Chapter 1: I Saved a Cat and Got Superpowers

(※Disclaimer: This is strictly a personal impression)

Thud. I felt a vibration run through my body and my eyes flew open in shock. It seemed I had fallen asleep on the train seat, and the jolt from earlier was just the train swaying. Jolted awake, I accidentally dropped the school bag I had been holding on my lap onto the floor, prompting giggles from the passengers around me.

Feeling thoroughly embarrassed, I tried to play it cool as I picked up my bag and looked out the window.

Looks like I didn’t miss my stop… That means I was only asleep for two or three minutes at most.

The crying face of my old childhood friend from the dream I just had flickered in the back of my mind.

Why am I having that dream now, after all this time…?

My own reflection stared back at me in the window glass opposite me. A slightly loosened tie, and the navy blue blazer designated by Minebuchi High School. Probably because I stayed up late last night, faint dark circles hung under my eyes, which, combined with my bad posture, gave off an overall gloomy vibe. I know I shouldn’t say this about myself, but it was the kind of face that felt like bad luck to look at first thing in the morning.

“Morning, Kota! You were really out of it!”

I looked over at the voice and saw a familiar male student.

“Oh, it’s just you, Mizuki.” “What do you mean ‘just you’?! I’m saying good morning, don’t ignore me~!” “…Morning, Mizuki.” “Yep! Morning, Kota!”

The student flashing this dazzling, carefree smile was Mizuki Saionji, one of my very few friends… Actually, even though we were already second-years, I didn’t have anyone else I could really call a friend besides Mizuki.

He had lightly colored, neatly trimmed short hair and large, energetic eyes. When I first saw Mizuki in the classroom as a first-year, I completely mistook him for a girl, but he is undeniably a guy. His features are just that androgynous.

Well, he is flat-chested for a girl, and he wears the same male uniform as I do…

Even so, whenever I looked at the strange slimness of his waist, or the cute expression he made when he tilted his head, I couldn’t stop my heart from fluttering.

Mizuki held onto a strap and leaned forward, bringing his face right up close to mine. “But I’m so glad! We’re in the same class again for our second year!” “…Yeah, but more importantly, you’re a little too close—” “Huh? What was that? Your voice was too quiet, I couldn’t hear you!”

Tilt.

That’s it. That’s the face. Dammit, he’s too cute.

I firmly pushed Mizuki’s shoulders back to stop him from leaning in and sat up straight. “I mean, we became second-years over two weeks ago. Why are you still bringing that up?” “Ehehe~. I’m just happy to be in the same class as you again, Kota!”

That smile… Priceless.

---

Viewed from above, the buildings of Minebuchi High School form a U-shape, resembling the katakana character ‘コ’ (ko). The top wing is the North Building, the right wing is the East Building, and the bottom wing is the South Building. Furthermore, the school grounds extended even further past the South Building, where the old school building—now used only for storage—and a newly built gymnasium behind it were located.

My assigned classroom, Class 2-2, was located at the very end of the second floor in the North Building.

We entered through the East Building where the main gate was. Just as I was pulling my indoor shoes out of my assigned cubby, Mizuki let out an “Ah!” as if remembering something, and his face clouded over.

“Listen to this, Kota. Starting today, I have to do that thing during lunch break and after school~.”

Hearing “that thing” reminded me of what our homeroom teacher had said a few days ago. Apparently, there had been a recent spike in lost and forgotten items around the school, so someone from our class was supposed to make an announcement over the broadcast system during lunch and after school to urge students to be careful.

It seemed the faculty had drawn lots to decide which class would take on this annoying duty, and our homeroom teacher had beautifully suffered that honorable defeat. As a result, our class held another lottery, and Mizuki was the one chosen.

“You mean that lost-and-found warning broadcast? Now that you mention it, you did lose the lottery.”

“Jeez. Why doesn’t our school have a broadcasting club? I mean, normally teachers should be the ones doing this kind of job! Don’t you think so too, Kota?”

Even his angry face is cute…

“Hey Kota, are you listening?” “Huh? Ah, yeah, I’m listening. That’s rough. Well, do your best.” “You act like it’s someone else’s problem…”

---

When we reached the classroom, I sat down in the very back seat of the second row from the windows. Mizuki pulled out the chair to sit in the seat right in front of me, but suddenly a female student’s voice called out from the side, making him stop.

“Um… Saionji-kun, do you have a minute?” “Eh? Me?”

Combined with his well-put-together looks and cheerful personality, Mizuki had been popular with both boys and girls since our first year. While hanging out with him, I had witnessed scenes where female students came over to call him out to confess their feelings several times.

Is this guy getting another confession?

Thinking that, I watched the two of them move to the corner of the classroom. Mizuki was handed a slip of paper by the girl and frankly looked puzzled. After exchanging a few more words, Mizuki, apparently finished with the conversation, came back over and plopped heavily into the seat in front of me.

“Hey, Mizuki. What was that about? That piece of paper… it’s not a love letter, is it?” “Look at this.”

I looked down at the piece of paper thrust onto my desk and saw it was a photograph. In the center, Mizuki was smiling cheerfully in his uniform, but his eyes weren’t looking at the camera. It was easy to guess that it had been taken without his permission.

“A sneak shot? Judging by the background, it’s probably somewhere on the route to school, but…” “Seems like it. That girl from just now apparently picked it up in the first-floor hallway after school yesterday, but she didn’t see who dropped it. Well, this kind of thing happens occasionally.” “Wow. It actually happens occasionally?” “But physical photos printed on paper like this are pretty rare.” “Everyone uses smartphones these days. …Does this mean someone went out of their way to print a photo taken with a smartphone or digital camera? Why would they need to do that?” “Hmm… I wonder why?”

Tilt.

I said stop tilting your head… I’m going to end up falling for you…

After tilting his head cutely as usual, Mizuki muttered something, looking a little troubled. “But well… having your picture taken without permission isn’t exactly a great feeling.” “Yeah, true enough…”

Looking a bit down, Mizuki smoothly slid the photo that was on the desk toward me. “So, I’m giving this photo to you, Kota.” “Why? I don’t need it.” “Now, now, don’t say that.” “No, no, no, what’s so sad about my life that I have to keep a photo of my guy friend?” “But, you know, it feels a little creepy to keep a photo of myself when I don’t even know who took it or where.” “Having your friend keep a photo of you is generally creepy too, isn’t it?” “Eh? You think so? I don’t really mind if it’s someone I know holding onto it.” “I mean, if you’re just going to give it to someone, you should just throw it away.” “Hmm… Disposing of a photo of myself is also a bit… Just hold onto it for me, Kota. You can throw it away when you don’t want it anymore.” “Alright. Got it. I’ll go throw it in that trash can over there right now.” “…I’d rather you didn’t throw it away right in front of me.”

