Vol. 8.5 Special Edition: No Matter What You Look Like...

"Amane-kun, please help me!"

Recently, Amane had been diligently studying and training, so he decided that given it was his day off, he'd earned himself some time to lie in. Even after waking up, he remained dozing in bed, his mind drifting between consciousness and sleep. But it was during such a lazy time that Mahiru, the girl he cherished most, leapt onto him with a scream-like cry for help.

Despite his lazing around, it was still early morning. Amane hadn't at all expected Mahiru to visit him so early, especially having barged into his bedroom without so much as knocking. Taken aback, Amane gazed at Mahiru, who was half-crying and looking down at him. His drowsiness was instantly blown away.

Knowing that Mahiru would never intrude or launch herself onto him in such a manner unless something serious had happened, he blinked exaggeratedly. When he looked at her face again, he felt a strong sense of discomfort—her usually adorable face was the same as ever, forever and always cute, but now, the level of cuteness seemed even more intense now than ever before.

Amane instantly noticed something atop her head. They were triangular in shape, and had the same color as her hair. They resembled the ears of the animal Amane adored so much.

Maybe I'm just dreaming or something? Amane wondered to himself, making the connection that they were on Mahiru's head. As she remained on top of him, he brought her into a close embrace and stroked her head, experiencing a sensation that was both oddly soft and warm. He could feel them pulsate as he cautiously touched them with his fingertips, a tell-tale sign that they weren't just a toy.

"Good…morning?" Amane cautiously asked. Still whimpering on his chest, Mahiru slowly looked up, her caramel-colored eyes moist.

This is real life, right?

"Amane-kun, what should we do? Wh-When I woke this morning, these ears just…"

"…They're the real deal, aren't they?"

"I certainly don't have the time or the skills to prepare such a realistic headband just for a morning joke!" Mahiru cried out in a somewhat desperate tone. Behind her, a tail, one much thicker than a normal cat's, swayed faintly as she spoke. The fur on her tail appeared to be bristling, most likely a natural reflection of her distress.

Is this real too? Amane instinctively reached for her tail, and Mahiru's body promptly trembled in response. The smooth texture was just as pleasant as touching her hair, if not more so.

"…Am I dreaming?" he muttered in a somewhat casual tone, hugging Mahiru as she continued to press her head up against him. From within his arms, she faintly murmured, "Please don't just assume it's all a dream!"

Mahiru gradually brought her face closer to his and glared at him from point-blank range, showing him a displeased look. Paired with the twitching of her eyes, she looked just like a sulking cat.

This is too adorable…

Despite the absurdity of the situation, Amane found the sight of Mahiru with cat ears and a tail so incredibly endearing—so much so that his feelings of confusion and affection were more pronounced than his panic and anxiety.

Mahiru's breathing had now become slightly rough, which made her emotions easier to pick up on than usual. This, however, only served to enhance her cat-like appearance even more, and Amane couldn't help but cover his mouth. "…Sorry, let me apologize first. I know this is a serious situation and all, but, um, th-this is just too cute."

Amane, fearing that it might seem like he was taking the emergency lightly, confessed his honest feelings to her. At this, Mahiru let out a clearly displeased "Hmph," but her expression had softened considerably compared to before.

"I really am sorry." Sincerely, Amane apologized once more, now sitting up with Mahiru still in his arms. As she slid down onto his lap, Mahiru puffed her cheeks slightly before delivering Amane's chest a light headbutt.

"…I'm not against you admiring how I look, but we really must think of a plan for what to do next."

Mahiru had said that with a slightly pouty attitude, though it was clear that she wasn't seriously angry with him. Even though he felt somewhat guilty about it, Amane couldn't help but find that her swaying tail was still adorable.

"L-Let's confirm the current situation, shall we?"

Despite her previously sour mood, Mahiru unconsciously snuggled up to Amane with an innocent charm that was almost too adorable to handle. He held back a groan, restraining himself to merely expressing his affection through gentle strokes as he gazed down at her.

Mahiru still had a cat tail and ears. Sitting on Amane's lap, she seemed to notice his gaze and leisurely swayed her tail.

