Although Shiina Mahiru had clearly sensed that something was fundamentally wrong with the person inhabiting Hozuki Nozomi's body, she chose not to expose him—or rather, her—immediately. Instead, she observed with quiet amusement as "Hozuki Nozomi" occasionally let slip distinctly feminine gestures: the way he crossed his legs, the delicate way he held things, the unconscious tilting of his head. She couldn't help but cover her mouth with her hand, suppressing giggles at the thought of what expression the real Hozuki Nozomi would wear when he learned about his current predicament.
Throughout the morning classes, Miyamizu Mitsuha found herself completely lost. The lessons moved at a pace she couldn't follow at all, the material far more advanced than what she was used to in Itomori. She sighed inwardly—so this was the academic life of a Tokyo high achiever? The study intensity was simply incomparable to her small-town school.
What made it worse was learning, through overheard comments, that the owner of this body ranked second in his entire grade.
Second! In Tokyo!
By the time noon arrived, she was thoroughly exhausted and wondering where she should eat lunch when her phone buzzed with a message.Fortunately, the phone unlocked with a fingerprint—otherwise, she would have been completely locked out. While checking the messages, curiosity got the better of her, and she peeked at the photo album.
Her eyes widened.
Besides Yukino Yukinoshita and Shiina Mahiru, whom she'd already met, there were photos of several other stunningly beautiful girls in intimate poses with this body. Cuddling. Holding hands. Sometimes more.
"What a scumbag!" she muttered under her breath. Then she reminded herself that this was probably just a dream anyway. None of it had anything to do with her.
The message was from someone labeled "Utaha-senpai," asking to meet on the rooftop. After a moment's consideration, Miyamizu Mitsuha decided to go.
When she pushed open the rooftop door and saw the girl waiting there, she momentarily forgot to breathe.
Kasumigaoka Utaha sat gracefully on a bench, her eyes closed, black stockings accentuating her long, elegant legs. She looked like a heroine who had stepped directly out of a manga—beautiful from every angle, her profile and silhouette equally breathtaking. Even as a girl, Miyamizu Mitsuha felt her heart skip a beat.
The owner of this body was involved with someone this beautiful? How?! What kind of insane luck did he have?
Miyamizu Mitsuha stood frozen, staring blankly, which drew a small frown from Kasumigaoka Utaha. The older girl opened her crimson eyes and fixed "Hozuki Nozomi" with a steady gaze.
"Kohai-kun," she said simply. "I'm hungry."
"Oh! Um, well... if you don't mind, would you like to eat together? I brought a bento."
Kasumigaoka Utaha naturally had no objections. But as they ate, she noticed something peculiar. Today's Hozuki Nozomi was... well-behaved. Too well-behaved. He barely met her eyes, spoke softly, and exhibited none of his usual confident charm.
Something was definitely off.
Kasumigaoka Utaha wasn't the only one who noticed. By afternoon, all the girls had independently observed Hozuki Nozomi's strange behavior. And so, after school, Miyamizu Mitsuha found herself cornered in the Service Club activity room by an intimidating lineup: Yukino Yukinoshita, Shiina Mahiru, Ogiwara Sayu, Sanshokuin Sumireko, Yuki Suo, and several others.
"Tell us who you really are," Yukino demanded, arms crossed, her blue eyes piercing. "And why are you inhabiting Hozuki Nozomi's body?"
Miyamizu Mitsuha broke out in a cold sweat immediately.
No way. She'd been discovered already? And... this wasn't a dream?
Grandma, what was she supposed to do when she'd turned into a handsome Tokyo guy in what she thought was a dream, only to be confronted by his harem of girlfriends?!
Misaki Mei removed her eyepatch, studying "Hozuki Nozomi" intently for several long moments before speaking in her characteristic low, serious voice. "It's a girl in there. May I ask who you are? And where did Hozuki Nozomi go?"
Miyamizu Mitsuha waved her hands frantically. "Even if you ask me, I don't know! I thought I was dreaming! I really thought this was all a dream!"
Yukino frowned deeper, her arms still crossed. "Regardless, please introduce yourself first."
"Okay, okay..."
Overwhelmed by the pressure of so many beautiful girls staring at her expectantly, Miyamizu Mitsuha quickly sat up straight, legs pressed primly together, hands folded in her lap—the picture of obedient femininity.
