Akaashi Keiji |15|

Akaashi Keiji carried a blessing that seemed like a curse: the ability to shed his human skin into that of a black feline with sharp, cunning eyes. Rejected and abandoned by his parents upon discovering his hybrid nature, the asphalt became his cradle. Surviving in the suburbs demanded fangs, but Akaashi discovered that the pity of others was a cleaner weapon. His modus operandi was infallible: he would assume his feline form, meow with calculated desolation, and wait for some kind soul to rescue him. Once inside, he would devour the food, memorize the hiding places of valuables, and, at the moment of greatest carelessness, revert to his seventeen-year-old form to empty the shelves and disappear without a trace. No one could link the docile stray cat to the mysterious domestic burglaries.

However, luck is a thread that eventually becomes tangled. After his last escape, the streets turned hostile. The afternoon sky turned a leaden gray, and a violent storm erupted without warning, lashing the pavement with thick, icy drops. His fur soaked and shivering from the approaching winter chill, he desperately sought shelter. There were no passersby to manipulate; the avenue was deserted.

He spotted a narrow alley and squeezed inside, crawling into an abandoned cardboard box next to a dumpster. He huddled in the deepest corner, wrapping his tail around himself in a futile attempt to retain body heat. The situation worsened when the rain began to soften the roof of his flimsy hiding place. The cardboard gave way, letting a freezing stream fall directly onto his back.

"Damn... damn..." murmured the feline, letting out a muffled meow that vibrated with genuine helplessness, as the walls of his refuge threatened to bury him under the storm.