Chapter 1

My Words

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Hey-

Hey, don't cry...

Don't make that face...

Smile!

Where have you lost that smile of yours?

...

I've been watching him all this time. Kagamine Len, 10 years old, living together with his mother and father. I know where exactly his house is. I can even get there by closing my eyes. All this 2 years... I've been watching... and I know him. More than his parents. And I knew... how he looked like when he smiled, and how that smile has been gone from his face for long. I want him to smile... Just like that day.

It is time for him to go home from school. I waited patiently for him in front of the school gate, yet until every students have come out—until the sun sets, he hasn't gone out yet. I wonder... what happens... as I walked down my way to his class. And there I found him—sitting on his chair, staring—no, reading a certain book at his table. I approached him and stopped by the time I get to his side.

Isn't it time for you to go home already? It's getting dark outside and if you don't go home, your parents will be worried, Len!

Realizing my existence, Len closed his book and looked at me. He smiled, but what I could see is that he's forcing himself to smile at me. Not that genuine, soft smile he has ever had before.

" It's you...," he looked at me, " you don't want to go home, too? Then, shall we play together?"

No, Len—you have to go home!

" Okay then, let's play! I have a ball here, so why don't we play with it?" he asked while taking out a small ball from his desk.

...My words didn't reach him...

He threw that ball to me, but I didn't respond to it. I walked to the door of the class and looked back at him.

" ...you want to go home?" he asked.

I looked at him silently.

" Oh well...," Len took in his book and he stood as he picked his back along, " even if I go home... No one's going to be there, so what's the point in it?"

I see... so, you are all alone... you are lonely, Len? Then-then... let me accompany you...

" You, hurry up and go home, too, before the school gate's closed," he walked pass me. I followed him.

" Hey, why are you following me?" he stopped to ask me when he recognized that I was following him.

Because I want you to smile. I want you not to feel lonely.

" ...whatever, feel free to follow me," he finally gave up. I smiled as I followed him all the way back... but there's no way I could enter his house. So all I can do is just to watch him from outside. I'm quite a stalker, eh?

" Stalker...," I heard a familiar voice.

" ...Al, so it's you, after all...," I sighed.

" Why don't you just give it up already? Your words are not going to reach him no matter how hard you try..."

Tch, I know that, baka Al.

" Even so, I still love him... and I want to be any of help for Len...," I said as I watched Len's parents coming home. It is already late and Len has finished his dinner. Alone. Again, just like usual... At least it has been his routine for almost one and a half year. When was the last time I saw him eating together with at least one of his parents?

" Len, I'm home, ah, you're still awake, how is school doing?" asked his mom, Lola.

"...," Len didn't answer.

" What's wrong, Len?" asked his father—without even looking at Len.

" You have forgotten it...," Len murmured.

" Hm, what?" asked his father, Leon.

" The- the other day...," Len tried to explain.

Finally! Go, Len! I have been looking at you who haven't had the courage to say it for a long time, and this is quite unusual, but go, Len!

" You promised me, that you will take me to the amusement park, or that you will accompany me to play for a day, right?" asked Len, finally.

" Ah... sorry, I haven't had the time to do that, Len. Hey, Lola! Why don't you take Len somewhere or accompany him someday?" asked Leon.

What? ...What? Is he trying to pass Len to his mother? Hey, come on! You got to be kidding me!

" I can't do that, you don't know how busy I am! You can just take him, right?" asked Lola, while cooking.

How inconsiderate of you... Your son finally has tried to convey his feeling yet you...

" Hey! It's because of you that Len has—"

"STOP IT ALREADY!" Len shouted.

" I don't need to go with you two! I can go by myself!" He ran to the 2nd floor—into his room afterwards. I can hear him, crying inside his room, alone. If only I can do something for him... If only my words can be conveyed...

o0o

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" Stop it, Rinko-chan," Al approached me. I sighed as I kept seeing Len. I can't do anything...

" You know it's impossible," Al tried to tell me what I've been trying to forget all this time.

" Your words won't reach him. Because-," he tried to say what's so obvious. I looked at him and he stopped talking.

" I know that all along, Big Al! It's because I am just a white cat and he's a human! You don't have to tell me about this very obvious reality!" I jumped down to the street and run away as I heard Big Al calling me. It looks like he's chasing me as well.

I didn't realize it until I lost all my energy. Now I'm here, in front of a shrine. Big Al is right behind me.

" If only I can be a human... I just... want to help him at least a bit... If I can help him, then I'd be willing to give anything," I murmured.

"Rinko...," Big Al stopped just a meter from my place. I looked at the shrine and the tiny statue it has. I sighed.

" Are you sure, you will give anything in exchange of that wish of yours?"

I heard a voice. I looked at Big Al.

" Stop that prank," I said.

" W-what? I didn't do anything!" said Big Al, it's clear that he looked confused too.

" I'm Mew, the Goddess of this Wishing Cat Shrine, and I can help you."

I looked at the statue of a woman in the shrine. Is this really... not... just my delusion? Not a dream?

" I will make you human for some time, but in exchange to that, I shall have your age reduced in an extreme way."

" ! Rinko, don't!" Big Al shouted the moment Mew's sentence's finished.

" ...I would take your offer," I decided quickly.

" Rinko! But!" Big Al seems surprised.

" Well—I was born with a weak body as a cat in the first place, so I would die much sooner, and it's just the time will be much more sooner. It will be worth it, if I can at least help him, so that my death won't be in vain... at least," I murmured.

" You really love that human, don't you?"

" Yep," I smiled, " if he wasn't there, I might not be able to be here at this moment, anyway. So I will use my life which he has saved, to help him."

" Eh,... I never heard that before... Rinko?" Big Al looked more shocked. I giggled.

" Yep, two years ago, when you were not here yet, in a rainy day, I got crashed by a car. Len saw this and helped me. He treated me until I got all better... If he decided not to help me, I would die at that time. So, this is just a way to show my gratitude for him, who have saved my life," I smiled determinedly.

" Very well, I shall grant you your wish."

" Rinko...," Big Al murmured.

Wait for me, Len... I will try whatever it takes just to see that smile of yours—wait for me!

Next chapter : Rinko, the cat turns into a human girl in order to make Len happy! But...?