Hozuki Nozomi smirked as he continued to manipulate his feline spies, the corners of his lips twitching with amusement. "Oh? A classic blue and white stripe—pure and cute. And this one... a bear pattern? Too childish."
He told himself that what lay beneath the skirts wasn't important, but his actions betrayed his thoughts as he continued peeking through his feline scouts. Truly, the perspective from a cat's eyes had its advantages.
While controlling a tabby cat, he lazily strolled around the school grounds, hoping to find Yukinoshita Yukino. Unfortunately, his search was fruitless. Instead, he stumbled upon Yumiko Miura and her group playing tennis on the court.
Nozomi clicked his tongue.
Miura had been quite the skilled player back in junior high, even managing to place second in a regional tournament. It was unfortunate that her heart was set on Hayama Hayato, a guy who only used her as a shield. Nozomi shook his head at the thought before commanding the cat to leave the area.
As his feline companion wandered through the school's corridors, Nozomi was about to move to another spot when his vision suddenly jerked upwards.
Crap.
Someone had grabbed the cat by the scruff of its neck.
"Oi, where did this cat come from?" a familiar voice muttered. "Did some troublemaker sneak it in?"
It was Hiratsuka Shizuka, the ever-intimidating teacher who had a reputation for dealing with problem students. Standing beside her was none other than Yukinoshita Yukino, her sharp blue eyes scanning the feline in question.
"Still haven't given up, huh, Yukinoshita?" Hiratsuka-sensei sighed, rubbing her temples.
The older Yukinoshita sister, Haruno, had already been a handful during her time at Sobu High. Now, her younger sister seemed to be following in her footsteps, stubborn and difficult to handle.
"Sensei, I won't give up until I achieve my goal," Yukino said, her voice unwavering. "But before that, could I borrow this cat for a moment?"
"Oh? Don't tell me you're planning on bribing me with a pet?" Hiratsuka smirked, though she still handed the cat over.
Yukino took the feline carefully, holding it close to her chest. "You're overthinking things. I would never break school rules. But this cat... it doesn't seem like a stray. Its fur is well-groomed, and its nails are trimmed."
A glimmer of joy flickered in her usually cold eyes as she gently stroked the tabby's soft fur.
Nozomi, who was still watching through the cat's vision, could see everything—the pale complexion of Yukino's hands, her almost doll-like face, and the serene look in her deep blue eyes.
For a moment, he felt jealous of his own cat.
If only he could experience the warmth of her embrace firsthand. Too bad he could only control the cat's movements and share its vision. No touch, no sensation.
Still, from the conversation between the two, it seemed Yukino was struggling to get approval for her club.
Hiratsuka let out a sigh. "Probably some reckless student sneaked it in. Well, Yukinoshita, aren't you trying to establish a club? If you find this cat's owner, I'll approve it."
Yukino narrowed her eyes. "And if I can't?"
"Then forget it. If you can't even find the owner of a single cat, how do you expect to run a Service Club?"
"Fine. I accept your challenge, sensei. I'll make you approve my club wholeheartedly."
"We'll see about that."
Just as the deal was set, Nozomi hurried over, an awkward smile plastered on his face.
"Ah, Sensei, actually... this cat is mine."
Hiratsuka's expression turned deadpan. "...Seriously?"
Yukino blinked in surprise before her lips curved into a slight smile. "Sensei, I think we have a—"
"Doesn't count!" Hiratsuka cut her off, glaring at Nozomi. "The bet was for you to find the owner. This guy just showed up out of nowhere! That's not the same thing."
Yukino frowned, clearly displeased.
Then, to make matters worse—or perhaps funnier—the cat in her arms immediately meowed in delight upon seeing Nozomi. It wriggled free and jumped to the ground, rubbing against his legs affectionately.
Not just one, but two more cats appeared from the distance, mimicking the first one's actions as they curled around his feet.
Yukino clenched her fists.
What was this? Some kind of natural cat-attracting ability?
She was jealous.
"Well, well, looks like they really are yours, Nozomi." Hiratsuka crossed her arms, her expression unimpressed. "Do you have any idea that bringing animals onto school grounds is against the rules?"
