There they were. Both of them.<br/><br/>They were every bit as beautiful as in the photos and possibly even more than that, since first-person meeting with the three-dimensional real selves had always converyed to Akira more precise impressions than looking at simple bi-dimensional camera shots. The brown one's expression was wary and her eyes were fixed on him... she was the most composed and better dressed of the two. She was the one called Maleena, according to Jean's indications... then there was the other one, calico ears and fur and differently coloured eyes, the one whose name was Skuld. She was looking upwards..<br/><br/><em>“You find this very funny, don’t you?”</em><br/><br/>Akira's smile froze just a bit, as he tried to understand the meaning of that statement in the brief seconds needed to walk through the room and take possession of a slightly battered armchair in front of the sofa where the two catgirls were sitting. The possible interpretations were many... but Akira had felt something vibrating in that voice, a sort of undertone that was the same used by his grandfather when he was being sarcastic. The young man blinked twice, looking at them.<br/><br/>He was actually rehearsing a sort of presentation of himself in his mind since for the two catgirls... something he was working upon since the previous night. It was a very neat presentation, actually, filled with good intentions and perspectives... and he had thought that it was enticing enough to gain him at least a smile from them. During the time needed for his eyes to blink, his brain classified as 'bullshit' that presentation and drove it out his mind... a second after, his mouth was going on its own, flushing out words on the spot.<br/><br/>"I see that I have left you speechless..." he said, still smiling "... and since I don't think that my looks are<em>that</em>stunning, I will assume that I am not exactly what you were expecting. Or at least that you are not yet sure what to make of me. I guess that it is fine..."<br/><br/>Akira's brain was freewheeling while the words came out one after another. His voice was calm and sharp, but he was totally improvising there.... trying to put himself in their place and understand how they could feel... "Problem is, I don't think I can drive away all your doubts in the brief time that we have for this little interview. So, uhm... I have this little proposal for you. I am NOT going to try to convince you that you will surely be happy with me and that you have been lucky at being chosen and all that jazz... I will be honest and tell you that I BELIEVE that if we give it a good try, then we can make it and be really happy together. And even Mrs Timb... even Jean seems to think so. On my part, at least, I liked you both from the start when I saw your profiles although you are classified as 'difficult' ones... but to tell the truth I am classified as 'difficult' myself, at least by my parents since I refused to become a lawyer as they would have wished.."<br/><br/>Akira was sitting comfortably, his bag sitting on his lap and his fingers tapping lightly on the smooth surface of the armchair. He looked at both of them, his gaze open and friendly although determination could still be seen gleaming just under the surface. "I am more than willing to do my best... but obviously I will need your help in that. Now... if you think that you... dislike me and that there is no point in even trying to get along, you can tell me at any moment during our brief chat."<br/><br/>These last words were a bit heavy, despite Akira's valiant attempt at sounding casual. And also... why was he talking that way? Why should they hate him? After all... he was a likeable boy and he was having the best of intentions with them. Was his damn mouth messing up things again? Akira sighed internally... the truth had nothing to do with his mouth and he was aware of it. The truth was that despite the fact that he liked both the catgirls, he still felt like this situation not really being his choice. He still felt all of this having been imposed upon the three of them by his own family. And he always felt a bit awkward in predicaments like that.<br/><br/>He took a deep breath and went on. "So... said that... shall we try it again? As i said, I am Akira and you are..." pointing a finger to the calico catgirl "...Skuld and..." finger moved to the brown one "...Maleena if I am not mistaken. This meeting should serve to break the ice a bit between us... so if you have anything you would like to ask me, please do so... on my part I have some questions for you and also something I would like to show you..."<br/><br/>Inside himself, Akira could feel the annoying stabs of worry. For some reason, his future suddenly looked like more complicated than he had anticipated. And if he knew his granfather a bit, his future would probably be even more complicated than it looked like.<br/><br/>But, again, that was not the girls' fault. And they looked like kind girls who deserved a good life...<br/><br/>"I really, really hope that you will like it with me..." He said, a bit more warmly than even he expected.