starlit skies | kazubajifuyu

lost cat: one

You're at the back of the convenience store, silently crying because you got scolded. Clearly, It was not your fault but you don't have the luxury to talk back to your boss because you needed that job.

Life has been tough ever since you lost your parents in an accident. You are now alone, trying to get through high school and since money is tight, You're not even sure if you could step into college after graduation. Your priority is to live and survive.

School, two jobs with no day offs even on the weekends is where your life revolves. Living alone as a minor with no one to depend on is hard, so hard that sometimes you wish you could go where your parents are right now.

But that dream... The recurring dream of someone with no visible face is the only thing preventing you from giving up. His presence in every dream, with his radiant smiles, brings comfort to your suffering life. Sometimes, you wish he were real.

As you tried to calm yourself, a black cat approached and sat in front of you, leisurely licking its paws. "Hello there, cutie. Are you lost?" you asked, but since it's a cat, you only heard meows as a response.

Resting your head on your knees, you observed the cat and noticed some wounds on its legs. Quickly wiping away your tears, you tried to get a clearer look at it.

"You were hurt, kitty!" You exclaimed and were about to touch it when it hisses loudly.

"Don't be scared. I know that some people are bad, but not all," You said in a gentle tone and tried to hold it once again. Angry, the black cat swings its paws to scratch you. Fortunately, your reflexes are quick, so you dodge the attack, "Relax, kitty, I won't hurt you. I promise!"

"y/n! money is not gonna grow on trees. Get your ass back to work! Your break is over!" A man shouted from the store, causing you to flinch. You almost forgot that you're still on duty.

"Coming!" You answered before returning your gaze to the black cat. "Wait for me, kitty. My shift is almost over. I'll bring some medicines for your wounds, okay?" you smiled at it and went back inside.

Two hours later, your shift ended. You purchased some medical bandages and antiseptic for the cat, then went straight to the back of the convenience store to find it. However, the black cat was nowhere to be seen.

"What did I expect? Cats cannot understand human language," you said, dropping your shoulders. You felt a bit sad because you wanted to help the poor cat. "I should've treated the wounds earlier," you added.

As you were about to walk home, it started raining, and you became worried.

"It has wounds, and it's cold. The poor kitty might die!"

Your conscience wouldn't allow you to go home and abandon the wounded cat, so you began searching for it. You walked around, checking every nook and cranny near the convenience store. You looked under trees, up in branches, in bushes—everywhere, but there was no sign of the cat.

Despite getting cold, you are still determined to find the cat. You continued to roam around, not noticing that your feet had taken you to a park nearby.

There, you saw a couple of boys that looked like they were in senior middle school to first-year high school, circling around a black thing. They are wearing some kind of uniform but you certainly know that it's not a school uniform. 

"What are they do—" Your eyes widened when you realized that it's that black cat.

You hurriedly ran towards them and let go of the umbrella. "Hey! Hey! What are you doing?" you exclaimed, trying to push the boys away. The cat lay on the ground, barely moving.