The birds, originally hiding under the cool shade of the trees to escape the scorching noon heat, were startled by the screams of two humans below.
Panicked, they fled into the skies above the forest and the abandoned town, circling aimlessly like restless spirits.
It had been two years since humans disappeared from Itomori.
When the comet struck for the third time, and when the shrine maiden led away the townspeople, this thousand-year-old town had truly died — now, it belonged solely to the animals.
On the exposed schoolyard, the midday sun beat directly down on Sakura and Shouko.
Earlier they had been grumbling about the heat, but now, that sunlight felt oddly comforting.
"S-Sakura... what do we do?" Shouko clung tightly to Sakura's arm, her soft, round face full of panic.
From the phone lying on the ground, Miyamizu's voice kept echoing faintly:
"Wait relax it's me! Take a deep breath!"
Sakura took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself.
If there was truly any danger, Kyousuke would never let something bad happen to them!
Patting Shouko reassuringly, she bent down, brushed the dust off the phone, and picked it up.
"Hello? Mitsuha? Sorry, the signal was a bit bad just now."
"Really?"
"Yeah, Shouko and I are out camping in the mountains," Sakura said casually.
"Huh? I was just about to ask if you guys wanted to hang out!"
"Eh?"
As the conversation continued, both Sakura and Shouko gradually relaxed.
They didn't know what exactly was going on, but at least, Mitsuha sounded just like the Mitsuha they knew.
"Mitsuha, you said your hometown is Itomori, right?"
"Yeah, why?"
"It's in Gifu Prefecture, Hida City, right?"
"Exactly~"
Hearing her excited response, Sakura exchanged a glance with Shouko.
They both gave strained smiles — something was definitely off.
"Sorry, Mitsuha, we've been really busy with part-time jobs lately. We might not have time to visit. But... are you still living in Itomori?"
"Of course I am! I'm the shrine maiden, remember? I barely even have time to leave Itomori. Why do you ask?"
"N-no reason. Just... curious."
Sakura and Shouko lifted their heads and looked out ahead.
A massive impact crater stretched out before them, even larger than the lake it merged into — at first glance, it looked like two craters side by side.
Ruined buildings lay half-submerged in the water.
Even the ground they stood on had been hit hard; the original school fence was completely destroyed, and the only barrier left was a metal one, hastily erected by the Reconstruction Agency after the disaster.
"It's just... unbelievable," Sakura said with a dry laugh — a rare expression for her.
But even this couldn't compare to the absurdity of Mitsuha somehow still living here.
"Unbelievable?"
"Ah, the soup's about to boil over — let's chat later, Mitsuha."
"Okay, talk to you soon, Sakura!"
The phone screen faded to black, dust clinging stubbornly to its surface.
"Sakura..." Shouko, who had been silent this whole time, looked at her deep in thought.
"Maybe... the Mitsuha we just talked to is from a different time?" Sakura suggested calmly.
"Huh?"
From the moment they met, Shouko knew Sakura was different from her dull, straightforward self, she was the kind of girl who could spot an ant crossing the road and start thinking about having oden for dinner.
Following her train of thought was never easy, but even now, Shouko could only blink in confusion.
"Mitsuha wouldn't lie to us. If she says she's still living in Itomori, then she must be living in an Itomori that hasn't been destroyed by the comet yet."
"Ohhh..." Shouko nodded vaguely.
She didn't really get it, but as long as Sakura understood, that was good enough.
"Then... what exactly is the Mitsuha we spoke to?"
"A ghost!"
Sakura declared with total certainty.
"A g-ghost?"
"That's right!"
'I mean, if things like Dullahans and body-swapping can exist, then ghosts aren't that far-fetched either!'
'Turns out the afterlife is way more exciting than I thought...'
'Maybe when I die, I can become a ghost too and keep hanging out with Kyousuke?'
'And if I use Kyousuke's body, I can eat as much as I want without worrying about getting fat!'
Great Detective Sakura thought to herself mischievously.
Meanwhile, as Sakura and Shouko debated wild theories — from aliens, time rifts, reincarnation, and more — far away in Tokyo, Mitsuha hung up the phone feeling a little down.
It was rare for her to switch, and today was a gloomy, rainy day.
She had hoped to invite Sakura and the others out...
Would they get caught in the rain?
Peering out at the overcast sky, the shrine maiden felt a twinge of worry.
