It's August, so it is no surprise that the here we go again memes will once again return, at least in my head.

Nonetheless, it has gotten to the point that I am being embraced by the warmth of my hoodie.

The temperature has indeed dropped by a few, but the leaves that have dropped are quite numerous, so much so that I have been sweeping my yard everyday. Even I am quite surprised. I didn't really know that the autumn here in Orio would actually look autumn-like especially in the first fall where we literally had no idea that snow will fall here in the subsequent month. But would you look at it now, the leaves are slowly changing in color.

Once again, we have a normal day.

I suppose it has been more or less a month since the wedding of Kaizo and Ichika-san. To no surprise, they immediately returned to this country, took a few while of break from work, and had settled to their new work in the only branch of Anew Company in this country.

Even though it hasn't been the 27th yet, I sometimes find myself taking a stroll on Queen Street by myself, and in turn visiting the complex house. I am a little sad that it has gotten just a tiny bit barer, as Yugare-san is doing remote work, and he is most of the time alone in the house. Yuzuri-san is, of course, working in the resto and is now frankly a freeloader in this place as she has resigned from the company already, while Kogarashi-san and Nakasato (a female douki) is under the human relations and support department of this branch, in which Kaizo supervises. But as of yet, they are still not focusing on the methods involving the Facade.

As for the Ryuuya couple, they have moved out.

…

That aside, I have, as expected, been a monkey brain right after returning to Ginga from that small trip in Japan. It may look like I am on my high horse now after 40 or so chapters when I had set my mind on proposing for marriage to Rin in a still unknown future, but here is a big no for you.

I should be the one who's surprised. Rin has ultimately become aware/overheard my goals in the future yet she is still living a day with a straight, nonchalant face while here I am peeling bananas for an entire week because of that. Actually, I might take it back. My sweat pours, my heart palpitates, and my temperature rises in great anxiety; clearly, I am an open book at times like that. But in Rin's case, she might have already gotten it sorted out mentally, but it's worrying that she borrowed my kitchen more than she used to in that duration.

But once that has passed, the normal days came anew.

"Hey there, you are doing well," I crouched and stared at a very young tree in front of me.

As my house is a corner lot house, it is between White and Cerulean Street as I have mentioned several times now. Crossing to the other side of the Cerulean Street, and a few meters of walk, an empty lot has been purchased a few months ago and encouraged the neighborhood to plant trees on them. As someone who has planted so many trees in the mountains by now, I didn't miss the chance and signed up as the first to plant a tree.

But since the space will have its pace even in winter, I decided to volunteer and put a transparent glass roof over it to still provide sunlight and so that snow will not fall down there. Thankfully, Cerulean Street is a high place where flood doesn't reach, but nevertheless, the lot itself is already elevated and with good soil. For that reason, I opted to plant a mikan tree that I got imported from the North to test out what will be the results and if there will be differences as it is rooting in unfamiliar land. I am however glad that its growth is going along nicely.

But what I did not realize is how delicate I am supposed to take care of it. Fortunately, even trees know physical distancing. As I was the very first person to grow a tree here, I picked the place where it can receive a lot of sunlight even in the coldest of the following season, and as the owner of this plot is a massive enthusiast of plants, the trees have been planted in a distance where they will not be competing in tug of war for nutrients.

That said however, I don't really know anything about planting this kind of trees, and boy so is the author. I suppose this is a disclaimer.

Therefore, I don't really know how long it will be until it starts to grow some citrus. At least I'd wish it would before Rin even graduates…

And that thought just donned on me. Of course she will graduate from college and find a job. I really shouldn't be worried about that as I believe that she is doing well at this point. It really just passed my mind, as someone who has been on the workforce for four years. I really wish her well. I wouldn't really make excuses at this one; I wish for it so that the hope that I will be able to marry her someday will get brighter.

Hahh.

…

Then all of a sudden, a cat appeared and lied on a bed of soil. In no time, the feline raised its ear and open its eyes, staring at me.

"H-Hello there," I crouched once again and waved. "Are you a stray here on the neighborhood, or is this your territory?"

No surprise, it ignored me as it most likely assumes that I wouldn't be able to understand.

"Actually, can I rub you? I feel I had to ask for your permission first."

