Dreams Upon A Silver Pine Branch

Chapter 4: An Evening to Remember

The purplish blue sun was about to set and its light turned a shade darker, turning the sky of Hinotori metropolis the color of what Earthlings once called lavender. If not for the motion sensor lanterns lining the redbrick trail that zigzagged from the lavish chestnut oak gate of the Kinoya dojo all the way to the fenced-in backyard, Lee wouldn't be able to see a thing. It didn't usually get dark in Hinotori—or most megacities in the eastern hemisphere of Silver Pine for that matter—before five thirty in the evening, but this evening marked the beginning of autumn and daylight hours no longer lasted as long as it did last season. Despite the new season being officially called "autumn", however, the temperature stayed scorching hot and there were no falling leaves. One would be right to wonder why the Pineans bothered to even call it autumn.

It was only autumn in name, Lee thought sadly, because our ancestors stubbornly clung to what was common sense back in the northern hemisphere of Earth. We still use their 365 days calendar system even though it doesn't really lend itself well to the climates of Infernoan planets. Wait, what am I doing reciting history lessons to myself? I'm supposed to look for that tailless white cat or my wife would pout for the rest of the evening. Damn that escape artist of a cat!

"Miyuki! I bring sashimi!" Lee shouted. There was no sashimi in his hand, obviously. Even a wealthy man like the head of the Kinoya household knew it would be ridiculous to waste quality raw fish fillet on cats, but spoiled Miyuki typically responded well to any mention of sashimi.

"Meow?" Miyuki's voice could be heard from a distance. Before Lee had time to turn his head to the direction of the voice, what appeared to be an albino baby chipmunk dashed madly past him and a blurry white shadow followed a split second after. Blinking fast, then realizing that the "shadow" was Miyuki herself, Lee turned on his heel and chased after the mighty huntress.

He found Miyuki under an acacia tree, meowing relentlessly at the shivering albino chipmunk whose fluffy tail fluttered wildly. Sighing while fighting the urge to smile, he picked the cat up by the skin fold on her neck. Miyuki tried to wiggle her way out of Lee's hold to no avail.

"Bad cat!" Lee scolded. "Wait until your owner hears about you scaring the poor chipmunk."

"Grr!" Miyuki growled and unsheathed her claws, although that was a futile gesture since she was only clawing at the air. Not giving up, she dug her sharp fangs into Lee's arm.

"Hey, what was that for?" Lee winced as he reflexively let her go. Miyuki hissed and ran through the clover and chamomile-filled lawn, activating the automatic sprinklers. Sopping wet, the surprised cat stopped in the middle of the lawn and let Lee scooped up her trembling body.

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"What in the name of everything holy happened to you, bro?" Aikawa couldn't contain his laughter as he opened the door to a drenched Lee and a grumpy cat. "You fell into the koi pond?"

"That would suck less." Lee grimaced. "Miyuki activated the sprinklers and now I look terrible."

"Really? Being outwitted by a cat is worse than smelling like a fish?" Aikawa laughed again. "Go change before you catch a cold. I'll see if Shiori knows where the hairdryer is."

"Hairdryer? Aikawa, you know this cat is deadly afraid of hairdryer!" Lee protested.

"Your problem, bro, not mine." Aikawa smirked playfully and then disappeared to find Shiori.

Mumbling some expletives under his breath and taking his soaked shirt off, Lee dragged himself and Miyuki to the master bedroom. Chiharu was sitting on her dresser, brushing her silky smooth hair and braiding it neatly. She chuckled quietly and said a quick greeting when she noticed Lee's reflection on the mirror but her chuckle turned into a groan when she saw Miyuki wrapped in Lee's torn shirt. The cat had mercilessly scratched the shirt and left it looking raggedy.