I, the mastermind behind the scenes at Soubu High, refuse to be caught in a bloodbath.

"It's an unpleasant metaphor... but I'll accept it alright."

"So what are you planning to do with these cats? You can't just keep holding an umbrella for them until the rain stops, can you?"

"That's what I thought before you came."

"So what now?"

“I really want to take them to a shelter... but I can’t lift this box.”

"So you want me to help you carry them over?"

“I never said that; it was your own interpretation that way.”

It seemed she had been squatting for a while, so Yukinoshita stood up with her hands on her knees. She hesitated for a long time before finally covering the corrugated cardboard box completely with her umbrella. Then she stood under Himekoji's umbrella, which was directly over Yukinoshita's head, while he himself got soaked.

"Are you still drinking?"

Would you like a bite?

"What kind of common sense did you use to suggest that you let a girl drink from your empty wine can? This is almost sexual harassment."

"Even if you really want to drink it, I won't give it to you. I don't even have enough for myself."

Himekoji was glared at by Yukinoshita as soon as she finished speaking.

Is it really that fun to play word games and make fun of me?

"I don't need someone like you, who's living under someone else's roof, to talk to me like that."

"...living under someone else's umbrella."

Yukinoshita was very unhappy, but she couldn't refute it. She seemed to be forcing herself to step out of Himekoji's umbrella range, but in the end she gave up.

“I said, you might as well just raise it.”

"So I'm not saying I can't raise anything, am I? I'm starting to doubt whether you have normal Japanese listening, speaking, reading and writing skills."

"I'm really sorry that you doubted me. I was just thinking of taking care of your cat while you were busy."

"What did you say?"

Yukinoshita looked at him in disbelief.

"I now seriously doubt whether you have normal Japanese listening, speaking, reading and writing skills."

Himeko rolled her eyes and met Yukinoshita's dark eyes.

"Tch." Yukino crossed her arms and turned her head away, saying, "I don't need... I don't need anyone to do this kind of thing. To be honest, I don't even really like cats that much. I'm just really worried and can't put my mind at ease seeing this situation. Living alone is quite nice. I don't have to deal with nagging family members or cleaning up pet hair. It's even easier to clean up, and I don't have to plan every day what cat food to buy, whether it's time to take it for vaccinations and checkups, and things like that..."

"Liking cats doesn't mean I want to own one; liking cats... is something that happens under the snow—"

"What is that? It's a jumbled mess."

"Well—it's a famous quote from a certain celebrity, the kind that's become popular all over China."

“China… Oh right,” Yukinoshita glanced back at her umbrella with the giant panda and Mr. Pan printed on it, and said absentmindedly, “You said you took Daphne… Auntie to China to see the giant pandas during Golden Week, right?”

"Yes."

"So, isn't it... very interesting? Are there many giant pandas there? Are they cute? Are they also adorably clumsy?"

Yukinoshita looked at Himekoji with longing, her hands lightly placed on her chest, like a holy nun praying to heaven.

"Isn't that obvious? All the giant pandas in the world are loaned out by China. If I hadn't stopped my mom, she probably would have rushed into the park. She likes them very much too."

"No way! Is there anyone who doesn't like giant pandas?! This is like saying some girls hate cats!"

"Ah, no, I think there's something wrong with that analogy..."

However, Yukinoshita completely ignored Himekoji's comments, immersing herself in some kind of fantasy, constantly muttering words like "panda" and "cute." After more than a minute, she came back to her senses, glanced at Himekoji who was staring at her out of the corner of her eye, coughed lightly, and played with her hair with her fingers, saying, "You like... giant pandas too?"

"Of course I like it, how could I not like it?"

—After all, it was a national treasure of my country in my previous life, so who wouldn't like it?

"Hmm, very good!"

Yukinoshita breathed a satisfied sigh of relief.

"In Sichuan, you might have a chance to pinch a giant panda's ear, but you have to sneak up, um, sneak up, and pinch it unexpectedly through the fence."

Ji Xiaolu once arranged this for her mother, which took a lot of effort. Later, her mother looked at her hands with satisfaction and said, "Now I am the happiest woman in the world!"

"Even... even that kind of thing can be done?!"

Yukinoshita was shocked.

"Sure... but it's a real hassle. You have to get a lot of approvals. Ugh, just thinking about it gives me a headache."

Himeko rubbed her temples.

Author's Note:

P.S.: Remember to vote for this book after you finish reading it!

PS2: Six chapters today. Since it's going to be released tomorrow, here's a final bonus. I hope everyone will support and subscribe.

Chapter 084 Too Excited, [Yukino Yukinoshita] Meows

"By the way, I've been wanting to ask this for a while now, Himekoji, you can speak Chinese, right?"

"Yes, and much more proficient than you think."

"If you remove the part you're bragging about, then it's probably at the level of a Chinese elementary school student, or maybe kindergarten level?"