---

I ended up having Mizuki’s photo forced onto me after all…

In the photo, Mizuki is smiling happily. Despite what I said, it’s actually a pretty good picture. Whoever took it really understands Mizuki’s charm.

As I stared intently at the photo, the gazes of the classmates nearby started to feel strangely piercing. Crap… If I keep staring at this photo any longer, it’s going to cause some weird misunderstandings… I should put it away quickly.

I carefully tucked Mizuki’s photo into my pocket and, acting as if nothing happened, turned my gaze out the window. From the classroom window, I could see the blue sky and several birds flying about. And right by that window, a single empty desk sat isolated.

“Come to think of it, the seat next to me is empty. Shouldn’t we move the desk away?”

When I muttered that, Mizuki, sitting in front of me, turned only his head towards me. “Huh? You didn’t know? Apparently, a transfer student is taking that seat.” “A transfer student?” “Yeah. Apparently, they were originally supposed to start the second year with us two weeks ago, but got delayed a bit due to family circumstances. Amamiya-sensei explained it at the very beginning, didn’t you hear?” “O-Oh, did she?”

Mizuki furrowed his brows in dissatisfaction and said, “She did~.”

Just then, the front door of the classroom slid open with a clatter, and a woman wearing a black suit walked in. Her slightly wavy black hair was tied back into a single ponytail, resting over her shoulder against her exceptionally large chest. The woman placed the attendance book she was carrying onto the teacher’s desk and swept her sharp gaze across the classroom, urging the students to take their seats.

This woman, Yuri Amamiya, is an English teacher and our homeroom teacher. Mizuki and I had been in Amamiya-sensei’s class since our first year. Amamiya-sensei let out a sluggish sigh, and then suddenly glared fiercely in my direction.

“Nibuke-kun. Kota Nibuke-kun.” “Eh? Ah, yes. What is it, Amamiya-sensei?” “Stand up right there.” “…Excuse me? Eh? W-Why?” “I am currently in a very bad mood. And seeing your face, which looks like it brings bad luck, has ruined my mood even further. Therefore, please reflect on this and remain standing until homeroom is over.” “I refuse.” “…Haa. This is exactly why you’re…”

Why does this person take it out on me every time she’s in a bad mood…?

Amamiya-sensei opened the attendance book, dropped her gaze to it for a moment, and then spoke again. “Well then. Enough jokes for now… Good morning, everyone. It seems there are no tardy or absent students. Very good. Nibuke-kun also seems to be doing well, which is great.”

Please stop singling me out and making me stand out…

“Recently, there has been a frequent occurrence of lost and forgotten items within the school. You’ve gone up a grade and are probably getting used to high school life, but please do not let your guard down too much. Also, as I’ve said many times, you should start studying with university exams in mind from this stage—oh, excuse me. I’ve been keeping someone waiting outside today…”

Amamiya-sensei faced the classroom door and called out, “You can come in now.” In response, the door slid open smoothly, and a single girl entered the room. Every time her indoor shoes squeaked against the floor, the metal fittings on the school bag she held with both hands clinked. Her straight black hair, reaching down to her waist, caught the air and drew soft curves. Her plump, pink-tinted lips and her large eyes carried a hint of melancholy.

Prompted by Amamiya-sensei, the girl smoothly wrote her name on the blackboard. Second row from the window, at the very back. From this seat, located furthest away from the girl, I stared at her more intently than anyone else in the classroom.

No way… Why is she here…?

The girl, finishing writing her name on the board, turned around to face us with a dignified air. “Nice to meet you all, I am Ayano Yumemigasaki. I look forward to studying with you starting today.”

Standing there, unmistakably, was my childhood friend, Ayano Yumemigasaki. The innocent aura from the past had faded, replaced by a mature and calm atmosphere. Her figure had changed quite a bit too, but her eyes still held the vestiges of those days.

I remembered the sight of Ayano bolting out of the classroom in tears, just as I had dreamed on the train.

Amamiya-sensei spoke. “Well then, Yumemigasaki-san, please take the seat over there, at the very back by the window.” “Yes.”

As Ayano approached my direction, a buzz of whispers flew around the classroom. “Wow, she’s beautiful…” “Her hair is so long!” “Her figure is amazing…”

Completely ignoring those envious gazes, Ayano finally arrived right next to me. Mizuki, sitting in front, called out, “Kota, what’s wrong?”

I wondered why he asked that, and finally realized it was because I had stood up from my seat, blocking Ayano’s path.

Huh? What am I doing…?

The classroom began to buzz again. “What’s going on?” “Hm? Is Nibuke-kun blocking her way?” “Don’t tell me, a confession…?” “Ehh, no way. It’s that Nibuke-kun, you know?” “Haha. True.”

What do you mean, ‘that’ Nibuke-kun? I thought, but my heart kept pounding wildly, and my eyes were glued to Ayano.

I’ve always regretted hurting her back then. I’ve always regretted not being able to apologize back then. I didn’t even know her contact info, so I couldn’t do anything about it until now… But now… Ayano is right in front of me!

“A-Ayano, I—”

Just as I started speaking, Ayano cut me off. “You’re in the way. Move.” “…………………………..Ah… s-sorry……..”

After that, I returned to my seat as if nothing happened, and hushed whispers could be heard from all over the classroom. “Wait, what was that!?” “Nibuke-kun got cut down in one strike! (lol)” “He got rejected~” “Nibuke, too bad!” “Is Yumemigasaki-san the scary type?” “Nibuke-kun is gloomy but he’s kinda funny, huh!”

For a while after that, I started being called the “Kamikaze Captain” behind my back.

I just want to disappear…

---

Lunch break. As we gathered around my desk with our bento boxes, Mizuki said half-jokingly, “Cheer up, Kota.” “Hehehe. You know, Mizuki… When people are truly depressed, for some reason, they start to smile.” “I think that’s probably just you, Kota…”

Dammit… All I wanted to do was apologize for the past, so why does it feel like I tried to confess my love and got shot down…?

“But really, what were you trying to do back there? It looked like you were going to confess, but you aren’t really the type to do that, right?” “Ah, Mizuki… You’re the only one who understands me.” “Ahaha. We’ve known each other for a year now, after all. So? What was the reason behind your bizarre behavior this morning?” “Actually…”

As I was about to say that, I felt a chill run down my spine and shifted my gaze to the side. There, at the next desk, my eyes met Ayano’s; she hadn’t touched the bento in front of her at all and was just continuously glaring at me.

