Chapter 5: Tee Tee

Haruto woke up well rested and with a smile on his face. It had been a few days since Kiara and Calli had taken him in and those days had been the best of his life.

"Oh, you're awake!" Haruto sat up to realize Kiara was in his room, filling the drawers which she had bought for him the other day.

"Morning Mama," Haruto said as he stood up and started making his bed.

"Ne, Haruto," Kiara walked over to the other side of the bed to help him make his bed, "Do you want to go outside today?"

Haruto froze. Although he was becoming more comfortable with Kiara and Calli, Haruto had yet to interact with the outside world.

"Haruto," Haruto flinched when he felt Kiara's fingers brush along his cheek. He looked up to meet Kiara's eyes.

"I know it's hard but I want you to try," Kiara said genuinely before moving her hand to ruffle Haruto's hair, "You don't have to if you want to."

"N-no, I think I can do it," Haruto, determined to make his mama proud, nodded. Kiara and Calli had done so much for him and the least he could do was try his best.

"Thank you, sweetie," Kiara pulled him into a hug.

"No problem, Mama," Haruto replied.

-

"Are you ready, sweetie?" Kiara asked. She was wearing her white shirt and denim jeans again but she decided to top off the outfit with a hair band that had cat ears. Calli was standing beside her wearing her jacket and pants, topping her outfit off with a pair of sunglasses.

"I'm ready," Haruto said nervously while tugging on the neck of his T-shirt. He was wearing a white T-shirt with a KFP logo and brown cargo shorts.

"Alright, let's go," Kiara smiled. She opened the door before ushering Haruto and Calli out.

"Where are we going?" Calli asked as they started to make their way down the road.

"The bakery down the road," Kiara replied with a sly smirk and a wink.

"Naruhodo ne," Calli replied with an American accent, "That sounds good."

"Let's go!" Kiara excitedly shirt her fist in the air before skipping off with her wife and son following her, albeit more tentatively.

-

"Welcome!" A girl with brown hair, floppy dog ears, and a tail wagging back and forth was standing at the register.

"Oh, it's Kiara and Calli!" The girl exclaimed as her tail started wagging faster, "How have you been?"

"Haruto, this is your Auntie Korone," Kiara said while gesturing to the girl at the register, "Korone, this is my son, Haruto."

"You have a son?!" Korone, astonished, took a step back, "Since when did you two-,"

"We didn't do anything!" Calli, flustered, cut the puppy girl off, "We adopted."

"Ah," Korone stared at Calli like a deer in headlights. After a couple seconds of tense silence, Korone opened her mouth to speak again.

"What would you like? Whatever you order will be on us for today," Korone offered Haruto a sweet smile.

"What would you like, sweetie?" Kiara directed her attention to her adopted son.

"I've never been to a bakery before," Haruto admitted. He shrunk a little when Korone's face shifted into shock.

"That's heresy!" Korone exclaimed.

"That's okay," Kiara made a point to keep eye contact with Haruto as she gave Haruto a reassuring smile.

"We have a lot of sweets," Korone added helpfully.

"I-I'll have some of those if that's okay with you," Haurto replied meekly.

"Sure! Let me wake up Okayu. She'll help you guys out while I prepare your food," Korone said before skipping off.

"Let's take a seat," Kiara suggested as she gestured towards one of the tables inside the bakery. Kiara then led Calli and Haruto towards the table before sitting down.

"HORAYO!" Haruto heard Korone shout followed by a loud crash. After a couple minutes, a cat girl with bright purple hair walked out of the back room, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Mogu mogu… Okayu," The cat girl said unenthusiastically while checking the register, "Good morning."

"Haruto, this is your Auntie Okayu," Kiara introduced.

"Hello Aun… Auntie Okayu," Haruto dipped his head politely in greeting, "My name is Haruto."

"Oh, so this is the kid Korone was talking about," Okayu yawned before narrowing her eyes at Haruto, "Huh, that's weird."

"What's wrong?" Kiara asked.

"Probably just seeing things," Okayu, slightly flustered, shook her head. "I'll email you later."

"If you insist," Kiara said. Before she could open your mouth to speak again, Korone burst from the back door with a paper bag. She skipped over to Haruto, handing him the bag.

"I made you some cinnamon rolls and some chocolate puffs," Korone gave Haruto an expectant look as he took out a pastry with a few chocolate chips. Haruto examined the pastry for a second before taking a large bite. Instantly he recoiled at the heat of the bread.

"Here you go," Haruto was so enamored by the pastries that he didn't notice that Okayu was standing next to him with a glass of water. Haruto desperately took the glass of water, drinking the entire glass with just a couple of gulps, swallowing the food along with the water.

"Thank you," Haruto gave the glass back to Okayu.

"How was it?" Korone asked excitedly.

"H-hot," Haruto was still recoiling from the heat of the pastry. Kiara and Calli laughed in response.

"Thank you, Korone," Kiara and Calli said, standing up.

"It was nice seeing you again. Don't be a stranger, okay?" Okayu patted Haruto on the head affectionately.

"Thank you Auntie Okayu… Auntie Korone," Haruto said as he held the bag of sweets close to his chest. In the future, Haruto would deny how big his smile was that day.

-

Kiara smiled as she turned off the lights. Haruto wolfed down the pastries as soon as the trio got home and went to bed after playing Dario Kart with Kiara and Calli. Kiara sighed as she took out her phone, navigating the email that Okayu sent her.

'What could Okayu want?' Kiara thought about what could have gone on that day as she saw nothing out of her ordinary. As she opened the email, the smile fell from her face.

"Haruto doesn't smell like a human."