NOVEL NEXT Chapter 317: A cat
(Ryoto's pov)
I woke up in an unfamiliar bed, and I was immediately on guard, but I relaxed the next moment, remembering where I was.
Right... I'm back home, and while still nostalgic, it feels alien. I just need to get used to it. As they say, time heals all.
Next to me was a girl's body, and it felt strange. Not that there was someone next to me, but there was only one other person here. Usually, there were at least two women I love here, at least I say!
Lala was still hugging me and using me as a Teddy bear, and I'm not complaining. It feels nice. Also, while I'm used to being naked in bed with Rin, Isane, and Yoruichi, it somehow slipped my mind that Lala loves to sleep nude as well.
Lala didn't see my scars yesterday. I turned off the lights and went to bed like that, but she'll see them now. I could technically alter her sight so she would see what I wanted her to see, but I didn't want to do that. I may save her from stress for some time, but the truth would come out sooner or later, or I would just confess at some point. Maybe all these years of secrets made me want to be more honest and open, only with the closest people, of course. I wouldn't go out on the street and start yelling that I killed the son of God.
I would like to lay in bed for much longer, but unfortunately, I'm a student again... oh shit, I'm a student again. Anyway, I'll need to get up from this comfortable position, and the first and most challenging step is to wake up Lala.
I shook Lala gently. "Lala... Lala... It's time to wake up." At first, my alien fiancé didn't react much, but her eyes started opening slowly, and her vision cleared to see me. I suppose it was a usual sight for her to wake up to.
"Ryoto~"
Lala, still half asleep, wasn't in the mood to get up and only grabbed me tighter in hopes that it would stop me from getting up. I must admit, it almost worked.
"Lala, you know that we can't stay much longer. We have school to attend, and as much as I would like to skip, we really shouldn't."
Lala listened to my voice in bliss. Even though she was already fully awake, she just wanted to keep cuddling. She pretended to be still somehow sleepy as she enjoyed our embrace. But then she realized that it was time to get up unless she skipped breakfast, and she couldn't allow herself to do it since she wasn't eating only for herself anymore.
That was the moment she took a better look at my body and, because of that, my scars as well. She then made an unusually thoughtful expression that didn't look right on her face as she traced all my old wounds with her finger and later a whole hand when she felt more courageous. She first went for the parallel scars coming from my shoulders downwards, then the big scar across the chest that was the newest of the bunch. The burn scar near my tattoo didn't get much attention, but she still traced it there, if just to touch it for herself. In the end, she stayed the longest on the scar caused by Bambietta's bomb that was on my shoulder. That one was one of the more painful wounds I got.
I didn't say anything as I observed Lala and was ready to comfort her if needed, but I once again seemed to underestimate her as she looked me in the eyes and asked.
"Do you want me to heal them?"
I knew that she was serious and capable of doing something like that, but I didn't want to. Despite their looks and what people would think when they saw them, they are part of me and have a lot of meaning attached to them.
"No, but thank you for offering. I'm not ashamed to have my scars visible. I'm even proud of some of them. Got them while protecting my family."
While still having eye contact with me, her serious expression melted away and was replaced with her default cheerful look.
"Then it's alright!" Then she pouted. "But I'm going to be mad if you get hurt anymore."
It makes my insides warm hearing her say it so innocently.
"I'll try to be careful to avoid doing that. Not like I enjoy getting hurt anyway."
The morning was peaceful... until it wasn't because I heard a scream.
"Kyaaaa!!!"
Centuries of training made me move instantly. My body was ready to attack a possible enemy and defend my family.
I moved, and with a few flash steps (because of corridors and not my mastery of the technique), I arrived at the source of the scream. It was our new and probably temporary resident, Aguri. She got scared by Koro-sensei, who, in his human form, apparently still had tentacles for hair in a manner similar to Itona's before and used them unconsciously.
So, the wish turned Koro-sensei back into a human, but it allowed him to keep his powers. Neat.
I relaxed when I accessed the situation and found no danger. It seems I'm still a bit on edge. I hope that it won't continue like that for a long time.
The morning was uneventful, except it was filled with excitement. We talked with Koro-sensei and Aguri about things we have done since they... well, died. Kaede's sister was the most overwhelmed by everything since she was the most normal out of all of us despite working with tentacles that give what you wish for within reasonable means, of course, but still.
Today, I was the one preparing breakfast. I wanted to celebrate, somehow, my first day of return, and what better way to celebrate than to make breakfast for everyone. I enjoy cooking and like seeing people enjoying said cooking.
In school, I wanted to talk with Ryouko about today's examination, but surprisingly, she wasn't present in the nurse's office or in the school at all. I may have teased our doctor too much, and in her excitement, she was preparing all the stuff she thought she'd need. As long as she has fun and does her job, it's alright, in my opinion.
