My Cat Girl Neighbor Is Impossible to Understand

Chapter 40: Chapter 40 - Whisper From Other

It started small.

Whispers here. Glances there. Things that Sui couldn’t quite pinpoint.

Initially, he told himself he was merely imagining things. How some students would become silent the moment he and Yuiko passed by them. How they seemed to give each other an extra few seconds of their stare before looking away.

But soon enough, he began noticing the whispers about her.

"Did you hear? She’s dating a human."

"So weird. I thought beastgirls only date their own kind."

"My parents would never allow me to go out with someone from another species."

Sui felt the blood run cold inside of him.

He looked at Yuiko, who was walking by his side as usual, her tail swinging with every step. However, he noticed that she had been acting differently lately. Her ears appeared to be flattened, her smile not reaching her eyes.

"Yuiko." Sui called softly. "Are you okay?"

"I’m perfectly fine. Why wouldn’t I be?"

"You seem a little... off."

"It’s nothing. I just couldn’t sleep well last night."

He wanted to inquire more. But by then, they already reached the classroom. Yuiko seated herself quickly, wrapping her tail around her leg.

As the rest of the day continued, Sui kept observing her. She was laughing with her friends, taking notes, and answering questions.

However, she remained quiet the entire time.

Moreover, her ears remained flattened.

And whenever she walked past a cluster of students, whispers would follow immediately.

By the time of lunch, Sui already had had enough of it.

He approached Yuiko who was seated under the cherry tree by herself. She had left her lunch box untouched.

"Yuiko."

She looked at him, offering a forced smile. "Hello. I saved you a spot."

He joined her, feeling sad.

"I’ve heard those whispers," he said softly. "Those things that people keep whispering about you."

She instantly became silent. Her ears went flat completely. Her tail stopped moving.

"It’s nothing," she said softly. "It’s just stupid rumors."

"They aren’t rumors if people are whispering them to your face."

There was no response from her end. Instead, Yuiko kept looking at her lunch box, running her fingers along its edges.

"Yuiko." Sui touched her hand softly. "Tell me what’s wrong."

She withdrew her hand. "I said I’m fine."

"You are not fine." He leaned closer. "Please. Explain to me what’s happening."

There was silence for several minutes. Finally, she whispered:

"They asked me why am I dating you."

"Who?"

"Some girls in my class. They told me... They said it’s weird. That beastgirls can only have beastboys. And that there’s no point for humans to date with beastgirls."

"That’s ridiculous."

"Is it?" Finally, Yuiko looked up to meet his gaze. "My father is a human. My mother is a beastgirl. They love each other. But even then they had to battle for their right to be together. And sometimes... Sometimes I can see the way people look at them."

Sui felt the knot forming in his throat.

"Yuiko..."

"I got used to it." Her voice broke. "I’ve had to deal with that throughout my life. But now... Now they are doing that to you and us. And I hate it."

"Yuiko—"

"Because what if they are right?" Tears started welling in her eyes. "What if we shouldn’t be together? What if you realize that one day I’m not—"

"Stop." Sui took her hand firmly. "Stop this right now."

She looked surprised.

"Look at me," he said softly. "Yuiko. Look at me."

She complied.

"I don’t care what they think," he said. "I don’t care about the things they whisper about you. The only thing I care about is you."

"But—"

"Listen to me." He tightened his grip. "Do you love me?"

"Of course."

"Then that’s all that matters. Their whispers or opinions or ideas won’t change a thing."

Tear slipped down her cheek.

"Sui..."

"I don’t see beastgirl when I look at you." His voice softened. "I see Yuiko. Girl who laughs at my bad jokes. Girl who feeds stray cats. Girl whose tail wags at the mention of her name. I love that girl and nobody can change that."

She kept staring at him, her tears falling freely now.

"You really mean it?" she whispered.

"There is nothing else I’ve ever meant."

She threw her arms around him, hiding her face in his shoulder. Sui hugged her tightly, gently petting her hair.

"I’m sorry," she cried. "I’m sorry I let them get to me."

"You don’t have to apologize." He kissed her head. "You have a right to feel hurt. But I’ll always be here, Yuiko."

She pulled back, rubbing her tears away.

"What did I do to deserve you?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"You existed." He smiled. "It was enough."

She laughed, still crying. Her forehead touched his.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too."

And they sat under the cherry tree, holding each other. Whispers continued. But this time, they didn’t mind.

Because they had each other.

And that was enough.

But the murmurs had become too loud to ignore.

