"[surprised]……え" She wasn't sure if the sound had actually come out. Next to her futon. There was an unfamiliar man there. Black hair. Long limbs. A sharp nose bridge. Even in sleep, his face was oddly refined. Mio froze for several seconds, then quietly looked at his face. She didn't know him. Absolutely didn't know him. But—— (Something about this atmosphere……) April morning sunlight streamed through the window. Apartment 203, Tsukimi Terrace. A six-mat room. A cat tower stood solidly by the window, cat toys scattered across the floor, Kuro's favorite faded blue cushion placed beneath the window. Her usual room. Her usual morning. Except for one thing. One decisive thing that was wrong. Kuro wasn't here. In his place was an unfamiliar handsome guy. "————!" She screamed. Shouted, probably. When she came to, Mio had ducked behind the cat tower. She pressed her back against the wall and yanked her phone from her pocket. Her hands were shaking. "[scared]W-who!? Why are you in my room!? Breaking and entering! I'm calling the police!" The man opened his eyes. Slowly. Sleepily. Like someone waking up, with a slight pause. Then he slowly raised his upper body——and looked at Mio. His eyes were gold. Amber-like, pale gold. That color, Mio knew. (Kuro's……eyes. The same color.) The man stared at her for a while. Without saying anything. Just watching, calm and composed. That gaze was, how to put it—— Like a cat's. That evaluating look, but capricious. That feeling. "[serious]……I woke you" His voice was low. Mio couldn't move from the wall. She stood frozen, phone raised. The man lightly brushed his disheveled black hair with his hand and slowly looked around the room. Cat tower. Cat toys. Blue cushion. And Mio. "[cold]It's quite messy" "[angry]That's not the point! Who are you!?" The man's gaze returned to Mio. There was a small scar behind his left ear. Strength drained from Mio's hands. That scar's location. The scar Kuro, who had been a stray cat, got as a kitten somewhere. Every time she stroked behind that ear, it would catch on her finger——that scar—— It was in the same place. "[whispers]K……Kuro?" Her voice trembled. The man's eyebrows moved slightly. After that, his expression didn't change as he looked at Mio. She took half a step from the wall and asked hesitantly. "[scared]It's impossible. A cat can't become human. That's impossible. That's definitely wrong" "[serious]……Yeah" "[scared]But that eye color, and the scar on your ear……" The man——Rei——paused for a moment. There was a secret Mio shared only with Kuro. On quiet nights, alone in her room, she would secretly sing an original lullaby with Kuro on her lap. A melody and lyrics that were completely made up, just a rhythm that felt good, a song she'd never sung to anyone. Rei hummed it. The pitch and rhythm were perfect. Strength left Mio's legs. She sank to the floor, her phone slipping from her hand. It made a small sound. *Clink.* "[sarcastic]I'm collecting five years of grudges. All of it" His voice was low and quiet. Mio sat on the floor, looking up at Rei. Rei looked down at her. 181 centimeters tall. A face so refined it was hard to believe he'd been a cat yesterday. His black hair caught the light in a way that showed a slight reddish tint, and his golden eyes were narrowed. Arms crossed, expression almost blank——but the corner of his mouth was slightly raised. (He looks smug……) Mio thought vaguely. It was the same from when he was a cat. That feeling of turning away with a *pui*, tail held high, after nail clipping was done. Even as a human, nothing had changed. "[surprised]Wait a second. Five years of grudges? What about? The nail clipping? The baths? I did all that for Kuro's sake" "[cold]I remember everything" "[scared]Everything!?" Rei blinked slowly. He said nothing else. The silence was heavy. Mio held her head. Nail clipping, bathing, cheek rubbing, commemorative photos, that incident where she tried to force him to eat a birthday cake for cats——he remembered all of it. (It's over.) Outside the window, the sound of cars came from the direction of Kagerou Street's shopping arcade. The usual morning sounds. Minase City was starting its day without a care. The sound of the Naruse Railway crossing came from far away. That's when Mio realized. "[surprised]Wait wait——what time! What time is it!?" She