01x09 - A Masterful Cat Is Popular

[bunniefuu]

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Hello? Yukichi?

Sorry, no need to make dinner
for me tonight.

Something came up...

-Cheers!
-Cheers!

Sorry about this.

I'm glad so many managed to come
at such short notice.

You're a hard man
to say no to, Director Narita.

A smooth talker, as always, Orizuka.

Let's drink
to our hearts' content tonight!

Please don't fall asleep, Director Narita.

Get home safely, the rest of you.

-Let's go.
-Please excuse us.

I should be able to catch the last train...

I was so worried when they told us
we were going out drinking...

I'll be leaving now.

Good work, everyone.

-Good work today.
-Good work today.

As always, Miss Fukuzawa holds her liquor.

She and Chief Orizuka
sat next to the director

and fended off
most of the drinking for us.

She drank so much, but she didn't
seem to be the slightest bit drunk.

She's incredible...

I'm home, Yuki...

I missed you...

Sorry...

I couldn't make it for dinner...

It's that director's fault...

Put the side dishes away for me...

I'll eat them tomorrow...

What is this comforting smell?

Oh, it's clam miso soup!

My liver came back to life.

Then...

Remove makeup.

Director Narita has
a bottomless pit for alcohol.

He just kept going,
no matter how much alcohol I gave him.

I have a meeting first thing tomorrow...

Shower.

SHOWER

Waterproof gear ready
in case she slips and falls.

Hair dryer.

Ramune.

Glucose from Ramune soda candy.

Hot rooibos tea.

PREVENTS EDEMA

Smells so nice.

Full-body massage.

Face mask.

Five minutes.

FIVE MINUTES

Deodorizing spray for leather.

Steam iron.

STEAM IRON

Sports drink.

Steam eye mask.

STEAM EYE MASK

Complete.

COMPLETE

Morning, Yukichi...

Sorry, I'll pass on breakfast...

My stomach doesn't feel good...

Wait. What's that amazing smell?

Thank you for the food.

Clam rice porridge.

It goes right into my veins...

Clams, green onions, and ginger.

The three ultimate hangover remedies.

Good morning, Yuri.

Good morning...

Why do you look like you saw a monster?

I have the conference room ready.

We must be operating
on different versions of livers.

Mine's severely
lacking in processing power.

Are you hungover?

Here, have a Ramune soda candy.

Thanks...

I'll treasure these...

You're scaring me. Pull yourself together.

You had so much to drink.

But here you are, functioning as normal.

You don't have a hangover,
and your skin looks great.

You're eating them, after all.

I wish I could set up
a surveillance camera in your house.

Cut that out.

Cat...

Not a single strand of cat fur on you!

I've always thought that was astounding!
How do you do it?

Oh, well...

My cat likes the lint roller...

No.

Not that my cat uses the lint roller...

There are cats like that.

A-Are there?

Yes.

Is that so?

Stares...

I see.

So there are cats like that...

Fur and scents.

I'm home, Yukichi.

Tonight's dinner is
beef stroganoff, isn't it?

I could smell it from outside!

This fragrance...

You got some sun after doing the laundry

and made bread
with our bread maker, didn't you?

Where's the bread?

Yum!

I can tell your day's activities
from the scent of your fur alone.

You've even used
a different softener, right?

Impressed?

THINKS SHE'S A WEIRDO

Thank you for riding with us.

Good morning, Yukichi.

Here's the bulletin.

You've grown again.

Oh, right.
I heard they're short of volunteers.

I'll be volunteering too.

You should join us if you can, Yukichi.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR PARK CLEAN-UP

A new volunteer?

We're so busy
we could even use a cat's help...

A cat!

Cats these days sure grow big...

Do we have gloves big enough for him?

You brought your own gloves? Great.

You came, Yukichi.

An acquaintance of yours, Mei?

This is Yukichi.

Yukichi is very capable.
He'll be a great help.

Yukichi can do the work of a hundred.

Are you saying this cat can help us?

I mean, we are busy to the point
where we could use even a cat, but...

Hold on...

Sorry for doubting you.

What are you doing with those shears?

You're doing more?

He keeps going!

Cat!

This is beyond "capable."

That's Yukichi for you.

It feels like a dream...

We were able to finish
much sooner than we expected.

Since we're done,

maybe... let's...

How about a game of gateball?

You're a fast learner.

Yay!

After that day,

the gateball team that was on hiatus
due to insufficient members was revived.

What's that?

A new cleaning tool?

Received a hand-me-down gateball mallet.

Yukichi.

Did you see a kitten...

There it is!

Please bring it over to me.

I think it made a hole
in the screen and got out.

