Chapter 264
Chapter 264: A Battle of Wits Between Sisters
2,236 words
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12 min read
"Related to sound?"
Kotomi tilted her head in confusion. Her voice was already quite pleasant—soothing and enchanting. Especially when she used a coquettish tone, it could make someone’s very bones melt. Even her natural speaking voice carried a subtle allure that made it impossible not to be drawn in.
No matter how she thought about it, she didn’t seem to be in dire need of a skill related to sound... Wait a second—could it be music?!
Kazumi had only said it was "related to sound" without specifying further. There was a real possibility that the sixth skill could be the music level Kotomi had been yearning for!
Though she’d only started wishing for it a short while ago, the phrase "yearning day and night" felt far more fitting.
A small, alluring smile crept across Kotomi’s lips.
If this new skill truly turned out to be the music level, then the 500,000 Fame Points and the wait for the system delay would be worth it... No, it wouldn’t! Even if she could justify the Fame Points, how could this buggy potato server keep messing things up?!
Satisfied that everything was sorted, Kazumi bid Kotomi goodbye. Before fading back into her body, she leaned in and affectionately bumped noses with Kotomi.
With a faint glow of pink and blue light, Kazumi disappeared into Kotomi’s body once more.
Kotomi reached out and waved the system interface away. Staring wistfully at the spot where Kazumi had just stood, she murmured with a hint of loneliness:
"We hadn’t seen each other in days, and you just leave so quickly. Couldn’t you have stayed to chat a little longer?"
As Kotomi walked down the road toward her house, she suddenly heard a soft meow from nearby.
She didn’t think much of it and kept walking. The neighborhood was well-known for its abundance of stray cats. In fact, some people specifically chose to pass through the area during their walks or even rented homes nearby just to be close to the cats.
Of course, some of those who rented homes here for the cats quickly regretted it. Poor soundproofing meant it wasn’t uncommon to hear the cacophony of cat calls throughout the night—especially the eerie sounds of cats in their "special seasons."
Thankfully, the neighborhood’s strays had always shown great respect to the Izumi family. After Kotomi gently reminded them once, they extended their courtesy to the Kato family as well. At night, the cats avoided making noise near either house and took their nocturnal serenades elsewhere.
Just a few steps later, Kotomi found herself forced to stop in her tracks. She hadn’t intended to pause, but her left shoe was snagged on something.
Looking down, she saw a gray-and-white Munchkin cat clinging to her stockings with its adorably stubby little paw.
"Am I being extorted by a cat?" Kotomi murmured in amused disbelief. Squatting down, she gently detached the cat’s paw from her tights and moved a step to the side.
The gray-and-white cat trotted after her on its short legs, its movements a rapid pitter-patter.
Under the streetlamp, Kotomi finally got a good look at the cat. She froze for a moment, then couldn’t help but laugh.
Two eyes, one nose, one mouth—why did this little cat look so silly?
It was the kind of goofy-looking cat that could probably be coaxed home with nothing but the promise of air, let alone treats.
Kotomi had always liked cats that appeared docile and endearingly clumsy. They were a far cry from the aloof cats she’d encountered before—some were outright tsundere, while others seemed to think she was their personal fool.
I have my pride too, okay? You eat my fish treats and still treat me like a clown?
Feeling playful, Kotomi crouched again and waved her hand at the little Munchkin cat. To her surprise, the cat obediently stood up. However, its short forelegs immediately curled into tiny fists, as if ready to brawl.
Kotomi chuckled and reached out to stroke the cat’s soft, fluffy head. The little creature was surprisingly gentle, allowing her to pet it without resistance. In fact, it even seemed to enjoy the attention, closing its eyes in contentment.
Mid-petting, Kotomi suddenly noticed something peculiar.
"Why is this cat so chubby?"
From the side, its face was almost non-existent. Its features were so flat that even a pancake would bow down and call it "Master."
Squinting in disbelief, Kotomi asked, "Where’s your neck, little one?"
And the moment she let go, the cat’s posture turned timid. It sat there like a little coward with zero presence or bravado.
