After a satisfying meal, Mitsuha leaned back in her seat, ready to enjoy the sea of clouds outside the airplane window. Just then, Kisaki Tetta suddenly spoke up.
"Once we land, Hojou's parents will be picking us up. I hope you're ready."
'Wha—!? Meeting his parents!?'
Mitsuha's face turned crimson in an instant, like steam was about to shoot out of her ears.
Right, Sakura had mentioned this before.
Kyousuke's hometown was in Hokkaido. Of course his mom wouldn't miss a big event like the kendo tournament.
But still, how did things jump from not even meeting him face-to-face yet to meeting his parents?
She hadn't even brought any gifts! What if his parents didn't like her?
Wait, Sakura did say his mom was really easy to get along with... but still!
Wasn't it totally improper to meet the parents while in Kyousuke's body?
Wouldn't they think she was being disrespectful?
"What's with that red face?" Kisaki raised an eyebrow. "If his parents find out their son suddenly has a split personality, they're gonna be crushed."
'Split personality!? You're the one with a split personality! Your whole family has split personalities!'
Mitsuha's embarrassment vanished in a puff of indignation.
Still… what would Kyousuke's parents think of her?
Sakura and the others were one thing, but this was a whole new level.
Though, now that she thought about it, she'd heard people from Hokkaido were a lot warmer and more down-to-earth than Tokyo folks.
Maybe they'd welcome her with open arms?
Or—oh no. Wait.
Don't they still believe in those ancient Ainu traditions up there?
She was a Shinto miko.
Was she walking straight into the lion's den!?
What if they lit a bonfire and tried to burn her at the stake!?
Mitsuha's face went pale.
'Calm down, calm down! Think—think!'
That's when she remembered: Kyousuke, the human cheat sheet.
'Right! The memo app!'
Grabbing her phone like a lifeline, she pulled it out of her pocket.
No signal, but that didn't matter—what she needed was the memos.
Surely Kyousuke would've thought ahead, right?
Sure enough, there it was: a note titled "Hokkaido Travel Guide."
'Travel guide!?'
'We're not here for fun, Kyousuke!'
'Don't you dare flake on me now!'
Mitsuha shouted in her heart as she tapped it open.
And then familiar handwriting. Familiar tone.
———————————————————————
"If you're reading this, Mitsuha, it means you're already on the plane."
———————————————————————
Mitsuha? He called me Mitsuha?!
She blinked, stunned. In all their past memos, he'd always called her Miyamizu.
Sometimes "Miss Miko," at most. But this—this was the first time he'd ever addressed her with her name.
'He...' Her heart was instantly flooded with warmth.
This—this was why Kyousuke was so particular about names.
A single, small change in how he called her carried so much meaning.
It reflected a shift in his mindset... a turning point in their relationship.
'If he called me Mitsuha, then... I can finally call him Kyousuke myself, right?'
Sure, Sakura had encouraged her to use his name before, but Mitsuha always felt like she was sneaking around when she did. But now...
He called me Mitsuha first! And I didn't even say yes yet!
Her cheeks warmed again, but the anxiety of meeting his parents had all but evaporated.
With a sweet smile on her face, Mitsuha continued reading the memo.
———————————————————————
"Since you managed the cherry blossom festival, I'm sure the Hokkaido trip won't be too hard either."
———————————————————————
The smile faltered slightly—but she kept reading with a bit of hope.
———————————————————————
"My mom's name is Hojou Mikiko."
"My dad is Hojou Ichirou."
"Grandpa is Hojou Yusuke, and grandma is Hojou Asako."
"We live at 1 Chome-6-31 Ironai, Otaru."
"Walk 500 meters east and you'll hit the Otaru Canal (lined with charming Showa-era and Western-style shops—worth a look! Rating: ★★★★☆)."
"Walk a kilometer west and you'll reach JR Otaru Station (great for shopping—it's the city center. If you're not up for walking, my dad can drive you. Rating: ★★★☆☆, but ★★★★★ for girls like you!)."
"Go 600 meters south to find the main Taisho Glass Shop (only exhibitions are at the main shop; for hands-on glassmaking, head to the annex)."
