[Vol 2] Tsun'na Megami-sama to Darenimoienai Himitsu no Kankei Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - The Neighbor’s First Experience

 

Through the field trip to Kamakura and Shonan, strengthening the bond between us—the former Kuroba High School boys and the former Shiramine High School girls—is important. However, there’s one event that matters even more to us students.

In this world, every high school student has, at some point, felt hatred or resentment toward something they couldn’t avoid. They must endure one grueling week that can only be described as hell.

Yes… I’m talking about the midterm exams.

Just hearing the word is enough to make most people uncomfortable—some might even break out in hives. And of course, I’m one of them.

But this isn’t your typical exam. This is Shiramine High school’s midterm exam—known before the merger as one of Japan’s top elite schools. If I let my guard down even a little, I might end up with failing grades in every subject... or even zeros across the board.

At Shiramine High, the midterms are held right after Golden Week. To prepare for it, the teachers ramp up both the speed and intensity of their lessons.

Honestly, with my limited academic ability, I could barely keep up. But apparently, I wasn’t the only one struggling. Not just the guys in my class—the girls looked just as exhausted. The whole classroom atmosphere grew tense.

When English class ended, I slumped over my desk, completely drained. Most of the other guys looked the same—too tired to even lift their heads.

As I closed my eyes to clear my thoughts, I overheard the girls nearby talking.

“Did you hear? Apparently this time’s exam is way harder than usual.”

“Yeah, I heard that too.”

“Seems they don’t want rumors spreading that the school’s level dropped after the merger.”

“That’s harsh… but I guess we’ve got no choice but to face it.”

Ah, so that’s why everything feels faster and denser than usual. For us, it’s honestly just a huge pain… or rather, that’s what I wanted to say. But since we’re now Shiramine High School students—the ones in the thick of it—I can’t just complain. I’ll have to study seriously.

Fortunately, thanks to Yukimiya’s tutoring, I’ve managed to keep up. In fact, her lessons are even faster and stricter than the teachers’ classes. Recently, in the small tests, I’ve been scoring around seventy percent. Among the guys, I was actually doing pretty well… probably. Even compared to the girls, I was confident I could rank pretty high.

The teachers seemed to like me too, so I guess I’ve made a decent impression. Really, I was lucky to be learning under Yukimiya—

“Ugh... oooooohhhhhh...”

—or at least, that’s what I thought.

Right now, I seriously regretted everything.

As usual, I was in my room. During a short break from studying, I melted onto the low table like a pile of slime.

Ugh, even thinking feels like a chore. My brain’s completely fried. When was the last time I studied this hard? Even the high school entrance exams didn’t feel this intense.

Damn it, past me! Why did I suggest that stupid idea?! Someone, please get me a time machine—I’ll go back and punch myself in the face!

Even after such intense teaching, Yukimiya still looked perfectly fine. She placed a cup of green tea in front of me, then stepped back with a wary look.

“Yatsuhashi-kun, please stop making weird noises. It’s disgusting.”

“At least call it ‘creepy,’ not ‘disgusting!’”

That word hurts more than you think, you know! I protest against such emotionally damaging vocabulary!

I accepted the tea she brewed, took a sip with gratitude, and sighed in relief. Ahh... so calming. Green tea truly is the soul of Japan. Wonderful.

Yukimiya sat on the sofa behind me, took a small sip of her own tea, and spoke up.

“Studying’s tough, huh?”

“Yeah. Thanks to someone here.”

“...It’s not like I’m holding a grudge over the natto incident. Not at all. Not even a little.”

Still holding that grudge, huh? That was three days ago! So she can be pretty vengeful too. I feel sorry for whoever marries her. If I had to live like this every day, I’d run away in seconds.

“I already said it was my fault, okay? I won’t force you to eat natto again.”

“...Compensate me with some cat goods and we’ll call it even.”

Seriously? Your room’s already overflowing with cat stuff, isn’t it? You still want more?

But if I refused, she’d probably go back to her demon-style teaching again... fine, I’ll just agree.

“Haa... yeah, sure.”

“Fufu. I’ll be looking forward to it, then.”

With a bright smile, Yukimiya leaned toward me with enthusiasm.

Hey, isn’t she a little too close? Lately, she’s been really bad at keeping her distance.

I leaned away, turned my face aside, and took another sip of my tea. Ah, hot. The tea was too hot—now my face feels hot too.

“By the way, isn’t our schedule kind of insane lately? We’ve got the field trip and the midterms on top of that... It’s like they’re trying to kill us.”

“True, this year’s been especially rough. The teachers are way too fired up.”

“Because of that rumor, right?”

“So you’ve heard too.”

Just as I thought, this year’s different from usual. If even Yukimiya says so, then it’s really going to be brutal.

“We girls are kind of used to it since last year, but the guys? They’re basically corpses. Even in our class, there are bodies everywhere.”

Instantly, that gruesome image popped into my head, making me clutch my temples.

Hey, you guys. Fine, collapse all you want—but don’t cause trouble for the rest of us, okay? I’ll be the one Yukimiya gets mad at!

“Sorry, the boys in our class are all kind of dumb.”

“It’s fine. The Vice President, Kurotsuki, has been trying to motivate them.”

“...Huh? Kurotsuki?”

Unexpected. So even Kurotsuki’s been helping the guys?

Knowing her, it’s hard to imagine she’d willingly go out of her way to talk to boys. That’s some serious character growth.

I should thank her later. She must already be busy with student council and academics too.

Then, suddenly, something came to mind.

Right, speaking of Kurotsuki—

“Hey, in class... does she still zone out sometimes?”

“It’s been three days, so of course not. The Vice President’s back to her usual energetic self. But...”

Yukimiya hesitated, as if debating whether to continue. She looked conflicted—unsure whether to speak or keep quiet.

Seems like something sensitive. Just what happened...?

I decided not to push her and waited in silence. Then, she finally spoke words I never expected.

“...Sometimes... only sometimes, okay...? ...She strokes her own stomach with this gloomy look on her face.”

...Eh...? What...?

The information was so shocking that my mind just stopped working.

Wait, wait, wait. What...?

A gloomy expression. Stroking her stomach. Looking downcast. That can only mean—

“Don’t tell me... you mean...”

“O-of course not! She’s still in high school—there’s no way...!”

Apparently, we were thinking the same thing.

As our eyes met, Yukimiya’s face gradually turned pale.

B-but still... I’ve known Kurotsuki—or rather, Yocchan—since way back. I want to believe she’s not the kind of person to do something like that... But if I’m being honest, I don’t really know the Yocchan she is now.

This topic’s too delicate for me to touch. One wrong word and it could sound like harassment—or worse, hurt her feelings.

“Sorry, Yukimiya. Could you maybe... look into it, carefully? I don’t think it’s something a guy like me should get involved in.”

“E-eh, well... I am curious too about the Vice President’s recent change. But it’s a sensitive topic, so it might not be easy to find out.”

“Thanks. I appreciate it.”

If—no, even if the odds are one in a billion—what I’m imagining turns out to be true... how should I face her?

Of course, I’ll try to act normal. But... can I really pull that off?

As I let out a long sigh, Yukimiya gave me a knowing look and spoke teasingly.

“...You care about her, huh?”

“Not like that... It’s just... well, we go way back.”

When we were kids, Yocchan was shy, awkward, and a little chubby. Because of that, she was often bullied. She didn’t have friends and always played with dolls by herself—a lonely little girl.

At first, I only approached her out of sympathy—or maybe curiosity. Seeing her always alone like that made me feel bad. I still remember it clearly.

After she started playing with me, she began to smile more, and the bullying stopped. Even so, she never had many friends.

Looking at her now, it’s hard to imagine she was ever bullied. Besides, this is Shiramine High—an elite school. No one here would be stupid enough to risk their record just to bully someone.

But still, knowing her past, I can’t help but worry.

As her childhood friend, should I try to talk to her about it? As a fellow student council member, is it enough just to stay by her side? Or... should I take a step further and try to cheer her up?

I honestly don’t know what’s right. Maybe there isn’t a right answer at all.