"…So, this was how you looked when you woke up, right?" Amane began. "Correct. I don't recall noticing anything unusual yesterday," answered

Mahiru. "Besides, how would anyone know why they suddenly started growing cat ears and a tail out of nowhere?"

"Yeah, that's true." In modern Japan, the idea of suddenly growing cat ears and a tail was beyond the realm of possibility. The sensation he felt when he touched the tail, as if there were bones inside, made it clear. The notion that bones could grow and protrude from the human body in just a day was virtually impossible.

The real question was why such a sudden change had occurred in the first place.

This isn't some fantasy world, so why? Amane thought to himself. He looked down at Mahiru again, pondering the situation.

Feeling his gaze, Mahiru's pointy ears, covered in fur that matched her hair color, twitched slightly. While they seemed at home on her head without any glaring oddity, the mere fact that such ears existed on a human head was quite unsettling. However, thanks to Mahiru's glamorous facial features, they further added to her charm, making her appear even more endearing.

"…Given how surreal this situation is, I'm going to ask something equally as surreal," Amane prefaced his question. "Do you recall doing anything recently that might have possibly angered a cat?"

"If we include people, then quite possibly, yes. However, I personally would never do anything to a cat that would warrant it cursing me."

Put simply, Mahiru loved animals. But even if she didn't, she still wasn't the kind of person who would inflict harm on them. If she found certain animals intimidating, she would typically avoid them rather than confront or provoke them.

"Actually, I haven't encountered any cats at all recently. Not even a single one since our visit to the cat café, I believe."

"Yeah…"

They hadn't run into any stray cats in the neighborhood recently either, so Mahiru had virtually no interaction with any cats since then. While she might encounter them at an acquaintance's house, Mahiru was not inclined to enter other people's homes, making even that possibility equally as unlikely.

What caused all of this, then? With that thought in his mind, Amane observed Mahiru as her ears softly flopped downwards. She seemed lost in thought, her hand lightly resting on her mouth and her gaze wandering downwards as if deep in contemplation.

"What's the matter?" questioned Amane. "Ahh… It's nothing."

"Even if it's just a small detail, you can share it." Amane watched her intently, hoping to explore even the slightest possibility if she had any clue. Mahiru looked up at him with a hesitant expression, as if struggling to decide whether to share her thoughts.

"…Yesterday, we were watching that TV program about cats, weren't we?" Mahiru finally said.

"Oh, yeah, we were," Amane recalled.

After last night's dinner, they had casually turned on the TV, and it happened to be showing an animal program featuring a special segment on cats.

"And you were talking about how cute you found them, and how you wanted to pet them for comfort, weren't you?" Mahiru continued.

"Yeah, I did say that."

"And then, I agreed with you."

"…Right, you did," Amane said, recalling the conversation.

What's she getting at, exactly? Amane gazed at Mahiru, who then awkwardly cast her eyes downward, seemingly troubled by something.

"I agreed, yes, but there was actually a thought that had crossed my mind at the time," Mahiru began hesitantly.

"Oh yeah?" Amane prompted her to continue.

"That being, 'I also wish to be adored by Amane-kun in a similar way.'" Stunned, Amane froze at her words as Mahiru buried her face in his chest, seemingly unable to contain herself any longer. Her tail, whether acting against or in accordance with her will, swayed gently and elegantly, occasionally wrapping itself around Amane's arm beside her.

Silence fell between them. Perhaps out of embarrassment, Mahiru's human ears had turned a deep shade of red.

"…Wait, don't tell me…" Amane connected the dots. "S–Surely not, right…?"

Amane chose not to comment on the quiver in her voice. Instead, he hugged her tightly, slowly stroking her back. Through the gaps in her hair, he caught a glimpse of her eyes looking up at him, soft and seemingly melted with emotion, which made his heart skip a beat.

Her gaze was filled with shyness, but there seemed to be a flicker of expectation hidden within, exuding a seductive, tantalizing allure. Realizing that reacting to this in their current position would be inappropriate, Amane quickly dismissed the fleeting desire that had surfaced in his mind and softly set Mahiru down.