"And the sea's nearby too."
"Don't let Hokkaido's remote rep fool you—Otaru used to be one of Japan's biggest ports. The seafood is super fresh, and the seaside izakayas serve amazing dishes."
(Note: It's been a while since I was home, so I pulled this info from the internet. It's accurate, but still just for reference. Enjoy my hometown, Mitsuha.)
"P.S. I packed gifts for my family in my suitcase, they're labeled. Just hand them out."
———————————————————————
Classic Kyousuke, this really was a travel guide.
No maps or bus routes, but with his family personally escorting them around, it made sense.
So typical of the warm-hearted folks from Hokkaido.
And of course, Kyousuke hadn't forgotten about the kendo tournament either.
One line in particular gave Mitsuha a huge sigh of relief: If she didn't want to compete, she could leave everything to his reliable teammates.
After a whole semester of Kyousuke's training, he had full faith in his four core players to win the team championship.
Maybe there were a few stronger individuals out there, but definitely not more than one.
Best of five? They had it in the bag.
As for the individual matches, Kyousuke left it completely up to her. If she wanted to treat the trip like a vacation, that was fine too.
He really was chill about it.
He didn't want to burden Mitsuha with something so heavy.
He still had more years left to compete.
And even when he retired, the next generation of players he trained could carry the school to two more championships.
'Aahhh... so that was his plan all along—to give me a free trip!!'
Mitsuha stared at the memo in disbelief.
Normally she'd be thrilled, but this time, there was something important at stake, this was the youth-defining kendo tournament!
Couldn't he take it a little more seriously!?
'No—wait. Focus! The real issue isn't the tournament—it's his parents!'
———————————————————————
"My mom's super nice. My dad's really easy to get along with."
———————————————————————
That's all!? Seriously!?
Mitsuha could see the pattern now.
Every time Kyousuke hit a wall, he'd go full-on "hands off."
Just like with the cherry blossom festival, he knew there was no way to hide it from Sakura and the others, so he just clammed up and wished her a good festival.
'Now? He was doing it again. "Enjoy the trip," huh?'
'Aaaahhh! You idiot! Where's that Kyousuke who labels even his socks left and right!?'
'Show me that overly serious version of you right now!'
Mitsuha was losing it internally.
The plane's speaker announced their imminent landing. A thin layer of sweat formed on her forehead.
'Wait—what about the faculty advisor?'
'Weren't club tournaments usually supervised by a coach or teacher?'
Maybe she could have the advisor take the team and avoid meeting Kyousuke's parents right away.
Maybe if she stalled long enough, Kyousuke would come back while she was napping!
As the shrine maiden of Itomori, Mitsuha was used to handling elders and talking her way through situations.
But when it came to the parents of the boy she liked? Panic mode activated.
Yes, Mitsuha wasn't the type to run away from her feelings.
If she'd instantly jumped to meeting the parents, it could only mean one thing—she was seriously falling for Kyousuke.
Even if she was a little slow to realize it... she knew it now.
To be honest, is there even a girl out there who could resist someone like Kyousuke?
Forget the obvious stuff like looks or talent—just his personality alone would be enough.
Even though she'd never actually interacted with him face to face, Mitsuha could feel his warmth, patience, and attentiveness through every memo and carefully planned arrangement he left behind.
When they'd first swapped bodies so suddenly, he never once complained about her disrupting his life.
Instead, he thoughtfully considered her every need.
He never made decisions for her or forced her to do anything on his behalf.
His own life was shockingly simple almost like a middle-aged man, but even when his financial situation was at its worst, he never stopped encouraging her to treat herself, to go out and enjoy shopping or good food.
And yet, he wasn't one of those overly nice pushovers either.
Whether it was those rare moments where he let his temper flare, or when he'd asked her to teach Taki Tomoya a lesson, it was clear that this guy had his own principles and limits.
That kind of perfect personality, paired with a face so handsome it made brushing her teeth in his body feel like admiring a movie star...
He was smart, athletic, great with people—basically flawless.
It felt ridiculous.
