Chapter 15
The condo was not far from Mitaka Station. It was a clean, though not very large, building. There was an intercom with a security system at the entrance, and with a little bit of nervousness, Minamino and I entered the given apartment number and pressed the call button.
Shortly after, an elegant female voice echoed, and the automatic door opened. Minamino and I walked in together. The frontmost unit was 101. That was the room we were heading to.
"Welcome. Satou Hajime-kun and Minamino Chinatsu-san, right? Thank you for coming all this way. Can you both come in for now?"
Pressing the intercom button in front of the room once again, the same voice from earlier spoke, and the sound of an unlocking door accompanied the electronic tone. Minamino and I exchanged glances, and I gently pulled the door open.
"I'm sorry for the informal welcome. Please come all the way in."
As we took off our shoes in the entrance and stepped inside, a voice came from further inside. Following that voice, Minamino and I walked into the living room. A woman was standing by the open kitchen-style stove, stirring a pot. Although I had heard she was in her early elderly years, she appeared much younger than I had imagined. A cane was leaned against the wall next to her. I knew she had a bit of trouble with her leg, but it seemed she could stand and cook even without the cane.
"Nice to meet you, I am Satou Hajime. I came here because of Akino Misaki-san's introduction."
"Same here, I am Minamino Chinatsu, Satou-kun's classmate."
Minamino and I introduced ourselves before bowing both our heads.
"My, my, nice to meet the both of you too. I'm Kadowaki Kanade. I'm sorry for the casual welcome. As compensation, you can have high expectations for lunch. And, thank you once again for today. Is that little one Shiro-chan?"
Smiling and tilting her head slightly as she looked at the cage I held, her demeanor was somewhat odd for a woman of her age and generation, but it was a charming aspect. Given that she lived alone, it made sense, but her place was not only that, it had a calm and quiet atmosphere. The rich smell of beef stew being cooked on the stove wafted throughout the room, tantalizing my senses.
"To make sure the little kitten feels comfortable, I've also covered up the cords. Originally, when my husband lived here, we had cats too. I don't think the smell lingers anymore, but I imagine it can be nerve-wracking in an unfamiliar place. Is it okay if I open the cage and let the kitten roam freely? Shiro-chan is welcome anywhere except the rooms with closed doors."
Upon hearing this, I surveyed the area again. Dangerous items were put away, and the cords were covered. Considering the rooms with doors open as well, it was evident that she was carefully preparing the space for the kitten's arrival.
"Shiro, wanna come out?"
Speaking to Shiro in that manner, I placed the cage on the floor and opened its door. Shiro cautiously stepped out, sniffing the floor. It was the same when Shiro was at my place. Slowly, Shiro explored, swaying its tail as it sniffed various scents. Minamino looked on, a bit concerned but refraining from intervening.
"…Well then, let's have Shiro-chan get used to the surroundings slowly. As I mentioned earlier, thank you once again. Since it's a special occasion, why don't we have a little chat while having a meal? It's been a while since I've talked with young people, so I'm feeling a bit enthusiastic."
"Thank you very much. We appreciate your hospitality."
"Thank you! Oh, we'll handle the dishes, so please feel free to tell us what to do!"
Since I had already heard from Misaki-san about her profession and the desire to have lunch together, Minamino and I sincerely thanked her and headed to the kitchen to help with the meal preparations.