"S-So, for now," Amane said, trying to regain his composure, "let's just have breakfast, shall we? I need to sort out my thoughts."

"O-Okay."

Fortunately, Mahiru seemed unaware of Amane's momentary internal struggle. She nodded obediently at his suggestion, her ears still twitching slightly like before.

"…I was just wondering about this, but can you eat normal food? There are some things we eat that cats actually find toxic, like food with lots of salt can be harmful to them."

"I still have a human body…although it now has these ears and a tail attached to it. My senses are all, I believe, still human. If they weren't, I wouldn't be able to perceive colors in quite the same way, and if I gained the senses of a cat while retaining human perception, I would be overwhelmed by all the smells and sounds around me," Mahiru explained.

"Ah, right, that does make sense," Amane acknowledged her point.

He was aware that a cat's vision wasn't as adept at perceiving colors as vividly as a human's. Had Mahiru, who had always experienced the world with human vision, claimed that she was perceiving everything normally now, it must have meant that there were no issues with her senses.

"I shall prepare our food, then." Mahiru, embracing her role in preparing breakfast, energetically got off of the bed, ready to start the task.

Her movements seemed more graceful and fluid than usual.

So it looks like there are some other side effects, after all, Amane thought.

Watching Mahiru's long, flaxen hair sway as she moved, Amane felt a quiet sense of relief. He then followed suit, shuffling off the bed to join her.

✧ ₊ ✦ ₊ ✧

"…Wow, it really is growing out of you, huh."

For breakfast, just to be on the safe side, they avoided adding ingredients like onions and raw eggs, which were harmful to cats. After finishing their meal, Amane once again observed Mahiru's appearance, still processing the surreal change.

Seated on the sofa, Mahiru appeared to have regained her composure as she returned to her usual calm expression. However, her ears and tail were actively moving, seemingly more expressive of her emotions than her face. Amane carefully examined the base where the ears met her scalp—they were indeed wholly attached into her head. He didn't dare try to inspect where the base of her tail emerged from, considering it inappropriate, but according to Mahiru, it was also firmly attached to her body.

Incidentally, Mahiru had opted for loose-fitting pants today, as her tail apparently interfered with the fabric of more traditionally-sized clothing. The occasional glimpse of skin as she moved distracted him, and Amane found himself hoping they could resolve this unusual situation soon.

"I am able to feel pain from my tail, just so you know," Mahiru warned. "That pretty much means they're real, then. But still…"

After looking closely, Amane could see clearly that Mahiru's ears and tail were indeed appendages growing from her body. Furthermore, her reactions when he touched those areas made it evident that they also had nerves.

When Amane gently brushed her tail with his fingertips, the soft, delicate, and slightly moist fur gave a pleasant sensation. Mahiru didn't seem to mind being touched there—she just looked ticklish and reacted with a calm demeanor.

"…It's really warm and fluffy," Amane observed, being especially gentle, careful and delicate in his touch, knowing that her tail was especially sensitive due to its nerves. He was more careful than when he usually caressed Mahiru, making sure not to cause any discomfort. Mahiru was still allowing him to do as he pleased, quietly allowing him to continue. In fact, she even narrowed her eyes contentedly and let out a purring sound, making her reactions much more buoyant and cat-like than usual.

Amane tenderly stroked her head with his free hand and then slid his fingers down to her cheek. Mahiru, seemingly in high spirits, happily pressed her cheek up against his hand and let out a sweet purr. Unaware of her own actions, her face radiated sheer bliss, remaining unchanged.

As Mahiru began to act a little more needy, she nuzzled her cheek against Amane's chest several times, making him struggle to suppress a cough.

I wanna take a pic of this so bad… Amane thought. Actually, maybe a video too. His beloved girlfriend, the one he cherished the most, was now endearingly adopting elements of his favorite animal and cuddling up to him. And, in his eyes, there was nothing more precious.

Mahiru was leaning against him while purring gleefully, just like a large cat.

Amane was conscious of the silly grin on his face, but was relieved to see that Mahiru was too focused on being pampered to notice his change in expression. He was confident that if she happened to catch a glimpse of his face now, it might even creep her out.

