My New Dorm

Kikidori let out a deep sigh as he stood in front of the dormitory entrance, duffel bag slung over his shoulder. Senior year. He'd finally made it. And yet, as he stared at the towering building that would be his home for the next year, he couldn't shake the feeling that things were about to get… complicated.

"Are you just gonna stand there all day, or are we going inside?"

A soft, playful voice teased him from behind. He didn't even need to turn around to know who it was.

Haruna.

His best friend since forever.

He turned to face her and, as always, was immediately greeted by her most defining features—those fluffy cat ears twitching on top of her head and the long, sleek tail swaying behind her. The sunlight hit just right, making the fur on her ears shine a little, and her golden eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Hey, Kikidori, hurry up! I wanna see what our dorm looks like!" Haruna bounced on her heels, tail flicking left and right in anticipation.

Kikidori couldn't help but chuckle. "Alright, alright, I'm moving."

The two stepped inside and climbed the stairs to their assigned room. Room 207. Their home for the year. Kikidori pushed open the door, revealing a relatively simple space—two beds, two desks, a small kitchenette, and a shared bathroom.

Before he could even process anything, Haruna had already pounced—literally—onto one of the beds, rolling around and stretching like an oversized house cat.

"Soft~!" she purred, burying her face into the pillow. "I claim this bed!"

Kikidori smirked. "Fine by me. Not like I was gonna fight you over it."

She lifted her head slightly, grinning. "You wouldn't win anyway. Cat reflexes, remember?"

He rolled his eyes but couldn't help smiling. She wasn't wrong.

As he started unpacking, the reality of the situation set in. They had been best friends since daycare, always inseparable. But sharing a dorm? That was new. And he already knew what people were going to say about it.

As if on cue, his phone buzzed. A message from one of the guys in his class.

"Yo, Kikidori. For real? Sharing a room with that cat freak? Damn, bro. You really into that furry shit, huh?"

Kikidori clenched his jaw. He should've expected it. People had always given him crap for being friends with Haruna. It was stupid. Just because she had ears and a tail didn't mean she was any less of a person.

Haruna's ears twitched as she sat up on her bed. "Something wrong?"

Kikidori sighed, locking his phone. "Nah. Just the usual."

Her expression darkened slightly. "They're talking shit again, aren't they?"

He hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah, but it's whatever."

Haruna's tail flicked sharply. "It's not 'whatever,' Kiki. You don't deserve that."

Kikidori waved a hand dismissively. "I've dealt with it for years. It's not gonna stop now just because we're seniors."

Haruna crossed her arms, glaring. "Maybe not, but it still pisses me off."

Her protective side had always been one of her strongest traits. Despite her small frame and cat-like demeanor, she had a fiery spirit when it came to defending the people she cared about. And, for some reason, Kikidori had always been at the top of that list.

She suddenly hopped off the bed and strode over to him, placing her hands on her hips. "Hey, look at me."

He did.

"You're my best friend. Anyone who has a problem with that can go lick their own butt like a real cat," she said with a smirk.

Kikidori snorted. "That's… a disturbing mental image."

"But effective, right?"

"Sure, let's go with that."

Haruna grinned, then suddenly leaned in closer, her golden eyes locking onto his. "Besides," she purred, "you like having me around, don't you, Kiki?"

His brain short-circuited for a second. She had that teasing tone in her voice again, the one she used when she wanted to fluster him. And, damn it, it was working.

"Uh—"

Her tail flicked against his arm. "Don't lie."

He swallowed. "Yeah, I do. Obviously."

Her smile softened. "Good."

The moment lingered, and for a split second, Kikidori wondered if she was going to—

A sudden loud meow broke the tension.

Kikidori blinked. "Did you just—"

"I dunno what you're talking about." Haruna turned away, flopping back onto her bed with her tail flicking wildly.

Kikidori just shook his head with a chuckle. This was going to be an interesting year.

The end of chapter 1.