Page 1
Panel 1:
The blue sky, with some clouds floating by.
Shuta Narration: I hated that cat.
Panel 2:
A little boy climbs up a tree, looking down below him with tears in his eyes.
Shuta: Quiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!
Panel 2:
A little girl about the same age holds a large tabby cat with an angry expression on his face as she climbs up the tree behind Shuta.
Miya: It’s okay Shuta.
See? Isn’t Torachiyo cute?
Panel 2:
The treetop against the blue sky.
Miya: Here, I’ll bring him to you.
Shuta: Quiiiiiit it!
Panel 3: The top of the tree and a few of the surrounding buildings are in view.
Alarmed Voice: That little boy fell out of the tree!
Second Voice: Oh I think you fractured it.
Panel 4:
Shuta is carried away by a man in a baseball hat, tears stream down the little boy’s face.
Shuta: Miya you idiot!
I hate you!
Panel 5:
Miya is crying as she clutches an angry looking Torachiyo.
Miya: Shuta…
Page 2
Title Page- Miya and Shuta as teenagers. Shuta looking apprehensively at an older, fatter Torachiyo.
Page 3
Panel 1:
A beautiful blue sky.
Voice: Next Shuta, you’ve got 10 tiles.
Panel 2:
Teenage Shuta dressed in a white gi, yelling as he chops through 10 tiles with ease.
Shuta: Haa!
Panel 3:
Three schoolgirls watch from afar, two of them are very interested, one looks bored.
Girl 1: Waa- he broke ‘em!
Girl 2: Waa- he broke ‘em!
Miya: …
Panel 4:
Two of Shuta’s fellow martial arts club members look excited.
Boy 1: Hey, Miya’s coming!
Boy 2: Shuta, she’s your childhood friend right? Introduce us!
Haruyo: My friends invited me to join a cooking class with them.
Panel 5:
Shuta stares at the girls and looks bore. Miya is looking away, not paying attention..
Shuta Narration: It had been five years-
Since the incident with the broken bone.
Page 4
Panel 1:
Shuta wipes his hands off and walks away from his friends..
Shuta: Childhood friend huh? We haven’t spoken in years.
Boy 1: What?
Boy 2: She’s too good for you.
Panel 2:
A flashback of Miya as a little girl holding flowers in one hand and Torachiyo in the other.
Shuta Narration: After it happened she actually came to check on me quite a few times.
But I never met with her. Not even once.
Panel 3:
A closeup of Miya, revealing her to have become an extremely attractive young lady.
Miya: I’m going home.
I don’t have any interest in the karate club.
Panel 4:
Miya’s friends look puzzled.
Girl 1: Eh…
Panel 5:
The blue, cloud-filled sky.
Girl 1: Hey Miya, is it true you were childhood friends with Shuta?
Miya: Once.
Page 5
Panel 1:
Miya’s friends look excited as Miya rolls her eyes.
Girl 1: He’s kinda cool.
Girl 2: Yeah.
Miya: Ha.
Panel 2:
Miya turns to her friends with a weary look.
Miya: Would you guys drop it.
He’s just a little coward.
Panel 3:
The outside of Miya’s house.
Miya: Psst, that jerk Shuta.
I don’t even wanna see him again.
Panel 4:
Miya sits on the floor of her room, holding Torachiyo in her lap.
Miya: I hate that jerk.
Isn’t that right Torachiyo?
Panel 5:
Closeup of Torachiyo, who looks very bored.
Miya: Torachiyo?
Panel 6:
Miya staring down at her cat.
Miya: …Torachiyo, you haven’t been too energetic lately.
I guess it’s because it’s the end of the year.
Page 6
Panel 1:
Shuta in his school uniform, riding home on his bicycle as the sun goes down behind him.
Shuta Narration: Even now I’m in my first year of high school and I still hate cats.
As for the source of my problem…
Panel 2:
Flashback panel of a young Shuta with eyes wide with fear, laying in bed as his grandmother slumps next to him.
Shuta Narration: I live with my Grandmother…
Granmother: They’ll put a spell on you, they’ll curse you. Scary!
Shuta Narration: Ever since I was a kid she would tell me stories about ghost cats.
Panel 3:
Shuta sighs as he rides home.
