Chapter 5 -The Explanation Problem The hallway went silent.

The hallway went silent.

Not the normal kind of silence.

The dangerous kind.

Kuro stared at Rei.

Rei stared at Kuro.

More specifically—

At the ears on top of her head that had suddenly gone completely stiff.

And the tail behind her that had frozen mid-sway.

“…You,” Kuro said slowly.

Her voice was calm.

Too calm.

“…can see them?”

Rei nodded.

“Yes.”

The tail twitched.

A very bad sign.

“…Since when.”

“…Just now?”

The ears lowered slightly.

Kuro looked around the hallway.

Students were walking past them like nothing unusual was happening.

Laughing.

Talking.

Completely unaware that a high school girl currently had cat ears and a tail.

She turned back to Rei.

“…No one else reacted.”

“Yeah.”

“…So only you can see them.”

“Yeah.”

Another twitch of the tail.

Kuro pinched the bridge of her nose.

“…This is a nightmare.”

Rei raised a finger.

“Actually, technically speaking—”

“Don’t.”

Rei lowered his finger.

“Okay.”

For several seconds neither of them spoke.

Kuro seemed to be thinking.

Very hard.

Finally she sighed.

“…Explain.”

“Explain what?”

The tail suddenly flicked forward and smacked his arm.

“OW.”

“Explain,” she repeated, “how you can see something that no one else can.”

Rei rubbed his arm.

“That actually hurt.”

“Good.”

“…You’re scary.”

“Answer the question.”

Rei hesitated.

This was it.

If he told her the truth…

There was a very high chance she would punch him.

But if he didn’t tell her…

She might punch him anyway.

Great.

“…Okay,” Rei said.

“I’m going to tell you something.”

Kuro crossed her arms.

“If this is a joke—”

“It’s not.”

“…Continue.”

Rei took a deep breath.

“Yesterday,” he began carefully, “I prayed to a god.”

Kuro blinked.

“…What.”

“A shrine god.”

“…You’re insane.”

“I’m not finished!”

“Unfortunately.”

Rei continued anyway.

“I prayed for one thing.”

“…Let me guess,” Kuro muttered.

“You asked for good grades.”

“…No.”

“Popularity.”

“No.”

“A normal personality.”

“…Hey.”

Kuro sighed.

“…What did you pray for.”

Rei hesitated.

Then quietly said—

“…A catgirl girlfriend.”

Silence.

Kuro stared at him.

Her expression slowly changed.

From confusion…

To disbelief…

To something that looked very close to horror.

“…You prayed,” she said slowly,

“…for a catgirl.”

Rei nodded.

“And today,” Kuro continued,

“I woke up with cat ears and a tail.”

Rei nodded again.

Kuro pointed at him.

“…You.”

Then she pointed at herself.

“…Did this.”

Rei panicked.

“I DIDN’T MEAN SPECIFICALLY YOU!”

The tail whipped forward again.

WHAP

“OW!”

Kuro glared at him.

“…So your explanation is that a god turned me into a catgirl because of your wish.”

Rei nodded weakly.

“…Yes.”

Several students walked past them.

Completely unaware of the extremely strange conversation happening.

Kuro stared at Rei for a long moment.

Then she sighed.

“…You’re an idiot.”

“That’s fair.”

“But…”

She looked down slightly.

Her fingers brushed the edge of her hair.

“…The ears are real.”

Rei nodded.

“And the tail.”

Another nod.

“…And no one else can see them.”

“Yep.”

Kuro’s tail slowly curled behind her.

“…This is unbelievable.”

Rei scratched his head.

“Technically speaking, it’s divine intervention.”

“Stop talking.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Another moment of silence passed.

Then Kuro looked up again.

“…You said something earlier.”

“Hm?”

“You said you were looking for the girl.”

Rei froze.

“…Yeah.”

“…Why.”

Rei blinked.

“…What do you mean why?”

“You said you had to find her.”

Kuro’s red eyes stared directly at him.

“…For what reason.”

Rei hesitated.

Then quietly said—

“…Because the god told me something.”

“What.”

Rei swallowed.

“He said…”

“…If I found the girl and made her my girlfriend…”

“…The wish would be complete.”

Kuro’s ears twitched.

Her tail stopped moving.

And her face slowly turned red.

“…You’re joking.”

Rei shook his head.

“Nope.”

Kuro immediately turned around and started walking away.

Fast.

Very fast.

“HEY WAIT,” Rei said, chasing after her.

Kuro didn’t stop.

“AKAMINE!”

She kept walking.

Rei finally caught up and grabbed her sleeve.

“Kuro wait—”

She turned around.

Her face completely red.

Her ears flat against her head.

“…You expect me,” she said slowly,

“…to become the girlfriend of the idiot who accidentally turned me into a catgirl?”

Rei opened his mouth.

Then closed it.

Then opened it again.

“…When you say it like that it sounds bad.”

“It is bad.”

“…Fair.”

Kuro pulled her sleeve away.

“…Unbelievable.”

Then she started walking again.

But this time…

Her tail didn’t move away from him.

Instead—

It brushed lightly against Rei’s hand.

Just for a moment.

Before she disappeared down the hallway.

Rei stood there.

Staring.

Because even though she had rejected the idea instantly…

Her ears had been red.

And her tail…

Hadn’t looked angry.

Rei slowly smiled.

“…Okay.”

The mission had officially begun.

He had found the neko kanojo.

Now all he had to do…

Was somehow make her fall in love with him.

Which was probably going to be much harder than wishing to a god.