Gouhin glanced wistfully at the pack of cigarettes lying on the far side table and chuckled, tapping his pen with the hidden lead against the notepad. Bill seemed to have come with guilt, but retreated to the bathroom after a minute of tense silence and sighs. The doctor never pushed voluntary patients to confess, believing they should come to such a decision on their own. He might have been rough, impatient, biting in his words, but his professionalism seemed to overshadow all his shortcomings.

With the noise of running water, the tiger appeared again in the corridor. His face was wet, as if… Gouhin gave a tight smile and nodded, gesturing to the opposite chair.

"Honestly, I thought psychologists usually have those long couches."

"Variety," shrugged the panda. "They mostly just aim for comfortable furniture – chairs, sofas. Are you comfortable, Bill?"

"Yeah… thank you, Gouhin-san."

Between them was a small round coffee table in the color of stained oak, chairs upholstered in beige fabric stood on a dark green, patterned rug. The furniture looked expensive, even the wall paint didn't seem similar to the one downstairs, old and well-worn by time. The therapy room probably ate up most of the clinic's funds, not counting expenses for instruments and some medications.

And silence again.

"If you don't want to talk about what happened, that's your right. As a patient and as an animal in general," remarked Gouhin. "You need help, and you came for it voluntarily, which I appreciate."

"Melon brought me," grumbled the tiger, fingers – for now without extended claws – gripping the armrests. "Where is he, by the way?"

"Gone to work, as far as I know. The rain has almost stopped, and this guy doesn't live here."

"I see."

"We can approach therapy from another angle. Please, think about what actions haven't been characteristic of you lately. What do you want to get rid of? Just, without considering the events of recent days, what do you consider 'not you' and generally harmful?" Gouhin focused an attentive gaze on him. Bill hesitated with his answer, then said, looking away:

"I cried yesterday. A lot."

He decided to choose that?

"Well… if you think that strong animals don't cry, look at me. I have strength, both physical and psychological, and I've cried more than once in my life. The image of a tough animal is great, but it also creates an additional burden for us."

"But I would like it not to be so."

"I understand. Our tears can be compared to a dam across a turbulent mountain river – when the current of circumstances presses too hard, the dam breaks. You can not build such dams, but for that, nothing should happen in life at all. Or detach yourself from everything. It seemed to me that you tried the second method, or am I mistaken?"

"It hurt," Bill's eyes shone with suppressed anger again. He probably experienced echoes of the feelings that prompted his actions, but Gouhin's job was not to prevent these feelings from emerging or to prevent external consequences. The pen clicked and slid over the paper.

"It does," the doctor said, "For all of us there are plenty of those moments in our life. "You and I are not here to somehow undo the pain, but to cope with the consequences. Not to let them engulf you. Understand?"

"Yes."

"Good. I sympathize with the events that caused your pain, and to deal with it now, we need to discuss what you're feeling and why you're feeling it."

"I understand, Gouhin-san. It's…" he paused for a few seconds, forcefully ejecting the words out of his throat: "It's because of the bastards that raped Els and… ate her arm… alive"

Bill sounded almost broken. Panda knew that he has to do his best to soften the mental damage from uncovering the trauma.

"I'm really sorry. We won't re-discuss the tragic event unless you want to," Gouhin emphasized, simultaneously opening another psychological history. He often worked with young animals, most of whom ended up here restrained and immobilized. Some things were understood right away, some debris, like Melon's brains, sometimes plunged him into despair. But the old panda never gave up. "What are you feeling right now? Can it be described as anger, disappointment? Or linked to physical sensations?"

"Anger, yes. Physically… I don't know. I ate meat… a little bit. Not that I broke… yes, of course, I broke the law, but I never went into psychosis. Now I can't eat it. Els is always in front of my eyes," the tiger said dejectedly.

"Do you attribute this mental state to what is not yours by nature?"

"Yes."

"But do you want to change?"

"I don't know… Probably not. I doubt I'll ever be able to…"

"Listen, Bill. I'll tell you something you'll never want to repeat outside. I won't make any promises, just an unpopular perspective. Meat is necessary for carnivores, meant by name. Yes, the pharmaceutical industry has learned to deceive the body and supply it with necessary minerals and vitamins, but physiologically the most effective delivery of these substances is through the digestive tract. I've said the same to Legoshi in the past, but he refused to accept a viewpoint contradicting his beliefs."

