The road seemed endless, especially when I realized that I could not strike up a conversation with anyone. Night had fallen, and the streetlamps softly illuminated the streets of the square, dyeing the buildings around them gold. I stared absentmindedly at the houses and restaurants, but my mind was still caught up in recent events. I couldn't understand how I could be so petrified at such a crucial moment. I was so deep in thought that I didn't even notice that Anby was stuck to my arm.
"Anby?" W-What do you do? I asked, nervously, noticing how close he was.
Anby looked up, looking for my gaze, since I was a little taller than her.
"Nothing," he replied coldly. I just wanted to talk to you.
I froze, staring at her in silence.
-What do you want to talk about? I asked, still a little puzzled.
Anby looked down and reached into her bag, pulling out what looked like a hamburger.
"Since you didn't eat to-day," he said, offering me the sandwich. I've decided to give you this.
I didn't know how to react. I went blank, not knowing what to say.
"N-it's not necessary, don't worry," I replied, shaking my hand.
"I insist that you eat, it is necessary for the body," he said, with a serious expression.
Anby was, no doubt, very perceptive.
"I know, Anby, but I'm fine, don't worry.
Anby put the burger back in his bag.
"Okay, if you want it, you can ask me, but I don't think it will last long in the bag," he added, in his usual tone, but with a touch of sarcasm.
"Thank you, Anby," I said, smiling shyly.
She nodded and walked forward again, one step ahead of the group.
I was surprised that the quirkiest girl in the group (although, to be honest, Nekomata surpasses her in rarity) wanted to talk to me. Although he said it without much emotion, something in his gesture made my day a little.
As we continued walking, I noticed a coffee shop a few meters away. Suddenly, a brilliant idea crossed my mind. Lately I had been thinking about how to approach Nekomata to better understand his attitude towards me. What better excuse than to buy him his favorite coffee and use it as a pretext to talk about it?
I looked around for a moment. No one seemed to notice me much, so I decided to go on my own without telling the others. I separated from the group and headed towards the cafeteria. The road seemed long, but the soft street lights and warm décor helped calm my thoughts.
When I arrived, I noticed that there were quite a few people in the queue.
"At this hour?" I asked myself, surprised by the number of people.
I joined the line, waiting for my turn. Meanwhile, I heard two people chatting near me. My curiosity couldn't help but do it, and being so close, I couldn't help but put my ear to it.
"They have detected a lot of new activity in cavity zero, there could be people trapped," commented one of them.
"Yes, it could be," replied the other, in a thoughtful tone. Just thinking about it, it makes me hungry..." she added, as if she were a little girl.
It seemed that new enemies had appeared in cavity zero, and possibly there would be customers willing to pay for their ransom. That news would undoubtedly excite Nicole.
As I thought about how Nicole would react to hearing about this potential source of income, I noticed that the two girls were watching me intently. I looked up and, for a moment, I was caught in the eyes of one of them.
-Are you ok? asked one, with a serious expression.
Perfect, John, now you've caught the attention of two women. What a shame.
-I? I replied nervously, looking for something coherent to say. Sure, all good.
The two girls looked at each other briefly and then turned their attention back to the cafeteria queue, leaving me alone. I breathed a sigh of relief, though I couldn't help but feel a little remorse, fearing that they would now think I was a stalker.
I watched them for a moment. I found both interesting. One of them had ears much longer and more pointed than a cat's, perhaps more like those of a fox. The other, though small in stature, had blue skin, two horns on her head, and a pointed tail that reminded me of a demon's. Her appearance was strange, but I didn't dislike her.
Suddenly, I realized that it was my turn. I was so distracted that I didn't realize that the girls were no longer in front of me.
I entered the cafeteria and saw Mr. Tinsmith attending, as always.
-John! It's been a long time since I saw you here," he said, smiling.
"Yes, right?" I replied enthusiastically, glad to see him.
Mr. Tinsmith approached the counter, waiting for my order.
-What do you feel like today? The usual? -Asked.
Lately I used to come frequently, especially in the mornings or on days off without orders.
"No, I want something special this time," I replied, in a mysterious tone.
Mr. Tinsmith stared at me.
-It's for... he said, winking at me.
I nodded silently, and he began to brew the coffee.
"Tell me, how are you doing with her?" He asked, as he took a cup from the shelf.
The question caught me by surprise. I didn't know how to respond. It was not easy for me to talk about this subject.
"As always," I replied, in a dry tone.
Mr. Tinsmith turned on the coffee machine, which began to make a steady noise as the aroma of coffee filled the air.
-Has nothing changed? he asked, with a hint of curiosity.
"No," I replied again, sighing. It's just... I don't know what's wrong with him," I said, rubbing my head.
I felt my body relax, as if all the tension vanished with the sound of the coffee maker. That's precisely why I didn't like to talk about this subject.
-What do you think is wrong with him? Mr. Tinsmith asked, resting his arms on the counter and looking at me with interest.
I started making circles with my finger on the surface of the counter.
"I don't make sense of anything he does," I said, in frustration. My words were full of anger. We've known each other for years, he even taught me about the life of an unusual demihuman. But since we joined the Cunning Hares, he's behaved so aloofly toward me, as if—" My voice faded, and I looked away. As if I had done something wrong to him.
Mr. Tinsmith moved to the coffee pot and began to fill the cup with coffee.
-And do you think that giving her her favorite coffee will help to talk to her? he asked, in a somewhat skeptical tone.
"Yes," I answered, with a sigh.
Mr. Tinsmith put the cup down on the counter and stared at me.
"You should talk to her directly, without ornaments or gifts," he said, seriously.
"I need an excuse to approach her," I replied, somewhat unsure.
Mr. Tinsmith walked away from the counter and out the back of the cafeteria, but not before wishing me luck.
I took the coffee and headed towards the lair, my mind full of thoughts.
The way back was long, but at least I didn't find anyone to interfere with me. When I arrived, I took out the key, and when I opened the door, I noticed that everything was too quiet. As I passed Anby's room, I opened the door cautiously. I knew this might seem strange, but in this house, everything was a little... normal.
I saw Anby asleep, with her battle clothes still on. I closed the door gently and went to the living room, where I found Nicole, immersed in her "magazines".
"He's not here," Nicole said, without looking up.
I stood still, a little confused.
-What are you talking about? I asked, nervously.
Nicole looked up from her magazines and looked at me.
"Nekomata," he said, looking back at the pages. He is not there.
I froze, staring at the coffee in my hands.
-¿And... Do you know where it has gone? I asked, feeling a knot in my stomach.
Nicole sighed, as if it hurt to tell me something.
"He asked me not to tell you," he answered.
His answer surprised me so much that, distracted, I dropped the cup of coffee and a small drop spilled on the floor.
"Am I the only one here who didn't know anything about this?" I asked, confused, looking at the coffee stain.
Nicole looked at the drop on the ground and sighed disdainfully.
"Yes," he replied dryly, without looking at me. Is coffee for her?
I looked at the coffee, watching my mind project a broken heart into the foam.
"No," I replied quickly, avoiding his gaze. It's for me. I wanted to try something different and bought a cup of coffee, that's it.
Nicole stared at me, stopping reading and closing the magazine. His expression was disconcerting.
"Don't lie to me, I know you very well, John," he said, in a serious tone. I know we don't talk much, but maybe this is a good time for you to talk about this.
He pulled away from the couch, leaving me space next to him.
"Come, sit down and tell me everything."
I didn't know what to say, but part of me felt that this was an opportunity to better understand Nekomata's strange behavior.