Thinking about how he had startled Mitsuha's father and how Yukino Yukari had discovered his identity, Kyousuke affirmed Mitsuha's abilities.
So, if they swapped bodies again tomorrow, she would definitely be able to handle it!
'I'll leave it to you, Mitsuha!'
As he thought this, the girls across from him had also finished their discussion.
Tomorrow morning, they would meet at Kyousuke's house.
No kimonos.
During the day, they would go to Chiyoda for cherry blossom viewing and a picnic, and at night, they would visit Meguro River for the night sakura and a festival.
"Alright, we'll head out first. See you tomorrow, Kyousuke-kun." Shouko stood at the doorway and bowed slightly.
"See you tomorrow, Kyousuke." Naoka waved at him.
"You're welcome to come over and hang out anytime." Sakura, still on the phone, spoke with the air of a hostess.
"You should also get some rest early. We have a full day ahead of us tomorrow."
Kyousuke playfully flicked his fingers toward the screen as if giving Sakura a forehead flick.
After saying goodbye, he glanced at the darkened sky outside, then turned to Shouko and Naoka.
"I'll walk with you guys. Consider it a night stroll."
With that, he grabbed a jacket, slipped on his shoes, and followed them out.
Shouko, already standing outside, didn't say thanks. Instead, she just smiled with her eyes curved like crescent moons. Naoka had the same expression.
———————————————————————
At the entrance of Shouko and Naoka's apartment complex.
"I'll head back now. See you tomorrow."
Rejecting their invitation to come in for a bit, Kyousuke smiled and turned to leave.
"Naoka, Naoka! Make me a Kyousuke-kun doll!"
As soon as she changed into her loungewear, Shouko excitedly grabbed Ueno Naoka's arm.
"...What?" Naoka blinked, thinking she misheard.
"A plushie that looks like Kyousuke-kun!"
"Why do you even need that? Aren't the photos on your bedside table enough?" Naoka asked in confusion, nodding toward Shouko's bedroom.
"Naoka!"
Shouko quickly dashed over, pulling the curtain closed to hide the photos of her, Kyousuke-kun, and Yuzuru on the nightstand. Her voice turned into an embarrassed whisper.
"Just make one for me, please?"
She shuffled over to where Naoka sat on the tatami mat, clinging to her arm with a pitiful look.
"Ugh, I can never say no to you. But you better explain later!"
Sighing in resignation after Shouko shook her arm a couple of times, Naoka stood up and retrieved her sewing kit.
As someone who aspired to be a fashion designer, she had plenty of fabric and stuffing. In no time, she crafted a plushie that bore an uncanny resemblance to Kyousuke.
Looking at the black-haired, big-eyed doll in her hands, Naoka almost didn't want to give it away.
"Wow! As expected of Naoka, this looks just like him!" Shouko exclaimed in delight.
Ah, whatever. If I don't give it to her, she'll probably cry.
"It's just a regular plushie. As long as you think it looks like him, that's fine." Reluctantly, Naoka handed the doll over and began tidying up.
"No way! These eyes are exactly like Kyousuke-kun's! They look so gentle." Shouko held the plushie up to her face, completely enamored.
"Alright, now tell me—what exactly do you need this for?" Naoka asked.
"Well... um..."
Shouko fidgeted, her lips moving soundlessly as she avoided Naoka's gaze.
"Never mind, I won't ask."
Shaking her head, Naoka cleared off the low table and picked up a fashion design book.
"Hehe." Shouko giggled sheepishly, then dashed into her bedroom with the plushie in tow.
Ueno Naoka lifted her head, glancing at the curtain suspiciously before returning to her book.
"Why did you leave me?"
A sudden voice snapped Naoka out of her reading. She looked up, only for the voice to continue.
"Did my mother's interference really make you give up?"
"Mitsuru-kun, is this how our love ends?"
———————————————————————
Behind the curtain, Shouko's voice continued. The moment she mentioned "Mitsuru-kun," Naoka realized what was happening.
These were lines from a drama they had been watching.
The heroine's mother disapproved of her boyfriend and bribed him with a hundred million yen to leave. He accepted, and these lines were the heroine's heartbroken confrontation.
