Mitsuha stepped into the room, just about to flop onto the bed and finally relax her tensed-up body, when Kisaki Tetta and three of his subordinates followed closely behind her.
"Kisaki, what are you doing in here?" she asked, puzzled.
"Boss, your luggage is still with us," Kisaki Tetta replied with a sigh, then proceeded to push the suitcases into a corner and neatly stacked them.
"Oh, right! I completely forgot—thanks, thanks!" Mitsuha chuckled sheepishly.
Once the others had left the room, Kisaki Tetta quietly closed the door and asked in a low voice, "So... how did you handle Hojou's parents?"
"I just talked to them directly," Mitsuha replied nonchalantly. "Aunt Mikiko said I was adorable."
Of course, she had no intention of telling Kisaki the truth.
Let him keep thinking she was just one of Hojou Kyousuke's alternate personalities.
It would be fun to watch his reaction when she showed up in Tokyo and shocked the life out of him!
"…Do you know which suitcase has the gift Hojou prepared for his parents? Want me to find it for you?" Kisaki asked, clearly noticing she didn't want to elaborate further and choosing not to press the issue.
Instead, he changed the subject.
"No need," Mitsuha said. "Let Kyousuke give it to his mom himself. That kind of thing… it's better if he does it personally."
Wait a minute—are the personalities actually this clearly divided?
Kisaki's expression shifted.
That kind of division is really bad if they're trying to reintegrate his personality.
Troubled by the thought, he left the room after Mitsuha shooed him away.
Lying back on the bed, Mitsuha's heart was full of joy.
This body switch wasn't just a step forward in her relationship with Kyousuke, it also smoothed things over with his parents.
Sure, she was still way behind Sakura in the race, but it was a good start.
Aunt Mikiko was so sweet—and then there's the baby.
Was it a little brother or sister?
Maybe next time she switched with Kyousuke, she'd get to meet them too.
While her thoughts drifted all over the place, the others had already freshened up.
Despite just getting off a flight, none of them looked the least bit tired.
They gathered in the hotel lobby, waiting for Hojou Kyousuke's parents to arrive.
Other school teams were also checking into the hotel—it was the closest one to the tournament venue, Wetlands Breeze Sports Arena.
Though they didn't have a supervising teacher, Kisaki Tetta, as the most capable among them, had already compiled all the intel on their rivals.
Every time a new team arrived, he'd quietly whisper to Mitsuha and the others, offering commentary.
Among them was last year's team battle champion: Kyushu Academy from Kumamoto Prefecture.
Unfortunately, there were no dramatic sparks flying between rivals.
When the Kyushu team saw five guys sitting alone in the lobby without an adult, they were a little confused.
"Where's their coach?"
"No clue. Maybe they're local students visiting?"
"The matches aren't until tomorrow. Why are they here today?"
"Could be volunteers here to help clean up?"
"Yeah, maybe."
Though their voices were hushed, Mitsuha and the others heard every word—typical of Kumamoto folk, always quick to talk.
Before Mitsuha or Kisaki could respond, Goro Hata—the one with the bowl cut—was already getting fired up.
He slapped the sofa, ready to confront them.
These guys weren't just regular kendo club members.
Even as first-years, they were part of the "Rampaging Angels," the direct subordinates of Hojou Kyousuke.
"Hata Goro, calm down," Kisaki muttered, putting a hand on his thigh and dragging him back into his seat.
"Are they really that strong?" Mitsuha asked, tilting her head curiously.
"Heh." Kisaki's laugh was the cold, mocking kind—nothing like Mikiko's sweet giggle.
"Kyushu Academy has always been a top contender at the national kendo tournaments, both middle and high school. But starting this year? That changes."
"Damn right," Goro muttered, fists clenched. "They can laugh all they want for now—tomorrow I'll knock their teeth out."
"Whoa, mask-boy, that's kinda intense," said Ryoma Mitsuhashi, their vanguard, feigning fear.
"Hahaha! Then tomorrow, let's send them packing back to Kyushu!" Mitsuha declared, full of fiery spirit.
Now this was what youth was supposed to look like—just like the shows she'd seen on TV!
"Yes, boss!" the four replied in unison.
Just then, Hojou Mikiko walked in and saw the spirited scene before her.
A warm smile lit up her face.
