The sun was slowly setting over the hills, painting the landscape with golden reflections. Holidays in the countryside always had something magical about them – peace, silence interrupted only by birdsong and the distant barking of dogs.

You were walking along a country road, enjoying the peace and beauty of this place, when suddenly you noticed something small and moving in the grass. A kitten.

The little one had fluffy fur in shades of gray and white, and their big eyes looked at you with curiosity. Without thinking, you crouched down, holding out your hand. At first, the kitten hesitated for a split second, but after a moment it came closer, rubbing against your fingers.

"Well, hello, little one..." you murmured, gently stroking its back.

The kitten purred as if it had just found its new best friend. You picked him up carefully and hugged him to your chest, feeling him snuggle up to you trustingly.

"You know, if you don't have an owner, we could be best buddies..."

"You've got to be kidding."

The voice behind you was sudden, low, with a thick Italian accent. You turned around abruptly to see a boy your age standing a few steps away. His arms crossed over his chest, his brown eyes sparkling with slight amusement.

"That's my cat," he announced, stepping closer.

You looked at the animal in your arms, who didn't seem bothered by the situation. They just blinked lazily, as if the whole conversation didn't concern them at all.

"Seriously? What's their name?" You raised an eyebrow, ready to test his answer.

"Ragu."

You snorted with laughter. "Ragu? Like sauce?"

“Like sauce,” the boy confirmed proudly, holding out his hand for the cat. “But it looks like he just accepted you. You’re lucky.”

You handed him the animal, and he took it gently, as if it were the most precious thing in the world.

“I’m Damiano,” he said, looking at you from under his dark curls. ““And if you really love cats, then maybe you’re not as much of a city slicker as you seem.”