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First day of school and a massive cat latched onto me before I could even step through the gates. What the hell do I do? Waiting for answers online, kinda urgent (ᵕ—ᴗ—)
Isagi Yoichi’s thumb hovered over the send button. After a moment’s hesitation, he deleted the message he’d been about to drop in the group chat and slipped his phone back into his pocket. Knowing those guys, they’d either demand he pay the “cat tax” and spam him for pictures, or they’d roast him for being such a weakling that he couldn’t even fend off one cat. Practical advice? Not a chance.
It wasn’t that Isagi had any desire to wrestle a cat, but he also didn’t have the confidence to drive it away on his own—the creature in front of him was simply too enormous, like a fluffy hill blocking the path between him and the school gate. For a moment, he even wondered if it might be some bizarre hybrid between a housecat and a lion or tiger. Fortunately, today was only orientation day; classes wouldn’t start for another week. Plenty of time—but he couldn’t just stay stuck here forever.
And yet…he couldn’t quite bring himself to chase it off. It was genuinely adorable. Long, silky golden fur with blue tips that looked almost dyed, yet the whole effect somehow felt perfectly natural. A pair of crystal-clear ice-blue eyes kept studying him intently, as if trying to send a silent message. Unfortunately, Isagi had never owned a cat and had no idea how to interpret feline language. Ignored by the human, the cat’s eyes narrowed into a thin, almost threatening slit—then with a sudden whoosh, it lunged forward, rubbing itself all over his uniform. Strands of long golden fur quickly clung to the dark fabric.
“Ah… I literally just washed this uniform…” Isagi sighed, tilting his head skyward in defeat, which only encouraged the cat to rub even harder. He had no choice but to focus entirely on the clingy creature plastered to him like taffy. “Are you lost? Can’t find your way home? Or are you hungry? Do you need me to help—”
“Mrrrow~”
As if determined to make the dense human finally get the message, the cat suddenly rose up on its hind legs, stretching its fluffy body into a long, elegant line, planting its paw pads firmly against Isagi’s waist.
“Whoa?!” Isagi stumbled back a step, but the cat simply followed, pressing closer until its fuzzy head bumped straight into his chest. Was he…seriously getting kabedon’d by a cat?
Normally, Isagi avoided touching animals to keep his overly sensitive senses in check, but the warm, comforting weight against him made him act on pure instinct. He reached out, gently scratching the soft fur on the cat’s cheek, then stroked behind its ears and followed the grain of the fur downward. Like a toy that had just been switched on, the cat instantly broke into a loud, rumbling purr. Its eyes curved into happy crescents, and its big tail swished lazily through the air.
Isagi watched the trail his fingertips left in the fur, surprised. “Huh… it’s so smooth?” He’d expected the coat to feel prickly and uncomfortable against his palms, but it was soft yet sleek at the same time. He found himself unable to stop, almost forgetting he still had things to do today. He recalled people talking about the addictive joy of cuddling cats—so this is what they meant? This one didn’t seem to mind him at all…maybe this was his chance to open the door to a whole new world? After all, it was his birthday today. Why not treat this as his first gift to himself?
Slowly, he crouched down, wrapping his arms around the cat’s massive body and pressing his cheek against its warm belly. He had expected something soft and squishy, but it was firmer than he imagined. A faint, pleasant scent drifted into his nose—unexpectedly, it almost smelled like roses. Just as he was about to marvel at how magical cats were, the body in his arms stiffened slightly, then pressed even closer. Tiny, coaxing “mrrp-mrrp” sounds filled his ears, as if saying: go on, cuddle me more…
Isagi shook his head, reluctantly pulling himself back to reality. As amazing as this first taste of cat therapy was, he still had stuff to do—helping welcome the new students, meeting up with his friends. The group chat had mentioned throwing him a birthday thing; he wasn’t sure whether to expect a surprise or disaster. Finding the cat’s owner would have to wait until after school, but he could always sneak in another cuddle session then. Right now, the pressing issue was how to get this clingy creature through the school gates—because it clearly had no intention of leaving his side.
Dragging the cat that was practically draped over him, Isagi trudged toward the entrance just as a crowd of new students and their families poured in. He steeled himself and followed behind them. The security guard didn’t even blink, letting the boy and his giant feline companion stroll straight into Blue Lock High School. Isagi let out a breath—though it wasn’t exactly relief—because the crafty cat took the opportunity to leap fully onto his back. It was heavy. He silently thanked every star that there were no classes today and he wasn’t carrying a backpack; otherwise he might have suffered from a slipped disc at the tender age of seventeen.
