My Cat Girl Neighbor Is Impossible to Understand

Chapter 12: Chapter 12 - Shopping On Saturday

There was always something peaceful about Saturday mornings.

No school bells.

No rush to prepare breakfast and go off to classes.

No trains filled with sleeping students.

Instead, light streamed through the neighborhoods as birds chirped from the rooftops.

Sui was preparing a quick breakfast in his kitchen when the doorbell went off.

Ding-dong.

"...At this hour?"

He put his toast down on a plate and got up from the counter to reach the front door.

Opening it, he blinked.

Yuiko stood in front of him.

For the first time since meeting her, she wasn’t dressed in her school uniform.

She was wearing a cream colored cardigan with a light blue dress reaching her knees. Her long black hair was tied up in a ponytail allowing her cat ears to be seen more clearly.

She didn’t carry her school bag.

Instead, she was holding a reusable shopping bag pressed against her chest.

"...Good morning."

Sui stared at her for a second.

"...Morning."

Yuiko looked away.

"...Am I too early?"

"No."

"I just wasn’t expecting a visitor."

"...Sorry."

"You don’t have to apologize."

A short silence followed.

Yuiko seemed to want to say something.

Instead, she squeezed the handle of her shopping bag.

Sui noticed.

"...Something wrong?"

"...Not exactly."

Another pause.

Then:

"...Could you..."

Her voice was so soft it could barely be heard above the morning breeze.

"...Come with me shopping?"

Sui blinked.

"Shopping?"

She nodded.

"...There’s a supermarket near the station."

"I’ve only been there once."

"I..."

She looked down.

"...I don’t understand some human products."

"You mean food?"

"And cleaning supplies."

"There are too many."

Sui smiled.

"So you need a guide."

"...If you have the time."

"If not..."

"I can ask somebody else."

She ended those words without looking at him.

Even she didn’t believe herself.

Sui laughed lightly.

"I’m free."

Yuiko looked at him.

"...Really?"

"Sure."

"I need some groceries myself."

A look of relief instantly spread across her face.

"...Thanks."

And then, almost automatically:

Her tail swished happily.

Thirty minutes later...

Both of them met outside of their neighboring houses.

Sui wore a simple white t-shirt and jeans.

Yuiko was still in her school uniform.

She stood by the road, adjusting the strap of her shopping bag constantly.

"...Are you ready?"

She nodded.

"...Yes."

They started walking to the shopping district.

It being Saturday, the streets were much more busy than on other days.

Parents were pushing strollers.

Kids were running from shop to shop.

Couples were holding hands and talking joyfully.

Yuiko instinctively moved closer to Sui.

"...There are many people here."

"There usually are on the weekend."

"...I forgot."

She was used to less crowded streets.

Her cat ears twitched whenever someone laughed close enough.

When they finally reached the shopping street...

A group of girls from their school suddenly appeared from another shop.

"...Huh?"

"Isn’t that Aoyama?"

"And Nekozawa?"

Yuiko instantly froze.

Her whole body tensed up.

"..."

"...Good morning."

One of the girls smiled politely.

"Shopping together?"

Sui answered naturally.

"Yeah."

Yuiko blushed brightly.

"..."

The girls exchanged smirks.

"See you two later!"

When they disappeared:

Yuiko covered her face with both hands.

"..."

Sui tilted his head.

"...Yuiko?"

"...That was embarrassing."

"Why?"

"They’ll misinterpret it."

"They probably will."

"...Aren’t you embarrassed?"

He thought for a moment.

"...Not really."

Yuiko peeked through her fingers carefully.

"...Why?"

"We’re just going shopping."

"...Together."

"Yes."

"...Today, on Saturday."

"Yes."

"...Just the two of us."

"Yes."

Her face was blushing brighter now.

"...That sounds..."

"...Like..."

She couldn’t say the word.

Sui looked at her for a second.

Then:

"...Like a date?"

Yuiko’s ears shot straight up.

"W-What?!"

"N-No!"

"I didn’t mean—"

"I meant..."

"..."

She couldn’t say anything more.

Her tail puff up into a huge fluffy brush.

Sui looked away.

"...Sorry."

"I was joking."

"...You’re mean."

Her voice sounded tiny.

"I know."

"...A little bit."

For some reason...

Instead of being angry...

She found herself smiling.

A couple of minutes later they reached the supermarket.

Automatic doors opened before them.

Cool air welcomed them inside.

Yuiko gaped with wonder.

"So many..."

Shelves were stretching in all directions.

Hundreds of colorful packages were filling all the aisles.

She turned slowly in circles.

"...How can anybody choose?"

"You get used to it."

"...I doubt it."

Sui took a shopping basket.

"You said you need groceries."

"...Yes."

She unfolded her neatly written shopping list.

All the items were numbered.

Milk.

Eggs.

Rice.

Fish.

Vegetables.

Laundry detergent.

Dish soap.

She frowned.

"...This one."

She pointed at two almost identical bottles.

"They both wash dishes."

"They do."

"Why are there twenty kinds?"

Sui laughed.

"Advertising."

"...Humans are strange."

"We are."

Yuiko sighed melodramatically.

"...Beastfolk stores have only five."

"That’s easier."

"It really is."

While walking through the aisles Sui told her about different brands, ingredients and products.

Yuiko listened carefully, asking questions about almost everything.

But instead of finding it annoying...

He realized he was actually having fun.

She was looking at familiar objects with genuine interest.

Objects that Sui had long forgotten how interesting they are.

For Yuiko even the choice of the right brand of the milk felt like discovery.

As they reached the snack aisle...

Yuiko instantly stopped.

Her eyes shone.

"...Limited edition melon cookies."