Yuki Suo couldn't resist. She whipped out her phone and snapped a photo, giggling. "Pfft... this is too funny! I wonder what Brother's expression would be when he sees himself sitting like such a proper young lady?"
Yukino shot her a look. "Yuki, aren't you afraid of being scolded for taking embarrassing photos of him?"
"Hehe, Brother would never scold me!" Yuki grinned unrepentantly. "He loves me too much."
"Suit yourself. Don't come crying to me if he gets upset." Yukino turned her attention back to the nervous figure before them. "Now then. Who are you?"
All eyes fixed on Miyamizu Mitsuha, and she felt the weight of their combined scrutiny like a physical pressure. She took a deep, steadying breath.
"Um... hello everyone. My name is Miyamizu Mitsuha. I'm from Miyamizu Shrine in Itomori Town, and I'm currently a first-year high school student." She swallowed hard. "I honestly don't know how I ended up in this boy's body. I genuinely thought I was dreaming until just now."
"Itomori Town?" Yukino's brow furrowed. "That name sounds familiar somehow."
"Eh, really? You know it?" Miyamizu Mitsuha perked up slightly, then grew embarrassed. "Our town is very remote, very far from Kyoto. I'm surprised anyone's heard of it."
She'd always wanted to leave that small town after graduating, to live in Tokyo proper. Her father's position as repeatedly re-elected mayor made her a target of gossip and biased looks. She didn't particularly like that closed-off, judgmental place.
Yukino filed the sense of familiarity away for later consideration. "Although I don't fully understand what's happening, we'll likely know more once we return to Sakura Dormitory. If we ask Frieren for help, she should be able to figure something out."
Her primary concern, of course, was Hozuki Nozomi's wellbeing. Wherever he was, she hoped he was safe.
Meanwhile, in Itomori Town, Hozuki Nozomi was having a rather eventful day of his own in Miyamizu Mitsuha's body.
Not only had he directly confronted and shut down the classmates who'd been giving Mitsuha trouble, but he'd also completely dominated the boys in basketball during PE. His dunks and plays left them staring in disbelief. Natori Sayaka and Teshigawara Katsuhiko kept muttering about fox possession, but Hozuki Nozomi paid them no mind.
After school, he parted ways with the two and walked toward the shrine. He climbed the long stone staircase, passed through the torii gate, and entered the shrine grounds.
Miyamizu Yotsuha, the energetic little loli, had already returned home—her elementary school was close by, so she got back relatively early.
Unfortunately for Hozuki Nozomi, there was no time to rest. Miyamizu Hitoha, Mitsuha's grandmother, immediately put him to work weaving braided cords for fortunes and crafting other shrine items like omamori charms. These were the shrine's primary sources of income.
According to information he'd gathered from Natori Sayaka, the shrine's festival would be held soon. On that day, Miyamizu Mitsuha and Miyamizu Yotsuha would don miko outfits and perform the sacred Kagura dance. They would also be involved in making the ritual kuchikamizake—the chewing sake that played such a significant role in the original story.
There was just one problem: Hozuki Nozomi had no idea how to weave.
Unashamed, he asked Miyamizu Hitoha to teach him again, claiming he'd forgotten. Though puzzled, the elderly shrine maiden patiently guided him through the process once more. To her surprise, he picked it up quickly, his fingers moving with unexpected dexterity.
Time passed in comfortable, methodical work.
After dinner, Hozuki Nozomi changed into the pajamas provided and retreated to Mitsuha's room. Alone at last, he found himself facing a... moral dilemma.
The body he inhabited was, objectively, quite nice.
With the mentality of "why not explore what's available to explore," he began his investigation.
His hands pressed gently here and there, measuring, assessing.
Hmm.
Assessment complete: slightly more developed than Yukinoshita's, but below Miura Yumiko's. However, Miyamizu Mitsuha had a slender, graceful figure, so the proportions suited her well. And she was still young—only a first-year high school student. She would likely continue developing in the future.
A promising future wife, perhaps? He filed the thought away for later consideration.
Satisfied with his research, Hozuki Nozomi lay down and closed his eyes. Immediately, he felt the braided cord around his—Mitsuha's—wrist begin to warm. The temperature increased steadily, and then—
He blinked.
He was staring at his own ceiling. His own room. His own body.
He was back.