“You’re seriously chonky, you know that? Such a fat cat—mmph!” Isagi had barely started teasing the giant creature on his back when a paw shot out and smacked him square on the cheek, the soft pad squishing into the flesh without mercy. Apparently the fluffy exterior hid an ego more fragile than glass. “Alright, alright, my bad—you’re sturdy, not fat. Your owner clearly didn’t slack on the protein raising you…how about a little treat?”
Still carrying his oversized passenger, Isagi headed for one of the vending machines scattered across campus. He popped in two coins, pressed the button, and a carton of milk rolled out with a cheerful clunk.
“Ta-da~ A cat’s favorite!” He tore open the top. “Go on, don’t be shy—holy crap, talk about not being shy?!”
In a flash, the cat’s paw struck like lightning, sending the milk carton flying onto the grass!
“W-wait, that’s not right… What cat doesn’t love drinking milk?” The reaction completely shattered Isagi’s worldview. Weren’t cats supposed to love milk? Had all those episodes of Tom and Jerry been lies? Or was this strange-colored creature just an exception—a troublemaker even worse than Tom himself?
Actually…Isagi did know someone who had a physiological aversion to milk, but that person definitely wasn’t a cat. Whenever someone opened milk nearby, he’d wrinkle his nose dramatically, complaining the smell alone was nauseating. Isagi would tease him in his clumsy German about still being picky at that age, only to get hit with a sarcastic comeback:
“But Yoichi, my sweet non-picky good boy, all that milk hasn’t made you any taller, has it~”
The memory of those oddly vivid verbal sparrings from middle school made something in his chest thump sharply. Shaking off the thought, Isagi quickly pulled out his phone and typed a few keywords into the search bar.
After cats reach adulthood, they lose the enzyme needed to digest lactose. Therefore, cats should not drink milk!
“…Ah. So it’s my bad. Sorry…” Isagi stared at the milk soaking into the grass, a little embarrassed, and gave the cat’s head—still perched on his shoulder—a compensatory rub. With a build like that, it was obviously no kitten. Who would’ve guessed cartoons were straight-up lying? Total misinformation for the youth!
He picked up the empty carton, tossed it in the trash, then eyed the vending machine again while fishing through his pockets. “So what should I get you? Water’s gotta be safe, right? Ugh, not enough coins… I’ll get you some at the water fountain later. Guess I’ll buy the cheapest thing for myself.”
After a bit of fumbling, Isagi retrieved a can of cola. He’d barely cracked the tab and taken a sip when his hand suddenly felt empty—the cat had struck again with its demonic paw, snatching the can clean away and chugging it down with loud, greedy glugs.
“……” Isagi’s mouth opened, then closed. He was officially speechless. Right now, he was dying to understand the mental state of this cat’s owner. What kind of poor soul had to outwit this tyrant on a daily basis? And how was it that even this habit of snatching things from him felt so eerily familiar? On the field, stealing his ball; in the cafeteria, grabbing drinks he’d already taken a sip from; on brisk days, tugging away the scarf from around his neck… Thanks to that guy, the most fluent German Isagi knew was a whole vocabulary of curses. Speaking of German—what exactly had he meant, that last thing he said before they parted…?
“Mihya…” As the cat smacked the aluminum can flat with a sharp clack, sending it flying in a perfect arc straight into the trash, the familiar name slipped out before Isagi could stop himself.
The cat froze mid-motion, then let out an ecstatic “purrrrrr,” rubbing its head against Isagi’s cheek nonstop. Its soft nose tip pressed right up to his earlobe as it meowed sweetly. Maybe it thought Isagi was calling its name? Perhaps by coincidence, the sound was close enough to its real name?
