Chapter 6: Low Blow

A few days after the volunteer cleanup...

Rec Hall Room 401 was currently occupied by two members of the Cultural Research Club: Yaegashi Taichi [as Inaba Himeko] and Aoki Yoshifumi [as Kiriyama Yui]. The [girls] were currently chuckling to themselves over a couple of videos they had just finished recording on their cell phones.

One phone showed [Kiriyama] looking tearfully into the camera. “I... I always lashed out at you because I was trying to, like, hide how I felt... but the truth is... I’m, like, in love with you, Aoki. Sorry, I know this is, like, totally random...”

On the other, [Inaba] stared shyly at the floor. “I... I’m, um... I’m in love with you... So please... if you’ll have me... Please make me yours...”

The girls of the CRC were currently off on an errand. Technically, Nagase, Taichi, and Aoki were meant to handle it, but then Inaba and Kiriyama got switched into [their bodies]... So while the girls were busy elsewhere, the boys of the CRC (specifically, Aoki) came up with the unfathomably stupid idea of using [the girls’ bodies] to say things they wanted to hear Kiriyama and Inaba say in real life.

“Oh man, this is so good! The contrast between [Inabacchan]’s tough, guyish personality and the shy sweetness of her speech... Hits me right in the feels!”

In reality, the shyness was little more than a result of Taichi’s own embarrassment, but evidently Aoki was into it.

“As for yours... Well, you weren’t exactly subtle about what you want, huh?”

“Guilty as charged! Man... I hope she’ll say it f’real someday...” [Kiriyama] (Aoki) muttered. Admittedly it was weird to see [Kiriyama] talking about “herself” in the third person.

“You’re pretty dead-set on her, huh?” Taichi was genuinely impressed by his dedication in the face of how cruelly she treated him.

“Of course. My heart’s tellin’ me she’s The One, you know? I can’t explain it—well, okay, I guess technically I can. I mean, she’s cute, and cheerful, and pure, and innocent, and downright stubborn at times... and a total tsundere...”

That last part sounded like wishful thinking on Aoki’s part.

“But the biggest part of it is... my gut. When I first saw her, it just hit me out of nowhere,” [Kiriyama] (Aoki) explained, nodding to himself.

“Well, that was fun,” said [Inaba] (Taichi). “We’d better delete the videos before they get back.”

“Gimme a break!” [Kiriyama] (Aoki) replied, shaking his shoulders exaggeratedly like a stand-up comedian. He grinned. “We’re only just gettin’ started, buddy!”

“But...”

“Okay, never mind then.”

[Kiriyama] (Aoki) backed down rather quickly this time around considering how aggressively he’d convinced Taichi to help him film the first one... Then, out of nowhere, he started humming, like he was waiting for something.

“...I mean, if you really, really want to, I guess we could...” Taichi conceded.

God, I’m such a creep...

With the start of their second filming session, the two idiots were more hyped than ever. They had plenty of time until the girls got back, so they figured they may as well enjoy themselves to the fullest.

But this carelessness was their downfall.

For right then, the door opened. [Taichi] (Kiriyama) and [Aoki] (Inaba) had returned from their errand earlier than anticipated.

[Inaba] (Taichi) and [Kiriyama] (Aoki) froze.

The girls almost certainly hadn’t overheard their conversation, so if their brains had been functioning properly, they could surely have made up a timely excuse. But the boys had been so heavily infatuated with their little game, they’d completely let their guards down.

This meant they needed a few seconds to recover from the surprise.

And the girls of the CRC knew exactly what that meant.

“Yui! Seize that phone!” [Aoki] (Inaba) commanded.

“Got it!” [Taichi] (Kiriyama) bolted forward at [Kiriyama] (Aoki) with slick, agile movements Taichi didn’t realize his body was capable of making.

[Kiriyama] (Aoki) let out a pathetic shriek and recoiled, but [Taichi] (Kiriyama) whipped the phone out of his hand in an instant. Then she turned and handed it to [Aoki] (Inaba).

“Now then, let’s see what you were doing with my phone... Hmm? You guys took a video?” [Aoki] (Inaba) pressed Play, and the room went dead silent as the cringey recorded lines blared from her phone’s speakers.

As she stood there, perfectly still, Taichi could have sworn he heard a blood vessel in her forehead pop.

“Wow. What an intriguing little experiment!” [Aoki] (Inaba) pulled off [his] blazer, then [his] tie, then began to unbutton [his] shirt.