Just like she'd thought back when this all started—why would the gods choose her, someone so painfully average, to swap places with someone who might as well be divine?
Was it to make her realize how hopelessly outmatched she was, and force her into lifelong devotion to the gods?
Admiration was the most distant kind of affection.
That's how Mitsuha had first seen him: not as a person, but as a being to be worshipped.
But after Sakura and the others knocked some sense into her, she finally understood—Kyousuke was just a boy.
An extraordinary one, sure, but still very much human.
He had his quirks—he'd stay grumpy all day if someone interrupted his nap, or throw a fit if something wasn't where he left it.
He could mess things up too.
Her current title of "Divine Priestess" was literally because he overdid it trying to help her teach someone a lesson.
He'd even scared her dad so badly that he still walked faster whenever he saw her coming.
…Okay, but seriously, his biggest flaw? The guy was too lucky with girls!
Ever since Mitsuha realized she liked Kyousuke, she'd been constantly plagued by one thought: the competition.
Sakura, Shouko, Naoka… Even Eriri.
Every single one of them was the kind of girl guys fell for instantly. And every one of them had a deep, unbreakable bond with Kyousuke.
Childhood friend Sakura.
Explosively cute Shouko.
Fiery and passionate Naoka.
Blonde aristocratic artist Eriri.
Mitsuha couldn't imagine beating any of them, let alone stealing Kyousuke away from all of them.
Maybe he hadn't noticed it himself, but Mitsuha could see it plain as day—those girls were completely and hopelessly in love with him.
No, scratch that, he probably did notice, but just like her, chose to pretend he didn't.
Honestly! This wasn't some ancient kingdom—what, was he planning on building a harem or something?
And if he was, who'd be the official wife? Sakura maybe?
She seemed like the type who'd welcome everyone in with open arms...
[TL Note – YES!]
'No! No no no! That's not the point!'
The real issue right now was getting through the terrifying ordeal known as "meeting the parents."
Mitsuha had never heard of a girl being thrown into a guy's body, then using that identity to go meet his parents.
What kind of twisted comedy plotline was this?
As for the kendo match well, she wasn't trying to brag, but with Kyousuke's athleticism, speed, and strength, there was no way those guys would score a single point on her.
"Kisaki, where's our advisor?" she asked, full of desperate hope.
"…You are," Kisaki Tetta said flatly, lowering his book and giving her a look reserved for idiots.
Or maybe for his big brother's alternate personality—same thing.
"Oh… right. I even got paid three million yen for that," Mitsuha mumbled, remembering how she'd used that money to treat Kisaki and Makki to a huge feast.
"If you were hoping to dodge this meeting, give up."
"Kyousuke's parents are waiting at the airport. They flew in from Chitose, same as us," Kisaki added helpfully—if by "helpfully" you meant "ruthlessly."
Before she could come up with a Plan B, the soothing voice of a flight attendant came over the intercom, announcing their imminent landing.
The same attendant who'd been serving her earlier came over, smiling with an armful of gifts.
"Hello! We're giving out small souvenirs from this flight. If you don't mind, please accept them," she said, handing over a black box and a JAL-branded envelope.
The box clearly held a model airplane.
Kisaki disappeared behind his book again, but even he noticed something was off. JAL always handed out gifts, but this one seemed a bit extra.
"Could I have a few more? My subordinates would love these," Mitsuha said, flashing Kyousuke's signature magical smile.
Even while panicking on the inside, she hadn't forgotten to look out for her crew.
"Well…" The flight attendant hesitated, but her reluctance melted under that smile.
"No problem. How many would you like? And thank you for choosing JAL!"
"Five, please. Thanks, big sis."
Kisaki looked genuinely surprised. "We only have five people total. Why'd you ask for an extra one?"
"…It's for Kyousuke's mom. I thought she might like a little gift like this," Mitsuha muttered.
She'd already braced herself to meet the parents.
Kisaki's eyes widened. "You're more thoughtful than I gave you credit for."
And that was without knowing she was basically walking in with a "meet-the-in-laws" mindset.
If he had known, he might've praised her as having the poise of a first wife in a historical drama.
