Chapter Text
Akatsuka High School — 20XX
“Where is it?! Where is it?! WHERE IS IT?! ”
Her lungs were burning. Her skin was stinging from the frigid rain that pelted her skin. And yet she couldn’t stop running. She had to keep looking. It didn’t matter that she was caked in mud from thigh to collar and hypothermia was imminent. All that mattered was—
She stopped dead in her tracks — out of shock or relief, she wasn’t sure. Probably both.
The longer she looked, definitely both.
A boy — a very familiar boy, one that she never would’ve expected to be here — knelt down beside her waterlogged bookbag. He paid no mind to the bag’s contents scattered across the lawn, or even the rain making his hair and uniform stick to his skin. No, instead his hooded eyes and lazy smile were directed down at the last thing any Akastuka High student would’ve ever expected: a tiny, mud-caked orange kitten snuggled tightly in his uniform jacket.
Finally, she could breathe. And suddenly, the rain didn’t seem so cold. The warm and fuzzies spread throughout her body so fast, that an infatuated smile just naturally settled on her face. Everything was right in the world and the torrential storm was gone.
Except, not really. Her uniform was soaked and there were even specks of hail dropping around her. And so she found herself sneezing before she even realized it, causing the shaggy-haired boy to snap his head up in panic. He buried the kitten deeper into his jacket and whipped around in a frenzy in search of the onlooker.
But there was nothing but rain in the courtyard.
Now it was his turn to sigh in relief. He looked down at the kitten, smile returning, and stood.
“We should get you inside, yeah?”
As he walked back into the school building, he paid no mind to the rustle of bushes behind him, and therefore did not notice the girl poking her head up to watch him, a furious blush and look of absolute longing painting her face.
Shinjuku — Today
Ichimatsu always stocked up on cat food and shelter structures for June. Most of the year, on the occasional rainy day, he knew he could get away with just stealing one of the tarps from his Mom’s garden shed to protect the especially vulnerable neighborhood cats. But the violent, torrential storms of June were another beast entirely.
He’d seen many an alley flooded out and although he tried to harbor as many cats as he could during these months, he knew it was never enough. (Not to mention Matsuyo had seriously put her foot down this year — a hard cap at five cats, ONLY allowed in the Sextuplets’ bedroom).
And so when the first rainy day of the month rolled through, suffice it to say Ichimatsu was thoroughly prepared, looking more like he was going on a weeks long backpacking trip from the size of his rucksack. So much so in fact, that even by the time he’d gotten to the end of Akatsuka Ward and crossed into Shinjuku, his pack was only half empty. And he was fucking exhausted. It was definitely past ten now. The thought crossed his mind that maybe it was about time to call it a day, but the nagging weight of his pack quickly shooed that away. There was still too much to do. He really just needed a break.
He paused momentarily at the mouth of another alley. There was a canopy off of one of the business’ back doors with a few steps that rose just high enough to serve as a decent refuge from the river currently running across his rain boots. Perfect.
He settled down on the step, slumping over with a groan. He couldn’t remember how long he’d been on his feet at this point. His eyelids were feeling more and more heavy. Maybe he’d just take a little nap here. Just to recharge. Just a quick one...
“ Meeew .”
Ichimatsu’s eyes flew open. He looked back and forth around the alley. But it was empty save for the water-logged trash bags littered about. Was he just hearing things? Maybe it was time to call it a day…
“M— Mmmmeeww …”
No, he definitely heard it that time. He immediately shot up and quickly made his way deeper into the alley, determined, frantic.
That meow wasn’t normal. It was faint, wheezy, fading. Ichimatsu was almost scared to find it. But he was way more scared by what could happen if he didn’t find it — if he were to wait and brush it off as his imagination.
“— ewwwr…”
Just as he got closer, he could hear the whimpers growing fainter. He hurled aside glass bottles and full trash bags with frenzied abandon.
“Where is it? Where is it?! WHERE IS IT?!”
He dropped down to his knees, hard enough that he knew there’d be bruises the next day. But it didn’t matter. He ducked down to look under the dumpster and his heart dropped.