“Eek.” “Hm? What’s wrong, Kota? …Eek.”

Mizuki hurriedly covered his mouth and whispered, “H-Hey! Yumemigasaki-san is glaring at us like crazy!” “Yeah… I might have made her mad with what happened this morning… What should I do…?” “What do you mean what should you do… Hieee. She’s still glaring over here… W-Why? Is it normal to get that angry just over what happened this morning?” “…No… actually, well… she’s my childhood friend…” “Eh!? Really!?” “And, a long time ago, I made her incredibly mad… I think she probably still holds a grudge about that…” “What on earth did you do to make her that angry…? Those are eyes that look ready to murder you, Kota!” “W-Well… y-you see—” “Ah! Actually, don’t tell me! I don’t want to get involved any further and end up becoming a target myself!” “That’s cold…”

Mizuki looked over at Ayano one more time, let out a tiny squeak, and, as if averting his eyes, hastily packed up his bento and turned forward to face his own desk.

… …… ……… Um, could you please stop glaring at me now?

---

As lunch break drew to a close, Mizuki pulled a paperback book out of his bag. “Oh? Do you read books, Mizuki?” “What’s that supposed to mean~? Is it a crime for me to read a book~?”

Crap. That puffed-out cheeks thing is completely hitting my strike zone. Can I just poke them for a second?

While I seriously debated with myself whether or not to poke Mizuki’s cheeks, he spoke up as if remembering something. “Come to think of it, reading is your hobby too, right, Kota? I never see you reading at school, though.” “I’m the type who prefers to read carefully at home.”

Mizuki held the book he was holding right in front of my face and asked, “By the way, have you ever read this book, Kota?”

On the cover of the book Mizuki held up, there was an illustration of a boy and a girl holding hands with their backs turned against the backdrop of a coastal country town. It was painted in watercolors, giving off a somewhat platonic vibe.

Mizuki read the author’s name and title written on it out loud. “When I Think of You on the Coastline by Takeko Utani. The story is just a romance where the protagonist and the heroine flirt relentlessly, but it perfectly expresses the feelings of a maiden in love at every turn, or rather, it just slips right into your heart and makes you relate to it. Anyway, it’s a super popular novel among high school girls right now! Utani Takeko-sensei’s writing is so brilliant you wouldn’t think this is her debut work… Look, um… you know that famous author… Oh, right! Ichika Kaidou! The atmosphere is somewhat similar to her writing, and even though there are some slightly stiff expressions, it’s incredibly interesting!”

CLATTER! A loud noise echoed from the side, and the entire classroom’s gaze converged on the sound at once.

Ayano was standing with both hands slammed on her desk, her chair tipped over right behind her. From the looks of it, it was easy to guess that Ayano had stood up forcefully, knocking her chair back in the process. However, the reason why everyone watching fell completely silent was simply because Ayano’s expression was overflowing with intense anger.

If I recall correctly, Ichika Kaidou is Ayano’s mother’s pen name… But would she really get that mad just from hearing her mother’s name…?

When Ayano turned her glaring, bloodshot eyes toward Mizuki, he let out an “Eek.” Then, without even showing a hint of picking up the chair knocked onto the floor, Ayano marched out of the classroom with a look on her face like she was about to go murder someone.

Mizuki trembled all over. “…S-Scary. Did I do something to Yumemigasaki-san?” “W-Well, don’t let it bother you…”

With tears in his eyes, Mizuki suddenly stared at the area around the chair Ayano had knocked over. “Huh? Did something drop over there?”

Mizuki trotted over to Ayano’s desk and casually picked up the palm-sized notebook lying on the floor. It was a notebook bound in a dark red color scheme, securely fastened with a button snap so it wouldn’t open on its own.

“Could this be Yumemigasaki-san’s notebook? I wonder if her name is written somewhere on it?” Mizuki turned the notebook every which way, checking to see if a name was written on it. “Nope, nothing. I might be able to tell if I look inside, but that would definitely be a bad idea, right…”

Immediately after, the classroom door swung open with a massive BANG. Looking over, Ayano, who had just left moments ago, was standing there gasping for breath, glaring in our direction. And the moment she saw the notebook Mizuki was holding, Ayano broke into a frantic sprint. With bloodshot eyes, she forcefully snatched the notebook out of his hands.

The sheer force of Ayano’s arm as she swiped the notebook produced a loud WHOOSH, the sound of the air literally tearing echoing around us.

I didn’t know human arms could even make a sound like that…

Even though Ayano’s arm had zipped right past his face, Mizuki couldn’t even flinch; he just stood there shivering, his teeth chattering. “U-Um… I… uh… I just picked it up…”

Ayano glared at the stuttering Mizuki. “…Did you look inside?”

Mizuki frantically shook his head back and forth. “Really?”

Mizuki frantically nodded his head up and down. “If you looked… I’ll kill you.” Tears streamed down Mizuki’s panicking face. And with that, Ayano left the classroom once again.

I gently placed a hand on the shoulder of the petrified Mizuki. “Y-You okay?” “……I think I might be a goner.” “A goner, huh…”

Well, you know… Stay strong and live on.

---

On the way home that day, as I was walking alone to the nearest station from school, it started pouring rain. Since I hadn’t brought an umbrella, I had no choice but to use my school bag as a makeshift shield and hurry home.

In the end, I couldn’t even say a single word to Ayano…

As I was standing at a red light thinking about that, a cat slipped smoothly between my legs. It had an amazingly pristine white coat, its tail stood straight up, and it possessed an elegant face.

What a beautiful cat… I wonder if it belongs to someone?

As I watched, the cat casually started trotting right through the red light.

Hey, hey… It’s still a red light… wait, it’s a cat, of course it doesn’t know that… Well, there are no cars coming, so it’s perfectly safe…… huh?

When I glanced to the side, of all things, a large truck was hurtling straight this way. “…Are you kidding me?”

In a panic, I looked back at the cat, but it was taking its sweet time, having barely crossed halfway over the crosswalk.

Ah, it’s going to get run over…

The moment that thought crossed my mind, my body moved on its own and I dashed out. The deafening blare of a horn. The white cat freezing in shock. And for some reason, me, leaping right into the middle of it all. The truck was bearing down, just inches away.

Oh crap… I’m going to die, aren’t I?

Bracing myself for death, just as my outstretched hand was about to reach the cat, my feet slipped on the wet asphalt, and my body tumbled wildly forward. In a world where heaven and earth flipped upside down, I struck my head with a heavy thud, and sparks flew in my vision.

