Chapter 43: Adopt a Kitty
Together, they walked the quiet streets, carrying the box with the stray kitten inside, making their way to the nearest animal rescue center.
As soon as they arrived, the staff came over to greet them. After hearing what had happened, one of them reached for the box.
But before taking it, she paused.
"Have you two considered adopting it?" she asked.
Yukima Azuma shook his head gently. "I'd really like to... but realistically, I don't think I can. My living situation makes it difficult."
The staff member nodded with a small, unreadable expression.
"I see."
Azuma turned his eyes to the kitten one more time. Its fur was tangled and dirty, but those eyes—one golden, one a pale icy blue—shone with a rare and almost mystical beauty.
"Can I come back to visit it?" he asked. "Maybe donate some food, check in on it..."
The staff's expression turned apologetic.
"I'm afraid not. If you want to do something for it, it has to be now. There might not be a next time."