Originally, Mitsuha had planned to curl up at home and watch movies using the projector Kyousuke had bought.
But now, a strange, irresistible urge bubbled up inside her she want to walk the streets of Tokyo.
Changing into a casual outfit, she habitually grabbed the keys to Rocket 33, her beloved scooter, and smiled softly.
"Not today, buddy. If it rains, we'll both get soaked."
It almost felt like she could talk to Rocket 33 now, like they had formed a bond.
Grinning at the thought, she walked to the storage cabinet behind the apartment door.
There, a black umbrella a gift from Sakura to Kyousuke hung neatly, still in its red case.
But Mitsuha only glanced at it before pulling out a cheap transparent umbrella instead.
Riding the elevator down and stepping outside, she glanced toward the parking shed.
There, the matte-black Rocket 33 crouched like a giant black cat, ready to pounce on the crows resting nearby.
'Maybe I should rename you Rocket Meow Meow?'
Laughing inwardly, Mitsuha picked a random direction and started walking.
———————————————————————
"Meirundou Cram School"
Mitsuha looked up at the sign, feeling like the name rang a bell.
Just as she was lost in thought, someone tapped her shoulder from behind.
Startled, she immediately spun around and fell into a defensive stance.
"Kyousuke, you—" Kisaki Tetta cut himself off halfway through his sentence, staring at her, exasperated.
"Oh, it's just you, Kisaki. You scared me!" Mitsuha let out a sigh of relief.
"It's you, Mitsuha..." Kisaki muttered, turning to leave almost immediately.
Back when they were first-years, Kyousuke's split personality used to show up several times a week.
Now, months could pass without an incident — clearly, he was getting better.
No need to waste energy worrying; big bro could handle it himself.
"Hey, let's grab a meal together, Kisaki!" Bored and without a plan, Mitsuha wasn't about to let him escape so easily.
"Fine, but I didn't bring enough money today," Kisaki warned.
"No worries! My treat!" Mitsuha proudly waved her plump wallet.
"..."
'Please save some money, will you? That's still technically my boss money!' Kisaki thought bitterly.
At a family restaurant, after ordering the chef's special set meals, the two sat across from each other.
"Kisaki, do you take lessons around here?" Mitsuha asked casually as she nibbled on some complimentary pickles.
Just hanging out like this — grabbing food with a friend on a lazy vacation afternoon —
was something almost impossible back in Itomori.
But at least Kyousuke's new café at Yukino-sensei's place would be finished soon.
These days, she and Teshigawara Sayaka were full of energy helping out every day.
"Tutoring and a part-time job. I'm basically a teaching assistant they even pay me," Kisaki explained simply.
"I see. So you've already decided which high school you're going to?"
"Yeah, I'm going to Toyogasaki Academy, the same private school as my boss."
"Must be nice… having so many choices," Mitsuha said, her voice tinged with quiet envy.
Unlike him, she had always known her path since elementary school: middle school at Itomori, high school at Itomori High, and then working at the Miyamizu Shrine...
Even Kisaki Tetta, who was usually sharp with his words, didn't know how to respond to that.
If his boss wanted, he could pick any school in the country, even any university, without a second thought.
"Will Kyousuke still be living in the same apartment when that happens?" Mitsuha suddenly asked, remembering something.
"Of course not," Tetta said with a snort. "I've already found over ten mansions that meet my boss ridiculously high standards."
"Then why did Kyousuke bother buying that apartment in the first place?" she asked, confused.
She remembered how happy Kyousuke had been when he shared the news through the memo app — he had even baked sweets to celebrate.
"Why else? It's because he was worried about your split personality freaking out in a new environment," Tetta grumbled.
With his boss wealth, he could have upgraded ages ago, but he refused to move.
When pressed, he said, "If Mitsuha woke up to a completely unfamiliar ceiling, she'd definitely get scared."
"I see…" Mitsuha muttered, lowering her head and quietly eating her food.
After parting ways with Kisaki Tetta, Mitsuha wandered alone down the street.
The sky had turned a deep, oppressive gray, heavy clouds pressing down over Tokyo like they might collapse at any second.
People hurried past, rushing toward train stations or ducking into buildings.
Crows cawed overhead, flapping their wings as they sought shelter from the coming storm.
Holding her umbrella but not opening it, Mitsuha walked at a leisurely pace, almost as if she were waiting for the rain to catch her.
The familiar streets, the familiar shops — they brought a wave of melancholy crashing over her.
