Disclaimer: All credit goes to Shingo Nanami and フクロウ。Enjoy!

猫とお酒とやきもち

Cat and Sake and Envy

Part Two

Kasane x Nobunaga

After sending Gorouza and the others off, with now nothing to do, Kasane killed time by lounging around the castle porch.

The sky has already started to darken, the sun setting while the moon's face began to peer out.

While the others most likely enjoying their time at the festival while she is just sitting around watching the sun set, Kasane began to wonder how to spend the rest of the time waiting for them to come back.

"...Hm?"

Just as she felt a presence, Kasane looked up and saw Tenrou sitting on top of the garden's lantern.

"Huh? Tenrou, what are you doing?"

Usually Tenrou would be at Nobunaga's room or preferably by its master's side at this sort of time, but as Kasane saw it unusually sitting on that item she tilted her head.

"...If you're sleepy then why don't you come over to my room? Tenrou."

Though she had a feeling it was a useless offer, she invited him over to her room.

However, unexpectedly Tenrou took up her offer and placed itself on her head.

"What are you doing."

Kasane jumped at the deep voice.

"To-tono-sama…?"

As usual he would pop out suddenly out of nowhere, each time Nobunaga did that, she felt as if her life was being shortened.

However he didn't seem to be angry this time.

"...Nothing much."

Kasane returned an indifferent response to his question.

After all she still had a slight dissatisfaction towards the person who had recently prevented her from going to the festival.

"..."

"Let's go to my room, alright Tenrou…"

Taking Tenrou with her, she intended on quickly retreating back to her room, but Tenrou suddenly jumped from her head and took off to some place unknown.

"...Y-you betrayer~..."

Kasane bowed her head as she sent reproachful eyes to the bird that escaped on its own.

"..."

"...Enough already, I'm going back."

Making sure that her eyes did not meet Nobunaga's gaze, she began to head back.

"Wait, woman."

"W-what is it?"

Called back, Kasane turned a bit to look back at him.

"Accompany me for a bit."

"...Huh?"

"Let's have a Tsukimizake."*

Nobunaga took out two small cups and a bottle.

"...You're going to make a minor drink?"

"Minor? Age doesn't matter in terms of drinking."

Giving her an odd look as he frowned, Kasane gave up on protesting.

It would be best if she didn't clash her world's common sense to this era.

"...Pour."

Nobunaga held out his cup to her.

It seems that he wants her to pour the sake into it.

"..."

Defying him would be too troublesome, so she decided to obediently pour it for him.

"...Oi, your cup."

Just after she poured for him, this time Nobunaga took the bottle in one hand**, and prompted her to bring out her cup.

"Th-...thanks…"

Though he served her with just one hand, to think that Nobunaga himself would actually pour her some sake was just so surprising, Kasane found herself sitting upright.

"Does Tono-sama always drink at times like this?"

"Not always, just once in a while. Though I rarely drink with others at night."

"Hu~m…"

Kasane played with the poured up, creating small elliptic ripples on the surface.

She could see her face reflected back at her.

Nobunaga gulped his share down already and reached the bottle to pour more into his cup. Kasane's jaw dropped at his high-paced drinking spree.

"Is it good?"

"Does it look too disgusting for my palette?"

"No."

"Then don't ask such foolish questions."

From his acidic behavior, Kasane decided to just go on without any worry and gulped down the sake Nobunaga poured for her.

In all earnestly she didn't want to drink at first, however she felt bad not drinking from the cup that he went out his way pouring for her; besides, she was actually a little bit curious on how sake tastes so… She was only half defiant to this case.

"...It's good…"

"It's of good quality after all."

As soon as it passed through her mouth, a faint mixture of faint bitterness and subtle sweetness arose matching together very well making the taste quite delicious.

"Drink all you want."

"Can I?"

Hearing those words, Kasane gazed happily up at him.

TBC

*sake drunk during moon-viewing festivals or when you look up at the moon.

**It's polite to pour the sake bottle with two hands.

Well, if you're a minor don't drink liquor! ...But I know there are plenty of people who don't do that (and I also sound like a nagging mom), so instead I guess my message should be more like 'drink responsibly and don't ever drink and drive' instead. Ahahaha... yeah... Now then, that's it for now. The next chapter should be up by tomorrow, so until then I hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable day!