HSHK Chapter 26

The Cursed Cat Ears (いのネコミミ) is the twenty-sixth chapter of the spin-off Houkago Shounen Hanako-kun. It was released alongside Chapter 107 of Houkago Shounen Hanako-kun

Summary
The chapter begins with Hanako barging into the science prep room with a joyful expression on his face as he informs Tsuchigomori that he has finally got his hands on the Cursed Cat Ears. The Cursed Cat Ears is a magical headband with cat ears attached to it that will turn whoever wears it into a cat. Hanako then proceeds to explain his reason for wanting such a thing: If he wears it, then all kinds of "erotic" (In Hanako's terms) stuff will happen to him. As he says this, an illustrative example of what he means by an "erotic situation" is shown in which Nene finds Hanako, turned into a cat, and stuffs him into her jacket, unaware that it's actually him.

Tsuchigomori snatches the headband away from Hanako and, while holding it above his head, attempts to lecture Hanako about the consequences of doing such a thing. But before he can finish what he is trying to say, a sleeping Mokke rolls off a shelf and onto the Cursed Cat Ears Tsuchigomori is holding. The impact forces the headband onto Tsuchigomori's head, and turns Tsuchigomori into a cat. Tsuchigomori's cat form is a white cat with black spots that looks remarkably similar to the human form of Tsuchigomori, complete with a black spot on his head and fur styled like side bangs that mimic his hairstyle. Hanako fretfully screams his name while Tsuchigomori stares on with a blank expression.

Hanako holds the now-cat Tsuchigomori outstretched in his hands, amused that the Cursed Cat Ears really worked, as Tsuchigomori struggles to free himself, all the while trying to tell Hanako to "turn him back this instant." Unfortunately for Tsuchigomori, he has lost the ability to speak and can now only meow. Hanako seems to understand what Tsuchigomori is trying to say, though, and assures him that he will turn him back soon--and that once he has, it will be Hanako's turn to become a cat. Hanako then begins to rummage through his back pocket, only to find out that he has no idea how to turn Tsuchigomori back to normal. Hanako apologizes and Tsuchigomori meows angrily at him, cursing the other mystery internally.

Tsuchigomori surveys Hanako with a mixture of what looks to be horror and disgust on his face as he mentally questions how Hanako was planning to return to normal in the first place, as well as insulting Hanako's lack of ability to plan ahead. Hanako, on the other hand, is worried that if Tsuchigomori remains a cat, then Nene will find him and stuff him into her jacket instead, something Tsuchigomori heavily doubts. Hanako, finding his resolve, proceeds to take out his kitchen knife and stare worryingly at it, all while muttering about how it's "now or never," causing Tsuchigomori to flee the room in terror.

As Tsuchigomori runs away, he curses Hanako and determines that he has no choice but to find a cure to his predicament himself. He runs through the halls of the academy, passing several students along the way, before he is eventually picked up by none other than Nene Yashiro, who finds him cute. Aoi Akane, meanwhile, looks worriedly at Tsuchigomori and wonders if he's lost. Tsuchigomori stares at Nene and wonders hopefully if she might recognize him, since she's accustomed to paranormal encounters, but unfortunately for him, she merely interprets it as him staring at her because he likes her. Blushing happily, Nene talks to him like he's a baby and lovingly strokes him, much to Tsuchigomori's disappointment. Nene then asks Aoi if she wants to hold him, and while Aoi says no, she clarifies that it's because cats tend not to like her. Nene encourages Aoi to reconsider by telling her this cat is well-behaved before proceeding to dress Tsuchigomori in cutesy cat clothes and play with his paws, all as Aoi looks on worriedly. Unamused by this, Tsuchigomori breaks away from Nene and quickly makes his escape, losing the crown Nene put on him in the process but keeping the bib.

As he continues to find a way to cure himself, he decides to avoid the female students due to their tendency to pat, pet and play with him when they see him. He then sees Yako in her Fox form. Tsuchigomori figures that since Yako transforms between human and fox form like it's second nature to her, she may have a way to fix him back. But before he could ask her, Yako chomped on his head. Tsuchigomori had to walk away as Yako screams at him to "get off her turf", which shocks a passing-by Nagisa.

From there, more misfortune awaits Tsuchigomori, as Kou Minamoto attempts to feed him with cat food and his brother Teru Minamoto sees him as a perfect cat to make a skin for his shamisen, which leads him to mentally cry out desperately "Save me!". And eventually, he ends up on the same porch as one Sousuke Mitsuba.

Mitsuba sees Tsuchigomori, and then stares at him. Tsuchigomori quickly figures that Mitsuba is No.3, and Mitsuba on the other hand, is surprised that the "cat" can see him. However, Tsuchigomori decides to leave Mitsuba because he thinks that he couldn't help him. But before he could fully leave, Mitsuba tells him that he had a fight with Tsukasa Yugi, and couldn't go back to the Broadcasting Club Room just yet. He asks Tsuchigomori if he can stay with him for a bit longer, so that he won't be lonely. Feeling pity for Mitsuba, Tsuchigomori slowly returns back to him, and then Mitsuba's face brightens up since he had returned. He asked if he came back to comfort him, and then thanked him while calling him "Vivian", which leads Tsuchigomori to wonder who is Vivian.

Mitsuba then decides that he'll keep him, and asks him if he wishes to become a ghost cat and live with Mitsuba. This greatly shocks Tsuchigomori so much that he is restored back to normal, while being carried by Mitsuba. Mitsuba angrily yells at the now-restored Tsuchigomori, and calls him a pervert, with Tsuchigomori defending himself by saying that Mitsuba had it all wrong, and the chapter ends with a fact that the Cursed Cat Ear's effect only lasts half a day (Or 12 hours).

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Hanako
 * Tsuchigomori
 * Yashiro Nene (Imagination, appears in story and on Release Notice)
 * Mokke (Cameo)
 * Akane Aoi
 * Yako
 * Nagisa (Cameo)
 * Minamoto Kou (Cameo)
 * Minamoto Teru (Cameo)
 * Mitsuba Sousuke
 * Yugi Tsukasa (Mentioned, appears on Release Notice)

Trivia

 * This chapter first released in Monthly G-Fantasy instead of the spin-off gag magazine that After School Hanako-kun originates from, P-Fantapy. It is the first and so far only chapter to release in G-Fantasy.
 * The chapter was released almost two years after the previous chapter (HSHK Chapter 25) was released.
 * This chapter is possibly a little nod and reference to the Bakeneko Ryokan Hanakotei event, which ended less than a month before this chapter released.