But if the worst really happens... I’ll have to be ready for it.

Yukimiya, who had finished her tea, set her cup down on the table and stood up.

“It’s wonderful to care about your friends, but for now, focus on your exams. Time’s running out.”

“...Yeah, you’re right.”

I needed to focus on my own problems first.

Putting my cup down, I slapped my cheeks to pump myself up—ready to face another round of Yukimiya’s intense tutoring.

The next day, even though it was still spring, the heat felt like summer. I struggled to keep up with the class’s insane pace, until finally, the lunch bell rang.

I loosened my tie and took off my blazer, letting myself relax a little. Sure, this was an elite school, but it’s break time—this much should be allowed.

Closing my eyes, I tried to cool down my overheated brain. Then, I glanced around the classroom.

As usual, the boys were sprawled out on their desks, completely exhausted. The moment the bell rang, most of them dropped their heads onto the tables before even touching their lunches.

The girls looked tired too, but not nearly as bad. In fact, they were calmly eating their lunches, preparing themselves for the afternoon classes.

The lessons were the same for everyone, yet the reactions between boys and girls were so different.

They were truly amazing. Maybe it was the result of elite education since childhood, but still… the difference was staggering.

I let out a long sigh as I opened my lunchbox, as if trying to exhale all the built-up fatigue inside me.

Then, a male student approached with a plastic convenience store bag in hand—moving like a ghost.

“Haa...zu...kiii...”

“Don’t come near me, monster.”

“Wow, that’s pretty harsh!”

Ah, it was just Junya. Don’t scare me like that.

Minase Junya—my friend and classmate since the Kuroba days.

Unlike me, who lived alone, he had to commute nearly two hours from his house every day—and even worked a part-time job on top of that. An amazing person… or rather, an idiot.

Recently, he’s been cutting back on work hours to study seriously for the midterms. Well, if his grades are bad, his dad might actually kill him.

Junya slumped into the seat in front of me and lowered his head like he was completely destroyed. He really looked worn out.

“What’s wrong? Having trouble keeping up with class?”

“I can’t... It’s too hard... It’s impossible...”

I could sympathize with him, but for some reason, the way he said it annoyed me.

I ignored him and continued eating while Junya, who finally lifted himself up weakly, pulled out a sandwich from his bag.

“Seriously, this is really bad. It was already hard before, but lately it’s just getting worse.”

“You’re at the point where ‘bad’ is the only word you can use, huh.”

“Well, that’s just how it is, so what can I do?”

I knew what he meant. Honestly, I didn’t expect the lessons to be this difficult either.

On top of that, the homework load kept increasing. Teachers demanding both speed and quantity—this was no joke.

Junya devoured his sandwich in three bites, then gulped down his milk to wash it down. As he did, he gave me a lazy look. Seriously, chew your food properly.

“Still, shouldn’t our brains be about the same? You can keep up so easily—it’s kind of irritating. What’s your secret?”

“No secret. I just study at home like usual.”

Even so, with self-study alone, it was hard to keep up with this pace. If not for Yukimiya’s help, I’d probably be in the same sorry state as Junya.

He chugged the rest of his milk, exhaled deeply, then rested his elbows on the desk.

“Yeah, I guess I should study at home too... Hey, Hazuki.”

“No.”

“I didn’t even say anything yet!”

“But you were about to ask me to tutor you after school, right? I’m not doing it. I’ve got homework, studying, and student council stuff.”

Honestly, adding anything more after school was just unrealistic.

If only Yukimiya could manage on her own, maybe things would be easier... But right now, I still couldn’t leave her to do things alone. Maybe in six months, at best.

“Then how about during class breaks or lunch? Please! If I get good grades, my dad won’t yell at me as much!”

He clasped his hands together, begging. Seeing him this desperate over studying... it must be serious.

He really was at his limit.

I looked down at Junya’s bowed head and thought about it. Studying during breaks and lunch, huh… I’d rather use that time to rest, but—he’s my friend, so fine.

“Alright. But only during lunch break.”

“Seriously!? Hehe, thanks, Hazuki!”

“In return, you’re buying me juice and snacks.”

“Yeah, yeah, I got it. Hehe, friends are the best, huh!”

Seriously, this guy only thinks about what benefits him.

He was already fired up for studying. Without wasting a second, he pulled out his math textbook and notes from the fourth period and spread them on the desk.

“Alright, so this part from earlier—I didn’t really get it.”

“Let’s see... Ah, that one. So here’s how it works—”

Organizing my thoughts, I started explaining it in a way Junya could understand.

And surprisingly, the words came out much more smoothly than I expected. So I guess I’ve gotten pretty good at understanding the material myself. This is all thanks to Yukimiya, for sure.

Junya quickly grasped what I was saying. Even before I finished explaining everything, he was already solving the problem on his own.

“Ohh, I get it now... So if this changes like this, then this one should too, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right. But it’s easier to understand if you use this formula.”

Junya was actually quite smart. Once I explained something, he caught on right away. It was kind of fun teaching him.

Once he solved the problem that had been troubling him, Junya lifted his notebook with bright eyes.

“Whoa... Hazuki, you’re seriously a genius!”

“It’s called effort, you know. Come on, time’s limited. What else don’t you get?”

“This! And this, and that, and... this too!”

“That’s way too many!”

From the long list of questions, it was obvious he’d been lost since the previous lessons. Seriously, this guy was hopeless.

He kept asking about the parts he didn’t understand, and I answered them one by one.

I’d never taught anyone before, but it was surprisingly enjoyable. My thoughts felt more organized, and things that were fuzzy before suddenly made sense.

Revisiting what I’ve learned and explaining it to someone else—it really was helpful.

“So, if this part changes like this, the result becomes this. Got it?”

“Whoa... this is way easier to get! Thanks, Hazuki. I think I’ve got math down now.”

Junya looked at his notebook, muttering to himself while reviewing what I’d just taught him.

Math, huh... which means there are still other subjects he doesn’t get. I wonder if I’ll even have time to help with those too.

After he seemed satisfied, Junya put away his books and notes, then finished off the rest of his sandwich.

“The teachers at Shiramine teach like everyone already knows the basics. Fall behind even a little, and you’re done for. But if it’s like this, I think I can still hang in there.”

“Glad to hear that.”

I put my lunchbox back into my bag. That’s when Junya suddenly glanced around the room and spoke up.

“Compared to kuroba, this class is a lot calmer. Back then, everyone was so noisy I couldn’t even focus.”

“You were one of the noisy ones, weren’t you?”

“Eh? I forgot everything from the past”

—bam!

“I’m gonna hit you.”

“Hey, don’t say that after you already did!?”

With teary eyes, Junya rubbed his head and turned away irritably.

But he was right. Back in Kuroba, our class was full of noisy students who never took studying seriously.

After the schools merged, most of them dropped out or transferred elsewhere... I wonder what they’re doing now. Hopefully not causing trouble.

After finishing his lunch, Junya suddenly muttered like he’d just remembered something.

“Oh yeah, Hazuki. After the exams, there’s that field trip to Kamakura and Shonan, right? You can join us, can’t you?”

“No. I’ll be on duty at the stamp rally checkpoint for the event. It’s part of my student council work.”

According to Yukimiya, we didn’t have to stay there all day. We’d switch with the teachers at noon so we could still participate later.

But instead of joining the stamp rally, we’d have to visit two tourist spots and write a report.

Honestly, I’d rather do the stamp rally than write that report.

Junya sighed and shrugged, looking both amazed and sympathetic.

“Man... the student council sure sounds rough. Seems like your work’s even tougher than it was back at Kuroba.”

“Different environment, different duties.”

It’s natural to adapt when entering a new place.

Besides, joining the student council did have its upsides. I got to reunite with my childhood friend, Kurotsuki. And also... Yukimiya. Wait—why do I consider that a good thing?

I shook my head, trying to clear away unnecessary thoughts.

Seeing that, Junya just chuckled.

“We regular students only have to worry about exams, but you council people have to plan school events too. If it were me, I’d be stressed out from day one. I’d probably just run away.”

