chapter : 1 Found In The Rain
The wind howled softly over the quiet Tokyo rooftops, and somewhere beneath the flickering streetlight, a young woman cradled a soaking wet black cat in her arms.
“You poor thing…” she whispered, brushing wet strands of fur off its face. Its golden eyes blinked slowly, almost like it understood her words.
Her name was Sumi Aihara, 19, a college student studying literature and art. Sweet, calm, and soft-hearted—especially when it came to animals. She found this strange cat just outside her apartment, curled up in a cardboard box during a sudden downpour. It wasn’t meowing or moving much—just staring at her with those weirdly human eyes.
She couldn't leave him there.
So, obviously, she brought him home.
Wrapped in her fluffy pink towel, the cat lay motionless on her bed. He was too calm for a stray. Too elegant. The shape of his face, the way his tail moved slightly—it gave Sumi the chills, but not in a bad way.
“I think I’ll name you…” she looked into his golden eyes again, “…Yoru. Because you showed up at night.”
The cat blinked.
Somewhere, deep inside those eyes, Yoru, Prince of the Nekorin Realm, flinched.
---
500 Years Ago — Nekorin Realm
Yoru stood atop the sacred Sky Gate, the wind tousling his black hair. He was tall, elegant, and terrifyingly beautiful. The Alpha of his clan. His body was marked with glowing ink-like tattoos that shimmered in moonlight, and behind him, a sleek black tail swayed lazily.
"You're still thinking about him, huh?" a soft voice teased behind him.
Yoru turned. Haruki.
His best friend. His secret. His weakness.
Haruki, younger by a hundred years, always carried a warmth Yoru couldn't resist. With a smirk and soft silver hair that always looked like it had just been kissed by starlight, Haruki was shy but sharp. He always made Yoru feel... something dangerous.
"Shut up." Yoru looked away.
"I’m serious this time. I think we’re both ready..." Haruki reached out. "Let's leave. Just for a while. A human world adventure?"
But before they could say anything more—BOOM.
A blinding flash. A spiral of light. The Sky Gate cracked.
Yoru fell.
And Haruki? He dove in after him.
---
Back to the Human World – Present
Two days passed.
Sumi’s new cat, Yoru, didn’t eat like other cats. Didn’t sleep normally either. He just stared at her.
And then, one morning—another cat showed up.
Gray fur, soft tail, sleepy expression. Adorable.
“Huh?! Where did you come from?”
She adopted him too.
And gave him a name.
“You look like a Haruki.”
The gray cat blinked and internally panicked.
“Did he just name me after myself?” he thought.
