Cat Cafe Neko Neko Wai
Cast:
Cure Pine, Yamabuki Inori - age 23
Aoki Junnosuke - Cure Beauty's brother - age 26
May, 2017
By ascending a staircase in a certain back alley, one finds a solid wooden door painted glossy black, with a pair of giant cat's eyes at about eye level. No password is required. At the right times of the right days, one need only turn the doorknob to enter Cat Cafe Neko Neko Wai.
A softly lit brick-lined hallway connects the entrance to the waiting area, where a dozen or more cats habitate in the presence of the maitre d'. A network of cat-scaled climbing towers lines two opposing walls, which are linked together by walkways fixed just below the ceiling. Most of the cats are friendly, and guests are invited to pet or play with the cats as they wait to be seated. Three cat doors, one near the ceiling, allow any of the cats to retreat to a staff-only area at their own discretion.
The cats also have free run of the dining area, a handful of small tables that occupy a narrow veranda overlooking a tile roof and a small garden. The menu is small and written in Italian. As for the prices, well... there are so many cats to take care of, after all.
Inori and her boyfriend have come at a time when the sun is just beginning to set. As they finish eating, Junnosuke pulls a small box from his pocket.
Tradition requires that he kneel, even though this blocks the aisle. Inori's eyes widen.
"Junnosuke, is that-?"
"It is," he answers solemnly. "If you will have me, if you can believe in me, please do me the honor of becoming my wife."
"Of course I will," she says, taking the ring and slipping it onto her finger. "I have faith in you... and I have faith in us."