The flight attendant soon returned with five boxed models—but oddly, no envelope this time.
Then came the announcement: first-class passengers could now disembark. Mitsuha's entire body stiffened.
"You go ahead," Kisaki said gently. "I'll come out later with Goro and the others. Don't worry about the luggage either."
"Thanks, Kisaki," Mitsuha said with a deadpan look, while internally running through dozens of potential greetings, trying to calm her nerves.
"No need for thanks." Kisaki adjusted his glasses and packed his thick book into his bag.
Guided by the flight attendant, Mitsuha stepped off the plane. She walked forward, then farther, then—
There she was.
A woman stood holding a huge sign that read "Kyousuke."
She wore a flowing, off-white bohemian-style floral dress.
The sign was clearly heavy for her, but she stubbornly held it high, even tiptoeing now and then to look around.
If it weren't for the striking resemblance in her face flawlessly elegant, untouched by time, Mitsuha would never have guessed this lively woman was Kyousuke's mother.
'That's… his mom?'
Mitsuha's legs turned to stone.
She nearly tripped over herself.
Meanwhile, the beautiful woman noticed her and started enthusiastically waving the sign around way too cheerful for someone whose son was the reigning king of Tokyo's delinquent scene.
Mitsuha turned her head, forcing a smile so awkward she couldn't believe it herself.
Moving stiffly like a robot, she directed her limbs to walk forward one step at a time.
"Kyousuke!"
No sooner had she stepped outside than she saw Kyousuke's mother rushing toward her.
As she got closer, Mitsuha realized, this woman was even more beautiful than the pictures Kyousuke had shown her.
No wonder someone that handsome came from her!
Seeing that the woman was about to give her a big, affectionate hug, Mitsuha quickly set the box she was holding down on the ground and opened her arms in preparation.
"Kyousuke—! Uuuu…"
But the overwhelming tackle she expected never came.
Instead, she was wrapped in a gentle hug, only for the woman's arms to suddenly tighten, as though trying to pull her completely into her embrace.
Mitsuha's heart softened.
She realized this was a mother who, despite being overwhelmed with emotion, was still careful not to hurt her son.
That's why she'd held back her strength.
"It's okay now, Mom. I'm home," Mitsuha said softly, wrapping her arms around her and gently patting her back.
"Hm? Wait—who are you?!"
Hojou Mikiko lifted her tear-streaked face and looked up at the person who not only looked exactly like her son but even smelled like him.
Wait… how many times had she heard that exact same line before?
Mitsuha froze mid-pat, falling into instant despair.
So this is the woman who's best friends with Sakura?
Of course she'd have a nose for these things… just like a detective.
Quickly releasing the hug, she stepped back and gave a respectful bow.
"Hello, I'm Miyamizu Mitsuha."
What's the big deal about being exposed?
If Kyousuke can play dumb, then so can she!
She's practically a pro by now.
Like they say—"Whatever happens, happens!" And hey, didn't that whole mess during the cherry blossom festival turn out fine in the end?
"Miyamizu Mitsuha?" Mikiko blinked, then seemed to recall something.
Her eyes scanned Mitsuha from top to bottom, clearly analyzing the girl wearing her son's face.
"You're the little shrine maiden Sakura mentioned, aren't you?"
'Yamauchi Sakura… so this is why you're the queen of the harem! You're the real daughter of this woman, aren't you?'
Mitsuha felt like she'd just been hit by a meteor shower, completely dazed.
She had no idea Sakura had spilled everything to Kyousuke's mom, even stuff Kyousuke himself didn't know.
And all the way from Hokkaido, too!
"Yes, my family runs the Miyamizu Shrine."
"My grandmother is currently the head priestess. I'm still in training," Mitsuha answered, instantly switching into interview mode now that the truth was out.
Honestly, if it were a more formal setting, she probably would've listed her midterm grades while she was at it.
"Haha! You gave me a scare. I thought my son had been possessed by some kind of spirit," Mikiko laughed as she wiped her tears.
"Oh no, no—I'm a shrine maiden! Not a monster!" Mitsuha flailed her arms in protest.