…Whatever. He might as well go with it. Calling it “cat” all the time wasn’t exactly practical…though the real reason was probably because this furball looked way too much like the actual owner of that name—the absolute bastard known as Michael Kaiser. He was a schoolmate Isagi had met back in middle school in Germany when his dad’s job relocated them there, though they weren’t in the same grade. Ever since Isagi joined the school football team and caught the endless provocations of the team’s ace—that arrogant jerk—their fated rivalry had been set in stone. The gaps in their age, race, and culture had somehow dissolved under the constant barrage of their bickering. For some reason, the more Isagi cursed him out, the more the once-distant and haughty “Emperor Kaiser” clung to him—perhaps even more dramatically than the cat currently draped all over Isagi right now. At times, Isagi had to wonder if the guy had a masochistic streak. And every so often he’d drop lines like, “Once we get married, Yoichi, do you wanna settle in Germany or Japan?” just to mess with him. What an absolute menace…
Isagi let out a soft sigh. Mihya was the person he most wanted to kill…and also the person he liked. He had no idea when this years-long, unrequited crush would finally fade away. After all, once Isagi returned to Japan, they had lost contact completely due to his account getting hacked, and his parents didn’t let him create a new one for safety’s sake. If even the sight of a cat could make him dwell on those memories for so long, he was probably truly beyond hope. To steady the aching tightness in his chest, he quickened his pace toward the auditorium—though with a giant cat on his back, “quick” was relative at best. Still, he was trying, okay?
Welcoming the new students didn’t take long. After introducing the campus layout, promoting club activities, and sharing study tips, everyone was free to do as they pleased. Some headed home to enjoy the last scraps of their break, while those who stayed were mostly just looking to hang out with friends a bit longer.
“Don’t you guys think the new students seem kinda…hostile toward me? I thought I was pretty approachable… Why were they constantly side-eyeing me? Some of them looked like they could murder me with a single glare. I know I haven’t exactly mastered the whole ‘reliable senpai’ vibe yet, but I can’t be that much of a freak, right?” Once the freshmen had finally cleared out completely, Isagi couldn’t hold back his complaints anymore. He’d felt so stared at earlier that his skin was still crawling, goosebumps practically falling off him. Wait…why did it feel like a fresh wave of goosebumps was rising again?
“It’s obviously because of the one on your shoulder, Isagi—he’s got way too much presence, wahaha~” Bachira was laughing so hard he could barely stand.
“What the hell are the security guards even doing? They let that into the school? Useless donkeys.” Barou frowned, his sharp gaze sweeping over Isagi and sending a chill down the back of his neck.
“Ohhh, Isagi, so you’re…taken now? Buddha has finally smiled down upon us!” Igaguri clasped his hands together dramatically.
Isagi only grew more confused, fingers unconsciously twirling at his sprout like he was trying to twist the strands into a question mark. It was just a cat he’d brought to school, right? Sure, he’d never heard of Blue Lock High allowing pets, but since security hadn’t stopped him and Mihya, there had to be a reason. All the cat videos and memes his feed kept pushing had convinced him cats were universally beloved. Yet everyone’s reactions seemed to prove the hype was strictly online—real life was a whole different story. Information bubbles really were terrifying.
Isagi looked helplessly at the friend beside him. “Chigiri, you be the judge—you’re the biggest cat lover here, right? Is bringing one onto campus really that weird? It insisted on sticking with me…”
“Cat?” Chigiri’s eyes widened dramatically, long lashes nearly brushing his eyebrows. “You’re saying he’s your…cat? Are you serious?”
Yukimiya blinked hard too, then took off his glasses, pulled out a cleaning cloth, and began meticulously wiping the lenses. “Are my glasses smudged, or am I seeing things? Or maybe I’ve been wearing them upside-down this whole time…”
“Well, it’s not really mine. I just found it at the school gate, and it’s been glued to me ever since. What was I supposed to do?” As if to prove Isagi’s point, Mihya pressed even closer, rubbing its head insistently into the hollow of his neck, sending uncontrollable shivers down his spine.
“Mmm, Isagi-kun is so gentle with him. You two really make the perfect match, hehe~” Hiori smiled sweetly, warming Isagi’s chest enough that he didn’t even question the slightly odd phrasing.
In contrast, most of his friends wore strange expressions, eyeing him in exactly the same way the new students had. Isagi felt a pang of disappointment—even Chigiri was reacting like that? Was he one of those people who only liked cats in theory? Oh right, he’d mentioned preferring black cats… Guess he wasn’t a fan of Mihya’s golden-blue coat. Talk about judging a cat by its fur!
“Please, Isagi…just say ‘April Fools’ already…” Yukimiya popped his now-spotless lenses back on, but his gaze looked glassier than ever.
“I see, I see…setting the festive mood, huh…ha, haha…” Chigiri nodded. “Your ‘cat’ is certainly…unique. So you got him just for April Fools?”
“Speaking of April Fools!” Bachira suddenly lit up, instantly yanking a cylindrical tube from his pocket. As if on cue, everyone moved in perfect sync, each pulling out the exact same thing—
“Happy! Birthday!” The words had barely left their mouths before streams of colorful ribbons exploded straight into Isagi’s face!
