CHAPTER 78: CHAPTER 77: CAT GIRL? STOP DREAMING_1

Mentioning Hojo Tetsuji, Yoshikawa Sayuri let out a heavy sigh towards the outside.

It was the first time in her life that she had been confessed to.

Even if the manner of the confession was clumsy.

Yoshikawa Sayuri could still feel the sincerity of the feelings behind it.

But that didn’t mean she had to accept it.

Before Hojo Tetsuji confessed to her, Yoshikawa Sayuri hadn’t even spoken a single word to him.

Any normal high school girl wouldn’t possibly accept such a sudden confession, right?

But were the words of my rejection too harsh?

Having never rejected a confession before, Yoshikawa Sayuri couldn’t be sure her reply was flawless. She turned to her friend, saying, "Makoto, rejecting him on the grounds that I already like someone shouldn’t be a problem, right?"

"Don’t worry, that’s the most common rejection line."

Nomura True Wave petted Aozawa’s neck and said with a laugh, "Hojo Tetsuji is a delinquent, after all. He barely attended any classes last year. His absence has nothing to do with you; he’s probably off somewhere enacting some delinquent high school drama."

He’s actually planning to become a monk, you know, Aozawa wanted to retort.

"That makes sense."

Yoshikawa Sayuri stretched languidly, turned her head, and fixed her gaze on Aozawa. With a sudden look of confusion on her face, she asked, "Makoto, don’t you think there’s something odd about this cat’s eyes?"

"Really?"

Nomura True Wave lifted Aozawa with both hands to face her. Staring into his pair of azure eyes, she said thoughtfully, "He seems different from other cats; there’s like a glint of wisdom in these eyes. Could it be... he’s a magical cat? Quick, transform into a cat girl!"

Nomura True Wave raised Aozawa high, her face full of anticipation.

The next second, there was no sparkling light, no special transformation.

Her look of anticipation faded.

Yoshikawa Sayuri wondered, "Speaking of which, is White Dragon Maru a male or female cat?"

"Doesn’t matter, as long as it can transform into a cat girl."

Nomura True Wave placed Aozawa on the table and said seriously, "Tell us, how can you transform into a cat girl?"

Even if I were to transform, I’d become a Cat Prince, Aozawa mentally retorted, suppressing the urge to transform and scare the two girls.

Yoshikawa Sayuri fell into contemplation. "I get it! A special ritual must be performed for it to transform into a cat girl."

"That’s right, that’s it!"

Nomura True Wave lifted Aozawa above her head again and began to dance around the clubroom’s long table, emulating an Indian dance around a bonfire.

"Transform into a cat girl! Transform into a cat girl!" she chanted loudly.

"OOH-WOO-OOH!" Yoshikawa Sayuri provided accompaniment from the side, clapping her hands and moving with frenzied steps, joining her friend in the chaotic fun.

In the empty clubroom, the two girls let loose their true natures during their lunch break, dancing without a care for how embarrassing it might look.

I never thought you girls were like this! Aozawa twisted his body, MEOWING his protest.

Nomura True Wave quickly stopped dancing, excitedly asking, "Did it really work?!"

Aozawa tucked away his sharp claws, patted the girl’s face with a paw pad, then swiftly darted out of her grasp, landed on the ground, and ran off without looking back.

He had no interest in joining their awkward dance.

"Oh dear, that might have been a bit too much," Nomura True Wave scratched her head, feeling a pang of regret. After this, White Dragon Maru might stop coming to the Manga Club.

「...」

Having run out of the club building, Aozawa circled around and covertly returned to the bush where he had hidden his phone.

He quickly transformed back into human form and retrieved his phone.

Aozawa had originally planned to have Yoshikawa Sayuri help him persuade Hojo Tetsuji not to become a monk.

But plans never keep up with changes.

From what Yoshikawa Sayuri had said, Aozawa realized she didn’t actually have anyone she liked. Her rejection of Hojo Tetsuji had been purely because she was intimidated. It made sense, Aozawa mused. Considering Hojo Tetsuji’s older appearance and sunglasses, suddenly confessing to a girl he’d never even spoken to? There was no way that could have succeeded.

Aozawa sent a message to his friend, Hojo Tetsuji.

"Tetsuji! I gave the diary to Yoshikawa Sayuri. In our casual conversation, I found out she doesn’t actually like anyone. Her initial rejection of you was purely because she had never spoken to you before and didn’t know you. If you could spend more time together, you might have a chance at a relationship."

With a tap of his finger, he sent the message.

This should change Hojo Tetsuji’s mind and fulfill Shouko’s request, Aozawa thought.

「...」

Adachi District, Nishi Arai Master Sojiji Temple.

Inside the Zen chamber, off-limits to tourists, Hojo Tetsuji knelt before the Buddha.

His sunglasses were off, and his bearded, mature face exuded a Buddha-like compassion.

"Father, are you really going to let someone like him join our temple?"

"He has a connection with the Buddha," the abbot replied honestly to his son’s question.

In all his years in this profession, he had never seen true Buddha-nature like this—the youth’s expression of indifference to worldly things, the wisdom in his eyes. It convinced the abbot that accepting this person would make the temple’s fame grow even larger. After all, a temple couldn’t afford to be without at least one person who truly believed in Buddha. Most of their monks indulged in meat and wine, which could make them seem unreliable in the eyes of the elite.

Although Japanese temples didn’t forbid monks from drinking alcohol and eating meat, the elites wishing to perform certain rituals wouldn’t want such monks conducting them. They had more faith in those who abstained from alcohol and meat, and were devoutly Buddhist.

The abbot couldn’t manage these three things, nor could the others in the temple. But the young man before him definitely could.

He’s our golden signboard! the abbot thought.

Holding an electric clipper, the abbot stepped forward and asked symbolically, "Hojo Tetsuji, once you are tonsured, you will leave behind all worldly things. Have you considered this carefully?"

Just as Hojo Tetsuji started to answer, "I—"

His cellphone, tucked in his pocket, suddenly vibrated.

He didn’t have many friends—just his younger sister and Aozawa. Besides them, no one else would message him.

It must be Shouko trying to stop me from becoming a monk, Hojo Tetsuji guessed. But it didn’t matter; his heart had already returned to the embrace of Buddha, far removed from the secular world. No words could shake his faith in Buddha.

Hojo Tetsuji opened his phone, saw it was a message from Aozawa, and read it through.

He extracted two key pieces of information:

First, Yoshikawa Sayuri didn’t like anyone.

Second, he had a great chance!

"OH!"

Worldly desires erupted within Hojo Tetsuji’s heart. He picked up his sunglasses from the ground and put them on. With a solemn face, he said, "Sorry, Abbot, but I’ve realized that a young man should embrace love, not Buddha!"

"Hey, wait, young man! You have a connection with Buddha!"

"Nonsense! Who wants to be a celibate monk?!" Hojo Tetsuji roared and strode out of the Zen room.

He pushed his way against the stream of incense-burning tourists, found his motorcycle, quickly mounted it, and started the engine.

School, I’m coming back!

Hojo Tetsuji was imagining a sweet future when the blare of horns around him pulled him back to reality.

He looked around; a Rampaging Tribe on motorcycles now flanked him on both sides.

"Hojo! Today we decide who’s the strongest badass in Adachi District!"