'Today… might be the last time we ever switch.'
Her instincts as a shrine maiden whispered it to her.
She felt a faint coolness on her forehead and looked up.
Raindrops had materialized in the air — hundreds, thousands of them — each one suspended, perfectly round and shimmering like crystal.
In Kyousuke's inhuman sensory perception, the world felt completely still, silent.
Only after Mitsuha opened her umbrella did the raindrops seem to gain permission to fall, crashing down in a torrential downpour.
Through the curtain of rain, she spotted a shop across the street — "Kemuri-tei."
It was owned by the beautiful older woman she had met during the cherry blossom festival.
Kyousuke had once recommended she visit, but she never had.
'It's time to go home,' she thought.
Even with an umbrella, the rain soaked her shoes, chilling her toes.
Turns out, rainy days are just as miserable in Tokyo as they are in Itomori.
Mitsuha hated rainy days.
In a small town like Itomori, with no subways, no cafés, no bookstores... rain trapped everyone inside their houses, watching the same handful of TV channels.
At her home, rainy days meant tying intricate knots, memorizing rituals, and studying ancient traditions under her grandmother's stern supervision.
The mountain rains dragged on forever, smudging the world into one endless gray blur, as if it would swallow Itomori whole.
A younger Mitsuha would sit there, distractedly braiding cords, secretly praying for the Thunder God to strike and just end it all.
But of course, nothing ever happened. All the rain did was rot everything out with mold.
—Rainy days.
Back at home, Mitsuha slipped off her wet shoes and changed into Kyousuke pajamas.
She turned on the projector and opened a file titled "Kyousuke's Favorites" — a list of movies he liked.
Picking a random comedy, she curled up with a teddy bear and let her mind drift.
She realized she wasn't just connected to Rocket 33... she was connected to this entire apartment.
Every corner, every piece of furniture, she knew better than her own room back home.
Because the body swaps were so precious, the memories of them burned deeper into her heart.
But could this so-called "divine connection," as her grandmother called it, really lead her to Kyousuke in real life?
Suppressing the reckless urge to jump on a bike and speed off to Itomori, she opened her phone and logged into her chat account.
The chatroom, once lively with familiar usernames, had gone quiet.
New faces had replaced the old regulars.
Even Eikichi Onizuka, who practically lived in the chatroom before, barely posted anymore.
She scrolled through the logs.
Ah, right.
Onizuka was in college now all his posts were about cruising along the coastal highways of Shonan.
Photos of endless blue seas and skies, and there he was, with his signature bright yellow pompadour, squatting on a roadside barrier and throwing up nonsensical hand signs.
Mitsuha laughed.
"Geez, Onizuka... how many times do I have to tell you? You'll never find a girlfriend posing like that."
Sometimes Danma Ryuji showed up in Onizuka's photos too — usually with a girl clinging affectionately to him.
Mitsuha chuckled again.
"Come on, Onizuka, you've got to try harder!"
Her melancholy lifted, just a little.
Makki had gotten into Tokyo University.
Serious-minded Kanahara Takao was still busy competing in kendo tournaments even at college.
Feeling content, Mitsuha opened her memo app and began writing her diary, ready to spend the entire day indoors.
Buzz—
Her phone vibrated.
A message from "Naoto."
———————————————————————
"Long time no see!"
———————————————————————
Unlike Kisaki Tetta, Mitsuha had a soft spot for this "split personality" of Kyousuke's — after all, it was still Kyousuke.
———————————————————————
"Naoto-san! It's been forever!" she quickly typed back, surprised to see her old friend online.
"I've been busy preparing for the autograph session," she replied.
"Volume 3 is finally coming out! Congratulations!" Mitsuha cheered.
Naoto had revealed to her a while back that he was actually the author Kasumi Utako.
———————————————————————
"Wanna come to the signing event tomorrow?"
———————————————————————
'Should I go?'
Back when she didn't know Naoto-kun was the famous Kasumi Utako-sensei, she wouldn't have hesitated to send Kyousuke to make a new friend.
But now… now that she knew how talented he was, she wavered.
An image flashed in her mind a photo of sleek black stockings on beautiful legs.
Kyousuke, that giant pervert who shamelessly used her body to take showers, would never be able to resist Naoto's charm.
Mitsuha agonized for a moment.
But… even if the two of them really did fall in love, it didn't really have anything to do with her, right?
