Hinako turned around. “Oh, Mr. Koga.”
“Check this out.” Koga timidly took out his phone. “It’s a video I took at home, if you’d like to see it. I find it kind of soothing.”
“I didn’t think your child was still young.” Hinako smiled wearily, then quickly took a sharp breath. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to come out that way. I’m a bit distracted right now. Is it a video of your child? Please, I would love to see it.”
Hinako wore her usual bright smile. When she saw the video on Koga’s phone, her smile grew wider.
“Oh, a cat! I didn’t know you had a cat.”
In the video, Margot was asleep, stretched out on her back like a human, with her front paws crossed over her chest and her tail extended between her hind legs. It was the same sleeping position Koga had adopted to stop Margot from sleeping on his chest.
Hinako laughed. “Does she really sleep like that?”
“Yes. Doesn’t she look like Tutankhamun’s sarcophagus?”
“So adorable! I like it!” Hinako laughed loudly. Her laughter was brighter than usual as she watched the video with wide eyes.
As Emiri had said, it took energy to compliment people. Hinako had come from Tokyo to lead a large team and was expected to deliver results. Yet the middle-aged men around her were uncooperative and cynical. She must have occasionally felt tired and wanted to be alone. There were undoubtedly times when she didn’t want to praise people.
“Animals really do bring comfort, don’t they?” said Hinako. Sure enough, her smile seemed slightly weary. “I like children and babies, too. But I live alone, and sometimes I don’t know how to react. Well, I guess my reactions don’t matter anyway.”
“Everyone is delighted by your reactions.” Before he knew it, the sincere words had dropped out of Koga’s mouth. “Your compliments bring people joy. I think that’s great.”
For a moment, Hinako looked taken aback, but then she smiled shyly.
“Oh, my. I’ve been given a compliment. You’re right. It does feel nice.”
Emiri was right. It does take energy to do something if you’re not used to it. But if it makes someone this happy, offering praise here and there is a small price to pay.
“There’s also this clip. Take a look.”
When Koga shared with Hinako the picture of Margot’s flehmen response, she returned to her usual upbeat self and gushed about the cat’s cuteness. He understood why people gravitated to Hinako. It was like how his family was drawn to Margot. The simple joy warmed his heart.
Inside the glass-walled booth, kittens were frolicking with one another. All the cats were fluffy, each as cute as a plush toy. However, the prices on the display were far from cute.
Perhaps because it was a holiday, the pet store in the shopping mall was teeming with families with young children. The store was vibrant and spacious, with puppies darting around in their enclosures and kittens enjoying ample space to roam. Some cats were playing, while others, paying no mind to the customers pressed against the glass, snoozed.
Every store attendant held a cat or a dog and, upon making eye contact, would immediately allow customers to pet them. Too tempting, thought Koga. He made sure not to get too close to any of them.
Emiri placed her hand against the glass, gazing at the kittens inside. A light brown long-haired kitten with sapphire blue eyes caught her attention.
“Hey, Mom, isn’t this one beautiful?”
“Yeah, it is. But remember, we were told the Scottish fold is a good breed. There’s one over here, although its ears don’t have the typical charming fold.”
Initially, Koga had been examining the cats in earnest, but he quickly grew weary. The variety of breeds, the complicated names, and the high prices were beyond his imagination. He sat alone on a sofa in the store while Emiri and Natsue chatted with the staff.
It was Natsue who had suggested getting a cat. It was right after Margot had been returned. Even though Margot had been with them for only ten days, she had left a significant impression on the family and had transformed the atmosphere. Natsue had spent the most time with Margot at home during the day. It was understandable why she was overwhelmed by a sense of loss.
Koga recalled what had happened when he returned Margot. Before handing over the pet carrier in the examination room, he had asked the doctor a question.
“Um, will you be sending Margot to a good place?”
“Yes?” The doctor tilted his head.
“My wife’s concerned. She said that while Margot’s bed is old, it looks like it’s been washed many times, so she must be cared for by a nice person who values her favorite things. Is that true?”
“Oh, yes, that’s right. Cats don’t care about the cost of things; they only care if the scent is to their liking. Rest assured; she belongs to a home where she can enjoy a good night’s sleep without concern.”
The doctor’s response had been casual and somewhat flippant, but he handled the carrier gently. Margot didn’t seem the least bit reluctant to part from Koga. In fact, there was a calm and cool look of relief in her clear, tea-green eyes.
There were no cats with mottled fur here. No adult cats either. Koga liked strong cats like Margo, but he felt there was something wrong with the act of selecting a cat.
“Hey, Dad.”
Emiri and Natsue approached him. It seemed that they had made a decision. With some effort, Koga got up.
“Don’t worry about the price. Pick out a cat you guys like. I can wait on buying a new car until after the next vehicle inspection.”
“It’s not that,” Emiri said. She glanced around the shop, a complicated look crossing her face. “There are so many cute cats here and plenty of customers, too. I’m sure these cats will find a good home without our help. So instead of a kitten from a pet shop, what do you think about this?”
Emiri showed him her phone. Initially, he thought he was looking at the website of a different store, but he quickly realized his mistake.
“A cat shelter?”
“Yeah. A friend from college adopted a cat from there. They’re having an open house today. Can we go?”
