My Childhood Friend Meows Under My Skirt. (GL) - Epilogue

The day after that commotion, which could be said to have involved a lifetime’s worth of skinship with cats, I skipped school for the first time. I slept the entire day like a log. I had never quite understood the expression “like a log” until now, but I finally grasped its meaning.

It described the feeling of being stuck to the bed, as if my very existence was glued there, and then gradually sinking into unconsciousness. I thought the person who first came up with the phrase “like a log” was a genius.

When my parents saw me return home in the middle of the night, covered in scrapes and other various injuries, they screamed. They almost called the police right then and there. It took an hour to convince them of the lie that I had fallen into a ditch and lost consciousness. The final cause of the fatigue that had put me to sleep like a log was this convincing of my parents.

Four days later, the muscle pain throughout my body finally began to subside. When I asked, Maki said she was feeling about the same. Although the bruises and scrapes hadn’t completely healed, we had recovered enough to resume our daily lives, so that morning, we decided to visit Miyatai Shrine before heading to school.

Kimizu-san was cleaning the shrine grounds as usual. She wore a navy blue diving suit and a flamboyantly patterned snorkel mask on her head. It was anything but usual.

“Whoa, a customer!? I didn’t think anyone would come in the morning! …Oh, it’s just you two. Don’t scare me like that!”

“Is that part of the ritual?”

“No, it’s just the full extent of my hobby.”

I thought as much.

It seemed she was planning to get into diving next. The last time we met, she had mentioned something about not being able to leave the shrine grounds, but I wondered if she could go to the sea.

“Getting a full set can be quite expensive, you know. But I think you need to start with the gear to get motivated. This suit has really started to feel comfortable. It hides my tail well, too. Oh, welcome back, Maki. You had quite the ordeal, didn’t you? And this snorkel mask here—”

I had contacted Kimizu-san in advance to let her know Maki was back, but I hadn’t revealed the details. I thought about how worried she must have been over the past four days, but it seemed she had been too busy getting accustomed to her diving suit.

As I reported Maki’s safety to the priestess aiming for the ocean floor, I began to reveal the specifics of what had happened. When I got to the part about swallowing the magatama, Kimizu-san, who had been listening calmly, finally lost her composure.

“Are you two out of your minds!?”

“Could you at least wait until I change before saying that?”

With Maki’s sharp retort, Kimizu-san disappeared into the shrine office. I thought it would take a while, so we finished our prayers, and just then, Kimizu-san returned, now dressed in her formal white robe and hakama.

“Are you two out of your minds!?”

“You really are going to lecture us, huh…”

There was no escaping it; we were thoroughly subjected to Kimizu-san’s scolding. Most of her tirade consisted of her lamenting, “I’m going to get scolded by my master!” Even after she had vented her anger, her flustered state didn’t seem to subside.

“Seriously, who would even think of doing something like that? Swallowing something that’s supposed to be worn around your neck—where does that idea even come from? Scary… modern high school girls are scary… And what will the consequences be? I don’t even know. I’m done. It’s not my fault.”

“But it all turned out fine like this.”

Maki said, half to soothe her. There were no ears on her head. No parts of her body were covered in cat fur, nor was her tail swaying. The traces of the cat that had once manifested were now completely gone.

“How did you manage to balance it all?” Kimizu-san asked.

“We talked slowly over the past three days. Since she learned some words, communication was smooth. We decided to switch consciousness only when she had a request or when I permitted it.”

Today was the first time I was hearing this. I had been told that the magatama was working properly, but I hadn’t realized they had progressed to specific negotiations with that white cat.

Kimizu-san smiled gently.

“It seems you managed to adjust well. I think the idea of switching regularly is a good one.”

“Basically, thanks to the magatama, she doesn’t come out, but I thought some pressure relief might be necessary. It’s not just my body.”

“That’s the most important thing. By the way, could I ask you to show me as a test?”

“Well, okay.”

After answering, Maki exhaled and lightly knocked on her head. It seemed there was a procedure. After a few seconds of silence, as if waiting for a response from within, she began to close her eyes.

Squatting down, Maki placed both hands on the gravel of the ground. By the time her eyes opened again, the color of her irises had already changed.

The white cat Maki looked up and met my gaze. Her yellow eyes had narrow, sharp pupils. Her mouth was tightly shut, making it hard to read her emotions. She seemed a bit sulky.

I squatted down to be at her eye level. A few steps forward, and Maki came closer.

“I’m sorry for being rough. Are you mad?”

“…A little.”

“I thought so.”

She turned her face away, and then I heard a small voice.

“…If you pet me again, I’ll forgive you.”

“Okay, I understand.”

