As Kotomi prepared to send the chapter to Tomoka, she suddenly realized sothing embarrassing:
The scene she wanted to send wasn't even written yet!
Sitting at her desk, she let out an awkward laugh. The scene where Kirito brutally punished Sugou was planned for Volu 4, but she had only just completed the opening of the volu.
"Well, this is a bit awkward." Kotomi chuckled sheepishly.
With so ti left before dinner and her parents still out taking the sea cucumber kitten to the vet, she calculated that she had just enough ti.
"I think I can manage."
And with that, she got to work, her famously strong sense of action kicking in. Her fingers flew across her chanical keyboard, the soothing sound of the tea-switch keys filling the room. After a while, the rhythm wasn't satisfying enough, so she swapped it out for her recently purchased blue-switch keyboard.
The clatter of the blue-switch keys resounded as she typed, creating an energetic, almost therapeutic lody.
anwhile, in her room downstairs, Aimi was working on her howork when her delicate brows furrowed. From upstairs, she could hear a peculiar noise—consistent, loud, and rhythmic.
What on earth was that?
Curious, Aimi set her pen down and crept toward her sister's bedroom door. Gently opening it, she peeked inside to find Kotomi fully imrsed in her writing. Her gaze was glued to the screen, her fingers moving with almost superhuman speed across the noisy keys.
The mont Aimi opened the door, the sound beca deafening.
"That keyboard is so loud!" she thought, startled.
Kotomi, completely absorbed in her writing, failed to notice her sister at the door. Aimi decided not to interrupt and instead tiptoed back downstairs to grab a cold bottle of Pepsi for Kotomi.
Twenty Minutes Later
Kotomi finally paused, stretching as she reviewed what she'd written. After a quick read-through, she saved the file and sent it to Yuigahama Tomoka via email.
By this ti, she could hear the sound of her parents returning ho. The faint sound of the door opening downstairs confird that they were back from the vet.
"Guess it's almost dinnerti," Kotomi muttered as her stomach growled. She opened her desk drawer, pulling out a small cookie for a quick snack.
"Huh? Why does it feel like my cookies are disappearing? I just stocked this drawer a few days ago!"
She frowned for a mont, then quickly pieced things together. Aimi had likely been sneaking them.
Her brows softened as she laughed. "I'll make sure to stock more strawberry cream cookies next ti."
Aimi loved strawberry-flavored snacks.
Having completed her math howork earlier than usual, Kotomi decided to check in on her sister. She walked to Aimi's room, only to find a cold bottle of Pepsi placed just outside her door.
Picking it up, she noticed how icy it felt.
Glancing at Aimi's door, Kotomi smiled knowingly. It was obvious who had left the drink there.
In Aimi's room, she sighed, her pen flying over her howork sheets.
"Sis, I hope you know my room doesn't have air conditioning," Aimi grumbled as Kotomi entered.
"Then turn it on!" Kotomi teased.
"It's already September. Why would I use the air conditioning now?!"
"Hehehe, then don't turn it on."
"But I'm hot!"
"Then use the the air conditioning."
"You're the reason I'm hot in the first place!" Aimi sighed, glancing over at Kotomi, who had thrown herself over her back like a warm, affectionate scarf.
"Ehehe~ How much howork do you have left?" Kotomi asked mischievously.
"Just one assignnt."
"Alright, I'll stay here and keep you company. I'll play gas quietly while you finish up. Don't worry; I'll use headphones!"
Kotomi let go of her sister and sprawled out on Aimi's bed, slipping on her headphones and diving into her mobile ga.
Aimi rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, "Once I graduate middle school, I'm definitely going to teach you a lesson!"
After finishing her howork, Aimi stretched and heard Kotomi's voice break the silence.
"Oh, by the way, we're officially a two-cat household now!"
Aimi froze. "What? Did Mom and Dad think one wasn't enough, so they bought another one?"
Kotomi blushed and explained sheepishly how she'd accidentally brought another stray ho—this ti, a tiger-striped munchkin cat.
Aimi stared at her sister in disbelief. Sure, Kotomi had always been a magnet for cats, but this was ridiculous.
"Two days in a row? Are you kidding ?"
She gasped, realization dawning. "Sis, are you secretly walking catnip?"
Kotomi giggled nervously. "Anyway, it's downstairs if you want to et it. Mom and Dad just got back from the vet."
Aimi had planned to study a bit longer, but the thought of a new kitten was too tempting. Grabbing her sister's hand, she practically dragged her downstairs to see the cats.
In the living room, both kittens were sitting near the couch. One was the "small propane tank" from yesterday, while the new arrival—a tiger-striped munchkin—sat nearby, looking sleek and shiny after its bath.
"Wow, it really does look like a sea cucumber!" Aimi exclaid.
The tiger-striped kitten seed to understand her words. It froze, staring at her with wide, shocked eyes as if thinking, "Wait… I'm a sea cucumber?!"
...
"These two cats still don't have proper nas," Akina remarked as she glanced at the two furballs. "We can't keep calling them Big Kitty and Little Kitty forever."
Only then did Kotomi rember that after bringing the two cats ho, she had never officially nad them.
Though… she already had two perfect nas in mind.
"Onee-chan, what do you think we should na them?" Aimi asked curiously.
"?" Kotomi pointed to herself to confirm.
"Of course! You're the writer in the family, so naming them is obviously your job," Aimi declared, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Well, if that's the case, I'll give these two grand and unforgettable nas!"
