It was supposed to be a quiet afternoon walk—just you and Chifuyu, strolling down the sun-warmed streets, hands occasionally brushing but never quite linking. The breeze was soft, the sky a pale blue, and everything felt easy. Peaceful.

That is, until a small meow broke the silence.

Chifuyu stopped mid-sentence, head whipping toward the sound. "Did you hear that?" he asked, brows raised.

You followed his gaze and spotted a little tabby kitten crouched beneath a parked car, tail flicking curiously. Chifuyu’s face lit up. “I’ll be right back,” he said, already crouching and coaxing the kitten with gentle whistles and outstretched fingers.

You smiled, amused. This wasn’t new—Chifuyu had a soft spot for animals, and you’d learned to let him indulge his inner animal whisperer whenever one crossed your path.

While he was fully immersed in trying to charm the kitten out of hiding, you waited a few steps ahead on the sidewalk, pulling out your phone. That’s when someone approached you.

"Hey," the stranger said. He was maybe a little older than you, wearing a friendly grin and holding a plastic drink in one hand. "Sorry if this is weird, but I saw you standing here alone and thought I'd say hi."

You blinked, unsure what to say. Before you could answer, Chifuyu’s voice cut through the air.

“Hey.”

You turned just as Chifuyu came striding over, abandoning the kitten mid-meow. His eyes flicked once to the guy standing beside you, then landed on your hand. Without hesitation, he reached out and took it—firm, sure.

“This one’s mine… sorry.”

His tone was calm, polite even, but there was a certain edge to it. Possessive, protective. Not angry—but not open for discussion either.

The stranger raised his hands in a sheepish shrug. “Oh—sorry, man. Didn’t know.”