Nozomi put on his most innocent look. "Sensei, you've got it all wrong! They followed me here on their own. I swear, I didn't sneak them in."
"Oh? And how exactly did they follow you? Your house is far from Sobu High, isn't it? You take the train to school, right? Are you saying these cats hopped on board and commuted with you?"
Nozomi's face twitched.
Damn. Rookie mistake.
How could he forget something so obvious? However, he absolutely could not admit that he brought the cats in himself.
"Maybe their friends told them and they just followed me here? There are a lot of stray cats around the area."
"Sensei, just like how humans have their own social circles, cats do too," Nozomi said with a serious face. "So it's understandable that they heard I was here and decided to come see me."
"I don't understand your logic at all," Hiratsuka Shizuka sighed, rubbing her temples. "You violated school rules, and you still have the nerve to make excuses? Come to my office!"
She then turned to Yukinoshita Yukino, who was watching the scene unfold with a calm expression.
"And you, Yukinoshita, come along too. Bring the cats."
Nozomi shrugged indifferently. He scooped up two of the cats, holding one in each arm, and looked toward Yukinoshita.
"You're Yukinoshita-san, right? Could you help me hold the last one? My hands are full."
Yukinoshita's eyes flickered with amusement as she reached out and carefully picked up the last cat.
However, as soon as she did, the little feline immediately struggled in her arms, wriggling as if trying to escape.
But before she could react, Nozomi spoke lazily.
"Be good, Shiro. I'll give you dried fish later."
At that moment, as if by magic, the cat instantly calmed down, obediently settling in her arms.
Yukinoshita blinked, a mix of surprise and slight frustration flashing across her face.
Why does this cat listen to him so much?
Nozomi smirked as he turned to follow Hiratsuka Shizuka.
See? The cat bag really is a treasure.
Thanks to these cats, he had managed to naturally strike up a conversation with Yukinoshita Yukino.
And now, he had also left a good impression of being someone who is well-loved by animals.
People who like cats and are loved by cats aren't bad people, right?
—
Upon arriving at the office, Hiratsuka Shizuka turned and fixed her sharp gaze on Nozomi.
"Nozomi, do you know that pets—especially cats—are not allowed on school grounds?"
"I know." Nozomi nodded obediently.
"Then why did you still bring them?"
"Sensei, I told you, they followed me here on their own!"
Yukinoshita, who had been silently observing from the side, stroked the tabby cat in her arms, looking amused at the exchange.
"Nonsense! Are you saying your cats have supernatural abilities? They managed to track you all the way from your house to school?"
"That just proves how smart my cats are," Nozomi said with a completely serious expression.
"Shut up!" Hiratsuka shot him a glare, rubbing her temples. "I'll let it slide today, but from tomorrow onwards—no more cats! I don't want to see a single tail stepping onto campus. Got it?"
"Understood!" Nozomi replied immediately. "I'll make sure to educate them properly when I get home."
Seeing his seemingly good attitude, Hiratsuka let out an exasperated sigh before turning her attention to Yukinoshita.
"Yukinoshita, I'll say it again. If you want to establish a club, you need at least three members. Those are the rules."
Yukinoshita met her gaze with unwavering confidence.
"I don't require school funding. I can manage the club on my own."
"That's not the issue. We have a limited number of clubrooms. If every student started their own one-member club, there wouldn't be enough space for everyone."
Yukinoshita, undeterred, replied smoothly.
"I am the top student in the grade. Once I establish my club, students will naturally want to join."
Hiratsuka let out a dry chuckle. "Do you even believe that yourself? Yukinoshita, don't think I don't know about your history."
At that, Yukinoshita fell silent, her expression unreadable. She merely stared at Hiratsuka with her usual composed demeanor.
A moment of silence passed before Hiratsuka sighed, rubbing the back of her neck.
Truthfully, she understood the situation well. She knew that Yukinoshita had been isolated in the past, and she also knew that her older sister, Haruno, had specifically asked her to keep an eye on her.
Perhaps, if Yukinoshita managed to establish her own club and interact with other students, things might change.
It was certainly better than her continuing to remain isolated due to her difficult personality.