Shuta: And because I hate cats…
It ruined my first love.
Panel 4:
Shivers run up Shuta’s spine as he hears a “meow” behind him.
Panel 5:
Shuta looks over his shoulder and sees Torachiyo walking along the top of a fence towards him.
Shuta thinking: That’s… Torachiyo.
Panel 6:
Torachiyo looks down at Shuta.
Panel 7:
Shuta peddles away quickly.
Shuta: He always, always, creeps me out.
Looks like he’s trying to ambush me…
Page 7
Panel 1:
Torachiyo leaps towards Shuta, his mouth wide open, fangs bared.
Shuta: Eh?
Panel 2:
Miya walks down the street looking at her shopping list.
Miya: Okay, let’s see, soy sauce and tofu…
Panel 3:
Miya hears a scream and looks up.
Shuta: Aaahhh!
Panel 4
Miya stares blankly as Shuta rushes past her on his bicycle, Torachiyo clinging to his shoulders.
Page 8
Panel 1:
Miya suddenly looks concerned.
Miya: Shuta…
Torachiyo!?
Panel 2:
Shuta crashes his bicycle into a trashcan.
Panel 3:
Miya rushes over to see what has happened.
Panel 4:
Torachiyo bounces away happily while Shuta grips his wrist.
Shuta: Owww…
Panel 5:
Miya looks shocked.
Shuta: Ah…
Page 9
Panel 1:
Shuta begins tearing up as he holds his wrist.
Shuta: Wh-whaaaa…
Geez, it hurts!
Panel 2:
Miya hides behind a telephone pole to avoid Shuta.
Panel 3:
The outside of a local clinic.
Doctor: You fractured your right arm, but it should be all better in a month.
Shuta: Eh.
Panel 4:
Shuta walks out of the clinic with his arm in a sling.
Shuta: Ugh…
Panel 5:
Shuta is surprised as he sees Miya standing in front of him.
Shuta thinking: Miya…
Miya: …
Panel 6:
Miya looks stern.
Miya: Sorry.
Panel 7:
Shuta walks up to Miya.
Shuta: Huh…
Miya: Well, it was my cat…
Panel 8:
Shuta looks away, a bit concerned.
Shuta: Naah, its okay…
Page 10
Panel 1:
Shuta looks away slyly as Miya looks stunned.
Shuta: It wasn’t your fault….-this time-.
Panel 2:
Miya’s cheeks turn red as she gets angry.
Miya: W-what?
That time you fell out of the tree wasn’t my fault either.
Panel 3:
Shuta begins to get angry as well.
Shuta: Got nothing to say about that evil cat of yours then?
Miya: Don’t talk about him like that!
Panel 4:
Miya angrily turns and walks away, shouting back at Shuta.
Miya: I don’t even know why I tried to make up for what happened!
Idiot!
Panel 5:
Shuta looks confused.
Shuta: Wha-
What?
Panel 6:
A closeup of Shuta’s face.
Shuta: And after all this time I go and open my big mouth…
Panel 7:
The city at night.
Narration: That night…
Panel 8:
Shuta is sleeping in his bed, his injured arm laying on top of his stomach.
Panel 9:
Shuta sweats as he dreams.
Shuta thinking: My arm is so heavy…
My arm…
Page 11
Panel 1:
A black panel.
Shuta thinking: Wha-?
Something’s on top of it?
Panel 2:
Shuta wakes up and freaks out as he sees Torachiyo sitting on his injured arm, surrounded by a ghostly light.
Panel 3:
Shuta looking nervous.
Shuta thinking: T-Torachiyo?
What?
Panel 4:
Torachiyo stares at Shuta.
Torachiyo: Before my life expires…
Panel 5:
The outside of Shuta’s house.
Torachiyo: I’m taking over your body.
Shuta: Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!
Page 12
Panel 1:
Shuta wakes up covered in sweat, gasping.
Shuta: ….
Panel 2:
Shuta regains his composure.
Shuta: J-just a dream…
Panel 3:
Shuta sweating.
Shuta: That’s all.
The cat was talking…
Page 13
Panel 1:
A dark panel.
Torachiyo: Damn…
Panel 2:
Shuta stares at this cast, as the cat’s voice seems to be coming from there and a ghostly glow surrounds it.