“Oww…”

When I timidly opened my eyes, the truck that had been right on top of me a second ago was just speeding away, showing its rear end. It seemed my body had barely managed to clear the crosswalk, my momentum carrying me right into a residential concrete wall.

“D-Did I… survive?” “Meow.” “Hm?”

It appeared I had grabbed the cat as I fell; the white feline was squirming around in my arms. “Oh. You made it too. We both narrowly escaped death. From now on, make sure you watch your surroundings when you walk.”

Well, not like it understands human speech anyway.

Slipping out of my arms, the cat turned back to look at me and let out a single, “Meow.” “…Hm?”

As I stood there in a daze, the cat rubbed up against my feet and started forcefully tugging at my pants with its mouth. “What is it?”

Then it walked a little further away and gave another, “Meow.”

Wait, is it telling me to follow it? What? Is this the part where it gives me something as thanks for saving it? Now that I think about it, there was a movie like that… Eh? Was that actually a documentary?

“Meow!” “……”

---

Using my bag—which had thoroughly soaked up the rainwater and grown heavy—as an umbrella, I followed the cat as it navigated the town.

What am I even doing out in the rain?

Just as that exasperated thought began to cross my mind, the cat up ahead casually stepped onto a flight of old stone stairs. Carved into a stone pillar standing right beside the steps was Kagura Neko Shrine.

Kagura Neko Shrine…? Neko? Cat? Eh? For real?

I had followed the cat half-doubting the whole thing, but seeing a shrine name so clearly associated with cats, I couldn’t help but feel a little mix of expectation and unease.

“Meow.”

The cat, already quite far up the steps, turned back and meowed at me. I gulped down my saliva and resumed following the feline.

Both sides of the stone steps were flanked by a bamboo thicket, completely devoid of any human presence. Straining my eyes, I couldn’t spot a single house or structure. When I stopped midway up the stairs to look back, a thick fog had rolled in out of nowhere, completely obscuring my view.

What the hell. This is super creepy…

Clink. The sound of a bell rang out. It came from the top of the stairs.

Huh? Come to think of it, where did that white cat go…? Don’t tell me… it abandoned me?

Realizing I was all alone, my pace naturally quickened, until eventually, just the thought of stopping became terrifying, and I broke into a run.

I mean, how far do these stairs even go?! I’ve been climbing for over ten minutes!

“Heeey! Anyone! Is anyone there?! Heeey!” There was no answer. “Heeey! Anyooone!”

Still, I yelled desperately just to distract myself from the fear. “Heeey!”

Clink. The sound of the bell chimed again. I jerked to a halt and directed my gaze forward. There, I spotted a massive torii gate.

Timidly, I proceeded up to the gate and peered inside. The fog from the path was gone, and a cozy little shrine stood quietly in the clearing. And in the precinct just before it stood a young girl, cradling the white cat I had been following.

She wore a deep crimson kimono that cut off around her thighs. A set of prayer beads with a single large bell hung from her neck, and she wore pokkuri wooden sandals on her bare feet. Like her kimono, her wild, bright red hair cascaded all the way down to her feet. Above her head, a semi-transparent hagoromo—a celestial scarf—floated softly in the air, shielding her from the raindrops.

On her head, two cat ears perked up, and a long, slender tail extended from her backside, swaying lazily.

The girl gave the cat in her arms a single pat on the head, then spoke in a strangely mature tone. “I hear you saved this one’s life, human. You have my thanks.”

…Ah… I see. This is one of those, right? A hidden camera prank? Like, ‘will he believe a little girl is a god’ or something? I won’t be fooled. That fluffy floating scarf is definitely hung up by strings or something.

The girl looked up at the sky. “Haa… Even so, the sound of the rain is a tad noisy.”

She snapped her fingers, and all the raindrops that had been pouring down instantly froze perfectly still in mid-air.

Good grief… The recent advancements in science never cease to amaze me…

“Umu. That is much better. Now then, human. Do not just stand there gawking; come hither.”

The girl gave an upward flick of her finger, and my body was gently lifted off the ground, slowly levitating as I was pulled inside the shrine.

G-g-g-g-good grief! T-t-t-the recent advancements in science never cease to amaze me! …No, I can’t do this anymore. I can’t lie to myself. This is the real deal. Yep.

When I reached the spot right in front of her, my levitating body dropped onto the ground with a soft thud. The girl spoke.

“My name is Amatsu Nekohime no Kami. The master of this Kagura Neko Shrine. As a reward for saving Byakuya’s life, I shall grant you the right to address me as Nekohime-sama.”

“N-Nice to meet you. I-I’m Kota Nibuke… Um… By-Byakuya…?” “It is this cat’s name.” “…O-Oh. Is that so?”

My face at that moment must have been incredibly cramped. But that was only natural. The being in front of me was an entity capable of stopping raindrops at will and levitating someone’s body without even touching them. If I were to anger someone like that, there was no telling what kind of unreasonable punishment would be waiting for me.

And so, I decided to make a hasty retreat.

“Well then, I’ll be going home now. Good work today~.” “Hold on, hold on. It is not as if you are a student finishing up a part-time shift; do not try to leave so casually.”

She actually knows what a part-time job is…

“I must reward you for saving Byakuya. I will grant any wish you have, so let us hear it.” “Ah, I’m really fine without anything like that…” “I cannot allow that. If word gets out that I let you return without repaying my debt of gratitude, my name will be disgraced.” “Then, could you perhaps tell me the way home? You don’t need to see me off.” “…Aha. I see. You are the type who is too embarrassed to state your own wish, are you not?” “No, that’s not what I—” “Say no more. Say no more. I too am a god, albeit a minor one. It will deplete my power a tad, but without even hearing your words, I shall scoop up the wish hidden within your heart!”

Immediately after, the girl calling herself Nekohime kicked the ground lightly with her wooden sandals. Then, her small body danced into the air, approaching so close to my face that I could feel her breath brushing against me, and she stared intently into my eyes.

Strangely, I found myself unable to look away from her gaze.

Events from the past played out as images in my head, welling up one after another. Memories from when I was a baby that even I had forgotten. Faintly remaining memories from early childhood, things I didn’t want to remember—everything, absolutely everything, became condensed and jumbled together.

It felt as though all my past deeds were being seen through, filling me with an indescribable terror.

Then, the images suddenly cut off, and Nekohime-sama landed on the ground, saying, “Fumu,” as if satisfied.

“In short. You wish to reconcile with that girl named Ayano, do you not?”