The absolute tiniest kitten he had ever seen — fur so dingy and matted he couldn’t even tell what color it was. It laid out on its side, paw-pads almost bluish-black — one of the front of which was completely mangled and twisted. If it weren’t for the occasional twitch of its good front paw, and one more weak “ mew” , Ichimatsu would have thought it was already dead.
He tried to pick the kitten up both as carefully and quickly as he could, relieved to hear it let out another little whimper. He pulled the kitten up into his the collar of his jacket, wrapping and warming it as best he could, but the second he felt that soaking, matted fur against his collar bone, he knew it wasn’t enough.
He had to get help.
Ichimatsu booked it out of the alley, looking back and forth with every step he took — for a vet, for a pet store, for ANYTHING that was open. ANYONE that would help.
There was an unprecedented moment of quiet at the Fujio Emergency Veterinary Hospital. The Emergency Vet on call for the night, took it as a moment to catch her breath. While the night shifts were usually less busy than the day, the combination of heat waves and bad weather had kept her operating table more than a little full tonight. So she was sure that this momentary lull wouldn’t last long. And with this work-related satori , she decided to pour herself an extra mug of coffee from the front desk, during which she couldn’t help but notice the long exaggerated yawn coming from the Vet Tech.
“Tired already?” she chuckled, “Your shift just started Uehara-kun.”
“I know, but it’s so slow .” he groaned.
She gave him a quick swat on the back of the head, “Oi. We’re in a hospital. That talk is illegal here.”
He ignored her scolding, spinning around in his chair to look at her, “Stay up here and talk to me.”
His superior laughed, “About what?”
“You just had your High School Reunion right?” Uehara asked, “How was it?”
“Uh, normal I guess…?”
He cocked a brow.
“What do you want me to say?!” she whined.
“More than that! You haven’t seen these people in ten years, right?” he insisted, “Any sworn enemies that got super fat?!”
She laughed, “No!”
“What about High School Loves rekindled?” he fake-swooned, obviously joking.
“No—!”
She paused, mind immediately jumping back to those moments at the bar, to a certain someone she’d seen out of the corner of her eye.
His eyes widened, “Wait… Did something actually happen?!”
“N-No!” she squealed.
“Yuna.”
“N-No, really.” She finally got her bearings, “I just saw this old crush…”
“ And ?”
“And what? I just saw him. Nothing happened.”
He cocked a brow at her.
“ Nothing happened.” She insisted, “Why are you getting so hung up on this?”
Uehara snorted, an unconvincing display of false-indifference, “I’m not hung up.”
“Good. We can change the subject then.” she said, diving deep into her coffee.
“Fine with me.”
“ Fine .”
And the room went silent, filled only with sips of coffee, the sounds of the distant rain, and the ticking clock.
Tick. Tick. Tick—
“...So does this guy still live in Tokyo?”
“Kenta—”
BWAM!!
Suddenly, the front door of the clinic slammed open so fast and hard, the shop bell flew off, ricocheting off the wall and clattering onto the hard floor violently. The Veterinary Staff snapped to the door in shock, staring at the hooded, very ominous figure standing in the doorway.
“W-What in the— ” Uehara sputtered, “Sir, do you have a—”
But the man just stormed forward wordlessly, the large backpack he wore rattling with the sound of grinding metal, paying no mind to the complete torrent he tracked in behind him or the words directed at him.
“Sir can we help— just stop for a sec— SIR!!!!”
Uehara immediately stood up and put an arm in front of his boss defensively, who was already pulling out her own cell phone to dial 110. This dude was obviously some next level of crazy.
She was one touch away from hitting the call icon when she heard the man’s choked sob.
“P-Please.”
She turned to him and — now close enough to get a good look at his face — her breath caught in her throat.
“You—” she started, but then noticed the movements of his hands.
Or more specifically, the kitten he pulled out of his jacket.
She gasped and rushed out from around the counter. Her hands were over his in an instant, fingers gently feeling for the kitten’s pulse and temperature.
“How long has she been like this?” she asked, examining the kitten’s disfigured paw.