Bill widened his eyes slightly:

"Isn't this part… of patient confidentiality?"

"Strictly speaking, Legoshi was never my patient. He ended up here by mistake, I taught him some psychological practices, trained him, paid for his work… but he wasn't a patient. If we mention his romantic interests, some consider relationships between herbivores and carnivores a mental disorder, but I include that in acceptable deviations for a mixed society. Speaking of which… how would you describe Els six months ago?"

"She… was smart, active, loved manga, like me, did well in school, always behaved properly…"

"I see… how would you describe your relationship?"

Bill sniffled, a tear freely rolling down his cheek, crossing the black stripes on his orange fur. He said uncertainly:

"Friends. Maybe, best friends."

"Did you feel anything more for her?"

"No. I didn't love her, if that's what you mean, Gouhin-san. As a friend, but… I understood that in our case, such relationships could become a curse, so I kept my distance."

"Okay. I'm sorry for bringing up an emotional topic, let's end it here," the pen continued to cover the paper with rows of symbols, "How would you describe yourself?"

"Myself?"

"Yes. Who is Bill, the Bengal tiger?"

"Besides 'tiger,' I don't even know what to say, doctor. I'm a regular animal of my age… I study at Tanikawa College, like… I also love manga, for some time I was in the Cherryton Theater Club, even played the lead role, but it… ended badly."

"Was there something at that moment that still troubles you?"

"Rather, it left a mark. I won't pretend I'm a 'good guy'…"

"Believe me, there have been guys here who've done really terrible things. It's not an excuse for you, but I'm used to everything. And I'm ready to help any 'bad guys' as long as they're willing to cooperate."

"And those who aren't willing?"

"Usually end up upstairs, in a less comfortable chair with metal handcuffs. But that's not going to happen to you," Gouhin smiled curtly. Bill pressed his ears:

"Even if I… killed someone?"

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

"Understand, Bill… I'm not advocating for taking responsibility for your actions, though, of course, it's a perfectly normal thing for a healthy member of society. Here, in this room, I want to help you untangle those knots in life that you can't handle. Everything said during our sessions will stay here. Here," Gouhin shook the notepad, "I won't jot down a single thing that could be used against you in court. As if anybody ever would be able to decipher this."

"I'm not ready to spill everything yet," Bill said, raising his hands in a defensive gesture.

"And that's okay too."

"So… then, at the performance… or rather, before it, I drank a bit of rabbit blood. Just a sip, just for courage. I don't even know where it came from, maybe it was from a donor or something like that."

"What happened next?"

"Legoshi smelled it. He attacked me… we argued, fought right on stage, and almost ruined the play. Louis improvised to get everything back on track…"

"Louis?"

"A deer from our school, a wealthy guy, a crowd favorite. Not a bad actor, to be honest."

"Louis, the red deer, heir to the Horns? At least from the official side."

"Yes," Bill nodded. "And what does 'from the official side' mean?"

"Many wealthy animals have a double life," Gouhin dodged the question.

"Wouldn't surprise me."

"So, Louis separated you and Legoshi. Did anything change in your life after that incident? I'll clarify, I mean any significant changes."

"Herbivores in the club started to fear us. Both me and Legoshi, and then we, on the contrary, got closer to Els. About a month later. We hung out together, discussed familiar topics, the play."

"As far as I know, around the same time there was a crime at your school. Do you think it influenced your worldview?"

Bill shrugged:

"I don't know, Gouhin-san. I don't think anything changed – and before that, I always believed that weak animals should be protected."

An amazing situation – when social norms clash with physiological ones. Of course, the doctor didn't say this, he just made another note and asked:

"Do you think… lately, have you done anything wrong personally? Something you could have done, but didn't, or did, although, thinking about it, wouldn't have done?"

The pause stretched. Finally, the tiger lowered his gaze and said:

"Both. If I had accompanied her home from college… maybe, if we had a relationship, Els would still be alive."

"Sorry for asking – you didn't say she was dead?"

