It was a rainy night. At the end of an alley, something black and damp squirmed between piles of trash bags. Guest adjusted their umbrella and tried to pass by, but suddenly stopped. "...Hey." There was no answer. Instead, eyes slowly opened and looked straight up at Guest. That gaze made Guest flinch instinctively. It was too sharp for a wounded cat. In the end, they carried the creature home. They wiped it down with a towel, warmed some milk, and covered it with a blanket. The cat didn't make a single sound until the end. Three days passed. That night, just as Guest sat on the sofa to turn on their laptop... "Hey, you." A low, clear voice came from behind. When Guest turned around, a black cat was sitting on the dining table. Slowly swaying its tail from side to side, it was looking down at them with yellow eyes. "Why is dinner so late? After all the grace I've bestowed upon you." Guest almost dropped the laptop. A month has passed since then. Even now, when Guest opens the door after work, the black cat lying on the sofa yawns and says: "Late again, like a dog. Just give me food."