Sui smiled.

"I knew you would eventually find the snacks."

"..."

She looked away shyly.

"...Maybe shopping together isn’t so bad."

She didn’t mean to say that aloud.

But when she saw Sui smiling next to her...

The shopping basket steadily became heavier.

Rice.

Vegetables.

Milk.

Eggs.

Laundry detergent.

All the things written by Yuiko in her clean list slowly disappeared as she ticked them off with great satisfaction.

"... Done."

She glanced at the last thing left on the list.

"Snacks."

Sui smiled.

"I wonder when will we come here."

"... I buy just one."

"Just one?"

"... Usually."

"That is impressive."

She looked at him.

"... You buy two."

"I have been watched."

"I pay attention."

These words slipped out without her realizing that.

Yuiko quickly turned away.

"... I mean..."

"... When we visit the convenience store."

Sui only smiled.

"I know."

They entered the aisle with snacks.

Beautifully packed items occupied both sides of the shelves.

Chocolates.

Cookies.

Potato chips.

Crackers.

Limited editions announced with nice posters.

Yuiko immediately saw the melon cookies she had seen before.

"... They are back."

She carefully put one box into her basket.

But then she noticed something.

Sui stood a few steps ahead of her.

He did not look at the cookies.

He only looked at a small blue pack lying on the middle shelf.

Butter biscuits.

He picked it up.

Looked at the price.

Smiled softly.

"... Maybe next time."

He quietly put it back.

Yuiko blinked.

... He did not buy them.

A few minutes passed, and they found themselves in another aisle.

Sui compared two brands of tea.

But Yuiko...

She could not stop thinking about these biscuits.

He seemed very happy as he was picking them up...

But then he put them back.

"... Excuse me."

She said softly.

"Hm?"

"... I forgot something."

"I’ll be right back."

"Okay."

"I’ll wait near the checkout."

She nodded and walked away.

Right after Sui disappeared from sight...

Yuiko rushed to the snack aisle.

She immediately spotted the well-known blue package.

"... These."

She carefully picked it up.

"... Butter biscuits."

She remembered seeing these biscuits before.

Whenever they visited the convenience store after classes...

Sui’s eyes would stay on these biscuits for a couple of seconds.

Sometimes he bought them.

But most of the time...

He quietly picked something less expensive.

Yuiko looked at the price.

"... It is not expensive even."

She carefully held the package close to her heart.

Maybe...

He is just trying to save money.

Without thinking anymore...

She put the biscuits into her basket.

At the checkout, they paid separately.

Sui thanked the cashier and went out first.

Yuiko quickly hid the blue package under her vegetables and paid.

Walking home together, the grocery bags swung from side to side.

"... Thank you."

Yuiko said.

"I would have wasted an hour deciding which detergent to choose."

Sui laughed.

"I have saved you twenty minutes."

"... That is twenty minutes anyway."

When they walked down the well-known path to their houses, Yuiko’s heartbeat slowed down.

The biscuits.

She had bought them for him.

I should give them to him.

Her hand reached for the bag.

She felt the package.

"... A-Aoyama."

"Hm?"

"I..."

She looked at him.

His expression was calm, waiting for her to say anything.

"..."

Her courage faded away.

"... Nothing."

"You sure?"

She nodded hastily.

"... Yes."

Say it.

I bought these for you.

The words did not want to come.

They walked a few more steps.

She tried again.

"... Sui."

He looked at her.

"Yeah?"

Her cheeks flushed.

"... I..."

Again...

She said nothing.

Her tail tightly embraced her leg.

Why is it so hard?

It is just a snack...

She slowly took the package out of the bag.

Just give it to him.

Before she managed to...

A small kid ran past them chasing a ball.

Yuiko instinctively put the biscuits behind her back.

The chance was lost.

"..."

They arrived at their neighboring houses.

Sui smiled.

"Thank you for today."

"... Me too."

She still held the package behind her back.

Now.

Now!

But the words still did not come.

Sui opened his gate.

"See you tomorrow."

"... S-See you tomorrow."

He went inside.

The door silently closed behind him.

Yuiko stayed at the entrance to her neighbor’s house.

Still holding the package that has not been opened yet.

"..."

"... I am hopeless."

She sighed lightly.

Back home, she put the groceries onto the kitchen counter.

The blue package lay on top of everything else.

She stared at it for a while.

"... I bought it for him."

Her cheeks warmed up.

"... But why could not I give it to him?"

There was no answer.

After dinner...

She made herself a cup of tea.

The biscuits were still on the table.

"... They will become stale if I leave them."

She slowly opened the package.

"... Just one."

Crunch.

The deliciousness of it filled her mouth.

"... It is good."

She smiled sadly.

"... Now I am eating his snack."

One biscuit followed another.

Then the third.

Until she noticed that the half of the package has gone already.

"..."

"I really am hopeless."

The next day...

Sui stepped out of his house as usual.

A few seconds later, Yuiko appeared beside him.

"... Morning."

"Morning."

When they started walking...

A familiar butter aroma surrounded them.

Sui blinked.

"... Yuiko."

"... Yes?"

"... You smell like butter biscuits."

She froze.

"...!"

Her ears straightened in surprise.

"W-What?"

"The snack."

"I can smell it."

Her whole face lit up red.

"... I..."

"... Ate some."

"They are good?"

She nodded quickly.

"... Very."

Sui smiled.

"I have not eaten them for a while."

Yuiko looked at the ground.

Because I bought those biscuits that you wanted...

And then I was too shy to give them to you.

She secretly promised to herself...

Next time...

I will be courageous enough.

But for now, she simply walked beside him, her cheeks flushing and carrying the nice smell of butter biscuits..