Whose cat is this

Noon.

The orange cat leaped from the rooftop onto the windowsill below, steadied itself, then gracefully landed on the ground. It first glanced up at Hoshino Yikui, who was guarding the rooftop stairway entrance, before swiftly darting away.

Hoshino Yikui, of course, noticed the cat. He stood frozen in place for a long moment before slowly lowering his head and muttering, "Where did this orange cat come from…?"

His surprise wasn’t unwarranted—this was a school building, after all, and pets were strictly prohibited by school regulations.

Then again, if penguins could show up, a cat appearing out of nowhere wasn’t all that strange, was it?

But his expression quickly twisted into disbelief when the same cat suddenly turned around, kicked off the wall for momentum—

—and delivered a horrifying mid-air side kick to his face before landing smoothly and sprinting away.

What the hell?!

Hoshino Yikui nearly exploded with rage. Clutching his reddened cheek, he struggled to process what had just happened. He simply couldn’t believe he’d been on the receiving end of a flying feline side kick.

"Bro, what happened to you?"

Just then, the door behind him creaked open, and Hoshino Mirai peeked in.

"Nothing. By the way, is it gone?"

Hoshino Yikui quickly composed himself, forcing a casual tone while deliberately avoiding eye contact.

"Yeah. Oh, and you’ll need to borrow the keys again tomorrow."

Hoshino Mirai replied, though her gaze lingered on her brother’s flushed face. "Bro, what’s up with your cheek?"

"Nothing, just a mosquito bite…"

He covered his face, tilting his head upward to evade his sister’s scrutinizing look.

There was no way he’d admit a cat had jumped up and slapped him. As an older brother, he had to maintain some dignity.

……

"Much better."

Originally, the orange cat had planned to find a quiet, secluded spot to check its rewards. But the sight of Hoshino Yikui reignited its fury. If not for his meddling earlier, Hoshino Mirai would’ve fully believed its fabricated story, allowing for a perfect farewell.

So, out of sheer spite, it had turned back just to teach him a lesson—rewarding him with a solid slap to the face to vent its frustration.

Being a cat was great. You could just smack people whenever you wanted!

With that satisfying thought, the orange cat strutted elegantly toward the first-floor stairwell, intending to revert to human form in the blind spot of the security cameras.

But as it reached the second floor, it ran into a group of people—including the one person it least wanted to see.

His cousin—Li Zhao.

Since she was Li Guanqi’s cousin, she was technically his cousin too.

The cat tried to slip past unnoticed, but the moment the student council members spotted it, they immediately moved to intercept.

"Don’t let it run!"

"Stop right there, kitty!"

"Look, I’ve got cat treats~"

The student council members surrounded the orange cat, each employing their own tactics to lure it in, like a bunch of shady characters trying to coax an innocent bystander.

Meanwhile, Li Zhao stood off to the side, arms crossed, watching calmly as if the others had everything under control.

"Hmph, think you can catch me?"

The orange cat sneered internally. The moment the student council members tried to close in, it moved—so fast it left afterimages—dodging their grasp effortlessly before bolting for the stairs.

But to its surprise, one of the student council members turned out to be no ordinary person. A girl vaulted over the stair railing, landing ahead to block its escape route.

And it just so happened to recognize her.

The student council’s secretary.

"Come here, kitty~ Mommy doesn’t mean any harm, okay?"

The short-haired secretary, with her sweet and gentle appearance, crouched down and beckoned with open arms, smiling warmly.

"Who the hell does she think she is, calling herself ‘Mommy’?"

The orange cat shuddered in disgust at the title, an involuntary reaction running down its spine.

Still, it didn’t try to escape. Instead, it feigned obedience, slowly creeping toward her with the most innocent "pet me" expression it could muster.

Its plan? The moment she let her guard down, it would unleash a flurry of Tomato-and-Egg Paw Strikes—ten punches per second, claws retracted, of course. Just pure, harmless (but humiliating) slaps.

A lesson in the consequences of reckless self-proclaimed titles. A taste of its "filial piety."

But just as it leaped into action, ready to activate its passive skill [Battle Frenzy] and deliver a brutal ten-hit combo—

—its body suddenly jerked to the right, narrowly avoiding a grabbing hand. Before it could react, it veered left, dodging another.

Yet, no matter how it dodged, the person behind it seemed to predict every move. Each evasion was a hair’s breadth from capture, forcing the cat into a frantic, involuntary dance of reflexes.

Grab. Dodge. Grab. Dodge.

The cycle repeated, faster and faster, until both the hands and the cat’s movements blurred into near-invisible streaks.

To the onlookers, it was like watching a surreal, high-speed illusion—utterly mesmerizing.

The cat seemed to possess a 100% evasion rate, while the hands appeared to foresee its every move. Yet, despite the near-perfect predictions, the sheer speed required to act on them meant neither side could gain the upper hand.

A bizarre stalemate.

"Damn it…"

The orange cat could feel the air around it heating up, as if its fur might combust at any second!

It could keep this up all day.

But if its fur actually caught fire… would its human school uniform be damaged too?

It treasured that uniform. It wasn’t willing to gamble.

"Run!"

The moment it regained control of its body, it tried to bolt—only to realize, in despair, that the instant it stopped dodging, a hand seized it by the scruff of its neck.