Was it just well-tempered? Or was it simply a scaredy-cat?
Kotomi’s curiosity grew. She glanced down at the bag of items she’d bought at the convenience store. Among them was a pack of beef jerky, a request from her sister Aimi.
The Munchkin cat’s round eyes widened like saucers, fixed intently on the jerky.
"You want some beef jerky?" Kotomi teased, holding the bag up.
That energetic meow made it clear.
"Too bad, not for you." Kotomi clutched the bag protectively. "This is for my sister. But wait here, and I’ll bring you some fish treats from home."
She stood up and started walking away. But by the time she reached her house, she looked down and was surprised to find the little Munchkin cat had followed her all the way to her doorstep.
"When did you start following me?" Kotomi asked, stunned.
The cat responded with another enthusiastic meow, clearly intending to follow her inside.
Kotomi froze for a moment before recalling some videos she’d watched about cats. Apparently, some cats had a knack for "adopting" humans, using their charm to convince people to take them home.
"Are you trying to come home with me?" she asked hesitantly.
Another enthusiastic reply. It seemed Kotomi had guessed right.
Kotomi was at a loss. While her family liked cats, bringing one home unannounced wasn’t exactly a responsible move. Cats required a lot of care and attention, not to mention the costs involved.
Ignoring her parents’ opinions or skipping the discussion entirely would be unfair—to both her family and the cat.
"Stay here for a bit," she said, crouching to pick up the little cat and noticing it was female. "I’ll grab some fish treats and check with my parents, okay?"
Surprisingly, the cat seemed to understand. It sat obediently by the door, waiting.
As Kotomi entered the house, she called out:
"Dad, Mom! I think I just brought home a cat!"
Her mother’s voice rang out immediately, brimming with excitement:
"Wait, really? That’s amazing!"
"What kind of cat is it?" asked Kaneyoshi.
Kotomi tilted her head, pondering how to describe it. Finally, she simply said, "A short-legged cat with a pancake face that looks like it doesn’t have a neck. It’s gray and white."
With that, she turned to the kitchen to grab some fish snacks.
"A short-legged cat? Let me take a look." Akina stood up, intrigued.
"I’ll come with you." Kaneyoshi put down his newspaper.
By the time Kotomi stepped outside holding the fish snacks, her parents were already crouched down, observing the Munchkin cat she had "brought home."
"This little cat seems pretty friendly and isn’t afraid of people," Akina said with a smile as she stroked the cat’s fluffy head.
"It’s a little female," Kotomi added helpfully.
"Is this one of the local strays? Judging by how well-fed it looks, it hasn’t had a rough time. Definitely a big eater," Kaneyoshi commented as he observed the cat, whose plump body made him stifle a laugh.
"Dad, does this cat remind you of a propane tank when it stands up?" Kotomi asked.
"Yeah, exactly like a little propane tank! Haha!"
Hearing her father’s agreement, Kotomi couldn’t help but laugh too.
"Mom, Dad, should we adopt this little cat?" Kotomi asked, her fondness for the cat evident.
"I’m all for it. What about you, honey?" Kaneyoshi turned to Akina.
"Well, since Kotomi was the one who brought her home, it’s our responsibility now. Let’s adopt her. Honey, is the local pet clinic still open?"
"There’s a 24-hour pet hospital nearby. Why?"
"If we’re adopting her, we should take her to the clinic first for a check-up," Akina replied while attempting to lift the cat.
She underestimated the cat’s weight, letting out a small huff as she struggled to pick it up. "Wow, this little propane tank is heavier than I thought. Honey, you take over!"
Kaneyoshi took the cat from her arms. As soon as he held it, he realized it wasn’t just his wife’s lack of strength—the cat truly was heavy!
Such a solid weight—could this really be a stray?
Akina drove while Kaneyoshi sat in the passenger seat, cradling the cat. Together, they headed to the nearby pet hospital.
Meanwhile, Kotomi returned home, deciding to surprise Aimi with the news later. For now, she delivered the beef jerky and soda she had promised.
