Chapter 3

**The Cat's Repayment** (猫の恩返し, *Neko no ongaeshi)* is the 3rd chapter of Urami Koi, Koi, Urami Koi.

## Long Summary

Continuing the conversation from the previous chapter, Toya asks if she remembers something before she came to the city. This bewildered Natsuho, and Toya flicks her on the forehead with some kind of power. Natsuho starts to lose consciousness and eventually faints. Toya walks away from Natsuho and claims that he doesn't want to be hated by her.

Meanwhile, Goichi still has Kyoichi under the Execution of Enforcement and banters Kyoichi that he will make him exterminate the Hateful Cat. Ayaka sees what's going on and tries to come help Kyoichi, but she is stopped by Sen. A mysterious "kid", who is later to be revealed as Yuzen Tatsuga, intervenes and asks them to let him through the door, which leads to Kyoichi and Goichi. Impatient, he kicks Sen through the door surprising Kyoichi and Ayaka. Yuzen begins to talk and asks Goichi where the bathroom is. Yuzen spots Kyoichi pinned down to the floor and comes over to undo the Execution of Enforcement that was on Kyoichi. Sen gets back up to try and attack Yuzen, but Goichi explains that he's a friend and that he's not an enemy. Goichi tells Kyoichi to leave, and Kyoichi replies negatively saying that he will knock Goichi off his "high horse", and proceeds to leave. After he left with Ayaka, Goichi and Yuzen drink sake together. They discuss the matter of the Hateful Cat escaping to the Tatsuga Family's mountains. Yuzen informs Goichi that he is suspicious of the recent activity going on and suspects that someone is manipulating the situation, and he warns him to watch out for anything. While talking about Kyoichi, Yuzen points out that Goichi has changed. Yuzen leaves and Goichi remarks that Yuzen is strange for not changing at all.

Kyoichi and Ayaka are seen walking through the streets, and Kyoichi complains about his grandfather. Kyoichi thanks Ayaka for trying to come and help him and teases her that she hasn't changed at all. A flashback of a young Ayaka and Kyoichi is seen and Ayaka introduces herself to Kyoichi. Kyoichi states that he has no complaints and finds her to not be a decent bodyguard, provoking Ayaka to punch Kyoichi down into the ground on the head. The flashback ends and Ayaka nervously tells him that she got carried away when she hit him.

Despite Kyoichi's comment about Ayaka not changing, she believes that she has changed. Kyoichi acknowledges she's learned how to control herself. Kyoichi notices how Ayaka's hands are always clenched, and he tests her by asking to see her hand and allowing her to squeeze his hand. Seeing her blush and refusing to use all her strength, he reminds her how she knows how to hold back. In order for her to remember this, he tells her to imagine holding someone's hand when she's angry, with a red Ayaka asking for that hand to be his. Realizing what she's said, she freaks out and begs him to forget it. They go their separate ways, and Ayaka walks alone to her place thinking about how much Kyoichi has changed, from being cold to compassionate.

As she's walking home, she senses the Hateful Cat jumping on the roofs behind her. She confronts the Hateful Cat, feeling pressure from it, and it threatens to harm her if she interferes. The Hateful Cat insults her, and Ayaka prepares for battle. Before she does, she remembers her conversation with Kyoichi about holding someone's hand. However, her convictions take priority, and she takes out her axe, with her ox horns showing. Determined to protect Kyoichi, she exclaims that she must be fought first before the Hateful Cat can get to Kyoichi.

They engage in battle, and Ayaka swings her axe at the Cat, but it did minimal damage. The Cat uses her claws to send Ayaka flying off the roof, but Ayaka uses her axe, hits the roof, and manages to stay on the roof. She admits that the Cat is stronger, however, she refuses to go down. Ayaka attempts striking the Cat from the top, but the Cat sprouts a head from where Ayaka is strikes and bites it. The Cat swings Ayaka off her back, and she hits the ground. The Cat continues to state that she's a fool for fighting an opponent stronger than her. Ayaka remarks that her reason for fighting is because of her emotions. She lifts her hand and smashes the rooftop in order to catch the Cat off balance. Dust clouds from the impact make it hard for the Cat to find Ayaka. She sees the axe coming from the skies, but Ayaka surprise attacks the Cat from the side. At the same time, they both hit each other, and Ayaka is knocked out and unconcious.

