Chapter 9

The next day at the Oreki household

As I headed downstairs to the living room, I saw Tom and Jerry sweeping the floor.

After eating my breakfast, I sat on the couch to relax. Tom and Jerry joined me. Tom pulled out a newspaper and a book titled Seduction for Idiots, then handed it to Bast from his pocket dimension. Jerry took the remote and turned on the TV. It seemed they already decided what to do all morning.

As for me, I planned to laze around until the designated meeting of the Devils.

But then I noticed something. I looked at the TV and thought to myself, "I think there's a missing component in the TV."

Bast, still reading that dumb book, asked, "What is it?" Tom stopped reading and listened to me.

"We need to go a game store to buy console" I stood I look at them. With no reaction, Tom and Jerry continue what they're doing.

"You mean YOU need it more than we do," Bast said, looking back at her book.

"I understand you not needing it, but Tom and Jerry do because they'll always be in the house with nothing to do except that," I said, pointing at them.

Tom and Jerry raised an 'Are you insulting us?' eyebrow.

"No, no, no. But you guys can play with each other or play against players online with it," I said, but they ignored me.

With a slightly annoyed tone, I said, "Fine, I'm going to buy it, and I'll be the only one using it." I started walking to the door. "Don't beg me for it."

Before leaving, Bast shouted, "Buy a cat bed for Tom."

I looked back. "Then come with me, Tom," I said.

Tom gave me a 'Why not you?' look.

"Because I don't need it and you do," I smirked. "I won't be able to pick the right bed for you. Let's go fast," I urged Tom to move quickly.

Tom stood up and walked tiredly, looking at me as if to say, 'I'm tired.'

But I reminded Tom of my ability. "I think you forgot about something, Tom." Tom tilted his head and then changed his expression as if he realized or remembered something.

"Yup, we can teleport," I nodded.

I stood at the front door, held the knob, and thought of the nearest pet supply store.

But before opening it, I used the Door pathway authority over Seal/Unseal.

I sealed the whole house, making it so everyone would ignore it. I also sealed myself and Tom before entering the Door.

---

We arrived in an unfamiliar alley.

Tom and I only walked around for a few seconds before seeing a pet supply store.

Before opening the door, I unsealed our presence. The bell rang.

I heard a greeting from the counter.

"Welcome," said a slim young woman of average height with pink hair tied in a side ponytail, bangs swept to the left side and light caramel-brown eyes. She was wearing a red T-shirt, white pants, and a black apron.

I pointed at Tom and said, "I'm looking to buy a cat bed."

Tom nodded, standing on two legs. I looked at the clerk, and she didn't find it odd.

"Cute! What's his name?" asked the clerk with glittering eyes. Tom started acting shy in front of her.

I answered while pushing Tom toward her, "His name is Tom."

Tom reached out his hand to the clerk, and they shook hands. I looked at the clerk again, and she was just smiling, saying 'cute.' Really? You don't find that odd? Seems for Tom this is normal, so to people this is normal too. Toon force, I guess.

"Please feel free to look around if you want to buy something," the clerk said to me, still smiling.

Tom and I started looking around, seeing a bunch of pet food for different animals and clothes for cats and dogs to try on. I walked to a two-piece swimsuit for a cat and asked Tom jokingly, "Hey Tom, do you want me to buy this so you can wear it later?"

 Tom did 'HA HA' with sarcastic looking expression. Tom approach a cat swimming trunks and hand it to me.

---

Then I picked an even smaller two-piece swimsuit and turned to Tom. "You think he will wear this if we give it to him?" Tom looked at what I was holding and laughed while nodding.

"Come on, let's find you a bed," I said with a smile on my face.

Tom looked around and picked two beds. The first one was an animal-shaped bed with a grey and white color theme, while the other was the same animal-shaped bed but with a blue and white color theme.

"You can only pick one, Tom," I said, but Tom looked at me, pointed to the blue one, then pointed back to himself. He then pointed to the grey one and made a gesture as if it was for Bast.

"Bast meant it when she said she does not need it and is already satisfied with sleeping with me," I said, smiling approvingly at Tom for remembering Bast.

Tom made an 'Okay' sign.

"Do you need anything more?" I asked Tom. "This will be your reward for cleaning and making food for us."

Tom held his chin and started thinking. When he seemed to remember something, he ran off and brought a cat scratcher to me.

"That's it. What about a cat tree?" I suggested to Tom.

He nodded.

"Okay, let's get it while we walk on the way to the clerk," I stated, and Tom followed.

As we approached the counter, I saw the clerk talking to a man of average height with black hair and blue eyes. He wore a blue sweater, gray pants, and sometimes a white undershirt. At the top of the counter, there was a cat with black fur and a white triangle over its eyes and mouth, wearing a collar with a red ribbon attached to it.

