Doubt

I let out a sigh of relief so massive it felt like I’d dropped a sack of cement off my shoulders.

Thank every god that exists, I thought, walking down the hallway after the last class. My normal school life has finally started. That whole lunch incident must’ve been a one-time thing. From now on, we’re just desk-mates.

The weather was gorgeous, the sun pleasantly warm, and on my way home I decided to sit for a while in a small park near the station. I bought a can of cold tea and headed for the benches, looking forward to a quiet half hour of peace.

But the moment I turned onto the path, something caught my eye — a familiar, tall figure.

It was Minami. She was standing beneath a sprawling tree, head tilted back, staring fixedly up into the branches. Her usual relaxed posture was gone; her shoulders were tense.

What is she doing? I wondered. My first instinct was to turn around and quietly leave. Not my problem. I finally had a peaceful life going. Why go looking for trouble? I’d already taken a step back when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Minami awkwardly grab hold of the trunk, plant one foot on a jutting root, and try to pull herself up.

My conscience gave a traitorous little twinge. The tree was old, the bark rough. If she fell from that height, or scraped herself up — that would be bad.

Fine, I’ll at least find out why she’s climbing it, I gave in, and with a heavy sigh, stepped out from where I’d been hiding.

“Hey, Minami-san,” I called out, walking closer.

She turned around. One foot was still braced against the trunk, her hands gripping the bark. Seeing me, she didn’t look embarrassed, didn’t flinch, didn’t say a word. She just dropped back down to the ground, brushed off her palms, and silently pointed up at a branch high above our heads.

I followed the line of her finger. There, tiny claws dug into the bark, sat a little ginger kitten. It was letting out pitiful little cries, unable to climb down on its own.

I felt like a complete idiot. What had I even been thinking? That she was setting up an ambush to hunt birds? She’d just been trying to save a cat.

I looked at the kitten, then at Minami, who had already turned her heavy, narrowed gaze back on the branch, clearly gearing up for a second attempt.

“Wait,” I blurted, tossing my bag onto the grass. “Get back. You’re in a skirt, and the trunk’s slippery anyway. I’ll get him down.”

Minami blinked, looked at me, and obediently took two steps back.

I walked up to the tree, rubbed my hands together, and grabbed the lowest branch. I’d been decent at climbing trees as a kid, so the first couple of meters were easy. But the kitten had wedged itself into the worst possible spot — where the branches thinned out and the trunk leaned treacherously to one side.

I pulled myself up higher, trying to feel out a solid foothold.

“Almost got you, buddy, just hold still…” I muttered.

And that’s when I made a fatal mistake. I looked down.

The ground was terrifyingly far away. My tiny bag, Minami’s upturned face, the paved paths of the park… My brain suddenly remembered one small detail I’d conveniently forgotten in my fit of heroism: I am absolutely, deathly afraid of heights.

My head spun instantly. My fingers went stiff. My breath caught, my heart climbed into my throat. I pressed my whole body against the rough bark and squeezed my eyes shut.

I’m going to fall. I’m definitely going to fall. My entire school life is going to end right here, in this park, because of an orange cat, the panicked thoughts kept racing through my head.

“Kuroki.”

Her voice came from below. I carefully cracked one eye open.

Minami was looking straight up at me. But her usual heavy, indifferent stare had changed. Her eyes were slightly widened, her brows drawn together just a little. I couldn’t be entirely sure — between the distance and my own dizziness — but… was she worried about me? Could this unshakable girl actually be capable of feelings like that?

Another pitiful cry came from above. I looked at the kitten. It was trembling, staring at me with huge, frightened eyes.

Come on, Sota, get it together! I ordered myself. There’s a girl watching you. You cannot screw this up!

Gritting my teeth, I forced my hand to peel off the trunk and crawled further along the branch. Slowly, inch by inch. Finally, I reached the little ball of fur.

“Come here…” I carefully cupped it in my palm.

And at that exact moment, the one I’d just saved decided to repay my kindness. The kitten let out a shrieking meow, bared its claws, and raked them across my cheek with everything it had.

“Ow!” I yelped, nearly losing my grip on the branch.

Pain seared across my face, but I somehow kept my balance. Pressing the thrashing little demon against my chest with my free hand, I began my shaky, humiliating descent. Somehow making it to the lowest branch, I jumped down, nearly twisting my ankle.

The second my feet touched solid ground, I let go. The kitten shot off into the bushes and vanished without so much as a backward glance.

I stood there, breathing hard, pressing a hand against the throbbing scratch on my cheek. My knees were still shaking treacherously.

I looked up at Minami, bracing for anything — her signature indifference, a nod, or her just silently walking off.

But she was standing right in front of me, and… she was smiling.

It wasn’t a wide smile. Just a small, soft curve of her lips. But that barely-there gesture transformed her entire face beyond recognition. That intimidating stare of hers was gone, replaced by a surprising warmth and gentleness. She was… she was unbelievably cute. So much so that it took my breath away, and the pain in my scratched cheek was instantly forgotten.

“Thank you, Kuroki,” she said in her quiet voice — but this time, there wasn’t a trace of that cold indifference in it.

My face flushed instantly, flooding with deep color. I felt like I’d just been hit with an electric shock.

“I-it’s nothing! I should get going!” I blurted out in a cracked voice.

Snatching my bag off the ground, I spun on my heel and bolted out of the park like a pack of wild dogs was after me. I didn’t even turn around to say a proper goodbye.

By the time I got home, I was standing in front of the bathroom mirror, dabbing antiseptic on the long scratch across my cheek. My heart was still pounding hard against my ribs, and the same scene kept replaying over and over in my head.

The shade of the leaves, the soft sunlight, her tall silhouette, and that light, genuine smile.

I pressed the cotton pad to the scratch and hissed at the sting.

Maybe underneath that intimidating exterior and heavy stare, there was someone completely different hiding. Someone who didn’t know how to express emotions, loved sweets, and worried about stray kittens.

“Maybe… she’s not as weird as she seems at first?” I asked my reflection quietly, feeling the tips of my ears start to burn traitorously all over again.