They watched in baffled horror as she whipped off both [his] button-up and undershirt, revealing [his] bare chest. Then [his] hand moved to [his] belt.

“Wh-What the heck are you doing?!” [Taichi] (Kiriyama) finally blurted out, blushing bright red.

“Isn’t it obvious? I just thought I’d go streaking around campus.”

“Y-You’re joking, right, Inaba?” [Inaba] (Taichi) croaked hoarsely, unable to comprehend the level she was clearly willing to stoop to for the sake of revenge.

“I don’t know, am I? Heh heh heh...”

“P-Please don’t do it, Inabacchan! It’s social suicide! For [me], at least!”

“Y-Yeah, c’mon, Inaba! You wouldn’t really go that far, would you...?

”

Surely even Inaba wasn’t that heartless—

“Perish.”

—Never mind.

“I’m begging you, Inaba-san! If you make me commit social suicide, I may as well actually die!” [Kiriyama] (Aoki) pleaded on [her] knees.

Meanwhile, to Taichi, the sight of headstrong [Kiriyama] begging [Aoki] was really something else.

“Shut the fuck up! After the humiliating shit you asswipes did in [my body]?! It serves you right!”

In the end, after much bickering, the three of them (Kiriyama, naturally, had taken the boys’ side) were finally able to calm Inaba down.

By the time peace had returned to the clubroom, everyone had switched back into their own bodies. (More accurately, peace returned because of the switch, as Inaba had lost her chance to go streaking.)

“Next time you two pull a stunt like that, you’re dead meat, got it?”

“Yes, ma’am. We’re sorry,” Taichi and Aoki recited together.

“Just to be clear, I’m not happy with you either, okay? Next time I catch you doing this, I’m for real gonna kick your butts!” Kiriyama said with a large, mirthless smile.

Taichi trembled. “Understood, loud and clear.”

A “butt-kicking” at Kiriyama’s hands could probably send both of them to the hospital...

“That doesn’t sound fun... Well, okay, maybe a little...” As usual, Aoki was running his mouth like an idiot. “Oh yeah, that reminds me. I’ve been wonderin’ about somethin’...” He hesitated for a moment, then continued. “Yui, are you kinda scared of us? Whenever I’m in [your body], I feel myself kinda flinch anytime Taichi or I come close. Or any guy, pretty much.”

Taichi tilted his head in puzzlement. “What?”

Apparently Aoki’s observation wasn’t far off the mark. Kiriyama froze as all the blood drained from her face. She stared forward into space, unblinking, unmoving, like her whole system had just crashed.

Then she suddenly jumped back to life and forced a smile. “...Wha... Huh? O-Of course not... As if I’d ever be afraid of a... a couple of idiots like you. I mean, I’m... I’m invincible! I could kick your butts anytime I want! So yeah... I’m not... scared of men!”

Her voice was as stiff and robotic as her expression. It was obvious to anyone listening that she meant precisely the opposite of everything she said.

Kiriyama clutched at her shoulder with one hand as though she were staving off a bitter chill. Long strands of chestnut hair lay over and under her tightly clasped fingers, contrasted against the stark white of her dress shirt.

She hung her head, hiding her expression behind a curtain of hair. In that moment, she seemed smaller than ever... and Taichi was hit with the powerful impulse to help this sad, lonely girl smile again.

At the same time, it still felt so unreal. After all, she’d never shown any signs... or maybe he simply hadn’t noticed them. And maybe he hadn’t noticed because he never thought to look.

Aoki jumped to his feet. “I’m so sorry!” He bowed his head. “All this time, I kept goin’ on and on about how much I care about you... but I didn’t even notice... I’m so dense, I never would’ve figured it out without this crazy body-swap stuff... God, I’ve probably hurt you dozens of times by now... I’m... I’m such a stupid piece of trash!”

It was clear from his voice that he deeply regretted everything he had done.

Kiriyama looked up suddenly. Her eyes were usually so spirited and brave... but now they were full of tears. Her shapely brows were furrowed in anguish. Stray strands of hair stuck to her rosy pink lips. She looked at Inaba, Aoki, and Taichi in turn... and then, before anyone could stop her, she bolted for the door. It all happened in a split-second, her long brown hair and skirt fluttering behind her as her muscular legs carried her through the door and down the stairs.

“Yui!” Aoki called out belatedly, preparing to chase after her. But before he could, Inaba flung out her right arm, blocking his path. “Inabacchan?!”

