Kōji inhaled to reply to the person on the phone.
When the situation hit Suzuka.
He answered a call on his phone, but her body was the one holding it against its ear. He was controlling her body.
"Y—"
Barely any sound came out of his—Suzuka's—mouth when she shut it with her hand full of chip crumbs. His eyes widened at her.
She extended her other hand, signaling him to give her the phone.
He blinked many times and shook his head in realization, then he handed her his phone. She pointed it away from them and hovered her hand over it before whispering.
"Who is it and what did they say?"
"It's Hisa. She asked if I was okay—"
"Kōji? Hello?" Hisa's distant voice came from the phone.
Suzuka searched for the speaker button on the screen and tapped it. She took a breath that lingered for a second too long.
"Hi! Yes, we—I'm okay," she grinned. "Why are you asking?"
"I don't talk like that!" Kōji yelled in a whisper.
Hisa replied, "Oh, Araki's with you still?"
Kōji covered his own mouth as Suzuka shot him a glare.
"Y-Yes, I'm still with her," she answered.
"Sorry for interrupting," Hisa said, her giggle cut short by the clearing of her throat. "I mean, are you outside?"
"We're at a park."
"Oh no."
"Oh no?" Kōji and Suzuka let out at the same time.
A muted thunder crashed far away, yet its growl rumbled in Suzuka's chest and was loud enough to make Kōji jolt.
Something cold pinched Suzuka's forehead, followed by several more within a second. She looked up at the gray sky, the clouds covered in flashes of lightning.
"There's a big storm coming," Hisa said. "The forecast only mentioned a drizzle, but the typhoon suddenly took a turn toward the city."
People from afar shouted at the few kids who remained in the park. They ran to the houses nearby moments before the rain hit.
"You should get cover as soon as you can," Hisa added.
Kōji raised his bag above Suzuka's head, yet that barely did anything against the sudden downpour that fell on them.
"Araki!" he shouted, getting even more drenched than she was.
She raised her voice toward the phone. "We need to go; the storm's here!"
Covering the screen as much as possible, she tapped the red button and shoved it into her pocket.
She raised her backpack above her head, allowing Kōji to cover himself, though they were both soaking wet already.
He shouted something from ahead of her as they ran across the park, but the rain was strong enough to mute him.
"What?!" she shouted back.
"I said, where… go?!"
"I don't know! How about the store—?!"
A sudden gust of wind pushed her as she ran down a slippery slope. Managing to stay on her feet, the pain stabbed her—Kōji's—ankle, forcing her to fall back onto the pavement.
He snapped around and ran to offer her his hand.
"Are you okay?!"
She took it. "I think so."
He pulled her up, but the needles stabbed her ankle again as soon as her foot touched the ground. She limped a couple of steps before he grabbed her arm to put it on his shoulder, then he wrapped his around her back.
She looked up at his drenched face from the side, unaware that he kept pushing her along the sidewalk until they had to avoid the puddles.
They reached the avenue, where a stream had already formed beside the pavement. Luckily, it was narrow enough for them to jump over, but they had to wait for a truck to pass.
Only when the truck was too close did Suzuka notice the wide stream beside them. Prepared to get splashed, Kōji pulled her to turn to one side, putting him between her and the puddle.
The truck, however, slowed down and stopped before the puddle to let them cross the road.
Once on the other side, they rushed toward the store. They still did not run, as Kōji helped Suzuka use her left foot as little as possible.
The doorbell rang when they walked in, drenched and pouring water all over the ceramic floor. They recovered their breath amid a stare, soon turning into laughter for them both.
It slowly calmed down, yet the stare continued.
The same cashier girl from before the storm approached them.
"Are you okay?!" she asked.
Kōji bowed. "We're very sorry for making a mess."
"No, no, it's fine! I'll go get you some towels."
She ran to the back of the store.
Kōji and Suzuka shared another glance, making them realize they still held each other. They let go, the dampness immediately cooling down into shivers.
He looked down at her side, his brows furrowing.
