A/N: I might go insane if I put "meow" on every paragraph, so no.

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‹Haku›

I was born on the road; a stray.

Just like my father, I inherited the grey gradation of my fur, while I got my pale blue eyes from my mother.

As a kitten, or as a child, growing up wandering around the streets was nothing but difficult. Of course, I had to learn not only from those who have given birth on me, but also to anyone, even enemies.

But being a homeless one gave light to the freedom that we all strays had. But be that as it may, our freedom sometimes is with the cost of our safety. Even for us, the world is not a safe place, not even for a child like me.

Of course, it was nothing more than a chore to rummage all around trash bins in search of anything that would fill our stomach, and sometimes they would be something that will take our life.

There were many ways to live, or rather, to survive. We could act alone, we could join in groups, or we could also give up the life of being a stray and seek out to the humans. Nevertheless, we do not know what the pride that humans talk of was.

Every single day, we were reminded of one thing—"Survive at all cost."

It was not long until I saw my father and mother for the last time, as they indefinitely left and never returned. To this day, I do not know what has happened to them.

Thus, I started my journey to survive alone.

It was never an easy life. Even as a stray, a cat can be inexperienced. There was so many times where I was chased by fellows for unknowingly infiltrating their turf. There were also the times where I had clashed with other kinds just to secure my source of food. There were also many unexpected circumstances that we had to avoid or go through to escape death. And there were also the moments where my mind blanks out from starvation after a day of failure.

But those times weren't all for naught.

I have not known how far I have gone, but in the midst of where my paws led me, I continued to observe, read the air, the movements not only of my fellows but also the other sorts. Humans are also cruel, but their way of approach is simple-minded, at least on what I have seen. They also have their own territory, and they will not hesitate to hurt you if you set foot. However, even they have their patterns.

But there were also kind humans who would graciously give us food, and the other cats respect the recipient and not start a tug of war.

I, a no-name, was neither strong nor weak. I did not have a territory, but I did not stay in one place. I was not known within our fellows, and I continued to be alone.

But there were also so many times where I wanted to give up. I was exhausted. I just wanted to lie down and rest my tired limbs in search for food. I just wanted to ultimately give up being a stray.

But I did not know a way out of it.

▪ ▪ ▪

One time, I was half-asleep. It felt like I was suspended in air whilst I continuously swung around in a small, dark space where the light only comes from a single direction. It felt unreal. I was as though I was moving, yet I was not using my feet. It felt amazing that I don't need to move anymore to go to places.

But then I stopped and the face of a human appeared from the light.

"It's okay, you won't be lonely anymore."

I have already been so tired to care at this point. I just let them led me to where they wanted me to go and closed my eyes to my slumber.

~ ~ ~

And then I woke up under the light that made me gaze upon so many of my fellows in one space. One thing that I knew was that I did not know a single face from that bunch. But nonetheless, they guided me to what appeared to be a new life for me.

At last, I didn't need to search for my food anymore, I had a soft place to sleep, and I didn't face the danger that I experienced on the streets. It was indeed a new life. I was delighted that I had decided to give up on my wild life, but somewhere deep, my body still vividly recalled the days of my endless walks and continuous fights. But it was now only a memory. Perhaps I am not the only one who wishes for our exhausting life to be replaced by something pleasant. And in a stretch of sequences that I don't clearly know, I was able to attain it.

▪ ▪ ▪

I was anxious as I thought that this life was going to end. Once again, I saw myself being transported to somewhere, but my worries eventually disappeared as I saw the same scene as I woke up that day, but with significantly less of my kind.

As I tried to wander around the place, I realized what it meant to be taken care of along with the others. We were treated equally and I loved every moment of it. Then I also realized the cat that I have become. Ever since the start, I was never one to familiarize myself to begin with. I chose to survive alone, and still chose to live by myself. I may have been around by my fellows, but I still decided to be alone.

Then once again, I started to observe. All of a sudden, the once empty space became filled with tables, soft chairs and beds. And then there was also the new but strange scent that I whiffed from somewhere in the room. From what I have seen in this life, it smelled like something was being made with fire, and it came out something like sweet, but also roasted.

After everything that has been placed in the room, I decided to pick a shelf to be my only place literally before the humans put anything on there. I thought that it was a very good decision of me to go to a place this high as eventually, humans that I do not know started to come in and out of the room every single day. But in certain times of the day, I realized that the sunlight was beaming at my spot and found out how much of a good find I got. The only times I ever get out of my spot is when I was given food by only the people I knew. I never once accepted any food from faces that I deem strangers.

But one day, I felt the urge to step out of this shelf after seeing one certain human. No one tried to offer me food, not even him; he was on the other side of the room, but I left my spot and walked towards that human on my own.