"She might as well be dead," tears of a strong beast, breaking the dam for the umpteenth time today, fell onto the carpet. He didn't even attempt to wipe them away, he just… mourned fiercely, with his whole soul and heart. "She can't act on her own anymore, she's trapped in some psychological something that I didn't even remember…"

"Coma? Stupor? PTSD? Although… let's not focus on terminology. Do you blame yourself, Bill?"

"Yes," the tiger raised his tear-filled eyes to him.

"Only yourself?"

"No."

"For what purpose did you turn to the black market?"

"I don't know… maybe for revenge."

"I see. Bill, you probably know this yourself, but there are tragic circumstances that we cannot foresee. Revenge is unlikely to alleviate the pain inflicted upon you, but it may help you find a sense of relief. However – and this is worth considering – such actions often serve as sources of new psychological traumas. Did you hunt?"

"Yes."

"Did you hunt someone specific?"

"…no. I just…" Bill extended his claws and looked at them. Large, sharp, almost two inches long, they appeared threatening even without blood on them, but in his memory, they were imprinted differently. "I'm a murderer."

"Understood," Gouhin remarked impassively. The indifference seemed to sting the tiger; he glared angrily at the panda.

"Do you think murderers should roam free?"

"I believe not all murderers deserve execution," Gouhin replied just as calmly, momentarily pausing from writing to meet the patient's gaze. "In some, there's been a breaking point, something caused by external factors, deep emotional bonds, or our own instincts gone awry. We're all just animals, Bill. Imperfect, and if you disregard this fact entirely, you could burn the whole world in pursuit of your ideals."

"And you…"

"We're here to help you, Bill. I don't know if learning about me will reassure you, give you some internal justification, or conversely, inspire self-destruction, so I won't delve into the specifics of my biography."

"But you've killed," Bill reinforced his conviction. After a pause, Gouhin nodded.

"Yes. But in defense of either myself or other animals from immediate deadly threats. I'm not a vigilante going to the streets to orchestrate bloody massacres, and I still brought in the most unruly, psychosis-afflicted animals here alive."

"Understood," he sarcastically smirked through tears. "A sick beast gets a sick doctor."

"So be it."

"If it serves the purpose of treatment? How much do I owe you, Gouhin-san?"

Gouhin looked at Bill with surprise.

"The money? Didn't I mention? The sessions are free. For you, and for everyone else. I don't earn from my work; the clinic is sponsored by major hospitals that don't want to see blood-soaked wild animals from the black market out there."

"So I'm one of them," Bill's voice faltered. Indeed… what else could he be called?

"You're an animal burdened with significant problems and physical traumas who voluntarily came to my clinic. Another free piece of advice – there's still a huge gap between you and animals with carnivorous psychosis. Believe me, I understand the details. It's not worth bridging it. Most of my involuntary patients still fail to perceive life normally. They are incurable to norm of hundred percent … I only open the largest abscesses."

"And me?"

"You have good chances, Bill."

"You're optimistic…"

"I'm a doctor, young man," Gouhin sternly spoke, pointing his pen at him. "I'm not allowed to pray while stitching up a patient and hope for some stroke of luck. Just as in therapy – if I didn't do everything I could and relied on some stroke of luck from the animal brains, why am I needed at all?" Relaxing, he leaned back and added, "That doesn't mean I'm disrespectful to patients' religious beliefs or superstitions. Another question falls outside the session's scope. Bill, do you feel the benefit of our conversation?"

"I don't know… maybe."

"Is it worth continuing therapy sessions?"

"Yes," this time the tiger's voice sounded firmer. Gouhin nodded.

"Then for today, we're done. I'll make lunch while you rest."

"Maybe I can help you, Gouhin-san? With the lunch."

"You're injured. I advise you to lie down for now."

"Yes. You know… maybe this needs to be said too, but I don't feel a sense of closure from our conversation. We haven't solved anything…" Bill hesitated, reluctant to leave the office.

"We've answered many questions. However, you're right that these are just initial questions, and resolving everything in one session isn't possible," Gouhin shrugged. "To ask the right questions and cautiously approach the knots in your life, we need to learn a lot about the circumstances that led to the formation of these knots. They need to be untangled carefully – many animals try to cut or even chop them, permanently damaging their psyche."

"Like Melon?"

"Did he tell you something?"

"Yes. I mean, not that…"

"Then neither will I. Melon's problems stem from childhood, possibly even from his hybrid origins. And until he wants to entrust you with his secrets, I'm bound by therapist ethics."