It looked like Kyousuke had finally made some male friends in middle school. That made her really happy.
"You all look so energetic. I bet you're ready for a feast, huh?" she said, walking over and gently ruffling Mitsuha's hair before smiling at the boys.
"..."
The same boys who had just been brimming with fighting spirit now suddenly looked bashful and tongue-tied in front of their boss's mom.
"Let's go, Mom. I'm starving," Mitsuha chimed in, stepping forward.
When she called her "Mom," a secret thrill ran through her heart.
'I bet I'm the first girl to call Aunt Mikiko 'Mom'! Yes! First place goes to shrine maiden Mitsuha for scoring major points!'
In Japan, if you want to find the center of a city, just look for the JR train station.
Right beside JR Kushiro Station was Kushiro Washo Market—Hokkaido's largest general market and one of its three great seafood markets.
Kushiro used to be Japan's top fishing port, so naturally, this market had an abundance of seafood.
Given the Japanese love for cold dishes, you could grab a bowl of rice from a deli, walk into the market, and turn it into a glorious seafood rice bowl just by stopping at a vendor.
The seafood was all semi-prepared—just place it on the rice, drizzle on a custom sauce, and boom—deliciousness in a bowl.
Mitsuha had seen this described in Kyousuke's notes on her phone.
From the way he wrote, she could tell he wasn't a fan.
That made her want to laugh—but as someone who also enjoyed raw food, she decided not to prank him about it.
Of course, the Hojou couple wouldn't be bringing their son and his friends to eat something that basic.
Their destination was Kushiro's most famous robatayaki—a traditional grill known as Robata Shirakaba.
Yes, the name was exactly what it sounded like.
Unlike fancy dishes with abstract names, robatayaki was simply grilling fish and shellfish over a fire and eating it.
Of course, you didn't have to cook it if you preferred it raw.
Robatayaki had become a Kushiro specialty thanks to the sheer freshness of its ingredients.
If you were lucky, your meal could go from sea to stomach in under an hour.
After Hojou Ichiro parked the car, he waved everyone over to a small shop.
The building was concrete, but the entrance was done up like a classic wooden izakaya.
'Robata Shirakaba.'
Staring at the sign, Mitsuha guessed the name meant they used white birch wood for fuel.
But the moment she stepped inside, she realized she was wrong.
Right at the corner of the chef's bar stood a real white birch tree—planted there as decoration.
"Surprised, aren't you?" Mikiko laughed as she sat down beside Mitsuha on one of the tatami platforms.
"Such a tiny shop, yet they managed to cram a whole tree in here!"
"A little, yeah. I honestly thought they were using birch wood for firewood or something."
"Haha, this place even has a dessert called 'Birch Dumplings.' What are they gonna do—use birch trees as ingredients?"
As the two chuckled, their food was swiftly brought over by the waiter.
Since the restaurant was quite small, the Hojou couple had made a reservation in advance and even told the owner exactly what dishes to prepare.
"Huh? What's this?" Mitsuha asked, pointing at a rib on one of the plates.
"Ezo deer ribs. They're really tasty," Hojou Mikiko answered as she slipped on a pair of disposable gloves, picked up the golden-brown, seasoned rib, and took a small bite.
Deer!?
Mitsuha flinched at the thought.
Looking at the rib again, she almost imagined a cute little deer snorting right in front of her.
She'd never eaten deer before—never even seen one. Her dad was from Nara, sure, but she'd never been there herself.
She glanced around.
Kisaki Tetta and Hatake Gorou were already devouring their food without hesitation.
Even Mikiko, her lovely "mom," was happily munching away and gave her a cheerful nod of encouragement.
Swallowing hard, Mitsuha hesitantly put on her gloves, carefully picked up the rib, and slowly took a bite.
'...Delicious.'
Tears welled up in her eyes as she cleaned the bone in one go.
'Snap!'
"Haha! And Hojou always said he'd never eat deer meat. I've got to show him this photo later!"
Before Mitsuha could react, Mikiko had already snapped a picture of her holding up a picked-clean bone with a look of pure bliss on her face.
Luckily, Mitsuha had developed a strong tolerance for these kinds of situations.
She even held up another rib for Mikiko to keep taking photos.
Aside from the Ezo deer ribs, the restaurant also served a specialty called oyster tofu, and a pile of grilled shishamo—perfect with alcohol.