“I’m glad you finally put two and two together, but man, your timing sucks... Then again, based on her reaction, I’m guessing the timing isn’t the main issue... I’m surprised, though. Are these latent fears really ingrained in our [bodies]? I knew about it, but I didn’t really notice it much when I was [Yui]. Maybe some people are more sensitive to it...? In your case, maybe you have a strong intuition to make up for that empty head of yours...” Inaba muttered to herself, scratching her head with her free hand.

“You knew about this, Inaba? What’s going on with Kiriyama?” Taichi asked, forcing his brain to process everything that had just unfolded in front of him.

“Of course I knew. I’d have to be braindead not to notice... Sorry, that was a little harsh. To be fair, she’s pretty good at hiding it. Based on how she normally acts, most people would never even guess... except for me, obviously. It’s pretty serious, too. Anyway, I’m not gonna go into detail. If you want to know, ask her yourself.”

“Then let me go find her,” Aoki retorted, wrestling with Inaba’s blocking arm.

“I wouldn’t if I were you. It’s too soon, and you’ll just make things worse. You know Yui tends to get a little overly emotional. Let me go calm her down instead.”

There was a moment of silence as the two glared at each other. Then Aoki caved.

“...Fine... Thanks, Inabacchan.”

“All I can do is cool her down. You guys are going to have to fix this yourselves later. And that includes you, Taichi,” Inaba called out, turning her sharp gaze on him next.

He flinched. “A-Alright,” he nodded.

She squinted at him suspiciously for a moment, then turned away and pulled out her cell phone. “I saw this coming. I knew someone was going to get hurt... but it doesn’t have to leave a scar unless you let it.”

With that, she walked out the door, leaving Taichi and Aoki behind.

“Guh... I’m so stupid... It’s legit infuriating how freakin’ dense I am... Uggghhh... I hate myself sooo much right now... I never knew how Yui felt... I never even realized... I only noticed once I was literally in her shoes... I’m such a dick...” Aoki groaned, pressing his cheek to the table.

“It wasn’t 100% your fault, though. Even Inaba was impressed with how well she was hiding it. And at least you noticed! I didn’t feel a thing when I was [Kiriyama]!”

“Nah, you had to be in the right place at the right time to feel anything, dude. And even when I did feel it, it wasn’t super obvious at first... Haah... Man...”

This revelation turned their whole world upside down. Would they have been better off never finding out? Taichi turned this over in his mind for a moment, then decided against it. As Kiriyama’s friends, this was something they were always fated to notice and confront eventually—it was just a matter of when and how. And ultimately, things hadn’t gone too well.

“Thinkin’ back on it, there were signs, though. Like, think about it. All this time, do you ever remember her touchin’ you, or vice versa? And I don’t mean during the body-swap.”

“Hmm... No, not really... but at our age, it’s not really that strange to keep your distance from the opposite sex, is it?”

“Mmmm... Think about it this way. In the CRC, we got grouchy ol’ Inabacchan punchin’ everybody’s lights out. And then there’s Iori-chan, who loves to give people hugs and massages and stuff. So there’s a lot of touching happenin’.”

Aoki had a point there. The five of them were so close-knit, it was rare for gender to get in the way of their friendship, and they were all pretty touchy-feely with each other (but not in a weird way).

“And if touchin’ each other is totally normal between us, then ain’t it kinda weird for Yui to go out of her way to avoid it, considerin’ how feisty she can get? Plus, Inabacchan’s got that ‘disciplinarian’ role goin’ on, but wouldn’t it make more sense for Yui to do it, since she’s the overemotional karate girl?”

“I just assumed she wasn’t the type to lash out... Oh, wait... She did throw those cookies at me the other day...”

“And she kicked that weighted memory foam pillow at me.”

Taichi thought back to the events that had transpired in Inaba’s room that day.

“I’m not sayin’ she has to hit us, obviously. Just that somethin’ kinda feels off about it, is all.”

There were other signs, too. Like the day [Aoki] (Nagase) had reached out to touch her on the train platform.

“Aoki, you’re actually pretty sharp, you know that?”

“When it comes to the girl I love, I pay attention.”

For once, Aoki sounded like a total badass.

“Even in times like these, you just don’t let anything shake you, huh?” Taichi muttered.

“That’s just how I roll, man. ‘Living for the moment,’ or whatever.”

“Must be nice.”

“You jelly?” Aoki joked, grinning like a bratty kid, to which Taichi smirked. He continued, “Nah, I get what you’re sayin’. With all the body-swappin’, and «Heartseed» showin’ up, and all the other crazy stuff, you’re like, ‘Time to wake up and be serious for once!’ Right?”