"A therapist without a license?" Bill weakly chuckled. The panda looked at him with puzzlement.

"Why? I graduated from Southern with a degree in psychology, then defended my doctorate in front of a Tokyo committee. But of course I don't hang my diploma on the wall – patients come in all shapes and sizes. Some leave scars, others perform striptease on the coffee table…"

"Oh… sorry, Gouhin-san," Bill bowed, feeling regret and shame for overstepping. The doctor had been so accommodating to him, and he…

"I'm actually, though, an unlicensed surgeon. However, animals with torn wounds from claws and fangs don't complain," Gouhin smirked and nudged the petrified tiger towards the exit. "Off to bed. I'll bring lunch in half an hour."

"Thank you…"

They left the club with mixed feelings. The rain no longer obscured visibility; instead, it fell as a weightless mist, drifting past, while the grass glistened under the glow of streetlights.

"It was… insanely weird," Tsutomu broke the silence. His gaze wandered distractedly from one lamppost to another, wanting to sit down, but the weather didn't allow it. The winged teenager tugged at the collar of his polo shirt with a small claw. Eri remained silent for a while, then added, "And cool. A bit scary, but still cool."

"Yeah…" Tsu agreed. "At first, they invite people and deliver bad news. Disgusting news. Then you catch Pina and pry a secret out of him that's better off staying hidden. And to top it all off, you see…"

"That," Eri said, stunned. Tsu chuckled.

"It feels like getting dragged through the mud with your face and then being fed the tastiest dessert in the world. But the aftertaste of mud remains."

"And the dessert seems to be taken already," she giggled. "Did you see Pina's eyes? It's like he freezes when he looks at her."

"Rumors about the ram are spreading all over school…"

"Yeah. He was hitting on Tepira, the lynx from my room, but she shut him down."

Tsu raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Do you think he looks at her like she's the greatest achievement in his lovehunt?"

"N-no, doesn't seem like it. I mean, he doesn't even try all those pickup tricks, doesn't flatter or coax. Just looks at her, admiringly and intently."

"Sisu's fur is just out of this world. I mean, why would an aquatic animal even have fur?"

Eri looked thoughtfully at the sky, slightly tilting her head, then said wisely, "But seals do have fur."

"We studied that it's like an external protective layer for them, and that's only when they're young. But no one has this kind of fur…"

"No one?"

Tsu recognized the trap in time and said with a smile, "Except you, maybe."

"What a diligent student," she smiled teasingly, then stopped in the middle of the park pathway, embracing him by the shoulders. Both were in school uniform; the serval girl had thrown on her thick red jacket to avoid getting any wetter. Tsu looked into her green eyes, slightly tilting his head – Eri was an inch taller – and once again drowned in emotions. No matter how much the storm raged around him, the same storm raged inside. The girl abruptly pulled the flying fox into the epicenter of emotions and showed no intention of letting go.

And he didn't want her to.

Tsu gently touched her lips, parting them slightly. Eri made a quiet and incomprehensible sound, closing her eyes and melting from the overwhelming emotions engulfing her. She generously shared what she felt with those around her, and now she found someone who could withstand this onslaught, someone she found, albeit accidentally, but truly. She liked everything about him – his grace and strength, enough to lift a body in the air only slightly lighter than hers, his expressive gaze of orange eyes, his deep, sensual voice… she didn't even dare admit to herself that she wanted to hear that voice in different circumstances. Just standing on the edge of this mental precipice, Eri already felt herself being painted over and took a step back.

"We should mourn," she heard that very voice when their lips slowly parted. "It's wrong… probably, but I feel the troubling news dissolve in the ocean of all the good things happening."

"Nothing special is happening," she whispered. "But we don't owe anyone anything."

Tsu just hugged her tighter, pressing against her and rubbing his nose against her wet neck. The flying fox didn't have a good sense of smell, but her scent… oh, he could distinguish it even amidst a bustling station, probably.

"Li-listen," she said, stretching. The guy already knew that such a tone indicated a sudden spark of interest. Eri was so airheaded (in a cute manner) and impulsive sometimes. "Let's create a chat?"

"What chat?"

"On Telegrawr! Let's add everyone from our club there and chat."

