FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Kounosuke called last night about the fan. The only problem it had was that the wires were so old and thin, they broke from the soldering. He told me that I could pick it up by morning. And since I remembered that I left my book to his care, I made it my first priority to head to the place. Like yesterday, Yukiharu was the one who greeted me instead of Kounosuke. Honestly, what's that guy even doing in the morning?

"So, Kounosuke's out again, huh?" I said.

"Yeah," Yukiharu said.

"Did he say where he went?"

The little tanuki shook his head. "Even Mom doesn't know. Want me to tell him you came again?"

"It's alright. I'll wait for him instead. Sorry for the intrusion," I said, sitting at a chair next to the counter.

A woman wearing an apron emerged from the back of the store. It was Harue-san, Kounosuke and Yukiharu's mother. We exchanged our greetings before she offered me some cold somen that she was preparing. I didn't hesitate as it was perfect for days like these. One of the best times we had somen was at Tora's house when his dad set up the bamboo slide for the noodles. We struggled in catching the noodles mid-slide back then, Kounosuke resorting to using his hands only to be scolded after. And just as Harue-san went to the back, the tanuki I had been waiting for had returned.

"Oh, that's right. The fan," Kounosuke said. "It runs perfectly now. Thinning wires are a real pain in electric things, you know?"

I nodded, though unsure of what was it about. "Anyway, I also came for 'that'."

Kounosuke gave a puzzled look. "That?"

Looking at that tanuki with a blushing face, I gestured of a rectangular-shaped thing and the look of enlightenment on his face was enough to tell me he got the message.

"Hey, onii-chan!" Yukiharu said, frowning. "I'm not the only one who has to watch the store!"

"Eh? Isn't Dad here?"

"Don't you remember? He went out on an errand. I had to watch the store when you went out all of a sudden. I wanna play today too!"

Before a fight between the two brothers could break out, I had to step in and stop them. They looked at me as if asking "What's going on?" and I just stood there also puzzled. I never really had much experience with siblings, me being an only child, so I wouldn't know if such a thing was a normal interaction between them. The ice broke when Harue-san called all three of us for the somen, us heading to the back.

"Oh, that's right! Kounosuke, you're watching the store this afternoon," Harue-san said.

Kounosuke put down his bowl. "Whaa?"

"Yuki-chan wants to play with his friends. I told him he could. And besides, I'm a mother, I like to keep things even."

While Yukiharu cheered, his older brother looked like all the life got sucked out of him.

"Ooh..." the tanuki said, slurping his noodles.

Glancing to the side, Kounosuke's eyes met mine. That moment, I saw a glow coming from them, a glow that meant trouble on my end. I had to reject whatever he was planning before he could even say it, me having a feeling of what he was about to say. He kept on bargaining with me but, per my suggestion, had to settle with me getting interviewed this morning for the questions he meant to ask back at the party. When we were done with the noodles, the two of us headed back to the front of the store.

"Being forgetful too often is a bad habit to have, you know?"

Kounosuke sighed. "I know that. But it's not like you're exactly innocent!"

I ruffled his hair. "Don't get too down about it. This summer is all about fun, right?"

He gave a thumbs-up. "Right! Now, let's start that interview..."