"Meow. (Can you just get it done? Hahh…)"

"It has personality~"

"I can be friends with you so need for you to sigh like that. Here~"

Well, a cat is a cat, and it was comfortable immediately on a rub on its back.

"Mrow… (Oh yes… can you also do it on-

…!)" it kicked up and got alerted, "(How did you know I sighed?!)"

"Ahaha. Don't be surprised but I apparently can understand your kind."

"…

Meow… (That doesn't make any sense. Not a single dumb human had ever listened to us one bit!

But at least they give us food so, uhh…)"

"I guess now I'm that one dumb human. I rarely get to talk to strays though, so it's nice to have some companion. By the way, are you male?"

"Meow. (Well, yes, indeed.)"

"Do you have a name?"

"Meow. (I think… humans call me Rou.)"

"Ohhh, that's a cool name.

Do you usually hang out around here? This is the first time I'm seeing you though."

"Meow. (I guess…)"

"Also, you look quite healthy, huh. And you don't have any wounds thankfully.

Anyway, are you hungry?"

"Mrow? (Will you give me food?)"

"Yup. Do you know what a bath is?"

"Meow. (Ah, yes. I heard some fellows are scared of it, but the humans sometimes wash me.)"

"Hahaha. You have nice humans around."

"Meow. (Aren't you nice too, though?)"

"Ehhhh, I'm flattered…"

~ ~ ~

Rou sounds and looks like a harmless fellow, so I gave him a wash before making him enter my house and meet Haku. I have greatly expected that there will be some kind of a bad blood between them and Haku, but they seem to get along nicely.

While I was making lunch, I saw Rou doing some sniffing from afar.

"Meow. (That smells rather good…)"

"Meeeow. (It might be, but you have to know that we can't eat anything that humans eat. But Aruji knows what we'll like and what's good for us. Isn't it convenient that he can talk to us?)"

Stolen novel; please report.

"Meow. (It sure is. You have a nice owner.)"

"Meow. (Ah, this may sound strange to you but I'm not a pet. In human terms, we are friends.)"

I sometimes forget that Haku is one knowledgeable cat, and it is nice to see him guiding his peer. I surmise even they can learn quickly, even if it is not in regards with their instinct.

▪ ▪ ▪

I just had an actualization.

For once, my brain is actually thinking of something that can make me feel excited, but not really reasonable and significant. I came up with a plan that is so personally important to me that I had to go through lengths to make it happen definitely. It felt like I have never been so persistent in my life that I really didn't want this event to pass by.

I want to go to the zoo.

…

Okay, I know that that sounds utterly anticlimactic, but hear me out. I can talk to cats, and cats can talk to me.

And cats can talk to cats, of course, for crying out loud…!

The gist of it is that my goal is to get Haku inside the zoo. That's one reason, but my other motive is if I am also able to talk to other cats, and interview them a bit, because I really wanted to know their perception.

I had expected it, and things of course weren't going to plan. I wasn't planning to break Haku in to the zoo, but I really wanted him to go with me. I was incredibly persistent, so much that I made a proposal within the management of the zoo. If Haku is able to accomplish an assessment of some sort—deeming him able to enter the grounds, then it is my win.

And I won.

After many sets of tests and mock interactions with the dwellers of the zoo, he passed and so I signed a memorandum of agreement.

One funny thing in that conclusion is that the management thought that Haku accidentally stepped on some ink, but in reality, he intended to stamp his paw on the paper on his own accord. If anything, we died from that cuteness.

And so the time I booked for us to come has arrived. I of course opted for a weekend and I was able to pull Rin with me… and Ichi! I talked to Mochi about it awhile back and I got the green light so I came to pick him up from their house.

"Have you ever gone to the zoo, Ichi?"

"Mhm. But only once."

"Oh, I see.

Also! How is school for you, Ichi? You're now a first grader, huh?"

"It's fun. I learned a lot of new things in school and I even made friends."

"Ahahaha…" I let out an unenthusiastic smile as I felt that my tears are damping my eyes. "Is there anyone bullying you? If there is, don't be scared to tell your mom and dad, or your teacher. It's not good to fight back but I know that you can fend them off."

