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“And have you thought this over?” Kirari asked curiously before taking a sip of her tea.
“Yes,” Yumeko smiled.
Kirari let out a small laugh to herself as she set her teacup down. “This could pose a risk to our true identities, Yumeko. I hope you know that.”
“That is part of the fun in a gamble, such as this, is it not?” Yumeko smirked.
Kirari also smirked, “Exactly.”
It was easy to talk to Kirari Momobami when you think just like her.
“I will inform my sister and have her inform the new president about this.”
The end results of the election took the entire academy by storm. It was assumed Kirari would stay the president (and essentially the head of the Momobami Clan), but was actually beaten in her gamble against her twin sister, Ririka Momobami, and Ririka’s partner, Mary Saotome. The winner of the election ended up being Ririka. However, because she was also a third year and was about to graduate, she only took the new head of the Clan position and the president position was given to Mary, the runner up.
Kirari, now free from her duties, had decided to cut herself from the Clan and only keep in contact with Ririka; waiting for the day when Sayaka Igarashi will graduate and they will be wed. In turn, Ririka is also waiting for the day when Mary graduates so they can start an official relationship.
“Thank you very much,” Yumeko bowed.
“Although, knowing that Mary Saotome, I’m more than certain she will not take kindly to your decision,” Kirari said with a knowing smile.
“Oh, Mary will be angry with me,” Yumeko giggled, “but she won’t stay mad forever.”
Either way, the chaos at Hyakkaou is sure to return…
Yumeko hummed aloud to herself as she placed another piece of paper of a black cat with dark eyes and a key around its neck on a different wall of the academy.
“You’re still here, Yumeko?”
She turned and saw Ryota standing nearby. “Mm-hm,” she smiled. “I’m just about done putting up these fliers.”
Ryota leaned in to the nearest flyer and read it.
Catch Me If You Can! My owner, Yumeko Jabami, is letting me have the chance to roam around her school with the key to our home around my neck for the chance that one of you may become her intended!
“What?!” Ryota grabbed the flyer and brought it closer to make sure he read it correctly. Every single word meant exactly what was written. Was Yumeko seriously considering this trend Kirari Momobami started last year?
“Yumeko, you can’t be serious.”
“Hm?” Yumeko tilted her head. “I already have permission from the Clan and Mary to do this.”
The Clan? Is she talking about the Momobami Clan? It’s true that not long ago it was revealed that the Jabamis are a branch of the Momobamis, but was Yumeko that connected with them?
Yumeko continued, “Besides, it’s gotten boring around here since Mary was elected the new president of the student council.”
“But you’re offering yourself up for someone to marry you!”
Yumeko chuckled to herself and placed the few remaining flyers onto the floor. She turned to Ryota and gently took the flyer from him and placed it on the ground before taking his hands into hers. “Ryota, I’ve thought everything through, down to the smallest detail. I never go through with something unless I’m absolutely sure.”
Still hearing her say his first name made shivers run up his spine and a light blush to coat his cheeks. At the end of last year, Ryota finally got the guts to tell Yumeko to call him by his first name since she let him do it with her name so soon into their friendship.
“We’ll be graduating this year and I want to be prepared for the real world.”
“B…But—But—”
Yumeko put a slender finger to his lips, making him blush harder. “Going out there alone is no fun. With a partner, I can enjoy life more knowing that I’ll have a friend.”
Ryota tried to open his mouth but no words would come out.
Yumeko smiled and picked the flyers up. She gave the one Ryota took off the wall back to him. “Please excuse me, Ryota. There’s just a few more I need to put up and then I have to get everything else ready. I’ll see you and everyone tomorrow,” she grinned.
Ryota listened to her hum to herself and walk down the hallway.
Yumeko Jabami…married? That was a thought that never crossed his mind in the entire year that he’s known the incredibly eccentric girl. Hopefully, Yumeko was telling the truth that she thought everything through with this…test…
No, no, no!
