My Cat Girl Neighbor Is Impossible to Understand

Chapter 11: Chapter 11 - Study Session

On Monday morning, the first thing that greeted me was complete silence in the class.

Nope.

Not that the class was empty.

On the contrary.

All students were looking at the large whiteboard which hung in the front of the classroom.

There, on the board, in big black letters was written a notice.

"Midterm Exams Three Weeks Remaining"

Groans could be heard all around.

"No way..."

"I haven’t even touched my science book."

"We’re doomed."

Haru placed his forehead on the table.

"My peaceful life is over."

Sui looked at him.

"It was never peaceful."

"It was peaceful enough."

"You slept through two classes last week."

"I was resting my eyes."

"You were snoring."

"I call that confidence."

Sui sighed and smiled slightly.

Meanwhile, Yuiko from across the aisle took her planner and wrote down the exams dates with neat writing.

Unlike the others, she wasn’t panicking.

She was just making a schedule.

As soon as morning classes were over, our homeroom teacher came into the classroom with a pile of sheets in her hands.

"These are your review worksheets. The exams will cover everything we’ve covered this semester."

These papers were quickly circulated among us.

While flipping through these papers, Sui noticed one particular part.

Beastfolk Culture and Society

"..."

He looked at it for a second more.

Haru noticed.

"Problem?"

"I’m no good at this subject."

"You?"

"I keep confusing the customs."

"Ah."

Haru nodded wisely.

"There are a lot."

Meanwhile, Yuiko who was sitting across from them, also took her worksheets.

And, her eyes fell on another page.

Modern Human History

She sighed quietly.

"...Again."

Teacher saw her face.

"Everything alright, Nekozawa?"

Yuiko shook her head.

"...No."

"I just..."

"I’m not very good at history."

Some classmates looked surprised.

"Aren’t beastfolk and human history similar?"

Yuiko replied honestly.

"Not really."

"Our textbooks are different."

"Oh..."

Now everything was clear.

Once lunchtime came, Haru pushed away his desk as usual.

He noticed right away that they were both staring at some of their worksheets.

"Wait..."

He indicated the papers of theirs.

"You’re both having problems?"

Sui nodded.

"Two different subjects."

Yuiko admitted softly,

"...History confuses me."

Haru leaned over Sui’s shoulder.

"And you’re not good at beastfolk studies?"

"Seems like it."

Haru chuckled.

"That is quite a combination."

They looked at him.

"How?"

"You can teach each other."

Silence.

Yuiko blinked.

"...Teach each other?"

Sui thought about it.

"...Makes sense."

Yuiko looked unsure.

"I’ve never studied with anyone before."

"I haven’t either," Sui admitted.

Haru smacked the desk dramatically.

"Then it’s settled!"

"It isn’t."

"I’ve decided."

"You don’t decide."

"I already did."

Yuiko couldn’t help but smile.

Haru somehow managed to make an ordinary conversation sound like an important announcement.

After lunch, our history teacher gave us back our papers from last week’s quiz.

"Well done."

She smiled gently.

"But some of you might want to revise the materials before the exams."

One by one, everyone got their papers back.

Sui glanced at his grade.

97

Not bad.

Then he turned to Yuiko.

She got her papers quietly.

61

She stared at the number for a while.

"..."

Not because she was angry.

Because she was disappointed.

After classes were over, Sui came closer to her.

"Can I see?"

Yuiko hesitated before giving the papers to him.

Most of the mistakes she had made weren’t mistakes of being careless.

These were questions regarding historical events which occurred only in human society.

"You understood the dates."

She nodded.

"I just..."

"I mix up the names."

Sui looked at the papers thoughtfully.

"I can help."

Yuiko looked surprised.

"...Really?"

"I like history."

She smiled.

"...Thank you."

Then, she glanced at his Beastfolk Culture and Society worksheet, lying on his desk.

"...May I?"

Sui handed the paper to her.

She read it.

Tiny smile formed on her lips.

"...You confused greeting customs."

"I did."

"You wrote that fox beastfolk wag their tails while greeting elders."

"...They don’t?"

"No."

"...Dogs do."

Sui scratched his neck.

"I suspected that I messed up something."

Yuiko giggled.

Very quietly.

But sincerely.

"I can help with this."

"So..."

Sui looked at her.

"We’re even?"

She nodded.

"...I guess."

At last, the bell rang in the school.

Students rushed out of their classrooms.

Haru stretched.

"So!"

He looked at both of them.

"When’s the study session?"

Yuiko glanced at Sui.

"...Tomorrow?"

"If you’re free."

"I am."

She thought for a second.

"...Public library?"

"It will be quiet."

Sui smiled.

"Sounds good."

Haru looked outraged.

"You’re really leaving me out?"

"You said that studying makes you sleepy."

"It does."

"So?"

"...Fair enough."

The three of them headed towards the school gates.

As Haru rushed ahead to greet his friend, Yuiko slowed down a bit.

"...I’m a little nervous."

"About tomorrow?"

She nodded.

"...What if I won’t be very useful?"

Sui looked at her.

"You already have been."

"I have?"

"You helped me with greetings."

"...It was easy."

"So it will be with history."

Yuiko was silent for a few seconds.

Then, she smiled.

Small, relieved smile.

"...Alright."

For the first time in a long time...

Exams didn’t seem frightening anymore.

Not because the subjects had become easier.

But because she wouldn’t be taking them alone.

Later the next day, the public library was covered in a serene silence.

Sunlight penetrated through the tall windows to form soft rays that danced around bookcases.