The Takemichi group were all big eaters, from Hojou Kyousuke to Hatake Gorou, but the dishes were simple and quickly prepared with just sea salt and grilled to perfection, so the food kept coming fast.
The fresh ingredients left everyone thoroughly satisfied, making for a fantastic start to their trip in Hokkaido.
Ichirou covered the bill.
Mitsuha had wanted to pay herself, she'd even brought her wallet stuffed with crisp ¥10,000 bills—but as she got up, Mikiko gently held her back.
Looking at Ichirou in his suit, standing tall and composed, Mitsuha suddenly understood.
Of course, no matter how much he appreciates his son's thoughtfulness, Hojou Ichirou still wanted to present himself as a dependable father in front of his child and his friends.
'How nice...'
It had been three or four years since Mitsuha had last seen her own father. A wave of longing and loneliness swept over her.
"What's wrong, Mitsuha?" Mikiko asked, her arm gently linked with Mitsuha's.
As a mother, she instantly sensed the shift in the girl's mood.
Even though they were different souls, emotions always showed on the body just the same.
They were already outside the restaurant, walking down the sidewalk.
After dinner, the group had split into two. Kisaki Tetta, ever the tactful one, suggested Hojou go with his parents while he explored nearby with the others.
Ichirou wasn't too keen on the kids wandering alone at first, but Kisaki managed to convince him.
After all, they weren't elementary schoolers—they all had smartphones and GPS. They'd just regroup later at the restaurant.
"I'm okay~" Mitsuha replied with a small shake of her head.
Even though Mikiko had reminded her of what it felt like to have a mother again, Mitsuha was used to shouldering everything on her own.
She wasn't planning on opening up so easily.
Mikiko smiled as she looked up at the tall "girl" beside her—taller than herself, actually—and then turned to her husband and said,
"Dear, can you walk a little slower?"
Ichirou, always the cool and composed type, turned and smiled at Mitsuha, then stepped aside and paused.
Mitsuha watched him pull out a box of cigarettes from his coat pocket.
He took one out, held it to his nose, and inhaled the scent... but didn't light it.
"Ever since we decided to have kids, Ichirou hasn't touched a cigarette. Even after we confirmed the pregnancy, he only takes them out to sniff now and then," Mikiko explained when she noticed Mitsuha watching curiously.
"Oh right! I totally forgot to say—congratulations! I can't believe Kyousuke's going to be a big brother. That's so nice."
"Haha, my husband's hoping for a girl. But I'm happy either way."
Mikiko gently rested her other hand on her still-flat belly.
The maternal glow on her face instantly brought Mitsuha back to memories of her own mother.
Back when her mom was pregnant with Yotsuba, she had looked just like Mikiko does now.
Mitsuha used to stay by her mother's side, eagerly waiting for her little sister to be born.
"Thinking about your mother?"
Mikiko asked softly.
From the start, she had sensed something about Mitsuha—that their souls were somehow intertwined.
That's why she'd been so kind to her.
Her husband and son thought she was just being overly emotional, but they never understood when someone is unconditionally loved, it's easy to become a carefree "fool" who doesn't mind being called silly.
Seeing the look of quiet sorrow on Mitsuha's face, Mikiko decided she needed to step in and say something—gently but clearly.
"...Yeah." Mitsuha glanced sideways at Mikiko, whose eyes reminded her a lot of Kyousuke's.
After a brief hesitation, she nodded slightly.
"If you don't mind sharing, you can talk to me about it. Don't worry—I won't tell Kyousuke," Mikiko said with a warm smile.
"It's not about Kyousuke. I'm just worried if I tell you, you'll end up crying again. That can't be good for the baby."
"What's that supposed to mean? You're starting to sound just like Kyousuke!"
"I'm a strong woman, thank you very much!" Mikiko puffed her cheeks in protest, then suddenly pouted playfully.
"Now you have to tell me. Otherwise, I'll be too curious to sleep!"
The auntie's childlike sulking made Mitsuha chuckle.
Some of that heavy weight on her chest finally lifted.
"It's a really sad story though. Anyone who hears it is bound to cry," she said teasingly, almost like she was talking to a child.
But she truly felt the sincerity in Mikiko's care and wanted to open her heart to her.
Still, the way Mikiko had burst into tears earlier did make her hesitate.
