“Yo! Stop day dreaming, will you?” Kei jokingly said while doing a light karate-chop on Kim’s head – just enough to gain the girl’s attention. He saw Kim flinch and was just amused on how she can easily be distracted by the things going on around her. She didn’t even notice Kei creeping up her back just as second ago.

“Itai!” She over reacted and touched her head slightly, hoping Kei will at least feel guilty. She looked up to the boy and saw his perfect manly features and his plump cheeks. “I’m not day dreaming” she lied. As a matter of fact, she was day dreaming about HIM – Kei Inoo himself. You see, Kim and Kei have been best friends since forever. They were childhood friends and they can basically read each other like a book. They make each other laugh, cry and yes, they argue a lot!

Kim smiled internally (not showing her true emotions) and just pinched the older guy’s cheek, enough for the latter to winch in pain. Kim’s eyes glistened seeing his best friend/crush suffer in pain. Yes, you read that right. Crush…

“Why the heck did you leave me?” Kei sounded betrayed… “Auntie said I can come over and have dinner with you guys. She invited me and all”

“I’m in a hurry! I can’t wait to see Kyo-chan… he learned a new trick yesterday and I can’t wait to teach him another one” she proclaimed, her eyes glistening in excitement while talking about her beloved cat. It’s been a year since she had Kyo. He was a gift from her late grandmother. As soon as she laid eyes on her precious cat, Kyo, she knew it was love. Kyo-chan can even make Kei jealous at times from all the attention he gets from Kim. 

Kim then pulled a red cat collar from her bag and showed it to her best friend… “Look at this! Isn’t it freakin’ cute? I’m sure this will suit Kyo-chan” she squealed and played with the collar she recently bought from a pet store not far from their school. 

Kei rolled his eyes and left off a “pfff” after hearing the name ‘Kyo’ coming out of his best friend’s mouth… “Crazy CAT LADY”

——-

After walking a few minutes, Kim tried her best to ignore the ‘annoying’ boy walking behind her. It wasn’t long when she saw their house’s front gate.

“Why is our gate open?” she wondered to herself after seeing the lock on their front gate. She immediately ran inside. She can already sense that something is wrong. Kei followed her track and soon heard unbearable news.

———

“I’m sorry, Kim. Everything happened so fast” Kim saw her own mum cry… “Kyo-chan ran outside without me realising and he was accidentally ran over by a car” Mrs Orihara patted Kim’s shoulder. She knows how important Kyo was for Kim. 

After hearing her mum’s news, Kim froze in her place. For some reason, she couldn’t move. She can feel her heart sinking down to her chest cavity, alongside a pool of tears starting to accumulate in both of her eyes… “No…” she uttered under her breath.

Kei couldn’t help but to hug the poor girl, blocking her view from her pet’s lifeless body. No, Kyo is not just a pet to Kim. He’s a friend. 

“Kei… He’s gone” she sobbed like a child. Kei pulled her closer to his chest and lightly kissed her head. It was the very first time he saw Kim cry. She usually puts up a strong front. But this time, it was different. Kei just wished he can do something to make her smile again. 

——

It’s been 4 days since Kyo’s accident and Kim is still spacing out, missing her poor cat. She sighed for the nth time while caressing the red cat collar she bought a few days ago. She then placed the said collar around her bag strap, like a tag. 

“Hey Kim-chan! Guess what!” Kim’s gaze suddenly landed on her annoying best friend. She saw the man holding two vanilla ice creams while grinning like there’s no tomorrow.

“What now, Kei Inoo?” She said in an uninterested tone, but in real fact, it’s only him that can make her sane right now.

“If you were ice cream, you would be my favourite flavour” he wiggled his brows and winked at Kim. He then handed her one of the ice cream cones he was holding. 

Kim just raised one of her brows and was just amazed how idiotic her best friend can be… “You’re an idiot” she sighed but gratefully accepted the ice cream. She was thankful that even just for a moment, she forgot how much she missed her beloved pet cat, Kyo. 

——- 

*a few days later*

“What the hell is this girl doing?” he thought to himself after seeing a familiar girl hiding behind the bushes near their University’s baseball pitch. He walked a bit closer and just watched his best friend eyeing ‘someone’ playing in the field.

“Oi!” Kei poked the younger girl and saw her eyes slightly widened - like a criminal caught in the act.

“Shhhhhhhh” Kim placed her index finger on her lips and pulled Kei down, making sure that they’re unnoticed by a certain individual not far away from them… “Look” Kim pointed at a handsome boy playing baseball with his friends. 

Kei’s brows met at the centre upon realising that Kim is looking at another man - as if fangirling. Not only that, she was fangirling at one of the most popular boy in campus - Seto Koji. 

“HE LOOKS LIKE KYO-CHAN!” She squealed in delight whilst shaking Kei. Apparently, to Kim, that man she was ‘stalking’ looks like a human version of her beloved pet cat. 

“What? He looks nothing like Kyo” Kei shook his head, not believing that his best friend is indeed acting crazy. Not to mention that he does not appreciate Kim giving her attention to another handsome and perfect human being that is Seto Koji. 

—

“Inoo-san?” It was as if God is not on Kei’s side when he was called by his senpai, Seto. It’s not that they’re close but you see, Seto was one Kei’s respected seniors. They went to the same high school a few years back… “What are you doing hiding under the bushes?” Seto asked suspiciously which made Kim petrified. Who can blame her? One second, she was ‘stalking’ this guy and next thing she knows, he’s right in front of her face. 

“Don’t tell me, you’re flirting under there?” Seto teased after glancing at the girl standing next to his kyohai. Kim on the other hand could not make eye contact. Kei can already see she’s blushing which made him a little bit annoyed. Okay, not just a little bit. A lot. In fact, it’s making his eye twitch. 

“Flirting? No way…” he replied, vexed… “I don’t think anyone will ever flirt with this crazy cat woman” he said insensitively, still pissed at Kim for eyeing another man. 

Kim in turn glared at Kei and just forgot that Seto is watching them. She pinched Kei’s sides and just shot him invincible daggers. “Look who’s talking, INUU-CHAN (A/N: Inuu means Dog in Japanese)” she stuck her tongue at him making Seto chuckle. 

“Well, I think Kim-chan is rather cute” He said with a smile while shyly scratching the back of his head. Watching this, Kei’s jaw dropped. Can it be? Seto also likes Kim? 

“So you guys are not a couple?” Seto added, making Kei’s sanity go down the drain. 

“NO WAY! Not with this weirdo…” Kim responded. Maybe it was just him but Kei could’ve sworn that Seto sighed in relief. 

“I see…” Seto extended his hand and reached for Kim’s cold ones… “If that’s the case, can I maybe interest you with coffee sometime?” He smiled charmingly at Kim which in turn made her heart flutter. It was like a dream come true. It’s like Kyo-chan asking her for a date!

“Un, Kyo-chan” Kim uttered without even realising, making the two boys’ head tilt in confusion. Did she just call him ‘Kyo-chan’? What an idiot.

“I mean, yes! I would love to, Seto-san” she shook her head, hoping to gain her composure back.

“Great! I’ll see you around, Kim-chan” 

—-

“THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DATE!!” Kei almost shouted while banging Kim’s bedroom door. It