“I-I don’t know.” he rasped, “I found her in an alley and no other vets were open and I just— CAN YOU DO SOMETHING?!”
She didn’t flinch at the outburst, only carefully took the kitten from his hands into her own and turned to her Tech. “She needs a warm I.V injection, X-Rays, and we may need to prep for surgery.”
“Yes, Sensei.” Uehara responded, in full-work mode as his boss hurried to the back operating room.
He pulled on a pair of gloves and started to make his way after her when he noticed the stranger starting to follow. “No. You stay here.”
“B-But—”
“NO. If you want to stay, you’ll have to take a seat and wait. I’m serious.”
Uehara almost asked him to leave entirely when he heard the strange man let out something akin to a growl . But finally the man relented, stomping over to a waiting room chair and plopping down — muttering something akin to death threats all along the way.
Uehara still wasn’t too sure that this purple-clad kitten-savior wasn’t also a serial killer. But he’d let it slide for now.
It was another hour before “The Lady Vet”, as Ichimatsu was currently calling her in his head, emerged from the back. During that time, Ichimatsu had tried desperately to keep himself from destroying the whole reception area of the clinic in panic by constantly wrapping and unwrapping a loose thread from his hoodie around his thumbs.
He paused momentarily at one point to stare at his hand. The Lady Vet had brushed her own hand against it when she took the kitten from it. Under normal circumstances, this would’ve been enough overstimulation that he would’ve been freaking out about it (and to be more honest with himself, creeping out about it) for the rest of the day, if not week. But this time, it was just a passing thought, a momentary break from the absolute mental breakdown he was having.
The shitty side of his personality he wasn’t able to control quite as well was the overwhelming anger and murderous intent he felt everytime that damn glossy-haired Vet Tech came out to the Reception. To answer a phone, to check in a dog that had come through for a few stitches, to get coffee — FUCKING COFFEE — at one point.
Ichimatsu wanted to blow up at him each and every time he came out, but he could sense he was already on very thin ice with the pretty boy, and so he restrained himself.
But when The Lady Vet did finally emerge from the back, dressed not in the Lab Coat and scrubs she had been in when he first came in, but a full on surgical gown, and wiping sweat from her forehead, he couldn’t hold himself back any longer. He leapt up from the waiting area and was in front of her, almost climbing over the reception desk, in an instant.
“How is she?!” he demanded.
The Lady Vet smiled and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “She’s gonna be just fine.”
Ichimatsu let out a deep sigh of relief and with it, all the tension in his body that had been keeping him standing at this point. The exhaustion finally caught up to him and he sank down to the floor slowly.
“Thank God.” he muttered.
She knelt down, joining Ichimatsu on the floor.
“It was grim for a while there. She was severely dehydrated and that foot, well… we had to amputate. There just weren’t even any bones left. It was most likely run over by something…”
Ichimatsu nodded, “C-Can… Can I see her?”
She looked at him sympathetically, “No I’m sorry. She’s still gonna have to be under observation for the night, not to mention she’s very unconscious right now.”
Ichimatsu looked up at the Lady Vet’s smile and he immediately fell backwards and scurried away, blushing furiously at the proximity. T-Too close!
“You can head home now.” Uehara said, suddenly appearing defensively over his boss, “It's not like you’re her owner, right?”
Ichimatsu started to regain what little composer he could typically muster, pulling himself to his feet, “N-No, but I—”
“We work hand in hand with a great No-Kill Shelter nearby, and kittens this young get adopted like that .” he snapped for emphasis, “After she recovers from the surgery, she’ll certainly have a wonderful life.”
“ Uehara …” she chided him.
But he continued, “And of course we won’t charge you for the expenses. So you’re all good here. You have absolutely nothing to worry about.”
“A-Ah. That’s… good…”
It was good, really. He knew that. He certainly couldn’t take this kitten home and of course being adopted was the best thing for her. But still...
“I’ll go then…” he muttered, turning.
...There was something about this that just wasn’t right. Not even being able to see the kitten in good health? It was just over and done with too soon. But what more could he do?