Tsu tilted his head puzzledly, releasing her. He said, "I'm… not very good with messaging. I only have Zooapp, and that's mostly for my parents. And Yagi, my roommate."

"Let's do it! And one more secret one, for… the club within the club," Eri winked playfully. The fox waved his hands, "Wait, I can't keep up with your thoughts. There are messages, we can just text there."

"I feel like Sisu would be lonely if everyone leaves."

"But they practically take shifts there!"

"But sometimes…"

"By the way, how do you imagine a phone for a dragon of her size?"

"Uh… well, you could even install it on a laptop. Come on, come on, let's do it," the cat started dancing around him, and Tsu sighed helplessly. His opinion could have been ignored, and… to be honest, he supported her, but was ashamed to show his technical illiteracy. Gadzmir would be useful here; the porcupine always talked as if everyone around were computer experts, and when he realized nobody understood him, he cursed.

"Let's go somewhere drier."

"Remember that place under the stairs where we used to hide from the janitor?"

"Yeah," the fox nodded happily. "That'll do."

They entered the school building, which was still open – some clubs finished at eight or even nine in the evening – and dove into the stairwell, choosing a spot in an improvised corner. Apparently, they weren't the only ones in need of such a quiet spot; a couple of pieces of foam lay there already, apparently torn from some sofa. Two members of the drama club landed on them, pulling out their phones.

"Look. It's all elementary," Eri showed. "First, you download the app. Is your internet connection okay?"

"It's enough for me," Tsutomu shrugged.

"There. Registration is very simple, like in any other messenger. Nickname, username…"

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"Nope, a nickname is how other animals will see you in the chat. Username is a link to your profile and also your account. Look, this is how mine looks."

"Okay, got it. Nice photo," he smiled. Eri said embarrassedly, "Yeah, I have several here, I can't decide. Everything you uploaded as your photo is saved here, you can switch to an old one anytime. By the way, you can change your nickname."

"The one with headphones is very cool."

"Stop it," the cat lightly slapped his shoulder. He made a teasing face and showed her his tongue, "No."

"Please…"

The flying fox gently ran his fingers along her cheek, and Eri rubbed against his fingers, twitching her ear almost imperceptibly. She whispered, "Stop… first the Telegrawr introduction course."

"And then?"

"Then we'll see."

"I already downloaded it," Tsu checked the screen of his phone, raising his eyebrows concernedly. "So… to install. Is it tied to the number, like in Zooapp?"

"I think so. It even suggests looking at who from your contact list is in the app."

"But I hardly have anyone there. Yagi, whom you've already seen, a couple of animals from common classes, maybe five or six more from the club…"

"So few?"

"I… am not a very sociable guy," the fox smiled guiltily. Eri snorted, "Not a very sociable guy who organized a club picnic on the first weekend?"

"Technically, the second. The auditions were on the 20th, on Friday, I remembered that date well," he shook his head. "And the picnic – it just happened. And it happened very well."

"Yeah," the serval smiled, "I liked it too. Will you fly again for me someday?"

"Only for you. I… to be honest, I'm not very good at flying. Like all flying foxes and bats in general."

"You're just being modest! You're very good in the air…"

"Using all my strength not to crash face-first into the ground," Tsu sighed ruefully.

"No mammal can do that! Only you! It's so cool that… that I don't know, damn it!" she whispered in awe, although her voice was lowered. The fox asked teasingly, "So, you wouldn't date a bird then?"

"No-o-o. Just imagine that beak. And if it's a carnivore bird, it might accidentally poke your eye out during a kiss. No! Hell, you've really got me thinking!"

"Yeah, we're getting me into the basics of social networking…"

"You've almost done it all yourself. Just need to put up a photo, and then I'll add you to the chat."

Tsutomu wrinkled his nose amusingly, "I don't like photos as avatars."

"But what if it'll be the photo of us?" the cat slyly asked. He pretended to think, "Only if it's not here in this dark corner. And if you also put it as your avatar!"

Eri giggled, "We'll be confused!"

"They won't, because the names are different."

"Who cares about them…"

"And those who don't care – it's their problem. Maybe we should go up higher, there's a nice window on the landing?" he suggested, to which Eri nodded happily, "Let's."