“That’s running full speed in the wrong direction, you know.”

That was the first time I’d ever heard someone so confidently talk about escaping.

Junya leaned back in his chair with a sigh.

“Still, I wanted to hang out with you during that event. Lately, you’ve been hard to invite anywhere after school.”

“What can I say? Between housework and Shiramine’s workload, I’m swamped.”

That wasn’t an excuse—it was just the truth.

I also had to cook for Yukimiya. Lately, she’d started cooking for herself, but if left alone, she’d go right back to living off snacks and instant food.

“You’ve always taken care of troublesome people since middle school. You’re really serious, Hazuki.”

“If I don’t watch them, they’ll flunk out. We finally made it into the same class, so I want us all to graduate together—with smiles.”

“That’s what I mean by ‘serious.’ Most people wouldn’t bother, you know?”

...Really?

Junya shrugged like some 'know-it-all', then showed me a picture on his phone.

It was a photo of our old middle school friends—the former Kuroba students who now went to different schools. One of them had even dropped out of high school and was now apprenticing at a ramen shop back home.

“They all said they wanna see you again, Hazuki. You should relax a little sometimes. Go home for a visit or something—it’s fine once in a while, right?”

“...I’ll think about it after the exams and events are over.”

Honestly, I was tempted, but right now, that’d just add more stress.

Besides, going back to an empty home felt pointless.

As if sensing my thoughts, Junya changed the subject.

“Then how about I visit your new place? You can still do your chores, and I can study there too.”

“No.”

“Wow, that was fast. Why not?”

“Just no.”

I rejected him immediately. On this matter, I wasn’t letting anyone into my house. Not even when Kurotsuki asked.

Truthfully, I did want to invite my friends. Living alone was a rare opportunity—I wanted to have guests once in a while.

But that dream had long vanished. Because now, living next to me was Yukimiya Hyouka—the so-called 'Ice Goddess.' We were practically in a 'living together' situation. If that ever got out... it’d be a disaster.

I’d rather go back to my hometown than deal with that chaos.

“Tch, stingy. What, hiding a girl in there or something?”

...His intuition was annoyingly sharp. He always nailed the weird stuff like this.

“...As if.”

Without realizing it, I hesitated for a moment.

But Junya didn’t notice—he just laughed teasingly.

“Right? You’re Hazuki. Just like me—a hopeless single. No way you’ve got a girlfriend!”

“Want me to hit you again?”

“Haha—no thanks.”

Junya grinned and whistled as he got up to head to the restroom.

“Jeez...”

...From behind, I could faintly hear whispers like 'bromance', 'flowing friendship,' or 'burning bond.'

I pretended not to hear them. Reacting meant losing. To who? I had no idea.

Just as I was thinking of killing time on my phone, a message from Yukimiya popped up—something that rarely happened. What’s this...?

『About Vice President Kurotsuki, I tried asking, but she dodged the question, so I still don’t know anything. Sorry I couldn’t help.』

Kurotsuki, huh...? Oh right, I did ask Yukimiya to look into that.

...Not that I’d forgotten, of course. See? I remembered just now.

She really was the type to report results properly. So straightforward and serious.

I chuckled softly, replied with 『Got it. Thanks,』 and went back to scrolling through social media.

This is bad. I’m tutoring Junya, worrying about Kurotsuki, handling my own stuff... At this rate, my brain’s gonna explode someday.

And, well, as expected—I eventually hit my limit.

With 'lunchtime tutoring' now added to my schedule, my days grew even busier.

Mornings started with preparing lunch and reviewing lessons. During breaks and lunch, I tutored Junya. In the evenings, I taught Yukimiya housework while enduring her intense study sessions. Kurotsuki seemed fine, but sometimes she’d show this gloomy look that worried me.

Now, more than an hour had passed since I came home, yet I hadn’t even changed clothes. The sun was already setting, and soon Yukimiya would arrive. I needed to get ready—but my body refused to move.

So this is what it feels like when physical and mental exhaustion reach their limit... A new kind of lesson for me.

It’s only been two days since I started tutoring Junya, and yet—I never imagined it’d be enough to mess me up this bad.

I slumped onto the sofa and stared at the ceiling.

Then, drowsiness suddenly hit me.

This is bad. If this keeps up, I’m seriously gonna fall asleep. I know I shouldn’t, but my eyelids feel so heavy...

In the end, the body doesn’t lie to its basic instincts.

Somewhere in the distance, I vaguely heard the sound of the doorbell ringing—and then, my consciousness slowly drifted into sleep.

 

[Hyouka's POV]

 

“…Eh?”

Something’s off. Usually, the moment I ring the bell, he comes to greet me—like a cat guarding its territory. But… could he be out?

I took out my phone, but there were no messages from him. Even if it’s Yatsuhashi-kun, if he went out, he would’ve told me… or maybe he’s just busy cooking?

But if that’s the case, I should at least hear some noise from inside. Why is it completely silent?

Just to be sure, I turned the doorknob… it opened. That’s careless. What if a burglar came in?

I peeked in through the slightly open door, but the lights were off. No one was in the kitchen.

By the entrance, I saw a pair of loafers, sneakers, and slippers—all belonging to Yatsuhashi-kun. If he really went out, one of them should be missing… and I don’t hear the sound of water, so he’s not showering either. D-don’t tell me something happened…?

I grabbed a plastic umbrella near the entrance and stepped cautiously into the quiet room. Even though I know martial arts, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Not that a plastic umbrella would actually help in any situation, though…

“……”

I opened the frosted glass door leading to the living room. But the room was dark, and I couldn’t see clearly. No sound, no signs of movement.

The light switch… where is it again…?

I fumbled around until—click. The soft sound of the switch echoed, and warm light filled the room I’d already grown used to seeing.

There were no signs of a break-in. I let out a quiet sigh of relief—until I saw him lying on the sofa, and my breath caught in my throat.

“!?!”

W-wait… Yatsuhashi-kun…?

My heart pounded in my chest. My breath hitched. My throat felt dry from tension. My hands were trembling, and my thoughts froze completely.

No way… wasn’t he perfectly fine yesterday…? W-what… what happened…!?

I collapsed to my knees, unable to move. I had to do something, anything—but my body refused to listen.

I’d heard before that when people face a sudden emergency, they lose the ability to think clearly. I never thought it would happen to me.

What should I do? What should I do? What should I do!?

Should I call someone? The police? The fire department? An ambulance? I had to check if he was still breathing… where’s the defibrillator in this apartment? Does he even have one?

I don’t know. I don’t understand. What am I supposed to do…!?

“Y-Yatsu—”

“Zzz… grrr… huuuh.”

“…………”

…Should I hit him?

Haa~… So he was just sleeping. All the strength drained from my body at once.

…Or rather, if someone’s lying on a sofa, shouldn’t my first thought have been that they’re sleeping? Just how panicked was I a second ago?

I crawled closer to Yatsuhashi-kun.

He must’ve been exhausted. Even with the light on and me approaching, he didn’t stir at all. He just kept sleeping soundly, completely at ease.

Come to think of it, he mentioned yesterday that he was going to tutor his friend during lunch break. Maybe he overworked himself again.

“Honestly… don’t scare me like that.”

I pinched his nose lightly, and he only squirmed a little. But even then, he didn’t wake up—just went right back to snoring softly. If that’s the case, he must be really tired… there’s no helping it. I’ll let him rest for today.

…But if I leave him like this, he’ll catch a cold. I can’t exactly carry him to bed either… I’ll just cover him with a thin blanket instead.

Hmm, his bedroom should be… this way, right?

I placed my hand on the doorknob—but then hesitated.

Is it really okay for me to go into a guy’s bedroom without permission?

In fiction, there are always posters of girls in bikinis on the walls or piles of dirty books lying around… but I just can’t picture Yatsuhashi-kun owning anything like that. Considering how tidy he keeps his apartment, his bedroom is probably just as neat.

Still, the idea of stepping into a guy’s room made me nervous. It felt like I was crossing a line I shouldn’t.

My hand was still on the doorknob, wavering between opening it or not.

