It's awkward being here alone, standing inside the cramped one bedroom apartment, two little children running around. He shifts and rubs the back of his head, itching to make some sort of movement.
"Stop that Cody!" a stout woman shouts from the laundry room. "Leave your sister alone." She gathers another box and turns to Matsuda. "This way dear, they're right in here. They're all awake for you now."
He follows the woman into the even smaller laundry room and glances down at the pile. They all look up at him, their small whiskers twitching. Some of them mew softly, others letting our horrendous cries, begging to be picked up.
They all look cute and Matsuda feels bad he can't take them all. It was bad enough he had to convince his super to let him have just one kitten.
He kneels down and sticks his fingers close to the box as they each come over to inspect him. Matsuda chuckles when they lick his fingers, their scratchy tongues scraping over his rough skin. He wanted a black one when he came - one to resemble the greatest man he had known, but looking at them now he isn't sure.
"Are they easy to take care of?" he asks the woman who continues about her business as if he isn't there, folding the laundry.
"Sure. All you have to do is feed them and change the litter. Nothing to it." The woman glances at the bundles of fur rolling around in their box, chasing their own tails. "They're friendly enough. Love people and love to play. Sure I can't interest you in two? Or six?"
Matsuda shakes his head and picks up a small quiet kitten. His face is a little pushed in and he stays quiet, his big round eyes watching Matsuda.
"I think I'll go with this one."
The woman nods and reaches over to take the kitten from him. "I'll give you a small thing of food and cat litter." She inspects the kitten a moment more before handing him back to the man.
"She's all yours."
As he leaves, he wonders if he should have chosen a boy, or if L would mind having a girl named after him.