Under the cloak of night, a torrential downpour besieged the city. Bright flashes of lightning pierced the darkness, followed by thunderous roars that shook the late summer trees, forcing leaves to surrender their hold. Cloaked in raincoats and shielded by umbrellas, people scurried down the sidewalk. The pedestrians moved swiftly, seemingly destined to reach their homes before those trapped in the snail-paced traffic.

Noah slammed his fist on his car's center console, causing it to rattle as if it might fall apart. The strategically placed duct tape was the only thing keeping it intact.

"Come on, work!" he growled, frustration seeping through his clenched teeth. Fumbling with the heater dial, he smacked the console with his palm. The car's lights flickered, accompanied by a sound akin to a flock of pigeons taking flight. At last, hot air began to flow through the vents, and the fog on the windshield gradually retreated.

Exhaling a heavy sigh, Noah eased into the driver's seat, which protested with a creak under his weight.

"Destination on the left in... Three hundred feet. Bing bing!" his phone chimed from its holder.

"Yeah, okay. I'll get there in two years," he remarked sarcastically.

Upon parking across from his destination, Noah noticed an overhanging tree that dispersed the rain into hefty droplets. The noise they made upon impact with the car was reminiscent of a wrench tumbling inside a washing machine. He peered out the window at the downpour and took a deep breath, observing the sluggish traffic and the erratic dance of blue exhaust clouds. Clutching the delivery bag from the passenger seat, he closed his eyes, opened the door. The rain's onslaught was unrelenting, drenching him in an instant as if a divine force had fired a super soaker at his car. Swearing loudly, Noah scrambled out of the vehicle.

Navigating between the stationary cars, Noah dashed toward a brick building and knocked on the door. Water cascaded from the rooftop, showering his pants with countless droplets. He sidestepped to avoid the deluge—

—and stepped on something soft.

"YEOOOOOUCH!" a voice shrieked from within the shrubbery by the door. "My taaiiiiillllll!!!"

Noah recoiled in surprise.

"Who are you? What are you doing out in the rain?" Noah demanded.

A drenched figure emerged from the shrub, clutching their tail. It was a catboy, complete with fuzzy ears lying flat against their head. Rain soaked their clothes and hair as they shivered.

"Is everything alright?" a young adult voice inquired from inside the building. A bleary-eyed man, evidently under the influence, had cracked open the doorway.

"Do you know who this is?" Noah asked him.

"Nah, no clue, man. Just friggin' hungry and starving. Are you the delivery dude, man?"

"Oh, yeah. Here you go."

Noah handed over the delivery as the man paid in cash.

"Listen, man, I'd call the police..." the man began, glancing around nervously. "Just don't get me involved, okay? I had a long day today. I don't need to deal with them again. I'm already on thin ice, if you know what I mean."

With that, he closed the door. Noah regarded the shivering catboy.

"Got any place to go to?" he asked. The catboy shook their head.

Under the dim light, Noah examined the catboy more closely. He could see that they were tall and thin. Inappropriately dressed for the downpour, they wore a hoodie and sweatpants. Wet blue-green hair clung to their face, adorned with a stray leaf or two. The catboy appeared utterly miserable and on the verge of tears, sniffling.

"Come with me," Noah said, walking toward his car.

"What?" the catboy asked.

Noah gestured for him to follow, and the catboy obeyed.