Kashou Minaduki

"...If you think about, as their owner and as a man, I guess I'm really lucky, huh."

- Kashou Minaduki, NEKOPARA Vol. 1 - Chapter 5

Kashou Minaduki (水無月 嘉祥) is the protagonist of the Nekopara series and the older brother of Shigure Minaduki.

At the beginning of the series, he moves away from home in secret and opens a patisserie called La Soleil. When he first moves into the bakery, Kashou discovers that two of the family catgirls, Chocola and Vanilla, followed him to the bakery by stowing away in boxes.

His parents are seldom mentioned, though it is implied they are estranged while he maintains a friendly relationship with Shigure.

Appearance
In the Visual Novels, Kashou is almost exclusively hidden from view. In his few appearances he has been shown to have brown hair with bangs on the sides of his face. He also appears to be a young adult in his late teens to early 20s.

He wears a white buttoned shirt with a neko shirt underneath and black jeans as his normal wear. When he's actively working at La Soleil, he wears a chef uniform.

Personality
Kashou has been shown to be very easy going, willing to lend an ear to any of the catgirls when they're feeling insecure or depressed and does anything he can to help (which often ends up winning their affection); this habit of his has been pointed out by Maple as "being nosy". Despite this, he's also been noted to be very dense, as he seems incapable of taking subtle hints and having to be told directly about what's on someone's mind, often leading to embarrassment for both Kashou and whoever he's speaking with.

He's also been shown to be very independent, moving out of his home of his own accord to run a bakery, buying all of the supplies he needed for it and going shopping for supplies on his days off. He takes pride in his skills as a baker, constantly looking for ideas for new cakes to bake and techniques to utilize. He explains that he took up baking to see people smile because of his creations, contrasting to his parents' wishes to carry on the family tradition.

While his technology skills are adequate for handling a phone or a computer, it's not a particular focus of his, so he leaves La Soleil's social media presence and advertising to Shigure.

Early Life
Hailing from a long line of traditional Japanese confectioners, Kashou's father was strict in his upbringing, and impressed on him the belief that following the family tradition of wagashi-making was the only path he was allowed. Kashou was made to focus exclusively on the production of Japanese sweets, to the point where he had to forgo a social life or any hobbies beyond the family business. Then one day, Kashou visited a Western patisserie and saw how everyone who ate the store's cakes had a smile on their face, no matter who they were or what they were like before taking a bite. Seeing this, and being asked by someone, "Why are you making these sweets?", Kashou wished he could make people smile from his baking just like that patisserie, and chose to make Western pastries rather than continue his work with Japanese wagashi. This choice would spark conflict with his father, though he continued to practice his baking in secret. Eventually, Kashou went off to France to study baking while his parents were off on their own business trip.

When Kashou returns from abroad six months before the start of Vol. 1 (and shown in NEKOPARA Extra), He and Shigure would find two orphaned catgirls in a box in the rain. He decided to take the two home with him, where they would be named Chocola and Vanilla. The two catgirls are reticent at first, but Kashou's steadfast care and the warmth of the Minaduki family allowed them to come out of their shells. Chocola and Vanilla from that point on became wholeheartedly devoted to Kashou as their master. This is also when Kashou resolves his decision to set out on his own to become a patissier, and some time later, he moves out without telling anyone save for Shigure, who knew of his plans but not an exact date.

Nekopara Vol. 1
Kashou moves away from the Minaduki estate to start a patisserie in the city. He sets up in a small shop/apartment called La Soleil, sporting western-style flairs. While unpacking his cargo, he discovers two unfamiliar boxes covered in warning labels that he definitely does not recall taking with him on departure. After one of the boxes inexplicably sneezes, Kashou is surprised by the appearance of Chocola and Vanilla, who have stowed away amongst his belongings. The next few days involve Kashou attempting to contact Shigure (and failing), accommodating for two unexpected guests' food and lodging, and attempting to convince Chocola and Vanilla to go back to the estate (and failing). The third point is of particular import to Kashou, as he doesn't believe he can handle the two catgirls' needs AND take care of himself, given the sink-or-swim approach he took to starting a patisserie.

His attempts to explain this fall on deaf ears, mostly in part to Chocola's stubborn nature regarding being with her master and Vanilla backing up Chocola. Moreover, his attempts to escalate by being deliberately mean and disparaging to the two only makes him feel guilty about doing so. Finally, in a sunset park, Chocola's honesty and Vanilla's words about how catgirls are straightforward with their desires persuades Kashou to let them stay.

In allowing Chocola and Vanilla to remain in his life, Kashou makes the two employees of La Soleil, complete with maid uniforms that the two are excited to show off to their master. At this point, La Soleil seems to be in the final phases of preparing to open, Kashou's even made business cards to spread word about his store. Vanilla requests one for reasons unknown to Kashou, though he thinks this is Vanilla simply doing whatever she wants again. The three then go to a nearby pet store so Kashou can pick up some supplies and materials for raising catgirls. They then go to a drugstore at Vanilla's request, which Kashou allows. After some brief awkwardness involving Chocola bringing up certain topics vocally in public, Kashou notices Vanilla has disappeared, though she's soon sniffed out by Chocola. Vanilla remains silent on what exactly she was doing, and the three return home to rest and prepare for opening the store.

The day before La Soleil's opening, Kashou is attempting to train Chocola and Vanilla in customer service, though the former seems to have some difficulties in displaying professionalism. Taking a brief break, Kashou offers a taste test of the custard he's finished, and receives rave reviews from his two testers. Chocola is eager to have some more, so she attempts to make custard herself, only to end up splattering herself and Vanilla with milk and cream. Kashou then takes the two to the bathroom to wash off the mess. Kashou thinks back to how he used to bathe with the two like this when they were younger, but stopped once they matured. He briefly thinks about how feminine the two have become since then, only to shake the thoughts from his head. By the time the bath is done and Kashou is finalizing his baking preparations, Chocola and Vanilla have fallen asleep on the couch, dreaming of a La Soleil packed with customers. Kashou carries the two into the bedroom to tuck them in, then goes back to preparing for La Soleil's debut.

Dawn shines on La Soleil's opening day, and Kashou is unsurprised, if disappointed, to see that not a single customer has come in yet. When one does come in, they're immediately accosted by Chocola and Vanilla, whose eagerness is making them fumble their lines and approach. Kashou moves to apologize for their exuberance when he notices the customer is actually a (poorly) disguised Shigure who's come to see the grand opening of La Soleil. The scene then cuts forward, showing that the other Minaduki catgirls (Azuki, Coconut, Cinnamon, and Maple) have also come to visit, making the store a bit livelier than it was before. Kashou wonders how Shigure knew his store was opening and where it was considering he didn't even get around to distributing the business cards, but it turns out Vanilla took the card from before and sent it to Shigure when she vanished by the drugstore. While Kashou half-listens Azuki and Maple's ribbing from how he left without a word, he thinks about how nice it is to see his family again.

