Shirogane woke up in an unfamiliar place once again.
The light of morning bled through thin curtains. The tatami flooring, sliding paper doors, and the faint scent of wood caught him off guard.
"Not again…"
But something was off.
His limbs felt too short. His skin was... smooth? And the way the blanket draped over his chest felt oddly weighted.
He sat up slowly.
Then he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror across the room.
Big brown eyes. A red ribbon in his hair. Delicate hands. And a familiar—but definitely "not his"—face.
Mitsuha Miyamizu.
"No way... I'm... her?!"
He stumbled out of bed and rushed to the mirror, poking at his cheeks, tugging gently on his hair.
"This is just like in the movie—except I'm not Taki. I'm me. And I'm in Mitsuha's body."
His eyes wandered downward.
A blush spread across his face like wildfire.
"I mean... any guy would be at least a llittle curious, right? Even Taki did it"
He nervously poked at his chest, then cupped it with both hands. He let out a tiny squeak.
"So soft…! No! Focus! This is for anatomical research!"
Instinct kicked in—and without thinking, he gave another firmer squeeze.
A loud, panicked squeak ripped from his throat, and he stumbled backward like he'd been electrocuted.
Suddenly—
"Onee-chan!"
A tiny voice from outside the sliding door.
Shirogane jolted back like he'd touched a live wire.
"W-Wait! Don't come in!"
The door creaked open slightly—revealing Yotsuha, Mitsuha's little sister, peeking in with sleepy eyes.
"You're acting weird again... Hurry up, we need to eat. Grandma's already outside."
Shirogane straightened his posture and tried to sound normal.
"R-right! Be right there! Just… just morning stretches! You know how it is! Flexibility!"
Yotsuha squinted at him. "Gross."
She walked off.
Shirogane sighed in relief. But then—
A sharp pressure hit him.
"Ugh. Of course. I need to pee."
He shuffled awkwardly toward the bathroom, heart pounding.
"Okay. No big deal. I just have to... do this without doing anything weird. No thoughts. Just pure intention. Zen."
(Quick note for those unfamiliar: "Zen" emphasizes meditation, mindfulness, and inner peace. In modern, casual speech—especially in anime or comedic writing—"Zen" is often used to mean to Stay calm. Be centered. Don't freak out. Think of nothing.")
He sat, legs together, hands folded nervously.
"Do I shake? Or wipe? Wait, do girls shake?! Tissue! Where's the tissue!?"
He grabbed some, but his hands were shaking. He was sweating.
One deep breath. "Let's go. Just muscle memory. Let it flow…"
The sensation hit—unexpectedly warm and tingly.
"Ah! I wasn't ready!"
His whole body jolted slightly.
"Why does this feel so delicate!? I'm sorry Mitsuha! Couldn't you have gone before bed?!"
Tears welled in his eyes—not of pain, but pure existential guilt.
"Okay. Deep breath. This isn't weird. This is survival. Basic biology. You're a human being and you need to pee."
The sound of trickling water echoed, and a wave of relief hit him—but also something else.
A tingle. Too soft. Too delicate.
His body shivered. "What the hell was that!?"
He grabbed the tissue with trembling hands. "Alright. Just… clean up. In. Out. No thoughts. No sin."
"This isn't fanservice. This is punishment."
His hand hovered there once again—curious. His finger gently touched the skin around her privates, tracing it lightly.
The reaction was immediate.
"Hhk—!" His legs buckled slightly.
His thoughts spiraled. 'Is this some kind of secret shrine maiden pressure point?! Does Mitsuha have, like, chakra stored here?! Is this where the comet powers went?!'
After that he washed his hands thoroughly, face still red.
As he looked at the mirror again, he whispered:
"Am I transmigrated again...? Or is this the body-swapping plotline? And if so... is she in my body right now?!"
He paused.
"Oh God. Please don't let her touch my gadget..."
The day had barely started, and Shirogane was already emotionally wrecked. He dried his hands on the towel, still avoiding direct eye contact with the mirror. "Alright. Focus. Comet. Ritual. Body-swapping rules. Survive the days without doing anything irreversible."