Surprisingly, Lala let me go alone with Rin without any issues. She said something about having time with Rin, but she also 'warned' me about not forgiving me if I left again, and somehow, I believe it this time, but we trust each other.
I met Rin at school so we could go to Mikado-sensei's house, but then I realized that I didn't know the way anymore. Thankfully, I got a very helpful and very nice assistant on my phone who has Mikado-sensei's address from the school registry, which I don't think is legal, but who am I to judge the legality of it?
As we exited the school grounds and made our way not so far away, we noticed a familiar face. Yui Kotegawa was crouching at the side of the road and she was playing with a cat in a box.
"Nya... Nya..."
I could hear her calling out the cat cutely while trying to play with it and with something I doubt anyone saw Yui with. A small smile.
"Sup Kotegawa. What a coincidence meeting you here."
Rin and I approached my classmate, and my voice seemed to scare Yui as she literally straightened up and jumped from the shock. She then turned to me, and not knowing how to react, she went for her default option. Annoyance. She put her hands on her hips and glared at me.
"Ryoto Yuuki and... I don't believe we have met." Her annoyance disappeared as she realized that she didn't know Rin.
"Rin Yu- I mean Kujo. Rin Kujo. I'm a 3rd year student.
Rin still had trouble introducing herself with her old surname. I can't blame her after being called Yuuki for so long.
"Ah, Kujo-senpai. Nice to meet you." She bowed deeply to show respect to her Senpai.
"You can call me Rin. Almost no one calls me Kujo." Rin seemed to not want to be called Kujo if possible but Yui had different plans.
"I can't show such disrespect to my senior Kujo-senpai."
Now, it was Rin's turn for her mood to sour.
"I insist. Please call me Rin."
"I couldn't possibly do that." Kotegawa stayed stubborn, and I could see Rin thinking about how she should handle the situation. In the end, she decided to wake up a little troll inside of her. She used the ability of her eye to create illusions for Yui to see. Her illusions aren't as powerful as mine, and they are much more easily recognizable as something not real for a seasoned warrior.
I don't know what Rin showed Kotegawa, but Yui's eyes almost jumped out of her sockets, and her cheeks went red before she wiped her eyes and saw nothing unusual. Then it happened again, and Kotegawa started doubting her mind as she saw things that weren't there.
I, on the other hand, decided to focus on the cat Yui was playing with, and it was a black cat with yellow eyes. She looked just like... Yoruichi...
No, it shouldn't be possible. Could it be? Kisuke works fast, but not that fast. The cat had a collar with a big bell attached to it. I opened my eyes and tried to see her aura. After closely looking, the cat looked curiously at me back. It had an animal aura, but I wasn't fully convinced. This cat just seemed so familiar to Yoruichi, so I checked her Reiatsu signature, and once again, it was different from Yoruichi's.
Am I being paranoid? Aftereffects of calm after the craziness I lived through, perhaps.
"Rin, could you take a look at that?"
I asked my lover, and she stopped playing with her junior as a small punishment and turned to me, where I was crouching near the cat. I could feel her surprise.
"Yoruichi?" The cat didn't react to the name and started locking its paw.
"Apparently not. Just a similar-looking cat."
"Hmm."
Rin then, as a last test, tried to grab the cat by the collar and lift it up because we both knew Yoruichi wouldn't allow herself to be handled like that. While the cat tried to resist, Rin lifted her up in the end.
I think this confirms that this is not Yoruichi. Shame that this cat is apparently owned by someone since she has a collar. However, as I was thinking that, I heard a sound of cardboard being scratched, and I looked down to see the black cat scratching part of the box where there was written 'take me home'.
Huh. You know what? I'm taking this cat home.
"You are taking her?" Yui asked me when she finally collected herself, although I could still see a bit of red on her cheeks.
"I think I will. Black cat is my lucky animal, and I can't ignore a beauty like that." While saying that, I picked up the cat and started petting it while it purred. I then noticed that it was a girl. The cat then quickly jumped out of my hands on my shoulder and later on my head, where she stayed comfortably.
"I'm going to name her Yoruichi."
Rin raised her eyebrow.
"Really? You know that it will just annoy Yoruichi."
"And that's the reason I named her that." Now, I turned to Yui. "Sorry, Kotegawa, but we don't have as much time as we would have liked. You can visit my home if you want to see Yoruichi sometimes to pet her or something. See ya!"
Rin bowed as well to say goodbye and followed me. Now that we were walking alone, my curiosity got the better of me.
"Hey Rin. So what did you show Kotegawa for her to react like that?"
"Nothing much. Just us kissing. She is fun to tease because of her reactions."
And they say I have a bad influence on people. I disagree and I have a living proof next to me.
Anyway, we finally arrived at Mikado-sensei's house.
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END
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