"You've gotta be kidding me."
"What's wrong?" she asked as she pulled the backside of her—Kōji's—blazer into her view.
"The whole back of my uniform is covered in mud from when you fell."
"I'm very sorry. I'll pay to clean it thoroughly, or replace it if it's ruined."
"No, no, it wasn't your fault." He lifted his—Suzuka's—foot. "Look, your socks are covered in mud too. That makes us even."
Unexpectedly, his grin took a chuckle out of her. His stare forced her lips to straighten again, followed by mild warmth on her cheeks.
Looking down at the ceramic tiles, she asked, "Did you get between me and the puddle to stop the truck from splashing me?"
"Ah, well, I mean… I didn't want my uniform to get dirtier."
Finding his reaction cute and funny at first, she felt her chest empty at his lack of interest.
Did she expect something… more?
"And yes, I didn't want you to get splashed."
Such a simple and quiet confirmation that didn't truly confirm anything, yet the warmth returned to her face.
The cashier girl came sprinting and panting, and bowed before them.
"Here are… the towels…"
Kōji and Suzuka grabbed the rough pieces of cloth. He was about to say something, but she said it first.
"Thank you."
The cashier grinned. "You're welcome."
They dried off as the rain hitting the glass behind them grew louder and louder. Suzuka barely managed to keep the groans in each time she brushed her arms—Kōji's.
"Oh, you're in Kasen?" the cashier asked, looking at the emblem on their blazers.
Kōji answered, "We are."
"Amazing! I tried to get in a few years ago, but there was too much competition, and I'm kinda dumb. It's known for being prestigious for a reason," she giggled, scratching her cheek. "How's the school? Is it really that majestic?"
Kōji and Suzuka glanced at each other.
"Well, it's like any other school to me," he answered. "Maybe the water canals between the buildings give it a unique touch."
His mouth stayed open a little longer, but he shut it with a smile.
The cashier's eyes lit up. "Ohh! Sounds magical, and a bit dangerous; the perfect combo." She hugged herself.
Kōji and Suzuka raised a brow at each other.
"Sorry, I get too in my own head sometimes," the cashier grinned. She quickly scanned Kōji—Suzuka's body. "Wow, you must also be very popular among the boys there."
Suzuka blinked a few too many times. She indeed had popular phases in Ōshitsu, though for no reason other than her status.
Kōji averted his eyes, and his smile weakened.
"Ah, sorry!" the cashier apologized to Kōji. "I shouldn't say things like that in front of your boyfriend."
Kōji and Suzuka snapped their heads toward her.
"Boyfriend?!"
"Boyfriend?"
She tilted her head. "Hm? Did I get it wrong?"
"Y-Yeah, I'm not her…. We're not a couple," Kōji answered.
"Really?!" She pinched her chin, and her brows furrowed in thought.
"Is it that shocking?" Suzuka asked.
"No, no, it's just that this is the first time I've got it wrong," the cashier laughed nervously. "I remember how my now-girlfriend and I used to deny it, too. We met at the start of uni, and now we're mere months away from graduating. She's from Sweden, but I'd believe it if she fell from heaven…"
She smirked down at the floor.
Kōji and Suzuka glanced at each other, blinking with no particular expression.
The cashier shook her hands. "Sorry, sorry! You surely don't wanna listen to my corny stories."
She looked through the window behind them, then looked back at them.
"Doesn't look like the storm's going anywhere any time soon, and you're still soaking wet and covered in mud. Take a seat at the tables over there while I get more towels."
Kōji interrupted her walk. "Please, we don't wanna be a nuisance and get everything dirty."
"You're not being a nuisance, and the last thing we'd want is for you to get sick," she grinned. "Be right back."
She walked to the back of the store again, leaving Kōji and Suzuka with a silence that even the crashing drops and distant rumbling thunder couldn't break.
What was Suzuka supposed to conclude based on all of these situations? More importantly, there was another thing bothering her—or rather, not bothering her as it should've.