Regardless, he continued to affectionately stroke Mahiru, unable to stop himself from doting on her. However, noticing that she was becoming overly limp and almost melting under his touch, he thought he might have gone just a little overboard with it and quickly stopped. Yet, as he did so…

*stare*

Peering up at him with wide, dewy eyes, Mahiru gave him a look as if to ask Are you stopping already? Amane couldn't bring himself to go against those pleading, upturned eyes and involuntarily uttered a "Nnnh…"

"In any case, it's pretty clear that you're taking after a cat," Amane spoke slowly and calmly in an attempt to regain his composure, to which Mahiru's eyes shot wide open in response. Upon noticing that her eyes were still that of a human's, he felt a wave of relief as he stroked her head soothingly. In response, her cheeks relaxed even more into an expression of clear contentment.

"Does it feel good?" Amane asked, composing himself. In response, it seemed Mahiru finally realized exactly what she was doing—her face instantly turned a deep shade of red, as if it had just hit boiling point.

"…You were enjoying yourself there, weren't you?" Mahiru returned, a tinge of disbelief in her tone.

"Well, I suppose. It's just that you were reacting so affectionately, so I couldn't help myself."

"Geez!" Mahiru lightly slapped Amane's thigh, but the attack dealt no damage. Had she used her nails instead, he might have felt some level of pain, but she was careful only to use the palm of her hand. Though her nails now seemed somewhat sharper than usual since becoming more cat-like, unlike an actual cat, she couldn't retract them, so she was likely being mindful of how she moved.

"…P-Please try not to treat me like a cat too much, okay? Geez." "But you were the one acting all affectionate and stuff, so…" Amane pointed out, to which Mahiru silently used his thigh as a makeshift drum. "My bad. What I was seeing was just too adorable not to."

"…When you say that, are you talking about my cat ears being adorable?" "No, I was talking about you being adorable with those cat ears."

"If that's the case, then I suppose it can't be helped."

Amane told Mahiru that it was her who was cute, not just the cat ears, which seemed to please her. Her cheerfully wagging tail showed her good mood, causing Amane to feel a slight worry about how easily swayed and straightforward she was becoming since taking on the form of a cat.

"You're becoming easier and easier to convince, and it's worrying me slightly," Amane muttered.

"Did you say something?" "No, not a word."

It seemed that Mahiru had indeed heard him, as she briefly shot him a glare. However, when Amane gently stroked her, seemingly appeasing her, she backed down and allowed him to pet her. Relieved, Amane continued to move his palm over her until he felt her mood had fully improved.

After a while of being pampered, Mahiru suddenly came to her senses, straightening her back with a snap. However, her tail, as if not ready to let him go, curled around Amane's arm. This suggested that, perhaps subconsciously, she might have wanted to continue being spoiled.

"What should we do now?" Before anything else, they needed to discuss their next steps.

"…This goes without saying," Mahiru began, "but I can't attend school while looking like this."

"Yeah, that's out of the question," Amane agreed. If Mahiru suddenly showed up at school with cat ears and a tail, it would certainly cause a stir. Any passersby would instantly wonder what could have happened to her body. These weren't just fake accessories made for a joke—they were bonafide cat ears and a tail, which made the situation worse.

"I'm certain that people will be quick to ridicule me or claim that I'm just trying to seek attention."

"Whether you'd be ridiculed or not aside, they'll definitely have their own things to say about it all, that's for sure."

Given that not everyone at school viewed Mahiru's presence in a positive light, she would likely become an easy target for students who harbored resentment towards her.

Mahiru understood this herself and drooped her ears in a dejected manner. "I wasn't anticipating this…" she then said. In an attempt to comfort her, Amane stroked her head, and she welcomed his touch. Well, more accurately, she voluntarily rubbed herself against him, nuzzling closer while purring.

"…Ah—!" However, she quickly regained her composure soon after, a gasp escaping her lips. To Amane, the sight of her attempting to control herself was irresistibly cute, and he couldn't help but snicker. This prompted another glaring look from Mahiru in response.

