"They really came looking to buy Kasumigaoka Utaha's stockings and panties!"
Yoru muttered bitterly as he pushed open the door to his apartment. After taking off his shoes at the entrance, he walked in.
The fat cat San-san was fast asleep on the soft sofa.
Cats were nocturnal, after all.
"San-san, I met a cute girl today who has the same name as you."
As he passed by the sleeping cat, Yoru gently stroked its plump body.
"If only you, my little girl cat, could be as cute as her."
He chuckled and walked into the kitchen to prepare his low-fat diet meal.
Three hundred grams of cooked high-quality rice provided the necessary carbs.
Low oil, low salt. Vegetables and lean meats were fine to eat.
Just avoid oily skin and fat.
Yoru used a rice cooker to make the rice, then pulled out a bunch of fresh lettuce from the fridge.
He washed it, blanched it briefly in hot water, and laid it neatly on a plate.
Then he threw minced garlic into a pan, added a bit of soy sauce, salt, chili, and oil, along with some water.
He boiled it down, then poured the sauce evenly over the lettuce.
A low-oil version of garlic oyster sauce lettuce—done!
Yoru clapped his hands, a bit proud of himself.
He had long realized he had a bit of talent for cooking.
Next up was preparing some meat.
The fridge was packed with supplies.
He took out a chunk of imported frozen beef, sliced it up generously without hesitation.
The beef was from South America—cheaper than domestic meat and easy to eat guilt-free.
Many BBQ joints, restaurants, and buffets used this kind of meat.
While the beef was marinating, Yoru sliced half an onion to stir-fry with the meat later.
He blanched the beef, drained it, then added a bit of oil to the pan.
Then came the beef and onion…
After finishing his lunch, Yoru returned to the sofa in the living room to rest and digest.
To be honest, diet meals didn't fill him up. When hungry, he just drank more water.
By afternoon, San-san, who'd been sleeping all morning, finally woke up.
"Meow~"
The first thing the cat did was leap into Yoru's lap and nuzzle against him.
"I'll take you out in a bit." Yoru picked up the fat cat. It was so soft and round, extremely pleasant to hold.
Not long after, he fed San-san a bit of food.
Then, braving the blazing sun, Yoru carried San-san outside.
There was a pet clinic about a kilometer away on the nearby commercial street.
Under the harsh sun, Yoru finally reached the clinic. It was empty inside except for a woman in a white coat—an older pet doctor.
"I'd like to have my cat's fur trimmed a bit, remove some knots, do internal and external deworming, and get her vaccinated."
The clinic was small. Yoru addressed the woman directly.
"First take her to the back for a wash. I'll write up an order. Just a moment," the woman said, pointing to a door inside.
"Okay, thank you."
Yoru replied casually and carried San-san through the door.
Behind it was the grooming area and the pet boarding space.
"Meow meow~ Red Bean~ meow~"
As soon as he entered, Yoru saw Yukinoshita Yukino crouched on the floor wearing a vet's smock, playing with a kitten in a cage using a toy wand.
Yukinoshita Yukino, like Utaha and Eriri, was one of the top-tier beauties at Shuchiin Academy.
At a school full of wealthy elite children, good looks were almost a given.
There were plenty of cute and pretty girls.
"Uhh... excuse me..."
Yoru stood at the door for a while. Yukino was so focused on playing with the kitten that she hadn't noticed him.
Finally, he couldn't help but speak.
"Ah, sorry..."
Startled, Yukino quickly stood up, flustered.
Her expression, and the way she had been playing with the cat just moments ago—Yoru saw it all.
'I didn't expect the 'Ice Queen' Yukinoshita Yukino to have this side to her.'
'Boys at Shuchiin who like her probably have no idea what she's like behind the scenes.'
Yoru secretly muttered in his heart, recalling what little he knew about her.
Just that she was called the Ice Queen, academically excellent, and he'd seen her from a distance maybe twice.
No real impression beyond that.
They weren't familiar at all.
After standing up, Yukino spent a few seconds masking her expression and emotions.
After all, doing something like that in front of others—especially someone of the opposite sex—was bound to make her feel a bit embarrassed.
"You seem to be thinking some rather impolite thoughts, Pervert Criminal Classmate."
Yukino had recognized the visitor standing before her.
Yoru wasn't surprised. In a way, he was already a known figure—just with a notorious reputation.
"It wasn't me who stole it." Yoru didn't want to waste his breath with a beautiful girl like Yukino. He casually rebutted her, then set San-san down on the floor.
"Give her a wash and trim the matted fur," he said afterward.
"So chubby, so round," Yukinoshita's eyes were instantly drawn to the fat cat. She muttered it unconsciously.
Yoru's expression didn't change one bit.
He didn't giddily rejoice like a child over uncovering this unknown side of one of the academy's top beauties.
"She's so cute. So chubby. Is this your cat?"
Yukino suddenly picked San-san up and even glanced at Yoru as she asked.
"Yeah." Yoru nodded in slight surprise.
Yukinoshita Yukino had actually initiated a conversation with him?
"What's her name?" Yukino held San-san up, her clear blue eyes widening slightly. Was that a smile?
"San-san. Written with the character for 'three'."
Yoru looked at Yukino and continued, "You seem to really like cats?"
"My personal preferences don't concern you, Pervert Criminal Classmate."
Yukino's face turned cold in an instant. She glanced at Yoru with a frosty glare.
"That's my cat…"
Yoru shrank back a little.
"No wonder she's so fat living with you. Not cute at all..."
Yukino's hands continued to gently rub San-san even as she shot Yoru another icy look.
"Huh… wait a minute..."
"She's actually quite slim. Just looks fat because of her fur?"
Yukino looked down in surprise at San-san, whose round amber eyes darted about curiously as she obediently rested in her arms.
"What?" Yoru froze.
San-san... was considered slim?
If she ate just a bit more and reached a normal weight, wouldn't she turn into a rolling black puffball?
Wouldn't she jiggle all over when she walked?
Also, didn't you just say my San-san was cute!?
"As her owner, you're not starving her or anything, right? Not giving her enough food?"
Yukino hugged San-san protectively, with a look that made it seem like she was the rightful owner. She stared at Yoru suspiciously.