Kōji tilted his head toward the aisle.
"Should we sit down?"
Not knowing what else to say or do, she nodded.
They walked down the aisle of cleaning and sanitary products and reached the two tiny tables for two.
He folded the towel so the less dirty side faced down on the cushioned chair. She promptly did the same, and noticed how much dirtier hers was.
He offered her his towel. "Let's change."
She glanced down at it and up at his gentle smile.
She could barely understand her own feelings lately, but what was his deal? Was he merely being polite as he would be to anyone? Or…?
"Araki?"
"I…. If you want to do it for me, doesn't it make more sense that I use the dirtier one so that your uniform is the one getting dirtier and not mine?"
He blinked too many times. "R-Right," he giggled. "Still feels rude, though."
The corners of Suzuka's lips rose.
She laid her folded, dirtier towel on the chair and sat down with her hands under her thighs, despite there being no skirt to hold.
"But thank you for the concern," she added.
Kōji's cheeks—her body's—reddened slightly.
Neither could hold their eyes in place for a second.
He laid his towel down on the chair in front of her and sat down.
Suzuka expected yet another rumbling silence. Instead, her phone vibrated once in her pocket. She took it out and read the message.
"Your parents?" Kōji smiled.
"I doubt they know there's a storm." She typed while saying, "It's my chauffeur. He's not too far away, but he's stuck in traffic. I'm telling him I'm safe in a store."
"Ah, I should tell my parents I'm safe too, but…"
She looked up at him. "I can share my data with you, or you can use my phone to message them."
"Thanks, but that's not gonna work." He scratched the back of his head. "I'd need to call our home landline directly."
About to tell him he could use her phone to call, she remembered their situation.
Her stomach slightly squeezed, yet she said it anyway.
"Give me the number; I'll make the call."
"Huh? Isn't that too risky?"
"It'll be worse to make your family worry about your well-being."
He looked down to his right and then to his left.
"Okay, the number is…"
She tapped the button for each number he said.
Only pressing the green button was left, yet her finger hovered over it.
Being that doubtful wasn't like her, so she tapped the button.
The call began ringing. She turned the speaker on a mere second before the time on the screen started counting.
"Hello?"
Suzuka's stomach dropped at the woman's voice. Despite that and the loud storm outside, she sensed a hint of worry in her tone.
"Mom," Kōji whispered.
Suzuka's brain sparked. "Hey, Mom. It's me."
"Kōji! Thank god, you're okay," his mother sighed in trembling relief. "Are you okay? Did you get stuck at the station? I can ask Makoto to go pick you up. No, wait, traffic's probably jammed. I'll send your dad with three umbrellas. You can buy more on the way if needed."
Suzuka's jaw remained dropped, while Kōji laughed nervously.
"I'm okay, I'm okay," Suzuka replied. "I'm safe in a store with a friend; she let me use her phone to call."
"I'm so glad to hear that. But 'a friend'? You're not with Hisa and Rem?"
Suzuka's chest grew warmer as Kōji's eyes widened, yet she answered with a smile still.
"No, I stayed behind to spend some time with another friend."
"Oh. Ohhh! I get it now, hehe. Make sure to thank her properly, and don't disturb the employees, okay? Make your way here as soon as the rain calms down enough, but be very safe. And make sure your friend's safe too."
"That won't be a problem; she'll have…. Someone will come pick her up, so they offered to drive me home."
"Ah, that's so sweet of them. We'll make sure to have a gift for them for the trouble."
Suzuka inhaled to say the words in her head, but something else came out instead.
"Okay. She looks forward to it."
Kōji's gaze grew heavier on her shoulders, yet she didn't dare look up at him.
His mother replied, "Splendid. Call us if anything happens, but only if it's an emergency; don't take advantage of her kindness."
"I will, and I won't. See you in a bit."
Suzuka ended the call before finally looking up ahead.
Kōji's mouth remained open and his brows raised.
"Is something wrong?" she asked.
"That was… scary."