Opening Aimi’s bedroom door, Kotomi saw her little sister sitting at her desk, diligently working on homework. Having finished her own assignments earlier, Kotomi couldn’t resist teasing:
"Oh dear, whose little kid is this, still doing homework so late?"
Aimi pouted, mimicking Kotomi’s trademark "pitiful" expression. "Onee-chan, can’t you feel sorry for me? If you do, help me finish it!"
"How much do you have left?" Kotomi asked.
Aimi was surprised. Usually, Kotomi immediately refused when she joked about getting help. But today, her sister seemed genuinely curious.
Maybe she really cares about me. Aimi felt touched and pulled out her notebook. "Just two more pages of math practice. Will you help me?"
Kotomi chuckled and shook her head, leaving Aimi confused.
"What’s going on, Onee-chan?" Aimi asked, puzzled by her sister’s behavior.
"I just wanted to know how much you had left so I could calculate how long I could stand here and laugh at you," Kotomi said with a mischievous grin, breaking into laughter.
Aimi froze for a moment before her cheeks flushed red with irritation. She huffed, turning her back on Kotomi while furiously scribbling away at her homework.
"Onee-chan, you’re definitely the reason pandas are endangered!"
"Homework is something you have to do yourself."
"And who helped with your homework last time? Wasn’t it me?"
Kotomi tried to regain her elder-sisterly dignity, but Aimi’s swift retort left her speechless. Unable to argue against facts, Kotomi could only smile awkwardly.
"Hehe, thanks for your hard work, my little cutie. Look, here’s the soda and snacks you wanted. Take a break!" Kotomi said sheepishly, pulling the shopping bag from behind her back and placing it on Aimi’s desk.
Seeing the snacks, Aimi’s mood brightened. With a smug air of triumph, she extended her dainty foot and commanded playfully, "Massage my feet."
"Fine, fine."
Kotomi gently took hold of her sister’s petite foot, massaging it tenderly.
As Aimi enjoyed her sister’s pampering, her mood lifted further. She reached into the shopping bag to grab the soda, but upon opening it, her face froze.
"Onee-chan, did you actually buy soda?"
"Of course I did," Kotomi replied without looking up, fully focused on the foot massage.
"There’s soda, sure... But why is it all Pepsi?!" Aimi thrust the bag in front of Kotomi.
Startled, Kotomi glanced at the bag. Sure enough, it contained only Pepsi—not a single bottle of Coca-Cola.
She froze. Though her mind had been preoccupied with music while shopping, she hadn’t thought she’d mess up this badly.
"I could’ve sworn I bought you a Coke..."
Frowning, Kotomi tried to recall. She distinctly remembered grabbing one bottle of Coca-Cola for Aimi after buying Pepsi.
But now, the bag was filled entirely with Pepsi—no trace of the red label Aimi loved.
All blue, no red.
"I remember buying it... but if it’s not here, should I go back to the store?"
Kotomi stood up, ready to dash out. With her stamina, she could make the round trip in under seven minutes.
"Don’t!" Aimi hurriedly stopped her. "It’s late. Don’t bother, Onee-chan."
"Then maybe try the Pepsi? It’s really good!"
"No way." Aimi’s rejection was swift and firm.
"Fine..." Kotomi lowered her head, feeling dejected.
Minutes later, Aimi retrieved her foot and glanced at her unfinished homework. With a sly grin, she turned to Kotomi.
"Since you didn’t get me Coke, you’ll have to help me out."
"With what?" Kotomi asked warily.
Moments later, Kotomi sat at the desk, grumbling as she reluctantly worked on Aimi’s homework.
This backfired horribly. I just wanted to tease her about unfinished homework. How did I end up solving her problems instead?
"Why do these middle school math problems feel harder than high school ones?" she muttered, pencil scratching against the paper.
On the bed, Aimi smirked victoriously, watching her sister toil away. Hidden behind her back was a Coca-Cola bottle she’d quietly taken from the shopping bag earlier.
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— End of Chapter 264 —