"But, I heard on the Internet that institutions that adopt stray animals actually kill them later."
Yukinoshita Yukino frowned as she whispered, her expression clouded with embarrassment.
In truth, she had thought about sending stray cats to an adoption agency before. But when she browsed the Internet for information, she found posts claiming that many shelters killed animals or, worse, turned them into food.
That discovery had discouraged her from ever considering it again.
Hearing this, Gojo Satoru crouched down, teasing the kitten with his index finger as he let out a soft chuckle.
"The regular adoption agencies won't be like the ones you read about. If you're really that worried, you can visit often. If anything suspicious happens, you can call the police directly."
Yukino blinked in surprise, his words striking her as oddly reasonable.
"Yes…" she admitted softly, her voice trailing with reluctant acceptance.
She hadn't thought of it that way before. The idea of visiting often, making sure the kitten was okay—it wasn't a burden to her.
On the contrary, for someone like her, it almost sounded like a blessing.
A benefit for someone who, deep down, was clearly a cat lover.
Yukino realized she had fallen into the trap of assuming all institutions were the same.
Carefully, she picked up the kitten with her delicate hand. To her relief, the small creature didn't resist. It only gave a soft, suspicious meow~, as though wondering what this two-legged being wanted to do.
"Don't forget your umbrella."
Gojo picked up the umbrella she had left in the grass and handed it over.
Still cradling the kitten against her chest with one arm, Yukino accepted the umbrella with her free hand and gave a small bow.
"Thank you, Gojo-sensei. It seems… you're not as bad as I first thought."
Gojo raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.
"Heh. So I had such a bad impression in your eyes to begin with, Sigh~."
He sighed in mock exasperation, then tilted his head.
"But tell me, do you actually know where there's an adoption agency nearby?"
He admitted he really wasn't familiar with that.
"I do. I checked online before. The nearest shelter is only a few hundred meters away."
Her eyes softened as she glanced down at the kitten in her arms. The tiny ball of fur nestled into her chest, its purrs vibrating faintly against her uniform.
Yukino's heart felt like it was melting away.
Sure enough, cats really are the cutest animals in the world.
"Hmm, I'll go with you."
Gojo stood up, twirling his umbrella casually before resting it on his shoulder. He smirked faintly to himself.
'I'm such a good person.'
Yukino didn't refuse. She gave a small nod. If the shelter really turned out to be suspicious, having Gojo with her was… reassuring. He wasn't someone ordinary, and she could sense it even without even meeting him for the first time.
Together, they walked along the wet path, their umbrellas bumping lightly against each other.
Neither spoke much—
Only the faint patter of rain, the quiet mewing of the kitten, and the soft splash of their footsteps filled the silence.
Eventually, the neon lights of a modest storefront came into view.
Not far ahead stood a shop with a sign that read: Home of Love.
After placing their umbrellas at the entrance, they pushed the door open and got inside the shop.
A pleasant chime rang, and a warm female voice greeted them immediately.
"Excuse me, may I ask if the gentleman and young lady have come to adopt an animal, or foster one?"
Walking toward them was a middle-aged woman wearing a simple apron. She looked kind, her smile professional yet warm.
"I read online that this place helps adopt stray animals, is that right?"
Yukino asked calmly, her tone polite but firm.
The woman blinked, her gaze falling toward the kitten nestled in Yukino's arms.
"Meow~"
The little creature mewed right on cue, as if answering her.
"Oh my, what a cute kitten. Ah—sorry, how rude of me. Yes, we do adopt stray animals here. Is this the one you'd like to entrust to us?"
"Yes. Please, take care of it if you can. I'll come visit often."
A faint sigh escaped Yukino's lips. She still felt reluctant, her eyes lingering on the kitten as though it might vanish from her arms forever.
But knowing she could come by and check on it brought her some comfort.
The middle-aged woman carefully accepted the kitten with both hands, her expression gentle as the kitten tilted its head curiously at her.
"Please rest assured. Everyone here loves cats and dogs. We'll take good care of it."
Yukino's shoulders relaxed after hearing her.
After a brief tour around the shop, where she saw other animals being cared for properly—well-fed, resting peacefully—her unease finally disappeared.
When they stepped back out into the street, the rain had eased slightly.
Gojo, who had been silent for most of the time, finally spoke.
"Well, I'll head off then, Yukinoshita-san."
"Mm. Thank you for accompanying me, Gojo-sensei."
"Haha, don't mention it. I'm always happy to help cute students, after all."
Yukino froze, her face tightening as she instinctively stepped back, clutching her chest in alarm.
"…Gojo-sensei, are you perhaps a pervert?"
"Eh? What do you mean 'perhaps'? Of course I'm a pervert."
Gojo grinned wickedly, his tone completely unashamed.
"Since I've admitted it, it wouldn't matter if I did something perverted, right?"
"…I'll call the police."
Yukino's voice was flat, but her eyes carried a spark of seriousness as she pulled out her phone.
"Hahaha"
Gojo laughed, raising his hands in surrender.
But in the end, she didn't dial.
Though she had only known him briefly, she could already tell what kind of person he was. A man with an obnoxiously bad personality… but also someone unexpectedly kind-hearted, capable of showing warmth when it mattered.
"Ahem. Then I'll get going. Oh, and remember, if you ever feel sad in the future, my shoulder is always free to lean on. Think of your teacher as someone you can depend on."
He winked exaggeratedly, his words dripping with deliberate cheesiness.
"Those words are something I'll never need in this life, Gojo-sensei."
Expressionless, Yukino lifted her umbrella and walked off, her posture elegant as always.
Gojo watched her retreating figure and smirked.
"Well, maybe not this life. Perhaps the next one."
He gave his umbrella a little twirl and turned in the opposite direction.
It was about time to hit the supermarket and grab the ingredients for tonight's dinner. A warm meal, a hot shower, and maybe some peace and quiet.
After all, walking around in wet clothes was a sure way to catch a cold.
And with that thought, he disappeared into the crowd, humming softly under the lingering drizzle.
...
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