Chapter 5: Would you like to load your saved file?
There were more shops than before in the city, but on certain street paths, Hotaka saw his younger self and Grand Kat as spectres; going about their daily lives in a sweets parlor, sharing ice cream. In the alleyways they fed stray cats. In parks, they pointed at flying kites and swimming ducks. It was as if he was gradually going insane, but he didn't mind it. Each new grain of nostalgia provided him with a rush of excitement.
He had left the estate to go buy some necessities, since the estate was isolated from the city, Hotaka had to carry his bulk items in his emptied rolling suitcase.
He spaced out as a single balloon floated towards the sky.
He could see his younger self clumsily chasing and tripping in the middle of the road, Grand Kat calmly following and helping him up.
After getting up he continued to run after it only for his feet to leave the ground. Grand Kat, held him up by the collar of his coat.
"There's no point in chasing after something only to get hurt, Hotaka. Let it go. Whether you keep it or lose it, the balloon will just become trash either way."
"Ooooh." Disappointed, Hotaka watched the balloon ascend into the sky.
Katashi lowered him back onto the ground.
The memory was run over by the food truck that sped past.
Hotaka flinched and blinked a couple of times in attempt to collect himself.
How long had he been standing here at the crosswalk? He looked around in quiet panic before recovering, zeal shimmering in his eyes as he calmed himself and softly smiled.
In his lower peripheral, he spotted something entering the crosswalk. A blonde tabby.
He walked to the bus stop only to halt.
"Wait wasn't the light-"
A brief recollection of the red crosswalk light flashed in his mind.
Hotaka dropped his suitcase and ran back just in time to scoop the cat up seconds before a car sped past. The car honked but kept on. Hotaka weakly fell back on his butt on the safety of the sidewalk pavement.
His mind was left empty and his heart headbanging to the metal silence of his near-death encounter.
Finally, he sighed.
"Haa… What were you thinking neko-chan?! You can't cross the street light when it's red! You'll get hit!" Hotaka held up the cat to scold it.
The tabby with its golden yellow eyes simply stared into his soul.
Hotaka blushed and set down the cat.
"What am I doing talking to a cat..." As he spoke the crosswalk light turned green. "Look, the light's green you can go now, run quickly!" He gestured for the cat to go but it kept staring at him instead.
He tried nudging it with his foot but it continued to stare.
"I'm going, bye now!"
It immediately responded. "Mya..."
Hotaka didn't look back for at that moment the bus arrived. He took off running to retrieve his suitcase and hurry on.
He thought something was off as he stood with his suitcase holding on to the bus rail, women kept staring at him and smiling.
"Aw, how cute!"
"A grocery run together!"
He looked down to see the same blonde tabby from before, curled atop his suitcase.
"You followed me?"
The cat nodded at him.
Hotaka blinked twice. Was he losing it? Did the cat just nod?
Hotaka brushed the cat off his suitcase and onto the bus seat as the bus approached his stop.
When he got off, the cat followed. From the bus stop, all the way back home to the main gate, the cat stalked him.
He unlocked and locked the gate, behind him, the cat slipped in between the bars. Its speed doubling at the sight of Hotaka approaching the double doors to the mansion.
The second Hotaka opened the door the cat slipped through the gap and booked it down the hall.
"Ahhhhh! You!" Hotaka had felt the cat following but since it kept a distance he figured it would lose interest and leave. This was unexpected, there were many priceless vases decorating the house, if he chased the cat it might bump into them…
Hotaka watched the figure disappear around the corner in suppressed dismay before closing the doors shut behind him.
"Neko…" he called.
No answer.
Coincidentally he had bought a can of tuna, he opened it and poured it into a small rice bowl.
He propped up a box with a chopstick and stuck the food underneath near his bedroom door in the hallway, casting one hopeful look down the hall before starting on his bedroom.
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Bisa
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