A Curse Called Love

I hum to myself as I walk, footsteps echoing down the hall. Though I try to step in between the tile's lines, it's a bit difficult with my height.

*tap-tap, tap-tap*

There's no one around me in the quiet of the late morning, just my own thoughtful feet. It's summer break after all, so while there are still clubs going on, this part of school's all mine~

Well, mine and Miyari's. If I can find her, that is.

Our club is just the two of us—more excuse to hang out than anything else. Still, it's time to have our first meet, and I wouldn't want to miss it. After all, she has a crush on me.

My heart skips as I do, getting more bold in my footwork. It's still rather hard to believe. Miyari? Crush? Me? Oh, it makes me so giddy, especially since I've liked her a lot too.

Sometimes it pays to be nosy~

My eyes close for a bit, thinking of how to handle this new information from last night. If I get there before her, maybe I could finally use this time to confess? Set something up in the clubroom, launch a surprise confession!

I peek at my phone as I round a corner. It's 10:20, ten more minutes to go. I glance at the signs labeling each of the rooms, brightening once I finally see the one where my best friend's set to be.

"Hehe~" My legs feel lighter, carrying me all the way until I get to the door. Then, I go for the handle—

"…fufufu, it all comes to this, does it? My ingenious plan, all coming together…"

I immediately freeze as I hear her voice through the metal, curiosity peaking like my class ranking last month.

She's on one of her chuuni rants, isn't she?

"…" A giggle.

Oh but that makes me love her so much more! The delusion, the cringe! The way she makes up these convoluted scenes and schemes and themes!

I gently rest my ear against it, hoping to witness more of her unhinged episode.

"…with this voodoo doll of her complete, I can finally enact total domination. Bend her to my every whim. All my perverted fantasies—pure debauchery—it will be laid bare upon her will, forcing her to dance at my fingertips…!"

My eyebrows raise, and a smirk appears, but I listen on. Interesting, never took her for that kinda gal. But well, I'm not opposed to that sorta thing. What things would she have me do—?

"…first, I'll have her stroke my hair…"

"…then, she'll caress my ears."

"…and lastly, she'll massage tail, head, back! All until I'm a purring mess on her lap…!"

I blink and let out an internal sigh.

Of course. How silly of me to forget who she is.

I scuffle my shoes along the linoleum, making several screeches with the soles. "Hello~?" I call out in a sing-songy voice, pretending to just now walk over here. "Miyari-chan, you in there?"

"By the elder gods—" I hear some scrambling and a few fecal-based profanities before silence. "Uh—um—I'm here, Kimiko!"

The door squeaks as it unlocks, and I push it open with a flourish, my smile bright. "Heeeeeey Miyari-chan~!"

She's currently sat at one of the desks like some shogun, the other ones piled over to the sides to make room for the two of us. Her 'tail' flicks—really just surprisingly well-made cosplay, and she waves with an arm, a blush covering her face. "Greetings, fellow club-mate and closest confidant. What brings you here to the lair of my cult today…?"

"Didn't we schedule a club meeting for 10:30?" I ask, trying not to laugh. "It's sort of our first summer meeting after all, right?"

"Ah." Her golden eyes dart away from mine—once again, surprisingly well-made cosplay. "Right. Well. Very good! You've passed my test, and thus, I may deem you worthy of—"

"—of playing Anim*l Crossing, right?" I ask, pulling up a chair and setting my backpack beside me. I pull out my gaming device, playing oblivious to her earlier ruminations.

Miyari pauses and then nods. "Right. Right. That. Well, I actually have one task for you to do first. One that will allow me bestow immortality upon you…"

I raise a brow at her. "Oh?"

She puffs up her chest, likely about to go on another long-winded explanation. "I require a lock of your hair, so that it may become the final component of this totem of life-force." She waggles a half-finished doll at me. "Behold, the cursed object which will bind you to eternal life. With a bit of your essence, we can seal the pact."

I gaze upon it, acting surprised—wait, hold on. Is that a tag still attached to it?