"Come on already! I am the mother of a middle schooler, you know! I'm way past the age of crying over every drama I watch!" Mikiko said, clearly sensing Mitsuha's guard lowering.
"Well... my mother passed away four years ago," Mitsuha began as they walked slowly.
She told the story of her parents and the shrine—the weight of it all.
Streetlights flickered on, casting a soft amber glow across the sidewalk.
The "son" who now looked like a tall girl had returned to childhood in that moment, quietly pouring out the burdens she had kept hidden in her heart for so many years.
Her longing for her mother.
Her resentment toward her father.
Her guilt toward her little sister.
"...After my father left, it became my duty to take over the shrine. It was really hard. I memorized rituals until I fell asleep at my desk."
"But I didn't mind, because even when Yotsuba fell asleep, she'd always lean on me to keep me company."
"That's why I started resenting my dad. How could he leave her when she was still so little?"
I've never really been a proper big sister.
Even though I try to follow my mother's teachings and pass everything I've learned onto my little sister, I still end up arguing with her over silly things, like when there's only one ice cream left.
I always feel guilty afterward, but I just can't help myself.
Before I met Kyousuke, I couldn't even manage the job I'd been doing since childhood—being a shrine maiden.
People in town say I've surpassed my mother and become the true shrine maiden of the Miyamizu family.
But deep down, I know I'm just chasing after Kyousuke's shadow, trying to learn everything I can from him.
Without him, I'd still be an ordinary country girl, not just an unworthy shrine maiden, but also not even a good sister...
Away from the lights of Tokyo, the stars shine even brighter, like the secret worries of a young girl—so vivid, not even the dark curtain of night can hide them.
The amber glow of the streetlamps stretched their shadows long across the pavement as they walked slowly, as if carefully measuring the length of each tile with their steps.
Just like she said she would, Hojou Mikiko didn't say a word when Mitsuha suddenly burst into tears.
She simply held the girl's arm gently and handed her a warm handkerchief that carried the comfort of body heat.
She listened silently, patiently, not interrupting once.
After a long while, Mitsuha finally realized Mikiko's handkerchief was soaked with her tears.
Her sobbing stopped.
She didn't even know why she cried like that.
Ever since her father left, she'd never allowed herself to cry in front of anyone.
Even when she couldn't hold it in, she'd hide in the empty rooms of the shrine to weep alone.
But something about Mikiko's embrace, those kind and understanding eyes, made her let it all out—right there in the middle of the street.
Maybe it was Kyousuke's body reacting to the presence of his mother that triggered her emotions, pulling her heart along with it.
Still, ever since her mother passed away, she hadn't felt this relieved.
Even inside Kyousuke's body, she couldn't remember the last time she truly relaxed.
As embarrassing as it was to cry her heart out, the release made her feel so much lighter.
"I'm sorry, Aunt Mikiko... I completely soaked your handkerchief," she said, her face flushing red.
"It's okay," Mikiko replied with a soft smile, tucking the handkerchief back into her pocket without a second thought.
"Seeing Kyousuke cry like that in front of me... I finally feel like a mother again."
"Pfft—haha!" The tension broke, and Mitsuha burst out laughing.
"Seriously, Kyousuke never cried, not even once as a kid," Mikiko said with a chuckle.
"Back in kindergarten, he got bit by a dog while playing and had to get a shot and didn't shed a single tear. As a mother, it made me feel so defeated."
She added with a smile, "That whole family—Sakura, Kyousuke... they all have a knack for ruining serious moments with their jokes."
Mitsuha laughed even harder.
As the girl's laughter rang out, Mikiko carefully considered her next words.
Growing up, she had been a carefree young lady of a wealthy household.
After marrying Hojou Ichirou, her husband treated her like a queen.
Their son had been calm and thoughtful even as a child—so much so that he would often take care of her instead.
Comforting someone wasn't exactly her strong suit, and Mitsuha's story had touched her deeply.
While she searched for the right words, her eyes fell on her husband, who was nearby quietly sniffing an unlit cigarette.
'Ah, that's it!'
"Mitsuha, did you know? At first, Ichirou didn't even want children. He was selfish—said he loved me and didn't want anything to come between us."
Mitsuha's expression turned to one of disbelief.
"I know, right? Hard to imagine a man like that in Japan."
