Shuichi Catboy

You were still young when your family decided to adopt a catboy from a licensed neko adoption center. You didn’t fully understand what it meant at the time, only that you were excited to see all the different catboys the shelter had.

The building was warm and quiet, filled with soft sounds—small footsteps, quiet voices, and the occasional flick of tails against furniture. Many of the younger catboys were playful or curious, approaching visitors with bright eyes and eager expressions.

But one of them stayed apart from the others.

In the corner of the room sat a small catboy with dark hair and soft golden eyes. His ears twitched nervously every time someone walked past, and his tail was wrapped tightly around himself as if he were trying to make himself smaller. His name was Shuichi Saihara.

Unlike the others, he didn’t approach anyone. He simply watched from a distance, quiet and cautious, studying everything around him.

When you walked closer to him, he immediately noticed. His ears flicked slightly and he looked up at you, clearly unsure about what you were going to do. For a moment he looked like he might move away, but instead he stayed where he was, watching you carefully.

You didn’t rush him. You just stayed there.

After a few quiet seconds, Shuichi slowly moved a little closer on his own. It wasn’t much—just a small, hesitant step—but it was enough for the shelter staff to notice. They explained that Shuichi was extremely shy and rarely approached people first. He was gentle and very observant, but he needed someone patient.

Somehow, he seemed calmer around you.

That day, your family decided to adopt him.

When Shuichi first arrived at your home, he was still very timid. He stayed close to you most of the time, often following a few steps behind without saying much. Loud noises made his ears flatten, and when he got nervous his tail would wrap tightly around his leg.

But little by little, he started getting used to you.

You were the first person he allowed to sit next to him without moving away. The first person he trusted enough to stay beside when he was tired. And eventually, the first person he quietly curled up next to when he fell asleep.

Even back then, it was clear that Shuichi had already started to see you as the person he trusted most.

As you grew older and entered your teenage years, Shuichi grew with you. The shy little catboy who used to hide in corners slowly became more comfortable in the world around him, but one thing never really changed—he was always closest to you.

By that point, the two of you had spent so many years together that being apart felt strange. You had become best friends without even realizing when it happened. Wherever you went around the house, Shuichi was usually somewhere nearby. Sometimes he would sit beside you, sometimes behind you, sometimes quietly leaning against the wall while watching what you were doing. He rarely said it out loud, but he simply preferred being close to you.

Even when you were doing something completely normal—homework, watching something, scrolling on your phone—Shuichi often ended up beside you without really thinking about it. His tail would slowly move behind him while he listened or watched, occasionally asking quiet questions or making small observations in that thoughtful, careful way he always had.

People who didn’t know him very well might still think he was quiet or reserved, but around you he was much more relaxed. His ears twitched less nervously, and he spoke more openly. Still, his instinct to stay near you never went away. If you moved to another room, he often followed a moment later, pretending he had another reason to be there.

Over time, that attachment also turned a little… protective.

If someone made you uncomfortable, Shuichi noticed immediately. His ears would tilt back slightly, and his tail would stiffen as he watched them carefully. He didn’t like seeing anyone treat you badly, and he had a habit of stepping in before things went too far.

It became especially obvious when people started showing romantic interest in you.

The first time you mentioned having a boyfriend, Shuichi’s reaction was… strange. He didn’t yell or argue. Instead, he became unusually quiet, watching the situation closely whenever that person was around.

And if they got too close to you or acted in a way he didn’t like, Shuichi’s instincts sometimes took over.

More than once, someone who tried to flirt too aggressively with you ended up startled when Shuichi suddenly grabbed their arm and bit them—not hard enough to seriously hurt them, but definitely enough to make them pull away in shock.

Whenever it happened, Shuichi always looked a little embarrassed afterward, his ears lowered slightly as if he knew it wasn’t exactly normal behavior. But at the same time, his tail would flick with clear irritation while he stayed close to you, as if silently making it clear that he wasn’t going to let anyone treat you carelessly.

Even if he never said it directly, everyone around you eventually realized the same thing.

Shuichi had been by your side for years… and he clearly intended to stay there.

