Monday morning came quietly.
Too quietly.
Eri noticed it the moment she woke up.
Her room was calm, sunlight slipping through the curtains in soft golden streaks, the house mostly silent except for the faint sound of someone moving around in the kitchen downstairs. For a few seconds she simply y there, half-buried in bnkets, tails spread zily across the mattress like a cloud of warm fluff.
Her ears twitched.
Today felt normal.
Which was dangerous.
Whenever things felt normal tely, something chaotic always seemed to happen.
She stretched slowly, arms reaching toward the ceiling as her tails curled and shifted behind her.
“Okay…” she muttered to herself.
“Monday. School. Survive.”
Her ears flicked.
“And avoid Becca.”
That st part was said with the seriousness of someone pnning a military operation.
After a few minutes of gathering the motivation to move, Eri finally rolled out of bed and began her now very practiced morning routine.
Brush hair.
Carefully clean around the base of her ears.
Brush the tails.
Put on clothes that were comfortable enough to manage the fluffy appendages but still looked normal enough for school.
By the time she made it downstairs, the kitchen was already busy.
Mom stood at the stove making breakfast.
Dad sat at the table reading something on his phone.
Yui was eating cereal with the enthusiasm of someone who had already had too much sugar.
Mira leaned against the counter sipping coffee.
Mira noticed Eri first.
“Morning, fluffball.”
Eri yawned.
“Morning.”
Yui immediately pointed.
“Your tails look extra fluffy today.”
Eri looked down at them.
“…They do?”
Mom gnced over her shoulder and smiled.
“That’s because you spent twenty minutes brushing them.”
Eri froze.
“…You noticed?”
“You’re not subtle.”
Dad looked up from his phone.
“School day?”
Eri nodded.
“Yep.”
Dad gave her a thumbs up.
“Good luck.”
Mira smirked slightly.
“You’ll need it.”
—
The school day began like most of her recent ones.
Eri arrived early.
Very early.
That way she could slip through the halls before the crowds filled them.
Her ears stayed low and alert as she walked through the corridors, tails wrapped carefully behind her so they wouldn’t accidentally bump into lockers or backpacks.
Despite the early hour, a few students still stared.
Some whispered.
Others just watched with curiosity.
Eri was used to it now.
Mostly.
Her first css passed quietly.
English discussion.
Her second css moved faster than expected.
Economics.
Then science.
That css still felt strange after the day the teacher had fainted.
The repcement teacher barely reacted to her ears anymore.
By the time lunch arrived, Eri was feeling cautiously optimistic.
Nothing weird had happened.
No Becca sightings.
No suspicious questions.
Just a normal day.
She sat down at their usual table outside with Alex.
Alex unwrapped his sandwich.
“Suspiciously peaceful today.”
Eri nodded.
“I was thinking the same thing.”
Alex gnced around.
“…You know saying that out loud is dangerous.”
Eri pointed at him.
“Don’t jinx it.”
He grinned.
“Too te.”
She flicked one tail at him.
“Stop.”
The rest of lunch passed with light conversation and a few embarrassing jokes about the theme park disaster from the weekend.
Alex was still ughing about the ride operators.
“I still can't believe they rejected you from the teacups.”
Eri groaned.
“Don't remind me.”
“Loose tail hazard.”
“I hate you.”
They stood up together when the bell rang.
Students poured into the hallways again.
The afternoon csses moved quickly.
But just as the final bell rang and students began flooding out of the building—
Eri felt something change.
That feeling.
The one she had started to recognize.
She turned slightly.
And there she was.
Becca.
Standing down the hallway.
Watching.
Alex noticed her too.
“…Oh no.”
Becca walked toward them slowly.
Her expression wasn't angry.
Or suspicious.
It was thoughtful.
Which somehow felt worse.
“Hey Alex.”
Alex tried to sound normal.
“Hey Becca.”
Her eyes drifted toward Eri.
“Hi again.”
Eri forced a polite smile.
“Hi.”
Becca studied her face for a moment.
Then—
Eri’s phone pinged.
A text notification.
Eri blinked.
That sound.
Her stomach dropped instantly.
Only one person ever texted Ethan’s old number anymore.
Becca.
Slowly, carefully, Eri reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone.
The notification was exactly what she feared.
Becca:"Ethan?? Where did you go? It’s been weeks."
Eri felt her heartbeat spike.
Alex saw the screen.
His eyes widened slightly.
“Uh—”
“I’ll be right back,” Eri said quickly.
She turned and started walking away toward the side hallway.
Her tails moved faster now.
She needed a moment.
Just a moment to think—
A hand grabbed her arm.
Eri froze.
Becca stood beside her.
Holding her wrist.
Her grip wasn’t aggressive.
But it was firm.
“…Wait,” Becca said quietly.
Eri slowly turned back.
Their eyes met.
Becca looked between Eri’s face…
Then down toward the phone still in her hand.
Then back up again.
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
“…Why did your phone just receive the message I sent to Ethan?”
The hallway around them felt suddenly very quiet.
Alex had stopped a few steps behind them.
Eri’s ears twitched.
Her mind raced.
Becca’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“I watched your phone light up,” she continued.
“And I know that sound.”
Eri swallowed.
“…It's just a coincidence.”
Becca tilted her head slowly.
“…Is it?”
Her gaze drifted to Eri’s ears.
Then to her tails.
Then back to her eyes.
And suddenly—
Something clicked.
Eri saw the exact moment it happened.
Becca’s expression changed.
Not confusion.
Not suspicion.
Realization.
“…Wait.”
Her grip loosened slightly.
“…No way.”
Eri’s ears fttened instinctively.
Alex whispered under his breath.
“…Oh crap.”
Becca stared at Eri.
Her voice barely above a whisper.
“…Ethan?”
The word hung in the air.
And the world seemed to stop moving.
AnnouncementI apologise that there will be no chappy today as I’m very tired and little motivation to do so