He frantically brushed the streamers out of his bangs, spitting out the bits that had gotten in his mouth with a “bleh,” only to realize some of them were dissolving on his tongue, leaving behind a faint, sweet taste.
The heartless crew watched his flustered state and burst into teasing laughter. “Haha, no need to spit them out—they’re made of starch! Just swallow, it’s eco-friendly~”
“Pfft—” Even Kunigami, who had been stone-faced lately, cracked a smile. At least Isagi getting blasted hadn’t been for nothing—but the rare smile froze on his face almost immediately.
A wet, slippery sensation began spreading across Isagi’s cheek. The spot tingled, growing faintly warm, and for some reason…it felt kind of nice? Isagi realized it was Mihya licking the leftover ribbons off his face with total concentration—probably because it liked the sweet taste. He’d heard cat tongues were covered in tiny backward-facing barbs, rough like sandpaper, but the feeling on his skin was way smoother than he’d imagined. His sensitive nerves didn’t mind it at all. Just as expected—online info couldn’t be trusted blindly. You had to experience it for yourself.
The friends who had just been roaring with laughter suddenly fell dead silent, their faces twisting into identical grimaces that made Isagi think of the famous painting The Scream. Maybe a ribbon had gotten in his eye and screwed up his vision? He rubbed his eyes hard. When he looked again, the silence had vanished and everyone was muttering under their breath, but the strange tension in the air refused to dissipate.
“What the hell is this perverted play? It’s the middle of the day, for crying out loud!”
“Isagi Yoichi, looking all pure and innocent, but he’s out here living way wilder than any of us!”
“No wonder everyone who confessed to Isagi got rejected. Clearly regular high-school romance wasn’t gonna cut it for him…”
“So this is his idea of an April Fools’ prank? This is…uh…a little extra.”
“Using April Fools’ as cover to flaunt his relationship this hard? Talk about egoistic.”
“Eh, whatever. It’s his birthday, so let’s cut him some slack~”
Meanwhile, Mihya kept licking at his ear with loud slurp, slurp sounds, making it impossible for Isagi to catch everything. Still, he could roughly tell his so-called friends were teasing him again. Well, whatever. His conscience was clear. He’d just keep petting his cat—and let the haters talk.
After a quick huddle, everyone pasted on the exact same forced, overly sweet smiles and turned toward the boy and his cat. A couple of them even made exaggerated heart gestures at him.
“Isagi, you and your ‘cat’ better have a long and happy life together! We respect it, we bless it, locked in for eternity!”
“Not necessarily! I already told you, I just found it this morning. Later I’ll—mmph!” Isagi had barely started explaining that he wasn’t planning to keep the cat forever and would look for its owner after school when something soft suddenly sealed his lips.
The same paw that had just violently knocked over milk and crushed an aluminum can now rested against his lips with surprising gentleness, forcing him to swallow the rest of his words. Was Mihya doing this because it didn’t want him to leave? It was way too emotionally intelligent for a cat—honestly higher EQ than the actual owner of the name. Or maybe it was just because it couldn’t speak human language… In a way, that bastard wasn’t great at speaking like a normal person either; he always knew exactly how to get under Isagi’s skin. If only Isagi had made him learn to meow like a cat instead, repaying all the emotional damage he’d caused with some cuteness.
“Sorry, sorry—we’re late. Nagi overslept again; it took forever to wake him up…we didn’t miss anything important, did we?” Reo hurried over, followed by a large, white figure who looked like he was sleepwalking, carrying a big box in his arms.
“Ah, we missed the part where you guys sprayed Isagi in the face with ribbons…” Nagi blinked sleepily, eyes scanning the colorful shreds scattered on the ground. “Happy birthday. Uh…the one on your back is…?”
Reo eyed the slightly dented box in Nagi’s hands with a sigh. “Hope the cake’s okay. Nagi fell asleep on the bike seat again and apparently used the box as a pillow. Want to open it and take a look? If it’s ruined, I’ll have Ba-ya send a backup.”
“It’s only a little dented. At least I didn’t drool on it. Isagi, praise me~” Nagi stared at him with a blank face, but his eyes sparkled with childlike expectation.
Barou clicked his tongue in disdain. “Not drooling everywhere is the bare minimum, isn’t it? Disgusting, you pain in the ass!”
“Nagi, Reo, thanks for getting the cake for me. Let’s open it?” If they didn’t open the box soon, Barou was probably going to pull out disinfectant spray and go to town blasting it. Isagi was also curious about the ingredients; if the cake has creamy frosting, sharing with Mihya might be tricky. He really hoped the cat wouldn’t throw a tantrum.
