The weather was sunny and pleasant, with a gentle breeze, when a discordant series of meows suddenly rang out.
Saiki Kusuo looked up. [Ah, it's a cat.]
An orange cat wearing a red scarf was clinging to the highest branch of the tree. The fur on its head even formed a "屮" shape—very distinctive. [Why does it look so much like Amp, Readers what do you think?]
Man and cat stared at each other in silence for a long while. The cat still had not recovered from the eye contact.
While the cat was still puzzled, wondering why this human was not rescuing such an adorable little kitten, Saiki slowly walked away.
The cat immediately panicked. [Wait... wait, meow! That human, meow! Stop right there!]
[Yare yare, what are you doing, Matsuoka...]
Just as he was about to turn the corner, Saiki reversed direction and slowly backed up.
Watching Saiki Kusuo gradually return, the cat's mind raced with thoughts.
Amp [What kind of person is this guy? He sees such a cute animal in trouble and just ignores it. Any normal person would feel heartbroken seeing how adorable I am and do everything possible to save me.
Fine, since you're back, hurry up and get me down. If you behave well, I might even let you get close and affectionate with me, meow.]
Saiki Kusuo glanced over, then silently sidestepped away again.
[Wait wait wait wait, why are you walking away?]
Saiki Kusuo: Yare yare, what a hassle.
He slowly walked back.
The cat was still confused. [What is wrong with this guy? Could he be... a dog person?]
[I'm not on either side, but right now I'm leaning heavily toward dogs.]
[If you want me to save you, can you at least say "please"? So, do you want me to save you or not?]
Amp [What's going on? Meow, this guy isn't even speaking, but I can hear a voice in my head.]
[Yeah, that's right. I transmitted the voice directly into your mind. Now, say it. Do you want me to save you? I don't speak cat language.]
Instantly, the cat struck an extremely cute, pleading pose. [Fine, hurry up and get me down already. Behave well, and letting you get affectionate isn't out of the question, meow.]
By then, Saiki Kusuo had already slowly sidestepped toward the corner and half-disappeared.
"Wait, don't go! If you save me, you can touch my fluffy balls however you want. Three minutes of fluff-touching, how about that?"
Sure enough, Amp panicked as Saiki was about to fully vanish.
The cat finally lost control. [Wait wait wait, I was wrong! Come back!]
Saiki walked back again. [This is your last chance. If you don't say "please," I'm not coming back.]
Finally, the cat put on an extremely gentle expression and said, [Tch— yare yare, please save me! (ꐦ°᷄д°᷅)]
Saiki Kusuo: Yare yare, this is exactly why people think cats are cute.
Then, his eyes fixed on the cat at the top of the tree. A flash of light passed through Saiki's eyes. The cat was suddenly lifted as if controlled, grabbed by psychokinesis, and gently placed down on the wall.
Amp [This guy actually has such amazing powers. Is he a god? No, no matter what he is, everyone will eventually submit to us cats.]
While the cat was still pondering how to make this man submit, Saiki Kusuo stepped forward and reached out his hand, looking as if he were about to pet Amp's head.
Instantly, Amp thought, [As expected, he's already fallen under my charm? Fine, I'll let you pet me a couple times.]
But just as Saiki was about to touch him, he smoothly pulled his hand back at the last second, ran it through his own hair instead, then turned his head with a light smirk, looking down at Amp in a way that perfectly mocked him.
Amp [What?! You jerk, meow! You're deliberately messing with me, aren't you, meow?! Damn it, I will make you submit! You'll pay for this!]
Then Saiki Kusuo approached again, reaching out once more as if to pet the cat.
This time, Amp would not fall for it. He instantly jumped away, but in midair, he froze. Saiki caught him with psychokinesis and started petting him.
[Since you like being petted so much, I'll satisfy you.]
In the end, he rubbed the cat's fur counterclockwise, kneading and messing it up at will.
Amp [Nooo, meow! Stop, meow~ Yamete! I can't~ Ah!]
[Well well, the texture really isn't bad.]
After casually petting him for about ten minutes, he tossed Amp onto the ground like a rag and walked away.
It looked exactly like a scumbag who toys with a girl's pure feelings, then decisively pulls up his pants and runs off.
[Yare yare, better wipe my hands clean. They're covered in cat fur.]
After turning a few corners, Saiki Kusuo took out a handkerchief from his bag to wipe his hands, but a gust of wind blew it up into a tree.
[Yare yare, even the wind has to mess with me?]
Just as Saiki Kusuo was about to retrieve the handkerchief, footsteps sounded from behind.
A pink figure flashed past, leaped lightly upward with graceful movements like a martial artist who had trained for ten years. Using a pose almost impossible for a girl, she landed elegantly, perfectly, and coolly. Saiki Kusuo slowly turned to look at the person in front of him.
A long-haired girl with shoulder-length pink hair just like his own, and striking blue eyes, was looking at him.
She slowly walked up to Saiki Kusuo, unfolded a smile, and said gently,
"This is your handkerchief, right? Here, take it!" The smile on the girl's face showed no sign of concern at all.
But what was really in her heart? — Shikimori [Wuwuwu, I just started high school and already got exposed. I originally wanted to be a gentle, cute girl... my plan to change schools is ruined, wuwu (இωஇ )]
(Yare yare, this girl is pretty strange.)
[Thanks! It was really cool, but if you don't want to do it, you don't have to force yourself. It's fine.]
"Ah, no, that's not it. I don't have that kind of thought, it's just..." Shikimori explained nervously.
Listening to Shikimori's explanation, Saiki Kusuo silently raised his right hand and pointed at his watch. [Class is about to start soon. Isn't it bad to keep standing here?]
Shikimori glanced at the time. "Oh no, I'm going to be late! See you later, classmate."
Then she quickly ran off, leaving behind a pink figure.
Saiki Kusuo watched the girl rush away in panic, even though there were still more than ten minutes until class started, until her figure disappeared. Then he silently walked to a corner, placed two fingers on his forehead.
[Teleport]
He arrived in the school bathroom. As for the classroom, he had already checked with clairvoyance.
[Class 1-B, huh? So this is the place.]
Saiki Kusuo walked in and saw the girl from the apartment he had met yesterday—the neighbor.
[The world really is small.]