Oliver was never going to admit out loud that the kitten was adorable. Mai had named her Luna and spent the rest of the evening cooing after the animal. The arrival of the kitten had done wonders for the mood in the household.

The following day, Mai had wanted to stay home and skip lectures. But Oliver, who genuinely did not have any, insisted that she go and that he would look after Luna.

This had not involved much at first. Luna, who was much older than Oliver had expected her to be when Mai had said 'kitten' on the phone, pottered about and napped. It was only when she relieved herself on the — thankfully tiled — kitchen floor that he took action.

Despite stating that Mai would have to clear up, Oliver could not bear the smell and so wiped up after the kitten. They needed a litter tray. And a proper cat food bowl. And had Luna been vaccinated? And chipped?

Sighing, Oliver scooped the kitten up and plopped her in an old Amazon box. He carried her out to the twins' car and deposited her inside. He knew there was a pet store with a built-in vet a ten minutes drive away.

Luna tried a few times to escape the box during the drive, but Oliver pushed her back inside at every red light.

When he arrived, the place was mercifully empty. Oliver was able to ask for a full check up of the kitten without any waiting time. While the vets did their job, he perused the pet shop and bought a carry cage, a litter tray, some cat litter, some big bags of cat food, and maybe one or two — or ten — cat toys.

It was only as he got to the checkout he remembered to pick up a collar.

When he returned to the vet, they had finished. He was greeted by a young woman, who he guessed was a student vet by the way they had another older person watching over them.

"So we have vaccinated Luna, and given her a check over. She's healthy, if a little skinny. We don't have time to spay her today, but you can phone up and book her in for that soon. She's not old enough for that to be an issue just yet, so you have a little time. I've chipped her, but I need some details from you to log in the system."

Oliver blinked.

"I will not be her owner."

"Then the owner's details," the vet corrected with an awkward smile.

Oliver listed Mai's details.

"We can put you down as a secondary contact if you want? It would be good if your housemate can't be reached to have a second person."

Oliver opened his mouth to refuse, but as he began to speak, he changed his mind.

"N— Okay then. This can be changed later though, right?"

"Yes, just pop in."

Once all done and paid for, Oliver put Luna in her new carry cage. He departed with a very loud kitten — who liked being stabbed anyway? — and returned home. He had wasted an entire morning on this endeavour and he would now have to spend all afternoon working to make up for it.

But when he got home, all was not well.

"Oliver! You're home!" Mai sounded panicked. "I can't find Luna anywhere!"

"She's here," Oliver stated. "Can you take her, I need to get some stuff out of the car."

He held out the carry cage to her, but Mai did not move to take it.

"What did you do?" she asked with a gormless expression.

"I took her to the vets. She's been vaccinated and chipped, you need to phone up to organise neutering."

"You did?" The surprised was evident in her voice.

"Ye—"

Before Oliver could finish, Mai had thrown her arms around him and hugged him tight.

"Thank you so much! Have you eaten? Let me make something for you for lunch! I've got some people round to study so it's no trouble! Oh, you're the best!"

She released him and grinned. Oliver smiled and nodded.

"Lunch would be great," he said, ignoring the warm fuzzy feeling in his stomach — it was probably hunger pains.

"Do you need any help getting stuff in? What stuff? You didn't—"

"I bought a litter tray and a few bits," Oliver said.

"I have to pay you back, how much was it?" Mai asked as she took the carry cage from Oliver and peeked in at Luna.

"Lunch and a cup of tea and we're even."

Oliver brought in the rest of the stuff and made to leave it in the living room, but he found an unwelcome guest at the dinner table.

Masako and another girl were both working quietly. But at the other end of the table was Marcus, who was animatedly talking to Mai.

Oliver barely contained his scowl.

"...I can help you with lunch if you like, Mai-chan?"

"Oh, it's fine, I—" Mai began, but he cut her off.

"You're such a good host, please let me—"

Oliver had had enough.