The moment the lid was lifted, Isagi’s eyes lit up—and now he was the one practically drooling. Inside the box lay a massive kintsuba, at least eight inches across! Around him, his friends broke into a chorus of birthday song, accompanied by the rapid click-click of photos being taken—but all Isagi wanted was for them to hurry up so he could dig into that sweet red bean filling. Thankfully, candles weren’t allowed on campus—he didn’t have the patience to make a wish anyway.
Even if he did, it probably wouldn’t come true. Japan and Germany were so far apart…how could something like that ever happen so easily…?
Taking the knife Reo handed him, Isagi quickly cut the large dessert into shareable slices.
“I cut an extra piece for the cat—no one minds, right?” he asked. He wasn’t expecting the group to flash those same deliberate, knowing smiles again.
“Nyahaha, a few extra pieces wouldn’t hurt. Isagi, make sure you feed your ‘cat’ well~” Bachira gave a thumbs-up, winking at the still-confused Nagi and Reo.
“Alright, thanks for the treat!” Isagi clapped his hands together briefly, then snatched up a piece of kintsuba and took a huge bite. The chewy outer skin and dense, sweet red bean paste tangled deliciously in his mouth, lighting up every one of his sweet-tooth receptors. But before he could take a second bite, a fluffy golden head shot forward. Mihya stretched its neck, lined up perfectly with the exact bite mark Isagi had left, and chomped down, its cheeks jiggling wildly with every bite.
“Hey!” Isagi yelped, but when he saw how completely absorbed Mihya was in eating—those beautiful blue eyes blissfully half-lidded—he couldn’t help but feel a surge of indulgent affection. “Ugh, fine, you can have it all…” Mihya leaned right into his hand, swallowing the last tiny piece in one bite, then dragged that impossibly smooth cat tongue across Isagi’s fingertips, leaving his whole hand tingling.
Chigiri’s expression began to crack; he turned to look at Reo and Nagi. “Watching Isagi and his… ‘cat’… For the first time, I’m starting to think the zero-personal-space thing you two have actually feels pretty normal.”
After the boy and the cat took turns finishing a second piece of kintsuba, the others—clearly having prepared in advance—rushed forward all at once, stuffing gift after gift into Isagi’s arms. Looking down at the overwhelming pile of assorted presents, he couldn’t help but break into a smile even sweeter than the red bean paste itself. Sure, these guys were a handful, but each of them, in their own way, truly cared for him and looked out for Isagi Yoichi. Even if that vague, distant wish deep in his heart could never come true, he had already received something just as precious—
“Hiss—!” Except the giant furball still glued to his back, now aggressively huffing at the entire group, clearly didn’t agree.
As the gifts piled higher and higher, the good mood Mihya had gained from sweets vanished without a trace. The pressure around him grew heavier, and Isagi could practically feel the weight on his back increase. Then the next gift seemed to strike directly at the creature’s sensitive nerve, pushing its foul mood to the breaking point—
“Isagi, happy birthday!” Chigiri handed over an elegant-looking jar that clearly wasn’t cheap. “I’ve repurchased this hair mask so many times—so I got one for you too. Use it and your hair will be so smooth that your hands won’t be able to stop touching it—”
“Whose hands won’t stop? You’re just looking for an excuse to pet my hair again, aren’t you?” Isagi shot back.
Chigiri nodded shamelessly. “Hehe, you caught me~ Everyone loves giving you head pats anyway, so just accept your fate and take it like a good boy.”
“As Isagi’s best partner, I call first dibs~” Bachira was already rubbing his hands together eagerly.
“Eh? I didn’t know we had to sign up. I wanted to go first…” Nagi lamented, a beat too late as always.
A sense of crisis surged within Isagi, and he quickly cut in: “Stop—no one’s touching it, okay? If I go bald early, it’s on all of you! You guys mess with my hair in new and creative ways every single day. Keep this up and next year you’ll be buying me hair-loss prevention stuff. None of you want to see that, right?”
Before the self-appointed members of the “Head-Pat Alliance” could mount a counterattack, Isagi’s head suddenly dipped under a heavy, warm weight. Mihya’s chin was rubbing all over his scalp, one paw batting playfully at the sprout of hair on top of his head like it was a cat toy. From deep inside that massive fluffy body came a low, rumbling “mrrraow-mrrraow” growl—the clear sound of a creature declaring ownership over its territory to a bunch of unworthy peasants.