Aside from the reunion, Shigure informs Kashou that while he can use Chocola and Vanilla as free workers, legal employment requires the catgirls have an Independent Action Permit, which turns out to be the bells all the other Minaduki catgirls wear. After a brief bout of familial shenanigans, Shigure purchases every single cake Kashou has for sale, holding an all-you-can-eat cake buffet for the catgirls. Kashou remarks to himself that selling out one's entire grand debut stock 30 minutes into opening is impressive, even if it was done this way. Shigure also took the liberty of redecorating Kashou's bedrooms, and while he's slightly consternated at how his room looks like something out of a princess fantasy, he finds no real ground for complaint since the room is so comfortable to sleep in.

The next day, La Soleil is experiencing a surge in popularity, thanks to selling out and closing so early on opening day in conjunction with social media attention. Chocola and Vanilla perform admirably in providing the customers with speedy satisfactory service, to Kashou's pleasant surprise. He offers the two of them a rare cheesecake and tea to snack on during their break, and encourages them to try their best to get bells.

On one of La Soleil's days off, Shigure stops by again to help Chocola and Vanilla study for the bell exam. She attempts to have Azuki and Coconut demonstrate proper catgirl behavior, but then brings Maple and Cinnamon to assist with study when the former two fail to behave. Kashou watches on, leaving Shigure to handle most things since he's not too well-versed on catgirl upbringing.

Later that night, Chocola and Vanilla walk up to Kashou in the kitchen, proudly proclaiming they've become catgirls worthy of the bells. Kashou decides to perform a few simple tests on them, and is disappointed when every test ends in failure. Kashou tucks the two into bed, then goes to reading the cheat sheets Shigure prepared for them.

A few days later, Kashou looks on as Chocola and Vanilla return from a delivery, as the two of them passed their exams, and can handle being outside by themselves now that they're certified with bells. Kashou indulges in their sense of accomplishment before noticing that he's running low on supplies, and goes out on break to buy more, with the two catgirls following him out.

The three finish their shopping trip by resting in the park, where Chocola reminisces on how she and Kashou are sitting on the benches exactly like the last time. Kashou wonders how things might have been different if he continued to refuse letting Chocola and Vanilla stay with him, but Chocola makes him shelve those thoughts since they're not relevant at this point. It's at this point that Kashou thinks to himself that Chocola's femininity is becoming difficult to ignore despite his initial feelings for the two catgirls as his daughters. As a brief petting of Chocola turns into a moment of slight tension, Vanilla suddenly cuts in and shenanigans ensue once more, as Kashou thinks to himself that his break really didn't feel like one thanks to the catgirls accompanying him.

After returning to the bakery, Kashou continues his usual rounds. But suddenly, Chocola comes up to him from behind and buries her face in his back, sniffing at something only she can smell. Worried for her health, Kashou tries to ask if she's okay, but Chocola brushes off his concerns and dashes out. As the day goes on, Chocola seems more and more out of it, forgetting what she goes to Kashou about and bearing a strange sensuality in her actions. Vanilla comes by and Kashou asks if she knows anything. Vanilla seems to have a brief epiphany, but doesn't really have proof of it, so she's unwilling to hypothesize at this moment. Kashou worries for Chocola's health, so he asks Vanilla to change her clothes and take her to bed to rest up while he handles the rest of the bakery's affairs.

At the end of the day, Kashou enter's Chocola's room, intent on taking her to the clinic for a checkup. But Chocola remains insistent on staying in her room, babbling about how she's a mature bell-holder who can control her catgirl instincts, much to Kashou's confusion until Vanilla comes by and sniffs Chocola, revealing that the latter has apparently climaxed. Turns out Chocola has gone into heat, and Kashou unfortunately skimmed over those parts of his catgirl raising material since he thought it was too early for either of the two. Chocola is in tears and a bit of pain, since she's aware Kashou didn't mean to cause this when praising and petting Chocola in the park, but she couldn't help the way he makes her feel. Vanilla tells Kashou that it could negatively affect Chocola's health if her heat and emotional state aren't handled properly, and echoes to him the words she told him previously, about how catgirls aren't troubled by human complexities and simply love who they love, even if it's troublesome. As Vanilla sees herself out of the room, Chocola and Kashou profess their love for each other, kiss, and consummate their relationship with a night of passion.

Later that night, Kashou looks at Chocola and Vanilla's sleeping faces, the former's heat having been settled without issue. Kashou thinks about how the two have grown so much, as well as his new relationship with Chocola. With one last caress, Kashou quietly leaves the catgirls' bedroom.

The next day, Kashou is looking over a list of deliveries Chocola is going to handle. When the list fully checks out, Kashou pets Chocola and wishes her well on the way out. Chocola departs, but not before leaving Kashou with a quick kiss. Kashou flusters and locks up, especially as two customers nearby become interested in his new relationship with Chocola. Meanwhile, Vanilla simply looks on as she carries out her work.

Once things have settled down some, Vanilla meets with Kashou in the kitchen, ribbing him a little about how he handled the female customers and Chocola. Kashou soon intuits that Vanilla is becoming jealous since Chocola and Kashou are paying more attention to each other rather than Vanilla. Kashou asks if Vanilla's in heat, but she quickly denies any claims by repeatedly calling Kashou a pervert and a "horny pastry puffer".

Later, Kashou leaves Chocola to handle the store while he takes Vanilla to the kitchen. He's intending to teach her how to make the store's cakes, a task which the impulsive live-in-the-moment Chocola would be...unreliable for. Vanilla sees this as a promotion of sorts, and quickly learns all the tools of the kitchen and various methods for baking. While this is happening, Kashou expresses his desire to know more about Vanilla and get along with her better, causing the catgirl to become lightly flustered. As Kashou continues to express his sentiments to Vanilla, the catgirl suddenly goes silent, sniffing at something sweet only she can smell. Tracking the scent to Kashou, she buries her face in his chest and begins sniffing. Snapping out her trance, Vanilla dashes out of the kitchen, to Kashou's confusion.