A chilling sensation, like my heart being seized, washed over me, and the expression of a young Ayano bolting out of the classroom in tears flashed in my mind. Then, the cold words from this morning—”You’re in the way. Move.”—and Ayano’s piercing glare throughout the day resurfaced.

As I stood there with the words stuck in my throat, unable to speak, Nekohime-sama said, “Follow me,” and started walking toward the shrine’s worship hall. Dumbfounded that Nekohime-sama had struck right at the core of the issue, I was prompted by Byakuya—who had slipped over to my feet at some point—and somehow managed to follow after her.

Arriving near an old offering box, Nekohime-sama left me with the words, “Wait here,” and crawled under the eaves of the worship hall with a rustle.

From beneath the eaves, I could hear Nekohime-sama muttering to herself. “Let’s see… where did I put that… Not here either… Not over there… Is this it? No, that’s wrong… Mmm… Oh! Isn’t this the half-read manga I lost way back when?! So it was in a place like this… Fufufu… Hahaha…”

“…U-Um, Nekohime-sama?” “Nuo!? N-No, I am certainly not reading manga. Verily, I speak the truth! There should be something around here perfectly suited to granting your wish. Wait there quietly.”

After killing time for a while by rubbing the belly of Byakuya, who had rolled over at my feet, Nekohime-sama’s voice reached me once again. “Oh. Found it, found it. This is it. …Mu? Why are there two of the exact same thing? …Ah, I see. One of them is the one that turns humans into water fleas… Wait. Now which one was the water flea one? Uumu… I cannot remember. Is it this one? Or perhaps this one? …No, it is probably this one.”

Then, bursting out like a swimmer surfacing for air with a “Pahaa!”, Nekohime-sama returned to the precinct and proudly displayed a small candy ball clutched in her hand.

“Alright, human. Eat this.” “Hold on, isn’t there a 50/50 chance that’s the one that turns you into a water flea?” “Do not worry. This is not the one that turns you into a water flea. …Probably.” “‘Probably’… So, what happens if I eat it?”

Nekohime-sama curled the corners of her mouth into a grin. “This is a candy ball that allows you to hear the inner thoughts of the opposite sex for a single day.”

“…Excuse me? Inner thoughts?” “Indeed. You wish to reconcile with that girl named Ayano, but you do not know how to apologize to her, correct? Well then, if you use this to listen to her inner voice, how to apologize will be blatantly obvious.” “…No, something like that—”

I was about to say I didn’t need it, but I swallowed my words.

If it really made me able to hear Ayano’s inner thoughts, I might be able to resolve the bad blood between us right away.

But is it really okay to do something like that? Shouldn’t I just apologize to Ayano normally first? …However… what if… what if she doesn’t forgive me even if I apologize?

That’s right… I’ve always regretted not chasing after Ayano’s back that day. If I’m going to regret it either way, it’s definitely better to do it and regret it than not do it and regret it.

Perhaps reading my thoughts from my expression, Nekohime-sama spoke up as if she had been waiting for that exact moment. “If your mind is made up, swallow that candy ball in one gulp. Then, you shall instantly obtain the power.”

“Eh, swallow it? It feels kinda gross…” “It is not gross!” “I mean, it didn’t even have a wrapper or anything… It feels like it’ll give me a stomachache.” “It will not, you fool! Just hurry up and do it!” “…………”

Resolving myself, I tossed the handed-over candy ball into my mouth. A faint sweetness spread, and I felt the sensation of the candy ball smoothly slipping down my throat.

“…I-It’s actually sweeter and tastier than I expected.” “Indeed it is, indeed it is. …However, well, there will be some slight side effects until the ability adapts to your body, but they will subside shortly. Do not worry.” “Side effects? What do you mean by—”

The words I spoke grew overwhelmingly loud, as if they were detonating right inside my ears. “—Guh! Gaaah! The volume! My own voice!”

Even my agonizing screams violently echoed inside my head, accompanied by a pain like needles piercing deep inside my ears. “My head! It’s splitting!”

Eventually, the sound of gravel scraping against the ground, the sobs leaking from my covered mouth, the beating of my heart—everything amplified to volumes I had never heard before, washing over me in waves of excruciating pain. Writhing in agony, amidst my fading consciousness, I heard the clink of a bell.

---

“Big brother, it’s morning~” My sister’s familiar voice.

“Heeey. …Oh my, oh my? Is big brother a sleepyhead today? Heey. Wake up already. I said heeeeey.” My body was shaken violently, and my eyelids finally slowly opened. Within my hazy, blurred vision, I saw the figure of my younger sister, Yuina.

Her hair was cut level with her shoulders, the tips curling outward. Her lively eyes, which didn’t resemble mine in the slightest, peered down at me.

“…Hm? Yuina? …Where am I?” “Jeez. Still half-asleep? This is Yuina and big brother’s love nest, obviously.” “Oh? What’s going on? Did you hit your head or something?” “Wow, so mean. It was obviously just a joke~.”

Looking around, it seemed I was in my own room. When I checked my smartphone, the date had advanced by one day.

How did I get home after that yesterday? Wait, was that stuff yesterday even real? Maybe I was just having a dream?

Yuina, wearing an apron, leaned in and pressed her forehead against mine. “…Yep! You’re fine! Doesn’t seem like you have a fever anymore!” “Fever…?” “Big brother, you collapsed in front of the house with a bright red face yesterday, you know? It really surprised me.” “Collapsed? Me?” “Yeah. And then, you know, a bunch of cats were climbing all over you and playing on top of you.” “What the hell is that situation…”

Wait, cats…? So that means it wasn’t a dream after all? Yuina triumphantly shoved her smartphone screen in my face. “Look! Photographic evidence!”

“Why did you take a picture… Your older brother is collapsed on the ground, panic a little more… Also, this is a selfie! You’re making a peace sign with a huge smile on your face!” “Tehe~. The cats were cute, so I couldn’t help it.” “Don’t ‘tehe~’ me. I’m passed out with my eyes rolled back right in the center of that photo. …Ah! Hey! There are footprints on my clothes! You stepped on me while I was passed out, didn’t you!” “…Well, let’s just let bygones be bygones.” “That’s my line!” “Breakfast is ready, big brother!”

---

A two-story detached house. In this fairly spacious home, it was just me and my younger sister, Yuina, living together. Our father passed away in an accident around the time my sister entered elementary school, and our mother flies all over the world for work.

I sat down at a corner of the table in the first-floor living room. Just as I was about to reach out with my chopsticks for the already-prepared breakfast, my eyes caught sight of a pendant resting on the edge of the table.