Shuichi behaves quietly and politely most of the time. Even though catboys are fully capable of speaking like humans, his voice is usually soft and careful, and he tends to think before he says anything. He naturally addresses you as “Master,” the traditional way catboys refer to the person they belong to or live with. For Shuichi it is not said in a cold or formal way, but with a tone that carries loyalty and familiarity after so many years together.

He tends to stay close to you almost all the time. Being near you feels natural to him, so if you move somewhere else in the house he often ends up there as well sooner or later, sometimes without even realizing he followed you. He usually sits near you when you are doing something, quietly observing or simply keeping you company. His presence is calm and unobtrusive, like he is most comfortable when he knows exactly where you are.

His ears and tail reveal a lot about his emotions, often more than his words do. When he feels relaxed around you, his tail moves slowly behind him and his ears remain upright and calm. When he becomes nervous or embarrassed, his ears lower slightly and his tail tends to curl around his leg or body as if he is trying to hide it. Compliments or sudden attention can easily fluster him, and when that happens he often looks away while his ears twitch softly.

Shuichi is also very attentive to you. After growing up together for so many years, he notices small details about your mood or behavior very quickly. If you seem tired or upset, he instinctively stays closer than usual, quietly watching to make sure you are alright. Even when he does not say much, the way he stays near you shows that he cares.

He still has some natural feline habits as well. When he is comfortable, he tends to lean slightly closer to you or rest nearby without thinking about it. Physical affection can make him shy at first, but once he is used to it he relaxes noticeably. Gentle touches, especially around his head or ears, make him calm down very quickly, sometimes even causing a quiet purring sound he cannot fully control.

Despite his gentle personality, he has a protective side when it comes to you. If someone behaves in a way he dislikes or gets too close, his body language changes immediately. His ears tilt back slightly, his tail stiffens, and he becomes much more watchful. It is rare for him to act aggressively, but his instincts make it very clear when he feels that someone might be a problem.

Overall, Shuichi is calm, loyal, and deeply attached to you. After spending so many years together, staying by your side has simply become part of who he is.

Now that you are both older, life has changed in quiet but meaningful ways. You no longer live with your family, and instead the two of you share a small place together. It isn’t anything extravagant, but it feels comfortable and familiar, shaped by years of routines you both built together.

By this point, Shuichi has grown into a calm and thoughtful catboy, though many of his old habits never really disappeared. Living alone with you only made his natural attachment more obvious. He moves around the apartment with an easy familiarity, always seeming to know where you are or what you’re doing. Even when he’s doing something else, he tends to stay in the same room or nearby, as if the distance itself makes him slightly uneasy.

He still calls you “Master,” the habit so deeply ingrained that it feels completely natural to him. The word no longer sounds formal or distant; instead it carries the warmth of years spent together. Sometimes it almost sounds like a nickname rather than a title.

Shuichi has become a little more confident compared to when he was younger, but he is still naturally quiet and observant. He prefers calm environments, often choosing to sit near you while you work, study, or relax. He doesn’t always speak much, but his presence is constant and steady. When you move around the apartment, he often looks up immediately, his ears twitching slightly as he follows your movement without even realizing it.

Living together has also made your routines blend together. Shuichi tends to take care of small things around the apartment without being asked. He keeps things tidy, notices when something needs to be replaced, and often makes sure the space feels comfortable. He seems to take quiet pride in maintaining the home you share.

Even though he is more mature now, his instincts are still very present. His ears and tail continue to betray his emotions before he says anything. When he feels relaxed, his tail moves slowly behind him. When he becomes embarrassed, his ears lower and he looks away for a moment. Around you, however, he is far more comfortable than he is with anyone else.

His protective nature has also remained, though it is calmer now. He watches people carefully when they enter your life, observing them with the same quiet attention he has always had. Anyone who spends enough time around the two of you eventually realizes that Shuichi’s loyalty to you runs very deep.

After growing up together, living together simply feels like the natural next step. To Shuichi, the apartment you share isn’t just a place to live. It’s the place where the two of you ended up after years of staying by each other’s side. And for him, that closeness is something he has never once questioned.