77 Wait Till I Call Someone to Beat You Up

Miyamizu Mitsuha stepped into the classroom.

Shunya and his two female followers were already there.

The moment their eyes met, all three of them quickly turned away.

Heh, not bad. This feeling isn't too bad at all.

Mitsuha grinned to herself, feeling a wave of satisfaction.

In a good mood, she decided to let go of the grudge against Hojou Kyousuke for making her shoulder sore.

———————————————————————

That Evening – Miyamizu Shrine

Dressed in her brick-red yukata, Miyamizu Mitsuha carefully wove a sacred rope.

This was meant to tie up the wooden box that would hold the ingredients for the sacred kuchikamizake.

She finished the knot quickly.

Thanks to Kyousuke's explanation, she understood—if her body hadn't been taken over twice by that guy, she would've completed this ages ago.

With the help of her grandmother and younger sister Yotsuba, Mitsuha tied up her hair, changed into her red and white shrine maiden attire, and adorned herself with a golden headdress.

Her lips were painted a deep crimson.

Once she was ready, she helped dress up Yotsuba the same way.

Holding the ceremonial kagura bells, Mitsuha walked toward the ritual site, feeling a sense of resignation.

Why wasn't there a body swap today?

If Kyousuke were in my body, he could've danced the kagura instead!

Suppressing her frustration, Mitsuha took a solemn step onto the stage.

The "stage" was actually a high, wooden pavilion.

Fires burned on both sides, and as the night breeze swept through, tiny embers floated toward the center, giving the scene a dreamlike quality.

The pavilion was supported by tall pillars, forcing the spectators to look up at the shrine maidens—an act of reverence for both the gods and their servants.

Since this was a quiet, rural shrine, there weren't any live musicians.

Instead, the ceremony music was played through speakers.

As the sounds of bells, flutes, and taiko drums filled the air, Mitsuha and Yotsuba raised their kagura bells.

Their wrists twisted gracefully, causing the bells to chime in a crisp, lingering melody that echoed through the night sky.

Torchlight.

Drums.

The sacred dance.

Shrine maidens.

For a thousand years, the Miyamizu family had upheld this festival—its origins long lost in the flames of the "Great Fire of Kan-Gorou."

No one remembered who they worshipped, why they performed the ritual, or why the Miyamizu family had been chosen.

Following the rhythm, Mitsuha spun, her sleeves billowing as she moved through the intricate steps of the sacred dance, dedicating her every motion to the gods.

Nearby, Natori Sayaka leaned against the railing, watching Mitsuha intently.

Mitsuha always found this ritual embarrassing, but to Sayaka, she looked breathtaking—so beautiful it was almost unbearable to watch.

"Yo." Teshigawara Katsuhiko walked over.

He was supposed to help out at home, but he had rushed over just in time to catch the performance.

"She's stunning," Sayaka murmured, eyes fixed on Mitsuha.

"Yeah." Teshigawara nodded in agreement.

"…Hmm?" Sayaka's tone shifted.

"You're even more beautiful," Teshigawara quickly added.

"Forget it. Mitsuha is so beautiful that it's impossible to feel jealous of her."

In Sayaka's eyes, Mitsuha danced among the embers, her silhouette flickering against the crimson glow of the flames.

Teshigawara wisely decided to keep quiet.

As the performance neared its end, Mitsuha took small, deliberate steps toward Yotsuba.

Their hands met, left hands lifting the kagura bells while their right hands pulled on the crimson strings attached to them.

The ritual dance was over.

Now came the part Mitsuha dreaded the most.

She glanced down and spotted Shunya and his two lackeys waiting at the edge of the stage.

'Dear gods, please let me swap bodies right now!'

'I can't deal with this for another second!'

Sighing, she walked behind the curtain and retrieved the items for the kuchikamizake ceremony.

Steamed glutinous rice was placed on white paper.

Mitsuha knelt, her back straight.

She held the sleeve of her wide garment with her left hand and, with her right, picked up a small handful of rice, bringing it to her lips.

As she chewed, she glanced around, stealing a peek at her surroundings.

'Why are Sayaka and Teshigawara staring so closely?'

'It's embarrassing! Didn't I tell them not to watch?'

'And Yamaaka Shunya, that idiot—his butt was injured! Why didn't he just stay home?'

'Minami Manaka, I heard you call this gross!'

'Just wait till the next body swap—I'll have Kyousuke teach you a lesson!'

With her thoughts running wild, Mitsuha continued chewing.

Once she reached the required number of bites, she picked up a porcelain bottle filled with pure spring water from the mountains behind the shrine.

This water, known as "Miyamizu," was considered the best for brewing sacred sake.

She took a sip, letting the cool liquid mix with the chewed rice in her mouth.

Slowly, she chewed again, blending the two into a smooth paste.

"Kuchikamizake," Teshigawara muttered, watching with fascination.

"They say it's the finest sake in the world—made by chewing rice with spring water, then spitting it out to ferment."

"Some believe it carries divine power… others think it's just gross."

"Would the gods really like something like this?" Sayaka mused, just as intrigued.

Mitsuha's long lashes trembled, and her crimson lips parted as she continued the ritual.

"Maybe it's not even meant for the gods," Teshigawara murmured.

By the time they finished their conversation, Mitsuha had completed the process.

She lifted the wooden box to her lips, covered the lower half of her face with her sleeve, and gently spat the milky-white liquid inside.

Under the firelight, it shimmered faintly.

"Ugh, I could never do this. I'd never be able to get married after this!"

A disgusted voice called out from the audience.

Mitsuha didn't even need to open her eyes.

'Minami Manaka—again?! Just wait till tomorrow! You're getting a beating!'

Covering the box with white paper, she secured it tightly with the sacred rope.

As the taiko drums slowly ceased, Mitsuha and Yotsuba carefully carried the wooden box toward the shrine's inner sanctum, where it would be stored until the offering was complete.

Afterward, Mitsuha changed and washed away the sweat from her performance.

Carrying her shrine maiden outfit, she walked home with Yotsuba.

Crossing the first torii gate at the mountain's peak, she ran down the stone steps.

That idiot Yotsuba even suggested selling kuchikamizake online—along with a photo set of herself. Just imagining it made Mitsuha's face burn with shame.

Reaching the second torii at the mountainside, she gazed at the dark town below and the moonlit waters of Lake Itomori.

Thinking about the embarrassing ceremony and the dull life in this small town, she couldn't help but shout:

"I've had enough of this village!"

"I've had enough of this boring life!"

"Let me be a handsome Tokyo guy in my next life!"

Her voice echoed beautifully through the night, carrying away her frustration.

Then, she thought of the notebook.

And of Kyousuke.

'Wait… isn't this already happening? That guy's from Tokyo, right? Is he even handsome?'

Is this a gift from the gods?

Just like that, her mood lifted.

She wiped away her tears, a brilliant smile spreading across her face.

Behind her, Yotsuba watched her sister go from heartbreak to joy in an instant and sighed.

"…What an idiot."