"More importantly," she backtracked, "if people discovered that I suddenly sprouted ears and a tail, it would spark a huge commotion."

"Yeah, it'd be a total disaster if some fool found out and it made the rounds online…" Amane imagined the potential chaos.

"That's the last thing I would want to happen."

"Agreed. Even I wouldn't be in the clear." The possibility of his girlfriend becoming the object of humiliation was no laughing matter.

Mahiru pressed her ears down and furrowed her brows slightly. "…I just wanted to be pampered by you, not to actually turn into a cat like this," she lamented.

"Just say the word, and I'll pamper you to your heart's content," Amane offered earnestly.

"It's embarrassing to say it directly!" Her tail perked up as she spoke, perhaps embarrassed to admit it. The expression she wore suggested that she was also slightly anxious.

Given her nature, Mahiru's hesitation likely stemmed from more than just embarrassment. She probably harbored concerns about whether it was truly acceptable for her to seek his affection or if she was being a bother to him, leading her to bottle up those doubts inside her as opposed to voicing them.

From Amane's perspective, there was nothing bothersome about being relied on or pampered by his adorable girlfriend—far from it. In fact, he wished for her to lean on him even more. He wasn't trying to make her dependent on him, but whatever Mahiru happened to seek from him, he was more than willing to give to her.

The way she can be so reserved is both her strength and her weakness at the same time, Amane thought, a little worried. He then gently placed his palm on her flaxen hair.

"I want to accept everything about you. That's why, Mahiru, I'd be delighted if you let me know anything you'd like me to do, okay? It can be anything, big or small."

"U-Uuu…"

"I won't be put off or think it's weird. Wouldn't you like it if I could pamper you even more?"

"I-I would, yes, but…"

"And I feel the same way. Accepting my partner's affection is the least I can do."

"Perhaps you can only say that because you don't know how needy I can really be?"

"Look…do I really seem like someone who isn't prepared to fully accept your needs?" Feigning offense at the thought, Amane gave her a deliberately exaggerated look of disbelief.

Now in a panic, Mahiru vigorously shook her head and fervently retorted, "That's not it at all!" Seeing her earnest response, Amane couldn't help but smile softly.

Needless to say, Amane didn't actually believe that Mahiru thought so little of him. Her hesitance towards being pampered stemmed merely from her own anxieties and concerns.

Thinking about it, Amane realized that after turning into a cat, Mahiru had been much more open in showing her affection. Her ears and tail exaggeratedly conveyed her emotions, and her behavior was more overt than usual. The way she acted on her desires, which she usually tried to keep under wraps, was a side of her that Amane found irresistibly adorable.

"You've become so easy to read now, Mahiru."

Quick to realize that he was referring to her ears and tail, Mahiru frowned. "Do you prefer me with cat ears, Amane-kun?"

"Hmm, I guess it doesn't really matter to me either way."

"Doesn't really matter…"

"Ah, wait. I don't want you to misunderstand. Let me rephrase that." Worried that it might sound like he didn't care, Amane hurriedly looked into

Mahiru's face, noticing a slightly uneasy expression. He smiled at her, hoping to dispel any worries his words might have caused.

"Mahiru, I like you for who you are, so it's more accurate to say that I don't prefer any version of you over the rest. When you think about it, these cat ears are just another part of you, right? And that's why I like them. If some stranger had them, I'd probably just think it's kind of cute or impressive, but that's about it."

Amane wouldn't automatically like someone with cat ears just because he liked cats. Whether he found someone cute or thought the ears suited them might vary based on how the individual looked, but that wouldn't necessarily equate to affection or fondness for the person themself.

Although she now had cat ears, Amane still only doted on Mahiru because it was her. Had it been anyone else, he likely wouldn't have been nearly as interested as he was.

"If you aren't a fan of having them, then naturally, I'd also prefer that you didn't," Amane explained. "But if you would rather have them, then I'm willing to accept that too."

While it seemed clear as day that Mahiru would prefer not to have them, Amane's priority was to respect her feelings without imposing his own views. Despite finding her cat ears utterly adorable, he only felt that way because they were on her. He wasn't about to rejoice over her new appendages if they made her uncomfortable.