I was overwhelmed by the urge to hug her, but I managed to hold back and reached out to stroke her head. I could see her mouth beginning to soften.

After shaking her head as if to brush my hand away, Maki turned her back. Suddenly, she stood up.

When she turned around, she was already back to being Maki. How was it? she seemed to ask with her eyes. Before I could answer, perhaps feeling embarrassed, she looked away. The gesture was strikingly similar to that of the white cat.

This was the answer Maki had found.

A way to live together.

“I’m sorry for causing so much trouble. But I don’t regret it.”

Maki bowed her head toward Kimizu-san. Kimizu-san nodded quietly. In a gentle, clear voice, she responded.

“You’ve reached a good conclusion. It’s an answer I could never have come up with. I think it’s wonderful, and I respect you for it. Some might say it’s not perfect, but I believe it’s a beautiful way to live.”

Not perfect, but beautiful.

I thought that was indeed a fitting phrase.

By the time we descended to the foot of the hill, we were just about late for school. The subsequent bragging from Kimizu-san about her diving gear was painfully unnecessary.

I ran alongside Maki toward school. I regretted not bringing my bicycle, but I hadn’t been able to fix the flat tire since I retrieved it.

“This is the worst. It’s going to hurt my muscles…”

“I think I’ll switch with the cat. By the time I wake up, we’ll be at school.”

“What? That’s unfair! You can use it like that now!?”

What an enviable ability.

As we entered the residential area, I spotted a cat lounging lazily in someone’s yard, and suddenly running felt utterly ridiculous. I gave up and started walking, but Maki admonished me, saying I’d be late. Still, she stopped to match my pace.

“It’s fine if I’m late. I’ve decided not to rush anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

“I want to be beautiful rather than perfect.”

“That doesn’t make any sense. You’re using the phrase wrong.”

Maki sighed in exasperation. It didn’t mean anything, but I couldn’t help but laugh. When I finally burst out laughing, Maki joined in with a small chuckle.

We returned to our usual route to school, walking leisurely.

“Hey, Ichika.”

“What is it?”

“…Do you think this was okay?”

I glanced at her profile. She was looking down, her face openly displaying her anxiety.

In this town, cats sometimes curse people.

The stories vary from person to person. Anyone who has lived in this town long enough has heard such tales at least once. And I, too, have one such story.

For example, how about the story of witnessing my childhood friend’s body transform into that of a cat? It could certainly be seen as a tale related to a curse, but depending on how you look at it, it could also be a story of salvation.

“I think it’s very much like you, Maki.”

“Like me? What do you mean?”

“Clumsy but sincere. You might seem brusque, cold, and indifferent, but you actually think about a lot of things. You’re not incredibly smart, and you get lost a lot, but in the end, you always manage to find the right answer.”

“…Are you complimenting me or insulting me?”

“Interpret it however you like.”

I received a kick to my rear. How rude.

“You really come up with your thoughts so easily, don’t you?”

“Because we’re childhood friends.”

As soon as I answered, there was an abrupt silence.

Simple expressions and complicated emotions all came through, making me feel embarrassed too. Maki’s stride shortened, and naturally, I found myself stepping ahead. I hesitated to match her pace and walk alongside her, but that felt embarrassing too.

In the end, I pretended not to care and walked a few steps ahead. While searching for another topic to discuss, Maki quietly spoke up.

“…By the way, I haven’t thanked you.”

“Thanked me?”

“For the help you gave me. I haven’t repaid you.”

“Oh, it’s fine, really.”

“That’s not okay. I won’t feel satisfied.”

Her response was so predictably typical that I almost laughed. Just hearing her voice made it clear what kind of expression she was wearing.

This was one of those situations where I had to respond properly, or it wouldn’t end, and as I was troubled by that, I spotted a convenience store up ahead. An idea for a suitable reward came to mind.

“Then how about you get me a dessert from the convenience store—”

Just as I turned to respond, I felt a tug on my arm and stumbled.

Before I could voice my surprise, she pulled me closer. In an instant, my entire field of vision was filled—

Her lips brushed against my cheek.

She quickly pulled away and dashed a few steps ahead.

“W-w-w-wait!”

I pressed my hand against the cheek that had been touched. It felt warm, and I was about to jump out of my skin.

Maki turned around, grinning mischievously as if her prank had succeeded. What was that? What just happened? What did she do? Um, what kind of face should I make? Is this really happening?

“W-was that you, Maki? Or was it the white cat…?”

As I hesitated, Maki stared back at me silently, her gaze piercing. Just moments ago, it had been so easy to read her, but now I couldn’t decipher her at all.

And then, with a cat-like probing look,

She wore a smile like a human and said,

“Nyaa.”

(End)