Page 21 of We’ll Prescribe You Another Cat

“Where’s Shasha?”

asked Reona, panting as she tossed her shoes aside.

Her mother laughed.

“She’s already asleep in the back room. It’s already nine o’clock.”

“Ugh, I rushed home!”

She stepped into the tatami room, leaving the lights off. Though Hajime slept in different spots throughout the house, depending on her mood, this was the room she slept in the most. Had she given it up to Shasha tonight?

There was a single cushion in the corner. Hajime lay atop it, her back toward the room. Reona looked around for Shasha but couldn’t find her. There was no way she could have gotten on top of the cabinet. There was nowhere to hide. As she went farther into the room, she spotted something grayish-brown and fluffy beside Hajime.

It was Shasha. Both cats were asleep, facing each other, wrapped in each other’s arms. There’s no other way to put it: they were hugging.

I can’t handle this level of cuteness!

Her mouth was agape in amazement. She watched the cats for a bit longer before returning to the living room.

“Hajime’s cuddling with Shasha,”

she told her mother.

“Maybe Hajime feels a bit like a mother to her.”

“Right.”

Reona felt her chest tighten at this observation from her mother. Apparently, grown cats, too, found the cuteness of kittens soothing.

And her mother also looked calmer than usual.

“Looking at Shasha brings back memories of when Hajime was little. Tomoya insisted we take her in, but it was tough because she was so small. She had just been introduced to solid food—she kept spitting it up, and her poop was all runny.”

“Really?”

Reona had been five or six when Hajime joined their household. In her memories, Hajime hadn’t seemed that small and hadn’t required much care. To Reona, Hajime hadn’t been so much a cute kitten as a playmate and peer.

“Tomoya was struggling to keep up with his schoolwork and was having trouble with his friends. It was a difficult time. I figured a cat might be a comfort to him, but ultimately, Hajime didn’t really warm up to Tomoya. Even so, Tomoya’s such a kind soul—he did his best to take care of her.”

“Hajime bonded with you, though, didn’t she?”

“Yes. It must’ve been tough for Tomoya to see.”

There was a distant look in her mother’s eyes. All thoughts, apparently, led to her brother. Reona smiled, amused by her mother’s inability to wean herself off her son.

“But Tomoya has his own cat now,”

said Reona.

“He hasn’t brought him over even once. I’m sure Hajime would get along with his cat. Maybe we’ll arrange a playdate sometime.”

“Tomoya’s cat is black. You don’t like black cats, right?”

What is she talking about? Before Reona could ask, she heard a noise from the foyer. Her father was back from work. He came home late every night, looking exhausted.

“Oh, man, I’m beat. I’m not that hungry, so I’ll have something simple for dinner. How are the cats? Did they fight?”

“There’s some salmon, rice, and tea, so I can make some ochazuke. The cats are asleep in the back room. They’re getting along nicely.”

“Excellent,”

said her father, but Reona knew he didn’t care enough to check on them. Instead, he turned to her.

“How about you? How are you doing?”

“Good.”

“How’s school?”

“It’s okay.”

“I see.”

It was a brief exchange, but since Shasha had joined them, there had been a slight increase in their conversations. It felt like one more member had been added to their family.