Chima-chan's After-School Love! ~The Cat-Eared Transfer Student is a Diva~ - The Cat-Eared Secret Base and the Crybaby Dogwood

The next day, after school. Less than ten minutes after the bell rang, Chima was standing in front of Haruto's desk. Her cat ears twitched and swayed. "Haruto-kun, where are you going to show me today?" Haruto let out a small sigh as he packed his textbooks into his bag. "...You're full of energy, aren't you." "Of course! School is fun. Yesterday I only got to see the library and the courtyard, nya. Today I want to go to lots more places." (*Being a caretaker is this much work, huh.*) Even as he grumbled internally, Haruto stood up. He had no reason to refuse. Well, he did have a reason—it was a pain. But he couldn't just let this tiny transfer student wander the school alone. "Fine. Let's go." "Yay! Haruto-kun, I love you!" "...Don't say stuff like that so casually." Chima tilted her head. Her large, bluish-gray eyes blinked up at Haruto in confusion. "Why not? It's true." "...Come on, let's go." Haruto walked out of the classroom just a little too quickly. The tips of his ears felt hot. (*Why does this girl have no sense of personal space?*) Out in the hallway, the dry October wind drifted in through the windows. The sky over Minaka City was a pale autumn blue. Seiran Academy was a somewhat unusual school that combined a general studies program with a music program. Founded forty-two years ago. The school motto was "Resonating Individuality." The white school building stood atop a hill, a twelve-minute climb from the station. "First, the school store—Kobato Shop. You can buy bread and drinks there. The famous item is the Seiran anpan, one hundred fifty yen." "Anpan! I love red bean paste, nya!" Chima's cat ears perked straight up. "...I'll buy you one sometime." "Really!? It's a promise!" "Yeah, promise." (*Why am I saying this?*) Haruto tilted his head inwardly. The two walked down the first-floor hallway. They passed the school store, went by the staff room, and headed toward the entrance. Chima looked around restlessly, letting out little "wow"s and "ooh"s. "This is Kanade Hall. It's the hall the music program uses. School assemblies and music program recitals are held here too." He pointed to a separate building on the west side of the school. White walls, a glass entrance. "Is the music program different from the general studies program?" "Yeah. This school has both programs side by side. The music program is said to be at a national level. More than half their classes are music-related, and some students even do acoustic performances in the courtyard during lunch." "Wow, that's amazing, nya. Haruto-kun, you can play piano, right?" Haruto's feet stopped for a moment. "...How do you know that?" "I can tell by looking at your fingers. The fingertips of people who play piano are just a little bit hardened. I can tell those things." Chima smiled brightly. "...I see." (*She's surprisingly sharp.*) Haruto unconsciously rubbed his fingertips together inside his pocket. "Oh, hey, what's that?" Chima pointed at the emergency staircase at the east end of the main building. "That's the staircase to the rooftop. It's off-limits." "Off-limits?" Chima tilted her head. Her cat ears twitched. "...I want to go." "Huh?" "I want to go. Because when someone says it's off-limits, it makes me want to go even more." "Your logic makes no sense." "It makes perfect sense. Curiosity is a cat's instinct, nya." With that, Chima trotted off toward the emergency staircase. "Hey, wait!" Haruto hurried after her. The emergency staircase door was old iron, slightly rusted. Chima grabbed the handle. "Oh, it opens." "Hey, stop. If a teacher sees us—" "It's fine, I'll come right back." *Click.* The door opened easily. (*Is the lock broken?*) Haruto realized, only now, that he already knew the lock on this door was broken. No—he knew. He knew, and he'd kept quiet about it. Because this was Haruto's secret place. "Wow...!" Chima dashed up the stairs. "Hey, wait. Seriously, this is bad." Haruto followed after her. At the top of the stairs, there was another iron door. That one opened easily too. Blue sky spread out before them. The rooftop. The wind blew softly through. "Amazing! This is amazing, nya! Haruto-kun, look, the sky is so close!" Chima spread her arms wide and spun around. Her near-white golden hair shimmered in the sunset light. "...You really are free-spirited." Haruto gave a wry smile. The rooftop was Haruto's secret place. He'd never told anyone about it. A place to read books alone after school, or to gaze at the sky. And now, a cat-eared girl was standing in that place. (*How did this happen?*) But it didn't feel bad. "Hey, Haruto-kun." Chima turned around. Her large eyes stared straight at Haruto. "Can I sing here?" The wind swayed Chima's hair. "...Do whatever you want." Haruto said that and sat down near the fence. "Yay!" Chima smiled happily. Then she took a small breath. Her singing voice echoed across the rooftop. The song of the dogwood. The same song she'd sung in the courtyard yesterday. But it was more than yesterday. Her voice melted into the sky. The wind carried the song. (*...She really is good.*) Haruto closed his eyes. The song ended. "How was it?" Chima tilted her head. "...Not bad." "That's all?" "...It was really good." Haruto said it sheepishly. "Really!? I'm so happy!" Chima hopped and ran over to Haruto's side. "I want to make everyone smile with my singing." "Make everyone smile." "Yeah. If someone smiles because of my song, that alone makes me happy. So I want to practice a lot and sing a lot, nya." Chima said it while gazing at the distant sky. "...Then you should sing in front of everyone sometime. Like at Dogwood Plaza." Chima's smile vanished. Just for an instant. "...Yeah. You're right." Her voice grew small. "Chima?" "It's nothing! Oh, look, that cloud looks like a cat!" Chima hurriedly changed the subject. (*Just now, something...