Chapter 208: Forming a Club?
Shizuka took a sip of her drink, the faint aroma of sake lingering in the air, and said earnestly:
"I think you all should form a club. It'll keep you busy and prevent you from accidentally making some big mistakes..."
'Hey, hey, what kind of big mistakes are you talking about!'
'Are you worried I'll take them to a hotel after school or something!?'
'With Vigne and Gabriel, if I even dared to say, "Let's go get a room," they'd beat me half to death on the spot.'
'Even that idiot Satania isn't so dumb she'd agree to something that stupid, right?'
'Wait... actually, if I used a limited-edition rainbow pineapple bun as bait, maybe that fool would really fall for it. She might even walk straight into a hotel without realizing what was going on...'
"Well, anyway, that's the deal."
Shizuka clapped her hands lightly, snapping Kouya back to reality. "Go tell Rikka and the others when you get the chance, then hand in the club application form to me as soon as possible."
"Oh, and when you're naming the club, don't come up with something ridiculous." Shizuka Kawaii looked at Kouya teasingly, her lips curling into a grin. "Names like 'Kouya's Harem Club' won't get approved, no matter how passionate you are about it."
Kouya's lips twitched, and he suddenly felt the urge to flip the table. (╯‵□′）╯︵┻━┻
'Who would name their club something like that!?'
'Even if I wanted to, there's no way the others would ever agree!'
As they talked, the warm chatter of the izakaya swirled around them. The low hum of laughter, clinking of glasses, and sizzling food created an oddly comforting atmosphere.
But when Shizuka reached for her drink again, she suddenly froze. Her cup was empty.
The culprit sat right in front of her—the little cat youkai, licking her whiskers contentedly.
Drawn in by the sweet aroma of the sake, the cat had sneakily taken a sip… then another… until she drained the whole thing. Her cheeks puffed up as she hiccupped softly, eyes already glassy.
"This cat... actually drinks alcohol?" Shizuka muttered in disbelief. She reached out to take the cup back, but the cat refused to let go, wrapping her soft paws around the glass like a tiny drunk guarding her treasure.
"See? Just like her owner—both are hopeless cases."
"Who are you calling a hopeless!? Say that again, and we'll have a real problem here."
"You sleep through class, glare at teachers until they're too scared to call on you, and you say you're not?"
Kouya frowned. "That's their fault for being cowards."
Shizuka smirked, raising her fist. "Hey, kid, you see this? This is a teacher's iron fist of love and justice. Want to test it out?"
...
After dinner, they stepped out of the izakaya. The night air was cool and crisp, carrying the faint scent of grilled food from nearby shops. Above them, a crescent moon hung like a silver hook, lighting the narrow street.
Few people were around. The occasional passerby hurried home, heads down, coats pulled tight against the chill.
Shizuka waved a hand lazily. "I'm heading home. You should too—don't wander around at night. Oh, and remember to finish your homework."
'Don't mention homework in front of a student! It kills the mood instantly!'
"Yeah, yeah, I got it," Kouya muttered helplessly.
She clearly came here often. She greeted several regulars on her way out, her face slightly flushed but her steps steady. Not drunk—just relaxed. No need to worry about her passing out somewhere and getting picked up by some creep.
When Kouya got home, he unlocked the door, switched on the light, and changed into slippers. The cat youkai, still wobbly from the alcohol, blinked up at him with sleepy eyes.
He sighed and picked her up, setting her gently into an empty shoebox. "Don't run around. Stay there until you sober up."
"Meow~"
The little cat nodded obediently. Despite her size, she seemed to understand him perfectly. She tucked her tail in and curled up quietly.
Kouya grabbed a change of clothes and headed into the bathroom for a shower.
By the time he came out, the cat was fast asleep, curled into a tiny ball. Her ears twitched occasionally, tail flicking softly as she dreamed.
Kouya sat down at his desk, booted up his computer, and played a few rounds of his favorite game. The glow of the screen reflected on his face, filling the quiet room. By 10:30, he shut everything off, stretched, and headed to bed.
...
A silent night passed.
The next morning, Kouya stood by the sofa, arms crossed, expression dark. In front of him, the cat youkai trembled, her little paws covering her eyes.
He had good reason to be angry.
The shoebox was soaked. And in her mouth... was a pair of underwear she'd dragged in from the balcony. The tiny creature tried desperately to hide it, but it was too late.
The doorbell suddenly rang.
Kouya opened the door to find the shrine maiden and the catgirl, Rina.
"What's wrong?" the shrine maiden asked curiously, noticing his grim face.
"See for yourself." Kouya pointed to the guilty kitten.
Rina's eyes sparkled. She dashed forward, scooped up the kitten, and rubbed her cheek against her fur. "A fellow kitty, meow~ So cute!"
The shrine maiden glanced at the wet shoebox and chuckled, her eyes curling into crescents. "Oh my... she wet the bed?"
Rina looked at Kouya's dark expression and quickly pleaded, her ears drooping. "Please don't be mad, meow. I'll pay for the panties instead..."
She even lifted her skirt pitifully—
"Enough nonsense." The shrine maiden pressed her skirt down firmly. "If you really want to apologize, just buy a new pair next time at the mall. Kou-kun isn't that petty."
Then her expression turned serious. "By the way, I asked around this morning. Ishida Ryuji didn't mention what happened last night. Not sure what he's planning, but stay on guard."
"Got it," Kouya said with a nod.
"Oh, right!" The shrine maiden opened her thermos container and took out a large bento box. The aroma of freshly cooked food filled the air. "I made this for you this morning. Don't skip lunch."
...
Later at school, before class began, Kouya briefly explained what had happened last night.
"Eh, Shizuka-sensei wants us to form a club?" Satania blinked in confusion, resting her chin on her hand as if in deep thought. "There's definitely something suspicious about this..."
'Of course there is!'
'It's obviously to stop you girls from being tricked into going to a hotel with me!'
"Forming a club, huh?" Vigne tilted her head, thinking. "Actually, it doesn't sound like a bad idea. We'd have a place to relax during lunch breaks too."
Clubs, or circles, were small groups of students who shared similar interests. As long as a teacher approved, one could be formed. To get an activity room, though, the student council had to give their approval.
Every school had dozens of clubs—sports ones like basketball and volleyball were the most popular. Then there were the stranger ones: the "Occult Club," "Detective Club," "Service Club," and even a "Bread Appreciation Club."
Satania, of course, had tried applying to a few before, but her constant troublemaking got her rejected every time.
Rikka, shy and small, only really hung out with Satania. She looked like a tiny, eccentric girl lost in her own world, and while adorable, she wasn't exactly popular.
As for the fallen angel Gabriel... she'd once been enthusiastic about founding a club herself, but ever since she became addicted to "cultivation," that dream vanished entirely.
A club? It no longer existed.
Only cultivation—that was her true calling.
"Since Shizuka-sensei's the one asking, let's go ahead and do it," Vigne said thoughtfully. "We already have five people—you, Gabi-chan, Satania, Rikka, and me. That's enough. And of course, our advisor will be Shizuka-sensei."
She paused, fingers tapping her chin, eyes thoughtful.
"But... what exactly should our club's purpose be?"
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