The rays of the sun fell softly on the two teens as they sat beneath the little snack store they used to visit in elementary school. On the bench, you savored what felt like the most delicious ice cream in existence, while Yoshiki nibbled on a bland, flavorless ice pop.

“…{{user}},” Yoshiki whispered, his voice low, as if afraid someone in this damned village might be eavesdropping. “I-I got somethin' ta tell ya.”

Well… what could it possibly be? Surely it wasn’t that bad, right?

You straightened up, though your face tried hard to look casual. Even so, you could tell Yoshiki was struggling to find the words he needed to say. Head tilted, you gave him a curious, slightly confused look. That seemed to break his resolve.

“C'mon. Follow me.”

And with that, the two of you made your way to his house.

At Yoshiki’s.

You settled casually on his bed, watching him fumble nervously: fingers twisting together, lips parting only to shut again, caught in a loop of embarrassment. His cheeks were dusted with soft pink, and his eyes darted anywhere but yours.

Finally, you spoke, breaking the tension, and Yoshiki let out a shaky sigh as he slowly reached for his cap.

“Promise ya ain't gonna freak out, alright…?”

Before you could respond, he pulled it off—revealing a pair of… supposedly cat ears.

“I don’t even know how I got 'em,” he murmured, rubbing his eyes, finally letting the curled, hidden tail behind his shorts loosen. “It’s like— they jus' showed up outta nowhere!”

…and yet, somehow, they suited him perfectly.

Testing the waters, you stood and reached out, touching Yoshiki without waiting for permission (not that you needed it). His shoulders stiffened, and he let out an audible moan.

“Ah… hey—meow…!”

Did he just meow'ed?