"Anyway, if this is permanent, I'll just have to work hard and provide for us, right? Let's try to find a solution together," Amane proposed. If the cat ears turned out to be a permanent change rather than a temporary one, Mahiru might face significant challenges in living her life as usual.

In the truest sense, she might not be able to live freely without any worries. Amane knew this and was determined to support her as much as possible. Even if it meant Mahiru could no longer step foot outside the house, he was ready to earn enough so they could live comfortably together.

Of course, the best outcome for both of them would be if things returned to normal. Still, Amane wanted her to know that, regardless of the situation, he would never leave Mahiru to face it all alone. As he shared these feelings to her, looking at her earnestly, Mahiru's eyes welled up with tears before slowly closing again.

"…Amane-kun, you dummy." "M-My bad."

"That's not what I meant. Dummy." After uttering these affectionate, hardly insulting words in a delicate voice, Mahiru lunged at Amane. Her forceful embrace sent him tumbling back onto the sofa.

Caught off guard and utterly surprised, Amane found Mahiru collapsing onto him without any hesitation, cuddling close like a pet seeking affection from its owner. Though there was a hint of demureness and hesitation in her expression, Mahiru gazed into Amane's face from up close. Then, with a shy flutter of her long eyelashes, she lowered her eyes, her cheeks likely warming with a blush.

"…I'm still a bit worried, so is it okay if you pamper me a bit more?" "Of course." In response to Mahiru's full-hearted display of affection,

Amane relaxed his cheeks, careful not to overstimulate her. He accepted her kiss, which seemed to convey to him both her anxieties and her warmth.

Whether this bodily warmth was a result of her cat-like transformation or from her own embarrassment remained unclear. All Amane could tell was that Mahiru was seeking comfort from him, showing her affection and desire for his presence.

Mahiru's tongue briefly flicked across his lips during their kisses, giving Amane an odd sensation. It felt distinctly rougher and hotter than usual.

Oh, right. Cats don't have the same kind of tongues as we do. They're barbed, Amane thought, smiling faintly.

Mahiru, likely wondering if she was being laughed at, peered up at him.

Quick to catch on, Amane slowly stroked her head with a smile. Her displeasure seemed to fade immediately as she meekly accepted the touch of his hand. She then nuzzled back into his chest, listening keenly to the sound of his heartbeat.

Feeling his heart beating even faster, Amane tried to calm his slightly quickened pulse so as not to be noticed. At the same time, he continued to caress her just like before.

✧ ₊ ✦ ₊ ✧

Amane slowly opened his eyelids, realizing he had unintentionally fallen asleep. The comfortable warmth and weight on him must have drifted him into sleep.

Mahiru, who had fallen asleep on top of him, remained in a state of complete relaxation and trust, just as she had been before he lost consciousness. It was then that he noticed something for the first time: the triangular appendages that had sprouted from Mahiru's head were gone without a trace. Amane nearly gasped at the sight. Concerned that making a loud noise might wake her up, he managed to suppress the voice rising from his throat and instead intently studied the top of her head where her cat ears had once been.

Her tidy and stunning flaxen hair was all that was there. The top of her head was complete with her human hair crown visible and no signs of anything that wasn't human. Even where the cat ears had been, there was now only her natural hair.

Was it all just a dream? Amane wondered. Mahiru's appearance, so ordinary as if nothing had ever happened, made Amane ponder such a thought as he gazed at her sleeping soundly on top of him.

Her sleeping face, free from the anxieties weighing on her mind, was the very picture of serene slumber. When Amane stroked her back carefully so as to avoid waking her, she made a ticklish expression and then relaxed once more, showing him an expression of pure content as she continued to sleep. Observing this, Amane felt incredibly happy and gently curved his lips into a smile.

"…No matter what happened, I was prepared to take responsibility," Amane whispered as he gazed at Mahiru's innocent sleeping face. As she lay there nestled in his arms, Amane could have sworn he heard a faint "Meow" from somewhere nearby, a sound indistinguishable from that of an actual cat.