Friday afternoon, the hallway of Building One at Touyou University was crowded with students heading home. Class had just ended. Mio slung her bag over her shoulder and started walking. Yesterday's events were still spinning in her head. Rei leaving with the headband still on. The legendary words Makoto had read aloud. "Unless Rei admits his own feelings, there's no real solution"—she'd been thinking about that all night. "[serious]Mio" Makoto was standing against the hallway wall. Soft, brownish hair, calm green eyes. But today, just a little more than usual, his eyes were serious. "[gentle]Um... Makoto? Class is over?" "Yeah" Makoto took a shallow breath. His shoulders were so stiff that Mio could sense his palms sweating inside his pockets. "[serious]Mio. I've liked you for a long time" The noise in the hallway seemed to fade away. Mio stopped. She froze, still holding her bag strap. Makoto's green eyes looked straight at her. The face of her childhood friend for years, but different now. Only now. "[scared]Huh... Makoto—" "[serious]I know" Makoto said it first. "[serious]You like Kurose" "N-No—" She started to deny it, then stopped. Her mouth wouldn't move. Her face grew hot on its own. Makoto smiled slowly. It was gentle, but the corners of his eyes glimmered a little. "[laughing]You're the most obvious person I know, Mio" "That's not true!" "[serious]It is. Really obvious. ...I've been watching the whole time, so I know" Mio's eyes grew hot. She wanted to say no, that's not it. But she didn't know what "not it" meant anymore. Rei's face floated into her mind. Those golden eyes. That profile when he couldn't say "Me too. Because you were there." "[crying]...I'm sorry, Makoto" Her voice cracked. Makoto watched her silently. Then he wiped his eyes roughly and smiled. While smiling, his eyes were properly crying. "[laughing]It's fine. I was prepared anyway" "Makoto..." "[laughing]But I'm not giving up. When that guy turns back into a cat, it's my turn" Mio laughed while crying. She wondered why she could laugh at a time like this, but she couldn't stop. "[crying]Don't say things like that...!" "[laughing]I will. Definitely will" Evening light streamed into the hallway, and between the two of them flowed the warm and slightly bittersweet air that only childhood friends could share. * * * Saturday morning, Rei's phone rang. He looked at the screen. It was from Hinata. "Want to take a walk around Kagerou Street? It'll be a nice change of pace!" Rei thought for three seconds. He couldn't think of a reason to refuse. "[cold]...Yeah, fine" Kagerou Street shopping arcade was lively in the midday light. Sunlight streamed in over the arcade roof, carrying the mixed smell unique to shopping streets. The smell of fried food, flowers from somewhere, and old arcade all blended together. Hinata walked beside Rei, swaying her bright crimson braids. Her bright lemonade-colored eyes darted around looking at the shops. When she smiled, her fangs showed. "[excited]Rei, is there anywhere you want to go?" "[cold]Doesn't matter" "[excited]Then let's decide together! Oh, those takoyaki look delicious!" Rei watched Hinata head toward the takoyaki stand, then suddenly stopped. There was a Hakomart in front of him. The convenience store "Hakomart Minase South Exit"—the place he'd come to countless times with Mio. The place where Mio would pull out her wallet every time and say "Three again!?" but would end up buying him tuna mayo onigiri anyway. Rei found himself walking inside. He headed to the onigiri section and grabbed three tuna mayo. "[surprised]Huh, onigiri already?" Hinata was behind him holding takoyaki. "[cold]What's wrong with that" "Nothing, but..." He paid at the register. Hinata asked, "Do you always come here with Mio?" Rei just answered "Doesn't matter." They continued walking through the shopping arcade. After a while, Rei's feet stopped again. It was in front of Kissaten Lamp. A small coffee shop two minutes on foot from Minase Station South Exit, with the smell of house-roasted coffee drifting outside. There were seats by the window. The place Mio came to twice a week. The seat by the window where Rei liked to look outside. A remnant from when he was a cat, when he'd always liked looking out. "[cold]...Let's go in" "Oh, good idea!" He opened the door. The white-haired master, Kurahashi, glanced over and nodded. Rei headed straight for the window seat without hesitation. Hinata sat across from him and opened the menu, glancing at Rei. She'd been looking like she was thinking about something the whole time. The coffee arrived. Rei drank it while looking out the window. He could see the foot traffic on Kagerou Street. "[serious]...Rei" "What" "[serious]We've been going to all of Mio's places today" Rei's hand