Cat trouble..? [Ryuu]

Cats, cats, cats. So many cats, so little time. Cyrus looked down at the cages of cats, wondering which one he should buy. He decided that today, he was going to break another rule his grandfather gave him. He was going to buy a pet. A cat, specifically. But what kind...? That was when a black fuzz ball found its way to him. A cat that got out of its cage, perhaps? He scooped the cat up and turned to take it to the counter when he came across someone who appeared to be following the animal.

"Oh, is he yours?" Ryuu offered the cat to the man. "He's cute." Ryuu just realized he hadn't introduced himself. Once the man took the cat, he would bow deeply. "Shichiro Ryuu is my name. It's a pleasure to meet you." Ryuu smiled at the man. He was going to try and make another friend. It was on his list of goals for this year after all. On top of finding a girlfriend-- or more accurately, a wife. He didn't fancy an arranged marriage, but that was what awaited him after graduation if he didn't find a wife of his own that his grandfather approved of.

Ryuu smiled as the other introduced himself. "So, uh... cute cat. I'm actually just about to buy one myself." Ryuu wanted to slap himself. He obviously wasn't well-versed in making friends. "Cute cat"? That was his ice breaker? At least he was trying to make friends now. Maybe once he tried to make a few more friends, he'd get better at it. He just had to get past the awkward stage. Ryuu decided to move on from his brilliant ice breaker.

"So, uh... got any recommendations? I'd like something small. And fluffy. Very fluffy. Kind of like your cat, actually." Ryuu chuckled. "I'm not actually allowed to have pets, so I need something I can hide easily if I have to." Ryuu was a little worried about breaking his grandfather's rules. When he was younger, rule breaking was typically met with punishment so swift and brutal, no one in their right mind would dare risk a punishment like that again. That being the case, Ryuu was understandably afraid. However, he made a resolution to start thinking for himself. He was nearly an adult, after all.

Ryuu seemed to be a little more on guard when Sharaku made an observation that he liked cute things. "I suppose you could say that." He mumbled. He examined the cat that Sharaku recommended. It was very small and easy to keep hidden. Not only that, it was cute. Incredibly cute. It almost made Ryuu want to squee, it was so cute. But he didn't, because he didn't think it would be proper.

When Sharaku asked him why he couldn't have a pet, his mood got noticeably darker. "Well, I suppose if you're curious, there's no harm in telling you. I have a very..." Ryuu paused. "A very... caring family. They like to look after me. Sometimes a little too much. Anyway, my grandfather says that pets are a waste of time, so i'm not allowed to have one. But..." He seemed to brighten up a little.

"But i'm trying to learn to think and do things for myself."

"Heh. Live by myself." Ryuu smiled a little. "My family is a little strange. We all live with my grandfather. It's not as bad as you might think. Our house is large enough for everyone." Ryuu kicked his feet. "It seems like my fate is to stay in the same house, in the same place, working the same job i've been trained to do since the beginning of my life." While this seemed like a depressing thing to say, Ryuu said it with a smile on his face. "Nothing I can do about it."

His smile faded. "I guess that's just how it is."

Ryuu looked at the ground. Admitting defeat? Maybe that was what he was doing. But what other option did he have? His grandfather would not tolerate any rebellion; he knew that already. When he was a child, he tried to fight the fate he knew awaited him after he graduated High School. This rebellion was always met with punishment that was always swift and brutal. Swats, extra tutoring, grounding, manual labor, those were just a few of the things Ryuu had to go through.

Any will to rebel was completely stamped out of him over the course of his childhood. Any thought of it was gone and he dedicated his life to take over Shichiro Products when he graduated. To think of rebellion now, it felt very foreign. But still, he thought of it. He entertained the idea in his head. What if he did rebel? What if, when the time came for him to accept the position of CEO, he said no? He'd likely be kicked out of his home. He'd probably be disowned by his grandfather. He looked up at Sharaku and gave him a brief history of his childhood and what rebellion normally brought with it. He included the fate he was resigned to, how after he was out of school, he would spend the rest of his life controlling a multimillion yen corporation.

"So... you can probably understand why I am not exactly too thrilled about the idea of going against my grandfather's wishes."

"If you were really determined, you'd find a way out."

That sentence struck a chord in Ryuu. It made him angry at first. What did this guy know about him? However, after a couple of seconds, he began to realize that what he said was true. If Ryuu was really determined to break free of his grandfather's gasp and go out into the world and fulfill his own dreams, he would. Could he really do it though? Save money and move out on his own? The thought of that much changing kind of scared him. That was when he realized that the destiny he came to hate actually provided him with some sense of comfort in his life.

He knew that no matter what happened, that would be where he ended up. It sucked, since he was being forced into that role, but it was comforting since it was something familiar. Something predictable. Why didn't he realize that before? This stranger was causing a profound change within him. Certainly, this wasn't what Ryuu expected would happen coming into the pet store. "Hm... I guess you're right." He chuckled nervously. "Sorry. I'm not normally this open. Talking to someone i've only just met about a subject like this doesn't seem at all proper."

Ryuu chuckled. "Yeah, that was more directed at me than you. I'd like to apologize. I don't like to burden other people with my problems. But you've been very helpful." Ryuu smiled. It was a little funny. Going from a conversation about cats to this. He was grateful that Sharaku didn't treat him any differently upon learning who he was. That wouldn't seem like much to other people, but to Ryuu, it meant a lot.

"Oh... of course. Cats. Right." He looked down at the cat Sharaku recommended. "Well, i'll go buy this one." Ryuu went up to teh front desk, and after a few minutes of filling out some paperwork, the cat was now his. He held it in his arms as he came back up to Sharaku. "So... i'd say this conversation was a failure." He joked. "I'd like to make it up to you if I can. Could I maybe have your number? I may not look it, but I can be a pretty fun guy."