Everyone stared at each other wide-eyed, as though they’d just heard something they weren’t supposed to. For a moment, no one knew what to say—until a gentle voice with a slight accent broke the silence:
“Then let’s table it for later—we can make a sign-up list in the group chat and decide on the order that way. For now, why don’t we give Isagi-kun and his ‘cat’ some space? Let those two guys have some time alone together in their little world.”
Grateful for the escape route, everyone quickly agreed with Hiori’s suggestion, shouted hasty goodbyes at Isagi, and scattered like startled birds.
Isagi waved them off, still muttering to himself, isn’t it just one guy and one cat together? Still, he knew it probably wouldn’t last much longer. The priority now was finding Mihya’s owner. Even after spending the whole day with this giant, clingy, spoiled cat, Isagi felt a surprising pang of reluctance. Maybe he could ask his parents if he was allowed to keep a cat? He used to think his sensitive constitution meant he’d never have a pet in his life, but today proved he actually got along with cats pretty well. Mainly because he’d somehow gotten used to being bullied by one. Was this the first step toward becoming a full-fledged cat servant?
“Let’s head out then, Mihya. Uh—could you get off? You’re really heavy…” Dragging his weighed-down body, Isagi made his way toward the school gates. “I’ll look up nearby animal shelters or pet shops. Hopefully your owner had you microchipped—then the staff can scan it.”
“Mrrrow? Mrrrow?” The supposedly perceptive Mihya stubbornly remained draped over him, refusing to budge. If anything, it pressed even closer when Isagi wasn’t looking, draping two thick front paws over Isagi’s chest like it was listening to his heartbeat.
“Cut it out—I’m serious. If you don’t go back soon, your owner’s going to worry.” Isagi gently took one of the paws, rubbing soothing circles into the pad with his thumb. “Or… are you actually a stray?”
He eyed the glossy golden-blue fur—it didn’t seem likely, but one could never judge a cat by its coat. The real Mihya from his memories had actually been a lot like a half-feral cat someone had accidentally tamed through feeding—cold and distant to everyone except Isagi, the one person whose food he loved stealing…and the one person he couldn’t seem to stay away from. Isagi felt his face starting to heat up and quickly shook the thought away. Focus on the task. “I should probably check if you’ve been neutered. House cats usually don’t have balls—”
The increasingly urgent meows in his ear suddenly dropped in pitch. A hot breath ghosted against his earlobe, turning into a string of clear, strangely familiar syllables:
“…Die psychologische Suggestion lösen.”
His brain, long out of practice with German, struggled like a rusted machine to grasp the familiar yet distant fragments. The last word was lösen—to break? Break what—?
He turned toward the source of the voice—but that fluffball of a head was nowhere to be seen. Resting on Isagi’s shoulder now was a sharp-contoured face, mature and striking. The red markings at the corners of his eyes were vivid and alluring, almost dangerous. The tattoo curling along his neck and those bold blue-tipped strands of hair all felt unfamiliar—yet what felt unmistakably familiar were those eyes, blue as the sky, that had met his countless times before, and the faint smile on those thin lips, one that had only ever softened for him.
The weight on his back suddenly vanished. In the next instant, a tall figure loomed over him, caging him against the wall.
“Wha—where’s the cat? Don’t tell me—you, you’re actually—”
The incoherent words spilling from Isagi’s mouth were abruptly cut off as a firm hand gripped his chin, tilting it up. His heart skipped a beat—then began pounding even faster, leaving his limbs weak. The overstuffed bag in his hands slipped and hit the ground with a thud. Thank god no one had given him anything breakable…
The hand released him, but the other only pressed closer, one arm braced against the wall beside Isagi’s head, trapping him completely. Warm breath ghosted across his face as a low, familiar voice murmured, “Have you had enough of your unfunny little clown act, Yoichi?”
“You’re the one who’s been clowning around, you bastard!” Isagi fired back, slipping straight into their old rhythm of sharp-tongued combat. The rusty German came back to him in a rush, growing sharper and more fluent with every word. “Pretending to be a cat for an entire day—how the hell did you even pull that off? I didn’t know you were into furry stuff…”
For the first time, a flicker of genuine confusion crossed those ice-blue eyes. “Yoichi…are you telling me that until just now, you actually thought I was a cat? You weren’t pulling some April Fools’ prank?”
