69 Going to the Bathroom is a Tough Task

"Sit down, please." Yukino Yukari pulled over an empty chair beside her and gestured for Hojou Kyousuke to sit.

"Thank you," Kyousuke muttered, scratching his head in confusion.

He had been trying to avoid causing any trouble for Miyamizu Mitsuha, yet here he was, being called to the teacher's office on the very first day of class.

"Miyamizu, are you feeling unwell today?" Yukino Yukari asked softly, her voice filled with concern.

"A bit," Kyousuke replied, trying to muster up a sick expression.

However, he had never been sick in his life, so his attempt at acting sick looked awkward.

Yukino Yukari blinked, perplexed.

What was that expression supposed to mean?

But, she thought, everyone has their quirks.

She remembered what little she knew about this girl, Miyamizu Mitsuha—her mother had passed away, her father had run off, and she was being raised by her grandmother, who was the head priest of the Miyamizu Shrine.

She had overheard other girls at school gossiping about how Miyamizu Mitsuha's living expenses were funded by her father's campaign money, and some rumors about her role as a shrine maiden—none of them were particularly flattering.

Yukino Yukari could relate.

She, too, had been ostracized in elementary school for being too good-looking.

But looking at Mitsuha now, she felt sympathy for her. After all, the girl had faced her own struggles.

Yukino Yukari thought back to her own middle school days, when her teacher, Hanako-sensei, had saved her from feeling isolated.

She had left Tokyo, returned to her hometown, and perhaps, she thought, she was here to help Miyamizu Mitsuha in the same way Hanako-sensei had helped her.

"I'll be your 'Hanako-sensei'," Yukino Yukari decided internally with a smile.

Meanwhile, Kyousuke's attention was drawn to the chocolate-filled drawer Yukino had opened.

How could she eat so much chocolate and still maintain such a slim figure?

"Would you like some? Chocolate can help you feel better, whether it's physical discomfort or just mental fatigue," Yukino Yukari offered, noticing his gaze.

Kyousuke, who had always avoided sugary treats, quickly declined.

"No, thank you. I've already caused enough trouble today by using Miyamizu Mitsuha's body. If she comes back to her body tomorrow and finds she's gained weight, she'll probably cry."

"Miyamizu-chan, can I call you Mitsuha? And you can call me Yukino," Yukino Yukari suggested with a smile, wanting to make things more casual and friendly.

"Of course," Kyousuke replied, still unsure of what Yukino was aiming for.

Was this about something from Mitsuha's past?

"I know what it's like to feel excluded at school. I went through that too when I was younger. If you ever want to talk, I'm here to listen," Yukino Yukari said gently.

Kyousuke was a bit taken aback.

Was Mitsuha really being excluded at school?

It didn't seem like it—after all, she had a shrine and a powerful family.

She had a male friend and a female friend, which was already a rare high school configuration.

But the three classmates they had encountered earlier were a bit annoying, weren't they?

Oh, well. Kyousuke decided to let it go.

After all, he wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to interact with such a "celebrity" teacher.

"Thank you, Yukino-sensei," Kyousuke said enthusiastically, and just as the bell rang, he hurried back to the classroom.

Hanako-sensei, are you watching? I'm doing the same thing you did for me, but now for someone else.

As Yukino Yukari watched the way Miyamizu Mitsuha ran back to the classroom with a distinct, non-feminine stride, she thought to herself that she had a long road ahead of her.

..............................

Time Rewind to the Morning, Tokyo, Chidori-maki 49th Block, Kyousuke's Apartment

Buzz buzz buzz~

What's that? So annoying.

With no sunlight in his eyes, Kyousuke realized it wasn't time to wake up yet.

Mitsuha had always used the faint sunlight coming through the window to figure out when to wake up.

Or rather, she was a heavy sleeper, never using an alarm.

Trying hard not to wake up, Mitsuha reached out for the source of the annoying noise.

Smack!

"Ouch!" She groaned, rolling off the bed before she could grab the source of the noise.

Wait, bed? Didn't I sleep on tatami mats?

The buzzing continued, and Mitsuha turned her head to see it was her phone on the nightstand, vibrating.

She grabbed the phone, turned off the alarm, and the noise stopped.

The fall had jostled her awake a little, but everything around her seemed unfamiliar, making her wonder if she was still dreaming.

She looked up at the strange ceiling, the strange bed, the unfamiliar surroundings.

'Oh wait... I've been here before. It's the night from... that time!'

Suddenly, Mitsuha remembered and quickly glanced down at her chest.

Muscular pectorals, deep abs.

"Ahhh—why am I still sleeping naked?!"

She quickly shut her eyes, embarrassed, but the image of that sculpted body was burned into her mind.

'So, this is a dream, right?'

Her face turned as red as an apple, and she realized her earlier actions—touching her abs—felt like they had no reaction, probably because the muscles were so developed.

Once she processed the situation, Mitsuha stood up and grabbed the school uniform hanging at the foot of the bed.

After washing her face and brushing her teeth, she admired the handsome face of Hojou Kyousuke staring back at her in the mirror.

Red-faced, she untied her belt and went to the bathroom.

Back in the living room, she sat on the couch and pondered the ultimate question:

'Who am I? What am I supposed to do?'

'Wait... I remember what I wrote on my phone last time...'

She rushed over to the nightstand, grabbed her phone, unlocked it with her fingerprint, and opened the notes.

She glanced quickly at the time—it was Wednesday.

Why can't I see the date clearly? Mitsuha thought, not paying much attention, as she opened the memo.

"I am Hojou Kyousuke. What about you?"