They climbed two flights higher, after which Eri jumped onto the windowsill, and Tsu stood next to her, hugging her waist. The cat looked at him for a second and, taking photos leisurely, first leaned slightly forward. As she raised her head, the fox met her lips again with visible pleasure and a smile. Eri didn't break the contact for several seconds, then, pulling back, licked her lips, "M-m-m, you're getting better."

"I'm going with my intuition," Tsutomu gestured with his fingers in the air. "And for greater inspiration, I have a wonderful muse."

She laughed, "That's what it means to date an actor."

"Oh yes," Tsutomu nodded importantly, "a professional actor, with two weeks of experience."

"However long it may be. Louis-san noticed your potential for a reason."

"Now you're embarrassing me."

"You'll see – animals will applaud you as much as Juno and Pina," she smiled, seeing the embarrassment of the flying fox and him fidgeting in the air. He protested, "I haven't even memorized the whole script yet!"

"You still have plenty of time to worry? How will we take photos?"

"I thought we'd just…"

"Boring."

"I… am not ready to kiss on camera yet."

"Then let's make faces!"

The fox pulled his eyelid with his finger and stuck out his tongue, turning to her, "Like this?"

"Super! Turn to the camera!"

Tsu obediently turned around, maintaining his silly expression, and waited for the digital click. Laughing, she handed him the phone – in the photo behind him and with a face that didn't suit Tsutomu's usual seriousness at all, Eri rolled her eyes to her nose, slightly lowered her usually upward-pointing round ears, and also stuck out her tongue. Tsutomu involuntarily snickered, covered his mouth with his hand, and said muffledly, "This is awful…"

"Excellent! The more awful, the better," Eri giggled and, as promised, immediately set the photo as her profile picture. Getting the picture, the fox looked at her again and shook his head in amazement. This thing, with relationships, clearly drove him crazy.

"So… who should we add?" she pondered aloud.

"Everyone from the club. Everyone who was at the picnic, plus armadillos and… who else wasn't there?" Tsu wondered.

"Gadzmir?"

"Yeah, the porcupine. Also Akihito and Ratih."

"Yeah… half of them don't have the app," Eri said discontentedly. He grinned, "Then you'll convince them all on Saturday."

"Okay… now the second chat, the secret one!"

"Maybe let's deal with the first one first?"

"There aren't many people there yet anyway. I can't add some, need their confirmation. I'll message them later," the cat waved her hand. "Okay… Pina, Louis, Juno. You and me. Legoshi naturally doesn't have the app…"

"I think Haru knows about it too," Tsutomu said uncertainly, scratching his head. "Louis or Juno might have her number. Oh, look, Louis is messaging."

Tsutomu stared at her phone. Although he could have looked at his own, Eri was doing everything at supersonic speed.

Louis: What's this?

Eri: This is our new secret chat! (:

Louis: What a nightmare.

Pina: bet hes going to say "What a nightmare" now

Pina: damn missed it XD

Pina: well done eri

Pina: image

"What's this?"

"Stickers. Don't you have them in Zooapp?"

"Nope. Look, are they specially made or something?"

"Well, of course, Pina would have stickers with himself," Eri rolled her eyes.

Eri: Does anyone know how to add Legoshi-kun?

Pina: if legoshi installs tele he'll burn his phone frightened to death

Tsutomu: :)

Eri: and we need to install Telegrawr on Sisu's laptop. That way we can communicate more often!

Louis: Sisudatu is always in the club. If you want to talk, come by, she's happy and enthusiastic about any meetings.

Eri: but we're not!

Eri: I mean, we're not always there!

Juno: just when you're about to open your textbooks, and here you are, you two

Juno: :)

Tsutomu: :)

Pina: tsu if you're being held hostage blink

Tsutomu: ;)

Pina: roger the dragon speccial group is on the way

Louis: Pina, I hope you don't want to repeat your mistake with the nighttime walk and demonstrating our guest to half the campus? And anyway, why these secret chats?

Juno: Louis, calm down, please

Louis: I'm calm. I just don't understand.

Pina: louis-senpai telegrawr has good encryption i heard :) even calls are easier to intercept

Louis: Alright. You guys are unstoppable anyway, aren't you?

Eri: Louis-san, we won't tell anyone, promise!

Louis: "Let's just create a common chat."