"Hehe, I know, I know. But if you were able to switch bodies with my son, you must be quite the special girl," Mikiko said with a knowing smile.
"Oh no, I'm nothing compared to you!" Mitsuha said bashfully, poking her cheek with one finger.
She couldn't exactly brag that she was "super cute" and looked amazing in a shrine maiden outfit, could she?
"Oh, you're such a sweet talker—you really know how to make an old lady feel good! Come, let's head to the parking lot," Mikiko said happily, grabbing Mitsuha's arm.
Back when Sakura had sent her that odd photo of Kyousuke making goofy faces, Mikiko had been baffled.
Her son wasn't the type to go along with silly poses, especially not so willingly.
But when she pressed Sakura about it, the girl spilled everything about Mitsuha.
And though the whole story sounded absurd, this woman affectionately dubbed "the beautiful airhead" by her son had accepted it without much fuss.
Not that she was too easygoing, but really… what else do you call a mother who once joked about bundling up her son's entire childhood friend group and taking them all home?
To Mikiko, her son had always been mature and independent since he was little.
She trusted him unconditionally.
Plus, let's be real—swapping bodies with a shrine maiden from an ancient temple? That's just fun.
And besides, Kyousuke could handle anything.
There wasn't a girl alive who could resist her son's charm!
With that kind of confidence, she'd eagerly gone along with Sakura's plan:
"Let's keep this a secret from Kyousuke and surprise him together!"
Now, finally meeting the girl inhabiting her son's body, Mikiko was briefly startled but the second she saw those feminine expressions on her son's face, she was totally won over.
It reminded her of how, like many moms, she'd once dreamed of dressing her little boy up like a girl.
Too bad that adorable son of hers had fiercely refused.
She still believed that if he had been born a girl, he'd be just as pretty.
Those gentle almond-shaped eyes of his were the key.
Without them, his chiseled features might've made him look cold and unapproachable.
But with those soft eyes? He radiated charm and kindness.
Now, watching a girl express herself through that very face smiles, blushes, shy glances—it didn't feel wrong at all.
In fact, it was fascinating.
While Sakura had only thought to snap silly pictures, Mikiko was already dreaming up even more mischief to share later.
And just like that, she completely accepted Mitsuha.
Seeing everything was going smoothly, Mitsuha picked the model box back up from the ground, wiped it clean, and handed it over.
"A gift for you, Hojou-san," she said politely, offering it with both hands.
"Oh? This is from you, Miyamizu-chan?" Mikiko asked, pleasantly surprised.
"Uh, well… actually, it was a gift from a flight attendant. I hope you don't mind. The body-swap happened mid-flight, so I didn't get a chance to prepare anything myself."
"But Kyousuke did pack something for you, it's still in the suitcase."
And yet… neither of them seemed to realize they had both forgotten someone else entirely.
"You're such a sweetheart, Miyamizu-chan. Definitely shrine maiden material."
Mitsuha wasn't sure what being a shrine maiden had to do with being cute, but she smiled anyway.
"If it's okay with you, you can just call me Mitsuha."
"Then you can call me Mikiko. Sakura does too," Mikiko replied as she picked up the envelope attached to the box.
"Is this part of the gift too?"
"It's probably just a postcard or something. I haven't checked it yet."
And just like that, the two of them leaned in together to open the envelope—like they'd been friends for years.
Mitsuha stared at the contents in disbelief, while Mikiko beamed with motherly pride.
"That's my son for you. Irresistible as always."
Inside was a handwritten letter thanking Kyousuke for supporting Japan Airlines, and saying the writer would be staying in Kushiro for one day.
They even offered to be a tour guide if he needed one—complete with contact information.
The elegant handwriting gave away its writer's unmistakable thoughts, and Mitsuha could even catch a sweet fragrance lingering on the letter.
No doubt detected by Kyousuke's sharp sense of smell.
"This guy just oozes charm no matter where he goes," the shrine maiden muttered with a pout.
"Oh my, Mitsuha, are you getting jealous?" Hojou Mikiko teased, wrapping her arm around her son with a playful smile.
