The Lost Neko: Remake

Chapter Seven

"Ready to head out?" I gripped the hoodie and pulled it up over my ear as I stepped shly over to the door where Mike stood with a set of keys waiting for me. My heart pounded and fear went through me, fear that I was going to be found, fear that I would bump into him but I couldn't let that stop me...though it almost did.

"Its gonna be okay Mumei, I promise" his hand reached out and that dimpled smiled made my worries wash away and the confidence grew as I walked over to maybe my only light helping me forward, to freedom.

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This is where you work?" I gasped looked around the music shop after the short ride here and instantly felt like a child im a candy shop attempting to touch anything and everything.

"Mumei, becareful please" Mike chuckled as I reached for a guitar on the wall. "I would want something to happen and you break it" I pouted looking over to him, only to see his grin showing he was joking. I'm starting to really enjoy his smile.

"I won't break anything, I've played instruments before, violin" I  spoke proudly and stroke a pose before looking to the guitar and laid my hand on it gently strumming it hearing the tune lightly ring out.

"Oh? Well I'm gonna have to hear that one day" I jolted and turned look up to Mike, "My friends brother plays piano, he works here to, we call him Tori" piano huh..?

"Do you do teachings here?" Learning a new instrument could help me feel normal in my life and forget my past. "I wanna learn piano" Mike thought for a moment laying his hand on his chin, "Please?" I lightly pleaded and met eyes with Mikes and saw them soften.

"Im sure something can be figured out, Ill talk to Tori and see what can be done yeah?" I instantly smiled and nodded fast jumping up and wrapping my arms around Mike neck tightly hugging him tight. Finally a moment of normal..

"Mike?" I jolted at the unfamiliar voice and instantly felt my cheeks heated red as I tore away from Mike and fixed my jacket making sure my hood was still up and turned away. "Hey, we need some help in the back we got new boxes that need organizing and shelving. Whos that?" I slowly turned over and saw a male a bit taller than mike with black hair with silver earings in both ears and a stick coming from his mouth, probably a lollipop, and took it out. "Friend of yours?"

"Yep new roomie actually" Mike spoke up and patted my head my cheeks heating up then pawed away at them. "I wanted to show him my work area, I mentioned above you knowing piano and thought it would be nice for you to teach him if your okay with it" he put the candy back into his mouth and laid his hand on his hips looking over me which made me very uncomfortable and slowly hide behind Mike.

"Well he seems terrified of me actually" A smooth chuckle escaped the man and I peeked out from behind Mike, He looked at me with deep brown eyes, "I'm Tori, Its short for Torikku I got the name when I was born in Japan, though I have probably the least amount of japan in me, so I stick with a more normal sounding name." Wow, born in Japan huh? I only had my name because my owner was saying that I'm nothing..

"So what's your name?" I snapped out of my head and looked up to the male. My name? My...name? I cant say Mumei..I need another name!

"Max" I randomly blurted out and saw Mike turn around to face me shocked, but it quickly vanished.

"Max huh? Nice to meet you, Max" He held out his hand, I looked up to Mike and he gestured to the hand. I reached over and took his hand shaking it before letting go only to notice he placed a candy into my hand. Cherry lollipop huh? I can't remember if I have had candy before, most the time it was just me secretly stealing from a bowl of what maybe was candy, but getting caught made me remember that wasn't allowed and not worth the punishment. "Have at it, A little welcome gift." Nodding, I unwrapped the candy and stared at the red circle then opened my mouth and sheepishly licked it. Instantly met with a fruity taste and smiled big while continuing to lick the candy before noticing both of their eyes were on me. My cheeks heated.

"W-what?" I looked to Tori then Mike and saw his eyes dilate a bit before returning to normal and quickly look away clearing his throat.

"So Tori? Lessons?" Tori snapped out what ever trance he was in and looked to Mike ALSO clearing his throat.

"Yeah sure, I can uh fit that into my plans" He nodded, "I'm juuust gonna go organize the back, Mike you take up front yeah?" Why was everyone awkward? People are confusing. I took the candy into my mouth deciding to suck onto the candy as I wandered the store to look upon the instruments my mind wandering at what may have caused Mike and Tori to act weird.

-Mike-

Fuck. Why the HELL did Mumei just violate a damn lollipop!? Even worse...why did I think he look adorable as hell doing it. Just to make matters WORSE my mind flashed an image where that lollipop was something else but quickly chased it away with thought of  bunnys and adorable animals other than cats.
I don't exactly know everything about Mumei except that he is a run away from an abusive over, plays violin, seems like he like cherry lollipops, is infatuated with music, adorable as heck, fragile as hell, mumbles in his sleep about a family he misses even though I'm sure my name pushed passed those cute lips at one point after getting ahold of my hoodie. In fact, seeing him WEAR that hoodie makes me think I just gave him that like a boyfriend gives his girlfriend their hoodie. But we had to hide his ears somehow...and a beanie would maybe uncomfortable for the ears so a hood works best.

As if he knew I was thinking about him, he turned and I saw those golden eyes meet mine, a smile was on his face while holding the candy infront of his lips. The imaged flashed into my mind again, my gaze tore away from Mumei before I saw the confusion upon his face upon shift in emotions.

"Hey Tori you in he-" I looked up as I heard the bell from the door but tensed up as Sabrina stood there staring at me, her face showed many emotions but seemed completely blank at the same time. Anger, sadness, regret, more anger.

"Tori, your sister is here" I called to the back of the store and my eyes stayed on her.

"Step. Sister, Though feels like friends than siblings really." She crossed her arms, "So how's the cat." She attempted conversation, my eyes went to Mumei and he looked like a statue while staring at Sabrina, his face also reading anger, but...there was fear in his eyes.

"Midnight is fine" my gaze landed back to Sabrina and the anger became more prominent in her eyes. "Eats, Sleeps, relaxes with me, completely normal stuff" I was close to saying Mumeis real name instead of his cat name.

"I see." The tension between us was weird. I didnt like it. I wanted my friend back my best friend, but I dont think we could return to normal anymore..

"Hey there sweetheart what you doin here?" I heard Tori come up from the back room and instantly felt relieved to have someone here to remove Sabrina's gaze.

She stomped her foot, her glare intensly on Tori, "I told you not to call me sweet heart, its..weird" she huffed but Toris smirk told me he knew she didn't like it and like any brother would do, he would continue it.

"So why you here?" He crossed his arms and leaned against the counter, my eyes went to Sabrina and they lost all anger, sadness filled them. Tori pushed off the counter. "Oh" he stated then turned to me. "Mike I have some family buisness to attend to..we should close up and tell the boss that we spent the day organizing" Tori lost his comedic self and was so..serious, it was weird.

"Okay, Ill have mu- Max" I quickly corrected,  "Ill let Max assist me in the back that cool?" He nodded then looked over to Mumei who was just sitting  looking at an empty stick from the lollipop he apparently finished.

"Hey Max" Mumei jolted and looked up followed my standing up quickly. "Your gonna help Mike, dont break anything aight?" Mumei nodded then looked to me again, I looked away before the image flashed in my head again.

What the heck is wrong with me.

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