Eri: it's only for the seven of us (:

Louis: But there are eight of us, including Sisudatu and Haru.

Pina: killjoy

Juno: Louis? Not always :)

Pina: details?

Juno: :P

Louis: Eri, if anything, you'll answer for everything. And you'll take care of installing the app for Sisudatu yourself. Don't show the chat to anyone, not even accidentally. And, for heaven's sake, don't take a foto of the dragon.

Eri: roger that, my general!

Juno: drop it! Back off from General Louis!

Eri: "Drop it" is speciesism!

Louis: Madhouse.

"Right now, I completely agree with him," Tsutomu nodded. Eri nudged him in the side teasingly.

"Maybe you're a killjoy too?"

"To that extent?"

They chuckled. Eri, overwhelmed with emotions, hugged him from behind and softly purred. The flying fox smiled faintly and quietly said:

"I like these sounds. It's purring, right?"

"Yeah. You've never heard it before?"

"Not in person. Especially not this close."

The cat wrapped her arms and legs around him and started purring into his ear, her claws lightly gripping the three-colored polo shirt of the school uniform. Tsutomu, astonished, said:

"Oh… Eri, this is really cool. Why don't they record cat purring as an ASMR?"

"I think some actually do. But not all cats are able to make these sounds," she whispered into his ear, as it was so close. "Big cats like lions and tigers only can do a roar. And… we only do it when we're very content with something. Or someone."

"Are you content?" he turned his head. Eri craftily replied:

"You tell me."

"I hope so," Tsutomu smiled and was rewarded with another round of purring.

Amidst the purring noise, Eri managed to whisper:

"Are your wing membranes… sensitive?"

"Not really. There aren't many nerves or capillaries there."

"Can I see them?"

"Not here," Tsutomu shook his head. "Let's go back instead. And you've seen them when we climbed up to my place."

"You and Yagi were scarier then!" she accused, jumping down and swishing her tail angrily.

"We're creatures of the night! It was such a fitting night for spooky stories," declared Tsutomu, descending the stairs. She grumpily mocked:

"Creatures, and what about…"

"Now we have another spooky story. Much more realistic," he said gloomily. Eri gently placed her hand on his shoulder:

"Everything will be fine, Tsu."

"I'm not so sure about that. Everything isn't always fine by itself."

They settled back into the dark corner — thankfully, both could see well in the darkness. Tsutomu took off his shirt, revealing faint claw marks, and spread his bat wing towards her — it extended down to his waist and even lower.

"Wow…" she gasped in admiration, running her fingers along the wide fold of smooth skin. "And where does it reach down there, at the bottom?"

"To the tail. But that part just adds maneuverability," he enlightened her, standing on his knees with his back to the cat so she could fully examine the wing.

"Very cool!"

"Not really anything cool about it…"

"But it is. Intricate, unusual, and beautiful. And you won't need to spend money on the metro when you get your license."

"If I get it," Tsutomu sighed, straightening his other wing. "They say it's much easier for birds to get one."

Eri hugged him from behind, sliding her hands under the membranes and running her fingers into the light-orange fur on his chest. She pressed against him and firmly said:

"You'll get it. Otherwise, what's the point of all this beauty?"

"You know how to motivate," he weakly smiled. He froze in a slight stupor, as her hands on his bare torso and her body pressed against his back… Rex the almighty, they had never been this close before. As if testing the limits of his endurance, the cat slowly ran her fingers downward, towards his abdomen. Tsutomu barely breathed:

"Eri."

"Pur-r-r-r?"

"Are you doing this on purpose?"

"And are you m-r-r-r-otivated?"

"We're rushing forward at the speed of light…"

"Okay," her voice came softly from behind, lips brushing his ear and warming it with her breath. "I won't rush things."

Tsutomu breathed almost imperceptibly when her fingers stopped stroking him. He turned around, quickly put his polo back on, and, as if apologizing, kissed her again. He shook his head embarrassedly:

"Thank you. I'm sorry. It feels like diving into a deep pool datin' with you. Where the bottom is, what to do — unclear."

Eri lowered her head, grinning widely and looking at him from under her mysterious green eyes. She trailed her finger across his chest, now clothed in fabric:

"Surface, take a breath of air, and dive again. If you're brave enough."