“Sounds more like something Inaba would say,” Taichi retorted.

“Either way, it’s just not possible for a guy like me. My outlook ain’t fragile enough that the body-swap could damage it.”

“Your ‘living for the moment’ outlook, you mean?”

“Yeah. When it comes down to it, that’s all that matters to me. To me, it don’t matter what your long-term goals are. As long as you’re givin’ it 100%, you’re already winnin’ at life,” Aoki declared, utterly unruffled in the face of Taichi’s sarcasm. “When I’m on my deathbed, I wanna be able to look back on my life and say to myself, man, what a ride. That’s why I try to just laugh off this whole body-swap thing if I can. ‘Course, I know it’s a lot to ask... and it’s already hurt Yui...”

Taichi began to wonder if Aoki was actually the most level-headed and stable one of the group... though admittedly he knew his opinion wasn’t the most reliable in this case, considering he didn’t have his own life figured out whatsoever.

Suddenly, Aoki looked up and shouted, “Whoa, man, what am I waxin’ philosophical for?! I ain’t the smart guy here!”

“Aoki, have you always been this cool? Man, this sucks...”

“You bet! ...Wait, huh? What sucks about it?!”

“I dunno... I always thought you were just a dumbass...”

“Wow, rude. A-Anyway, that’s just what you get for underestimating me, or somethin’! Dang it... First Inabacchan, and now this...”

“Speaking of Inaba, she really took me to task the other day...”

“Aw, that’s nothin’ new.”

Wow, he just doesn’t even care...

“No, I mean, like... way worse than normal. She basically ripped me a new one...”

“Whoa... I’ve never seen you get so down about it before... You always seemed like the kinda dude who’s quick to let this stuff go... Well, Inabacchan can be a bit of a prickly pear, y’know? If you wanna talk about it, I’m all ears.”

After a moment of hesitation, Taichi took Aoki up on his kind offer and told him about the “goddamn martyr” conversation (minus the part about Nagase).

“Oho, I see... Uh huh... Aha... Now I get it... Mm-hmm...” Aoki nodded as though it all made perfect sense. “Y’know, I think I see where she’s comin’ from on this one. ‘Martyr’ really hits the nail on the head. Man, she’s smart.”

“You agree with her?” Taichi asked, crushed.

“Just hear me out here, alright? I mean, I think my personal philosophy is pretty sweet. Someone else might look at it and go ‘Man, your priorities are jacked.’ But in the end, no matter what other people say, I ain’t gonna change it. I know I said some tough-guy crap like ‘my outlook ain’t fragile,’ but it’s not like I do anything special to protect it. It stays the same on its own. And that’s just the kind of guy I am. People may change like crazy on the outside, but on the inside, it’s a lot harder than you’d think. Sometimes people may look like they’ve changed their tune, but that’s just it—it’s just a surface level change. And as chance would have it, I happen to be the kind of guy who don’t change much on the outside. That’s all it is.”

His voice was casual, yet firm. While he definitely hadn’t changed much on the outside, to Taichi, he seemed like an entirely different person somehow.

“Anyway, sorry for the weird tangent. My point is, you should figure out what kind of guy you are, what your outlook is, then stick to it. Maybe there are some things about being a martyr that you should work on fixin’, but I’m sure it’s gotta come with some perks too, right? And if you can’t fix it, then that’s just the way it is. Happens to everyone, y’know?”

Maybe giving in didn’t have to always be such a bad thing. Maybe his only option was to accept it, reflect on it, and ultimately move past it.

“Man, you’re incredible. Seriously.”

Aoki seemed to have already figured out a ton of things it would take the average person—including Taichi himself—years to understand.

“Aw, c’mon, you’re makin’ me blush! I mean, real talk, you’re way cooler than I am. In terms of raw potential, you’re lightyears above me!”

“The heck is ‘raw potential’ supposed to mean?”

“Look, I don’t expect an airhead like you to get it, but basically you’re awesome, alright? If you weren’t, you never would’ve earned the title of ‘martyr’ from Inabacchan. And plus, I get the feeling you could handle Yui better than I could... I just... Now that we know her secret, I don’t have the first clue how to even talk to her anymore...”

Now that they knew, there was no way of un-knowing. So how would it change them? And what were they meant to do about it?

“Yeah... I’m not sure how we can help her...”

“See? That’s what I’m talkin’ about. You’re thinkin’ on a whole different scale! Like, you’re over here thinkin’ about how to help her. Meanwhile, I’m too tied up tryin’ to figure out how to make our friendship last another day!”