Thank you, Yukichi.

You must've really wanted
to see Yukichi, Dai.

Don't you recognize him?

He's the kitten you and that little girl
found a while back.

I'm looking after Dai

while his owners are away on a trip.

Dai still remembers you.

He doesn't seem
to remember me at all, though.

Oh, dear. I need to go.

Sorry, but could you help me
put Dai into his cage?

You're staying, Yukichi?

That'd be a great help.

I'll be counting on you two
to watch the house.

Dai's things
are all in that paper bag.

I'll leave it to you, Yukichi.

The cat gets restless
when he is not doing anything.

THE CAT GETS RESTLESS
WHEN HE IS NOT DOING ANYTHING

SNUGGLING...

HEART THUMP

FLINGS

LANDED, PHEW

EEK!

Played the game over and over again.

Yukichi, Dai, I'm home.

I bought seaweed and dried fish flakes.

How are you guys doing?

Yukichi?

Oh, my...

You are a masterful cat indeed.

I'm back.

I'm starving, Yukichi!

Fluffy...

Yukichi's going to click his tongue again.

What's gotten into you, Yukichi?

Did you hit your head?

Your paw pads feel amazing.

Look!

Is Dai trying to stand on two legs?

How adorable!

He'll be walking on two legs in no time!

Let's set up
an Isostagram account for him!

SNAPPING PICTURES, WOBBLY

Yuri.

Are you going for lunch now?

Bit late, isn't it?

Oshiro.

Can I join you?

Sure.

I was waiting for Saku-senpai,

but her meeting was running long.

Fukuzawa again?

A co-worker asked me
to find out if she's single.

He even wants to invite her to a mixer.

You guys organize mixers?

Sometimes.

Please let me join.

Who's that co-worker?
Someone in a different department?

I get it.

She's pretty and has a good personality.

She's good at her job, and she can cook.

She can hold her liquor too,

coming in the next day
in perfect condition.

Saku-senpai is a high-spec woman.

But

she was a completely different person

when she first transferred here.

Do elaborate.

She started here three years ago.
She wasn't a fresh graduate.

Her face was always pale.

She was always so jittery,
even though she didn't make any mistakes.

Like this.

"I'm sorry..."

It's hard to imagine
she was once like that...

I was worried about her,

so I'd check on her every now and then.

That's rare.

One day, she brought a homemade rice ball.

Honestly, it didn't look the best,

but she looked really happy eating it.

From that day on, she completely changed.

Her work got better,

she became more confident,
and her posture and complexion improved.

I wonder if there was
some kind of substance in that rice ball.

You're probably overthinking it...

Sorry. Did I ruin your image of her?

No.

I am surprised, though.

I knew Saku-senpai
back when I was still job hunting.

Really?

Yes.

I often saw her on the train.

She was always so dignified
and standing with a good posture.

A beautiful person.

I wanted to become a successful
member of society like her.

That was my little dream at the time.

But...

"But"?

It turned out she was just sleeping.

She was sleeping while standing,
every morning!

She didn't even hold on to anything.

-She never fell, even when it got shaky.
-That's impressive...

She wasn't holding on to a strap?

Once I discovered that,

I've been regarding her
as someone who's super fit.

Why?
Is that some kind of physical training?

I guess that's time-efficient though.

So, it was a coincidence that you guys
met in the same company later on?

That's amazing!

It's fate.

You guys should just get married.

Such a coincidence doesn't exist.

After that, I'd still see her
on the train all the time.

When I was harassed by a pervert...

Saku-senpai noticed

and saved me.

She caught the pervert?

What? How?

Yes. Very naturally,
she just twisted his arm behind his back.

-Can you come with us?
-Ow... Let me go!

Yes.

-Did she serve in JSDF?
-Ow... I'm sorry...

That's when I asked her
for her name and contact.

I invited her out to dinner as a thank you

and asked where she worked.

Then, I applied for the same company.

You made the most of that bad situation.

I see. So that's why you two are close.

I had no idea...

Fukuzawa is pretty, nice,

capable,

and has good reflexes...

In every sense of the word,
there's no beating her.

She doesn't seem human, does she?

She might just have
other surprises in store for us.

Surprise? Saku-senpai?

No way.

Absolutely not.

There's nothing else
that can top what we already know...

Excuse me...

ROLLING...

Caught red-handed! I'm sorry...

I'll clean this up... I promise...

Give it back...

A masterful cat knows

that in order to avoid hangovers,

one should drink lots of water
and avoid drinking on an empty stomach.

However, that human always...

Next episode,

Can The Masterful Cat Watch The House?

I am worried about that human.