Chapter 5: Greetings

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The man chuckles. "Did you hear that from the others?"

"Oh, gomenasai!" I apologize. "Is that not your name?"

Maybe "Kyo" was a nickname?

"My name's Ukyo," he says. "Some of my brothers call me Kyo-nii."

"Ah, that makes sense," I say, blushing. "Ema's told me a little about you. I hear you're a cook?"

Ukyo glances at Ema, who blushes. "I'm actually a lawyer," he explains, "But I do a lot of the cooking around here."

"When he's not being a pervy lawyer he's actually a good psuedo-mom."

"Huh? Pseudo-mom?" I mumble. Who just said that? 

Ukyo tilts his head. "Ah, the boys do like to call me that sometimes, but it's a little embarrassing." His forced smile tells me he hates it. 

I turn to Ema, but her attention is on a fuzzy grey thing sitting on her shoulder. 

Wait, that wasn't there before.

"Ema, what's that?" I point to the creature.

"Oh, this is Juli. He's my pet squirrel."

Can you keep squirrels as pets? 

"Oh, nice to meet you, Juli," I say. Then I glance around the floor. I don't see anyone else, and if it wasn't Ukyo or Ema who spoke just a second ago then...

I shake my head. No way. Squirrels don't talk. I must be hearing things.

Juli scratches behind the pink bow around his neck. "Who's this, Chii? A friend from school?" his little mouth moves.

My jaw drops. 

Oh. My. God.

"Ema, did Juli just talk?" 

Ukyo looks concerned for me, but in the least judgemental way.

Ema looks equally shocked, but it's Juli's eyes who grow as big as saucers. He glances from Ema to me, and repeats.

"Wait, you can understand me?" the squirrel squeaks.

I'm too afraid to nod. "This is my life now," I mutter to myself. 

My friend has a talking squirrel for a pet.

"Well, he's the only pet we keep in the house right now," says Ukyo, trying to spark up conversation again. He must think I'm weird for saying such things, but he does a good job of brushing over it. "I'm just about to make tea. Would you like some, Mai-san?"

"I think I can take a cup," I say. I walk over to the dining table and plunk down in one of the chairs. "I just need a minute."

While Ukyo sets the kettle to boil Ema and Juli come and join me. 

"I'm sorry about that," Ema says hastily. "Not many people can understand Juli'."

"I never would've guessed," I say, sarcasm oozing from my tone. "Ne, so that means you two can understand each other?"

Juli nods. "I'm Chii's protective guardian. It's the least I can do to make sure none of the horndogs in this house lay a hand on her." 

He crosses his little arms. I fight the urge to tell him how adorable he looks.

"Uh-huh." I lean back in the chair. "I mean, I used to talk to cats, but I guess now I talk to squirrels, too."

"Louis calls us 'kindred spirits,'" Juli says. "He can understand me, too. We're part of the Coalition to Protect Chii."

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