"Okay… I think that would work," Morgana groaned. "I'm really not looking forward to acting like a cat."
"Sorry," Ren said quietly. "But you look the part, and it's the safest way to handle this. Boss seems rough, but… I think he's a softie."
He hesitated. "Kind of reminds me of Uncle Dojima…"
"Who?" Morgana began—then stopped as the bell over Leblanc's door chimed.
"Kid, you're almost late."
Sojiro looked up from the counter. "Got a call from the school today. Said you got into it with a teacher."
Ren flinched.
"You're lucky your homeroom teacher followed up," Sojiro continued. "Apparently your record got leaked. I get why you'd be pissed. But still—keep your head down."
"Sorry about that, Boss…" Ren muttered.
The flinch didn't go unnoticed. Sojiro narrowed his eyes.
Morgana leaned closer to Ren in his bag. "Do you think this will really work?" he whispered.
"Huh?" Sojiro said, peering closer. "Is that a cat?"
Ren swallowed. "Yeah. Um—could you come upstairs? I don't want to scare him."
"Him?" Sojiro echoed, clearly confused.
---
Upstairs.
"So let me get this straight," Sojiro said, arms crossed. "You found this cat tied to a bench at Shibuya Station?"
"Yes," Ren said quickly. "He was meowing a lot."
He gently scratched the definitely-not-a-cat's head.
"Hey! I am not a cat—don't you dare—purrrrrrr."
Sojiro stared.
Then sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I've heard cats make decent therapy animals. And this one seems attached."
He glanced at Ren. "You can keep it. But you clean up after it. No kitchen, no counter-hopping, no funny business. The whole shebang. Got it?"
"Crystal, sir."
"Haaaah…" Sojiro exhaled. "Does it have a name?"
"Morgana," Ren replied.
"Fancy," Sojiro nodded. "Alright. Give me a minute."
As he headed back downstairs, he muttered under his breath,
"Damn. I wanted to name him…"
"He seems nice... You call him boss?" Morgana asked.
"Yeah," Ren said gently.
"I've only known him for a few days and he seems like a good guy...but..." He clenched his fist very hard.
"Ren?" Morgana asked in worry
"It's nothing." Ren said quickly.
Before Morgana could continue, Sojiro walked up the stairs, "aghhh I can't with the meowing. You must be hungry buddy."
As he set the dish of fish on the table, Morgana nearly jumped across the room.
"Fooooooooood!"
---
Elsewhere
"THAT BITCH!"
Kamoshida slammed his phone onto his desk.
"Ignoring my calls?" he snarled. "Who does she think she is?"
He paced the room, fingers tightening around the volleyball in his hand.
"She thinks she can embarrass me? Disappear without permission?"
The ball struck the wall with a heavy thud.
A vein pulsed at his temple as he turned back to his desk.
"After everything I've given her…"
A knock came at the door before the door creaked open.
Mishima stepped inside, shoulders hunched.
"K-Kamoshida-sensei… I looked all around and couldn't find Suzui," he said quietly.
"Some people said she quit the team."
Kamoshida stopped.
For a moment, he just stared at him.
Then he cracked his neck. His knuckles followed.
Mishima barely had time to flinch before Kamoshida grabbed him by the hair and threw him fully into the room.
The door slamming shut behind them.
----