picked up her phone. She looked at the screen and went pale. 8:17. First period at 9. Eight minutes by bus, twenty-five minutes on foot——she wouldn't make it. If she ran, maybe she could. Mio stood up. She grabbed her bag and pulled a hoodie over her head. Rei watched her intently. "[angry]We'll talk when I get back! Actually, I have questions to ask before we talk!" "[sarcastic]……Don't trip running" "[angry]Shut up!" She opened the door. There was someone in the hallway. Kishimoto Tae——the landlord of Tsukimi Terrace, 78 years old——was standing there with a smile. Small and round, wearing a white apron. She held a basket of laundry. "Oh, Mio dear. Good morning" "[surprised]Ah, Tae-san, good morning! I'm in a rush today——" Tae's gaze looked past Mio's shoulder into the room. She must have seen Rei, arms crossed, leaning against the doorframe. A moment of silence. "[surprised]……Oh my" Tae's eyes narrowed and she smiled slowly. "[gentle]Your boyfriend? When did that happen. He's handsome" "[scared]N-no! Um, he's a distant relative!" "[gentle]A relative? But if a boy is staying in your room, he's your boyfriend" Tae nodded at her own pace. Her smile didn't waver at all. Mio turned around, her ears burning red. Rei remained leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching the whole scene. The corner of his mouth was raised a bit higher than before. "[sarcastic]……A distant relative, huh" He said it quietly, in a low voice. "[sarcastic]That's a tough one" "[angry]Shut uuuup!" Mio's voice echoed through Minase City on an April morning. Sparrows flew up all at once from the direction of Kagerou Street's shopping arcade. Tae chuckled and adjusted her laundry basket. "[gentle]You two are close. Young people are nice. So energetic in the morning" Tae walked down the hallway without a care. Mio covered her face with both hands. She was going to be late. Kuro had become human. The landlord thought he was her boyfriend. Three facts spun around in her head. She ran. * * * The road down from Tsukimi Terrace was warm in the spring morning sun. When she passed the small park at Tsukimi Terrace, a single swing was swaying. Probably the wind. Mio rushed into the shopping arcade. Kagerou Street. 350 meters long, an old-fashioned arcade that remained from the Showa era. Most shops weren't open yet, shutters lined up. Only Kissaten Lamp had its door open already. The smell of coffee drifted out. (I don't have work today.) Mio thought absently as she slipped past. Kurahashi-san should be grinding beans at the counter right now. She worked here twice a week. 1,020 yen per hour. This month, Rei's food expenses might be added to that—— (Added? What am I saying. Are we living together? Wait, are we?) Her head couldn't keep up while running. The Naruse Railway crossing came into view. The Minase Line crossing. Red lights were blinking. The crossing gate came down. Mio stopped running and stood before the gate. The train passed through. *Clatter, clatter. Clatter, clatter.* It became quiet. She thrust her hand into her hoodie pocket and felt something hard against her finger. (……What's this?) She pulled it out. A thin card. Bluish in color. When she turned it over——it was a My Number Card. She looked at the photo section. The handsome guy from this morning's room was there. Name field. "Kurose Rei." Address field. Apartment 203, Tsukimi Terrace. Mio froze before the crossing gate. The train was already gone. The gate was rising. But her feet wouldn't move. A cat had become human. That alone was already impossible. But this——who made it? Was it real or fake? Did the human Kurose Rei exist in this world? The April morning sun hit the Kagerou Street arcade and sparkled. Mio's head spun. Kuro became human. There's a My Number Card. The landlord thinks he's her boyfriend. He said he'd collect five years of grudges. He said he remembers everything. The nail clipping, the baths, the cheek rubbing, the lullaby——everything. What was waiting for her when she got home? Mio put the My Number Card back in her pocket and crossed under the gate. Being late was a given now. Eight minutes by bus to Toyo University's campus. Whether she could even catch that bus was questionable. But somehow, her steps didn't feel heavy. Something was beating fast in her chest. She didn't know what it was yet.