He slid open the bathroom door and made his way to the kitchen. Breakfast was already laid out—rice, grilled fish, miso soup, and pickled vegetables.
Grandma was already seated, quiet and dignified as ever, while Yotsuha was eating her fish with miso soup. "You're ten minutes late, Mitsuha," Grandma said without looking up.
"Y-yeah! Sorry! I was just... fixing my ribbon!"
Shirogane quickly sat down, trying to mimic Mitsuha's polite posture. 'Though, I went in the worst crisis by just peeing.'
His hands moved robotically, picking up chopsticks with precision. But the moment he took a bite of the miso soup—
"Holy crap. This is amazing." It wasn't like school lunch at Shuchiin or anything he microwaved at home. This was food with soul.
"You're acting weird again," Yotsuha muttered through a mouthful of rice.
"I'm just... appreciating family time!" Shirogane forced a smile. "Cherish every moment, right?!" Shirogane replied.
Yotsuha squinted. Grandma raised an eyebrow.
Later that Day — Itomori High
Shirogane was now in full uniform, blending into Mitsuha's school life. Well, trying to. His boyish gait had already earned weird looks in the hallway, and he'd almost walked into the boys' bathroom out of habit.
"Hey, Mitsuha! Stop walking that way!" one of her friends, Sayaka, called out, half-joking but raising a concerned brow.
"I'm just... sore from temple chores!" he replied, adding a slightly-too-hard laugh that made Sayaka squint in confusion.
Still, as the hours rolled on and the unfamiliar classrooms became familiar, Shirogane slowly began to settle in—physically at least.
Mentally, though, he kept thinking about his body.
'Aww man, they already raised a suspicion on me because I acted weird. And now I won't be able to deny the doubts if I mess up again. Gotta tread carefully.'
His internal monologue was cut short as the teacher's voice rang out, pulling him back to the present.
"Alright, class, quiet down. Let's continue with today's lesson—disaster preparedness and evacuation protocols. Now, who can tell me what to do when a natural disaster strikes unexpectedly?"
Shirogane sat up straighter. 'This could actually be useful.'
A few hands shot up, including Mitsuha's. 'Right. She's an honors student here, huh? Guess I better try not to ruin her GPA.'
The teacher nodded toward a girl near the front. "Yes, Yui?"
"In an earthquake, it's safest to get under a desk or table, protect your head, and wait until the shaking stops."
"Good. And if you're near windows?"
"Stay away. They could shatter."
The teacher smiled. "Exactly. Now, listen up—this applies not just to earthquakes but also in the case of meteorological threats or unusual sky activity. Our town's had drills because we're close to the mountains and the old crater ridge. If you're near the temple or the school's upper floors, the safest exits are—"
As the teacher pointed to a map taped to the whiteboard, Shirogane's gaze sharpened. The layout of Itomori was sketched out in dry-erase marker, and a red X marked the crater zone. He noticed lines leading away from the school toward evacuation points along the riverbanks and higher ground.
'Crater ridge…? That's gotta be important. And "unusual sky activity"? Weird way to phrase it.'
He scribbled down the details in Mitsuha's notebook as fast as he could.
"…and don't forget to check the town sirens. They've been having maintenance issues lately, so if you don't hear anything, that doesn't mean it's safe. You check for smoke, unusual cloud formation, or sudden weather shifts," the teacher added, now more serious.
Shirogane's eyes lingered on a phrase the teacher had underlined on the board: "Just because it's quiet doesn't mean you're safe."
Something about that line hit different.
As the bell rang and students began to pack up, Sayaka leaned over and whispered, "You okay, Mitsuha? You were taking so many notes. Usually, you just doodle in the margins during this part."
"Yeah," he said with a shrug. "Guess I'm just… feeling unusually responsible today."
Sayaka gave him a look and joked. "Okay, seriously, who are you and what have you done with my best friend?"
He gave a weak smile but didn't answer. His mind was already spinning.
That map. That crater. Those sirens.
Something was coming—and if he didn't screw this up, maybe he could stop it..