After the store closes, Vanilla continues to watch on as Kashou and Chocola become flirty around each other. Then, as Kashou counts the day's sales, Vanilla pushes against his back and begins sniffing. Sensing a pattern, Kashou begins to wonder if Vanilla has also entered her heat. He's not overly surprised by the idea, given that Chocola and Vanilla are twins, so something like similar heat periods seems plausible. While Vanilla seems normal as the day winds down, it all comes to a head when Vanilla shoves her face into Kashou's chest and sniffs like mad. Vanilla tries to make excuses for herself and denies she's in heat, but Kashou doesn't really understand why Vanilla is so reticent on the matter. Then Chocola enters the kitchen and begins to, for lack of a better term, molest Vanilla by the nape and ears. Chocola tells Vanilla that she may be able to fool a human, but a catgirl's nose isn't so easily tricked, leading Vanilla to admit she's in heat once Kashou asks again. Kashou considers handling her desires like he did Chocola's, but then backpedals, citing to himself his existing relationship with Chocola. After some more prodding from Chocola, Vanilla professes that she went into heat soon after Kashou told her he wanted them to be closer. As Chocola tells the two she's fine with loving both of them, Kashou and Vanilla share a kiss before the three go out for sushi to celebrate their new relationship, then return home to consummate. That night Kashou lies in bed, his catpanions already asleep at his sides. Listening to the two's sleep-talk, Kashou remarks to himself that he can't even imagine a moment without Chocola and Vanilla, and he drifts off to sleep.

The next morning, Kashou is talking with Shigure, who tells him she's never heard of catgirls becoming ill from their heat, though she does have the girls back home go through a series of exercises to burn off the stress and energy. Kashou asks Vanilla about this, and it turns out Shigure actually told Chocola and Vanilla to frame their heats as a potential health risk so Kashou would be more willing to lay with them. Kashou is miffed at being fooled like this, but isn't very angry with Shigure or the catgirls overall. He then ponders how Shigure is somehow both a conniving schemer and a lovingly supportive (if slightly goofy) little sister. As Kashou joins Chocola and Vanilla in opening La Soleil for the day, Shigure quietly thinks to herself regarding her feelings for her brother.

Later, Kashou takes Chocola and Vanilla on a date to the amusement park Hyakkeijima Sea Paradise. While the two catgirls love high-speed high-tension rides like the rollercoaster or the Blue Falling, Kashou is not so enthused, though he's only mildly exasperated when they hop onto the carousel, and has to bail the two out when the haunted house overwhelms them. Kashou stops to take a brief break, then joins a mother and her children in taking photos with the two catgirls. He briefly stops to think about how this looks to anyone from the outside, and then admits that this is undoubtedly a date. The three then go to the aquarium, where Kashou gets them aquatic plushies and they're dazzled by the variety of marine life on display, before Chocola and Vanilla begin to drool over a group of tuna in the exhibit. The catgirls then make a dash for the restroom, leaving Kashou to sit with their plushies. A member of the park's staff comes by and strikes a conversation with Kashou, where he bashfully admits that he has catpanions. The staff member admits she thought to talk with him because she has a catgirl who doesn't listen, and encourages Kashou to be more upfront about the bond he shares with his. Given some balloons as the staff member departs, Kashou thinks that he probably should be more confident that Chocola and Vanilla are his catpanions, before he notices the two of them sulking, thinking Kashou was flirting with the female staff member while they were away. Exasperated, Kashou prepares to settle the misunderstanding.

Later that night, Kashou comes out of the bath and finds the two catgirls asleep on the couch, exhausted from playing all day. They wake up, and then share another moment of intimacy with Kashou, simply basking in the warmth that comes from being near a loved one. Chocola then proposes that she and Vanilla cook dinner for Kashou, as a way to end their day on a catpanion-esque note. They initially consider doing something like sushi, but Kashou manages to talk them down to doing a simple omurice, which the two then alternate feeding him.

Some time later, Kashou is bedridden from chronic fatigue, as explained by Shigure who came to visit. While Chocola and Vanilla wonder if this came from them...overworking him...Shigure explains that it's simply insufficient rest running the bakery. Kashou protests Shigure's decision to close the store for now so he can go to a clinic or hospital, citing the growth of his customer base, but Shigure shuts down his arguments by telling him he could actually die from overworking himself. Chocola and Vanilla are shocked and horrified at this prospect, and their pleas for him to not die along with Shigure's overt anger convince Kashou to stay in bed and rest, allowing Chocola and Vanilla to take care of him. Shigure sends the two to close up shop, then proceeds to have a chat with Kashou before being interrupted by her phone ringing. While frustrated, Shigure has no choice but to return to the Minaduki home, leaving Kashou's care to the catgirls. Kashou finally drops the front he was giving Shigure, but reassures his catpanions he'll be fine after a bit of rest.

Later that night, Kashou is bedridden with a fever that's only getting worse. Chocola and Vanilla already gave him some medicine, and can't give him more until tomorrow. Seeing their master and beloved in pain, the two rush into the dead of night, hoping there's a doctor they can bring in from a clinic. They make it, but the clinic is closed this late at night. The two wrack their brains for more options when a police officer suddenly shows up, asking to see their bells. They reach for their necks, only to remember that they took them off so the ringing wouldn't disturb Kashou's rest. They try to tell the officer that they have a master and bells at home, but she simply tells them that by law, she's required to bring them in as strays. Just as things seem their worst, Kashou shows up, exhausted and fuzzy-eyed, but with Chocola and Vanilla's bells in tow. The two are shocked to see him awake and outside like this, but he simply tells them that he became worried when he woke up to see they weren't in the house. They apologize for worrying him even when trying to help, tears in their eyes as Kashou reassures them. The police officer walks off, having seen the girls' bells and owner, and the three make their way back home.

Roll credits

Cut to a little after Kashou has recovered, and he steps into the store to see Shigure and the other Minaduki catgirls in uniforms like Chocola and Vanilla. In an effort to help ease Kashou's workload, Shigure and the rest of the Minaduki catgirls have taken to working at La Soleil. Kashou is initially uncertain of this plan, but the girls shoot down all his protests and he rolls along with it, thinking about how La Soleil has become a lot livelier now.

Nekopara Vol. 0
Kashou has a minor role in Nekopara Vol. 0. During the morning, he left the house early for his usual rounds. He later returned home at mid-afternoon.

Nekopara Vol. 2
Not too long after Vol. 1, La Soleil became known as a "Cat's Paradise," making it a popular store in the area. While Kashou worried a while about the extra business he wasn't prepared for, Shigure has done an admirable job managing the store's marketing while the catgirls handle the sales floor. For the most part, since Azuki and Coconut can't seem to stop butting heads.

Kashou notices Coconut in the living room while he's on break. It seems her recent tiff with Azuki was the cherry on top of a series of inadequacies in her eyes. Kashou thinks to himself that she's not as useless as she thinks she is, but as it stands, anything he says is unlikely to get through to her. So instead he invites her to accompany Chocola, Vanilla, and himself as they handle a delivery.