"That's what Dad also tells me…!" as the traffic has stopped us, I turned at him and saw his amazed eyes.

"…"

Right now, I am seeing the child who I could have been when I was at his age. I do not regret honestly thinking that I was a little jealous of a six year-old, but at least… even if I didn't see it from myself, I am able to see it from others. That alone was a dream come true for me.

"My word… I want to have a son…"

"Ichi, ichi~" suddenly, Rin whispered to him. "You just made Uncle Gin happy."

"Really…?"

I do not regret being called like that. If I am being honest, I want to be an uncle to him instead of being a brother. I have been a brother to Anna, and so I want to know what Eijiro would feel to have a nephew that looks up to him, that is, if Ichi actually does to me.

"We're almost there, so let's all have fun."

~ ~ ~

I don't know if Rin was just being in the influence of chuunibyou in her age, but literally after stepping a foot on the premises of the zoo, it felt like she sensed something that we did not.

"I have a bad feeling about this…" on top of that, she made a very serious face while holding on to her chin. "I really can't tell you to put down Ichi, but…"

Queue the lightning that passes through your head.

On my right shoulder, I have a bag in which Haku is resting, while on my left arm I have Ichi as he felt a little giddy on the road, and I'm worried that he'll get exhausted with that in mind if he is to walk.

That aside, I caught on to what is worrying Rin. It's not really that important, but it might slightly throw me back to my monkey brain.

"All we can do is just deal with it, Rin…"

"Let's just butt in immediately if they ask…"

And so we reached the reception desk.

"Hello, we're here to pick the three passes under my name, Gin Sakato."

"Ah, yes, right away."

Of all people, the one behind the desk is a woman in her twenties. This can only get worse.

And there, she realized it. Her tunnel vision has disappeared leaving her to see the three of us. Without even hiding it, or rather, without realizing it, her… Ms. Kata's (from her nametag) face has turned red while staring at us.

In the clutch moment, my wits got over my introversion. But instead of trying to appear like I "read her mind," I acted normally and talked within the pretext of her only looking at Ichi.

"Ah, this is my nephew. He's cute isn't he?"

Big. Brain.

No, cringe.

"Ah-!! Yes, indeed! Ahahahaha…!!

Here are your passes and the identification tag!"

I felt her embarrassment.

But with that, we have now been cleared of entrance, especially Haku who has a lace on his neck with a card saying "Authorized Entrance" along with his name.

"'Sup, how do you actually feel about that, my man?"

"Meow. (I have mixed feelings.)"

"Ahahahaha."

Of course, this is a zoo, so it would be so much of a waste to visit the only scope of my plans. But in consideration, we only visited the places where all of us would probably think of cute and nothing that Haku would actually want to eat.

"You know, Potato, you would definitely blend in with them," Rin then pointed at… the… monkeys…

…

I have a special skill of looking like a monkey once I put my tongue over my upper gums.

The thing that surprised me the most is actually how well maintained this place is. Everywhere is clean, and even the animals are looking very neat and being taken care of.

For example the- OH MY WORD, THOSE PANDAS ARE SO CUTE…!!!

Ahem.

All in all, we didn't really tour the entire zoo, but surprisingly, they also have an aquarium, so we did not waste the opportunity to look at the fishies up close. As much as I want to see penguins, this isn't the climate for them.

I may be a monkey brain sometimes, but I am mostly a goldfish brain. I thought that throwing all of my remaining IQ to the trash will make me talk to them, but to no avail.

But that's enough for the fillers, so we shall head on to the main event.

~ ~ ~

Simply put, big cats.

Unfortunately, the leopard was a total snubber and we didn't even hear it talk, the jaguar on the other hand is adorably a tsundere. It ignored us for the most part, but I suppose the way to anyone's heart is through the stomach.

This is probably an eye-opener in which I probably like all cats. Now I really want to raise a cheetah and see it losing its pride as I outrun it. But of course, I will console it.

Anyways, on our third attempt, we tried to approach the only lion and the lioness of the zoo. Immediately, Haku poked out his head from the bag.

"(Hello there, little one.)"

A/N: Pardon me on this one, I don't feel like putting a growl will make anything better.

I still haven't proven if their voices are a manifestation of my imagination, but the lion's voice was definitely deep. On that note, I really can talk to any kind of cats…!