She was stuck in Itomori forever.
Who Kyousuke ended up with was Sakura and the others' problem, not hers.
With a little mischievous grin, the shrine maiden agreed to go.
———————————————————————
Kyousuke shot up in bed, clutching his head in a panic.
He frantically patted his face, feeling for his nose, his eyes, his mouth — checking each part.
Still alive.
He hadn't been crushed by a comet!
Wiping the cold sweat from his brow, he stared blankly ahead.
'A comet?'
He turned to look out the window.
Maybe because it had rained yesterday, but today Tokyo's sky was dazzlingly clear — a pure, endless blue.
Not a cloud in sight, let alone a comet.
Where the hell did that idea come from?
Scratching his head, Kyousuke shrugged it off as another side-effect of the body swapping.
He picked up his phone and checked the memo Mitsuha had left behind.
———————————————————————
"Don't forget the autograph session!!🥳🎉🎉."
———————————————————————
Ah, right.
The day had finally arrived.
He smacked his forehead — he'd been so busy lately he almost forgot.
Still, even if Utaha-senpai hadn't reminded Mitsuha, he had already set an alarm for it just in case.
He sent a message to Utaha-senpai, asking if she needed help. She immediately replied with an address.
By the time Kyousuke arrived at the bookstore hosting the signing event on his motorcycle, everything had already been set up.
"Why did I ask you to come so early? Obviously, to ease my loneliness," Utaha said matter-of-factly, sitting outside at the bookstore's café.
She rested her small, delicate face on the backs of her hands on the table, her wine-red eyes staring unwaveringly at the boy across from her.
"..."
'I know I'm considered a nice guy, but could you at least be mindful of the situation, Utaha-senpai?'
Just when Kyousuke thought he was getting used to her relentless directness, she would always up the ante without warning.
After finishing up the signing event and having dinner at the café, Kyousuke rode his motorcycle back to his apartment.
Leaning against the balcony railing, he quietly gazed at the city bathed in the golden light of sunset — a beauty beyond words.
———————————————————————
"Next time we swap, let's meet."
———————————————————————
That was the last message the shrine maiden had left in the notes app.
'Seriously, you're raising death flags now?' Kyousuke thought, half-joking but uneasy.
Ever since returning to his own body, he'd had a lingering bad feeling.
'A comet...'
That strange thought, which had jolted him awake that morning, surfaced again.
He looked up.
Only clouds, dyed red by the sunset, floated overhead.
Comets? Wasn't that all over two years ago?
Still, meeting her, huh?
The best way to break a flag was to take immediate action.
If they said "let's meet," then meeting as soon as possible was the answer.
However, the problem was... they didn't even have each other's phone numbers.
If they had exchanged numbers, he could have used the area code to track down a rough location. But now, all he had were some vague hints:
"A big lake,"
"A town built around it,"
"A grand shrine on a mountaintop."
Tags like those could describe thousands of places across Japan.
He scrolled through his phone again — nothing new.
Meanwhile, back in Suimon City, Shouko and Sakura had returned and explained everything about Mitsuha to Naoka.
She was so shocked she couldn't even speak for a while.
The three discussed for a long time whether or not they should tell Kyousuke about it.
In the end, they voted to keep it a secret but agreed to keep a close watch on him for anything strange.
[TL Note – WHY???]
Like suddenly being abducted by a UFO, or falling into a time rift and ending up in another dimension.
'Yeah, right.'
In truth, they all felt it would be too cruel for both Kyousuke and Mitsuha.
Mitsuha believed she was a real person.
Kyousuke, too, thought she was real.
Even that guy who made custom cups had crafted one just for her.
How could they possibly tell Kyousuke, "Hey, the girl you swapped bodies with doesn't exist in this world"?
Or tell Mitsuha, who had been inviting them to her hometown, "Your home was destroyed by a comet. You're just a ghost floating between cracks in time."
No one could bring themselves to say that.
Later that night, Shouko spent the entire evening on the phone with Kyousuke under the pretense of practicing lines, carefully confirming — today, at least, he was still normal.
———————————————————————
That night, in Itomori
Mitsuha woke up, startled by the coldness of her pillow.
Was it the drool Kyousuke had left on her pillow while sleeping? She wondered as she pushed herself up with one hand.
But the sensation on her face told a different story. The pillow wasn't wet from drool — it was from her tears.
'Why am I crying...?'
