Chapter 45-Part 2

A bird, covered in fresh stitches, perches on the side of the narrow cellar window.

Wildcard-kun is laying on the floor, looking up at the open dark space surrounding him.

The one source of light was obstructed by the bird, which prompts him to look at the window.

"Aye, t'be free. What a wonder...", he mutters in an envious tone.

As he gets up to scare off the bird, he notices the bird is picking at something on its body: a stitched wound.

"Oi! Yer gannae tear yerself open if ye keep't'up!", the maid shouts through the window, knowing the bird can neither hear nor understand him.

"Feck...do whateva.", he says, no longer caring, as he slumps back down onto the floor.

The cellar door unlocks. It's Jin!

"I'm here to bail you out, funny cat lady-san! We must act fast, however.", he says, looking behind him constantly while doing so.

"Jin, my boy. I've 'cepted me fate. Freedom? Hogwash. It jus' ain't gannae hap'in.", he says in a somber tone.

Jin says nothing, but looks down angrily.

"Besides, if that scary sibling of yours were to see you here, he woul~"

Jin angrily walks up to him, and grabs his wrist.

He has a surprisingly strong grip for someone his age.

"H-Hey! Wha t'ell are ye~"

"Mako-niichan is too occupied with something to notice the difference. Please, don't give up! We are out of here, now.", Jin says, pulling him by the arm.

"B-but~"

"NOW."

As the two exit the cellar, Jin says, "You're innocent. I know you are, funny cat lady-san."

The cat would usually have said no, but this boy, for some reason emitted an aura that made him the perfect fit to be a natural born leader. A soothing, reassuring aura. It was hard to say no to him.

"T'ank ye, Jin-san.", the maid says, sheepishly smirking.

"Of course, funny cat lady-san.", beaming happily up at him.

"I-It's Haru, remember? Ye can call meh Haru, or Abe-san, or wuteva. Nae need f'r t'at ol' name.", he says with a bead running down his temple, hoping he doesn't refer to him by that name in front of a group of people.

"Ha...uh...Abuhh...uhhh...", Jin tries to say.

"C'mawn, laddie. Ye got it!", Haru encourages him.

"Habeeehhh...funny cat lady-san?", he says, giving up.

"And ye were close, too.", the neko says, lying a little.

"S-Sorry.", Jin says with a wry smile.

"Never mind t'at. Can weh be movin'?"

"Aye.", Jin says happily in his best nekomeido impression as they continue onward.