"President… this cat…"

The secretary stared warily at the orange cat now held in Li Zhao’s grip. She never expected such a pretty little thing could move fast enough to leave afterimages—like it had seven times the reflexes of a normal cat.

She didn’t dare make any sudden moves now.

"Hmm… quite the troublemaker."

Li Zhao lifted the cat by its scruff, studying it closely. Her eyes flickered with confusion and wariness.

Something about this cat felt… familiar?

But she didn’t dwell on it. Without another thought, she tucked it against her chest.

And the orange cat, now smothered in a heavenly embrace, immediately surrendered.

"If I’d known this was the outcome, why would I have even run?"

The orange tabby was utterly intoxicated by Li Zhao's fragrance, especially the softness that pressed against it—a sensation so blissful it nearly stole its breath, yet tinged with an illicit thrill.

"Go find a cage."

"Yes."

The student council secretary nodded and turned to leave.

Meanwhile, the rest of the council members behind Li Zhao stepped forward to inspect the now docile tabby.

Bringing pets to school was a violation of campus rules, so the student council couldn’t ignore the cat. They planned to notify its owner to come retrieve it from the council office—though a reprimand was inevitable.

"Who even brought this cat to school?"

"Looks like a stray to me."

"Agreed. It’s way too quick—definitely a stray."

"Makes sense."

"So, should we just let it go?"

The council members began debating, but Li Zhao, one hand cradling the cat, raised the other to silence them. Her voice remained authoritative and unyielding: "First, make an announcement. If no one comes to claim it, then we’ll release it off-campus."

"Yes."

"Understood."

"Got it."

The council members nodded in unison.

With her orders given, Li Zhao strode toward the student council lounge, her pristine white-stockinged legs moving with grace. Her gaze stayed forward, but her hands were busy—one supporting the cat, the other gently stroking its fur.

Her silver-white mask remained in place, hiding any expression.

"I’ll be sent away soon," the tabby mused, squinting contentedly. It even nuzzled its head against Li Zhao’s slender arm, begging for more affection.

Soon, Li Zhao carried it into the council room and took her seat as chairperson, absently petting the tabby while her eyes grew distant, as if lost in thought.

Before long, the entire campus echoed with a melodious broadcast from the school’s PA system.

Whether in the cafeteria, club rooms, or classrooms, teachers and students paused their activities to listen.

"Announcement: A orange-and-white tabby has been found wandering the second floor of the academic building! This cat is a standard orange tabby with vibrant fur, remarkable agility, and distinct orange-and-white stripes on its tail. It is exceptionally adorable. If you are the owner, please come to the student council office to claim your pet. Proof of ownership will be required. Thank you for your cooperation!"

---

Archery Club.

A young woman sat poised at her desk, brush in hand as she practiced calligraphy on rice paper. An aura of aloof elegance surrounded her, almost otherworldly.

When the faint broadcast reached her ears, she set down her brush and lifted her gaze to the door, wiping her jade-like hands with a towel. "A cat?" she murmured.

Then, as if recalling something, she called to an attendant outside. "Did the announcement just mention a lost cat?"

"Yes, Young Mistress."

The attendant bowed and added, "An orange tabby, agile, with bright fur and orange-and-white stripes on its tail."

"I see."

Ji Qingyi placed her white handkerchief on the desk and rose, her steps measured and regal as she headed out—straight for the student council.

---

Library.

"Qin-jie, what’s the computer password?"

Li Guanqi sat by the printer, turning to the woman behind the counter.

The woman, referred to as Qin-jie, sipped tea while flipping through a magazine. At the question, she paused and glanced over. "The school’s name in pinyin."

"Thanks."

Li Guanqi pulled a USB drive from her bag—the files inside were what she needed to print.

But just as she entered the password, the library’s speakers crackled to life with the announcement.

After listening, she frowned, then stood with a sigh. She wasn’t surprised.

Whenever she took her eyes off Su Cheng, he somehow managed to stir up trouble in the most unexpected ways.

"Your cat?" Qin-jie gave her a sidelong glance, then added nonchalantly, "If I weren’t on duty, I’d love to see this ‘remarkably agile’ cat."

"‘Agile’ isn’t quite right. ‘Mischievous’ fits better."

Li Guanqi neither confirmed nor denied, shaking her head as she walked out, heading straight for the student council.

---

Community Service Club.

When Gu Ruoxue heard the broadcast, her delicate brows knitted into a frown. She massaged her temples, resigned, before deciding to go herself. If she didn’t, someone else would take the cat.

After tidying her desk, she grabbed her keys and left. But the moment she stepped out of the club building, she nearly collided with two figures hurrying from the cafeteria, whispering urgently.

"It’s definitely that cat from yesterday—the one that looked just like Su Cheng!"

A golden-haired girl practically vibrated with excitement.

"I’ll make sure it regrets slapping me!"

The brunette beside her gritted her teeth, still seething over the tabby’s audacity the day before. Now, she was out for revenge.

Just then—

"Little sister, why’d you run off mid-meal?"

A long-haired girl in black emerged from the cafeteria, followed by a young man.

Hoshino Mirai had seen the Penguin Prince transform into an orange tabby before vanishing. Whether this cat was him or not, she had to check.

Overhearing the two groups, Gu Ruoxue took a deep breath and quickened her pace—though she still lagged far behind.