B-but I don’t really have a choice, do I? If I leave him like this, he’ll definitely catch a cold… This is a necessary action. I’m not doing anything wrong.

…But really, who am I trying to convince here?

Feeling both guilty and flustered, I took a deep breath… and slowly opened the bedroom door.

“E-excuse me…”

The first thing I noticed upon entering was the familiar scent of Yatsuhashi-kun.

It’s not that there wasn’t any scent in the hallway or the living room, but… of course, the bedroom would carry more of his personal smell. It felt a little strange realizing that.

I glanced around the room briefly—thankfully, there wasn’t anything weird or suspicious in sight. If there had been, I wouldn’t have known how to face him afterward.

Still, the room had a sense of style to it. You could say it really reflected his personality… which, somehow, irritated me a little.

As I absentmindedly looked around, my eyes landed on a corkboard covered with a bunch of photos.

These were… from when Yatsuhashi-kun was still at Kuroba High. There were pictures of him with male classmates I vaguely recognized, and some with rough-looking guys I didn’t know. They looked intimidating, but somehow close—he really did have a lot of friends.

Hanging on the wall was his old Kuroba High uniform. Since I only ever saw him in his current white shirt, it felt refreshing to see that. Maybe someday, I’d like to see him wear it again.

I kept staring at the photos, studying them like pieces of art. Most of them were with his guy friends, and a few showed him making goofy faces I’d never seen before, which made me smile a little.

Not only that—there were even pictures from his middle and elementary school days.

…Come to think of it, shouldn’t there be a photo of Kurotsuki, the vice president of the student council? I remember they were childhood friends.

I looked through them carefully, one by one… but there wasn’t a single picture that looked like her. Most were with boys, and only a few had girls in them. Even then, they looked like classmates from middle school—or a quiet-looking girl with black hair. None of them resembled Kurotsuki at all.

As childhood friends, there should’ve been at least one photo of them together… So why wasn’t there?

…No, now’s not the time to be thinking about that. I need to grab a blanket for him.

I took a thin blanket draped over a chair and went back to the living room. There, Yatsuhashi-kun was still fast asleep. I gently covered him with the blanket.

“Nnn… mmm… suu…”

He shifted slightly, curling up under the blanket, his face completely peaceful as he slept.

…He looks just like a kitten.

I never realized his sleeping face was actually… kind of cute.

………

“Huh!?”

W-what am I even thinking…!? Why would I think he’s cute!?

I shook my head hard, trying to banish the strange thought. Seriously… Every time I’m around him, it feels like my rhythm gets thrown off, and it’s so frustrating.

Trying to calm myself down, I stepped away from him and headed to the kitchen, tying on an apron.

I didn’t know how long he’d been asleep, but if I just let him be, he’d probably wake up hungry. I might as well make him something to eat.

…But, do I even have enough ingredients for that? Not to brag, but the number of dishes I can make without a recipe can be counted on one hand.

When I checked the fridge, I found some hamburger steak mixture that looked like it had been prepped earlier for dinner.

The meat was still resting in a bowl—hadn’t been shaped into patties yet.

Tonight’s dinner was supposed to be hamburg steak, right? Was I actually scheduled to shape them too? In that case, all I need to do is grill them, right? That should be easy enough.

Hmm… if I remember correctly, hamburger steaks are supposed to be shaped into ovals, right?

For now, I’ll just do it the same way Yatsuhashi-kun did before. I took a handful of the meat mixture and carefully shaped it with my palms.

Then, I heated up the frying pan with a bit of oil and started grilling. Heh, this is a piece of cake for me.

—Or at least, that’s what I thought.

“Huh? Eh?”

Why… why is the meat falling apart!? Is this how it’s supposed to be!?

Ah—no! The heat’s too high! The surface is burning! And the meat juices are leaking out, it’s losing its shape entirely…!

Panicking, I quickly turned off the stove and placed the barely-cooked hamburger onto a plate.

“……”

Done. A hamburger (charcoal black).

Hmm… weird. I cooked it just like Yatsuhashi-kun did, so why did it turn out like this…?

To make sure, I grabbed a pair of chopsticks and cut the hamburger open.

Ugh, it’s still pink inside. Completely undercooked. If I eat this, I’ll definitely get a stomachache.

But if I fry it again, it’ll turn into a piece of charcoal for real… Maybe I should just heat it in the microwave instead?

I placed the hamburger inside the microwave and set it for five minutes.

While waiting, I made miso soup with onions—one of the few dishes I could still manage to make properly.

A few minutes later, the sound of the timer went off. I opened the microwave and checked the hamburger. Hmm, it’s brown all the way through now. Success!

Fufufu. Looks like I’ve grown enough to make a hamburger. Even if I did rely on modern technology in the end…

Alright, just to be sure, I’ll give it a taste. Yeah, just to confirm.

I took the hamburger out of the microwave and gave it a small bite with my chopsticks.

“Ngh…!?”

Bitter…! And dry! It’s not tender at all…!

“W-what happened…?”

“That’s because you didn’t press the air out of the meat mixture.”

“!?”

I-I jumped in surprise! Since when was he awake!? Yatsuhashi-kun was standing there, leaning against the kitchen wall, yawning.

“…Since when were you up?”

“Since I heard the microwave beep. Oh, and thanks for covering me with a blanket earlier.”

“Eh, eeh…”

He doesn’t seem to mind that I entered his room without permission…?

Still looking sleepy, Yatsuhashi-kun glanced at the hamburger I made.

Feeling embarrassed, I quickly tried to cover it with my body.

Seeing that, he smiled gently.

“You were trying to make a hamburger for me, huh?”

“…Even though it was a total failure.”

“It’s fine. It’s my fault for not teaching you properly.”

After saying that, Yatsuhashi-kun washed his hands with soap and took the remaining meat mixture in his hands.

“I’ll teach you properly this time, so let’s make it together.”

“…Alright.”

I wanted to lessen his burden, but in the end, I only ended up troubling him even more…

Am I just being a nuisance to him…?

Those feelings of self-loathing only kept piling up.

As Yatsuhashi-kun patiently explained each step to me, I found myself spacing out, not really listening at all.

 

[Hazuki's POV]

 

This time, since we shaped the meat mixture together, the hamburg steak didn’t fall apart while cooking.

We sat down for dinner—complete with Yukimiya’s miso soup, the white rice that had been cooked beforehand, and some pickles from the fridge.

Since I’d fallen asleep earlier, it was already past eight. The outside world had already turned completely dark.

“Sorry, Yukimiya. Dinner ended up being so late.”

“N-no, I’m the one who should apologize… for doing something unnecessary…”

It was rare to see Yukimiya looking this gloomy. Little mistakes like this had happened plenty of times ever since we started spending so much time together, so there was no need to worry about it that much—especially since her miso soup had turned out great.

Oh, right. As for the ruined hamburger from before, I mixed it with some egg to lessen the bitterness. As expected, eggs really are the ultimate solution to everything. Nothing beats eggs.

We finished eating at almost the same time and pressed our hands together to give thanks. Honestly, our cooking turned out quite well this time.

“Alright then, once we clean up the dishes, let’s start studying.”

“W-wait!”

Just as I was about to stand up, Yukimiya hurriedly stopped me.

Huh? What’s wrong?

I turned toward her, puzzled, only for her to grab the dirty plates and stand up first.

“I’ll wash the dishes, Yatsuhashi-kun. And tonight, you don’t need to study—just get some rest.”

“Eh… but if I do that, I’ll fall behind.”

School lessons were already fast and difficult enough. I couldn’t afford to waste even a single day.

But Yukimiya firmly shook her head.

“I’ll teach you later. If you push yourself now, you’ll only make things harder for yourself in the long run. And if you get sick, you’ll fall even further behind, won’t you?”

Ugh… Well, she had a point.

I was already barely keeping up as it was. If I ended up missing a few days because of illness… just thinking about it was terrifying.

In her own way, Yukimiya was worried about me. That made me feel… kind of happy—

“Besides, if you get sick, who’s going to cook for me?”

