Rintaro was skeptical, but there was nothing to be done.
“You didn’t turn up the other day, and it looks like you’re not coming today, either,” Sayo said.
“No. That’s not . . .”
“So you’re coming to school?”
“Today? Yeah, I haven’t—”
Seeing Rintaro was in peak waffling mode, Sayo glared at him.
“If you take another day off, I’ll have to bring your homework by again. The teachers are really worried about you, too. Do you realize how much stress you’re causing for everyone?”
As usual, she wasn’t holding back. She already had so much more dignity than Rintaro would ever have.
“Sorry,” Rintaro said.
“This isn’t about saying sorry. If you plan to come, then come. If you want to skip, just skip. I know your situation’s really tough right now. But if you keep wimping out on making any kind of decision, nobody will be able to help you.”
Sayo’s rapid-fire delivery style only made Rintaro feel worse. He’d believed that he was so unimportant, such a nobody, that his absence from school would go unnoticed, but the look in his class rep’s eyes told a different story.
A laugh came from just behind him.
“She’s spot-on. People are really worried about you. You clearly have more friends than you care to admit.”
The tabby seemed to be enjoying itself a little too much, so Rintaro turned and flashed it a look. It paid him no attention, its furry coat shaking with laughter.
But to Rintaro’s alarm, Sayo let out a short gasp and looked down in the direction of his feet. Of course, that was where the poison-tongued tabby cat was sitting.
The cat froze, and there followed an extremely uncomfortable silence.
“Can you actually see me?” it asked Sayo, in a voice tinged with wonder. “And hear my voice, too?”
“A talking cat?”
The tabby started in shock. Sayo was looking straight at it. She then shifted her gaze to the faint blue light at the far end of the bookshop.
“Wh . . . What’s that?”
Rintaro followed her gaze. His hand slowly moved up to his glasses.
“Didn’t you mention something about certain people and special conditions?”
“Yes, that was supposed to be the case.”
The cat was unusually flustered.
“Well, this is a bit of a mess.”
“Natsuki?” said Sayo. “I’m seeing something really weird.”
“Well, that’s a relief. I thought it was just me.”
Rintaro’s casual response left Sayo speechless.
The cat, however, had already regained its usual composure. It padded its way over to Sayo and gave a deep bow.
“I’m Tiger the Tabby.”
There was surprising grace in its movement.
“Nice to meet you.”
The girl still seemed confused, but then in the next instant she reached out and scooped the cat up into her arms.
“So cute!”
Both Rintaro and the cat froze.
“What an adorable tabby cat! And how cool that it can talk!”
“Are you okay with this?” whispered Rintaro to his feline friend.
Sayo was quite taken with the cat and her delighted voice filled the shop. The cat, finding itself squished cheek to cheek with the girl, began meowing helplessly.