What if it turns out that it’s just some guy after her money? He would be too weirded out by her outgoing personality and her gambling addiction and her addiction to high risks! He might see her as some kind of freak without wanting to take the time to get to know her…He wouldn’t know how to care for her mentally or know the sweet and caring girl for who she is under the surface of it all…
That’s that. Ryota has made it his goal to get the key from Yumeko’s cat before anyone else can who might potentially hurt her. It’s what any good best friend would do, right? Right.
Mary had just taken her third ibuprofen in the last hour to soothe her bothersome headache. Of course she goes to Momobami about this rather than her. True that she would have told the ravenette absolutely not if she had requested to do what the twins did the year before…
Because of them, numerous requests from a large percentage of the female students at the academy have been sent in, asking for permission to use their cats or their dogs or any pet they have to find their future spouses. Yumeko was the only one she knew who could start these sorts of things and it drives Mary up the wall.
“I’ll have an announcement made to have these requests cease at once,” Sayaka, who was actually on her second ibuprofen within the last few hours, bemoaned, failing to keep it as professional as possible.
If it weren’t for Sayaka continuing to be the student council secretary, Mary wouldn’t know what she’d do without the girl.
“Once I get my hands on that woman, I swear…” Mary growled.
Sayaka breathed out a sigh. “You know as well as I the kind of beings the Bami Clan consists of.”
A faint blush appeared on Mary’s face. Of course she knew. She was dating the current head of the Clan. It was her that got the key before any other could and potentially use her girlfriend for mere riches. Mary still thanks any and all higher power that she was the victor. Mainly for Ririka’s sake…
“That includes Jabami.”
“It was still your girlfriend for allowing…this,” Mary growled again.
“Fiancée,” Sayaka corrected, “and your girlfriend allowed it, either way.”
Mary slumped into her chair with a moan. “Don’t you think you were jumping the gun a little last year?”
Sayaka huffed, “No, I believe that I did not ‘jump the gun’ as you so put it, because I have wanted to be asked that question for years.”
“Says the one who’s still in high school.” Mary smirked.
Sayaka resisted the urge to roll her eyes again. It was times like these she tried to figure out how Ririka allowed the blonde to claim the key.
Catching a cat was more difficult than Ryota thought…It didn’t help that the cat was pure black and was completely silent with its movements. It was like trying to catch an actual shadow! Luckily, none of the other male students were getting anywhere, either. Yumeko’s cat was too quick and smart for them.
Ryota has tried all sorts of methods—dropping a basket over her, waiting and popping out from behind some makeshift bushes (only to have the cat jump right out of his reach), even the classic—leave a bit of food under a box held up by a stick with a string attached to it! The plan failed when he thought the cat was caught once she started eating the bait but another student decided to use it to his advantage and snatch his victory by jumping in to grab the cat just for her to jump out of the way and for him to knock the stick and let the box fall on his head instead.
Over a week has passed and Yumeko’s cat was as free and carefree as can be, the key still around her neck, gleaming under the sun in an almost mocking way.
He was so busy trying to catch the cat that he can’t remember if he’d seen Yumeko at school that whole time…
Ryota put the rest of his things inside of his bag once he was done with his class representative duties and headed to his dorm for the night. Anxiety gnawed at his stomach at the thought of someone unworthy getting the key. No doubt possibly hurting Yumeko’s pet cat in the process…
Suddenly, Ryota stopped walking. If doing all of those things was to catch the cat, wasn’t he putting her in as much danger as everyone else?
“Meeoow.”
Ryota looked over and barely spotted the black cat in the tree. He walked over and only looked up at her.
The cat tilted her head with a swish of her tail and sway of the key.
Ryota softly laughs to himself. “If you think I’m going to use this chance to take the key from you, you’re wrong. I’m too tired. Want some food, though?” He began to rummage through his bag.
The cat’s ears twitched and she climbed down the tree as silent as a little shadow.
Ryota placed the open can of tuna down and watched as the cat started eating. He sat and leaned against the tree.
Now that he was thinking about it, trying to catch the cat was immoral. The cat ran away every time because she would be chased and grabbed at. It’s as simple as having a calm demeanor and giving her what she wanted. In this instance: food.
