Shiina Mashiro
"I don't need anything, and other things tied to the body are definitely uncomfortable!" Haru's tone was full of affirmation, without any hesitation.
Homura was taken aback. He didn't consider it so much at first, he just wanted to dress up the little one nicely.
But fortunately, he let her decide this time. In the future, he must not make decisions without her consent. He looked deeply at the little one and said, "Okay, then let's go see your toys. Those are fine, you can play and exercise with them!"
This time, Haru did not object. Playing and exercising was indeed what she liked. Homura then took her back to the side of Nana.
"Oh? Haru-chan didn't choose anything she likes?" Looking at Homura empty-handed, Nana wondered.
Homura sighed, "Yes! I asked the little one for her opinion, and she doesn't like the feeling of being restrained, so it's better to buy more toys for her to play and exercise with!"
Nana was somewhat surprised to hear this and didn't expect Homura to make such a decision and respect the cat's own opinion. She became more enthusiastic and began to introduce Homura to the functions of some toys.
===
Half an hour later.
Homura was dizzy from listening. Why were there so many types of toys?!
In the end, he picked a few that he thought were the most useful and bought several of each.
These were...
Cat scratchers and scratching posts that prevent cats from scratching randomly, which could also help Haru exercise her claws.
A cat teaser wand for playing with cats that could improve Haru's agility.
A bunch of plush toys purely for playing.
And a cat tree with many components.
Altogether, Homura couldn't take them all away, so he had to leave his home address and ask Nana to deliver them.
===
After saying goodbye to the pet store owned by Nana, Homura took Haru to the park.
Watching the little one rolling around on the ground covered in sakura petals, Homura walked over to a sakura tree and leaned against the trunk. He looked up at the almost fully bloomed sakura flower and made a decision.
"Let's all come to do "Hanami" together next weekend!" {T/N: the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the transient beauty of flowers}
To Homura, the sakura rain was so intoxicating, and he had been waiting for the peak bloom of the sakura. The sun, which was already shining through the gaps between the petals of the flowers in the late afternoon at around three or four o'clock, shone on his face and made him feel even lazier. He lay down and closed his eyes, enjoying the colorful scenery.
Homura fell asleep...
===
"Hahhh..."
Homura was stretching and yawning while the little one who had been sleeping on his belly slipped onto his legs. Haru opened her bleary eyes and looked up at Homura with a confused expression. The cute look made Homura feel much better, and he cuddled with the little one.
He checked the time on his phone, 5:50 PM.
'Shit!'
Homura stiffened, picked up the little one, and rushed out, startling the people around him! He quickly hailed a taxi and headed straight for the agreed meeting place...
===
"Hah... Hah..." Panting heavily, the taxi was blocked halfway, so Homura had to run over.
"Close call! I was almost late by a minute!" After finding a chair and calming down, Homura kept searching for the girl.
"Found her!"
On a circular bench, stood a girl with pale blonde hair that reaches her waist, fair skin, and a somewhat clueless and flat expression on her face. Next to her was a small suitcase. With the setting sun and warm light, accompanied by dancing sakura petals, the girl and the surrounding scenery appeared so harmonious and beautiful.
Approaching her, the girl asked Homura first, "Nee, what color do you want to become?"
"Me?" Homura answered without hesitation, "White."
"Why?" The girl asked with a tone that was almost comparable to Megumi.
"Of course, because white is the color of the canvas, and it is a color full of infinite possibilities," Homura asked back. "How about you? What color do you want to become?"
"I haven't thought about it."
"Then think about it."
The girl picked up a sakura petal on her body and said, "Now... probably white."
"Oh? That means we are the same!" Homura introduced himself, "I'm Minamiya Homura. Although my dad didn't say what name the person I'm meeting goes by, I guess it must be you, right?"
The girl was slightly stunned. "Oh... I'm Shiina Mashiro, can I call you Homura?"
"Um? That's okay!" Homura said. "Then I call you Mashiro."
"Umu... Homura, your name sounds really nice. I like it." Mashiro, this girl with no common sense, spoke without hesitation, saying something that would make one's heart flutter.
Even though Homura was prepared, he still felt moved for a moment.
"Oh, right, this is Haru, my family member. We need to get along well in the future!" Homura somewhat unnaturally introduced the cat on his shoulder to Mashiro.
"Cat." Mashiro reached out her hand and touched nothing.
Homura rubbed Haru, who had run to the other shoulder, and comforted the somewhat lost Mashiro, "You two are not familiar yet. But, It will be okay in a few days. As long as you don't bully her, she will definitely get close to you."
"Um, I know," Mashiro replied to Homura's words, but her eyes were fixed on Haru.
Homura could only sigh at how irresistibly cute Haru was.
Picking up Mashiro's suitcase, Homura said to her, "Let's go home, Mashiro."
"... Okay."
===
When the two returned to the Minamiya Residence; Megumi and the others were receiving luggage delivered by the logistics company.
Homura stopped Mashiro, who wanted to help, and asked her to sit in the living room for a while. He quickly went forward to greet the three girls and help out.
It took the four of them almost half an hour to clean up the room prepared for Mashiro, which was located on the other side of the Sagiri room. On one side was Mashiro, and on the other were Utaha, Eriri, and Megumi.
Afterward, everyone gathered in the living room, except for Sagiri.
"Why so much luggage..." Eriri said weakly.
"Yeah, I roughly looked at it. Most of it is clothes, and there should be some art supplies. Some of the equipment is new," Utaha agreed and nodded. The amount of luggage was indeed beyond their expectations, even Homura did not expect so much.
Megumi remembered something and said to Homura, "By the way, Homura-kun, an old man brought a lot of cat toys this afternoon, and I have signed it for you."
An old man? It seems that was someone who was hired by Nana to deliver them. Homura nodded and said, "Thank you, Megumi."
"No need to thank me, Homura-kun," Megumi said softly.
"Huh? Why do I feel that she looks familiar?" Eriri looked at Mashiro and said. Since Homura had not introduced them yet, Eriri naturally did not know Mashiro's name.
Homura smiled mischievously, "Oh? You recognize her so quickly? Sasuga Kashiwagi Eri-sensei!"
"HAH?! You jerk! Why you-!"
Homura successfully provoked Eriri's sensitive nerves, and she became angry again.
While dodging Eriri's incoming ponytail, Homura explained, "Don't worry, don't worry, this person is also one of us!"
Eriri stopped, with an "angry mark" floating above her forehead; she said through her gritted teeth, "Then why didn't you mention it earlier?"
Homura awkwardly said, "Well... I haven't had a chance to tell you yet?..."