“Hey, c’mon. I’m no superhero or anything.”

“But the scary thing is, you might actually figure out how to fix her... And if you do... Aw man, she’s totally gonna fall head over heels for you! Crap, dude... I can totally see it happening!”

Evidently Aoki had an active imagination.

□■□■□

As usual, it came out of nowhere. One minute Taichi was sitting in the living room, enjoying some post-dinner TV with his little sister Rina—and the next, he was lying face down on a bed in an unfamiliar room.

His vision was swimming, and he could feel his nose dripping. He sniffed... and felt something roll down his cheek. Wiping the tear with the sleeve of his oversized pink T-shirt, he gingerly dried his eyes.

He could feel a tightness in his chest that he couldn’t explain.

Evidently he had switched bodies with someone again.

Struggling to adapt to his new, much smaller frame, Taichi got out of bed and walked to the red heart-shaped mirror sitting on a nearby shelf.

[Kiriyama Yui] looked back at him.

[Her] eyes and nose were swollen pink, [her] chestnut hair was limp and lifeless, and [her] usual babyface looked a bit haggard—the kind of look that would make anyone instinctively want to reach out and protect [her].

Inaba’s words floated through the back of his mind.

—This situation we’re in? It’s extremely fucking precarious. This is a crisis, Taichi. It’s hopeless.

—We can’t predict when someone might get hurt, and things could fall apart at any time.

Now, for the first time, Taichi understood just what sort of damage the body-swap was truly capable of.

Had Kiriyama spent the whole night crying? Or had her tears subsided at some point, only to come flooding back again? Or... was she crying over something else entirely? Taichi was shedding [her] tears, but he didn’t have the first clue why. The body-swap may have put him in her shoes, but it didn’t afford him a peek into her mind.

Unsure what to do next, Taichi rubbed [her] eyes again, then dropped back down onto [her] bed. The fluorescent lighting was too bright; he held a pale hand up to intercept it... but despite all the years of karate plainly etched into every finger, in that moment, it seemed far too small to protect her from much of anything.

He knew Kiriyama never meant for anyone else to witness these tears... much less step into her body and feel them in person. Was it okay to infringe on her privacy like this? Of course not—and under any other circumstances, this would never have happened in the first place.

But... what if the body-swap could have a silver lining?

What if he could shoulder the burden of the stinging pain in her eyes, nose, and chest? It wouldn’t be more than a trifle compared to the bitter heartache she must’ve felt... but surely it was better than having to bear it all alone, right?

Humans were bitter animals. They tended to complain, and curse their fate, and imagine fanciful what-if worlds that didn’t actually exist. They could shrug off their problems as impossible, and everyone else would simply let them. But that was just escapism masquerading as letting go. What appeared to be objective observation was in fact nothing more than empty air.

But to look for the silver lining? That took real courage. And to conflate it with blind optimism would be a grave mistake. Looking for the silver lining didn’t mean throwing your hands up and simply hoping it would all work out somehow. No... To find the silver lining in something, you actually needed to look. Hard.

Would Inaba forgive him for meddling if he did so with a full understanding of their supposedly “hopeless” circumstances?

As he thought about this, a music box ringtone began to play. Taichi sat up and dug around until he located the source of the sound—a pale pink cell phone lying on the bed. He picked it up and checked the caller ID: Yaegashi Taichi.

When he answered, a (somewhat) familiar, yet (somewhat) unnerving voice spoke on the other line: his own.

“Hey, uh... This is Taichi, right?!” asked, well, [Taichi] (Kiriyama).

“Yep, it’s me.”

“You’ve probably figured it out by now, but this is Kiriyama! So, um, you probably noticed I was crying, but, like... don’t worry about it or whatever. Just forget you saw anything, okay?!”

He could hear the desperation in her voice. It was only natural to want to ask someone to forget they saw something you didn’t want them to see in the first place. And if he quietly turned a blind eye to what he’d witnessed, he could at least act like he’d “forgotten.” But that wasn’t a real solution. It was a temporary measure at best.

That said, he didn’t blame her for wanting to sweep the whole thing under the rug. At least that way she could be sure she’d have peace of mind, even if just for a few moments. The world was full of little moments you had to shrug off or else you’d never survive it alone.

He understood that... and yet, at the same time...

“I can’t just forget,” Taichi replied.

The first step was to accept it.

On the other end of the line, he heard [Taichi] (Kiriyama) inhale sharply. He could practically see the look on her face.

