A month later, my cat had run away, and I came to school the next day sobbing.
"Are you allright?" Akito asked in obvious fear when he saw me. I shook my head, clutching onto him, crying harder.
"A-aoi… sh-she's… g-g-gone…" I had wailed into his shoulder. His eyes widened, and he pulled me to a place where we could sit without getting dirty. He held me in his lap, wincing slightly, as I held onto him.
"Your kitty?" He asked, voice sad. I stopped crying, still holding onto him, and nodded, coughing in my elbow viciously. He was used to my coughing fits by now, and waited for them to calm.
"What happened?" He asked, his voice soothing and low as he ran his fingers through my hair.
"M-Momma g-g-got m-mad at me and-d l-left-t th-the d-door op-pen…" I whimpered. His eyes narrowed.
"That's mean. Why was she mad at you?" He looked angry.
I looked up at him in confusion. "Why?" I repeated back. He nodded. "I don't get it."
"Well, what did you do to make her mad?"
"I don't know. I think it was a long time ago." I said, looking up at him in confusion still. His face contorted into angry features.
"That's mean!" he raged. "That's bad!" His hands tightened around me, but I patted Akito on the head.
"It's all right," I told him. He shook his head, petting my short brown hair.
"No, no it's not." He told me. "You know, I have a kitty," he said thoughtfully. "But it's different."
"What's your kitty named?" I asked softly, eager for a better topic. I had never seen him so mad.
"Kyo," he said. "He's orange, with big eyes. He's mean, too. He doesn't listen too me." I nodded.
"Is he pretty?"
"I don't know. That's for girls. He doesn't like leeches."
"Ew. Leeches are yucky."
"Mhm." We grinned at each other.
"Wanna go look for Aoi?" He asked. I nodded. "C'mon then," he said, helping me up, and we ran off in search of the lost cat.