Turning pages and the sound of steps on wooden floorboards were the only noises made in the library reading room.

Sui came a few minutes earlier.

He chose an empty table near the window and arranged his notebooks, a textbook on history and a couple of sharpened pencils.

A few minutes later...

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

Yuiko stood by the table carrying a canvas bag of books in her hands.

"You aren’t late."

She smiled in relief.

"...Good."

They both sat down facing each other.

In the silence, they didn’t say anything.

"..."

"..."

And then simultaneously reached for their notebooks.

Their fingertips met.

"...!"

Yuiko hastily pulled back her hand.

"S-Sorry!"

"No, it was my mistake."

Silence.

Yuiko looked down at her fingertips.

...Why is my heart beating so fast?

From across the table, Sui cleared his throat.

"...Let’s study."

"...Sure."

He opened the book.

"Okay. Let’s begin with the Meiji Restoration."

Yuiko tilted her head.

"...Why is it called a restoration?"

"Because..."

Sui stopped.

"...Well, that is a good question actually."

Yuiko giggled.

"I thought you enjoyed history."

"I do."

"I never asked myself why it was named like that."

"...I think that we learn something."

She nodded happily.

"...I like it."

For the following twenty minutes, Sui explained historical facts with clear examples.

Every time Yuiko looked confused, he patiently repeated without getting irritated.

"Oh..."

"So that’s why those facts happened."

"Exactly."

"...That does make more sense."

She quickly wrote some notes in her notebook.

Her handwriting was very neat and tiny.

Sui saw cat drawings in corners.

"Do you draw while studying?"

Yuiko looked embarrassed.

"...That helps me remember better."

"The shogun wears cat ears."

"..."

"...Yes."

"It looked lonely."

Sui giggled.

"I don’t think I’ve ever seen so cute history books."

Yuiko twitched her ears.

"...Thank you."

After they finished history, they exchanged their textbooks.

Now it was Yuiko’s turn.

She opened the textbook on Beastfolk Culture.

"Today..."

"...I will tell you about greetings."

"I’m ready."

She stood up beside the table.

"When dog beastfolk greet close friends..."

She wagged her hand behind her as a tail.

"...It’s natural."

"When wolf beastfolk greet elders..."

She bowed.

"And cats?"

Yuiko hesitated.

"...We..."

"...Usually show no greetings."

"We greet politely."

"So people misinterpret."

Sui nodded.

"Like they misinterpreted you."

She looked surprised.

"...You remember."

"I did."

She smiled gently.

"...Thank you."

While Yuiko was explaining different traditions, Sui listened attentively.

Unlike the textbook...

Yuiko told him many little facts about the culture.

How the festivals smell.

Why the families prepare the particular foods.

Why some custom exists.

The topic suddenly became alive.

"I understand now."

"I’m happy about it."

She really looked happy.

Teaching him helped her forget about her usual shyness.

The time passed quickly.

When Sui checked the clock...

"...We’ve studied only two Chapters."

Yuiko was surprised.

"...Really?"

"We’ve been studying for almost two hours."

"...How?"

They looked at each other.

Then they started laughing.

"...We chatted too much."

"A little."

"...Maybe too much."

The librarian silently went past them.

"Please keep silent."

They immediately got up straight.

"...Sorry."

"...We are sorry."

After the librarian disappeared...

They looked at each other again.

This time they laughed silently trying to make no noise.

Yuiko pressed her lips with her hand.

She shook with the effort of holding the laughter.

Sui couldn’t remember when studying was that entertaining.

Finally, Yuiko reached into her bag.

"I brought snacks."

She put a little box with homemade cookies on the table.

"...They are cat-shaped again."

"They are very easy to bake."

Sui picked one up.

"May I?"

She nodded.

"...Please."

He took a bite.

The cookie was sweet and vanilla flavored.

"It is good."

"...Really?"

"Really."

Yuiko’s tail moved happily behind her chair.

Without thinking, Sui reached for the second cookie.

At the very same moment...

Yuiko reached for the same one.

Again, their fingertips met.

"...!"

This time...

Neither of them pulled back instantly.

Their fingertips lay on each other for a single heartbeat.

Yuiko slowly raised her eyes.

Sui was already looking at her.

The library suddenly became strange quiet.

The sun ray.

The books.

Even the ticking of a clock sounded far away.

Thump.

Yuiko’s heart jumped.

She hastily pulled her hand back.

"...Y-You can have it."

"No."

Gently pushing the cookie towards her, he said.

"You picked it first."

"...Our fingertips touched it."

"So?"

"..."

"..."

Yuiko lowered her eyes.

"...Then..."

She carefully broke the cookie into two.

"...Let’s share it."

Sui smiled.

"...Sure."

They each had one piece.

It was just a cookie.

Not anything special.

Still somehow...

It seemed to be even sweeter than the first one.

As the sun of the afternoon began to become golden, they collected all of their textbooks.

Sui looked at the pile of notes.

"...We didn’t study very efficiently."

Yuiko followed his gaze.

There were pages with notes...

But there were also lots of little doodles.

Conversations written in the margins.

The rough sketch of a cat wearing glasses.

And a little drawing of two umbrellas with a note in handwriting next to them:

Don’t forget history dates!

She smiled.

"...Maybe."

"...But I enjoyed it."

Sui nodded.

"So did I."

Walking out of the library together, neither of them realized how much time they had spent talking, laughing and learning about each other.

The study session didn’t make them ideal students.

But it got them closer.

And for the first time...

The simple touch of each other’s fingertips made their hearts beat a little bit faster.