She frowned. "Scary?"
"Yeah. You acted too much like me, maybe even more than me."
She snorted. "How could I act like you better than you?"
"I swear it's true," he chuckled. "Anyways, thanks for doing that for me."
"You're welcome."
They looked away after exchanging smiles, though the smiles remained.
Until…
"Your parents… are on a trip?" Kōji asked.
Suzuka nodded. "They've practically always been on business trips since I can remember."
"You stay home alone?"
"My maids and butlers have always taken care of me; they are like family. There also was my—"
A loud click sounded in the store, and the place turned pitch-black.
The humming of the refrigerators stopped, letting the rain and strong gusts of wind grow louder.
CRASH!
The loudest thunder exploded without warning.
Suzuka's body merely perked up as she looked out the window, which was far from the reaction she expected from herself.
If that was the case, then it meant…
Kōji shut his ears with his hands and squeezed his eyes closed.
His chest rose and fell hastily as he slightly lowered his hands and opened his eyes.
"Why was that… so scary?" he trembled.
Another click sounded, making him shudder.
The refrigerators hummed again, dimly lit from behind, while the rest of the lights stayed off.
"I'd guess it's because I'm afraid of thunder," Suzuka answered. "That includes…"
The whole store flashed white for a split second, giving Kōji enough warning to cover his ears and shut his eyes again before the deafening thunder. He squealed and jolted regardless.
The gray light coming through the front window barely lit the silhouette of his face, yet she needed to help him; he was suffering in her stead.
He lowered his trembling hands to rest them on the table, so she extended hers to reach for them…
"Is everything okay?!"
Suzuka snapped her hand away at the cashier's shout and her phone's flash. She was blinded for a second before she aimed down.
"Sorry for taking so long; I had to make a call. Here are the towels."
She handed them two towels each. They were small but good enough.
Due to the light, Kōji's shaking hands became obvious as he dried his head, the towels hiding his face.
"You should use your phones' flash," she suggested. "I'll look for a lamp or a flashlight in the back. I also need to make a couple more calls."
She dashed away again.
About to thank her, Suzuka noticed Kōji stayed completely still.
She rushed to turn her phone's flash on and placed it on the table, then did the same with his phone after unlocking it with her—Kōji's—fingerprint.
He smiled. "Thanks."
He left the towels hanging on his head, while she wrapped both around her mud-covered blazer.
Suddenly, he chuckled.
Suzuka's brows lowered. "What's funny?"
"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking this must be how Yu feels when there's a storm, and I remembered how cute she looked when she was scared."
Cute…
Perhaps if Suzuka overlooked the guilt of him having to go through it in her stead, there was a hint of adorableness in her own body's reactions.
He added, "She's only three, so it's only natural."
"You're comparing me to a little girl?!" Her body reacted on impulse, yet she didn't try to stop it. "What's wrong with being afraid of thunder at our age?"
"Nothing, nothing. It's just that most people outgrow that fear, but definitely not everyone, and there's nothing wrong with that."
Kōji's gentle smirk made Suzuka sigh into a smile.
She leaned back on the chair. "Is Yu your little sister? The one with the trophy in your profile picture?"
"The very same. She used to love bragging about her big brother being so cool before…"
Her chest squeezed. "Your injury."
He nodded. "You've probably heard of what happened by this point; it must be so annoying that I keep avoiding the topic."
"I've heard some things, aside from helping you take care of it. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious, but as I've said, I mostly care about not harming your body."
Although his smile stayed, his eyes lowered at the table.
The rain and wind banged on the window, followed by a flash of lightning.
Unlike the previous times, he shut his eyes and ears without shuddering.
The thunder exploded.
"That was very loud, wasn't it?" the cashier said as she arrived and placed two cookie packets on the table in front of them. "I would've gotten you something hot to warm you up, but it turns out you need power to heat stuff."
"Thank you very much," Kōji replied. "How much are they?"
"It's on the house. You've gone through enough today, and it's my way of showing my respect for you getting into Kasen."
