I'm in Love with the Gorilla Sitting Next to Me - Volume 1 Chapter 6.11

Secrets are meant to be revealed 11

“——I’m cursed.”

I know it’s foolish, but I utter a truth that should never be said under normal circumstances.

Without worrying about appearances, I go straight ahead, being true to myself. Whether I’m believed or not is irrelevant.

It’s better to shatter after telling the truth to the person I like than to lie.

Naturally, Gossan frowns deeply at my absurd confession, staring at me as if glaring.

“What do you mean? Is it some kind of misfortune?”

“Not wrong, but it’s a simpler story. My family line is cursed, and because of it, the eldest son of the main house becomes abnormal.”

“I don’t understand. What do you mean by a curse?”

“Prepare to be surprised. I see women as animals.”

“…”

Gossan’s expression doesn’t change in response to my coming out. However, undoubtedly, a mix of confusion and a sense of being fed up seeps out.

Of course, it’s strange to believe such a story at once. I understand that.

But still, I wanted to talk about it properly.

“When I was in sixth grade, the curse activated, and since then, I see women as various animals. Not just the person I’m looking at directly but on TV and in photos too. To be precise, the exposed parts not covered by clothing appear animalized.”

“Do you expect me to believe such a ridiculous story?”

“Sorry, it gets even more unbelievable. The Senpai I was with on the rooftop is also cursed. It’s a different curse, but the person who cast it seems to be the same.”

“And what does this curse make him see?”

“No, it’s the opposite. Senpai looks different to everyone else.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Gossan, Tora-senpai appeared to you as a man, right? But actually, that person is a woman. It seems that to normal people, she only appears as a man. By the way, to me, she doesn’t appear as a man or woman but as a cat.”

“…”

Oh, there’s a deep wrinkle between her eyebrows again. The extent of her confusion is clear.

Gossan might think I’m trying to cloud the issue with a made-up story. That can’t be helped.

“…Is there anyone who can prove your story, Saiki-kun?”

“My family, including my relatives, and I guess Tora-senpai’s family. But there’s no evidence. The effects of the curse are just my own claims, and Tora-senpai seems to have tampered with her family registry or something.”

“…I can’t trust you at all, but how does that relate to what happened on the rooftop? Are you saying it’s not homosexuality but heterosexuality because that Senpai is actually a woman?”

Perhaps due to the succession of unexpected content, Gossan asks with a tired voice. But she has remarkable patience. Normally, she would have said, ‘I’ve had enough’, and left. I’m genuinely grateful that she’s listened this far.

“…My family didn’t know how to break the curse, but Tora-senpai’s aunt managed to do it by chance. She broke her curse by kissing a man she loved.”

“What kind of easy solution is that? This isn’t a fairy tale.”

“I think so too, but since I see the opposite sex as non-human, and Senpai is treated as the same sex by others, the difficulty level is lunatic. Plus, it seems to require a kiss with mutual affection, and they only found out by chance, so we don’t know how correct it is. We have to try various things because we don’t have a candidate to try with, and it’s really tough.”

Knowing the solution might seem easy, but in reality, it’s not. It’s like needing a walkthrough and in-app purchases to proceed.

“…So you were trying to kiss to break the curse? But then, doesn’t that mean you and that Senpai…”

“No, Tora-senpai and I just met recently, and we don’t have such feelings for each other. But we’ve been discussing how to develop a pseudo-mutual love relationship to break the curse.”

“…”

After hearing my explanation, Gossan quietly closes her eyes. Perhaps aided by the unreliable light, her expression seems bitter. It feels like she can’t fully digest my words, which are akin to a wild fantasy.

I wait for Gossan’s thoughts for several seconds.

The gorilla slowly opens her eyes and, with a tired sigh, glares at me.

“…Is that why you said earlier, ‘I had no intention of confessing or dating’?”

“Yeah… pretty much. To break the curse, there’s a high chance that the other person has to like me back, and then we kiss. That’s too high of a hurdle for me.”

“And for you, Saiki-kun?”

“To be honest, I can’t bring myself to kiss an animal, and it would be bad for the other party if I did it reluctantly. So I thought I’d just wait until the curse is broken to pursue real romance, and in the meantime, I’d cooperate with Senpai… and that’s what happened on the rooftop.”

“You said you couldn’t bring yourself to kiss because they look like animals, right?”

“That’s why Senpai suggested we try it with my eyes closed. ‘If you imagine a really cute girl, maybe you’ll fall in love and increase the chances,’ she said.”

Explaining it like that, yeah, it sounds pretty awful. I can understand why Gossan is pressing her temples as if enduring a headache.

But Tora-senpai and I were that desperate. If we’re not careful, we might spend decades or even a lifetime under this curse.

“Tora-senpai looks like a cat, so in a way, it’s easier to kiss. If it were something more ferocious or with a more intense appearance, even with my eyes closed, I’d still be conscious of it.”

“…So you didn’t notice I was there because of that?”

“That’s why we were trying to do it with our eyes closed.”

If there hadn’t been the sound of the door, I probably wouldn’t have noticed at all. When it came down to it, I was seriously nervous.

“…Sigh. Fine, I understand.”

Unable to ask what she meant by ‘fine’, I obediently closed my mouth. My explanation was almost over.

There was still so much I wanted to say, but none of it would strengthen my testimony. Even if Tora-senpai or my family spoke on my behalf, it wouldn’t prove the curse.

I knew that even before speaking. I just wanted to convey my feelings honestly without any lies. Otherwise, the feelings I confessed to Gossan would feel like nothing more than an empty shell, less substantial than a façade.

Even if it’s thought to be a lie or a fabrication, the only way to be believed is to convey it as fact. Especially if the person is someone you like.

…After a long silence, Gossan frowned as if enduring a headache and said,

“Assuming Saiki-kun’s story is true, I have one last question. Is that okay?”

“…Yeah. If I can answer it, ask me anything.”

“Then, I’ll ask. To Saiki-kun, what kind of animal do I appear as?”

“…Ah?”

I never dreamed I’d be asked such a question. My face contorted involuntarily.