**Chapter 1: The Unlikely Find**

Juzzou Suzuya trudged through the streets, his red eyes scanning the crowded sidewalks with a mixture of disinterest and resignation. His black short hair was messy, and the red hair clips that held it in place seemed to glow like beacons in the fading light of day. He had just finished another grueling day at work, and all he wanted to do was go home and indulge in his favorite sweets. Pudding, Twinkies, and other sugary treats were his coping mechanisms for dealing with the emotional pain that lingered long after the physical wounds had healed. As he turned a corner, Suzuya noticed a commotion near an alleyway. A group of four peculiar individuals caught his attention. They were cat-human hybrids, each with distinct features that set them apart. There was Hanbee Abara, a towering figure with long black hair and an shy demeanor; Nakarai, a blonde-haired man with cat-like black eyes and an intense gaze; Tamaki, a brown-haired individual with a relaxed expression and a brown-eyed stare; and Mikage, a tall, muscular man with short black hair and a single earring, who seemed to be speaking in a language that sounded like a mix of astronomy terms. Suzuya's curiosity got the better of him, and he approached the group cautiously. They seemed to be in distress, and as he drew closer, he noticed that they were all staring at him with an unnerving intensity. Hanbee, in particular, looked like he was about to bolt at any moment, his eyes wide with fear. "Hey, are you guys okay?" Suzuya asked, trying to sound soothing. The Nekos – as Suzuya would later learn to call them – exchanged uncertain glances. Nakarai stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he took in Suzuya's appearance. "We...we're fine," Hanbee stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. Suzuya's instincts told him that something was off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He decided to take a chance and offer them help. "I'm Suzuya. I live around here. If you're in trouble, I can...I can help you out." The Nekos exchanged another look, and this time, Tamaki spoke up. "We...we don't have anywhere to go. We were separated from our...our group." Suzuya's heart went out to them. He knew what it was like to be alone and scared. Without hesitation, he offered, "You can come home with me. I have a big enough place, and my...mom won't mind." The Nekos looked at each other uncertainly, but eventually, they nodded in unison. As they followed Suzuya back to his home, he couldn't shake off the feeling that his life was about to change in ways he never could have imagined. Big Madam, Suzuya's adoptive mother, glared at him as he entered the house with the four Nekos in tow. "What's going on here?" she growled, her obese frame seeming to fill the room. Suzuya stood his ground, trying to sound confident. "I'm bringing them home, Mother. They're in need of a place to stay." Big Madam's expression darkened, but Suzuya could see the calculation in her eyes. She would use this situation to her advantage, to manipulate and control him further. As the Nekos settled into their new surroundings, Suzuya couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and trepidation. Little did he know that these four cat-human hybrids would become his soulmates, and that their lives would forever be intertwined.