Chapter 6 Mission- Become Friends

Rei Hoshizaki had reached a very serious conclusion.

Possibly the most serious conclusion of his entire high school life.

He had found her.

The neko kanojo.

Kuro Akamine.

The quiet girl with sharp eyes, a calm voice, and currently—

Two black cat ears on top of her head.

And a tail.

A very expressive tail.

Unfortunately…

She hated him.

“…You’re staring again.”

Rei snapped out of his thoughts.

Kuro was looking at him from across the classroom.

Her ears twitched slightly.

“I’m not staring,” Rei said quickly.

“You are.”

“I’m observing.”

“That’s worse.”

Rei coughed.

Okay.

Step one of the mission:

Stop staring at the tail.

This was proving harder than expected.

The tail swished lazily behind her chair like it was mocking him.

Focus.

Rei straightened in his seat.

He had a plan.

A very simple plan.

Step one: Become friends with Kuro.

Step two: Spend time together.

Step three: Eventually make her fall for him.

Simple.

Easy.

Absolutely impossible.

Rei stood up.

Kuro immediately looked suspicious.

“…Why are you standing.”

“Stretching.”

“You’re walking toward me.”

“Stretching aggressively.”

Kuro sighed.

“…What do you want, Hoshizaki.”

Rei stopped beside her desk.

Then said the thing he had been rehearsing in his head all morning.

“I want to get to know you.”

Kuro blinked.

“…Why.”

Rei rubbed the back of his neck.

“Well… we’re in the same class.”

“Yes.”

“And we’ve barely talked.”

“Yes.”

“And now we’re stuck in this weird situation.”

Rei pointed vaguely toward her tail.

“…So I thought maybe we should become friends.”

Kuro stared at him.

Her ears twitched.

“…Friends.”

“Yeah.”

“You expect me to be friends with the person responsible for this.”

Rei panicked.

“I didn’t know it would turn someone specific into a catgirl!”

“That doesn’t make it better.”

“…Fair.”

Kuro leaned back slightly in her chair.

Her tail swayed slowly.

“…You’re unbelievable.”

Rei grinned awkwardly.

“I get that a lot.”

Silence settled between them.

Kuro studied him carefully.

“…Why are you really doing this.”

Rei blinked.

“What do you mean.”

“You’re too persistent.”

Her red eyes narrowed slightly.

“…You have another reason.”

Rei froze.

She’s too smart.

Technically he did have another reason.

The shrine god had said something very important.

"If you find the girl… you must make her your girlfriend."

But saying that out loud right now felt like a guaranteed way to die.

So Rei told the safest half-truth he could think of.

“…Because you’re the only person who understands this situation.”

Kuro paused.

“…Explain.”

Rei shrugged.

“No one else can see the ears or the tail.”

He pointed between them.

“So if something weird happens…”

“…Only we know about it.”

Kuro was quiet for a moment.

Her tail slowed.

“…That is… technically true.”

Rei smiled slightly.

“So being enemies would make things awkward.”

“…They’re already awkward.”

“Then let’s make them less awkward.”

Kuro sighed.

“…You’re annoyingly logical.”

“I try.”

She looked away slightly.

Her ears tilted sideways.

“…Fine.”

Rei blinked.

“…Fine?”

“I will tolerate your presence.”

“That sounds like progress.”

“It isn’t.”

Rei laughed.

But then something happened.

The classroom door slammed loudly.

Kuro jumped slightly.

And—

“HISSS!”

The sound escaped before she could stop it.

The entire class went silent.

Twenty pairs of eyes turned toward her.

Kuro froze.

Her face turned bright red.

“…That,” Rei said quietly beside her,

“…was definitely not a sneeze.”

Kuro slowly lowered her head onto her desk.

“…I’m going to disappear.”

“You can’t disappear.”

“I will attempt it anyway.”

Rei chuckled.

Then leaned slightly closer.

“Don’t worry.”

“…Why.”

“I’ll help you hide the cat stuff.”

Kuro peeked at him from behind her arm.

“…You will.”

“Yeah.”

Rei smiled.

“Because that’s what friends do.”

For a moment Kuro said nothing.

Her ears twitched slightly.

Then her tail slowly brushed against the side of his desk.

“…I didn’t say we were friends yet.”

Rei grinned.

“We’re getting there.”

Kuro looked away again.

But this time…

Her tail didn’t move away.

And for Rei—

That was more than enough progress for one day.

Because the mission had officially begun.

Mission: Make the Neko Kanojo Fall in Love.

Difficulty level:

Probably impossible.

But Rei Hoshizaki wasn’t planning to give up