"Don't get rid of me without my permission, you bastard! And that's not just me bragging!"

"His anger and embarrassment further demonstrate his guilty conscience."

"...I have to go back now. Ah, don't look at me like that, as if it's my duty to hold an umbrella for you."

"No...wouldn't you like to reconsider?"

"What are you even thinking about?" Himekoji waved to Yukinoshita, turned around and said, "Well then, goodbye."

As soon as Himekoji stepped out, Yukinoshita grabbed his sleeve. He turned around and saw her with her head down, her face slightly flushed, saying in a very soft voice, "Could...could I ask you for a favor?"

"ha--?"

"Could I ask you for help with the cat thing?"

“It’s not impossible before you go to college, but—I have one condition.”

After a moment of immense joy when she saw the snow falling, Himekoji's next words poured cold water on her enthusiasm.

"That's true... Anyway, I'm not your friend, so it's normal for me to ask you to do something or agree to a condition. Is it some kind of exchange? Maybe..."

Yukinoshita muttered to herself for a while, then looked up at him.

"Well, it's not like it's anything unreasonable. It's just that you owe me a favor. How about it, deal?"

"Based on normal circumstances, we still have almost a year and a half until graduation. I should be able to make friends before then... Yui-chan... or... probably."

Yukinoshita was talking to herself, trying to comfort herself. She was trying so hard to convince herself that she should keep the cat, and she was actually quite cute doing that.

"How about it, want to give it a try?"

"Do you always act so recklessly, Himekoji?"

Yukinoshita sighed softly, her forehead pressed together. Her rain-soaked hair clung together, forming ribbons.

Am I always messing around?

"Last time you suddenly said you wanted to drive, and this time you're trying to persuade me to get a cat. You're always doing something reckless."

"Life needs surprises, right?"

“Life needs to be able to withstand tranquility... Forget it, what’s the point of arguing with you about this?” Yukinoshita rubbed her temples with a headache, looked around, and said, “Did you drive here today too? Drunk driving?”

"No, no, no, I would never do such a stupid thing. I had a rare day off today, so I asked Miss Reiko to bring me here."

"Himekoji".

"what?"

"Umbrella, hold it up for me."

Yukino turned around and said somewhat embarrassedly.

"...Is this the tone you should use when asking someone for a favor?" Himeko sighed, holding the umbrella over Yukinoshita's head again. She nodded with satisfaction, crossed her arms, and commented, "Not bad. I thought you were a heartless Himeko who could bear to see a cute girl get wet in the rain without batting an eye."

"I'm taking back my umbrella now. I'm so sorry, I'm such a heartless person."

"Ahem, I take back what I just said."

"Here's the umbrella. I'm going to buy a few things."

Himekoji waved the umbrella handle toward Yukinoshita. Yukinoshita slowly raised her hand to take it, then looked warily at Himekoji's face. Seeing that he didn't have any funny expression, she finally prepared to take the umbrella. During the handover, Yukinoshita accidentally touched Himekoji's hand and immediately pulled it back as if she had been electrocuted.

"Why are you so troublesome!" Himekoji grabbed Yukinoshita's arm with her right hand and shoved the umbrella into her hand. Before Yukinoshita could recover from her daze, Himekoji waved and left, saying, "If I come back and find you gone, you can prepare for the Service Club to be disbanded when you get back to school!"

When Himeko returned, she was carrying a cheap umbrella from another convenience store. She also bought ham sausages, dried fish, boxed lactose-free milk, and other things. Of course, the kittens couldn't eat these, nor could they drink milk directly. These were all prepared for the mother cat.

Yukinoshita stood alone in the rain, waiting, her gaze fixed on the distance as if searching for something. When she saw Himekoji, she finally felt a little relieved and squatted down again to move her umbrella to look at the kitten.

"Here you go, try to feed him some."

"Wow, that's quite a feast."

"You don't want to eat it too, do you?"

"Coo-coo..."

Just as Himekoji was saying this, Yukinoshita's stomach rumbled. She didn't cover her stomach to hide anything, but instead put on a serious face and said, "That was the purring sound of a mother cat."

"I haven't said anything yet..."

Ji Xiaolu felt a huge bead of sweat hanging on the back of her head.

"Coo coo...coo coo—"

Yukinoshita's stomach rumbled again. This time, she covered her abdomen with her left arm and explained, blushing slightly, "Is it wrong that I haven't eaten because I discovered these kittens a long time ago?!"

"Pfft, hahahahahahahaha..."

Himeko turned her back, shrugged, and kept laughing. Yukinoshita raised her foot, seemingly intending to kick him, but then gave up the idea. She unwrapped the fish sausage, cut it into pieces, and gently put them into the corrugated cardboard box. She also sprinkled a little dried fish on top. As for the milk, there was no way to get it right now, so she had to put it aside for the time being.