The Vet shot a glare at her tech, who blinked in confusion. “What?”
She waved him off and turned to reach over the Reception Desk, “Just let me—”
She fumbled around through some papers before hooking what she wanted.
“Wait, hold on!” she called out, hurrying up to Ichimatsu.
He turned, immediately freezing as the Lady Vet took his hand in her own.
“Wh-Wha—?!”
She placed a business card in his palm.
“She’ll be in our care for a good couple of weeks while she heals up, so please feel free to call and check up on her anytime. Now’s not a good time, but once she’s awake and a little stronger, I’m sure we can arrange a playdate, Matsuno-kun.” she smiled sweetly.
Boom.
Ichimatsu’s brain completely imploded.
D-D- DATE ?! PLAYDATE?!?
His body instantly set aflame in panic — pits soaked, teeth chattering — and where the fuck had all the air in the room gone?!?!
She was touching him. Her hand was so warm. And —oh god — she was looking at him, waiting for a response. Her sparkling face was all he could see — and then those huge tits, oh fuck and her ass! It was too much, too much TOO MUCH—!
He ripped his arm from her grasp with a scream before booking it out of the clinic, door slamming just as hard behind him as when he first barged in.
Aside from the light chiming of the bell which was once again rolling on the floor, the Clinic Reception was absolutely silent. Until:
“...So you’re into incels, huh?”
The Vet went beet red and immediately snapped around, pulling the stethoscope off of her shoulders and hurling it at Uehara.
His lungs were burning. His skin was stinging from the frigid rain that pelted him. And yet he couldn’t stop running. It didn’t matter that the cat food in his back was smacking the back of his head and that a concussion was imminent. All that mattered was—
Several blocks away, Ichimastu finally came to a stop, bending over and clutching his knees as he wheezed to quell the fire in his lungs from the 1,000 meter dash he just did. And yet his brain kept running a mile a minute.
What is WRONG with that woman?! She was so close! TOO CLOSE! Why was she so FLIRTY?! And with trash like me?!
And in the midst of his internal screaming (which had very quickly turned to external screaming if the way the few pedestrians around suddenly speeding up away from him was any indication) — he realized something.
“I’m sure we can arrange a playdate, Matsuno-kun .”
He blinked.
Wait. Hold on a second.
He definitely didn’t tell her his name, he didn’t get the chance (nor would he have had the verbal ability to in all honesty). He looked down to check his clothes. Nope, Matsuno wasn’t written anywhere.
Had they met before? No, no, no, no way. There was no way he’d ever forget meeting an absolute hottie like that. Maybe she’d met one of his brothers before and thought he was them.
There it was, that had to be it. But even then, he felt like whoever she’d met would’ve definitely bragged about it.
Something like:
“Yo, I met this super hot, big-tittied bitch-doctor. I mean dog-doctor. Ahhh, man but seriously, her tits we’re soooooo great.”
Or.
“A Goddess of Animals and Medicine has joined the ranks of Karamatsu Girls today. Perhaps she has the skills to mend the wounded heart of this Guilty Guy .”
Or!
“...she was really cute, but she’s also a Doctor , and I just don’t think it’s worth pursuing a relationship with someone who’s gonna think she’s smarter than me, you know? Of course she’s an animal doctor and is that even a real doctor because IfeellikeifsheactuallygoesbyDr.that’sjustsopretentiousandI—”
OR!
“WE PLAYED FETCH! NEXT TIME IT’LL BE BASEBALL FOR SURE! THAT’S BASICALLY FETCH! AND IT’LL BE MUSTLE MUSTLE! HUSTLE HUSTLE!”
OR!
“...Huh? Did I meet someone? I meet plenty of people. How’s that any of your business?”
...
Ichimatsu scowled. Okay, maybe Totty wouldn’t tell them. So there’s always the possibility she met him and he wouldn’t know. But still.
He opened up his palm, staring critically down at the business card she’d secured in his hand. Just who was she? He read the card.
Dr. Yuna Ishii.
Huh. Ichimatsu shoved the card back into his pocket.
Never heard of her.