Little Tiger

Fever Dream

"Ko, you've got another client coming in at two, can you manage that?" 

"Sure." 

"Koharu, I can't remember how to get to the calendar on the computer." 

"Give me a second, I'll show you." 

"Ko-Ko, I've got to run out to the store--Toya and I are thirsty. Would you mind answering the phones until then? Kyo's not very nice over the phone, so I don't want him answering them."

"Okay." 

"My mistake--Ko, the client is coming in at one-forty-five. That still good?" 

"Yeah, that's fine." 

"No, no, you have to cut at an angle, like I showed you, remember? Wait, don't do that! Here, let me show you. Now...at an angle, like...this. See? I have to finish these suits in an hour, so I've got to run!" 

"Koharu, why are there three clients for one-forty-five?" 

"I don't know, you did the scheduling." 

"Well, there are three clients for one-forty-five." 

"Well, I can only do one at a time, you'll have to call the other two and put them at a later time." 

"What about two instead?" 

"I can't finish a haircut in fifteen minutes. Do three--Why are you handing the phone to me?" 

"Because Ayame said I'm not allowed to use it." 

"Well, give me a second." 

"Ko! I forgot to tell you that I accidentally scheduled another appointment for three earlier this week. Can you do that?" 

"Probably not, I'm supposed to have another client for three." 

"Well, this is a priority client, so you'll need to take her first." 

"So, Koharu, when do I schedule these other two clients?" 

"What does the calendar look like?" 

"It's completely booked." 

I woke up in Ayame's bed. The sun was setting. Everything was calm again. Silence. I stretched my paws out in front of me, growling contentedly, my tail swishing leisurely against the mattress. A big yawn, my back arching, my claws tearing into the sheets. My claws? My tail? I growled? 

Just as I was about to panic, Ayame walked in. "Woah! Still freaks me out." He exhaled anxiously, putting a hand over his chest as he looked at me. "Wait, wait, wait! Don't get up, please! You'll wreck the place. Just," he put his hands on my back, "lay down," he pushed me onto the bed once more, my limbs coming out from under me and spreading out on either side of me like those animal skin rugs. I was terribly weak, an exhausted purr escaping me. 

"What happened?" 

Ayame sat down on the edge of the bed, tentatively reaching his hand to pet my head. "You're sick, obviously. You collapsed while cutting that woman's hair." 

I lifted my head slightly, my heart racing. "Did I--?" 

He shook his head. "No, you didn't turn into a tiger until after I brought you up here, thankfully. No one saw you." 

I shifted to my side, my movements wobbly and inexperienced. 

"We can talk later. You should get some rest, you've been working too hard recently. So hard that you caught a cold." He situated the blanket so it was pulled over me, as if a tiger even required a blanket.