"A New Family Member"

Standing at the entrance of his classroom, Kiyo offered no explanation.

“What happened to you?” the teacher demanded with concern.

“I’m not late today. Can I come in?” Kiyo responded with a low flat tone, showing no emotion.

There was a moment of silence before the teacher spoke again. "First, go see a doctor. Then go back home and rest a bit" she instructed, her voice tinged with worry.

"May I please come in?" Kiyo asked again, his voice almost a whisper through the pain.

In shock, the teacher nodded hesitantly. "Yes, I suppose so," she replied.

With slow, heavy steps, Kiyo made his way to his desk, where he seated himself drawing all the curious gazes of his classmates.

Among them, Shiori's eyes were filled with tears, as she silently observed Kiyo's condition…

As lunchtime arrived the classroom buzzed with activity, meanwhile Kiyo sat motionless.

Approaching him with determination, Shiori gently held his hand, "Let's go to the hospital right away," she urged, her voice tinged with concern.

Kiyo slowly met Shiori's gaze and pulled back his hand, "Please, stay away from me." he uttered in a calm tone.

"Why are you doing this?" Shiori asked in a concerning tone, but Kiyo remained silent.

Goro approached, saying, “Shiori, it’s best if you stay away from him. It’s for your own sake,” his tone firm yet compassionate.

Disappointment etched across Shiori’s face, as her eyes remained locked on Kiyo, she placed a comforting hand on Kiyo’s shoulder.

With a sudden burst of anger, Kiyo forcefully pushed Shiori's hand away, "Keep your hands off me!" his voice raised in a loud shout. The intensity of his outburst drew the attention of the entire class, who watched them in stunned silence.

In contrast, Goro's smile remained calm as quickly held Shiori's hand. "Shiori, it's best if you give him some space. Please, let's leave him be." Goro urged gently.

Shiori gently withdrew her hand from Goro's grasp and swiftly fled from the classroom.

Goro's smile widened as he leaned in close to Kiyo, whispering, "That's it, keep pushing her away. Don't even think about reconciling with Shiori.”

Kiyo remained silent, offering no response. With that Goro exited the classroom, leaving him alone with his thoughts…

As the school day came to an end, Kiyo found himself seated on a bench outside the school, the weight of his emotions heavy upon him.

Suddenly, Shiori appeared beside Kiyo, taking a seat next to him, gently placing her hand atop of his.

"Why, Kiyo? Why won't you let me help you?" she asked, her voice low with sadness.

Once again, Kiyo pulled his hand away from her grasp, Ignoring Shiori, he rose to his feet and began to walk away.

"You can push me away all you want, but I won't give up on you.” Shiori's voice pierced the air as she cried out, “I'll keep coming back until you accept me."

Kiyo offered no response, his reticence echoing in the space between them as he disappeared from sight, leaving Shiori alone on the bench, tears silently flowing down her cheeks.

As Kiyo was passing by the park, a familiar meow caught his attention.

Pausing, he scanned the area until his eyes landed on a bush where he saw the same kitten he had rescued earlier. A smile graced Kiyo's lips.

Kneeling before it he said, "I'm relieved to see you’re doing well," he said gently, his voice soft and comforting. "Come here, little one.” he extended his hands towards the kitten.

Without hesitation, the kitten bounded towards him, its trust in Kiyo was clear as it sought comfort in his presence.

Gently cradling the cat in his arms, Kiyo inspected its leg, "You seem fine. Are you hungry?" he inquired softly, his gaze filled with genuine concern.

“Would you like to come home with me?” he added hopefully. “We both live alone, and I think we could keep each other company.”

The kitten continued to rub her fur against Kiyo, making his smile broaden. He stood up, scooping the kitten in his arms, and began to walk back towards his home…

Upon reaching his apartment, Kiyo quickly swung the door open, “Welcome to our home,” he said, inviting the kitten inside with a warm smile.

“I know it’s a bit messy right now, but I’ll clean everything up,” he declared, his eyes shining with excitement. “I promise you’ll feel right at home here. Just rest for now, and I’ll take care of everything.”

Gently placing the kitten on his bed, Kiyo turned to his fridge. "Let's see what we have for you," he mused aloud, his voice filled with anticipation. "I don't usually have much, but I'm sure we'll find something tasty."

Rummaging through the fridge, Kiyo's face lit up with a smile, as he retrieved a container of chicken rice. "Ah, here we go. Shiori made this," he remarked, a hint of sadness appeared in his eyes.

Carefully portioning out the chicken into a different bowl he placed that bowl in front of the kitten, "Go ahead, dig in. It's delicious, I promise." he urged. His eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he watched the kitten eagerly devour its meal.

As Kiyo watched the kitten happily devour its meal, a soft smile graced his lips. "Take your time," he murmured gently, "I'll take care of everything."

Kiyo began meticulously cleaning his room, attending to every corner with care.

After a while, he finished the task, leaving his room spotless and refreshed, a sense of satisfaction settling over him.

As Kiyo settled onto his bed, his gaze fell upon the sleeping kitten nestled beside him. A gentle smile graced his lips, contentment washing over him knowing he had found a companion to share his solitude…

Later on, Kiyo awoke abruptly to the insistent knocking on his door, shattering the peaceful quiet of his room.

He groggily stood up and walked towards the door, hand reaching for the knob, but hesitated as haunting flashbacks of Goro's violence flashed through his mind.

"Who's there?" Kiyo asked, tension lacing his voice.

Silence hung heavy, broken only by the persistent knocking.

"I won't open the door until you answer," Kiyo asserted firmly.

After a tense pause, a familiar voice finally responded, "It's me, Shiori."

"Why are you here? I told you I don't need your help," Kiyo retorted sharply.

"Kiyo, please, just open the door. I've prepared dinner for you, please accept it." her voice remained gentle yet determined.

"I have no interest," Kiyo said firmly, remaining resolute.

"I don't understand," Shiori's voice was filled with confusion as she pleaded, "This isn't like you. What's happened? Please, talk to me. I promise I'll do whatever I can to help you."

"I don't need your sympathy or your help, just go away!" Kiyo snapped, frustration clear in his voice.

Shiori stood her ground, declaring, "I'm not leaving. I'll wait right here until you're ready to talk."

"I couldn't care less, do whatever you want, but I won't open this door for you," Kiyo dismissed angrily before lying back to his bed in a display of defiance...

Hours later, Kiyo awoke once more, this time to the sound of a torrential storm raging outside. He glanced out the window to see a fierce thunderstorm, with rain beating down relentlessly.

“The weather’s worsening, and it’s growing colder,” he thought, his brow furrowing with concern.

Quickly retrieving a warm blanket from his cupboard, he gently draped it over his sleeping kitten, smiling softly as he stroked its fur.

Suddenly, a thought struck him causing his eyes to widen. Quickly standing on his feets he rushed to the door, swinging it open, only to find emptiness outside.

Breathing heavily he let out a sigh of relief. As he was about to close the door, he noticed Shiori sitting on the ground next to his apartment door, fast asleep.

Kiyo’s eyes were wide in disbelief, seeing Shiori, he knelt beside her, gently brushing a few loose strands of her hair behind her ear. His concern deepened instantly when he felt her icy skin and saw her shivering.

He patted her cheek, "Shiori, please wake up," Kiyo pleaded with urgency. But she didn't respond, causing Kiyo's concern to grow.