*) Haruto stared at Chima's face. But Chima had already returned to her usual smile. "...Yeah, it's a cat." Haruto didn't press further. Chima plopped down next to Haruto. Close enough that their shoulders almost touched. A sweet, soap-like scent drifted from Chima's hair. (*...She's close.*) Haruto's chest thumped. "Haruto-kun, you're warm." Chima leaned against Haruto's arm. "H-hey." "Can we stay like this, just for a little while?" "...Do whatever you want." Haruto couldn't move. His heartbeat was loud. (*Why am I so nervous?*) He didn't really understand it himself. The sunset dyed the two of them orange. For a while, only the sound of the wind could be heard. "...We should head back soon." "Yeah." Chima stood up reluctantly. "Can I come here again?" "...You already found it on your own. You'd come even if I said no." "Ehehe, you caught me?" "...Well, let's just say this is our secret place." "Secret place! Yeah, it is, nya!" Chima smiled happily. Haruto smiled a little too. The next morning. When he entered the classroom, Chima was already sitting at her desk. "Haruto-kun, good morning!" "...Morning." Haruto sat down at his desk. "Hey hey, let's go to the rooftop again after school today." "...Again?" "Because it's our secret place. We go together." "You're too loud. People can hear you." "Ehehe, sorry." Chima covered her mouth in an exaggerated gesture. At that moment, footsteps stopped at the classroom entrance. "...Haru." Haruto turned around. A girl with honey-colored bobbed hair stood there. Hoshikawa Sara. His childhood friend since kindergarten, living only a three-minute walk away. A bright, popular girl who got along with everyone in class. Today, her hair was tied to the side with a scrunchie. "Hey, Sara. Morning." "G-good morning, Haru." Sara stared intently at Chima, who was sitting next to Haruto. "...Oh? Sara-chan, good morning!" Chima waved her hand energetically. "G-good morning, Chima-chan." Sara returned the greeting with a smile. But that smile was just a little stiffer than usual. (*Sara? What's wrong?*) Haruto noticed the subtle change in his childhood friend. "Hey, Haru. Want to walk home together today?" "Walk home?" "Yeah. Just the two of us, for the first time in a while. You know, that new shop near Misora Hill Park—you were curious about it, right?" Sara spoke just a little too fast. "...Sorry. I have caretaker duties for Chima after school today." "Caretaker..." Sara's smile vanished in an instant. "Sorry. Another time." "...Yeah. Another time." Sara said that and sat down at her desk. (*What's with her? Is Sara in a bad mood?*) Haruto tilted his head. Lunch break. Autumn sunlight poured down on Dogwood Plaza. "Hey, Chima-chan. Your song yesterday was amazing!" "Sing it again!" Classmates had gathered around Chima. "Okay! If everyone wants to listen, I'm happy, nya." Chima smiled happily. Haruto sat on a bench a short distance away, watching. (*Yesterday, she seemed so reluctant to sing in front of people.*) No—it wasn't reluctance, exactly. She'd seemed anxious. But now, Chima was laughing and having fun. "Okay, I'll sing." Chima took a small breath. The song began. Under the dogwood tree, Chima's voice rang out. A clear, transparent voice. The wind carried the song. The first to notice was a girl standing right in front of Chima. "...Huh?" Tears spilled from her eyes. "Why... am I crying?" Another student was wiping away tears. One after another, the eyes of the surrounding students grew wet. "What is this... my chest feels so tight." "I can't stop crying." More than ten students in the plaza were all crying. Haruto stood up. (*What is this?*) Chima's singing was certainly good. But for this many people to start crying at the same time— The song ended. Chima looked around and froze. "...Everyone, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" "Chima-chan, your song is incredible...!" "I'm so moved! Thank you!" "Amazing, amazing, Chima-chan!" The students praised Chima while wiping their tears. But among them, a few students had different expressions. "...Isn't that kind of scary?" "Yeah. Being forced to cry feels kind of gross." "Chima's song might get a reputation as the crybaby song." They whispered to each other in low voices. Haruto didn't miss those words. (*Gross, they said?*) A sharp pain pricked deep in his chest. Chima was still smiling. "Everyone's happy! I'm so glad, nya!" But behind that smile, something seemed to waver. After school. Only Haruto and Chima remained in the classroom. "...Chima, about lunch break today." "Yeah! Everyone cried. My song moved their hearts. I was so happy, nya." Chima said it cheerfully. "...I see." (*She's not bothered by it?*) No—maybe she just hadn't noticed. "Haruto-kun, can we go to the rooftop again today?" "Yeah, sure." "Yay! I'll go get my stuff!" Chima hurried back to her desk. And the moment she came back, she hugged Haruto. "Wha—! Hey!" "I'm so happy we get to walk home together again today, nya!" "That doesn't mean you should hug me!" "Ehh, why not? Haruto-kun is so warm." "Warm isn't the issue!" That's when it happened. "Hey, what do you think you're doing!!!" Sara shouted from the classroom entrance. Haruto and Chima turned around at the same time. Sara was glaring at Haruto with tearful eyes. "Sara...?" "Haru, you idiot!!!" Sara screamed that and ran off. "...Huh?" "What's wrong with Sara-chan?" Chima tilted her head. "...Why is she mad?" Haruto genuinely didn't understand. (*Why is Sara angry?*) He mentally facepalmed, hard. "Haruto-kun, Sara-chan was angry." "...Yeah." "I wonder why?" "I'd like to know." Haruto pictured Sara's back as she ran away. (*Was Sara always the type to get that emotional?*) They'd been together since kindergarten. Bright, kind to everyone, but sometimes strangely stubborn. (*...I don't get it.*) Haruto let out a small sigh. "Should I apologize to Sara-chan

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Episode 2

Name: Chima-chan's After-School Love! ~The Cat-Eared Transfer Student is a Diva~
Author: Novelia

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