Out on delivery, Chocola and Vanilla are as lively as ever, but Kashou notices that any talk with Coconut keeps looping back to self-derision in some fashion. Then the four go to a park and notice the takoyaki stall is back, along with the catgirl advertising it who remembers when Kashou visited with Chocola and Vanilla. The stall's catgirl then introduces herself as Milk to Coconut. Coconut is unsure how to handle the conversation at first, but soon perks up after the conversation steers to her other sisters. Kashou then notices that Milk's owner isn't around, to which she answers that her master is out buying ingredients for a new takoyaki that Milk herself came up with. At Chocola and Vanilla's insistence, Kashou promises to buy them some takoyaki, and invites Coconut to have some as well, to which she seems reluctant before eventually giving in. Milk then hears her master's footsteps from far away and runs off to meet her, but in her eagerness, runs into the street when the crosswalk's light is red, putting her in the path of a car. Just as it seems Milk is about to get run over, Coconut swoops in and rescues her. As Milk and her master tearfully embrace each other, Kashou both scolds Coconut for her recklessness and praises her for what she did. The food stand owner offers to make some takoyaki as thanks, and everyone takes a moment to wind down with food.

When the four return to La Soleil, Shigure scolds them for being back late. The catgirls try to make excuses, but Azuki notices the seaweed around their mouths from the takoyaki they ate. She tells them to brush their teeth, and they rush off to the bathroom. Shigure scolds Kashou a little and demands a kiss from him as an apology. Kashou thinks to himself that her brother complex is getting worse, but decides to oblige her with a kiss on the cheek. Shigure's face turns bright red, and with a sound like a boiling kettle, she keels over sporting a raging nosebleed. While Maple bawks at this development, Cinnamon is aroused by Shigure's ecstasy, though Kashou is inured to this spectacle since apparently Shigure has nosebleeds 2-3 times a year, though he admits to himself it's uncommon for her to spew a veritable ocean. Since the bakery can't really run with over half the staff preoccupied one way or another, Cinnamon closes the store while Kashou moves to mop up the blood.

After tending to Shigure's mess, Kashou goes into the kitchen and sees Azuki there. When she thanks him seemingly out of the blue, she clarifies that she worried about how her earlier argument with Coconut seemed to cut particularly deep, and she's grateful to Kashou for bringing Coconut outside to lift her spirits. This causes Kashou to think back to Shigure's words about how Azuki's used to keeping an eye on all the girls, and thinking to himself that for all her blunt crassness, Azuki really does care for the family. As they finish up their conversation, Maple walks in requesting Kashou take Shigure to the hospital. He looks outside to see Cinnamon holding Shigure, the latter still in the throes of a nosebleed. The resulting shenanigans force La Soleil to close for the rest of the day, though Shigure recovered pretty quickly afterwards.

Later that night, Chocola approaches Kashou. After he takes a moment to tease her alongside Vanilla, Chocola explains that she and Vanilla have come to voice their complaints regarding Kashou spending more time with the other girls in the family. They're fine with Kashou getting along with the family, as Chocola wants everyone to be happy together, but she and Vanilla feel just a little neglected. Kashou decides to indulge them a little, inviting them to sit on his lap and get their ears cleaned. The resulting pleasure and comfort from such causes the two to fall asleep, and Kashou lets them rest while he goes to take a bath.

Kashou sits in the bath, pondering on the day's events as he relaxes. Then he hears Chocola and Vanilla outside the bathroom, who proceed to barge in and wash his back. After a brief conversation and some intimacy, the three go to bed, content to sleep in each other's embrace.

The next day, Shigure comes in to inform him that Chocola and Vanilla need to take a review exam to have their bells renewed, much to Chocola's surprise and mild despair as Kashou remembers how Chocola barely scraped by the certification exam. Shigure mentions that given the distance to the venue, she'll accompany the two instead, though considering Chocola's...study ability...it may take a while to come back, and it might be without a bell. As Chocola attempts to get Kashou to keep her here, his denial and her subsequent response rile up Shigure('s brother complex), and she drags Chocola out of La Soleil with Vanilla in tow.

Later that day, Kashou checks in with the other catgirls to see if they'll be alright with three staff members unavailable. Their responses make Kashou think they'll be fine until Shigure returns, and leaves Azuki to man the front. Later, as Azuki starts sending people on breaks, she talks with Kashou about her worries regarding Coconut. While it's nice that Coconut's morale is back up, it's led to her being a little too gung-ho about trying to do anything and everything. Meanwhile, Coconut is looking into the kitchen, becoming grouchy about Azuki's comments.

Night falls. With everyone gone, Kashou performs a shop inventory to plan for the coming tasks. Coconut makes a surprise entrance before asking Kashou for some special training in order to become a better waitress of La Soleil. Having nothing else to do at the moment, Kashou decides to give Coconut some waitstaff training. 30 minutes later, and Coconut is a downcast sobbing wreck from messing up all her training. Once her monologue starts going to some darker places, Kashou frantically invites her to take a break upstairs with an extra-large omurice, leading her to see-saw between joy from delicious food and negativity from her failures.

Kashou treats Coconut to a sumptuous meal, and while the catgirl is still downcast, she at least has enough energy to stuff her face in between monologues. He then notices her change in mannerisms and he decides to call it out. Coconut responds that since she has two younger sisters, passed her bell exam with full marks and is the tallest catgirl thanks to her growth spurt, she feels as though she can no longer afford to be a little girl and changed her speech as part of her attempts to grow up. While Kashou thinks back to Shigure's words about how both humans and catgirls have their own growing problems, he decides he can't leave Coconut be as a member of his precious family. He outright tells Coconut her way of speech is weird and that it's obvious she's trying to be someone she's not. This brings her mood down as she admits it, but can't help feeling useless when her other sisters seem capable of doing so much more than she can. Kashou clasps her hands and tells her that it's just like her to want to grow up, but at the same time tells her it's fine to talk to him like before and confide her worries. Coconut, with tears in her eyes, apologizes and thanks Kashou for worrying about her, and the two go back downstairs to train.

Back to training, Coconut is able to make progress much to her delight. She almost calls Kashou "big brother" before aborting her sentence and apologizing. Kashou simply tells her it's okay if she wants to call him "big brother", which she joyfully accepts alongside an invitation to stay the night in his home.

Later that night, Kashou gets a call from Shigure with a progress report on Chocola and Vanilla's bell exams. They won't be returning tomorrow but will keep him posted, hanging up on Chocola's pleas for Kashou to save her. Kashou later gets a call from Azuki, asking about how Coconut is doing. He replies that she's doing fine and Azuki responds positively. Coconut comes out of the shower once the call is done, and Kashou takes a moment to dry her hair and groom her. Coconut hugs him in thanks for everything, and they each go to bed.