“Oi, so that’s your real reason!?”

Way to ruin the wholesome mood I just had!

“I was kidding. I’d never say something so heartless—it’d make me sound like some emotional abuser.”

“…Yeah, I figured.”

I was already used to Yukimiya’s jokes—and her expressions when she made them. If I took everything she said seriously, there’s no way I could keep up with her.

“In that case, I’ll gratefully accept your offer.”

“Good. Rest well.”

While Yukimiya took the plates to the sink, I flopped down onto the sofa.

Even though I’d already taken a nap earlier, the fatigue hadn’t completely gone away. And with my blood sugar rising after eating, I felt like I could fall asleep again at any moment.

Doing nothing, I just spaced out—watching Yukimiya wash the dishes, or glancing at her tote bag lying in the corner of the room.

On the tote bag was an illustration of a black cat and a white cat sitting close together, gazing up at the moon in the sky.

It really suited Yukimiya’s taste—or what she’d proudly call 'cat merch.'

Cats… really are nice. Their soft fur is irresistibly tempting. Dogs are great too, but cats have a unique charm of their own. I’m convinced they provide a kind of 'nourishment' only cats can give.

I moved my fingers as if stroking something, imagining I was playing with an imaginary cat. Maybe it was because I was tired, but the desire to pet one only grew stronger.

Speaking of which, I’d heard about animal therapy before—psychological treatment involving interaction with animals to calm the mind.

Animal therapy… cats… playing with cats… in that case, there’s only one place that comes to mind.

“…I really want to go to a cat café…”

“…What was that!?”

Suddenly, Yukimiya reacted to my muttering with lightning-fast ears. I hadn’t even meant to say it out loud… does she have hearing as sharp as a bat’s?

Without taking off her apron, she ran over and knelt beside me, staring straight into my face from an incredibly close distance.

T-too close!

I tried to scoot away, but she leaned closer each time I moved back. Seriously, what’s with her!?

“Yatsuhashi-kun, what did you just say?”

“Uh, um… I said I wanted to go to a cat café…”

As soon as I answered honestly, her eyes sparkled, and her face lit up in wonder.

“A c-cat café…! The legendary place where you can play with tons of cats… a paradise on earth!?”

“It’s not quite a paradise, you know.”

Still, for a cat lover like Yukimiya, that place probably was more than just paradise. I’d always known she loved cats, but her reaction this time was seriously over the top.

Wait… could it be—

“Don’t tell me, Yukimiya, you’ve never been to a cat café before?”

“N-no… I haven’t. I did try once, but… I didn’t know what to do… and also, um…”

She trailed off, mumbling with her head lowered, clearly hesitant to say more.

It was rare to see Yukimiya flustered like this. Was something bothering her?

“Are you allergic to cats?”

“No, I’m perfectly healthy.”

Yeah, I figured. I couldn’t imagine her losing to something like allergies.

But considering how much she loved cats, I would’ve thought she’d have researched cat cafés thoroughly and gone without hesitation. Maybe something was stopping her?

When I looked at her curiously, she averted her gaze awkwardly and muttered the reason under her breath.

“Actually… I’m the kind of person cats really, really hate…”

“…Huh? Seriously?”

I blinked in surprise. She nodded gloomily.

“Ever since I was little, every time I tried to approach a stray cat, they’d hiss at me—‘shaa!’ —and run away. I’ve never once touched a real cat in my life…”

“Seriously?”

There really are people who, for some reason, are always hated by cats. No one knows why—it just happens.

But the fact that Yukimiya, of all people—a true cat lover—was one of them… that was just cruel fate.

“I want to pet them, but they always run away. I want to play, but they never come near me… God has given me such a merciless trial.”

That’s… dramatic.

…But I didn’t have the heart to say that out loud. For her, this was probably a deeply serious problem.

Seeing her so downcast, I started thinking.

She’s never touched a cat before in her life? Hearing that just made me want to help her.

“Then, how about we go to a cat café together?”

“Eh…!?”

Her eyes went wide, and she leaned forward, clearly not expecting that.

But a few seconds later, she came back to her senses and—I cleared my throat and shook my head.

“E-even though that sounds tempting… I can’t. If I go to a cat café, I’ll just end up stressing out the cats there.”

“It’s fine. The cats at cat cafés are used to people, and they’re free to do whatever they want. Even if it’s you, they’ll still be friendly.”

“Uu…”

Yukimiya looked torn—like her desire to go and her guilt toward the cats were waging war inside her heart.

She opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it again… and closed it again.

Her index finger fidgeted nervously as she glanced at me with hesitant eyes.

“I-I won’t be a bother, will I? I mean… if I go with you?”

“Not at all. In fact, I’d feel guilty going to a cat café alone and leaving you behind.”

Well, it’s not just guilt. If I went by myself and she found out later, I can’t even imagine the kind of scolding I’d get. So it’s better to just go together from the start.

When she heard my reply, Yukimiya’s face immediately brightened. But then she quickly turned away, cleared her throat, and tried to act cool again.

“I-if you really want me to go that badly, then fine, I’ll come along. I’m generous like that… W-why are you looking at me like that? I don’t mind going or not, okay? I’m only going because you begged me. …Seriously. So stop looking at me with those warm eyes.”

 

◆◆◆

 

This year, Golden Week was split into two parts—three days off in the first half, and four in the latter half. I saw on the news that a lot of office workers were taking extra leave to turn it into a full ten-day vacation.

Unfortunately, we students didn’t have such luxuries as 'paid vacation.' We could only enjoy Golden Week as the calendar allowed.

And today was the first day of the first half of Golden Week—the day I promised to go to a cat café with Yukimiya.

This would be the second time I went out somewhere with her. The last time was when we went shopping for some accessories and decorations for her room.

…If I remember correctly, she also bought a bunch of cat-themed stuff back then. Seriously, just how much does she love cats?

It was 9:30 a.m. While waiting for Yukimiya, I stood in front of the mirror, checking if I had any eye gunk or stray nose hairs sticking out. Just then, the doorbell rang.

I checked the monitor to make sure it was her before opening the door.

“Yo, Yukimiya. All ready?”

“Good morning, Yatsuhashi-kun. Yes, I’m fully prepared.”

Standing at the door, Yukimiya was dressed more casually than usual.

She wore a brimmed hat on her head, and a small shoulder bag that looked just big enough for her wallet and phone. A striped collared shirt, slim pants that emphasized her legs, and cat-print socks paired with comfortable shoes completed her outfit.

Since the cat café prohibited frilly clothes and accessories like necklaces, her simple outfit was perfectly appropriate—she wouldn’t have to change once we got there.

We left the apartment and headed for the station. There wasn’t a cat café nearby, so we had to take a few stops by train. The reservation was already done, so all we had to do was go.

Inside the train, Yukimiya looked half-excited and half-nervous. She fidgeted the entire ride.

Maybe to calm herself down, she opened the café’s website, scrolling through pictures and videos introducing the cats there, smiling to herself all the while.

From the side, she looked a little suspicious—but since she was such a beautiful girl, it didn’t look weird at all. In fact, the other passengers were glancing at her with admiration.

Seriously, having a cute face really is a cheat code.

“Look, Yatsuhashi-kun! This black cat is so cute!”

“R-Really…”

Maybe because she was too excited about the cats, she leaned closer than usual. Yukimiya-san, please… be more aware of what that does to a high school boy’s heart.

I leaned back a bit to keep some distance while looking at her phone.

On the screen was a curled-up black cat, hugging its own tail like a little donut. Just like she said, its sleeping face was adorably peaceful. The way it was curled up on a towel was just too cute.

With her eyes sparkling, Yukimiya stared lovingly at the cat on the screen.

“Hehe, I really like this one… But… do you think it’ll want to play with me…?”

Suddenly remembering that cats didn’t tend to like her, her expression shifted to one of worry. She really didn’t have to be that anxious about it—it would be fine.

“If anything happens, just leave it to me. I’m pretty good with animals.”

“…What do you mean?”

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

She tilted her head in confusion, a question mark practically floating over her head. I never thought she could make such an adorable face.