"'Does not work unless target is in love—'"

"CURSES!" She whips it around, her cheeks red. "A false rune has been applied to it! I must purge this in the dark flame of the nearest fire."

"It's a voodoo doll, isn't it?"

"…" Her 'cat ears' twitch. "No, I would never use such dark, vile magic. My powers are only sourced from all-natural, organic, and cruelty-free ingredients. Like God's blessings or devil's luck."

I roll my eyes, but smile, casually plucking a strand of my black hair and handing it to her. "Here. Finish it up, okay? Then we can get on to the real fun."

Her eyes sparkle. "Ooooooo~!" Hands immediately go to work, tying the hair around the doll, sewing on a few more buttons for the eyes. It looks almost exactly like a chibi version of me.

"Muahahaha!" She cackles, holding the doll high. "Foolish mortal! While you may be my closest and dearest, most trusted ally, you are still no match for me! Behold the true might of my powers…!"

She moves the doll's hand in front of her. And then, I feel a tug.

Wait, what?

My arm rises up. She moves the doll's hand in a petting motion, and mine goes straight for her head.

I'm frozen, jaw dropped as my hand caresses her soft brown hair, fingers weaving between her locks. Her breath hitches, and I feel her tense.

"Huehuehuehue~" She laughs, tail swaying and ears flicking. "It's working, it's working! The doll works! Now, I have you completely in my control…!"

She moves it again, and my hand shifts down to her cat ears, petting the fake appendages.

"Nya~" She nuzzles into them, eyes closed in bliss, and I can feel my heart racing, my cheeks reddening, and the heat between us rising.

I'm not sure what I'm more shocked about: the fact that the doll seems to work, or that she just nya'd in public.

Still, I keep playing along. "M-mmm. You're right, I'm powerless before you, oh great Miyari-sama…"

"That's right, that's right! I'm the best…! Now, let's strip you of your last bit of dignity…!"

My hand slides down her cheek, until my fingers are playing with her lips. "Ny-nya~" She purrs, leaning into me, and I can't help but gasp, a little too aware of just how close she is.

Oh my goodness, this is so cringe. But it's also so cute and AAAAH!! Why am I enjoying this so much?!

My hands are now rubbing beneath her chin, and she's all but melted. "Yes, yesss~" She croons. "Keep going, keep going!"

I somehow muster enough courage and willpower to take back control of my hands, making a grab for the voodoo doll. I snatch it out of her grasp, and she turns, eyes wide. "K-Kimiko?! G-gimme that back—"

"Uh-uh." I wag my finger, almost out of breath. Oh wow, when did I get this hot?

"It's clear to me that you're abusing your powers. And so, as the hero of this story, I have to stop you."

"…h-huh…?" She squeaks out, and I can see her tail fluffing—seriously, like how does she do that?

I toss the doll into my bag, zipping it up with a flourish. "So I'm going to confiscate it for now. But I also think you should be punished a bit more, hmm?"

"Kimiko…?!" She looks up at me, all her bluster suddenly gone. "Wh-what are you gonna do to me?"

"Only the most vile thing imaginable~"

I grin, and before I know it, my hands are all over her. Tickling her sides, her armpits, her belly. "H-hey, don't—no, please, hahehehe! THE GRAND MAGUS OF THE ORDER DOES NOT WISH TO—HAHA, HA—BE TICKLED—HAHAHAHA!"

I giggle, and she shrieks, and we both have to pause to breathe after a while, although that's more her than me.

"Kimiko," she says between breaths, "you—you're—"

"Amazing, yes, I know. The greatest person in the world, the most powerful sorceress, and the most beautiful witch." I pose, fueling her delusions with the hopes of having a bit more fun later.

Miyari nods, eyes sparkling, and I can't help but giggle once more.

My thoughts linger over to the doll in my bag as she finally takes out her gaming console. So, voodoo magic, huh?

"…!" An epiphany strikes as it combines with my earlier plans. Brain goes into overdrive.

Maybe, just maybe, I could use this to my advantage.