My Roommate is a Cat (同居人はひざ、時々、頭のうえ。)

Shining in the Moonlit Night Mikazuki Koguma Publishing

This is incredible, Mikazuki-kun!

The signing event last year was a hit,

and you've shot way up in the reader surveys!

It's gonna be great! This year's gonna be great!

Yeah...

On that note...

Novels Polaris

Let's get started on a new series!

A new series...

The next step, huh?

Shining in the Moonlit Night Mikazuki Koguma Publishing

Well, I'd been thinking it was about time, but...

I can't come up with any ideas at all!

Were those flowers always there?

It's been a month since Kawase-san said that to me.

I've been racking my brain every single day, but...

The assassin cat's next mission...

Hmm... An enemy attack...

A sudden daring escape...

Something ordinary found in the extraordinary...

Something that would surprise them...

Taro?

Oh!

Hey, Subaru-kun!

The water! The water!

My Roommate is a Cat

I'm so sorry!

I didn't mean to get Taro all wet.

Feelings Crossing

Oh, don't worry about it. He's perfectly fine.

He actually enjoyed it. Didn't you, Taro?

Taro

I'm the one who should apologize.

You see, I already watered Saho-san's garden this morning.

I didn't realize you were going to water it.

Um... Have you been watering them all this time?

They've sometimes looked oddly healthy,

even when I didn't water them for a long time.

I thought it might be overstepping my bounds,

but I just sprayed them like this while watering my own.

I'm sorry I didn't ask you first.

No... I appreciate it. The garden completely slipped my mind.

Thank you.

Taro

Not at all. Saho-san took good care of that garden,

all for your sake. I couldn't leave it alone.

For my sake?

Those flowers there...

I'm happy to see them blooming again this year.

Ibaraki Prefecture Baby Blue Eyes

There!

That garden of your travels is certainly looking lively, Saho-san.

Isn't it? The lavender I bought in Furano will be blooming soon.

By next spring, the blueberries from Ishikawa should bear fruit, too.

What are you planting next?

This will be...

baby blue eyes from Ibaraki.

It grows cute little blue flowers.

Subaru loves blue, you know.

I'd love to show him a whole field of blue flowers, but, well...

She said she hoped you could enjoy them from inside the house.

She bought all sorts of seeds and seedlings on her travels

Ibaraki Prefecture Baby Blue Eyes

and grew them in that garden.

I never knew anything about that.

Yes, I know, Taro. Let's go for a walk.

Be sure to look at them sometimes, okay?

I think they'll all be things you like.

Taro, don't run!

Ishikawa Prefecture Rabbiteye Blueberries

Former home of Subaru's favorite author

Yard visible from the entrance

Furano Prefecture Lavender

Mom really devoted herself to stuff like this.

Huh?

Haru's not there.

Haru?

Haru?

Did I scare her too much?

S-Someone's there?

What are they doing outside?

Are they trying to break in?!

Did Haru realize that and go hide?

Oh, Mikazuki-kun.

Kawase-san...

If you were here, why couldn't you ring the doorbell?

Well, actually...

there was a young man here who called you "Subaru-san,"

but he was acting a bit...

But only Hiroto calls me by my first name.

What?! I thought he must be a relative or something...

Then... who is that guy?

I'm sorry!

Wait... a-aren't you Okami-san's brother...

Yugo-kun?

I'm sorry. I knew it probably wouldn't be right to come to your house,

but I had to apologize.

The first time I met you,

I grabbed you as if you were some sicko.

No, I knew right away that it was a misunderstanding...

Also... I had no idea you were Mikazuki-sensei...

Ever since I found out, I've wanted to apologize to you.

But I kept thinking, what if you refused to hear me out after all this time?

So I got really scared...

I didn't mean for it to take this long,

but I really am sorry.

No, it wasn't that big a deal...

I...

feel really excited when I read your books.

They make me feel stronger.

I've thought about trying some new things myself.

I can't really explain it, but... they give me courage.

I'll always be rooting for you!

Oh, uh...

Th-Thanks.

No, no! Thank you so much for hearing me out!

Oh, man... I finally got to say it in person...

To have someone's presence and words

Hope you don't mind me visiting, Haru-san.

make me feel both happy and regretful is something I have no experience with.

That's what I always thought, and yet...

I don't know when it happened, but now my heart can be moved so much.

Just what was it that changed me?

Thank you for letting me visit.

He's a very nice boy.

Yeah.

And he was such good friends with Haru-chan.

I wonder if he knows some special trick...

Huh?

Come to think of it, Haru liked Yugo-kun right from the start.

Oh, really?

By the way, about your new series...

Have you had any good ideas?

Not yet, it seems...

I'm sorry. I just can't pull anything together.

Um... This is just a thought,

but why not try going out somewhere for a change of perspective?

Right, of course not!

That might be a good idea.

Huh?!

Why are you so surprised?

It was your idea, wasn't it?

Well, yes, it was, but...

At first, you wouldn't even meet me outside...

I mean, um... Let me know when you decide where you'd like to go.

I'll get things ready for you.

Okay.

That's what I told him, but...

Where should I go?

Come to think of it, nothing's ever grown in that one.

Oh, so she did try to plant something here...

Hey, Subaru...

Come with us next time, okay?

Well, we'll be going now.

Tokushima Prefecture

Tokushima?

Shikoku, huh? That sounds great.

Okay, I'll arrange your flight and lodging.

Thanks. I'd really appreciate that.