As we chatted, we eventually arrived at the station near the cat café.

It turned out the café was inside a small building, about a five-minute walk from the station. There was only a small signboard at the front, so it was a bit hard to find. But once we spotted the overly decorative Cat Café Kirari sign, we knew we were in the right place.

“This… This is paradise for cat lovers! A dreamland where all feline fans gather…!”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. You’re excited. Now let’s go in already.”

Used to cat cafés, I took the lead while Yukimiya followed behind me.

We climbed a steep staircase to the second floor. Inside, the café was already lively, with about seven other customers there before us.

A woman at the reception desk greeted us with a warm smile.

“Irasshaimase!”

“Excuse me, I have a reservation under Yatsuhashi.”

“Ah, Yatsuhashi-sama! We’ve been expecting you.”

We put our shoes in the lockers and listened to the staff explain the rules—dress code, no accessories, no catnip, no perfumes, or anything with strong scents.

While I listened quietly, the receptionist suddenly giggled softly, as if something amused her.

Huh? What’s so funny?

“Ah, sorry. Your friend just looks really restless.”

“Eh?”

I turned around and saw Yukimiya completely ignoring the explanation, standing on tiptoes and straining her neck to peek past the partition into the café area.

Behind the fence, several cats were running, sleeping, or playing freely—putting all their cuteness on full display.

“Sorry about her. She’s just… really into cats.”

“It’s fine, hehe. Cats are adorable, after all.”

Oi, Yukimiya, you’re being laughed at. I get that you’re excited, but please calm down a bit. It’s your first time here, so you should be listening carefully to the rules.

We stored our bags and valuables, and Yukimiya also placed her hat inside a lockable locker. The only thing she held onto was her phone. Everything was ready.

When she took off her hat, her beauty became even more noticeable, making the receptionist widen her eyes in surprise. I get it, really. Everyone reacts that way the first time they see her.

We ordered the unlimited-time, all-you-can-drink student plan, which came to only 1,500 yen per person—3,000 yen for both of us.

Everything was set.

As soon as the receptionist opened the small gate, several cats gathered in front, looking up at us. Ahh… they were so cute.

“Some of the cats are shy, so please avoid making direct eye contact with them.”

“You hear that, Yukimiya?”

“Of course. I already studied that in advance.”

If that’s the case, then stop staring so hard at them. You’re scaring them off.

We entered the fenced area with the receptionist leading us.

On the floor, on the sofas, on the cat towers—there were cats everywhere.

Just like Yukimiya said earlier, it truly was a paradise. No matter where you looked, there were cats, cats, and more cats. Soft little furballs everywhere.

However…

“Haa… haa… cats… cats…”

"""!?"""

Maybe sensing the strange aura radiating from Yukimiya, every cat nearby bolted all at once.

Even the receptionist looked flustered—this was clearly beyond what she expected.

I knew Yukimiya had a cat-repelling aura, but… this was worse than I imagined.

No, it wasn’t that they disliked her—more like her 'I love cats' energy was so intense that it shocked them. Just how much does she love cats…?

Seeing all the cats flee, Yukimiya’s face fell into visible sadness.

“Hey, Yukimiya. Can you… tone down your love aura a bit?”

“…Hide… my love…?”

No, that’s not what I meant… her thought process was completely off the rails.

For now, we listened as the receptionist explained how to interact with the cats—don’t touch them right away, how to play with toys, and so on.

Since Yukimiya was too busy staring at the cats to pay attention, I ended up being the one who had to listen properly. She really became useless the moment cats were involved.

The receptionist also seemed to realize that Yukimiya was a hardcore cat lover, judging by the awkward smile plastered on her face. Sorry, miss, for the trouble my friend’s causing.

Once the explanation was over, it was finally time for the cat interaction session.

Yukimiya immediately locked onto a nearby cat and slowly approached it. But, as expected, the cat got scared and ran away.

How many times does she have to be rejected like this…?

Even so, she didn’t give up. She tried approaching another cat, extending her hand so it could sniff her scent, trying to build trust. But the result was the same—the cat just turned away and walked off.

Her third attempt ended in complete failure as well.

In the end, Yukimiya looked completely heartbroken and sat down cross-legged, hugging her knees.

“...Am I really never going to be able to touch a cat for the rest of my life…?”

“Come on, don’t think about it too much.”

“You’ll never understand how I feel…”

Ah, this is bad. No matter what I say, it’s not going to cheer her up.

Well, there’s no helping it.

“Alright, leave it to me.”

Okay, if I remember correctly, Yukimiya’s favorite cat was… oh, there it is.

A black cat sitting in the middle of the cat tower, licking its fur. Judging by the profile photo on the wall, its name seems to be 'Leon-kun.

Just as I started approaching him, the receptionist called out to me in a worried tone.

“Ah, um, sorry, Leon-kun is a bit picky. He usually doesn’t get along with people he just met…”

“It’s fine.”

I slowly approached Leon-kun and extended the back of my hand toward his nose.

Snnff… snnff…

After sniffing my hand a few times, his ears suddenly perked up. Then, without hesitation, he licked my hand.

Not only that, Leon-kun even started rubbing his cheek against my hand affectionately. What an adorable cat.

“Eh…!? Le–Leon is actually being friendly with someone!?”

“Haha… I guess animals tend to like me.”

This had always been one of my few strengths. Even the dog in my neighborhood that was known to bark at everyone had never once barked at me. On the contrary, he let me pet him and we got along pretty well.

Back then, Kurotsuki, who was always with me, also became friendly with all sorts of animals. Ah, nostalgic times.

While I was busy petting Leon-kun, the other cats started gathering around my feet, rubbing their bodies against me.

They’re adorable, but hey, one at a time, okay?

When I glanced at Yukimiya, she was staring at me with wide eyes.

How’s that? I look kind of cool now, don’t I?

As I stroked Leon-kun’s chin, I looked into his eyes a little.

“Leon-kun, sorry about this. That girl over there really wants to play with you. Would you keep her company for a bit?”

“…Nyaa~.”

“I see. Thanks.”

As soon as I let go of my hand, Leon-kun jumped down from the cat tower, walked over to Yukimiya, and rubbed himself against her legs—wrapping his tail around her ankle.

The unexpected sight left Yukimiya, the receptionist, and even some of the female regulars frozen in place. Apparently, Leon-kun was known as a cat that was hard to approach.

“Y–Yatsuhashi-kun. You can talk to cats…?”

“Eh, of course not. I just made a small request, and he happened to go along with it.”

“A request like that…!? What kind of ability is that!?”

Ability…? I never really thought about it. I’ve just always been able to do it somehow, so even I don’t know the reason why.

“Anyway, since you’ve got the chance, go ahead and pet him all you like. He seems to enjoy being stroked under the chin and along the back.”

I glanced at the receptionist, who quickly nodded in panic.

“Y–Yes, that’s true. But don’t touch his belly, okay…! Wait, how did you even know which spots he likes!?”

“…Instinct?”

I didn’t have any better explanation. For some reason, I could always just tell. Whether it was cats, dogs, horses at a petting zoo, birds, or rabbits.

I sat down on the floor, and Yukimiya followed, sitting properly on her knees.

Four cats had already surrounded me, while Leon-kun loyally stayed by Yukimiya’s side.

Three of them climbed into my lap, settling down to sleep. Another one looked dazed, probably from my expert petting skills.

“Touch him like I did. When you stroke his chin, use your fingertips gently, like you’re tickling him.”

“O–Okay, I’ll try.”

Maybe because it was her first time touching a cat, Yukimiya’s expression was stiff. But Leon-kun stayed still, as if waiting for her to pet him.

“…Excuse me.”

“Nyaa~.”

Somehow, it felt like the cat was the one in control here.

Carefully, Yukimiya brought her hand closer and touched Leon-kun’s chin.

Stroke… stroke… stroke…

With her gentle, slow touch, Leon-kun’s eyes narrowed in satisfaction.

“…!! …!!”

“Okay, okay, I get it. I know you’re happy, so calm down a bit.”