The following morning, Kashou oversees Coconut's progress after her nightly training. As expected, she makes outstanding progress, impressing Cinnamon and Maple, but Azuki's reception is cooler by comparison, and she still butts heads with Coconut on occasion. Later, as Azuki goes on break, she talks to Kashou about Coconut, and while he's concerned that perhaps Azuki's delivery of advice is the reason none of hers gets through to Coconut, he remains silent as he listens to her before deciding to pet her in praise of her work. Azuki protests, but can't help purring in his hands. Then Coconut walks in, having heard Azuki's purrs and begins poking her buttons again. Kashou watches on as he quietly brings out some apple pies to mollify the two.

After another day at the bakery, Kashou leaves the after hours to the girls while he asks Azuki to accompany him, to her combined sarcasm and obedience. As night falls on the shopping district, Azuki jokingly asks if he's taking her out on a date. Then he takes her to a dress shop and she becomes flustered at the piece that she's been made to wear. When asked why the dress was chosen, Kashou explains that the destination of their trip has a strict dress code, which is why he's wearing an uncomfortable suit (only mentioned, never shown on-screen). The two then take a taxi to Yokohama's tallest skyscraper for a dinner for two. As the two enjoy their meal and champagne, Kashou notes that the dress alongside Azuki's mannerisms make her seem even more mature. He then confides in her that as she holds worries as an older sister, he also had worries as an older brother, and still does now for family members like Shigure. The two refill their champagne and clink their glasses together as they feast and chat the night away.

Their evening rendezvous over, Azuki and Kashou return to La Soleil, and their conversation begins to focus on Coconut and her behavior. Unfortunately, Coconut only overhears the last part of their conversation, and without context, misconstrues their talk as belittling her behind her back. Kashou and Azuki's attempts to talk her down are futile as Coconut becomes increasingly irrational, accusing the two of lying to her about her being part of their family due to their lack of blood relation. Azuki loses it and slaps Coconut, shouting at her that this kind of behavior only reinforces the idea that she's still immature. Coconut runs from the store in tears as Kashou admonishes Azuki for her actions, then empathizes with her troubles before suggesting they look for Coconut to patch things up. Azuki is slightly exasperated by how Kashou can say "cool things" at a time like this, but agrees and follows him as they search for their little sister.

In the dead of night, Kashou finds Coconut staring out to ocean. Noticing his presence, the catgirl briefly calls out to him before breaking into more sobs. The two look into the distance as Coconut airs out her sorrows, how she knows she can't do anything compared to her older sisters, but wants to try anyway for Shigure and her big brother. Kashou pulls Coconut into a hug, and tells her about some of the other girls and their flaws, asking if she hates any of them for it. She denies it, and he responds that that applies for everyone in the family, including Coconut. For all the problems they bring, Kashou can't bring himself to hate his sister nor his catgirls. Coconut tearfully apologizes to Kashou, who instantly forgives her before Azuki is shown to be right behind them. Coconut embraces Azuki and the two apologize to each other with tears in their eyes. The three return home to La Soleil, Coconut all but clinging to Azuki along the way

The next day, Kashou welcomes home Chocola, Vanilla, and Shigure, who have completed the catgirls' bell renewals. Upon Chocola wondering where Azuki and Coconut are, Cinnamon points to the kitchen where the two are...roughhousing again. Kashou watches with a smile on his face while the others look on in bemusement, with Cinnamon noting Coconut has begun calling Azuki "onee-chan" again. As Coconut suddenly hugs Azuki and starts petting her, it looks like another day of work and shenanigans awaits La Soleil.

A few days after the exam group returns, Kashou brings Azuki into the kitchen to teach her how to bake. Azuki is reluctant at first, but caves from Kashou's earnest requests. Coconut then enters the kitchen, having overheard the conversation and wanting to join in on baking. After an off-screen training montage, Coconut is once again a downcast mess at the cream-covered blob of a cake she's made. Kashou asks Azuki to fix it, and she does so with great aplomb. Coconut then breaks out of her funk to hug Azuki and twirl her around, offering nothing but praise for her older sister. Kashou decides to snap a photo of Azuki's cake while letting the two work off their energy.

Later, Kashou instructs them on how to make a sponge cake, or rather instructs Azuki, since Coconut seems content to watch and marvel at his work. After demonstrating the initial steps, he invites Azuki to try before stepping behind her to help with cracking the egg. While Azuki insists Kashou need not praise her over something so basic, he can easily tell that it makes her happy. Coconut teases Azuki over this, flustering her. Then Chocola and Vanilla peer into the kitchen, remarking on Azuki's affection for Kashou, which she vehemently denies and redirects the focus on Coconut, who's significantly less reluctant to express her sentiments. Chocola proposes her idea that her older sisters would be happy as Kashou's catpanions, flustering Azuki and Coconut until Kashou averts the argument by petting Chocola and Vanilla. Kashou tries to get the older catgirls to talk to their younger sisters about this topic, but neither is really willing to broach the idea of a relationship with Kashou, especially when Chocola's words fluster them again. As business begins to pick up again, Kashou resigns himself to yet more family shenanigans.

That night, Kashou invites Chocola and Vanilla to buy anything they'd like online as a reward for passing their bell renewals. When the two notice a whole tuna on sale, they go into a tizzy, though Kashou tries to curtail their food fixation before they break his wallet. Shigure is also in the room, exasperated at how they're celebrating even though they barely passed the exams. Kashou fills Shigure in on what's happened since they were gone, and she remarks on his affinity with the catgirls of the Minaduki family. While he's slightly uncertain of the idea of getting romantically involved with more of his family's catgirls, Kashou has learned by this point that it's better to go with the flow. The two exchange farewells before Shigure takes a taxi home.

The next day, Kashou works with Coconut in the kitchen. Petting her in praise of a good job, Kashou can't help but notice Coconut's mature figure in tandem with her behavior towards him is quite attractive, before he shakes such thoughts from his head and blaming Shigure's attempts to steer him in that direction. Then Coconut starts snuggling up to Kashou, chipping away at his reason. Not helping matters is Chocola, who notices the cuddles and joins in herself. Then she remarks that Kashou was getting just a little bit turned on by the intimacy, flustering both him and Coconut. The two of them briefly dance around the topic of their feelings before Chocola tries to talk again, only to get muffled by Kashou. As Coconut dashes out to handle some more work, Kashou is left with Chocola, who faints as he accidentally blocked her nose when he was covering her mouth.

