After parting ways with Ellie from Clive's house, Andrew finally set foot in the front door of his apartment. As soon as he entered and was about to hang up his jacket, he was distracted by the sound of kittens in the room.

The young man walked over to where the sound was coming from, and he found Will there as well. His younger brother is playing with the kitten they just adopted a few days ago, while the two older cats are just content to rest and watch.

“Ah, Brother! Welcome home!”

His little brother's smile is an instant infectious one. Andrew did smile, but his attention was not on his brother. Instead, it was on the empty cat food container.

“We run out of cat food already?”

“Eh? Ah, right. It just ran out when you went out earlier.”

“I see. Well, I'm going out again to buy some more then. Do you want me to pick something up for you? Or do you want to come along and get something to eat?” Andrew invited while standing towards the front door.

“No, I’m good. I still want to play with Meow. And also, there’s a show on TV that I want to watch, hehe.”

Andrew smiled.

The night after picking up the new kitten, Will gave it a name without a second thought. Not objecting to the name, Andrew preferred to leave the naming of their new roommate to Will, who was surprisingly straightforward. Mii, Nyaa, and Meow. Easy to remember and sounded cute, that was Will's reasoning when asked for an explanation.

With his jacket back on, Andrew left the house once again after bidding farewell to his younger sibling. Just as he stepped outside, he collided with something. Bending down, Andrew finally identified the culprit—a small child, perhaps around the same age as Will. A plastic plate lay on the ground, rice and side dishes scattered on the soil.

The child cried, and his mother hurried over. The woman in her thirties knelt beside her son, who wailed loudly. Tears streamed down the child's flushed cheeks as his body trembled. With a gentle and reassuring voice, the mother comforted her son. Her hands tenderly stroked his hair with infinite patience.

“See? What did I just tell you? You don’t need to carry around the plate when you’re outside, so you won’t bump into someone like this,” the mother stated as she tried to soothe her son's sobbing.

“I’m truly sorry. I hope my son doesn’t bother you too much,” the mother added as she looked at Andrew.

“No, ma’am. It’s okay,” Andrew replied with a friendly smile.

Andrew felt that this was the first time he had spoken to the mother, someone he often saw around the apartment. The young man felt a bit awkward as their first conversation was prompted by her son's hasty encounter while eating.

“You're the one in the room at the farthest end, aren't you?”

“Ah, yeah, right. I live here with my younger brother.”

“Oh, I see,” the mother's gaze instantly changed, the look in her eyes implying a mixed sense of concern and curiosity. However, she couldn't bring herself to ask directly. “If you ever need a hand, just come to our room. I live here with my husband and my son on the second floor in the middle.” As a result, the words she delivered were nothing more than the words of someone who is ready to help in case of difficulties.

“Thank you, ma’am. I’ll remember that. Well then, let me excuse myself. There’s a place I need to go to. See you.”

After bidding farewell, Andrew finally left his apartment complex and headed towards the nearest pet supply store.

In just a five-minute walk, Andrew arrived at the store. Fortunately, on this overcast midday, the store wasn't as crowded as it usually would be on the weekends. Andrew planned to quickly purchase the new cat food and return home without making Will wait for too long.

As Andrew opened the door of the local pet store, a soothing symphony of sounds enveloped him. The jingle of the bell above the entrance echoed in the cozy space, announcing his arrival. Shelves adorned with various vibrant toys and neatly stacked bags of pet food created a colorful array. Attractive packaging with cute images invited pet lovers to explore the treasures within. Aquariums lined one wall, showcasing a captivating underwater world with tropical fish whose colors rivaled the adjacent toys.

The store emanated an inviting warmth. Soft lighting illuminated the room, casting a gentle glow on the future customers who would explore the store's aisles. Behind the cashier's desk, the store owner, whose friendly face Andrew had known for quite some time, greeted him with a nod.

Andrew headed to the cat food section. The variety available was impressive, ranging from gourmet options to everyday necessities. He reached for the brand he usually bought—two types, one for adult cats and one for kittens. With two bags of cat food in hand, Andrew approached the counter.

“Hold it. One for kittens? Don’t tell me you just picked up another one,” the cashier who also owns the shop asked as he checked what Andrew had bought.

“My brother wants to adopt it. So, I just let him do it. No biggie.”

“What do you mean by ‘no biggie’? I get that the little bro want to adopt a stray kitten as a good intention, but are you really sure to keep allowing that? Like, seriously?” the shop owner had a worried face.