"Wha—no! I'm not jealous! Not at all!" Mitsuha flailed, flustered at being caught off guard.
"Come on, Kyousuke's father is waiting for us over there," Mikiko said, deciding not to tease the shy shrine maiden any further.
With one arm holding a box and the other linked with her son's, she began walking back to where they'd been standing earlier.
"Wait, his father's here? Oh—right, Kyousuke's father!"
"Yup. Didn't you notice I'm not holding the sign anymore?"
"Oh, you're right... I was so nervous earlier I didn't even realize," Mitsuha replied sheepishly. Then something else came to mind.
"Aunt Mikiko, how did you know I wasn't really Kyousuke earlier?"
She had barely said a sentence at that point, but both Sakura and now Mikiko had instantly caught on.
They were amazing.
Before she could ponder it further, the ever-youthful Mikiko let out a bright laugh.
Thanks to Kyousuke's growth spurt this past semester—he was now 176 cm—Mitsuha could look down slightly at Mikiko, who appeared even taller than her original self.
"It was that one sentence you said," Mikiko replied, giggling. "If it were the real Kyousuke, he'd never talk like that."
Then she put on a more serious face and deepened her voice in imitation:
"'Come on, Mom, you're a grown-up. Don't cry. Be mature.'"
"That's exactly it! He says that, but then he'd give me a hug and comfort me, just like you did."
"Haha, Kyousuke's really that strict with his mom?" Mitsuha chuckled. So that was it.
"Well, not exactly strict," Mikiko smiled. "It's just that both Kyousuke and my husband treat me like a kid... like I'm some kind of airhead."
Before she could finish her thought, a man in a black suit came striding toward them, holding a sign and dramatically blurting out, "Mikiko! Honey, are you crying again? Didn't we agree—no crying! It's not good for the baby!"
Mikiko sighed. "See what I mean? They both treat me like a child."
Even though she sounded exasperated, Mitsuha could clearly see the happiness glowing on Mikiko's face.
No wonder she was so cheerful and full of energy, like a high school girl—her family clearly showered her with love.
Watching the affectionate couple, Mitsuha's thoughts drifted to her own father, whose hair had turned gray, and to Yotsuba.
The warmth in front of her stirred a bittersweet ache in her heart, laced with envy.
As Kyousuke's father approached, Mitsuha stiffened, preparing to bow and greet him.
But before she could move, the man shoved the sign into her arms, then casually pulled out a handkerchief and began gently wiping away Mikiko's remaining tears, murmuring soft and embarrassingly sweet words.
'Wait… seriously?'
Mitsuha blinked, stunned.
'So this is what Kyousuke meant when he said his dad was easy to get along with?'
The man was completely ignoring her!
He was clearly a doting husband.
'And… wait. Did he say baby? Mikiko's pregnant?! Kyousuke's going to have a sibling?!'
"Aunt Mikiko, you're pregnant?!"
"'Aunt?'" the man—presumably Kyousuke's father—paused mid-wipe and looked up, surprised, staring straight at what he thought was his son.
Wasn't Kyousuke's dad supposed to be a rancher?
Why did he have such a piercing gaze? Mitsuha shrank back slightly under the intensity of it.
"Oh, right!" Mikiko quickly stepped in. "This is the shrine maiden I told you about—the one who's been switching bodies with Kyousuke. Her name's Mitsuha." Then she turned to Mitsuha with a smile.
"Yup, I'm about a month along now. Though Kyousuke still has no idea."
"Also, my husband used to be a lawyer in Tokyo, so he's got that habit of sizing people up. Don't take it personally."
"Oh, not at all! Nice to meet you—I'm Mitsuha," she said quickly, bowing deeply.
'Wow, a lawyer? No wonder he gives off that vibe. Looks like Kyousuke got his looks from Mom and his brains from Dad.'
Wait, no—his dad's also a pretty handsome middle-aged guy.
'So Kyousuke's just a perfect blend of both.'
"Nice to meet you. I'm Hojou Ichirou," the ex-lawyer turned cattle farmer replied automatically, his hand instinctively going to his pocket for a business card.
He paused halfway through the motion, catching himself.