But then I whispered to Ichi, "Are you scared, Ichi?"

"Not really…" he scratched his head with a frown, "your voice is deep too, Uncle."

Okay, I really need to do a research on that.

"Meow. (Is it unusual for you to see a cat like me, my good sir?)"

"('My good sir…?' Anyway, it indeed is. It's not everyday that I get to talk to others apart from our neighbors.)"

"Meow. (Also, it is nice meeting you. May we know your name?)"

It is perhaps by instinct, but it seems Haku is using very respectful language.

"(The humans gave me the name Anta, and this woman is Ohime.)"

"Meow. (Then my name is Haku. This may come to be very surprising to you, but this human that is carrying me and this child can actually understand us. Meaning that they are able to communicate with our kind.)"

"(Oho… I've never seen a human like that.)"

"Ah, h-hello, Anta and Ohime," I waved, and gazed upon their eyes that widened in surprise.

"Hello…" Ichi then followed suit and waved on his tiptoes.

"You two seem to have adapted to this environment. Is it not uncomfortable to you?"

"(It was at first, but it wasn't that bad eventually. But we still don't really want humans coming near us even to this time.

That is, until we meet you.)"

"I see… then we will be leaving as we do not want to disturb you."

"(My thanks to you, human.)"

"Bye-bye," for the last time, Ichi greeted with a wave while the lions settled down.

For our final stretch, we came to the tigers.

But even before we get to speak, we heard a growl from the distance exclaiming, "Tigers, they are different from other humans."

Upon that, we found out that the tigers weren't as stern as the lions.

"Meow. (Hello.)"

"(Oh? What an unusual fellow to see.)"

"Meow. (Please excuse how my eyes look. I was born like this.)"

"(We don't mind. But what's with the lions' announcement, anyway?)"

Haku explained anew.

"(That's amazing. But as expected, even our cub is bigger than you.)"

There was also a little one on their side.

"Aww, your child is so cute."

"(Isn't he? I never thought I'd be in agreement with a human!)"

"I have a question, then. Do you feel uncomfortable being here?"

"(I think it's a given that anyone of us felt like that in the start. Some of us really don't like humans until now, but eventually, this place began to look like where we came from.

But suddenly this place has gotten cold so we had to adjust to it. Thankfully, the humans take care of us.)"

"That's good to hear. But how is your child faring?"

"(Even if humans approach us, we don't really look at them and we just do our own thing. And that thing is to protect this cub.)"

"How lovely…"

"Uncle, they are amazing…"

"Oh? Did you hear that, they praised all of you!"

"(Thank you, young human.)"

"Meow. (I'm happy that I was able to talk with all of you.)"

"We might be being a bother and your child might get scared, so we will take our leave now."

"(Then so long. I would like it if we can talk again.)"

"I will find time for that."

~ ~ ~

Thus came the end of our excursion. Before making our complete leave, we rested on a bench and reflected on the things we have gone to.

However, I really should have expected this sooner…

"I'm sorry, Rin," I apologized as there was an evident hint of loneliness painted on her mien.

«She knew that there was no room for denial, knowing how long they have understood each other. Thus, she uttered her honest thoughts.»

"Honestly, I was a little envious. Haku isn't just a cat to me, and I know that you think so too. For you three to be able to communicate with each other… I honestly felt left out.

But I tried to divert my loneliness to other things. And in the process, I managed to understand what was going on as you talked. I had a wild guess, as it looked like the tiger was trying to protect the cub. I realized, even if we have drastic differences, animals ultimately have their emotions too.

Even so, I am still wishing—wishing that at least someday, or even for a moment, I will be able to hear Haku," she concluded as she caressed Haku's head.

"The only thing we can do is to hope that it may happen."

"Also, thanks for your concern, but I have cheered up already, Gin."

"Apples… that's good to hear…

Then let's go have dinner."

"Are we going home now?"

"Nope. There is a restaurant nearby."

"I see.

…

Oh. Oooohhhhh…!!"

"Ichi, have you ever gone to Hosa Restaurant?"

"Hosa…?"

"I'll take that as a no. But their food is reaaally good so make sure to tell your mom and dad, okay?"

"Okay!"