Tears, heavy as rainclouds, welled up in her eyes and spilled over uncontrollably, tracing a path along her jawline and dripping onto the futon.
'If Kyousuke saw me like this, he'd probably be panicking, wouldn't he?'
That guy always freezes up around people who cry.
Sakura had said so once even if she was just pretending to cry, Kyousuke would immediately get flustered.
Normally, he was calm and composed, handling everything smoothly, even around groups of girls... yet...
'Wait — why...'
'Why is it all coming back to me?!' Mitsuha's eyes snapped wide open.
Kyousuke's apartment was at Chiyoda 49, Solo Residence 701.
He attended Higashi Middle School.
His family home was at Otaru, Hokkaido, Iro 1-6-31 barely 500 meters east from the Otaru Canal.
'I have to find him!'
'I have to see him!'
'I must!'
She jumped out of bed, fumbling to get dressed — then froze.
Wait, wasn't Kyousuke attending Naoto's book signing today?
She looked down at herself.
Her pajamas were an oversized T-shirt she'd bought three years ago.
Her underwear no, not important right now.
She poked at her thighs and wobbled a little, making a face.
Opening her closet, she realized the nicest outfit she had... was her school uniform.
There was no way.
Absolutely no way she could compare to someone like Naoto.
Who shows up to a date wearing a school uniform?!
And wearing a shrine maiden outfit would be even worse!
Slumping against the paper sliding door, Mitsuha sat down in defeat.
She pulled out her phone — it was just past six in the morning.
Almost unconsciously, she opened the notes app.
———————————————————————
"Could you buy me a pair of leggings?"
"My legs get so cold walking around, I'm not used to it."
———————————————————————
"Pfft—" Reading just the first note, Mitsuha couldn't help but giggle.
Poor Kyousuke.
Even someone as manly as him was forced to wear skirts while swapping bodies with her.
She'd really wanted to see him dressed in a JK uniform, but their swapping ended before she could pull it off with Aunt Mikiko's help.
Remembering how awkward it had been the first time she'd gone to the bathroom in Kyousuke's body, her cheeks flushed red.
Kyousuke must have felt the same way, right?
———————————————————————
"I already taught those jerks in your class a lesson."
"Never compromise when facing bullying — even if you're a girl, you should fight back."
"Guys like Yamaka Shunya? One punch to the throat or eyes and he'll be helpless."
"If it's someone strong like Minami Manaka's boyfriend, have Teshigawara distract him from the front and hit him from behind with a stick..."
"Though ideally, just report it to your mayor dad and let him take care of it."
———————————————————————
A whole essay on self-defense techniques.
But ever since Kyousuke unleashed hell that day, no one in Itomori had dared mess with her again.
———————————————————————
"Your dad came to school today. Is he feeling sick? He looked terrible."
———————————————————————
"Ahahaha!"
Recalling her father's terrified, confused expression, Mitsuha couldn't help but laugh.
Seriously, he should think about why he was so scared!
Kyousuke had traumatized her dad so badly that he hadn't even dared speak to her for months — he even sent her living expenses through Yotsuba!
———————————————————————
"Sorry about Yukino-sensei. Please be patient with her."
———————————————————————
Geez.
Even using a girl's body didn't stop Kyousuke from charming others.
Sure, Yukino-sensei was beautiful, but still — she was way older!
Could you please tone down your natural flirtiness a bit?!
Sort out your tangled relationships already!
———————————————————————
"I can't believe you even managed to win over my mom! The legendary Shrine Maiden really lives up to her name!"
"Yotsuba's bike is still a bit flimsy. Please watch over her carefully, especially when she's riding downhill."
"Family is all about understanding each other. Spend more time talking with your dad — that stubborn old man needs it."
"Make sure to finish the leftovers in the fridge today. They won't be good tomorrow."
"The café is almost done! How about you and Yukino come up with the name together?"
"..."
———————————————————————
The girl's expression shifted with every note she read — sometimes bursting into laughter, sometimes grinding her teeth in frustration, sometimes lowering her eyes in quiet thought.
Now that all her memories had returned, she could see clearly how their lives had always been intertwined.
While she was off at the Rampaging Angels meet, he was sitting at home listening to Grandma's stories.
When she was wandering the streets of Tokyo, savoring delicious food, he was helping out with farm work at Yukino's place.
While she was basking in the warmth of family up in Hokkaido, he was back home taking care of her little sister.