“It’s about time you’ve been shown some kindness after so long,” Ryota said as he scratched the cat behind her ear. The cat paused her eating and leaned into his hand while purring. “I know, I’m one to talk, and I’m sorry about that. I was just so worried about Yumeko that I became so blindsighted. There wasn’t any telling who would win and end up marrying her. I know they would treat her poorly.”
The cat stopped purring and looked up at Ryota.
He continued, “She’s not like any girl that I’ve ever met. It took some getting used to and now I can’t imagine a life without her. She makes my life more fun and vibrant when she’s around. She was the first person in this entire academy to treat me like an equal. Sure, if I was the one to marry her, it would be a dream come true. Although, if it turns out to be someone else, as long as the both of you are okay, I’ll manage.”
The cat’s tail swished.
Ryota looked at the cat. “Think you can keep this between us?”
The cat stuck the tip of her tongue out.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
Suddenly, the cat pounced on Ryota and knocked him onto his back. For some reason, the impact felt heavier than a cat normally would. Ryota tried to get his bearings when he heard a familiar giggle.
“I’m sorry, Ryota, but I’m afraid that promise is already null and void,” Yumeko smiled.
Ryota felt his brain short circuit and could only look up at the girl leaning over him.
“W—w—w—w—w—wha—?!”
Yumeko placed a finger to his lips.
“I’m a shapeshifter.” She grinned.
How can someone say something like that so casually?!
Yumeko helped Ryota sit up before continuing, “At first I always thought it was just my family but it turns out to be a Momobami thing, since the Jabamis are a branch of the Momobami Clan.”
As Ryota’s brain was trying to catch up, it was slowly making sense to him.
“Now then.” Yumeko suddenly leaned her chest towards Ryota, making him blush profusely. “Since you’re the one who caught me, Ryota, you are awarded the key. As well as winning my hand in marriage!”
Ryota took a moment to move before shakily removing the key from around Yumeko’s neck.
“S—so…” Ryota started, “you don’t…have a cat…?”
Yumeko shook her head. “Nope.”
“…Right…”
Ryota jumped when Yumeko was suddenly in his face with a look he couldn’t discern.
“Well…?” Yumeko raised her eyebrows.
“‘Well…’ what?”
Yumeko pouted. “Aren’t you going to ask me to marry you?”
Ryota choked on his own spit and took several minutes to clear his throat. “What?!”
“You heard me! You got the key, so you won! And you did just confess that you wanted to marry me. What’s the hold up?”
“Y—Yumeko, th—that—you—I think you’re doing things a little too fast here.”
“How so?” she asked with a head tilt.
“W—well, uh…how—how about we go things slow? Maybe, starting off with being…” He gulped. “B—boyfriend and girlfriend…?”
Yumeko looked at Ryota with a surprised expression. She was silent for a long time, Ryota began to think he said something offensive, until she grinned.
“Okay!”
“…What?”
“Yes! Let’s date!” Yumeko grabbed his hands in hers.
Did that really just happen? Was he now actually dating the Yumeko Jabami?
Yumeko got up and dusted herself off. “To celebrate our new relationship, let’s go to the sweets buffet!”
“Oh, uh…You know what? Yeah, I’m a man!” Ryota jumped straight up. “Get whatever you want, Yumeko! Everything’s on me!”
Yumeko’s eyes widened. Usually, she was the one who paid for everything for whatever they did together. It was rare for Ryota to be the one to pay since his money situation was always difficult for him and his parents. Yumeko felt her heart beat a little faster and felt a blush coat her cheeks and smiled at Ryota. She grabbed his arm and they began to walk side by side like they always did, but now, things between them were different…maybe even for the better.
“No,” Mary firmly stated.
“Come on, Mary!” Itsuki whined.
“You’re not doing it. No one is. I’ve just signed a ban for that stupid game. End of story.”
“You let Yumeko do it!”
“I was forced to. She already got the go ahead from the Momobami Clan, so their decision outranks mine. No more cats!”
“Pleeeaaase?” Itsuki gave Mary puppy eyes.
Mary stared her down, and began to grumble to herself. “Ugh…maybe…”
Itsuki gasped. “Really?!”
“No.”
“Mary!”