Cats and the Camellia Train - Chapter 9

Location: Cat Café in the Streetcar

Nazuna: Keito-chin, sorry I made you wait~ ♪

Keito: Hmpf, I didn’t wait so long that you need to say that. Rather, what is that, Nito?

Nazuna: A store apron. Here you go. There’s still time until the café opens, but for now, you should change into this, Keito-chin.

Keito: So I just tie this around my waist? ...Uwoh, a bunch of cats are approaching me for some reason!?

Nazuna: Cats are sensitive to smells, you know~. I figured the cats were probably avoiding you because of the scent of the incense, so I borrowed the apron.

And looking at this situation, I guess I was right on the money ♪

Keito: Y-yes. It’s startling how many cats are approaching me now.

Ooh, a cat is rubbing his face on my leg! How cute, it’s so soothing! Ha Ha Ha ☆

Nazuna: Keito-chin, your tension’s gotten weird~? Ahaha, so you’re happy you’re well-liked by the cats now, huh.

Uwawah? A cat jumped at me! I-it’s so heavy I can’t move~?

Souma: Nito-dono, are you okay?

Nazuna: Y-yeah. Souma-chin, you’re amazing~. This guy’s pretty heavy, but you just lifted him up like it was nothing.

Souma: I work out, so I can do these things with ease.

Fufu, “Hana”, have you been well? Now, now, don’t lick my cheek. It tickles ♪

Nazuna: Huuh, that cat sure seems attached to Souma-chin. Could it be that you’re a regular at this place?

Souma: No, I just happened to meet “Hana” at school. Explaining the whole story would take a while, so I’ll spare you the details, but I’ve only recently come to know this little guy.

So this is my first time at something like a “cat café”... Nito-dono, have you come to an establishment like this before?

Nazuna: Yeah. Not frequently, but when I feel like petting some animals I use them.

Well, I’ve got a rabbit at home, so I get to pet it pretty much every day anyway.

Hana~, there, there ♪

Huh? Actually, this is a tomcat. You’re called “Hana” even though you’re a boy?

Souma: Aah, no. “Hana” is the name of the store. ...Hm, now that you say it, I still don’t know his real name. Maybe I should ask someone from the café and have them tell me.

Arashi: Souma-chan, Nazuna-chan, are you enjoying the cat café?

Souma: Ooh, Narukami-dono! I’m in high spirits because I got to meet “Hana” again ♪

Arashi: Geez, his name isn’t “Hana”, it’s “Maru”. It’d be troublesome if he started remembering the wrong name, so please call him Maru.

Maru-chan, there, there...♪

Souma: Fufu. I’ve found out your name by chance.

It’s a name that captures your characteristics perfectly, “Maru”* ♪

Nazuna: Arashi-chin, thanks for inviting me.

Arashi: I’m the one who should be thanking you. Ra*bits is so busy preparing for “StarFes”, and yet you agreed right away, it really saved me ♪

Nazuna: Getting to pet cute cats is fun. Besides, you’re always looking after Mitsuru-chin, so don’t hesitate to ask me for help whenever something’s troubling you, Arashi-chin.

Leo: Hmhmhm~m….☆

Arashi: Ahn, that Ou-sama is composing music agai~n. The cat café is going to open soon, so it’s nooo good if you don’t behave yourself, okay?

Nazuna: Ahaha. It feels like Arashi-chin is the older one here.

Since we’re gonna open soon, I’d better go get changed into an apron as well. That said, I’m gonna go borrow one from the staff~ ♪

Arashi: Geez, Ou-sama, don’t lie face down on the ground. I don’t want to have to talk like this to you after I asked you to help…

Is it really okay to ask you to help with customer service…?

Leo: No need to worry! I’ll probably make it work somehow ♪

Arashi: The way you said “somehow” just makes me worry more. I’ll deal with the customers, so please take care of the Neko-chans, Ou-sama.

Leo: Roger~! Leave it to Ou-sama, wahahaha ☆

Kuro: …………..

Souma: Whoops, I bumped into someone? ….Ooh, Kiryuu-dono! Are you injured?

Kuro: Nh. A-aah, I’m fine. ….Hmm, Kanzaki seems pretty attached to that cat.

Souma: Yes! His name is “Maru”! What is this cat near you called, Kiryuu-dono?

Kuro: Uh~... Like, “Pochi”, or something?

Souma: Eh, “Pochi”? Calling a cat “Pochi” is quite unusual.** It’s got a “tiger pattern”, so wouldn’t a name like “Tora”*** be more fitting?

Kuro: Sorry, I just said whatever. There’s somethin’ I’m worryin’ about, so I can’t focus.

...I wonder if they’ll let me work behind the scenes?

Look, they serve foods and drinks here at the cat café, right? Someone needs to prepare those.

If I’m put in charge of that, I probably won’t hafta come into contact with the customers, right…

Keito: You’re not confident you can serve customers, huh. Hmpf, when it comes to that, I have no confidence either.

After all, it’s our first time. In your case, you’re probably more worried about scaring the customers, though.

Don’t worry. People are often scared of me as well.

Souma: Me, too! Fufu, we’re three peas in a pod ♪

Keito: Don’t be happy about that. As Akatsuki, we sell our masculinity, but it’s not the kind of thing people look for in a waiter. Let’s welcome the guests with our best smiles.

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*Maru, while a popular name for pets, also means “round/circle”.

**Pochi is more of a dog name. Also, it means “dot”.

***Tora = Tiger