The sunlight trickled through the curtains, warm against his face.
Shirogane Miyuki blinked awake, staring at the familiar cracks in the ceiling above his futon.
He lay still for a moment, half-expecting the unfamiliar feeling of a different body — softer, lighter, smaller.
But no.
This was his own body. His own awkward limbs, his own messy hair, his own heartbeat pounding way too fast.
'I'm back,' he thought, exhaling shakily.
'Yesterday... that wasn't a dream, was it?'
Memories of the morning flooded back—waking up in Mitsuha's body, the awkwardness of moving around, and the constant fear of messing up her life. He still cringed at how weird he must have seemed to her family and friends. Every small mistake felt like a ticking time bomb.
Shirogane buried his face in his pillow, groaning 'How am I supposed to survive this without ruining everything?'
Dragging himself up with the grace of a dying slug, Shirogane stumbled toward the door. He needed coffee. A shower. Maybe divine intervention.
He left his room — and immediately froze in the hallway.
There stood Kei, his little sister.
Bright-eyed. Smiling. Actually smiling at him.
"Good morning, Onii!" she chirped, in a tone so sweet it gave him physical whiplash.
Shirogane blinked at her. Once. Twice. 'This had to be a trap. Kei was never this cheerful unless she wanted something — or unless hell had frozen over.'
"Uh... morning," he said awkwardly.
Kei clasped her hands behind her back, almost shy. "You were really cool yesterday, you know?"
Her eyes shone with uncharacteristic admiration. "Thanks for talking with me. You don't usually... y'know. Listen."
Shirogane stared at her, utterly lost.
'Did I...'
'Did Mitsuha do something yesterday?'
'What exactly did she say to Kei?!'
His brain ran in panicked circles, trying to imagine Mitsuha handling a sibling she had never met. 'She probably smiled warmly. Said something encouraging. Maybe even gave advice.'
Meanwhile, Kei, oblivious to his inner turmoil, grabbed her bag. "Anyway, I'm heading out! Later, Onii-chan!"
She waved as she left, humming a little tune under her breath.
Shirogane stood alone in the hallway for a long moment, utterly bewildered.
'At this rate, Mitsuha's gonna fix my entire life without me even trying.'
He ran a hand through his hair, sighing. 'Okay... swapped bodies last night. No big deal. Stay calm, Shirogane.'
He remembered the weird, dreamlike sensation of returning to his own body just before waking up — but the hours Mitsuha spent inside his body were a complete blank.
As always.
"What the hell does she even do while she's me...?"
"I hope it was fine. Right...? Right?"
Still, he couldn't shake the bad feeling today.
Something told him... something had happened.
He hurried to school, nerves buzzing.
"Alright. Play it cool. Maybe it's nothing."
At Shuchiin Academy...
The moment Shirogane walked into the student council room—
Kaguya flinched like a cat hearing thunder.
She stiffened, staring at her papers way too intensely. Her entire face was flushed.
Chika, who was doodling on the whiteboard, immediately grinned when she saw him.
"Good morning, Kaichou~. You're in a good mood today, huh~?"
Ishigami raised an eyebrow, glancing between Shirogane and Kaguya.
Shirogane blinked, confused.
"...Good morning, everyone."
He sat down cautiously.
'Something was very wrong.'
Kaguya was refusing to make eye contact. Chika kept giggling to herself. Ishigami looked like he wanted to say something but thought better of it.
'They're acting... weird. Suspiciously weird.'
'Did Mitsuha do something to them while she was in my body yesterday...?'
Shirogane cleared his throat awkwardly.
"So, uh... what's on the agenda today?"
Kaguya jumped like she had been shot.
"I—I already prepared the documents!! I... I'll leave them here!"
She practically threw a stack of papers across the table like it was a grenade.
Chika burst out laughing.
"Kaguya-sama's so flustered~! She must still be thinking about yesterday~!"
Ishigami muttered under his breath, "Can't believe you actually said those things out loud, Kaichou…"
Shirogane paled.
'Wait. What things?'
'What the hell did Mitsuha say yesterday?!'
He leaned forward slightly, trying to sound casual.
"…What... things are you guys talking about?"
Chika gasped dramatically.
"You don't remember??"
Kaguya whipped her head up, panic flashing in her eyes.
Shirogane sweatdropped.
"Uhhh... yesterday was a bit of a blur...?"
Kaguya stood up abruptly.
"I-I have to go! Emergency! Very important! Goodbye!!"
She fled the room faster than Shirogane had ever seen her move.
Shirogane stared at the door she left swinging open.
Ishigami sighed heavily.
Chika just whistled innocently.
Slowly, Shirogane rubbed his temples, leaned back in his chair, groaning internally.
'Mitsuha... what did you do?!'
After Kaguya ran out of the student council room…
Shirogane sat there, frozen.
Chika poked his arm.
"Kaichou, kaichou~! Are you sure you don't remember anything you said yesterday? Maybe, maybe you confessed to Kaguya-sama~?"
Shirogane choked.
"W-what?!"
Ishigami, deadpan as ever, added, "Yeah. You were… pretty intense."
"I WHAT?!?" Shirogane's mind was melting.
He slammed his hands on the desk, standing up so fast his chair clattered backward.
"I—I need to talk to her."
"Ehhhh? Now~?" Chika teased.
Before he could lose his nerve, Shirogane rushed out the door.
Down the hallway...
He spotted Kaguya standing alone by a window, clutching a folder to her chest like it was a life preserver.
Shirogane steeled himself. "Stay calm. Be normal. Be presidential. Don't sound like a creep."
He walked up behind her.
"A-Ah, Shinomiya."
She jolted like she'd been electrocuted.
"O-Oh! K-Kaichou! H-Hello! Good morning! I mean, good afternoon! No—good noon!"
She was spiraling.
Shirogane coughed into his fist.
"I just… wanted to ask about yesterday."
Kaguya stiffened.
Shirogane hesitated.
How was he supposed to ask this without sounding insane?!
Finally he blurted out—
"Did I... touch you or something?!"
...
Silence.
...
Kaguya's face exploded into nuclear red.
She dropped her folder, papers flying everywhere.
"I—You—You—!!!!"
People passing by stared.
Shirogane panicked.
"NO! I didn't mean it like that!! I just meant—! You were acting weird so I thought maybe I—!!"
Kaguya covered her burning face with her hands.
"I-I have to go! E-Excuse me!"
She bolted down the hallway like a frightened rabbit.
Shirogane was left standing there, holding her fallen folder like an idiot.
Chika peeked around the corner, snickering.
"Heeheehee~ Well done, Kaichou. You stepped on the biggest landmine possible~!"
Ishigami walked past him, shaking his head.
"Dead man walking."
Inside Shirogane's mind:
'WHY DID I SAY THAT?!'
'SHE'S DEFINITELY GOING TO KILL ME NOW!'
'MITSUHA I SWEAR IF YOU MADE ME CONFESS YESTERDAY I'M TAKING YOU DOWN TOO!'
Todays Battle Result: Shirogane Loses.