stopped above his cup. "[cold]...Coincidence" "The convenience store too, and here" "[cold]There aren't many shops in this area" "Not many shops on Kagerou Street...?" Rei said nothing. Hinata held her cup in both hands and looked straight at Rei. Not her usual energetic face. A properly serious one. "[serious]Rei, you like Mio, don't you" Rei didn't answer. He turned toward the window. The arcade roof of Kagerou Street. Beyond it, the direction of Hazuki Bridge. He tried to say something back. But the words wouldn't come. * * * After a while, they left the shop. Hinata smiled with a hint of sadness. Her fangs showed briefly. But it was a slightly different smile from her usual energetic one. "[sad]I guess I got rejected" "...I didn't say anything—" "[excited]But I still like you! I won't miss the next chance!" She finished speaking and disappeared into the crowd of Kagerou Street, waving her hand. It was an overly energetic retreat. Rei stood alone holding the Hakomart tuna mayo onigiri, watching the direction Hinata had disappeared for a while. The afternoon sounds of the shopping arcade continued. Someone laughing. A child's running footsteps. Rei silently turned toward Hazuki Bridge. （...Why does everything lead back there） He didn't understand it himself. His feet just naturally turned that way. * * * Sunday evening. The surface of Hazuki River was dyed orange. Hazuki Bridge—eight minutes on foot from Minase Station, a place with low railings where the sunset looked beautiful. Where Rei, when he was a cat, had escaped and come alone. Mio and Rei stood side by side, leaning against the railing. The sound of the river. The wind blew, and Mio's black short hair swayed softly. Mio kept looking at the river. Since yesterday, she'd been thinking about what to say. Since the moment Makoto had called her out. "[gentle]Hey, Kuro—" She realized her mistake. "[gentle]I mean, Rei" Rei glanced over. His golden eyes reflected the sunset. "[cold]Kuro is fine" "[gentle]I like Rei better" Rei said nothing. He looked at the river. "[cold]...I see" Silence again. Mio gripped the railing, putting a little more force into her hands. She took a deep breath. "[serious]I'm scared of you disappearing" Rei didn't move. "[serious]I liked Kuro the cat too. We were together for five years. But I like you now too. Or maybe... I've always liked you. Since you were a cat" She said it all at once. She'd said it. The sunset dissolved into Hazuki River. The water surface sparkled. Rei's golden eyes opened wide. He looked at Mio. He opened his mouth. He tried to say something. He closed it again. He opened it once more— Rei's hand landed on Mio's head. Pat. "[surprised]Huh" "[surprised]You're petting my head!? Here!?" She almost fell over. Why would he pet her head after a confession? Was he a cat? Was he still a cat? Well, he used to be a cat. Rei looked away slightly. His ears gradually turned red. "[cold]...Me too" He said it quietly. "[cold]I never resented you. The nail clipping, the baths... I could endure all of it because I was with you. Because you were there, I—" He couldn't finish. He closed his mouth and turned back to the river. But Mio understood. She understood everything. A tear rolled down Mio's cheek. She hadn't meant to cry. But it came out anyway. Rei looked troubled. "[cold]...Why are you crying" "[crying]I don't know, okay" Mio placed her hand on top of Rei's. Awkwardly, they held hands. Rei's hand was large and warm. In that moment—the faint black cat ears that had been barely visible on Rei's head quietly disappeared. Silently, cleanly, they simply vanished. Neither of them noticed at first. They just listened to the sound of Hazuki River in the sunset. Their joined hands were awkward, but neither wanted to let go. After a while, Mio glanced at Rei's head. "[gentle]...Your cat ears are gone" Rei touched his own head. Nothing there. "[cold]...Yeah" A short word. But his voice was a little softer than usual. Mio looked at Rei's profile. Black hair dyed by the sunset. Golden eyes looking at the river. （Did I always like him, too） She didn't know. But this moment felt so certain. The warmth of their joined hands was simply certain. —Then. Mio's phone buzzed. She pulled it from her pocket. She looked at the screen. It was a LINE from her mom. "I'm coming to visit next month! I want to see Kuro~ ☺️" The smile disappeared from Mio's face. She slowly turned toward Rei. Rei leaned in to look at the screen and froze. The cat Kuro was gone. In his place stood a 181-centimeter tall, black-haired, handsome former cat. Mio and Rei looked at each other at the same time. "[scared]What do we do!!" The hand they'd been holding came apart. The evening wind blew across Hazuki Bridge, and the river surface sparkled with light.