"I already offered to help Mai," Oliver said. "There isn't enough room in the kitchen for all of us."

Mai looked to Oliver and beamed.

"But you've done so much already for Mai," Marcus said. "Why don't you take a break and—"

"I'm fine, but thank you for your consideration." Oliver forced a smile and then turned to Mai. "I'll just put my jacket in my room, I'll be down in a few." He turned back to Marcus. "If you still want to be helpful, you could set up the litter tray?"

He did not wait for a reply, but headed straight to his room. He dumped his stuff on the bed and pulled off his jeans in favour for pyjama bottoms.

Had the grateful look Mai had sent him been imaginary? Had it just been wishful thinking?

Oliver sighed and headed back downstairs.

Marcus had joined Mai in the kitchen and was talking at her.

"Oliver!" Mai said, interrupting the flow of Marcus's words. "Great, you're tall, can you get the pan down for the pasta?"

"Pasta? Aren't we having sushi?" Marcus asked.

Mai and Oliver both stared at him, before Mai forced a laugh.

"You're so funny, why don't you get back to work and we'll be through with food soon?"

Mai ushered him from the kitchen and shut the door behind him. Oliver watched as she visibly deflated in relief.

"Sushi?" she hissed. "Is he serious?"

"Does he not realise it would take time to cook the rice and let it cool?" Oliver asked.

"Apparently not. Nor does he realise that I can't afford the decent quality fish for it either." Mai rolled her eyes. "I don't really need your help, I just wanted him gone. He doesn't listen to me but he'll listen to you because you're a man."

Oliver frowned.

"I thought he liked you?"

Mai groaned as she grabbed some vegetables from the fridge.

"He does, too much, that's the—"

She was cut off by the door opening.

"I just want to grab a drink," Marcus said. "Then I'll be out of your hair."

Mai and Oliver waited without saying anything. Once Marcus had left with his water, Oliver shut the door again.

"You know, at Halloween, he suggested that I wear a sailor suit costume," Mai muttered. "And when he first met me, he spoke to me in really bad Japanese."

"Why?"

"Well at first I thought he was studying it, like as an optional course? And that he just wanted to practice. But it turned out he's just really into asian girls. He only left Masako alone because she shouted that she was a lesbian at him."

"Why didn't you?"

"Because if he thought we were both lesbians I can bet you he would have asked us to make out for him to watch."

Oliver's frown deepened.

"Yasuhara said he was a nice person."

"Yeah, because to all the guys he is. It's like he's saving his creepiness up just for me," Mai muttered. "Sorry, you don't want to hear this."

"Why is he here then?"

"Because Masako was talking to Sophie about having a study afternoon and he overheard and eugh."

"You were too nice to say no?"

Mai nodded bitterly.

"Do you want me to ask him to leave?" Oliver asked.

"No, it's fine. He'll get bored of me soon enough, I hope."

Oliver leant against the work surface and Mai continued to cook. It was slowly sinking in that Mai did not like Marcus. Hope rose in Oliver's stomach before he reminded himself of Mai's study abroad application. As if she read his mind, Mai brought up the subject herself.

"I just hope he doesn't get onto the study abroad program if I do. Or that he does and I don't," she muttered.

"He applied?"

"Oh yes. What's worse is he'll probably get it too. Because he's a very well rounded student and all that. He's on the football team. I'm not on any teams."

"Won't they want to keep him for the team?"

"That's what I'm hoping," Mai said.

"When do you find out?"

"Week before we break for the winter holidays," Mai replied.

"So next week?"

Mai looked around at Oliver and blinked.

"Shit. Yes. That's crept up on me."

"What will you do if you don't get on?" Oliver asked.

"Stay here? I presume your parents will let me keep my room?"

"Of course they will. They'd probably let you leave it full of your stuff while you were away if you needed it."

"That'd be nice. It'd make my life easier."

Oliver smiled. Mai's cheeks flushed pink and she turned back to her cooking.