“Wasn’t that the case?! The moment I got near the school gate, there was this giant cat clinging to me, meowing nonstop, even knocking over the milk I bought—”
“But you hugged me. You even called my name.”
“I just thought I saw a cat that behaved exactly like you! And then I—just—ended up thinking about you…”
“Ha… So that’s how it was.” Mihya let out a long sigh. “Shit, I thought you’d recognized me. Even though I didn’t know why you kept speaking Japanese to me, I figured it was some kind of test you were putting me through. But then you went and did all those weird things, and you even had the nerve to smile so sweetly at those guys right in front of me. I told you to quit smiling—didn’t you hear me?”
“I only heard a cat hissing! So how did you even do it? You looked like a real cat! And you weren’t speaking German—you were speaking cat!”
“I was really into psychology back then…still am, actually. That’s what I’m studying in university. You said you were leaving, and I had no idea when I’d see you again. I didn’t want you to forget me, so I planted a little psychological suggestion: the next time you saw me, no matter what I looked like, you’d perceive me as the image I left in your heart.” Mihya’s arrogant face suddenly crumpled into an oddly vulnerable pout; his brows dipped, softening his entire expression. “I never expected that image to be a stupid cat. Unbelievable!”
Realization dawned on Isagi. “So that thing you said to me before I left—that was the suggestion? Then doesn’t that mean being seen as a cat is just you shooting yourself in the foot? Serves you right. Though—I never thought you were a stupid cat. If I saw you as one, it’s probably because you’re actually…kind of cute?”
The moment Isagi realized what he’d just said, embarrassment crept in. He tried to force his stiff body to move again—but only ended up pressed even closer against the other’s chest. “Alright, can you let go now? Being pinned against the wall by a cat is one thing, but by a person, it’s kind of—anyway, I get it now, you’re human. I promise I’ll let you keep your balls, so just let go.”
“…I don’t want to.” Mihya’s voice came out low and muffled, ignoring Isagi’s request entirely. “If I let go of Yoichi, you’ll probably disappear from my world again. You have no idea how hard you were to find. I was only able to track you down because I happened to see a video of your Blue Lock team’s match. I booked my flight well in advance just to give you a special birthday surprise, and what do you do? You spend it with a bunch of NPCs instead?”
Isagi took a deep breath and looked straight into those turbulent ice-blue eyes. “Mihya. I’m sorry…for making you feel alone. After my account got hacked, I thought I’d lost contact with you for good. Really—thank you. You have no idea how happy I am right now. Actually…my birthday wish these past few years has always been to meet you again. Turns out it already came true without me even knowing. Doesn’t that make me pretty lucky?”
Having finally spoken his heart, a weight lifted from Isagi’s chest—but one lingering question remained. “By the way… what exactly did you say to my friends earlier? The way they looked at me at the end was kind of weird. Well—they’ve been weird this whole time, but still…”
Mihya’s smile turned sly and triumphant. “I just told them the obvious truth. Feel honored, Yoichi. To make sure no one in Japan tries to steal you away, I learned this special line: ヨイチハオレノモノダ.”
Isagi’s brain blue-screened at the clunky Japanese pronunciation, his cheeks burning. “So… they all heard you say…”
“Yeah. Loud and clear. Yo-i-chi—is—mine.” Mihya paused, then added quietly, almost regretfully, “I just wish I’d said it sooner. I like you, Yoichi.”
The voice that had been so domineering moments ago softened, fragile as a petal, gently settling at the tip of Isagi’s heart.
For a moment, it was as if the world had been muted—the only sound left was the frantic drumming of two hearts echoing in their ears.
When Isagi came back to his senses, his lips had already parted on their own. “Mihya, I also like—mmph…”
In the very next second, his lips were stolen. A current-like tremor spread outward from where their mouths met, rippling through his entire body—so sweet it almost hurt. When the other’s tongue slipped past his parted lips, the lingering taste of red bean in his mouth grew inexplicably richer; his mind filled entirely with years’ worth of longing sweetness, overflowing from the corner of his eye and slipping down his cheek as a tear.
Mihya pulled back reluctantly from their first kiss, brushing the tear away with his knuckle. Those ice-blue eyes shimmered, suddenly edged with worry. “What’s wrong? Does it feel bad? Or…do you not like it?”
Isagi shook his head, flinging away the last traces of moisture. “No, it’s just…it’s my first time. I didn’t know what to do. Can I…hold you?”
Mihya let out a soft huff of laughter. “Heh. Looks like this morning’s cuddles weren’t enough, huh? You’re adorable. Hold me however you want.”