"Why do I feel like this is going to end badly…?" Aimi muttered, instinctively shrinking back.
After all, judging by nicknas like "Small Propane Tank" and "Sea Cucumber," her sister clearly had an unorthodox approach to naming. It wasn't that her choices were bad, per se, but they always carried an odd, eccentric vibe.
"Relax, leave it to !" Kotomi declared confidently, placing a hand on her chest as if to exude reliability.
She then picked up the small munchkin dubbed "Gas Can" by the scruff of her neck. "This one will be called Dragon."
Next, she lifted the tiger-striped munchkin. "And this one will be called Phoenix. Yes, Dragon and Phoenix—what a perfect pair!"
"Wow… those nas actually sound pretty impressive," Akina said approvingly.
"I like them too," added Izumi Kaneya with a nod.
With three votes against one, Kotomi successfully nad the cats Dragon and Phoenix.
As if understanding their new nas, the two cats appeared visibly delighted.
"Delighted? More like resigned!" Aimi exclaid, pointing out their "annoyed little kitten faces."
Now it was Kotomi's turn to pout. Her expression turned heartbreakingly pitiful as she looked at Aimi, her voice trembling. "Do you… not like the nas I chose?"
She even sniffled for added effect.
"I like them! I love them! Onee-chan, you're an absolute genius when it cos to naming! Soday, when you have kids, you'll definitely co up with the best nas!" Aimi quickly shouted, eager to defuse the situation.
Kotomi imdiately broke into a radiant smile.
Hearing this, Akina couldn't resist teasing Aimi. "Naming kids, huh? That's a decision your sister will make with her partner. Why are you, as the future aunt, already so invested? I doubt your sister has even started thinking about that yet."
Aimi forced a stiff smile, but her nose stung, and her chest tightened.
Mom's right, she thought. But for so reason, hearing those words hurt so much!
Compared to the calm and sleepy Dragon, Phoenix was quickly adapting to her new environnt, revealing a spirited and lively nature.
She darted around the house nonstop, her little tail held high like an antenna.
Despite her short legs, Phoenix had no trouble bounding up and down the stairs.
"Phoenix has so much energy!" Akina said with a mix of amusent and exasperation as she stroked the snoozing Dragon on her lap.
"I'll take her out for a walk," Kotomi volunteered, eager to burn off so of her own post-dinner calories.
"If you're going out, I bought a transparent pet carrier backpack from the store—it's in the box over there," Akina said, pointing to a pile of cat supplies they had stocked up on.
"I don't think Phoenix will stay put in a carrier," Kotomi replied with a laugh. Instead, she rummaged through the box and pulled out a leash.
"Co on, Phoenix! Be a good girl, and I'll take you outside!"
Kotomi crouched and called to Phoenix, who was busy dashing around. The little tiger-striped cat imdiately skidded to a stop, tumbling forward in the process. Undeterred, she quickly got back on her feet and dashed over to Kotomi.
"ow!"
Phoenix stood obediently, allowing Kotomi to secure the leash. She even turned her head to call out to Dragon, who rely opened one sleepy eye before drifting back to dreamland.
After slipping a few treats into her pocket, Kotomi led Phoenix out the door—only to instantly regret her decision.
Phoenix was fast.
If dogs are known for dragging their owners on walks, Phoenix proved that cats could do it too.
The mont her tiny paws touched the pavent, Phoenix's ears perked up, and she bolted forward like a rocket.
"Phoenix! Slow down!"
"ow! ow! ow!"
The spirited cat led Kotomi through sharp turns and winding paths, stopping only after another tumble. This ti, Phoenix froze, her eyes fixed on sothing ahead.
Kotomi crouched down to follow her gaze and saw a slender, elegant calico cat—a feline beauty.
"ow~" Phoenix chirped happily, lifting a paw to approach.
But before she could move, another cat appeared—a dashing black-and-white "cow" cat.
The calico imdiately trotted over to the cow cat, rubbing her cheek against his affectionately. The two snuggled close, their body language unmistakable.
Phoenix froze.
Her raised paw hovered midair as she stared at the scene, her wide eyes filled with shock and betrayal.
Seconds later, her little body began to tremble, and her head drooped low. She looked like a heartbroken girl caught in a rainy lodrama.
Kotomi glanced down at the dejected Phoenix and asked hesitantly, "Phoenix… Did you like that calico cat?"
"ow…"
The pitiful cry was answer enough.
Kotomi sighed. "Forget about her. That cow cat is tall and handso, and you're… well, a short-legged sea cucumber. You can't compete with him."
Phoenix whimpered softly, her heartbreak palpable.
Kotomi suddenly grinned. "Hey, this reminds of a song. Want to hear it?"
"ow?"
Clearing her throat, Kotomi began to sing with great emotion:
"In the rearview mirror, the world grows further away… your turning back, your profile's still so beautiful…"
Phoenix walked ho in silence, and by the ti they returned, she had cald down considerably. She curled up quietly in her bed, even more subdued than Dragon.
In Chiba City, a sharp-eyed woman with dark red mid-length hair returned to the passenger seat of a parked car.
"rii, you said you were just grabbing a coffee. What took you so long?" the driver teased with a smile.
"While I was buying coffee, I heard a girl walking a… sea cucumber—oops, I an a cat—singing. The song sounded amazing, so I recorded it."
The woman played the clip.
"In the rearview mirror, the world grows further away…"
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