“Why are you the one who being worried here? I’m fine, it’s all good. As long as it makes my brother happy, anything else doesn’t matter.”

“Look, I’ve known you for a long time. Is it wrong for me to be worried about one of my loyal customers? You told me the story about your own situations. And mind you, didn’t ask for that but you keep telling me anyway. But well, I guess to celebrate the new kitten for the little bro, I’ll give you this one for free,” the shop owner smiled broadly.

“No. You can’t do that.”

“Oh, yes, I can. Besides, you still work on the same place since spring, right? And yet you still don’t a get a raise, am I right? Come on, I just want to help you save your expenses right here. And also, if you somehow got a change of heart to look for another job with a higher salary, I can introduce you to my friends who are also looking for a part-time employee.”

“You’re not offering me to work here, huh?” Andrew said with a bit of nosiness.

“Now that’s a whole different discussion. I open this shop with my own blood and sweat, it’s my dream to run this kind of store since primary school. And I have no intention of hiring someone here even if that person is close to me. Me alone is more than enough.”

“Whatever, you cheapskate.”

Andrew handed over the money, the total of which covered the cost of both items he purchased. The store owner took the money, then handed back the change, the price of the kitten food, with a grin. Not wanting to push the matter further, Andrew sighed in resignation. He accepted the change with a thank you.

As Andrew walked towards the exit of the pet store, a father and his young son caught his attention. They were near the aquarium section. The boy's eyes widened in awe as he pressed his face against the glass, captivated by the underwater world thriving inside. The father, with a broad smile on his face, engaged in lively conversation with his son about the beauty of the fish gracefully swimming in the water.

As Andrew observed the scene, bittersweet nostalgia washed over him. His mind drifted back to a time when he, too, stood in wonder at the world, with his own father by his side. Memories of his childhood, filled with similar visits to pet stores and aquariums, flooded his thoughts. Longing tugged at his heart, reminding him of the simplicity and purity of those precious moments.

The comforting tones of the father and the cheerful laughter of the child echoed in Andrew's mind, evoking a deep appreciation for the bond between parent and child. He couldn't help but smile, witnessing the innocence and joy displayed before him.

As Andrew exited the store, the soft chime of the bell behind him marked the passing of those moments.

[ Well, shit. The brat still awakes.]

After some distance from the pet store, Andrew's ears caught an unfamiliar sound. When he scanned his surroundings, there was no one caught his eye.

[ Oh, yeah, right. This is the first time you’ve heard my voice after a whole month, huh.]

“What is this voice? Who the hell are you?”

[ Oi, oi. Don’t talk loud like that, you moron. People will think you’re crazy.]

The voice sounded a little hoarse and heavy in the throat.

At that moment, Andrew remembered one of Ellie's stories. It was the one where she said she always heard a voice in her head, a voice that came from within and belonged to something that resided within her. That was when Andrew came to his senses and understood his current situation.

“What do you want?”

[ What do I want? That’s an easy question. Eat. I want to eat. I just woke up, and you still not sleeping right now. Fuck.]

“Huh. That’s funny. I heard that you often possess my body at night. What makes you want to possess me in the middle of the day?”

[ Middle of the day? Ah, that's right. I thought it looked like twilight was approaching when I saw the sky from your eyes, but apparently it was just a cloudy sky.]

“I still haven't heard my answer.”

Determined not to feel conquered, every word that escaped Andrew's lips carried a tone of firmness and rejection of being dominated. If Ellie's suggestion was to understand the intentions of the entity residing within him, Andrew preferred the option where he would master the entity within his body, asserting who the true owner of his own body.

[ Since you seem to be deaf, I'll indulge you with the answer you asked for. Why the middle of the day? Because I just woke up, and I'm hungry.]

Andrew fell silent, pondering for a while.

“What are you going to do if I refuse you to take over of my body?”

For a moment, Andrew heard a snort that seemed to indicate the creature was grinning nonchalantly.

[ Why do you even ask? I thought you already knew the answer. After all, you must have realized that I'm the one who makes you suddenly faint at certain times.]

Without wasting time for further thought, Andrew declared.

“Then go suffer. Be hungry, I don't care.”

After that, Andrew's ears heard a laugh for the first time, a laugh that sent shivers down his spine. If closing his ears could have kept it at bay, Andrew would have done so from the beginning. However, the laughter echoed for several seconds before finally subsiding.

[ I wonder... why humans always like to complicate matters that are supposed to be easy.]