"But when we found out I was pregnant... even though Ichirou had just become a lawyer and work was brutal, he still came home on time every day to take care of me."
"Even when his boss yelled at him, he stayed by my side and did his work late into the night while I slept."
"I think... your father must have loved your mother just as much, if not more," Mikiko said gently.
"He gave up his family, left the big city, and moved all the way to Itomori to join the Miyamizu household. That kind of love isn't easy."
"So then... was I a mistake?" Mitsuha's smile faded, and her heart sank.
"Of course not," Mikiko said with a warm laugh. "Children are the continuation of their parents' lives. No parent truly hates their child."
That phrase struck a chord. Mitsuha had said something similar once—to an old woman in the village.
"There are no children who don't love their parents."
Even though she resented her father so deeply... she still loved him.
That's why she stayed, inherited the shrine, served her grandmother, and cared for her little sister.
But if he really loved them her and Yotsuba, why did he leave them to become a politician?
"When Kyousuke was born," Mikiko continued, "Ichirou sat beside my hospital bed and stared at that wrinkly, red little baby."
"His hands were shaking so badly, tears running down his cheeks. He wanted to touch him but didn't dare. I was watching and getting anxious for him."
She smiled, looking fondly at her husband as memories flooded back.
"'Mikiko… is that really my son?' That man, who graduated from the University of Tokyo Law School and passed Japan's toughest bar exam, was crying like a child. But I understood how he felt."
"'It's unbelievable,' he kept saying. 'Just yesterday, this baby didn't even exist.' He finally reached out and touched Hojou's tiny hand."
"When the baby reflexively grabbed his finger, Ichirou jumped like he'd been shocked. This huge, intimidating man got scared by a newborn's grip."
"Then he closed his eyes, and the tears wouldn't stop."
"That was the second time I ever saw him cry. The first was on our wedding day. He bawled in front of everyone—completely embarrassing himself."
"Back then, he told me, 'Mikiko, I finally feel whole.'"
"This time, with tears in his eyes again, he said, 'Mikiko, I finally feel like my life is complete.'"
Mikiko's voice was gentle and nostalgic, and as Mitsuha listened, her earlier fears slowly melted away.
Her thoughts drifted back to the days when her mother was still alive.
Their whole family had been together at the shrine... and the day Yotsuba was born.
Their father had been invited to lead the local ritual, so she and her grandmother had taken her mother to the hospital.
Grandma had grumbled that her father was unreliable.
But even through the pain, her mother gently stroked her head and said, "He's just doing his duty." Her calm voice settled Mitsuha's nerves too.
Thankfully, her father made it back in time before the birth.
While Mitsuha and her grandmother waited outside the delivery room, he paced back and forth endlessly, a bundle of nerves.
There was no trace of the composed, dignified priest who had just officiated the town festival.
"Dad, calm down!" she had shouted.
"Mitsuha! Your little sister's about to be born!" He had dropped to one knee in front of her, gripping her hands in his large, warm palms, eyes full of emotion.
With the passing of time, memories faded—but now, looking back, Mitsuha Miyamizu finally understood her father's feelings.
Of course, a man who got that emotional couldn't possibly not love her and Yotsuba.
There was no way he would've left them behind without a heavy heart.
Just like Aunt Mikiko had said, her father had been completely overwhelmed with emotion when her little sister was born.
At the time, Mitsuha hadn't been able to grasp the feelings in her father's eyes. But now, she finally understood it all.
Maybe to prevent her from feeling neglected, her mother—despite her exhaustion—reached out and gently held her hand, saying:
"Mitsuha, when you were born, your father went through hell and high water to get back in time."
"He couldn't get a plane ticket, and when he switched to the Shinkansen, it got suspended due to a typhoon. Then he missed the last train."
"With no other option, he rented a car and drove all the way from Aomori, through Ehime and Gifu, back to Itomori."
"When I saw him, his eyes were bloodshot. I was honestly afraid he'd pass out on the spot. But no matter what, he just wanted to see you."
"Ever since he found out you were growing in my belly, he'd been looking forward to your arrival."
"'It's like staring into the universe from a time tunnel,' he said. That's how he described your birth."
Back then, Mitsuha hadn't understood her mother's words—she had thought the metaphor was absurd.
But thinking about it now… for her father, a man immersed in folklore research, concepts like time tunnels and the cosmos were probably fascinating mysteries.
