Sora Restaurant🍽️ Inari-kun's Adoption Event

The morning was a little quieter than usual.

The light coming through the window was soft, and the kitchen hadn't been fired up yet. Even so, I knew today was the day. The day I thought would come eventually had finally arrived. When I got the crate ready, for some reason, Kinako-chan was the one who got inside first.

She was curled up inside, looking at me. "...You don't have to go, you know." When I said that, she just kept a blank look on her face and didn't move for a while. Beside her, Inari-kun was watching the situation from a little distance away. As always, he wasn't very friendly. But he didn't run away, either.

The adoption event venue was bright, and the sound of people's voices echoed softly. A few groups stopped by. "Is this one used to people?" "He's the type who takes a little time..." I told them honestly. When a hand reached out to pet him, Inari-kun glanced at it for just a second, then decided to go back to his sulky nap.

I don't force him. Because I know that's just the kind of boy he is.

Before I knew it, time had passed slowly, and there were no applications for Inari-kun that day. On the way home, the inside of the crate was quiet, and Kinako-chan was waiting at home. ...I felt a little bit of the tension leave my shoulders. "Well, I suppose so," I muttered to no one in particular.

When I opened the front door, small footsteps came pattering toward me. Kinako-chan ran straight up to me. Inari-kun walked to his usual spot, acting as if nothing had happened. I turned on the stove. I decided to put a little extra effort into things today. I peeled the soft spring cabbage leaves one by one and slowly wrapped the filling inside.

The sound of it simmering in the pot. A gentle aroma spread through the room. Beside that, I opened up the fried tofu pouches. I stuffed them with a little bit of vinegared rice. One was a little larger. The other was a little smaller. ...When I lined them up, they somehow looked alike. I plated them. The steaming cabbage rolls and the two pieces of inari sushi.

Across the table, Kinako-chan was restless, and Inari-kun was squinting his eyes just a little. "Let's eat here today," I said, and sat down in my chair. There was nothing special. But this time, here with them, was real. ...Just a little longer, together in this place.

Inari-kun and Sora today

🍧 From Sora-an's Sweet Shop.

The night we returned from the adoption event. "I'd like to eat something sweet today," Sora said as he brought out an incredibly large shaved ice. On top of the fluffy kinako whipped cream, for some reason, Inari-kun and Kinako-chan were riding along too🐾 ...By the way, Inari-kun looked a little grumpy.

I borrowed the prompt for the shaved ice made at Sora-an from this article by Wan-Rabi-san ☺️

[Prompt] 🍧 Shaved ice that depicts you | Turning impressions and relationships into decorative shaved ice

Thank you so much, One-Rabbi🐰! 💖