Shuta: Huh?
Torachiyo: I got caught in this cast, I can’t go any further.
Panel 3:
Shuta panics and jumps out of bed..
Shuta: M-my arm…
It’s talking!
Panel 4:
Shuta stares at his desktop.
Panel 5:
Shuta karate chops the top of his desk, shattering his cast.
Panel 6
Shuta stares in horror as his right arm has been transformed into a cat’s arm from the elbow down.
Page 14
Panel 1:
Outside Shuta’s house, Miya holds a single rose in her hands.
Miya: Excuse me.
Good morning ma’am.
Panel 2:
Shuta’s grandmother, smiling and looking cheerful.
Grandmother: Oh, Miya, it’s been such a long time.
Did you come to see Shuta?
Panel 3:
Shuta sitting inside the house, with his ear pressed to the door.
Shuta: Miya?
Panel 4:
Shuta’s Grandmother invites Miya inside.
Grandmother: He’s so clumsy.
He just didn’t watch where he was going.
Miya: !
Panel 5:
Miya looks down at the floor.
Miya thinking: But it was my cat’s fault…
Panel 6:
A flashback panel showing Miya standing in front of Shuta’s Grandmother when she was a little girl.
Miya narration: Just like that other time, Shuta…
The accident was my fault, but no one would admit it…
Panel 7:
Shuta looks surprised as his cat-arm, now re-wrapped in bandages springs to life.
Shuta: Huh?
Page 15
Panel 1
Grandmother and Miya are standing in the entryway to the house, as Miya hands the flower to Shuta’s Grandmother.
Grandmother: I’ll go up and get him.
Haruyo: No, that’s okay, here…
Panel 2:
Miya in profile.
Miya thinking: Whenever we see each other…
Things just get too weird.
Panel 5
A shocked looking Miya looks down as Shuta squats in front of her rubbing his bandaged hand on her bare legs.
Panel 6:
Miya kicks Shuta over, yelling at him. Shuta’s Grandmother looks confused.
Miya: What the hell are you doing!?
Panel 7:
Shuta picks himself up, Miya continues to yell.
Shuta: Just listen will ya!
Miya: Well, go on.
Panel 7:
Shuta and Miya are sitting on the floor as Shuta begins to unravel his bandaged arm.
Shuta: …and so that’s it.
Miya: I see.
Panel 8:
Miya looks worried as she holds Shuta’s paw in her hands, examining it.
Miya: This looks just like the pattern on Torachiyo’s coat.
Panel 9:
Shuta looks annoyed at Miya’s question.
Miya: Why would Torachiyo try to possess you though?
Shuta: How should I know!
Page 16
Panel 1:
Shuta’s Grandmother with shadows over her face, looking very ominous.
Grandmother: It’s because the cat’s attachement to her runs deep.
The curse cannot be broken.
Panel 2:
Grandmother goes back to looking normal, as she brings Shuta and Miya some tea, but they both look extremely scared of her.
Grandmother: Did you hear what I said?
Panel 3:
Shuta gets angry with his grandmother as Miya looks on stunned.
Shuta: Wh-what are you saying, Grandma?
Grandmother: Miya, about Torachiyo…
Panel 4:
Grandmother looks concerned.
Grandmother: He was quite old, was he not?
Panel 5:
Miya looks concerned.
Miya: Um, well, he was born before I was, so…
I’m pretty sure he’s almost 20…
Panel 6:
Grandmother looks ominous once more, but less sinister.
Grandmother: When a cat lives that long…
He learns to understand what people tell him.
Panel 7:
Miya has a sudden flash of realization..
Page 17
Panel 1:
Grandmother touches her hand to her shadow-covered face.
Grandmother: You’re his owner Miya, can you think of anything?
Why would your cat want to haunt Shuta…
Panel 2:
Miya stares blankly.
Miya: She’s lying.
He couldn’t understand me, that’s…
Panel 3:
Miya suddenly freaks out as she remembers all the time she spent talking to Torachiyo in her room.
Miya in flashback: Shuta this, Shuta that, Shuta, Shuta, Shuta…
Miya: Omigod! He really could understand me?!
Panel 4:
Miya leans back, completely stunned.
Miya: Because I kept talking about Shuta everyday…