“Huh? Are you still wearing that pendant Mom gave you?”

Sitting across from me, Yuina replied, “Nope. I found it while cleaning the other day, so I was just looking at it because it made me nostalgic.” “Make sure you don’t leave it out and lose it again.” “Again?” “Don’t you remember? You lost it a long time ago and cried your eyes out.” “Did I? I don’t rememb~er.”

I see… She doesn’t remember, huh… And her big brother worked so hard to look for it too…

Leaving the carefree Yuina be, I recalled my conversation with Nekohime-sama from yesterday.

A ‘candy ball that allows you to hear the inner thoughts of the opposite sex for a single day’… huh. But even while talking to Yuina, I haven’t heard any inner thoughts… I guess something that unrealistic wouldn’t actually happen after all…

Yuina stuffed her cheeks with fried egg while watching TV, laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes like an idiot.

No, wait. Could it be that Yuina’s head is simply completely empty? If that’s the case, even if I possessed the ability to hear inner thoughts, wouldn’t it mean I just wouldn’t hear anything from Yuina?

“Hey, Yuina.” “Hm? What is it, big brother?” “You should try to be a little smarter.” “That’s suddenly so mean!”

---

In the end, without quite grasping the ‘ability to hear the inner thoughts of the opposite sex for a single day’ that Nekohime-sama had mentioned, I found myself arriving in front of the main gate of Minebuchi High School before I knew it.

I passed by quite a few women on the way here and shared a train with some, but I didn’t hear any inner thoughts at all… Was that whole thing yesterday a dream after all…?

The moment I passed through the gates of Minebuchi High School while pondering that, a piercing, agonizing ringing assaulted my ears. Instinctively, I stopped and crouched down, but the ringing quickly subsided.

What was that just now… That was some intense tinnitus…

“Ah. Man, today’s classes are gonna be such a drag.”

…Eh? Thinking someone had spoken to me, I turned around, but there was no one who seemed to fit the bill. What the…?

“Crap~. I forgot to check my morning horoscope~.” “Let’s hit up karaoke after my shift.” “Oh no. I totally didn’t do the worksheet for my assignment.” “So sleepyyy.” “Gotta study hard when I get home today.” “Ugh~. I missed breakfast~.”

They were all female voices. However, while there were certainly female students around me, not a single one of them had their mouths open to speak.

…Could this… could this be… their inner thoughts? Are you kidding me… Does that mean what happened yesterday was real…?

W-What should I do… Um, if I recall Nekohime-sama’s words correctly, this ability only lasts for one day, right… S-So, what was I supposed to do during that time again…?

The image of Ayano glaring at me with a cold expression floated to the front of my mind.

R-Right… Anyway, I need to go to the classroom just like this and properly apologize to Ayano! …And if she doesn’t forgive me then, I can use this ability to listen to her inner voice and try to find an opening to become friends like we used to be…

Thinking that, just as I was about to head to the classroom, the inner voices of the girls walking around me reached my ears once again.

“Man, that teacher is seriously annoying.”

…Hm?

“That girl’s casual clothes I saw yesterday were super tacky.” “Gonna go post some more trash talk on social media.” “Ugh. This guy reeks of perfume again today.” “Walk faster, fatty.”

…No, no, no.

“This is the worst… My boyfriend found out I was cheating on him.” “Ooh. Good-looking guy.” “I’m totally on my period today… So sluggish.” “Gonna skim a little more from the register at work again today.”

This is bad… listening to stuff like this. I should have thought more carefully about what the act of ‘listening to other people’s inner thoughts’ actually meant.

---

“I-If I recall correctly… It should have been around here…”

After that, I immediately bolted from the school and had been searching frantically for the shrine the cat named Byakuya had taken me to yesterday.

An ‘ability that allows you to hear the inner thoughts of the opposite sex for a single day’ was not something a person should possess. I couldn’t wait until the day ended. I had to see Nekohime-sama right now and have her erase this ridiculous power.

“Meow.” “…Hm?”

Looking down at my feet where the meow had come from, a single white cat was rubbing its head against me affectionately. “It’s you, Byakuya! Perfect timing! Please, take me to Nekohime-sama!”

“Meow.” Unlike yesterday, Byakuya didn’t walk ahead to lead the way; instead, almost like a human, it smoothly lifted a front paw and pointed to the left.

When I looked in that direction, a battered-looking torii gate belonging to a run-down shrine jumped into view.

“Hm? No, no, you’ve got it wrong, Byakuya. I don’t have any business at a run-down shrine like this. The one I went to yesterday had those long stairs, it was surrounded by a dense bamboo thicket, and anyway, it was way prettier… The name was, I think… right, Kagura Neko Shrine!”

“Meow.” Byakuya lightly hopped onto a moss-covered stone pillar nearby. “Hm? …Hmm?”

Looking closely, the words Kagura Neko Shrine were undoubtedly carved into that stone pillar.

“…D-Don’t tell me… This run-down shrine… is the shrine where I met Nekohime-sama yesterday?”

There were no long stairs that I had struggled to climb so much, no bamboo thicket, and heck, there was even a convenience store right across the street.

I climbed the stone steps, which only had three tiers, passed through the filthy, rotting torii gate, and stood completely dumbfounded in front of the cobweb-covered shrine at the back.

“In just one day… how did it turn into this…”

As my mind went completely blank, the door to the shrine’s worship hall smoothly slid open, and Nekohime-sama poked her head out from inside.

“N-Nekohime-sama!? Thank goodness… I totally thought everything I saw yesterday was an illusion, and this was one of those scenarios where I’d been placed under some nasty curse or something!”

Nekohime-sama kept looking through the doorway, an apologetic expression floating on her face. “…That was a theatrical production. Even I have times when I want to show off a little.” “A theatrical production… Man, but I’m so glad. So, you know that ability you gave me yesterday? The one where you can hear the inner thoughts of the opposite sex for a single day. I came because I want you to erase it right now.”

For some reason, Nekohime-sama was sweating bullets, her eyes darting back and forth nervously. “…A-Ah. That. Yes. That ability.” “Yes! Please erase it!”

“…W-Well now, setting that aside, come up here and make yourself at home for a bit. We can talk after that.” “No, I’m good! Please erase it right now!” “Hm~? Hmm… About that… well… Hmm. Where should I even begin explaining…”

Nekohime-sama guiltily averted her eyes. “Sorry. It seems I cannot erase that ability for a while.”

“…Excuse me?” “…………” “…………You can’t erase it…?” “…Umu.” “…Are you… being serious right now?” “I am being serious…” “…You’re being serious, huh.” “…Umu. So, well, that is how it is.”