Natsuho's cat form dissipates and checks to see if Ayaka is still breathing. She thinks back to when she saw Toya (referring to him as "that guy") and questions why she lost control. Worried that she might hurt someone due to her instability, she decides to leave the city. She gets startled hearing Ayaka sleep talk, and she realizes that Ayaka was trying to protect Kyoichi from her.

Meanwhile, Kyoichi's wondering when Natsuho is coming back. Worried that something could have happened, he tries to look for her. He opens the door to see Natsuho and chastises her for being late. Natsuho tells him that she's found a way home and says her farewells. She doesn't want him to worry about her and that he must go to Ayaka. She informs him that she's unconscious because she knocked her out. Grabbing Natsuho by the shoulders, he asks for Ayaka's location. He leaves to go see Ayaka and tells Natsuho to stay in his house while he's gone because he has things he wants to say to her.

In Kyoichi's house, Natsuho thinks about the events that have transpired, and Kyoichi comes back home. He tells her that he took Ayaka to the hospital and told Ayaka that the Hateful Cat has retreated, easing her worries. Kyoichi goes ahead and starts Natsuho's farewell party, cooking a seafood hot pot that appeals to Natsuho's taste. He tells her to go ahead and eat, and she compliments the taste. He thinks about all the other things that he's cooked for her and realizes that he needs to learn how to cook. He intended to have Taromaru and Hana at the party, but since they're kids, they weren't allowed to stay up late. She's fine with the way things are and that she won't have another farewell party because she didn't have any other friends or acquaintances. Kyoichi suggests that she should transfer to the schools in Twelve Town. When she reaches high school, she'll be in the same school as Kyoichi, as stated by him. She quietly wonders about this.

The party ends, and Kyoichi double checks if she has everything. Because this is their "last time" seeing each other, she figured that she should say something. She struggles to say something to him, and he spots something of hers hanging out the window (AKA her undies.) He walks over to go get it, but she realizes what it was and tries to stop him from getting it. Her headache starts to come back, but she gathers her courage to tell him. She thanks him for all the things he's done for her and for allowing her to hate him. She hops out the window with the item that was hanging, and he smiles and laughs, wondering when she'll come back.

Natsuho walks off, on the rooftops of buildings, and thinks about Kyoichi to find herself crying all of a sudden. She goes deep into thought and realizes that she doesn't want to be hated by him. She slowly goes to her knees and breaks into more tears.

Kyoichi is seen walking, and Natsuho watches him from afar. He feels like he's missing her more than he thought he would. Before his thoughts got too deep, Sana stops him from walking on a red light. He greets her only to be corrected by her, stating that he should raise his hand to greet her. She wanted to talk to him about something, but as she began to talk, she realizes that the scent of Natsuho isn't on Kyoichi. Ayaka yells out to them, showing that her injuries are gone. Still worried that her wounds aren't gone, Kyoichi chastises her, telling her to go home to rest. Remembering that Sana had something to say to him, he brings up their conversation again, but Sana brushes off the topic instead. Kyoichi and Ayaka walk off, and Sana stops worrying for now.

Kyoichi notices the bag that Ayaka has, and she says it's for the little kitty (Natsuho). He informs Ayaka that he "found her owner", leaving Ayaka depressed. To make her feel better, he says that the kitty might run away again, and they might see her. Ayaka states that she wants to adopt her, saying it's better to be somewhere you want to be. Kyoichi hopes that Natsuho and Ayaka become friends after everything blows over.

Later, Kyoichi goes to the Nekuni household, looking for his bus pass. He decides to drop by and see his little sister while he's there. He opens one of the doors to see his grandfather with his arm sliced off, a stab wound in his stomach, and a slash mark across his whole body. He also sees Natsuho standing in front of him with her claws out. Astonished by this, he asks what was happening and why Natsuho was still here. She turns around and the chapter ends.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Natsuho Nekogazaki
* Toya Itachizuka
* Goichi Nekuni
* Kyoichi Nekuni
* Ayaka Ushigura
* Sen Inuhara
* Yuzen Tatsuga
* Yusei Ushigura (Flashback)
* Taromaru Kawarashi (Flashback)
* Hana Zawarashi (Flashback)
* Sana Inuhara

## Trivia

* Yuzen Tatsuga officially debuts in this chapter.