After closing, Vanilla enters the kitchen, asking Kashou if anything happened with Coconut, as she seemed flustered and repeatedly made mistakes that day. Kashou feels distinctly uncomfortable talking about this, and redirects Vanilla's attention to a package that came in, presumably her and Chocola's online order. As Vanilla leaves, Kashou becomes unable to suppress the thoughts he has about Coconut's body, which isn't being helped by how Shigure and his catpanions are egging him on. Then Chocola comes in asking if he's finished with preparations for tomorrow, to which he responds he hasn't. As Chocola waits, it becomes increasingly clear that she's felt neglected since she came home from the bell renewal, and wishes to have some intimacy with Kashou. The two begin to make out in the kitchen, getting in the mood until Coconut walks in on them.

Coconut is flustered to walk in on them like this and tries to leave, only for Kashou to grab her. The two spend an awkward silence before Coconut admits most of her shock came from the normally cute and peppy Chocola acting the way she did, combined with Coconut's own inexperience regarding romance and intimacy. Flushing from her bashfulness and arousal, Coconut confesses her love to Kashou, asking to become his catpanion. He accepts, and the two share a kiss and consummate their love. Afterwards, Chocola is gleeful to have another catpanion, and Kashou invites the two and Vanilla to have a small celebration with cake. After the feast, Kashou and Coconut go to sleep in his room, taking comfort in each others' warmth.

The following morning, Kashou enters the living room and discovers Shigure delighted over Coconut becoming Kashou's catpanion, much to the catgirl's embarrassment. The three catgirls not romantically involved with Kashou can easily connect the dots, though Azuki seems out of it for some reason.

Starting a new day at the bakery, Kashou, Vanilla, and Azuki are working together in the kitchen. Vanilla is ribbing Kashou over leaving her out of Coconut's...induction...as Kashou's catpanion. Azuki, while putting a lot of effort into her work, seems out of sorts and stutters often. Vanilla checks over Azuki and it seems her tail is all puffed-up and straight, flustering the latter as the former makes a speedy exit. Exasperated, Azuki moves to start working on the cream puffs as Kashou becomes confused.

By sunset, Azuki has finished the custard. Searching for the plastic wrap so she can put it in the fridge, she accidentally knocks the custard bowl. Kashou narrowly catches the bowl before it hits the floor, but the custard has already splattered Azuki's face and his own hands. While Azuki is dejected about her mistake costing the custard, Kashou is more concerned with her safety. Not seeing any real issue, Kashou licks some of the custard on his hand and finds it delicious. He compliments Azuki for her work, and she quiets down with a blush on her face. Kashou holds his hand out, offering some of the custard to taste. He attempts to get a spoon, but Azuki suddenly grabs his hand and begins to lick the custard off his finger. Kashou can't help but get turned on by this development, and Azuki isn't helping matters as she's fallen into a sort of trance lapping up his hand as much as the custard. Kashou's moan of pleasure snaps Azuki out of it, and she suddenly backs off in a fluster. Kashou then explains he was going to offer her a spoon, causing the catgirl to break down in mortification from just how badly she misunderstood things. Seeing Azuki's tension continue to ramp up, Kashou invites her to take a breater upstairs

Later that night, Azuki wakes up in Kashou's bed. Since the Munchkin seemed so exhausted, Kashou let her rest for the remainder of the day after having Vanilla change her out of the store uniform. Sensing something is still up, Kashou asks Azuki what's wrong, to which she responds that she actually saw what Kashou was up to with Chocola and Coconut the night the latter became one of his catpanions. She was originally going back to the store because she worried about Coconut, but then she saw Kashou acting manly and couldn't help how that changed her perception of him. The two share an awkward silence only broken by fragments of conversation. Azuki tries to leave after Vanilla shows up, but the white-haired catgirl intercepts her with a devious look on her face. Kashou looks on as Vanilla teases Azuki and leaves the Munchkin a panting mess.

After some prodding by Vanilla and Kashou, Azuki hesitantly confesses that she loves him, and is jealous of the relationship Chocola, Vanilla, and Coconut have with him. In face of her feelings, Kasho answers them head-on with an embrace and a kiss, followed by a celebratory meal and a night of passion.

Kashou and Azuki decide to sleep together in his room. Azuki's more or less gone back to her old self, still unable to really be honest with her feelings. Though it seems Kashou's teasing has a way of getting her to open up, no matter how small it is. The two snuggle up under the covers as they fall asleep.

The following morning, Shigure immediately discovers that Azuki has also joined Kashou's catpanions, her subsequent exuberance being a source of embarrassment for Azuki and exasperation for Kashou. The other catgirls look at this spectacle with varying reactions before Kashou eggs them all to prepare for the day's work

As Kashou looks on at the shenanigans his family have already started, a new day dawn on La Soleil, the "Neko Paradise"...

Nekopara Vol.3
La Solei is as busy as ever, and the catgirls (plus Shigure) are all hard at work keeping things flowing even amidst the bustle. Social dynamics are re-established as Chocola lives by the moment, Vanilla snarks, Azuki nonchalantly brushes off praise, and Coconut flusters Azuki into being more honest. On the sales floor, Maple is exasperated at how many customers flirt with her while she's working. Cinnamon, meanwhile, is...still construing any and all dialogue into a sexual subtext again. Kashou is mildly resigned to it, but feels assured Azuki will keep her in check as he focuses on the kitchen. Shigure walks in with a complaint on her lips about Cinnamon's nigh-constant arousal and Maple's moods, then invites Kashou to make the two his catpanions, given the pattern where Minaduki catgirls seem to mature and develop in his company before becoming his catpanions. Kashou brushes this off as coincidence, but Shigure goes off on a tangent about having six catgirls around Kashou, feeding her reports about his affections. Kashou briefly thinks to himself his only recourse is to try and keep all these (cat)girls in line, no matter how doomed an endeavor it is.

The store's bell rings again, and a rambunctious little girl charges in. The child is excited to see all the catgirls of La Soleil in person, and even asks Cinnamon to do her drooling thing, though the suddenness of the request means Cinnamon isn't quite ready to do so. This conversation causes Kashou to look at Shigure with eyes of accusation, since Cinnamon's episodes are not really safe for children to be looking at or listening to, particularly since it's on the internet. Then her mother walks in, apologizing for her daughter's exuberance. It turns out they've traveled from Osaka to visit La Soleil since her daughter has been a fan of the videos and pictures on the patisserie's blog. Kashou then greets the pair and shows them to their seats.

Later in the kitchen, Chocola tells Kashou the mother-daughter pair have asked for his personal recommendation on cakes to try. Kashou makes his selection, and asks Maple to find the teas that would complement them. He then asks Shigure to make something about this occasion on La Soleil's blog, as a bit of a special gift to the mother and daughter for traveling all the way here. After the order has been served, the mother and daughter promise to stop by again some time as they leave. Kashou praises Shigure for making and maintaining the blog as a way of marketing, to which she responds bashfully. She explains that she worried whether she was really contributing anything to La Soleil, but seeing the smiles on both Kashou's face and their customers makes her feel it was all worthwhile. As Shigure pulls Chocola and Vanilla to do...something to promote La Soleil, Kashou looks on with a smile at the memories being made today.