Swoosh. The door slid shut, and Nekohime-sama retreated back inside the worship hall.

I see~. So she can’t erase it for a while~. Hmm~.

Without even taking my shoes off, I immediately stepped up into the worship hall and kicked the door open. “What do you mean ‘that is how it is’?!”

Nekohime-sama had curled into a small ball at the back of the room and was trembling violently. “N-No, well, you see… It is a long story…” “Tell me everything.” “U-Umm… Well… You know that candy ball I gave you? In truth, that was an item I purchased via ‘Deity Delivery’.” “…Deity Delivery?” “This.”

On the smartphone screen Nekohime-sama showed me, there was an advertisement for the very candy ball in question.

She actually has a smartphone, huh.

『Eat this and you’ll instantly become super popular!』 『Want to know the inner thoughts of the opposite sex? Then this is for you!』 『With this, the faith people have in you will skyrocket!』 『Every user who tried it is completely satisfied!』 『I got a lover using this!』 『Introduce this product to other users and have them purchase it, and an astounding 10% will go straight into your account!』 『This product is beloved by many famous gods!』 『Start with our free seminar!』

…Ah. I see. Hmm…

“This is completely a scam! No one would actually buy this!” “…Tehehe. I bought it.” “Don’t ‘tehehe’ me!” “…I have no excuse.” “…And so? What do you mean you can’t erase the ability?” “N-No! It is not that I cannot erase it. It is merely that I cannot erase it ‘for a while’!” “…Are you sure about that?”

Nekohime-sama started rummaging through a wooden box placed in the corner of the room. “Hmm… Where should I start… Well, alright. Let me tell you a little bit about the ‘God of Jealousy’.” “The ‘God of Jealousy’?” “Umu. The ‘God of Jealousy’ has always been an eccentric god who is never satisfied unless they are jealous of absolutely everything besides themselves. Envying others, envying them, envying them to the bitter end. That is who they are. They likely possess no other emotions.” “And what does this ‘God of Jealousy’ or whatever have to do with anything?” “Their jealousy knows no bounds, but they harbored an especially strong sense of jealousy toward others who indulge in romance. …And so, unable to suppress their own jealousy, they finally created a single divine tool for the purpose of hurting others.” “D-Don’t tell me…” “Indeed. That is precisely the candy ball you ate without permission.” “…………No, I’m pretty sure you gave it to me, Nekohime-sama.” “W-Well now, is that how it was? Hahaha.”

This god is trying to pin all the blame on me if she can get away with it…

Nekohime-sama pulled a single slip of paper from the wooden box she had been rummaging through. “This is the instruction manual that came with it when I purchased that candy ball via Deity Delivery. However, it seems this one was a fake, and early this morning, the real instruction manual was sent to me separately. …Which is this.”

From behind the wooden box, Nekohime-sama hoisted up a booklet as thick as a phone book and slammed it down in front of me with a thud.

“It’s being treated completely like hazardous material!” “What is more, the contents inside are entirely written in code, and I am still in the middle of deciphering it.” “Is this harassment?!”

Nekohime-sama flipped through the manual with a rustle. “But well, do not worry. That candy ball you ate… it seems its effects vary slightly depending on the age and occupation of the person who ate it. In other words, there is no need to read every single page. Leeeet’s see… the section for a second-year high school boy is………… right here.”

I looked at the opened page, but it was just a bunch of squiggly lines that looked like earthworms; it was complete gibberish to me.

“A-And so? What does it say there?” “I have only translated the very beginning, but… Ahem. ‘Thank you very much for purchasing our product. Customers who ingest this product will, without exception, be granted the wonderful superpower to hear the inner thoughts of the opposite sex. However, there are a few precautions regarding the use of this ability, so we highly recommend you carefully read all the items under the following section, ‘In the Case of a Second-Year High School Boy’, and fully consent to them before use.'” “The following section? You haven’t translated that part yet?” “No, I have already translated the first three items, but… u-umm… well… you see…” “What is it? Stop holding out on me and just tell me.” “…U-Umu. Well then…”

Nekohime-sama took a sharp breath and then rattled it off as if firing a machine gun. “Precaution Number One: ‘The user will die if they receive a confession of love.'”

…………………………………. ……Hm? Die…?

“N-Nekohime-sama? Um, just now, what did you—”

Nekohime-sama cut me off. “Precaution Number Two: ‘This ability will not disappear until the user graduates from the school they currently attend. If the user drops out or transfers schools, they will die.'” “U-Um… Wait a second, regarding my question—” “Precaution Number Three: ‘If an unrelated person learns of this ability, the user will die.'” “No, again—” “That is all. Do you have any questions so far? If not—” “Eh!? A-Yes! I do! I have a question!” “…What is it?” “…Um… well, there are a lot of things… b-but for starters………………………… am I going to die?” “…To begin with, life and death are merely conceptual existences, and even if the flesh perishes, the spirit shall—” “No, I don’t need any of that!” “…Jeez…” “Eh? What is it?” “…Jeez, can you not just give me a break?” “Eh!?” “I said, can you not just give me a break!!” “Eh!?” “It is not as if I wanted to fail! Yet you keep harping on it and blaming me! Are you a demon?! You!”

Uhh…

“N-No… I didn’t mean to…” “In the first place! If you had just tried to solve the problem with your own power, this situation would never have happened! You are also at fault for taking the easy way out and relying on an ability!” “Ugh… Well… that’s… true, but… More importantly, I still don’t understand the situation at all…” “…Then I shall explain it to you again from the beginning. So do not get too angry, alright? Understand? Do not get angry.” “S-Sure…”

Nekohime-sama cleared her throat with an ahem. “…As I said earlier. From now on, you will have to live alongside that ability until you graduate high school. And if, by some million-to-one chance, someone confesses their love to you, you will die right then and there.” “No, why does it turn into a story like that?! Die? Haa!? This isn’t a joke! What I ate was a candy ball that lets you hear the inner thoughts of the opposite sex, right?!” “Umu. That is correct. When it was being sold on Deity Delivery, it was sold under the name ‘Candy to Support Your Love’.”

Their naming sense is catastrophic…

“However, last night, the ‘God of Commerce’ who runs Deity Delivery saw through the fact that the ‘Candy to Support Your Love’ was actually a hazardous item created by the ‘God of Jealousy’. Thus, due to the ‘God of Commerce’s’ report, the ‘God of Jealousy’ who circulated the malicious item on Deity Delivery was arrested, and the real instruction manual left at the ‘God of Jealousy’s’ house was sent this morning to me, the only person who purchased it.”