But in Shouko's voice, there was no heartbreak—just embarrassment and tenderness. It wasn't a confrontation; it was an attempt at a love confession.
"Ugh, Naoka, I can't say these lines properly while looking at Kyousuke-kun!"
The curtain lifted, and Shouko, barefoot, ran over and plopped down beside Naoka, duck-sitting as she clung to her friend.
Seeing her flushed face, Naoka sighed in exasperation.
"So, you made me craft that plushie just to practice drama lines on it?"
"I-I just thought... as long as Kyousuke-kun is by my side, I'd feel more confident. If I see his face, I might be able to say the lines more naturally..." Shouko admitted sheepishly.
"..."
Naoka was speechless. There was definitely emotion there—just not the right kind.
"Why don't you try a sweeter scene instead? Didn't the heroine meet her true love later? That part should be easier for you."
"..."
Now it was Shouko's turn to fall silent.
She couldn't exactly admit that every time she thought about the heroine and her true love kissing, her mind automatically replaced them with herself and Kyousuke-kun, making her brain short-circuit.
"Naoka! If I want to be a voice actress, I can't just stay in my comfort zone! I have to challenge myself!" Shouko puffed out her cheeks, declaring righteously.
"Oh~ So you want to be a voice actress now?" Naoka drawled teasingly, watching Shouko squirm.
"Well... if Kyousuke-kun's manga ever gets an anime, maybe I could be part of it. Plus, I've always liked imitating TV characters... I know it's a long shot, but... but..."
Her inner thoughts spilled out as she rambled nervously.
"Hold up, hold up. It's not a long shot at all! You'd make a great voice actress. Didn't Kyousuke say you sound exactly like the voice of Saitama in his head?"
"Hehe, hearing him say that made me happy, but I know he was just encouraging me." Shouko scratched her head, still feeling the warmth of Kyousuke's hand from earlier.
"If you're serious, just practicing on your own won't be enough. You should talk to your mom about getting professional training."
Naoka knew that if Shouko had voiced this desire, it wasn't on a whim. There had to be deeper reasons behind it. So, she gave a sincere suggestion.
"I know. But it's still early. It'll take a while before Kyousuke-kun's manga gets an anime. After middle school, you'll be going to a fashion design academy, and I can start voice training. Isn't that perfect?"
She tapped her fingers together, full of anticipation.
"And Kyousuke? Weren't you looking forward to spending high school with him?" Naoka asked.
Shouko shook her head with a serene smile.
"It's me who needs Kyousuke-kun, not the other way around."
She leaned against Naoka, settling into the cushions.
"I've always relied on everyone's help. Just once, I want to give back."
Naoka knew—when she said "everyone," at least 90% of it meant Kyousuke.
"Now that I finally see this opportunity, Kyousuke-kun's manga is likely will be adapted into an anime, and they'll need voice actors."
"I really like talking, I like speaking on my own, and I enjoy imitating others."
"If I could help Kyousuke-kun complete his anime, and hear my own voice in it, that would be such a happy thing."
Naoka turned her head to look at Shouko, who was cuddled up beside her.
A bright smile lit up Shouko's cute face, and her sparkling eyes seemed to already be imagining the completed anime.
'Shouko had found her dream… what about me?'
A fashion designer? Naoka couldn't even remember when the idea first came to her.
But now, as she listened to Shouko's dreamy voice, childhood memories began to resurface.
The longing she felt when looking at other kids' new clothes, and the disappointment she felt when seeing her own old clothes, worn down from use by her grandfather and younger brothers.
Right, that's when the idea of wanting to create beautiful, new clothes for herself and her family was born.
Now, it seems like this dream might add something new?
Naoka's mind wandered to the plain outfits of Kyousuke's manga protagonist, and she felt a spark of inspiration.
Not just Shouko, it seemed like she could help out with Kyousuke-kun's work too.
Meanwhile, Kyousuke had returned home and jotted down in his memo that he would be going to the cherry blossom festival with friends tomorrow.
Afterward, he calmly drifted off to sleep.
Although the body-swapping experience had been completely uncontrollable, Kyousuke believed his "useless" system would know better than to cause trouble for him, its master.