Later, Kashou is finishing a delivery order with Cinnamon and Maple in tow. The two catgirls have an interesting dynamic regarding their chatter, as Cinnamon eggs Maple on about what her type of man might be. Maple gets hung up when Cinnamon mentions the charm of a man "who chases his dreams", but brushes off Kashou when he appears concerned, citing their need to hurry back before Azuki readies to give them a tongue-lashing. Kashou proposes they bring her a gift to placate her, and the two jump on the opportunity to get Kashou to make crepes for everyone. Resigned to indulging the family's sweet tooth, Kashou buys ice cream on the way home so Cinnamon and Maple can enjoy crepes with any toppings they desire on break.

Later that night after closing, Chocola shoves the calendar in Kashou's face, excited for their long-awaited vacation. Vanilla snarks about how much Kashou drives them to work without much reward, then makes an implication regarding spending just a bit more money on Amuzoon orders, though Kashou believes they're just ordering the same silly things like animal DVDs and candy. Kashou acknowledges that perhaps he's been neglecting his first catpanions. The two then take his hands and drag him to the couch, where he clips their nails. After their grooming, Chocola and Vanilla express their excitement for their date tomorrow, but not before "subtly" implying to Kashou that their vacation means plenty of time to do lewd things, culminating in a threesome before they have dinner. Kashou asks the two if they have any real plans or aspirations, but they're fairly unambitious beyond some expensive meat and Kashou's company. Kashou thinks to himself on how people say catgirls are closer to cats than humans, meaning their wants and dreams tend to be of a simpler fare. As his first catpanions curl around him to spend time, the night wears on.

The next day, Kashou has returned to the amusement park for an outing with Chocola and Vanilla. Kashou enjoys the quieter atmosphere of a theme park on a weekday, as there's less crowds to navigate and watch out for. Checking his phone, Kashou proposes they stay in the main part of the park, since that's the part that's more fun with more people. Chocola and Vanilla are confused until the other catgirls show up with Shigure in tow, excited to be at the amusement park. After a brief bout of the usual family dynamics and subsequent shenanigans, what follows is a montage of the Minaduki catgirls in various degrees of enjoyment in the park's attractions, with Shigure recording for the blog and Kashou looking on feeling more like a parent chaperoning children rather than a man on a date.

Later, Maple finally recovers from the "intensity" of the haunted house and Cinnamon's jokes, accepting an orange juice from Kashou. He remarks that for all she looks fed-up, Maple is probably the one who looks out for Cinnamon the most, particularly when he mentions the two catgirls have probably spent most of their lifetimes with each other. Maple sighs, hoping none of her reactions were added to Shigure's blog, then teasingly asks Kashou if he's trying to make her a catpanion when he responds. Kashou is then surprised to hear that Shigure's blog is not only a source of revenue for her, but is only a fragment of an entire company that Shigure owns. Kashou thinks about how he doesn't really know that much about Shigure, much to Maple and Cinnamon's exasperation. Kashou then hands the two some money to buy refreshments before he looks up Shigure's blog, finding it chock-full of entries related to the family catgirls. He then notices an old video from when Maple and Cinnamon were children, as they wear magical girl outfits and sing, ending with Maple dreaming about becoming a singer. Maple and Cinnamon return to find Kashou watching the video, much to their nostalgia and embarrassment. Maple suddenly gets in a mood again at the mention of the video, but before Kashou can ask anything, a cheer rises up as a special children show featuring Neko*Witches begins. Cinnamon explains that it's a popular children's show, one that even Maple and Cinnamon loved as kittens, with a theme song so iconic, it's apparently unchanged from the time that kittenhood video was shot. Cinnamon is filled with anticipation and wants to go see the show, but Maple is reluctant to move, only caving when Cinnamon's begging starts to get lewd again. Kashou watches on as Cinnamon gets "captured" as a "hostage" for the show, the other Minaduki catgirls joining to watch, before the show culminates with Maple singing the show's theme to a rapturous ovation from audience, staff, and family alike. Kashou joins in on congratulating Maple for a splendid performance, noticing she seems oddly sedate before she gets surrounded by children who've put all their focus on her. After Maple has finished dealing with the children, Kashou hears from Shigure that her reluctance to sing is apparently simply a part of Maple's growth cycle, whatever it may be. On those words, the Minadukis continue their vacation.

After the vacation, Kashou notices Maple fixing up her nails on break. Maple seems intent on keeping her responses cool and distant, and he wonders what's been wrong with her since they came back from the amusement park. As he moves to prepare some tea, Maple suddenly asks why Kashou chose to start a bakery, when he could've just followed the traditions and rules his family's confectioner roots set. Kashou doesn't really give an answer, but Maple simply continues, asking if he likes catgirls before clarifying if he's attracted to catgirls only. Kashou replies that he wasn't expecting to get a catpanion to begin with, so he can't really compare his own to each other. This answer causes Maple to smile as she stands up and returns to the bakery, leaving Kashou with questions. Then Cinnamon walks in, enjoying some tea with Kashou before sighing. He asks her if there's anything wrong, and refuses to heed her denials. Then Cinnamon asks to use Kashou's computer and brings up a video of Maple's singing from their amusement park trip. She asks him to look at the comments, and they're all some variation of referring to her as a "catgirl". Cinnamon elaborates that Maple's pride can't really handle her being seen by others as "just a catgirl", reminding Kashou of his recent conversation with the American Curl. Cinnamon worries if her egging Maple to sing only hurt her, and wonders if she's being a bad sister. Kashou reassures her that they're more like best friends than sisters, since the two's dynamic is on more of an equal ground than, say, Azuki and Coconut's relationship. The two commiserate their concerns for Maple, but Cinnamon's libido kicks in as she asks to use Kashou's computer for "private research", completely erasing the solemn mood of before as he thinks the amusement park announcer was right when she described Cinnamon as "slightly bothered-looking".

