One day, while doing a running exercise, Asuto saw a tiny girl wearing a huge backpack on her back.
In the evening after the match against Seishou Academy in the Football Frontier tournament, Asuto saw the same little girl again and easily recognized her from the unforgettable first impression. Worried that she was a lost child, Asuto and his friends approached and were extremely surprised by the fierce resistance, even using "defensive weapons" from such a tiny girl who looked like a small but extremely aggressive stray cat. After some reluctant effort, they finally managed to bring the "stray cat" back to the Kogarashi Manor, but she immediately hid under the bed and refused to come out. They had no choice but to leave it a bowl of food nearby for her.
That night, Asuto sneaked into the kitchen to get some food and found the "stray cat" trying to pry open the door. Seeing Asuto, the little girl immediately bristled and growled, but then her stomach rumbled, making him realize its bowl of food was still untouched. Having a piece of onigiri in his hand, Asuto shared half of it with her, not forgetting to take a bite himself to reassure her. After the first bite, her eyes immediately relaxed as she stopped growling and brandishing her "weapon."
Asuto breathed a sigh of relief and smiled excitedly, realizing he had begun to gain her trust.
The little girl hadn't spoken a word all day, but when Asuto introduced himself and asked her name, she finally responded with a single word: "Koneko."
Asuto was slightly surprised, but then immediately nodded to himself, "That's right." Her appearance and behavior were just like a kitten, and even her name meant "a kitten."
"Stranger, why are you so kind to Koneko?" the little girl asked after finishing the onigiri she'd received from Asuto.
"Well... Even if you're a stranger, I know the least everyone should do is treat others kindly." Asuto replied cheerfully, noticing the girl's somewhat strange way of speaking.
"Besides, you're lost like this, how could I leave you alone? And if a stranger like me is so worried, your parents must be very anxious!" Asuto brought up the topic of her being lost, which was Hiura's conclusion after seeing a little girl with a huge backpack wandering aimlessly on the street without an adult accompanying her.
Koneko was silent for a moment, then asked, "Is that what parents are like?"
Asuto felt like he'd been struck by lightning. Though the question was rather abrupt, he understood what it meant: this little girl was just like him, without parents.
A deep sense of empathy welled up inside him. Asuto suddenly understood the aggressive and extremely wary attitude of this little girl, who behaved like a ferocious stray cat. "Perhaps it's because she has no one to rely on or trust..." Asuto felt fortunate that, despite not having a family, he still had friends, a stark contrast to the lonely image of that stray cat.
Although he didn't know the little girl's background, Asuto felt that whatever concerns he might have at this moment couldn't be more important than giving Koneko a home.
Filled with determination, Asuto smiled confidently: "Then I have even more reason not to leave you alone."
At that declaration, little Koneko's large, round eyes widened. Perhaps not all human are the same. The human before her had a smile as radiant as the sun, but at the same time, as resolute and decisive as a lightning bolt.
"Stranger. Asuto. Good person."
The little cat replied curtly, but Asuto's heart swelled with emotion. He extended his hand, hinting at a new relationship. And then, the stray cat, no longer extending her claws, placed her tiny hand on his.
And that was the first time little Koneko felt okay about becoming a house cat.