"So the body-swapping thing is real, huh? I thought you and Sakura were pulling a prank. Miyamizu-san, thank you for taking care of my son."
His expression was completely serious—totally unlike the love-struck husband from moments before.
The contrast threw Mitsuha off completely.
It took her a couple seconds to recover.
Then she frantically waved her hands.
"No, no! It's the other way around—Kyousuke's been the one taking care of me! I've just been getting in the way!"
"Haha, I doubt that," Ichirou laughed. "Kyousuke's a reliable kid, sure, but he's more trouble than he lets on."
"Like now making you face his parents and participate in a kendo tournament. I'm sure it's all a bit much for you, isn't it?"
The box Mikiko had been carrying was now in her husband's hands.
She looped her arm through Mitsuha's and smiled warmly.
"Well… I was nervous at first, but I didn't expect you both to be so kind," Mitsuha said honestly.
Of course, she couldn't exactly admit to the embarrassing fact that after returning to her own body, she discovered Kyousuke had used it to take a bath.
That would sound like a marriage proposal or something! The shrine maiden was mortified just thinking about it.
"Hehe, just wait till we invite you over to our place with Kyousuke. You'll see how easygoing we really are," Mikiko said cheerfully.
"..." Mitsuha didn't know what to say.
'No wonder Sakura turned out the way she did—she clearly takes after this Auntie!'
"Is that the Kisaki Tetta kid over there?"
Ichirou's voice suddenly cut in.
Mitsuha noticed he was holding the sign flipped to the other side now, one side read "Kyousuke," the other said "Higashi."
The "Higashi" side was now facing the terminal.
"Yeah, that's Kisaki, along with Goro Hatake and the others," Mitsuha replied, waving toward the group hauling luggage in their direction.
Kisaki Tetta had two suitcases and a bag slung over his back carrying six bamboo swords.
Technically, only four of the eight suitcases belonged to Kyousuke's subordinates.
The other four were full of gifts Kyousuke had bought for his family and for buying gift for Sakura, Shouko, Naoka, and Eriri later.
Even Makki, Kyousuke, and Onizuka had pitched in, asking him to deliver gifts to the adults on their behalf.
Watching Kyousuke stand there peacefully with his family, Kisaki Tetta was genuinely stunned.
'As expected of our boss—even when split into another personality, he's this amazing.' He'd already been impressed by Mitsuha's rapid progress in both studies and kendo back at school.
But seeing her—him—interacting so naturally with family? That was next level.
"Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Hojou. I'm Kisaki Tetta."
Kisaki Tetta, walking at the front of the group, bowed first and greeted them politely.
The three boys behind him followed in perfect sync, bowing just the same.
Their coordinated movements caught attention in the airport, but most people simply smiled knowingly, this was a common sight during the National Junior High Kendo Championship season, especially here in Kushiro.
Locals had gotten used to it happening once a year.
In Japan, titles like "uncle" or "aunt" are typically reserved for actual family members.
When speaking to outsiders, it's considered proper to use surnames with the respectful "san." Getting this wrong can come off as rude—like calling an unmarried 70-year-old woman "grandma."
Instead, you'd politely address her as "miss," a rule that also applies to single mothers.
So even though Kisaki Tetta already felt like Kyousuke's brother-in-arms, he stuck to formal address.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Kyousuke's father, Hojou Ichirou," the man said with a small nod in return.
"You're all Kyousuke's closest friends. If you're okay with it, just call me Uncle."
Mrs. Hojou didn't speak but gave a kind smile, still holding on to Mitsuha's arm.
"Yes, Uncle Hojou!" Kisaki Tetta, who had just straightened up, quickly bowed again, his voice excited. The other three mirrored him.
"Alright then, let's head out. The car's parked just outside. We'll drop off your bags at the hotel first, then go grab something to eat," Ichirou said with a warm smile.
"Yes, sir!" ×4
Mrs. Hojou linked arms with Mitsuha as they began to walk.
Out of politeness, Mitsuha accepted the bag Kisaki was carrying—Kyousuke's bamboo sword. She knew just how much it meant to him.