Don’t look at me with that 'See? See this!?' face over and over again.

As Yukimiya moved from stroking Leon-kun’s chin to his back, he curled up beside her, completely relaxed as she petted him.

Her expression was filled with emotion, as if this was one of the most precious moments of her life. It was the first time I’d ever seen her look so happy.

Meanwhile, I was busy petting the other cats that had come over to me.

At some point, their number had increased again. Hey, even if you all gather around me, I only have two hands, you know? Even my lap’s already full!

I really couldn’t handle any more of them. This fluffy paradise was adorable, sure—but it was starting to get out of control. Maybe I should hand a few over to Yukimiya. She probably wants more cat friends too, right?

“Hey, Yukimiya. Could you take a few of them—”

When I turned toward her… I froze.

At some point, Yukimiya had shifted from sitting in seiza to sitting sideways.

[TLN: Seiza is the traditional Japanese way of sitting]

Though she still looked a little nervous, the way she gently stroked the cats was so graceful, it was like watching a goddess playing with her tiny, beloved creatures. Her beauty at that moment felt sacred, almost divine—something straight out of a classical painting.

The other customers, including the café staff, could only stare in awe. Even a guy who came with his girlfriend couldn’t take his eyes off her charm.

I, too, was so mesmerized that I stopped petting the cat in my arms.

Just then, an orange tabby named Houji-kun pressed his paw against my hand, as if demanding to be petted again.

“Ah, sorry.”

“Nyaa~.”

Haha, thanks.

…I guess I can’t make fun of Yukimiya anymore. I’ve officially become a servant to the cats as well. They’re just too cute to resist.

While we were both absorbed in playing with them, a café employee came over carrying several cat toys.

“How about trying these? The cats here really love playing with toys,” she said with a warm smile.

When she waved a stick toy with a tiny bell on the end, several cats immediately reacted—watching the movement with glittering eyes.

Their gazes turned sharp, like hunters stalking their prey. Even though they were used to being around humans, their animal instincts were still strong.

One of the cats, Run-chan, jumped forward to chase the toy, but the staff skillfully dodged. Then a calico named Hime-chan joined in, but she failed to catch it as well.

As expected, the café staff really knew how to handle cats.

Personally, I was already satisfied just by petting them, so I wasn’t particularly interested in playing with the toys. But right next to me sat a hardcore cat lover whose eyes were sparkling with pure excitement.

Yukimiya clearly wanted to play with the toy, but she kept glancing at Leon-kun with a worried look.

“What’s wrong, Yukimiya?” I asked.

“Um… Leon-kun finally let me pet him. If I suddenly try to play with him using a toy, he might get offended…” she said uncertainly.

Ah, so that’s what she was worried about.

I gently patted Leon-kun’s head. He opened his slightly sleepy eyes and looked up at me.

“Leon-kun, this lady here wants to play with that toy.”

“…Nyaa~.”

“Please? Just for a bit?”

After being asked so politely, Leon-kun let out a small, resigned meow.

“Nyaaa~.”

He stretched his body lazily, then bit down on the toy mouse attached to the stick and dropped it in front of Yukimiya.

“He wants to play with you.”

“Seriously, just who are you…?”

How rude. I’m just an ordinary human being, thank you very much.

Looking a little dazed, Yukimiya picked up the cat toy and stood up. One of the staff members patiently explained how to use it.

With a bit of hesitation, she began waving the toy in front of Leon-kun.

In an instant, Leon-kun leapt forward, pouncing at the toy mouse. But just before he could catch it, the toy soared into the air and fell to the floor.

“Yes, that’s it! You’re doing great!”

“Yah! Hup!”

Little by little, Yukimiya got more and more into it. She kept moving the toy back and forth with focused eyes that sparkled with enthusiasm, sweat forming on her forehead.

She was clearly having the time of her life.

While petting the other cats, I watched the scene with a warm smile. If I posted this on social media, it’d probably go viral. …But of course, I wouldn’t do that.

“Um, excuse me, sir!”

“Huh? Whoa…!”

When I turned around, the receptionist who had explained things earlier was standing very close to me. Too close!

With so many cats around, I couldn’t move carelessly. I leaned back a little, but she suddenly grabbed my hand tightly.

“Sir, would you like to work part-time here!?”

“M–Me? Work here?”

Completely caught off guard by the offer, I could only repeat her words.

The receptionist, looking incredibly excited, nodded over and over.

“Yes! Normally, we don’t hire anyone below high school age, but I’m honestly amazed by your natural talent and instincts! Would you please consider working here, at least on weekends!?”

Talent and instincts? I was just playing with the cats like usual…

But man, that was tempting. A part-time job did sound nice. I’d always wanted to try working before graduating high school, and this place wasn’t far from home either.

Still, if I agreed right away, it’d just add more responsibilities. Even now, I could only keep up with my studies thanks to Yukimiya’s help every weekend.

If I took a part-time job, studying would become harder—and my time with Yukimiya would shrink, too. N–Not that I meant it that way. I meant less time for study sessions, obviously.

As I was trying to figure out a polite way to decline, Yukimiya—still busy playing with Leon-kun—suddenly said, “You can’t.”

“Shiramine High prohibits part-time jobs. As student council president, you can’t be the first one to break that rule.”

…Ah, right. I completely forgot about that. Since Junya had a part-time job, I’d gotten used to the idea, but our school really did forbid working part-time.

“That’s why… sorry, but I can’t accept.”

“Oh, that’s a shame…”

The receptionist looked deeply disappointed, her shoulders slumping. I felt a little guilty.

But then, her face suddenly brightened as if she’d thought of something.

“Then… how about after you get into college!?”

“Uh, yeah… sure, I’ll think about it when the time comes, haha…”

“Great! I’ll be waiting!”

Beaming, she gave a little bounce before heading toward the back.

Eh? Wait… could it be that she likes me?

I mean, I just graduated from an all-boys school and have zero experience dealing with girls. Lately, thanks to Yukimiya and Kurotsuki, I’d gotten better at talking to them, but if someone approached me like that, I might actually fall for her.

As I realized my face was heating up, a chill suddenly ran down my spine.

It wasn’t from a cold.

The reason was obvious—the sharp glare coming from Yukimiya.

“…You looked like you were really enjoying that. That pervy grin of yours is seriously suspicious.”

“Says the one who’s been enjoying herself way more than me.”

I didn’t want to hear that from someone who, at some point, had started using two toys at once and was sweating while playing with cats.

“Of course I’m enjoying it! This has been my dream for years—to play with cats! I could do this forever!”

“…I see.”

But maybe it was about time she took a break. Leon-kun and the other cats caught up in her excitement were starting to look tired.

Besides, my legs were falling asleep, and I was getting thirsty. Sorry, cats—let me get up for a bit.

I gently moved the cats clinging to me, stood up, and headed to the drink corner to grab a glass of orange juice.

After all, this was a cat café. With unlimited drink refills, it’d be a waste not to take advantage of it.

But even after I stood, the cats showed no sign of wanting to leave me. They surrounded my legs, refusing to move.

I was happy they liked me, of course. But with them crowding me like this, it was honestly exhausting.

While I was wondering what to do, someone suddenly spoke to me.

“Um, I’ve been watching for a while. How do you even do that?”

“Huh?”

I turned toward the voice.

She wasn’t wearing a staff apron, so she was probably another customer. A very cute girl, actually. It was hard to tell if she was older or younger than me—probably around my age.

She had short, reddish-brown hair—not a gyaru, but with an air of confidence. Her ears were pierced, and her makeup was a bit bold. Her face had both a sweet and cool vibe, the kind that naturally drew attention.

Maybe because this was a cat café, she was dressed casually, but the snug fit of her outfit emphasized her curves, making it hard to know where to look.

Just from a glance, she was clearly someone confident in herself.

With a playful, teasing tone, she stepped closer—just one step—but enough to close the distance, gazing up at me with a mischievous smile.

Instinctively, I took a small step back and carefully set my glass on the table to avoid spilling it.

“You mean… these cats?”