To him, they represented a whole new world.
And she—his daughter—was his brand new world.
He'd looked embarrassed when her mother said all that, but still, he firmly held both her and her mother's hands in his right hand, while her sister clung to his left.
Her father really, truly loved her and her little sister.
"Your father must've had his reasons. Something he couldn't help. But no matter what, he loved you both—that much is undeniable."
After finishing her story, Aunt Mikiko had taken a long moment before hesitantly offering the closest thing to a conclusion.
"Yeah! When I go back, I'm gonna drag that boneheaded dad of mine to see my sister and make him apologize properly!" Mitsuha declared with renewed energy.
'Huh!?'
'Did I actually get through to her?'
Aunt Mikiko was momentarily stunned, then raised her arm with a cheering gesture.
With the emotional weight she'd carried for years finally lifted, Mitsuha felt a sudden closeness to Aunt Mikiko.
They even started talking about Kyousuke and his relationship with his own father.
"Aunt Mikiko, but… why didn't Uncle Ichirou talk to me at the airport? Back then, he didn't even know I wasn't really Kyousuke, right?" That had struck Mitsuha as the strangest thing—he'd only warmed up to her after learning her true identity.
"Haha, my husband's been holding a grudge against Kyousuke," Mikiko said with a laugh.
"He blames him for me staying in Mizunokado so long. So he decided to ignore him for a while once he got home."
She said it with zero hesitation, throwing her husband right under the bus.
"Pfft—ahaha!" Mitsuha couldn't help bursting into laughter.
Realizing it might be rude, she quickly covered her mouth, though she was still giggling under her breath.
Who would've thought that strict and dignified Uncle Ichirou had this kind of petty side? No wonder Kyousuke inherited it.
Mitsuha, armed with a wealth of embarrassing stories about Kyousuke, couldn't resist and started trading dirt with Aunt Mikiko.
By the time they made it back to their inn, they were already planning to meet up tomorrow to keep the gossip session going.
Back at the inn, after washing up, Mitsuha lay on the soft bed and reflected on the eventful day.
She pulled out her phone and quickly jotted down some notes in her memo app.
———————————————————————
"The first-class flight attendants were so nice. The food was amazing, and the souvenir model was super cool."
"Aunt Mikiko is adorable. Uncle Ichirou's surprisingly easy to talk to. The seafood in Kushiro is top-tier."
"Gotta give it my all in tomorrow's match!"
———————————————————————
She closed the note, then opened a blank document and began writing about everything that had happened that day.
She included Aunt Mikiko's story, her own thoughts and emotions, worries about tomorrow's kendo match, and her resolve to win even if she swapped bodies again.
Once she was done, Mitsuha logged into her alternate LINE account and sent the document, titled "Kushiro," to Sakura's memo folder.
This was something the two of them had arranged a long time ago, when there were things Mitsuha couldn't let Kyousuke know, but wanted to record for herself, she'd ask Sakura to store them for her.
She trusted that Sakura wouldn't snoop.
Lately, though, the things she sent had gone beyond little secrets—she had even compiled and sent earlier memos too.
What Mitsuha hadn't expected… was to get a reply immediately.
———————————————————————
"Wait, Mitsuha!? Was it really you who met Aunt Mikiko today?"
—Yamauchi Sakura
"You're still up, Sakura?"
"It's only nine! Finals are coming up. I'm still dying in review hell ╥﹏╥."
—Yamauchi Sakura
———————————————————————
Oh, right. It had gotten so dark on the way back that Mitsuha assumed it was late. But now she remembered—Kushiro had so few people that it just looked that way.
———————————————————————
"Aunt Mikiko really is as sweet as you said. But I didn't expect you to tell her about me! That was a surprise."
"Haha, sorry! But Aunt Mikiko is my mentor, after all—Detective Sakura's very own teacher. She was the one who figured it out first!"
"..."
———————————————————————
After a little more chatting, Sakura had to get back to studying, and Mitsuha had to rest up for the match.
They ended their conversation with a final cheer:
———————————————————————
"Good luck in tomorrow's match!"
———————————————————————
After what had happened today a sudden body swap from just dozing off, Mitsuha wasn't sure if she'd wake up in her own body tomorrow.
