Chapter 20 The Fierce Uninvited Guest

[Today’s Childhood Friend Diary]

I got confessed to.

The girl who confessed is the one who used to ask me questions a lot.

Her name… I forgot. Not worth remembering.

After those ridiculous three years in middle school, I’ve become way more minimalistic in social stuff.

If someone isn’t worth it, I don’t waste my thoughts on them.

After the last break of the afternoon, when I went to the bathroom and came back, I was cleaning out my drawer, getting ready to go home with Zhi Nian, when I found a notebook I didn’t recognize.

It was almost new, barely written in, with a bookmark inside.

Opening to the bookmarked page, I realized it was from that familiar girl, asking me to meet her by the swings in the biology garden.

Apparently, that place is popular for confessions, though I’ve never experienced one myself.

After class, the girl slipped out of the classroom early.

I walked toward the biology garden while texting Zhi Nian to head home by herself.

Haha, speaking of which, I still have to comfort her tomorrow.

Just reading her texts, I can imagine her little pitiful face.

I turned her down quickly and went home, catching the last bus.

After a while, I think I’ll start biking again—taking the bus isn’t that convenient.

At dinner, Dad got invited out again by his friends.

I was chatting with Mom about hanging out with Zhi Nian lately, and she suddenly got interested, saying she wants to prepare bento lunches for us.

Hope she can make them tasty.

* * * * *

As soon as I stepped into the biology garden, I heard the birds chirping here and there, saw maple leaves scattered on the ground, and a moose standing by the iron gate to welcome me.

Well, it was just a wooden moose statue.

Passing by the pond where goldfish swam, I crossed a deep brown wooden bridge and arrived at a mushroom-shaped fountain.

Nearby were three double swings. Lately, Zhi Nian and I often come here to relax, and this is the spot we pick.

* * * * *

Yesterday, I got stood up. What was Gu Fan doing?

It’s been three weeks since our first day skipping class.

After talking with Gu Fan, we still skip class but stay inside school grounds now—we don’t wander outside anymore.

And we haven’t been to the suburbs since.

We skip class three to four times a week.

Gu Fan sometimes asks me out, but mostly I’m the one half-forcing him through messages to skip with me.

The school is pretty open-minded, with loose management, and the teachers don’t seem to suspect much.

After sitting on the swings for a while, I heard the sound of crunching maple leaves.

I looked up and saw Gu Fan walking towards me with the sun behind him.

His expression was indifferent, but as soon as he saw me, a warm smile spread across his face.

Hmm…

Even though sometimes I get annoyed that Gu Fan isn’t honest enough, even a half-hearted smile from him feels really warm.

“Gu Fan.”

“Hmm.”

Gu Fan walked straight toward me, his steps steady and decisive, and sat down right beside me.

The double swing was just the right size for the two of us.

He didn’t bring his backpack—since we only skip class for a morning or afternoon and stay on school grounds, we just leave our bags in the classroom and go back if we need something.

The wind passed through the colorful leaves, brushing past my nose with a complex mix of scents.

If it weren’t nearly winter, maybe this breeze would feel even more pleasant.

I lowered my head and pressed hard against my chest, barely reassuring myself that my school uniform jacket covered my stomach properly before I relaxed.

Lately, I’d been so focused on how to please Gu Fan that I hadn’t noticed how my short school uniform sometimes revealed a bit of my belly.

Now that things have slowed down, I have more time to pay attention to this more feminine side of myself and realize how careless I’ve been.

Later, after some online searches, I gradually learned how to make myself look neater and less sloppy.

I even took advice from other catgirls online and cut a round hole in the back of my school pants so I no longer have to force my tail down or pull my pants so low that my underwear shows.

Sway, sway—

My mood lifted with the breeze as I kicked my feet wrapped in black cotton socks, gently pushing the swing back and forth.

Gu Fan leaned quietly against the backrest, the wind sound mingling with his calm and steady breathing near my ear.

“Um… Gu Fan.”

“Yeah, I’m here.”

“Good morning, by the way.”

“Hmm, good morning.”

Sitting on the gently swaying swing, we started a simple everyday conversation and then slipped into silence again, just soaking in the peaceful atmosphere.

After that talk in the suburbs, I decided not to force myself to find topics to talk about with Gu Fan.

I’d trust my own judgment—if I felt he didn’t like chatting all day, then I’d just stay quiet.

Besides, just being with Gu Fan, even without talking, never feels awkward.

But… since we only skip class together two or three times a week and don’t meet otherwise, I still need to try chatting more and making good memories.

“Zhi Nian, let’s eat lunch at school.”

I don’t know how long I’d been spacing out when I suddenly heard Gu Fan say that softly in my ear.

He probably didn’t mean to—he’s so much taller than me that even sitting down, his breath naturally blew on my cat ears.

But it really… really tickled…

“Ugh… mm…”

I forced myself to hold back my voice, suppressing the soft trembling of my highly sensitive cat ears, trying to calm my wildly beating heart.

“Ah, sorry, sorry—I forgot you’re a catgirl. Are your ears okay?”

Gu Fan spoke apologetically, aware of my catgirl traits.

“I-It’s fine, just a little ticklish.”

I rubbed my cat ears hard, using the slight pain to cover up the unbearable itchiness.

When I looked at Gu Fan, he had turned his head slightly to the other side—probably worried his breath might tickle me again.

“Uh, so… Gu Fan, are you going to eat here today?”

“Yes. My mom made a bento, and she asked me to bring one for you too.”

“Eh… Auntie made one for me as well?”

So, so touching!

No one had ever made me a lunchbox before—not even my own mother.

“Yeah, she heard I often skip class with you, so she actually got up early to make bentos. She really cares about you.”

“Hmm! I-Is that so?”

If I weren’t trying to keep up the proper lady image, I probably would have jumped for joy right then.

Though I didn’t know why Gu Fan’s mom tolerated my bad behavior, just having her acceptance made me really happy.

“I’m really glad. Thank you, Gu Fan, and thank you to Auntie as well.”

“Ha! It’s just a bento, don’t make a big deal out of it.”

Gu Fan said as he checked his phone, then got off the swing.

“School’s almost over. I’ll go back to the classroom to get my bag. The bentos are inside.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll behave and wait here. Come back soon.”

Gu Fan waved his hand behind him and strode out of the biology garden.

I watched him go, vanish, leaving the empty garden with just me alone.

I gripped the swing’s iron chain tightly and quietly waited for Gu Fan’s return.

“Hmph heh~ hmph heh~”

Humming happily to myself, every time the swing reached its lowest point, I tapped the ground lightly with my toe—as if stepping on my own heart, steady and strong with each rebound.

“Hey, you—the woman sitting on the swing.”

Just as I was looking forward to Gu Fan bringing the bento, a fellow schoolgirl suddenly approached me with a sharp glare.