“Yeah! I love cats and come here often, but they’re never this friendly with me~. If you’ve got a trick, teach me, okay~? Or don’t tell me you’re hiding some catnip or something~?”

…Her tone was irritating.

And she was standing way too close. Her casual attitude felt a little too forward for someone I’d just met.

Feeling a bit too lazy to deal with this, I replied curtly.

“I don’t have anything like that. You know cat cafés don’t allow catnip, right?”

“Ahaha~ of course I know~. But still, isn’t it weird? For them to like you this much~.”

She wasn’t wrong.

Honestly, even I thought the way these cats liked me was kind of unnatural.

But what could I say? I just seemed to have some kind of natural charm that drew animals to me.

“You want the cats to pay attention to you?”

“Of course! This is a cat café, after all. You’re hogging all the attention!”

Yeah, that’s true. Almost every cat working today had gathered around me.

Alright, maybe I should try convincing a few of them to move.

“Hey, they want to play with you too, you know.”

“Nyaa...”

All the cats—or rather, the entire feline assembly—stared at the girl in silence before hiding behind me. They really didn’t like her.

This wasn’t the same kind of dislike Yukimiya got. She was feared because of her overwhelming affection, but this girl… she seemed to be hated from the bottom of their furry little hearts.

“Looks like they don’t like you.”

“Huh? And how would you even know that?”

She crouched down and tried to pet the cat closest to her.

Ah, idiot. If you try to force it—

“Shhhhaaahh!!”

See? Instant hissing attack.

It’s only natural, really. If someone they dislike tries to touch them, that’s bound to happen. And if she truly loved cats, she should’ve known better than to act so recklessly.

“What the heck is this… Hmph!”

Her face turned red with anger before she stormed out of the café.

Oops… Did I just mess with their business?

As I scratched my head awkwardly, one of the café staff approached me.

“Excuse me, sir.”

“Ah, sorry. I caused a bit of a scene.”

“Oh, not at all. In fact, thank you very much!”

“Huh?”

She was… thanking me? Why?

“That customer often tried to pet cats that didn’t want to be touched, even tried to pick them up when that’s against the rules. We’ve warned her many times, but she never listened.”

“Ah, I see now.”

So that’s why the cats hated her so much. Makes sense.

Haaah… I came here to relax and enjoy some cat time, but this incident totally ruined the mood. Guess I need another dose of fluffy therapy to calm down.

When I returned to Yukimiya’s side, she was already worn out, sitting comfortably on the floor with Leon-kun resting beside her.

“Yatsuhashi-kun, what happened? I heard some kind of commotion earlier.”

“Just some stranger who decided to bother me.”

“…How could there be trouble in such a peaceful place?”

“That’s exactly what I’d like to know.”

Enough weird people already. One Yukimiya is more than enough.

I sat down next to her, and the cats once again swarmed around me.

This time, they didn’t just gather at my feet—they surrounded Yukimiya too, each of them lounging around in their own way.

Some were grooming themselves, others playing, curling up cozily, sitting like little boxes, lying belly-up, or even kneading my leg gently.

Surrounded by all those cats, Yukimiya looked like she was in pure bliss.

“So, Yukimiya, how was it? This is your first time at a cat café, right?”

“I want to live here forever.”

“Don’t live here.”

I chuckled softly. Just how much did she fall for this place? Well, I get it.

“This is bad… I think I’ll start coming here a lot. I want to spend all my money on them.”

She’s starting to sound like someone obsessed with a host club.

I gave her a puzzled look, but Yukimiya didn’t even notice and kept pampering the cats happily.

From my perspective, she herself was kind of like a cat. Her cool attitude, her elegant and independent aura—it all made her seem like a graceful feline.

I bet she’d look perfect with cat ears. No, really—if she also wore a tail and paw gloves, then said “Nyaa~” in that soft voice of hers… it’d be unbearably cute. Not that she’d ever do that, of course.

“You’re not imagining something weird, are you?”

“Of course not.”

How did she read my mind?! That’s a total privacy violation!

“Anyway, I’m glad you liked it.”

“Yeah… But they only came near me because you were here, right? It must be nice having that kind of power—to attract cats like that.”

She looked at me enviously. But what could I say? I was just born this way.

Still, she wasn’t entirely wrong. If Yukimiya came here alone, her overly intense love aura would probably scare the cats away.

“Then, next time, I’ll bring you here again.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I like cats too, and this place is great for refreshing the mind.”

Thanks to these cats, all my fatigue felt like it had melted away. I’d definitely come back here again when I needed a break.

“…Thank you.”

“…You’re welcome.”

With her cheeks slightly flushed, Yukimiya smiled shyly. For some reason, that made me feel embarrassed too, and I quickly averted my gaze.

I scratched my cheek awkwardly. I wasn’t used to Yukimiya thanking me. For some reason, it felt oddly uncomfortable.

“Then, let’s come again tomorrow. I’ll make a reservation.”

“You’re addicted already, idiot.”

In the end, we spent eight whole hours at the cat café.

It was already evening, and we hadn’t eaten lunch. From the café’s opening at ten in the morning until six in the evening, we’d stayed there nonstop. My stomach was growling.

I actually planned to leave around three, but Yukimiya refused to move—and when the cats realized we were about to go, they clung to us even more, making it impossible to leave.

It was too late to go home and cook now. Guess we’d have to eat out tonight.

Before leaving, the same café receptionist once again emphasized their part-time job offer. Just how badly does she want me to work there? I mean, it’s flattering, but… does she like me or something?

I tried not to grin at the thought and glanced at Yukimiya, sitting beside me on the train.

She was still scrolling through her phone, clearly not done reliving her cat memories.

“Haa… Cats… You’ve played with them all day and still not satisfied?”

“Yeah, it’s frustrating. Back when I couldn’t touch them, I could accept it. But now that I know what it feels like, I just want to hug them forever.”

As she stared longingly at her phone, it was filled with—unsurprisingly—cat photos. Just how many had she taken?

I smiled wryly, then noticed we’d reached our stop.

“Ah, we have to get off.”

I nudged the still-dreamy Yukimiya, and we got off the train together.

Outside the station, the area was bustling. Probably dinner time rush.

“Yukimiya, about dinner—what do you think? I was thinking of eating out tonight.”

“I agree. It’s too late to cook now… I want to try eating at a family restaurant.”

That was… a weirdly unexpected comment. Ah, right—I forgot she’s an Ojou-sama.

“But… are we even allowed to go to a family restaurant?”

“Why wouldn’t we be?”

“Well… it’s a family restaurant. Isn’t it only for families?”

“…………”

I froze. I thought I misheard her—but no, I didn’t.

Seriously, Yukimiya? I know you’re an Ojou-sama, but what kind of image do you have of family restaurants? If there really were places like that, they’d go bankrupt immediately.

Meanwhile, still misunderstanding what a family restaurant was, Yukimiya covered her mouth with one hand and began seriously thinking it over.

“Family restaurant… What if they ask for proof that we’re family?”

“There’s no restaurant that asks for that, so relax.”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

I pulled out my phone, searched for the nearest family restaurant, and guided her there.

Turning the corner, we spotted a casual Italian family restaurant that was quite well-known. Yukimiya immediately looked restless.

“A cat café, a family restaurant… I’ve experienced so many firsts today.”

Her life must be really exciting. But don’t expect too much—it’s just a normal restaurant. Not like the fancy ones you’re used to.

We stepped inside and glanced around. For this hour, it was fairly quiet, with several empty tables still available.

“—Huh?”

Something felt off. It was like someone was staring at me.

I scanned the room, looking for the source of that gaze.

And then, I saw her.

That familiar blonde hair instantly caught my attention.

A beautiful gyaru with her bangs swept back, showing off her smooth forehead.

She was holding a slice of pizza, about to take a bite—but froze mid-motion.

Her wide eyes blinked rapidly as she stared at us in shock.

She was sitting alone at a four-person table, but the number of dishes spread out in front of her was clearly impossible for one person to finish.

Yeah, that girl was—Kurotsuki Youko.

My classmate, fellow student council member, and—

My precious childhood friend.