The arms that had pinned him to the wall finally lowered, allowing Isagi to wrap his own arms around that firm, solid back. Now it was Isagi’s turn to bury his face in Mihya’s neck. Feeling the unmistakably human body in his arms at last, he muttered with a hint of reluctance, “Damn it…feels like you’ve gotten taller and broader. So unfair…”
“Yoichi hasn’t changed at all, though~”
“Shut up, I’ve grown too!”
“Yeah, yeah—the weeds on your head sure grew taller. Congratulations~” The jerk who had always been half a head taller didn’t hold back with his mouth, nor his hands, playfully ruffling the already-abused sprout on Isagi’s head again.
As Isagi replayed everything that had happened today, a strange sense of unease crept in. “By the way…that psychological suggestion of yours—did it work on everyone there today?”
“Of course not. It only works if it’s planted in advance. Yours was set before you left Germany, and it only activated when you saw me today.”
Thinking back on the entire day he’d spent with the “cat”—petting it, being licked, even feeding it by hand—Isagi felt endless thunderclaps explode in his mind. His face went pale. “Then…when I thought I was just being licked and rubbed against by a cat, what everyone else actually saw was—”
Mihya’s smile turned wickedly knowing. “Obviously. Didn’t I already tell them in person? Yoichi is mine. Talk is cheap—I’m a man of action.”
“Aaaaaahhh—!! I can’t show my face at school anymore! I’m so embarrassed I could die! This is all your fault…” Isagi’s legs gave out. He dropped into a crouch, clutching his head, wishing he could dig a hole and disappear into it.
But the next second, he was hauled back up, face-to-face with a smug expression. “Perfect timing then. Just come back to Germany with me. Didn’t I ask you before where we’d settle down after getting married? Looks like we’ve got our answer.”
Isagi couldn’t help punching the infuriating guy in front of him. “Slow down! Can we take this one step at a time? For now, just come home with me today. I’ll text my parents and tell them to make extra for dinner.”
“How is that taking it slow? I’m not even prepared… Won’t they hate me if I just show up at your house out of nowhere?” Mihya froze, a faint blush creeping across pale pink cheeks.
“That’s impossible. I mean—you, uh, how do I put it…you look kind of…intimidating now, but you’ve met my parents before, right? I’m sure they won’t mind. And if you’re worried about their reaction, just plant a psychological suggestion in them too—problem solved.” Isagi glanced thoughtfully at the thorn-wrapped arm holding him.
“Oh, right, you mentioned that it has to be planted in advance…if that won’t work, then we’ll just go with something more direct. I’ve got an idea. Come with me!” He grabbed Mihya’s wrist, picked up the fallen bag, and quickly headed toward a nearby shopping street.
“Mom, Dad, I’m home!”
“Welcome back, Yocchan! Did you have fun celebrating your birthday with your friends? Oh my—this is—?” The moment Iyo opened the door, what greeted her wasn’t just her adorable son, but also a tall, somewhat familiar-looking foreign young man. Despite his flashy appearance, every bit of his body language screamed nervous awkwardness. If she had to describe it, the old phrase “a borrowed cat” fit perfectly.
The most jarring detail, however, was the fluffy cat-ear headband sitting atop that striking blue-blond hair. Perhaps…this was what young people nowadays called “cuteness overload”?
She exchanged a quick glance with her husband, Issei. They both came to the same conclusion: this mysterious guest was the same boy who used to visit their house sometimes back in Germany… When had he grown so tall? And what a unique style… Was this some kind of new trend among the youth? Had they fallen so far behind the younger generation without realizing it?
“Um, I know this is really sudden, but I found this cat outside and he looked so pitiful I couldn’t just leave him… Can I keep him? Please?” Yocchan blinked up at them with big, pleading eyes, the picture of innocence. This time, Iyo was certain: he was definitely trying to overload the two of them with cuteness.
Her gaze drifted lower and landed on the two boys’ tightly clasped hands. She shared another soft smile with her husband. This shy, sweet atmosphere reminded her so much of their own youth… Their son was probably just too embarrassed to admit it was his first time bringing a boyfriend home, so he’d come up with the cutest excuse possible. Ah, children really do grow up. As parents, it was best not to pry too much.
She nodded with a warm, knowing smile and ushered both boys inside. For her and her husband, it was just one extra set of dinnerware at the table. She trusted that her Yocchan would take good care of his “cat.” After all—how could they possibly ever say no to their precious son’s birthday wish?