My Childhood Friend Meows Under My Skirt. (GL) - Chapter 2

Though we found a certain pattern in the curse of the cat that had befallen Maki, we still had no idea how to break it, and there was no guarantee that we could truly return to normal. Stuck in a dead end, we decided to visit the Miyatai Shrine, where Maki had helped the white cat and, before we knew it, had moved. If we could return to the origin of the matter, perhaps we might discover something.

Situated at the summit of Miyage, Miyatai Shrine overlooks the town from the highest point in the area. Although its elevation is less than 100 meters, making it ideal for the elderly to exercise, it is a castle ruin, and the path to the top is quite convoluted. The typical route involves a long detour that gradually ascends around the mountain. It’s common to see energetic elementary school students taking shortcuts up the slopes during summer festivals or New Year’s visits.

As mid-May approached, the temperature had been rising lately. By the time we reached the summit after climbing the stairs, I was slightly sweaty. Maki, who arrived a few steps behind me, was panting more than I was, yet somehow didn’t seem to be sweating as much. No matter how hot it got, she refused to part with her hoodie, which today was a sleeveless type.

Just after we finished climbing the stairs, it was a pity that turning back to look at the town through the torii gate didn’t provide a beautiful view. Unfortunately, the trees were so thick that the scenery was obstructed. To get a better look at the town, we needed to move a little to the side of the torii gate towards the shrine office. A bench set up there served as a marker, and from that spot, we could see the view unobstructed by trees. The summit wasn’t particularly spacious, and there were more shaded areas than sunny spots.

“After saving the white cat, where was Maki?”

I followed where Maki pointed. We moved directly behind the shrine and she indicated the base of a tree growing near a safety fence. Compared to the surrounding trees, it was unremarkable. If it had a notably thick trunk or an air of mystery about it, it might have been worth investigating, but for now, all we found was a single inchworm diligently climbing up.

Maki would go straight down the mountain after this, and then she would discover that cat ears had sprouted from her head while looking at the surface of the water in the moat at the foot of the hill.

“Nothing’s turning up.”

“Well, if we don’t even know what we’re supposed to find, it’s not surprising that we can’t find anything.”

That made sense.

Maki continued, “So, what do we do now?”

“For now, let’s pray. We have nothing else to do, and we’re bored.”

“You can be naturally rude sometimes.”

If a god were to overhear such a conversation, it might very well turn away in disgust. We didn’t come to the Miyatai Shrine often. More than the inconvenience of climbing, there was something about this area that kept cats away. I suspected it was because it was surrounded by a moat. Many cats dislike water. It might be safe to say this was the only place in Miyage Town without cats.

Standing in front of the main hall, I tossed some coins into the offering box. I let Maki ring the bell, and then performed two bows, two claps, and a final bow.

As I finished my bow, Maki was still with her hands together. I tried to stifle a laugh at her earnestness, but my cheeks suddenly twitched.

White fur was beginning to sprout from the back of her hands. The transformation into a cat was advancing rapidly, quickly covering the surface of her hands.

“M-Maki.”

Maki opened her eyes, looking displeased at being called. Only then did she finally notice the changes happening to her hands. It seemed the “momozo” (a term for a certain technique) hadn’t worked this time.

As Maki groaned, “Gya, gya, gya,” the transformation continued. The final significant change occurred on her palms. A plump, pink bulge began to rise. They were paw pads. Once both of her palms were covered in paw pads, the transformation finally settled.

“This is all your fault for being rude!”

“It’s just a coincidence!”

“The gods are angry!”

“You don’t even know the god enshrined here!”

“It’s Yamamoto Takeru or something like that!”

“Who the heck is Yamamoto Takeru? He sounds like someone who could be around here!”

“You probably don’t know either!”

“It’s something like Himiko, right?”

“You’re so stupid I could puke!”

If anyone witnessed this exchange, it seemed likely that not just us, but even the gods would abandon this town.

I held back Maki, who was about to lash out, and cheekily touched her paw pads, which felt just like those of a real cat. The back of her hands wasn’t completely covered, but about thirty percent was covered in white cat fur. I thought her fingertips might have changed too, but they were still her own. And this time, more than anything, I was witnessing the moment of transformation for the first time. Ah, I should have recorded it.

“The deity enshrined here is called Hagandanou Inari, who brought prosperity to this land, and its familiar was a cat.”

Caught completely off guard, Maki and I turned simultaneously.

There stood a woman.

Dressed in a white kimono and purple hakama, she smiled at us while holding a bamboo broom. What caught my eye most was her hair, the color of a snowy sky, which was long enough to almost touch the gravel-covered ground.

“Hagandanou Inari is the deity who brought prosperity to this land, and its familiar was a cat.”

Her voice was strangely clear, each syllable reaching my ears distinctly. It was so translucent that each time I heard it, my body felt gently cooled.

“I apologize for the late introduction. I am Kimizu, the shrine maiden of Miyatai. Thank you for visiting.”

I returned the bow in kind. When Maki turned around, she instinctively hid her hands in the pocket of her hoodie. Since she couldn’t take them out, it resulted in a somewhat rude gesture.

Kimizu, the shrine maiden. Though I didn’t come frequently, I had been to this shrine for New Year’s visits and summer festivals every year. Yet, I had never seen such a beautiful person before. If I had met her, I would have remembered her distinctive hair length and color right away. Had someone like her really been here? How long had she been the shrine maiden? Perhaps she had only recently arrived.

“By the way, that…”

Kimizu pointed towards Maki. Maki flinched slightly. It was only natural to be on guard, as her finger was pointing straight at the pocket of Maki’s hoodie.

With a gentle smile that seemed to ease our tension, Kimizu said without a hint of disturbance, “What lovely paw pads you have.”