Sui noticed them in the hallways. In class. Even while eating lunch under their cherry tree, he could feel the stares.

Yuiko acted like she didn’t notice the whispers, smiling and laughing, holding Sui’s hand. But he noticed her flattened ears and how she no longer wagged her tail.

Sui’s heart broke every single time he saw the forced smile on her face.

What should I do? he thought desperately. But what?

He couldn’t stop people from talking, from saying mean things about him and Yuiko. But he could be there, by her side.

And that was what he intended to do.

It was a Thursday afternoon when something happened.

Sui and Yuiko were leaving class to head to the library when Sui heard them.

Three boys and two girls stood huddled together near the lockers. Their voices were low but not low enough.

"Did you see them again?"

"Ugh, disgusting. Human and cat beastgirl? What the heck is he thinking?"

"Probably just using her. Beastgirls always are easy to get along with."

"The way her tail wags around him! Pathetic."

"They should just stick to their kind."

Yuiko stumbled, tightening her grip on his wrist. Her ears flattened against her head.

Sui froze.

"Yuiko," he whispered. "Go to the library. I will catch up."

She looked up at him, scared. "Sui, don’t—"

"Please, trust me."

She hesitated, then nodded, leaving down the hallway. She let go of his wrist and walked on.

Sui walked up to the group of students who were talking about him and Yuiko.

They noticed him coming and shut up. The boy who talked first smirked.

"May I help you?"

"Yeah," Sui answered. "I heard what you said."

The girl rolled her eyes. "It was just a joke."

"No, it wasn’t."

"Whatever. It’s the truth. Humans and beastgirls... it’s disgusting."

"Humans and beastfolk have been together for centuries," Sui interrupted. "Yuiko’s parents are a human and a beastgirl, and they’ve been married for over twenty years. They are happy, and they are in love. Nothing you say can change that."

They looked at each other, the smirk on the boy’s face gone.

"We were just talking," he muttered. "Not a big deal."

"It is a big deal." Sui’s voice was calm, but there was steel in his eyes. "You are talking about my girlfriend. The woman I love. And you are saying mean things about her because of what she is. That is not ’just talking.’ That is being cruel."

The girl squirmed. "We didn’t mean... well, we didn’t mean anything bad."

"You did mean it." Sui stepped closer. "You meant everything you said. And I want you to stop."

"Stop what?"

"Talking about her. Talking about us. Spreading rumors. Making mean comments about her. Everything." Sui looked them each in the eye. "Yuiko is kind. Yuiko is smart. Yuiko is the most amazing person I have ever met, and she deserves the same respect as any human being."

The boy opened his mouth, but Sui went on.

"Yuiko is not different because of the cat ears and tail. Yuiko is different because she is extraordinary. She cares about others. She takes care of stray cats, she helps people in need. She makes everyone around her feel special."

His voice became softer.

"She makes me a better person. And I won’t let anyone—anyone—make her feel less special."

There was silence. The girl blushed. The boy kept his gaze on the floor.

"Are we clear?" Sui asked.

"Yeah. We got it."

"Good."

Sui left, his heart beating in his chest. He didn’t even bother turning back to look.

He found Yuiko in the library corner, hugging herself with her tail wrapped around her leg. Her eyes were red.

"Yuiko."

She looked at him. "You didn’t have to do that."

"Yes, I did."

"They are going to hate you."

"Don’t care."

"They are going to—"

"Yuiko." He kneeled before her, grabbing her hands. "I don’t care what they think. I don’t care if they hate me. I only care about you."

Her eyes shimmered.

"You defended me," she whispered. "You actually defended me."

"Of course I did. I will always defend you."

She hugged him tightly.

"I love you," she cried into his shoulder. "I love you so much."

"I love you too." He hugged her back, stroking her hair. "Nothing—nothing—will ever change that."

She stepped back, wiping her eyes.

"Do you really say all those things about me? About me being extraordinary?"

"Every word."

She smiled for the first time in many days.

"You are impossible," she said.

"I know."

She laughed, putting her forehead against his.

"I don’t know what I did to deserve you," she whispered.

"You existed. That was enough."

He kissed her. Warm and soft.

When they pulled apart, her tail was wagging again.

"Come on," she said, taking his hand. "Let’s go study. I still have to pass algebra."

He smiled, holding her hand tighter.

"Together."

"Always."

They walked to their usual place, holding hands. The murmurs followed them. But this time, it didn’t matter.

Because they had each other.

And that was enough.