at the cat, then put on an expression of realization.
"Enyun-chan just said that she thinks her master is a very charismatic and handsome guy, and hidden beneath his handsome exterior is a heart full of talent."
Yukinoshita Yukino fell silent, just looking at Uchiha Ryo with slight disdain.
Enyun-chan raised her paw. "Meow meow meow! (Innately evil Uchiha Ryo, this cat will now!)"
Uchiha Ryo glared at a certain white cat.
"Put your paw down. I know you want to acknowledge me, but what if you scratch Yukino-san?"