He was sitting on the softest bed of the place, and so I sat beside him and looked him in the eyes that resonated with mine. There was that thing that was called intuition, and it felt like I had it as I thought that I have the same eyes as this human.

"…

Your name is Haku from now on."

I found out long ago how much a name is special to someone. I had heard from many fellows that it was very rare to be given a name, and that those sheltered ones are mostly the ones to obtain a unique identification. Yet through my ears, I heard one for me.

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"Heave-ho…

Alright, Haku. From now on, this will be your new home. But I hope that you will adjust quickly on this brand new environment. I know that you may have been very used to your old place, but I promise you that it will be so much quieter here than the cafe, alright?"

I was astonished. That was the first time that a human tried to talk to me as he was looking directly at me, and sitting on the same floor as I sit. Immediately I realized that he was different from any other. I was treated differently but not cruelly.

I also learned that this was called a house, and this house, all I did was sit around, sleep, follow the human, and yet I am still enjoying myself. Somehow, for reasons that I didn't even know, I found peace in this home.

But that wasn't the only thing. I found out something that I haven't seen from a human in my entire life. I did not need any basis to know what was going on—all I knew was that he is sad, crying by himself in the darkness of his room before he closed his eyes to sleep. I then hopped on beside him as he lied down and saw the sorrowful look on his face as he softly spoke.

"Thank you…"

But as though what I have seen was not yet enough, what followed felt so much more painful. Instead of the silent cries, he was able to voice all those whispers that he had in one single moment that was also new to me.

Ultimately, he has changed after that. But then another human—a girl has entered the picture ever since then. But one thing that I realized the most is that I have grown fond of this one person that calls himself Gin. Not even realizing it, I began to observe not only him, not only the girl, but also the people around him. For some reason, they were not strangers in my eyes.

…

One time, I noticed that Gin and the girl were watching something on the screen, and with the timing I had, I learned the words "Aruji" and "Ojou" with its meaning.

And thus, I chose to address them like those respectively, and I continued to observe the two of them for the years to come.

I learned, and learned, and learned, until I was at least able to grasp the concepts that the humans hold.

▪ ▪ ▪

I was astonished anew.

"Oh, are you hungry, Haku?" the human named Mato asked as I smelt a rather strange but fragrant smell. It was in the middle of the night, and nevertheless, I only shook my head.

"Oh, come on, you can talk to us if you want you know. At least if you try and fail to reach out to Gin time and time again, there's someone who can talk to you."

(!)

It felt as though my thoughts were read like a book. I have always mumbled to myself that I have tried to reach out to Aruji so many times but only to fail. In the hopelessness that no one will ever hear my voice, I always cried my sentiments out loud in disappointment. But in that night, my thoughts have ultimately changed.

"Meow… (I have some things to do that I chose on my own. So don't tell Aruji about it if he ever asks you. Either way, it's better not to know.)"

"Oh my, he really talked to us! Is this real or is it because of the sake, Mato-san?" the other human in the strange clothes exclaimed.

"Nah, what we're hearing is real. But even I'm surprised that he talks so clearly."

"Then please have a refill."

"Ah, thanks, please do~"

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"Hah?! You're saying that you heard him, even after more than a year of being under the same roof?"

"I-I think I did…"

"Meow. (Yep, you really did.)"

"…!"

It was the happiest time of my life.

The fact that I was heard by the person that I most admire and relate to has finally heard my voice. If anything, I was overjoyed deep inside me. The thought that I was now able to talk equally with this person had made me become different, but entirely indifferent in his eyes—as the wall that mediates between our differences have finally crumbled.

I was thankful enough that Aruji did not see me as a pet, but as a friend. No one between us is above or below. We continue to satiate our weaknesses and the things that we can't do. I have become aware that Ringo-ojou has a more significant existence than I have, but I am utterly glad that I can stand… or sit between the two of them as though we are all the same.

In contrast, I have never wished to become the same as them in a physical sense. The world in the eyes of Aruji is something that negates their own logic, but I know that something like that could never happen. I am very much satisfied with the life that I now have, and I am so glad that I do not have a heavy thing that I will give up on.

This is well enough for all of my wishes.

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‹Gin›

Another Saturday, another day off; and I found myself generously wrapped on my blanket as the weather has gotten colder and colder. It was not very important to notice, but I didn't feel the warmth I always feel either on my sides, my stomach, or my face.

"He's awake early…"

My upper body jumped up from my bed and kicked my legs up to finally get up. I am never one to vigorously get up unless I have woken up late or in a rush…

But for some reason, my foot did not land on the floor.

"I really should clean this room…"

"…"

Shut the fluff up, Gin Sakato. No, I won't.

"Yawn~

Ahh… Aruji…?"

.

.

.

There is a person, a young man, sleeping on the floor of my room.

"WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON?!"

‹Haku›

But I think that at some point… I asked myself even if just once; what if I was indeed the same as them.