Later, Kashou and Maple are walking home, having left closing the store to the others as they visit a tea shop. On the street, Kashou stops Maple and asks her about something from the kitten video, about how she wanted to be a singer. Maple insists she tossed that dream, but Kashou insists that she's still hung up about it, given how she couldn't have been as good as she was at the stage show if she wasn't secretly practicing. Maple tells him a catgirl having dreams seems foolish before going silent. In response, Kashou pats her head and answers her question from their previous talk, going on about how he thought he was only allowed to make Japanese confections before finding his passion in making people smile with baking. He tells her that he found a dream and chose to follow it, for his own sake and not anyone else's, no matter what disparaging he received for it. Maple smiles, and whispers, more to herself than to Kashou, that she's going to follow her dream for her sake and no one else's, thanking both Kashou and Cinnamon, the latter of whom was hiding around a corner. Cinnamon worried about Maple, but was scared she might be resented for what she did previously, so she nudged Kashou to talk about it instead. Maple assures Cinnamon that she doesn't hate her, causing the Scottish Fold to burst into tears and dribble. As the three return home, Maple tells Shigure of her plans to commit towards becoming a singer, much to the latter's elation, and asks if she can buy a musical instrument to complement her singing. Kashou asks why Shigure left that old video up given Maple's problem, and she responds that rather than an owner, she's more like a mother for all the Minaduki catgirls, so if she feels something can be an opportunity for them to grow, she'll take it.

The next day off, Kashou accompanies Shigure, Cinnamon, and Maple as they go to buy an instrument. The four settle into comfortable banter, particularly between Maple and Kashou. Arriving at the music store, Maple tries to keep a cool prideful front as she requests a guitar, but it breaks down in the face of guitars that are priced anywhere from 200 to 300-thousand yen (approximately 1,800-2,700 USD by exchange rates, rounded down). As she verges on tears from the price tags, Kashou asks to see the acoustic guitars recommended for beginners, which are less expensive and come with some introductory books. With her ego cut down, Maple asks for a beginner's acoustic guitar set as Cinnamon and Shigure watch with bitter smiles.

Exiting the music store, Maple seems sheepish about Kashou paying for her set, but Kashou tells her to pay no mind to it, since he set her on this path and wants to support her as her family. Maple blushes, and promises to do her best with practice to repay Kashou's "spoiling", extending her hand to make a pinky promise. Behind them, Shigure and Cinnamon whisper about "youth" and "natural impulses", unnerving the other two.

Back at La Soleil, Maple has her guitar set up and is going through the motions trying to play the notes according to her books. Kashou, Cinnamon, and Shigure watch, becoming excited when Maple plays her first note. Maple tells them that this is nothing praiseworthy, but can't keep a smile off her face as she gets lost in her own world, practicing the guitar. Cinnamon thanks Kashou for supporting Maple, though he insists he didn't do much other than talk to her after Cinnamon brought the issue up, causing the Scottish Fold to swoon a little. After a brief chat, Shigure and Cinnamon return home, planning to bring Chocola and Vanilla back home as they pick up Maple.

Later that night, Maple has finally finished practicing, her fingers sore from the exertion. Looking around, Kashou tells her Cinnamon and Shigure already went home, to her slight surprise at the lateness of the hour. She then asks to borrow a nail clipper and file, working on getting rid of her nails. When asked why, she responds that they're getting in the way while playing guitar, impressing Kashou with how far she's willing to take this, considering how focused she always was on her nails. As Maple starts up her practice, Kashou starts to make dinner, muttering to himself if Maple is dedicated or just stubborn, then teasing her as she asks what he said.

The next day, Maple is back to her usual self as she confidently handles affairs in La Soleil. Kashou and Cinnamon remark on how cheerful Maple looks now, leading the latter to thank Kashou again, though from his thoughts, this seems to be a cycle where Cinnamon thanks Kashou for helping Maple and him brushing it off as not doing anything special. All the while, Cinnamon occasionally lets out a pained yelp, causing Kashou to worry for her. When asked, Cinnamon tries to deflect before bashfully admitting that her bra is too tight. Kashou briefly digests that statement before suddenly feeling worn out, having worried Cinnamon clutching her chest was something worse than pinched mammaries. Cinnamon insists on enduring, since while Shigure buys her bras, she doesn't want to trouble her master with how often her size changes. This comment causes Kashou to briefly focus on Cinnamon's chest before he snaps himself out of it. After Cinnamon goes into a tangent about needing a bra that will accentuate her bust and isn't too cheap, Kashou offers her money to buy a new one. Cinnamon attempts to decline, but he tells her he can't ignore the pain of a family member. Then Cinnamo's libido kicks in again and the moment is ruined as she contemplates the masochism of being squeezed by a tight bra before Kashou puts the brakes on that line of conversation. He attempts to decline Cinnamon's invitation to go bra shopping on their next day off, but she cites a rule about how even bell-holding catgirls can't enter certain areas or facilities without an owner. Unwilling to try and broach this particular subject with Shigure, Kashou acquiesces to shop for a bra with Cinnamon.

The next day off, Cinnamon is excited to go shopping like with Kashou, especially since they didn't tell anyone they were going out for this. Kashou meanwhile just feels awkward being in the store full of nothing but women and underwear. When asked, Kashou mentions he told Chocola and Vanilla he was heading out for work-related things, causing Cinnamon to tease him for "[sounding like] someone having an affair." The two banter for a while longer before they head to another store that's supposedly Cinnamon's favorite.

At the store, Cinnamon is trying to choose a bra. She tries to have Kashou make a decision regarding two pairs, but his awkward situation combined with his lack of knowledge on the matter means he can't really respond. So she rephrases the question to ask which one arouses him more, causing him to clam up before she giggles at her tease. Then a clerk walks over, asking if Kashou is Cinnamon's boyfriend. She bashfully clarifies that he's Shigure's brother, and her "other master" in a sense. The clerk remarks that Kashou must be a man who understands women and catgirls very well, given how few men actually know about and/or shop for underwear for women. Kasho tries to respond, but clams up bashfully as Cinnamon describes him as a wonderful, understanding master to the clerk. After a few more moments of banter, Cinnamon asks Kashou to choose a bra for her.

On their way home, Cinnamon is slightly concerned that the bra they bought was pretty expensive, but Kashou tells her it's fine to be spoiled every now and then, and that as her other master, it's fine if there's anything she wants to confide with him that she can't tell Shigure. Cinnamon comments on how cool he seems at that moment, nearly breaking into another drooling episode before he stops her, much to her halfhearted whines.

Etymology

 * The name Kashou means "praise, auspicious" (嘉) (ka) and "auspicious, happiness, blessedness, good omen, good fortune" (祥) (shou).
 * Kashou is a pun on the Cashew nut.
 * Kashou's surname Minaduki means "June" (水無月).
 * Minazuki ("water month") is a poetic way to refer to the sixth month of the calendar (originally of the lunisolar calendar, but now June in the Gregorian calendar).

Trivia

 * Kashou is the only character to not have voice acting.
 * This feature is basically standard in visual novels, as the games were meant to simulate the player/reader as the protagonist.

Касё Миназуки