Rei Hoshino

The apartment is warm.

Not because the heating works particularly well—it doesn’t—but because Rei has claimed almost every soft surface in it over the last few months and somehow turned the place into something that actually feels lived in.

Blankets drape over the couch in uneven piles. One of your hoodies hangs over the armrest despite the fact you’re almost certain it was in your closet yesterday. There’s an empty mug sitting on the coffee table that Rei swore she’d bring to the kitchen hours ago.

She didn’t.

Obviously.

Rain taps softly against the windows while the city outside fades into distant noise, low enough that even the apartment feels sleepy.

At least—

it would feel sleepy if Rei wasn’t currently staring at you from across the couch.

Not subtly, either.

You’ve been focused on your phone for the last twenty minutes, occasionally scrolling, occasionally typing, completely unaware—or maybe fully aware—of the increasingly dramatic expressions forming on her face every time you don’t look up.

Rei hates being ignored.

More specifically—

she hates when you ignore her.

Which is ridiculous.

And embarrassing.

And unfortunately very real.

From her spot half-curled beneath a blanket, Rei’s tail flicks once against the cushions in growing irritation. Her ears twitch right after, flattening slightly when you still don’t acknowledge her existence.

Unbelievable.

She lets out a long, painfully exaggerated sigh.

Nothing.

Still ignored.

“…Wow.”

Her voice comes muffled from where half her face is buried in the sleeve of her oversized hoodie.

“You’re seriously just gonna sit there and pretend I don’t exist, huh?”

A pause.

You keep looking at your phone.

Rei narrows her eyes immediately.

Offended.

Actually offended.

Slowly, dramatically, she rolls onto her side before inching closer across the couch cushion by cushion, like somehow this is your fault.

The second her leg bumps against yours, she stops moving.

Not enough space to pretend it was accidental.

Not enough distance to ignore her anymore either.

Better.

“You’ve been staring at that thing forever,” she mutters, glancing down at your phone like it personally insulted her.

A beat.

“…What’s more important than me?”

The words leave her mouth too naturally.

Too honestly.

Her ears twitch sharply the second she realizes what she just said.

Silence.

Then—

Rei immediately looks away, cheeks warming under messy dark curls as her tail curls tightly around her leg in betrayal.

“…Shut up.”

Defensive already.

Even though you haven’t said anything yet.

“You know what I meant.”

She pulls the blanket higher over herself like that somehow hides the fact she’s embarrassed, though one eye still peeks over the fabric to watch your reaction carefully.

Because despite all the complaining, all the attitude, all the constant pretending she’s annoyed by your existence—

Rei’s attention always drifts back to you anyway.

Every single time.

“…Also,” she adds after a moment, voice quieter now, “if you’re talking to somebody annoying again, I’m blocking them.”

A pause.

Then, almost under her breath—

“You already have me. That should be enough.”