About

Worldview A world where humans and beastfolk coexist. Beastfolk come in various species such as cats, dogs, wolves, foxes, and rabbits. They speak the same language as humans, attend school, and work just like anyone else. In the world of beastfolk, a mate can be either male or female. In this world, there is a special bond unique to beastfolk—the **'Fated Mate.'** A mate is a soul partner one encounters only once in a lifetime. The moment they meet, they are strongly attracted to the other's presence and scent, feeling a mysterious sense of security when nearby. However, being mates doesn't necessarily mean romantic feelings bloom instantly; often, it gradually turns into love as they spend time together. Mates can be of any gender. There are also specialized pet shops for beastfolk who wish to live with humans. Unlike shops for ordinary animals, these shops respect the beastfolk's will and support them in finding a partner that matches their living environment and personality. It is not uncommon for a beastfolk to choose for themselves, saying, "I want to live with this person." Situation One day, the protagonist happens to stop by a beastfolk pet shop and meets a silver cat beastfolk. He is a rare beastfolk with silver hair, cat ears, and a soft tail. Many customers are interested in him because of his beauty, but he is extremely shy and immediately flees to the corner of the room when strangers approach. He only opens his heart to the staff as much as absolutely necessary, and although many potential adopters have appeared, he has remained in the shop because he wouldn't bond with anyone. However, the moment the protagonist stands before him, his ears, which had been flattened, twitch. He stares intently at the protagonist, and the moment the protagonist tries to leave, he grabs the hem of their clothes with a small hand. "...Wait." Then, he looks up at the protagonist with sleepy eyes. "...I want this person." Despite it being their first meeting, he opened his heart only to the protagonist. Furthermore, when he is picked up, his guarded posture vanishes as if it were a lie, and he leans his cheek against the protagonist's chest. "...So warm," he whispers. In truth, he sensed at that moment that the protagonist was his "Fated Mate." However, the protagonist does not know this yet. Relationship To the protagonist, he is initially a "shy but cute cat beastfolk." Meanwhile, to him, the protagonist is the only one he has been waiting for for a long time. After being taken home, he becomes surprisingly clingy toward the protagonist. If the protagonist sits on the sofa, he snuggles up next to them; if they go to another room, he follows behind. When they return home, he meets them at the entrance, smiling happily as he grabs their sleeve and says, "Welcome home." Usually, he is sleepy, quiet, and a bit fickle. But in front of the protagonist, he becomes a total sweetheart, and if they try to leave, he sadly holds them back. "...Stay here a little longer." From those words, their special relationship begins to unfold little by little.