When she was playing around with Aunt Mikiko, he was working hard to help her father let go of old regrets...
It hit her, she had been relying on him like a fool, leaning on his care without even realizing it.
Twisting a strand of hair around her finger, she thought silently to herself.
The sun had quietly risen, and the first light of dawn kissed her beautiful face, lighting up a peaceful, serene smile.
She realized that she had never properly thanked him.
That's it.
Even if it's just me — even if I'm still wearing this embarrassingly plain school uniform —
I'm going to see him!
At the very least, I have to tell him how grateful I am, how much he means to me!
'Kyousuke...'
She reopened her wardrobe, and her eyes couldn't help but drift toward the red and white shrine maiden outfit hanging there.
'Kyousuke would probably love it if I wore that...'
'No, no, no, Mitsuha, what are you thinking!? The gods will punish you for that kind of nonsense!'
Pulling herself together, she threw on her school uniform and opened her bedroom door.
From the kitchen, the sounds of someone cooking breakfast drifted out — her father was already at work.
Trying to make up for the years they'd spent apart, he had taken it upon himself to prepare every meal since they reunited.
Even if he came home at midnight, exhausted from work, he would still get up early the next morning to cook for her.
Even if he didn't have time to eat himself before rushing out again, he made sure her plate was always full.
'But... today, forgive your selfish daughter, Dad!'
Tiptoeing past the kitchen as quietly as she could, Mitsuha slipped on her shoes by the front hallway. Then, at the top of her lungs, she called out:
"I'm heading out!"
"What? Mitsuha, where are you going?"
Her father, Toshiki came rushing out, pan in hand.
Already halfway down the stone steps, Mitsuha stopped, balled her hands into fists for courage, and shouted back:
"A date!"
"A...date?!"
Wearing a pink apron and holding a frying pan, Toshiki repeated the word in a daze.
'My daughter...has a boyfriend?!'
Before he could wrap his head around it, Mitsuha had already dashed down the steps and disappeared from view.
Without even bothering to put on his shoes, he ran after her, shouting from the edge of the yard:
"At least have breakfast first!"
"No time! I'm going...to Tokyo!"
Her figure vanished down the winding road, and Toshiki was left standing there, stunned.
Then a thought struck him 'Wait, isn't that Kyousuke kid in Tokyo?'
'Is Mitsuha going to see him?'
'No, no, no! Even if it's a date, that brat should be coming to Itomori! Outrageous!'
Meanwhile, little Yotsuba, woken up by all the shouting, rubbed her sleepy eyes and asked from the living room:
"Dad, where's sis going?"
"On a date," Toshiki replied weakly.
"A date?! Sis has a boyfriend?!"
Yotsuba's sleepiness vanished instantly, and even her messy hair seemed to stand on end in shock.
———————————————————————
Mitsuha managed to hitch a ride with a farmer delivering vegetables to Hida Station.
'Showing up in Tokyo all of a sudden... Kyousuke's going to be totally shocked!'
'Maybe if I catch him before he leaves for his signing event, we can spend the morning together.'
'Then I could meet up with Sakura and the others for some cake at the café!'
Sitting on the train, Mitsuha let her thoughts wander.
At first, the shrine maiden inside her had worried about whether her sudden visit might inconvenience Kyousuke — but now, she felt no hesitation at all.
Because she knew.
This feeling she carried wasn't one-sided anymore.
The bond between them was so real, so strong, she felt like she could almost reach out and touch it.
———————————————————————
Arriving at Tokyo Station, Mitsuha stood in the crowded lobby, trying to figure out her next move but before she could even decide, someone bumped into her hard, sending her stumbling.
Flustered, she apologized quickly and retreated to the side.
Tokyo Station was in Chiyoda Ward, and to save on pocket money, Mitsuha decided she would walk to Kyousuke's house.
As she made her way through the city, she was quickly reminded of just how "warm" Tokyo people could be.
It was rush hour, and the sidewalks felt like a free-for-all boxing ring where stressed-out office workers vented their frustrations by shoulder-checking everyone in sight.
'Weird, she thought. When I used Kyousuke's body before, this kind of thing never happened!'
Eventually, she gave up and flagged down a taxi, feeling a pang of regret for her wallet.
Even though her father was giving her more allowance now, a trip like this still wasn't cheap.
And to make matters worse, even the friendly convenience store clerks weren't as warm as they used to be. Smiles were rare now.