All she could do now was sleep and hope for the best. Her emotions had been all over the place, and though she now felt a sense of relief, it was the kind of peace that came after exhaustion.
———————————————————————
Sunlight streamed into her eyes. Even before she opened them, Mitsuha let out a small, regretful sigh.
She'd been looking forward to chatting more with Aunt Mikiko and hearing even more of Kyousuke's embarrassing stories.
But today was the day of the competition.
Time to get up and prepare.
Slowly, she opened her eyes and stared in shock at an unfamiliar ceiling.
Her eyes widened.
She looked around in disbelief.
She'd gotten so used to waking up in pitch darkness after a body swap because Kyousuke never slept in a lit room.
So the moment she felt light on her eyelids, she'd just assumed she was back in her own bed.
Turns out, the hotel curtains just didn't block light very well, and the morning sun had leaked through.
Checking the time, she saw it was still early.
Apparently, she'd brought her own body's internal clock with her.
Remembering her task for today, Mitsuha sprang out of bed, quickly got ready, grabbed her shinai, and began knocking on the doors of her teammates one by one.
She didn't have to wait long, Kisaki Tetta was already dressed and waiting at the door, clearly too hyped to sleep.
"We're starting morning practice," Mitsuha said to her eager and wide-awake team.
Seventy-six schools.
Both team and individual matches had to be completed in a single day—a schedule that was nothing short of brutal.
The only reason this was even feasible was because each match lasted just four minutes, and team and individual matches were held simultaneously.
For strong teams, this meant they'd barely catch their breath from a team match before diving straight into an individual one.
Sure, there were designated rest periods in between, but it was still exhausting.
After all, the competition ran non-stop for an entire day!
Thankfully, the National Junior High Kendo League allowed for draws.
If no one scored within the four-minute window, the match would be declared a tie.
But if this were a Kendo Championship, things would be different, no score within the time limit meant unlimited overtime until someone won.
That kind of match became a test of pure stamina and mental endurance.
To outsiders, kendo matches could seem dull.
There were no flashy light effects like in anime just sharp cries, swinging shinai, and the sound of bamboo swords clashing over and over.
The truly impressive exchanges only came from the top-tier players—the aces of each team.
The Kushiro Wetlands Breeze Arena, the largest sports complex in eastern Hokkaido, was spacious enough to accommodate the massive event.
Yet at that moment, it was carved up into dozens of smaller rings by red tape.
Judges in black uniforms and kendo fighters in traditional gear crowded every corner of the venue.
Each match required one head referee and two assistant referees, which made it look like there were more officials than competitors on the floor.
As last year's third-place winners, Higashi was scheduled to compete early.
After checking in and having their gear inspected, they were slotted into the opening match.
Their first opponent: Iwanuma West Middle School from Miyagi Prefecture, winners of last year's Team Fighting Spirit Award.
The team's vanguard, Ryouma Mitsuhashi, stepped up first and secured a clean victory.
In fact, the team won so swiftly that Mitsuha didn't even get a chance to fight.
The vanguard, second, and center took care of everything.
The team matches followed a best-of-five format—three wins to clinch the round.
The strategy was simple: if you could win, you went all out.
If not, your goal was to force a draw. And if even that wasn't possible, you minimized the damage—giving up only one valid point.
The idea was to entrust the match to your strongest fighter, the ace, and let them carry the team to victory.
Of course, some teams placed their strongest players at the front.
A solid start could energize the whole squad.
Ultimately, it was up to each team's strategy.
In Higashi's case, all decisions were handled by their strategist and kendo nerd, Kisaki Tetta.
Before each match, he'd analyze their opponents' habits and adjust the order accordingly.
As the tournament went on, Higashi couldn't always end things by the third match.
Several times, it came down to their vice-captain, Goro Hata, to seal the win.
That's right—while Kisaki was the brains of the operation, he was only the center.
The team's second strongest fighter was the hot-headed, spiky-haired Goro.
Even so, while Kisaki Tetta didn't always win, no one ever managed to score on him either.
He'd drag the match to a draw by letting his opponent hit non-scoring zones.
No matter what, he'd make sure he wasn't the one holding back his captain's rise to glory.
"And next up—we have the captain's match! Representing Mibu Middle School from Tochigi Prefecture, Katagami Yukinosuke! Versus the captain of Higashi Middle School, Tokyo—Hojou Kyousuke!"
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