Of course, if the system wasn't really "useless," it would've definitely popped up to shout that it wasn't responsible for the body-swap or memory blocking.
At Ochamizuki Academy, Sakura was still frantically working on homework under her desk lamp, determined to finish before tomorrow's outing.
Tokyo, Chidoriwood, Single Apartment
Miyamizu Mitsuha was woken up by the vibration of her phone?.
She groggily reached over to turn off the alarm clock, blinking as her eyes adjusted.
Wait, wasn't it Sunday? Why had Kyousuke set an alarm?
Confused, she opened the memo.
Knowing that if Kyousuke had set an alarm for the weekend, it must mean he had something important to do.
["Cherry Blossom Festival!!!"]
The moment she saw the memo, all traces of sleep vanished. She sat up, excited, letting out a little scream.
'Wow! I've only seen this festival on TV. Now it's finally my turn to enjoy it, Miyamizu Mitsuha!'
She held back the urge to rush to the bathroom and prepare to leave, and continued reading the memo.
The cherry blossom festival… but I'm supposed to go with three girls: Yamauchi Sakura, Nishimiya Shouko, Ueno Naoka.
Kyousuke hadn't really explained his relationships with the three girls clearly. He just mentioned they were three close friends.
Oh no, how could I hide this now?!
As a girl, Mitsuha knew that girls were not easily fooled like the boys from Higashi.
Sayaka might be an exception!
She's so innocent, always having fun with Yotsuba.
But what am I going to do now? Her excitement about the cherry blossom festival was now replaced with worry.
Right, Kyousuke must have a plan, right?!
With that thought, Mitsuha turned back to the memo.
"When you're ready to head to Chiyoda, call Kisaki Tetta."
"He'll send someone to pick you up. I've already prepared the funds for today's expenses in your wallet, so don't hold back. Have fun."
That was the last message in the memo. Just like before, Kyousuke was always helpful, giving her all the information she might need, but never dictating her actions.
In the past, Mitsuha had appreciated this about him, but now, knowing the three girls would be showing up soon, she felt a twinge of anxiety.
Kyousuke, you brilliant mind, please think of something.
Praying silently, she hurried to the bathroom to get ready.
Ever since the body swaps started, Mitsuha had stopped waking up to see her body naked. She always wore loose shorts and a T-shirt.
Just as she finished washing up and came out of the bathroom, the doorbell rang.
Her eyes widened with panic. While she hadn't expected to be dragged off for an experiment, she feared messing up Kyousuke's relationships.
'Why did this ridiculous body swap have to happen today?!'
With that thought, Mitsuha walked toward the door, half resigned, and opened it.
Since she hadn't drawn the curtains on the balcony, the room was still dim. But as soon as she opened the door, the sunlight flooded in.
Her eyes squinted from the sudden light, but soon, Mitsuha couldn't tell if it was the sunlight or the three stunning girls standing in front of her that dazzled her the most.
They were all dressed differently, but incredibly stylish.
Each one had a face so delicate, with makeup Mitsuha had never seen before, but it perfectly accentuated their individual features.
They radiated youthful energy, clearly city girls, completely different from her own school uniform, which felt painfully outdated.
For a moment, this sensitive girl felt a little downhearted.
"Too slow, Kyousuke," the first girl to step inside said as she removed her shoes.
This must be Yamauchi Sakura, Mitsuha thought, recognizing her.
The girl was dressed in a white T-shirt and black denim shorts, showing off her slender arms and straight thighs.
When she bent down, a silver necklace slipped out of her shirt collar – a Yotsuba grass charm.
Mitsuha instinctively touched her chest, where she also had a Yotsuba grass charm.
So, she bought this with him…
Mitsuha had once wondered why Kyousuke, a guy, wore a somewhat feminine pendant like this. Now, she understood, though the realization left her feeling a bit bittersweet.
Before she could explain that she'd immediately opened the door when she heard the doorbell, Sakura had already walked inside.
"Good morning, Kyousuke-kun," she greeted, cheerfully.
The next person to enter was a girl with brown hair, a slightly chubby face, and a sweet smile, wearing a brown dress.
'Nishimiya Shouko… she's so cute, and so… big.'
Mitsuha couldn't help but exclaim inwardly, instinctively looking down at her own chest.