"Oh, okay…?"
She giggled. "If you think that's not enough, then how about you tell me the secret to get into Kasen?"
"Secret? I mean, I got a sports scholarship right before finishing middle school."
"You're tall, gorgeous, and athletic? Wow, all the boys must definitely fall for you."
Was that all they needed to be attracted to Suzuka?
Did Kōji think the same?
The cashier continued, "I've heard that scholarships are the safest way to get into Kasen, so no surprises there. How about you, handsome Mister?"
Suzuka's posture stiffened. "I took the transfer exam this… year…"
It just hit her.
They were sharing their experiences with swapped bodies. They were giving her the opposite impression.
The cashier's eyes shot open. "Isn't it even more impossible to transfer to Kasen?"
"I've heard about that, but… I only knew it was the best school beneath mine, so I studied non-stop for a month straight."
"Wow, that's…. Wait, beneath yours? The only school above Kasen is…." She slammed the table. "You were in Ōshitsu?! Isn't it for the richest people in the country?"
Suzuka nodded.
"That means you're rich?! Does your family own a big company or something?"
"The Araki restaurant chain."
"You're an Araki?!"
Suzuka kept digging their grave of misunderstanding.
She frowned at another realization.
"You know of us?"
The cashier answered, "Of course. I mean, not that I've been to one; they're wildly expensive, but I've heard the name. Ah, I don't mean the prices are unreasonable! I just…"
"Don't worry, I… think I get it."
The doorbell rang on the other side of the store. Suzuka could only see the umbrella behind the shelves as the cashier ran to them.
The distance and the storm muted their short exchange, then the man peeked in to look at Kōji and Suzuka.
"Yoshimura?" Suzuka said as he approached.
"I'm sorry, have we met?" he asked.
Suzuka froze.
"I mentioned your name in passing a few minutes ago," Kōji answered. "How did you manage to get here?"
Yoshimura bowed to Kōji. "Ms. Suzuka, the traffic kept moving slowly, and the storm subsided enough to keep it going. We should make haste before it strengthens again."
"Alright." He looked at Suzuka. "Would it be possible to drive he—him home?"
Yoshimura bowed again. "Your wish is my command."
Kōji and Suzuka stood up and unwrapped their towels.
About to hand them to the cashier, she interrupted them.
"Keep them," she said. "Just thinking about making that fancy car dirty makes me shiver in pain. And don't forget your cookies."
Kōji and Suzuka glanced at each other. They turned around to put the packets in their shoulder bag and backpack.
She discreetly slid her phone on the table to him and leaned in closer to whisper.
"Give her my contact info; I'll help her get a reservation."
He looked at her in surprise, then he nodded with a smile.
They turned around a moment later, and Kōji showed Suzuka's contact code on her phone's screen to the cashier.
"Add me," he said. "I'll help you get a reservation at our restaurant."
The cashier blinked at the screen. "Are you serious? Isn't the queue like six months long?"
He nodded. "I'll help you get it as soon as possible."
After several more blinks, she shakily tapped her phone's screen. She aimed the camera at the code.
"Done." She bowed to Suzuka. "Thank you very much."
"It's no problem."
They followed Yoshimura to the door, where he handed Kōji another umbrella in addition to the one he held.
They also wrapped the towels around themselves again.
"Ready?" Yoshimura asked.
Kōji and Suzuka nodded.
"My name's Yōko, by the way," the cashier said behind them. "Have a safe trip home."
Suzuka replied, "Thank you for your hospitality."
After exchanging one more smile with her, they followed Yoshimura out of the store.
Only the wind remained strong, though the rain wasn't completely gone.
Yoshimura made sure to keep Kōji under his umbrella, while Kōji made sure to keep both him and Suzuka under the other.
They carefully avoided the standing water in the tiny parking lot and reached the black sedan.
Yoshimura opened the back door for Kōji to climb in first, followed by Suzuka.
He closed the door and walked around the car to get in the driver's seat.