So they even have arrests in the world of gods. Wait, if you were the only one who bought it, doesn’t that make me the sole victim?

“According to that thick instruction manual, its official name is not ‘Candy to Support Your Love’, but rather, ‘Die, Everyone Enjoying Their Youth Candy’.” “There’s nothing but pure malice in that!” “Right~?” “What do you mean ‘right~’…”

I wonder if this god feels even a shred of responsibility…

Nekohime-sama stood up on the spot with a heave-ho. “Well, whatever the case. As long as no one confesses their love to you, there is no problem. You are not dating anyone in particular, and you have no one who seems likely to fall in love with you, correct? If so, you should not need to worry about it especially right now.” “…That’s true, but having it pointed out to me again really hurts my heart…” “I, too, bear the responsibility for putting your body in such a state, and I will be here to consult with you anytime. I cannot leave the shrine in my current state, but I shall assist you as much as possible. So go home for today. Even I am tired.” “…O-Okay.” “Well then, see you later.”

Nekohime-sama leapt up on the spot, spun around once, and in the next instant, she had vanished cleanly without a trace. Left behind, I looked up at the dusty, low ceiling and muttered to myself. “…To hell with gods.”

---

In the morning, I was lost in thought while absentmindedly brushing my teeth. I had completely lost my cool when I was suddenly told the ability couldn’t be erased and that I would die if I was confessed to. But just as Nekohime-sama said, thinking about it carefully, the chances of someone confessing to me were nonexistent. …Well, yeah. That’s reality for you.

But is it really possible to keep going to school until graduation while listening to other people’s inner thoughts…? Listening to inner thoughts comes with immense guilt, and to have that continue every day…

Just as I let out a deep sigh, Yuina poked her head out from the hallway. “Hey, big brother, are you still not done~? Yuina wants to use the sink too~.” “Ah, my bad. I’m done.” “Mhm. Oh, right. Are you feeling completely better now? You took yesterday off from school too, right?” “Yeah. Slept for a day and I’m totally fine now.”

On the day of my second visit to Kagura Neko Shrine, I went straight home and took the next day off just to be safe. I had thought that maybe, just maybe, everything was simply a misunderstanding on Nekohime-sama’s part, and that the ability might disappear cleanly as originally planned after one day had passed since its manifestation.

When Yuina and I switched places at the washroom, as we passed each other, I heard that voice again.

“Ah. I might have forgotten to put the hamburger steak in big brother’s bento box… Well, whatever.”

However, reality was as you see here; even after a day had passed, I could still hear inner thoughts continuously. I hadn’t heard Yuina’s inner thoughts the morning of the day before yesterday. But ever since I felt that tinnitus upon passing through the main gate when I arrived at school, I had clearly been able to hear Yuina’s inner thoughts when I returned home. Most likely, the activation conditions for the ability I was given included something like ‘passing through the school gates’.

I headed to the kitchen and, while packing the hamburger steak that had been left on a plate into my own bento box, pondered the situation anew. As this fact proved, I still didn’t know the full scope of the ability. What is the effective range for hearing inner thoughts? Does it vary from person to person? What happens if I continue to use the ability?

Yuina, who had come up beside me at some point, asked around the toothbrush in her mouth. “Big brother? What’s wrong? You’re making a difficult face.” “No… It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

“Big brother… could he still be feeling sick?”

Yuina, you actually care about your big brother surprisingly much, huh…

“Or maybe he found out I ate his pudding without asking yesterday? Crap…”

“You ate my pudding yesterday, didn’t you.”

Regardless, right now, I needed to learn more about this ability.

---

That day, I left the house at my usual time. However, I ended up getting so nauseous from the inner voices flying at me from all directions on the station platform that I had to take refuge in the station restroom for about thirty minutes. As a result, by the time I arrived at school, I was barely scraping by right before the late bell.

I never expected to actually get motion sickness from hearing inner thoughts… Does this mean the ability hasn’t fully adapted to my body yet, or is this just the nature of the power? …It’s still too early to draw conclusions. I’ll just have to observe how things progress for now.

I passed through the main gate, changed my shoes at the cubbies, went up the stairs, and braced myself once again.

Anyway. If what Nekohime-sama said is true, this ability won’t disappear until I graduate from school. Now isn’t the time to let the guilt of listening to inner voices crush me.

Besides, an ability that lets you hear the inner thoughts of girls… once I get used to it, it can only be a plus, right? I should be able to avoid unnecessary trouble, too.

Ah, but I shouldn’t play it too perfectly, either. I have to be careful about Precaution Number One: ‘The user will die if they receive a confession of love’…

Thinking that, I let out a little chuckle to myself.

No, there’s absolutely no way that’ll happen. There are no weirdos out there who would fall in love with me. As I thought, my main concern right now should be getting used to the act of hearing others’ inner thoughts itself. Once I adapt to it properly, then I can search for a way to reconcile with Ayano.

When I arrived in front of the classroom door, I took a deep breath.

It’s fine. I can handle this. Whatever the girls are thinking in their hearts, I just have to make sure not to let it bother me.

I hooked my fingers into the groove of the door and slowly slid it open. Immediately, the inner thoughts of the girls inside the classroom flooded in like a broken dam.

“Man, today’s boring too.” “She’s hanging out with boys again…” “I’m so hungryyy.” “Gotta look for a part-time job~” “I’ll absolutely never forgive him.” “My makeup isn’t looking quite right today~”

…A-Alright. It’s within acceptable limits for now. Thank goodness… I can hear a few somewhat malicious thoughts, but… I’m sure I’ll get used to it eventually. For now, I just have to charge in!

Steeling my resolve, I took a step into the classroom, when suddenly, a distinctly loud inner voice echoed from right behind me.

“Ah! It’s Ko-chan! Thank goodness! He was able to come to school! He took two whole days off, so I was getting so worried…”

Hm? Ko-chan? Besides, I feel like I’ve heard this voice somewhere before…

Timidly turning around, I saw a single female student standing there. Smooth, flowing black hair and eyes sharply angled in apparent displeasure. That person was none other than my childhood friend, Ayano Yumemigasaki.

Just like last time, Ayano was glaring at me as if looking at a bug. Yet, from her came an inner voice so childish it was completely unimaginable from her expression.

“A-Alright! Today is the day I’m absolutely going to confess my love to Ko-chan!”

…………Confess? …………Huh?

As my brain completely failed to keep up with the situation, a single phrase from Nekohime-sama struck my mind like a heavy club.

‘Precaution Number One: The user will die if they receive a confession of love.’