'Damn, Kyousuke's chest muscles are so big too…'
Luckily, Kyousuke didn't hear that thought.
What did she mean by "big"? He wasn't the muscular type. Whether it was his chest or abs, everything was streamlined, not bulky.
"Good morning, Shouko," Mitsuha greeted.
"Good morning, Kyousuke," the last girl said as she stepped in.
This was Ueno Naoka, the final one.
Mitsuha didn't need to think twice to recognize her.
Naoka had appeared in Kyousuke's album several times, often showing off her long legs, which Mitsuha envied. But today, she was wearing a pair of overalls.
Maybe she didn't want to match Yamauchi Sakura, who also had long legs. If there were two pairs of long legs in the same group, it might be a bit too eye-catching.
She made this guess as she stepped aside to let the two girls in, then closed the door.
"Kyousuke, have you prepared the food for today?" Sakura immediately asked, as she dashed into the kitchen like a hamster looking for something.
Hmm? Was Kyousuke responsible for the food too? Mitsuha wondered, but she didn't see anything about that in the memo.
"Sakura, didn't we agree that we'd be in charge of the picnic food, and Kyousuke-kun was only responsible for the dessert?" Naoka pointed out.
"Eh~" Sakura didn't answer but just made a funny face.
"Pfft." Shouko, who was standing nearby, couldn't hold back her laughter.
"Ah, Shouko, you're actually making fun of me!" Sakura, who had reached the fridge, stopped and turned around, pretending to be hurt.
"I wasn't! I was just thinking about Yuzuru," Shouko quickly explained.
"Hehe, Shouko is still so cute," Sakura said, walking over to give Shouko a big hug.
"Then why didn't you ask Kyousuke to bring Yuzuru to Tokyo for the cherry blossom festival, like last time?" Sakura asked.
"Minamimachi is also having a cherry blossom festival. Yuzuru and my mom and grandma should all be out there by now," Shouko said gently.
"Oh, right, my mom just sent me some photos,"
Mitsuha stood off to the side, watching the two girls interact.
Her heart, as a girl, wanted to go up and hug someone as cute as Shouko, but unfortunately, she was using Kyousuke's body right now.
Sakura released Shouko and walked back over to the fridge, knowing her favorite treat should be inside.
"Wow, as expected, yam ice cream!"
She cheered and pulled out the container of ice cream, which was stored in a plastic box.
Though she guessed that Kyousuke had prepared these foods to keep her healthy, she had no rebellious thoughts about it.
'Why would I rebel against something so delicious? My brain isn't broken, you know!'
With that smart thought, Sakura grabbed a spoon from the counter behind her and was ready to dig in.
She lifted the lid, glanced around, but Kyousuke was still standing there, staring blankly.
She scooped out a spoonful, but the familiar sound of Kyousuke's voice didn't come.
Popping the ice cream into her mouth, it smoothly slid down her throat at just past 9 a.m.
Now, it wasn't just Sakura who was surprised—Shouko and Naoka both turned to look at Kyousuke in shock.
Hmm?!
Mitsuha stood frozen in place, feeling the pressure of their eyes on her.
How can I be standing here, frozen, not saying a word, and still seem suspicious?
She forced a smile, trying to maintain composure as she looked at the three girls.
"Very suspicious!"
Sakura swallowed the ice cream, returned the container to the fridge, and bent slightly forward as if she were Sherlock Holmes, using a magnifying glass to search for clues.
She slowly approached Kyousuke.
"What's wrong? Is the ice cream not good?" Mitsuha's forehead broke out in sweat as her mind raced.
As soon as the words left her mouth, Shouko and Naoka turned their suspicious gazes to Kyousuke.
"What else could it be?" By now, Sakura was standing right in front of Kyousuke, their bodies nearly touching.
She tilted her head back slightly to look up at his familiar face.
Her little nose twitched as she sniffed hard.
"Ah!"
"Kyousuke, you didn't shower this morning!" Detective Sakura exclaimed.
Whew…
Mitsuha let out a silent sigh of relief, thinking for a moment that she had been caught.
"I overslept a bit, so I didn't shower," she said, trying to stay calm.
"No, not that, Who are you?"