As I got nearer, I heard them talk.

"Thank you for the souvenir, Mikazuki-san," the clerk smiled at the guy named Subaru.

While scratching his cheek, Subaru said, "No, no, no, think of this as a thank-you gift for taking care of Haru while I was away, Nana-san."

So, Nana-san is her name or surname?

They looked at each other before turning away.

"Oh, is that love that I see? Anyway..." I coughed lightly to break their awkward silence.

"We want to buy this, please," I said, smiling at Nana.

"Please, place it on the counter," Nana said with a smile. I did what she said and placed it on the counter.

I looked at Mikazuki and nodded, and he did the same. While Tom flirted with Haru, she looked at Tom weirdly and then at me. 'Why is this guy walking on two legs?'

"Finally, someone noticed," I muttered softly.

Mikazuki turned to me and asked in a confused tone, "Did you say something?"

I looked at him and said, "No." I changed the topic and looked at the two books in his hand. "I noticed the books in your hand. What's the name? By the way, I'm Kamisato Oreki."

"I'm Mikazuki Subaru," he said as we shook hands.

The clerk introduced herself too. "Okami Nana desu." I shook her hand too.

"And to answer your question, the title is," Mikazuki showed me the cover of the books.

I read them out loud, "Shining in the Dark of Night and Shining in the Moonlit Night," and I saw the name of the author. I looked at him. "You wrote this?" I questioned.

"Hehe, yeah," he said while massaging his nape.

"Good for you then, Mikazuki-san," I nodded, praising him to embarrass him more.

"Thank you, but my book is not that great," he said, still embarrassed.

"Really? Is yours considered a failure?" I asked, genuinely curious.

But before Mikazuki could answer, Nana interjected.

"What do you mean it's not great? Don't believe him. It's a really great book; he's just being humble about it," Nana reprimanded Mikazuki, and he became more embarrassed.

"Oh, that's good then. I might read it in the future then," I stated to both of them, but not quite sure if I will though.

"You know what, let me give you my copy. Wait a moment," Nana said, but she couldn't find it. "I think I left my copy at home, but you should read it," Nana sighed.

"Kamisato-san, how about you take this?" Mikazuki said, trying to hand me the book he was holding.

I looked at Mikazuki, then turned to look at Nana, and she nodded at me.

"Really? Are you sure?" I said, but I'm not going to deny free stuff.

"Please," Mikazuki said, handing me the book.

"Thank you," I said gratefully. "But can you sign it too?" I requested.

Mikazuki replied, "Of course."

I gave it to him again to sign, and he handed it back to me.

"Maybe I should try to be a writer?" I said while looking at the book

"You should try it; you never know, it can become popular too, just like Mikazuki-san over here," Nana said, while Mikazuki nodded.

"Nah, it's too late for that. If I'm going to write something, I'll go the doujinshi route instead," I said, which reminded me of something.

"You know what this conversation make me remember that I want to try being a Singer or One man band and I will name myself Music Man" I said with smirk and look at Tom still trying to talk to Haru.

"Why?" Nana asked confused manner

"Well , if I have a band members they will probably took it seriously, and I only want to play guitar or make music casually and upload it on Youtube " I said but I'm not going to make but steal them.

."Shame, I was at band too during my middle school but quit, as matter of fact if you can form a band ,I can call my friend who run a small music in Tokyo to let you perform." Nana promised.

I'm not going to decline that, free is free "Then I take you up for the offer"

I took my phone out "Then can I have your LINE in case I change my mind of not forming a band."

"Oh sure here" she gave me her LINE

I turn to Mikazuki and ask him

"You too, just in case I want to be a writer " I won't

He gave me his LINE too.

I looked at the stuff we bought, and Nana noticed. "I'll have someone deliver this to your house if you give your address," she said reassuringly.

"Here it is," I said, giving her my complete address, then looked at Tom. "Come on, Tom, stop flirting with Haru."

I glanced at Mikazuki and Nana. "We'll be going then."

Mikazuki nodded to me, and Nana said, "Thank you for your patronage."

I waved at them and opened the door, hearing the bell again.

"Are you going home now?" I asked Tom.

Tom nodded.

"Okay." We walked into an empty alley, and I teleported him.

I created a door and thought of a games store.

Opening the door, I checked if there were any more surprises.

-

Alternate part:

"I will let someone deliver this to your house if you give your address" Nana said in reassuring tone

I look at Tom giving flower to Haru

"Wait a minute, Tom take all this in your pocket" I said to Tom, I will try to rewind time if what I think will not work.

Tom picked up the stuff and put in all in his pocket and look at both of human, as if nothing ordinary happen they just smile. I look at the Haru the Cat and said "You'll get used to it"