Although Kōji and Suzuka tried to cover all of the mud on their uniforms, it was impossible not to get the seat dirty.
Yoshimura extended his hand with a phone between the seats.
"Would you mind selecting your friend's home?"
Kōji grabbed it. The map app was open, so he panned the view toward the city. The closer he got, the more red roads and warning signs appeared.
He selected a place and returned the phone to Yoshimura.
"Thank you," he said. "It might take some time to get there, so please get comfortable."
He raised the window that divided the back from the front seats.
The weight on Suzuka's shoulders suddenly lifted, even though she hadn't realized it was there.
"Hey, should we…?" Kōji whispered as he pointed at his hand.
Suzuka nodded, and after a little hesitation, she laid her hand on her own smaller hand.
She moved it away within a second.
The gentle engine of the car and the faint raindrops barely filled the silence.
"What an afternoon, huh?" Kōji smiled. "I feel like closing my eyes already."
"I am tired, too. We can take a nap now; Yoshimura will wake us up."
"Okay."
He looked at the window on his side, so she did the same on her side.
Her mind began recollecting everything that happened in the last few hours when she closed her eyes.
…
"Ms. Suzuka."
The voice woke her brain, yet her eyelids remained too heavy.
"Ms. Suzuka, we've arrived."
Her eyes slowly opened, but when she saw the blurry, dark outside through the window, her whole body jolted awake.
She looked to the other side and saw Kōji—in his body—waking up.
"Yoshimura, why are we home?" she asked. "Are you going to drive him home after dropping me off?"
"I'm very sorry. The storm grew stronger the closer we got to the city, as you can see outside. They shut many more roads, and the traffic got stuck again. We were at the last turn to take the road home, so I did. I didn't want to disturb your rest when there wasn't another viable choice."
"I see."
About to talk to Kōji, Suzuka saw his dropped jaw as he stared out the window.
"That's… where you live?" he said.
She nodded. "Is it alright for you to stay a few hours?"
Yoshimura replied, "Based on the updated forecast, the typhoon has only reached the city, so it might not be possible to drive him home until early in the morning after everything has cleared."
"Really?" Kōji frowned. "I don't wanna be a burden…"
Suzuka deadpanned. "You won't."
Yoshimura added, "Worry not, we're always prepared for impromptu guests. Just make sure to tell your family. We can attest to the situation if necessary."
After a long pause, Kōji nodded.
"Okay. Thank you very much."
Sakakibara soon arrived, holding an umbrella to cover himself and another closed one.
Yoshimura opened his umbrella as he climbed out of the car. He walked around it and opened the back door on Kōji's side.
Sakakibara handed him the closed umbrella. Both of them covered him as he climbed out and opened the umbrella, then waited for Suzuka to do the same with the umbrella she had from before.
Yoshimura closed the door before they hastily yet carefully made their way down the path toward the front door.
Kōji soon began limping on his left leg. Fortunately, the path wasn't too long.
They were about to reach the door when Fujisaki opened it. Yoshimura and Sakakibara waited outside for Kōji and Suzuka to step in first.
A moment later, everyone was inside, and the storm's roaring vanished when the door was closed.
Moriyama bowed. "Welcome home, Ms. Suzuka, and welcome to the Araki family manor, esteemed guest. Please allow us to keep your shoes. We'll clean them while you take a bath, which we will prepare shortly."
Kōji's jaw remained dropped.
Suzuka couldn't help but smile.
"Please, and thank you," she replied.
Kōji jolted. "Yes, sorry! I mean, thanks."
They both took their loafers off.
Moriyama and Fujisaki grabbed a pair each and walked upstairs.
"Real maids and butlers…" Kōji mumbled.
Suzuka chuckled. "Is it that shocking?"
"I mean…"
"What is shocking is how much fun you seem to be having despite the circumstances."
That voice…
She turned around and saw him approaching from the dining hall.
"It also looks like you still have that habit of yours, Suzuka."
She looked up at him.
"Father."