Supposedly, it had been a parting gift from his mentor, and although it couldn't be used in matches due to its custom build, Kyousuke insisted on bringing it home.
A man like him, with such deep-rooted anxiety, couldn't leave without his weapon—what if they ran into a brown bear in Hokkaido?
Sure, he was confident he could punch one in the face, but what if he got scratched and caught an infection? The sword was non-negotiable.
The car Ichirou had rented from the nearby agency was a spacious seven-seater van, designed for tourists.
Its trunk was huge—plenty of space even with eight suitcases stacked inside.
Ichirou took the wheel, with his wife in the passenger seat.
Mitsuha and Kisaki sat in the row behind them.
The moment they got in the car, silence fell.
It was the first time the boys had traveled this far from home, and while they were buzzing with excitement, they suddenly found themselves sitting with their team captain's parents.
Just like that, the energy turned into nervous stiffness. All they could do was quietly gaze out the windows at the unfamiliar city rolling by.
Mitsuha felt the same.
As much as she wanted to keep chatting with Aunt Mikiko, maybe even share a few stories about Kyousuke, the crowded car made her keep her thoughts to herself.
"Quite a different vibe from Tokyo, isn't it?" Mikiko said with a warm smile.
When people think of Hokkaido, they often imagine a land buried under snow.
But in truth, summer here is pleasantly mild.
Even during the hottest days, temperatures rarely go over 30°C—most of the time, it stays in the comfortable twenties.
Since many Hokkaido cities were only developed in recent decades, they have a unique, almost European aesthetic.
Western-style architecture dominates—pillars, domes, arches—you name it. It doesn't look like a typical Japanese city at all.
"Yeah… no wonder it's Kyousuke-senpai's hometown. It feels really nice," Kisaki responded first.
"Hehe, Otaru's even prettier," Mikiko smiled. "After the tournament, why don't you all come over and visit our home?"
"Thank you for having us."
This had all been planned out by Kyousuke in advance.
His ingrained sense of duty told him that bringing his loyal teammates home without treating them properly would be unthinkable, even if he barely remembered much about his own hometown.
It didn't take long to reach the hotel the school had booked for them.
Higashi's team stayed here every year—it was only a few kilometers from the airport.
Hokkaido is Japan's only administrative district named "-do" instead of "-ken" (like a prefecture).
Though vast in land, its cities tend to be small and sparsely populated.
Take Kushiro for example: the fourth largest city in Hokkaido, yet its population was only around 160,000—barely the size of a small town in other countries.
"You must be the Kendo team from Higashi Junior High, right?"
Because of Japan's habit of booking things with precision, the school had already informed the hotel of their expected arrival time.
The moment they walked in, the friendly hotel owner greeted them.
"Yes, we are."
Kisaki stepped up to handle check-in duties, and the owner personally led them to their rooms.
To the boys' surprise, they weren't assigned to a traditional tatami-style group room with futons spread on the floor.
Instead, they each had their own bed in private rooms.
Normally, school trips involved shared rooms—not just to save money, but also to build team chemistry.
However, this decision had been firmly opposed by Kyousuke, who had gone as far as reallocating the entire club budget to secure single rooms for everyone.
The Hojou couple wouldn't be staying here.
After dropping the group off, they headed out, promising to pick them up in an hour for dinner—giving everyone time to unpack and settle in.
Kyousuke, who never had to worry about money, had told Mitsuha to enjoy the trip like a proper vacation.
He had said the same to his parents and even gone ahead and booked them the best hotel in Kushiro.
Most Japanese men might feel a bruised ego from being treated by their own son but not Kyousuke's dad, who was a total wife-lover through and through.
As far as he was concerned, there was nothing embarrassing about a thoughtful, generous son.
Eventually, the family ranch would all be Kyousuke's anyway.
Honestly, if the ranch didn't still need managing, Ichirou would've loved to take off with his wife and travel the world right now.
Mitsuha hadn't even considered the issue of accommodations until this very moment.
If she'd ended up sharing a room with a bunch of boys, she might've preferred death.
Thankfully, Kyousuke—being the fussy sleeper he was—had once again come through in her favor.