“If anything, I think you should forget it,” he continued.

The next step was to reflect on it.

He had yet to come up with any concrete solution, but at least he was honest about what he wanted from her. They could just start from there.

“...What...? That’s... That’s stupid...”

He could hear the sob in her—well, [his]—voice.

“Can we meet up somewhere?” he asked, knowing words alone wouldn’t be enough.

This way, she could start to move past it.

Walking in the darkness meant stumbling blindly, tripping, scraping knees, unsure where you’re headed—maybe even plunging off a cliff if you weren’t careful.

But was it really so stupid to believe in a light at the end of the tunnel?

Taichi couldn’t help but want to rescue her from that darkness.

8:30 PM. Night had descended over the town.

Kiriyama said she wanted to stay out of the public eye, so they chose to meet up at an old park they were both familiar with, located about halfway between their houses. It was a bit far, but within biking distance. Thankfully, they both knew the area well enough that they had no trouble navigating unfamiliar neighborhoods to get there.

The park was furnished with a bench, a see-saw, and a sandbox, dimly lit under the streetlamps. Designed only to fill an empty space between houses, it was a bit too cramped for kids to play baseball or even a game of tag.

At this time of night, the park was utterly forgotten—few passing pedestrians or cars, no delinquent gangs. Its only inhabitants were two figures on bikes: Yaegashi Taichi and Kiriyama Yui... piloting each other’s bodies.

Taichi had been worried he’d find her crying, but [Taichi] (Kiriyama) seemed calm. [He] was still wearing the outfit he’d changed into after school: T-shirt, thin blue jacket, sweatpants.

“Taichi, I’m sorry, but I think I made your sister suspicious,” [Taichi] (Kiriyama) blurted out the moment they laid eyes on each other.

“Uh oh... What happened?”

He imagined she must’ve been pretty panicked at the time of the swap. After all, she’d been crying at the time.

“It was just so sudden... I mean, it’s always sudden, but this time around I got a little overly freaked, and your sister was like, ‘What’s the matter with you lately, Big Bro? Do we need to get you to a hospital?’ ”

“Oh god, she’s already talking about having me committed...?” Not good. He’d have to come up with some kind of cover story. “Oh well, that can wait. Anyway, listen, Kiriyama—”

“Let me guess. Is this about what happened today?” [Taichi] (Kiriyama) cut in.

“Yeah, actually.”

“Right before we switched, I got a phone call from Aoki. He said there was a bunch of stuff he wanted to talk about in person, but for now he needed to get something off his chest... And then he apologized, like, a billion times. No joke.”

Evidently Aoki had already taken action before Taichi had even decided what his next move would be.

“I don’t know why, though, considering it was my fault in the first place... I thought to myself, ugh, now Aoki and Taichi are totally gonna walk on eggshells around me... I felt so pathetic and awful... I started thinking about how we’d never be able to have fun anymore, and... it hurt so bad, I started crying... I’m sorry... I’m sorry I’m so weak...”

Though she was unmistakably [Taichi] on the outside, the aura of sorrowful fragility was unmistakably hers. It was a vibe Taichi was sure he couldn’t recreate even if he tried.

“No more ‘sorry,’ okay? You have nothing to apologize for.” He paused. “Actually, let me get one in real fast. I’m sorry, too.” He was tempted to specify why, but it struck him as a little gauche, so he didn’t.

Kiriyama didn’t ask for details, either. She simply nodded.

“So, uh... Androphobia, huh?”

Saying it out loud made the weight of the issue all the more apparent. It felt like way too much for one person to bear alone.

“...Yeah. I’m okay talking to them, but if they get too close, or if they try to touch me... it’s pretty bad. I start shaking and stuff... Hahaha...” [Taichi] (Kiriyama) laughed weakly, like she was trying to convince herself it was no big deal.

“How long have you had it? I mean... something must have triggered it, right? Can I ask what happened?” [Kiriyama] (Taichi) asked, looking [Taichi] (Kiriyama) straight in the eye.

[Taichi] (Kiriyama) snorted and looked away. “You sure never beat around the bush, do you, Taichi?” she mumbled.

“Is that a bad thing?”

“Not necessarily... Just a little concerning,” [Taichi] (Kiriyama) commented vaguely, though Taichi didn’t follow her meaning. “Guess that’s just the kind of guy you are... Alright, I’ll make an exception for you. Just FYI, you’re the second person at school I’ve ever told. Inaba was the first.” Her voice sounded a little brighter now. “I know this is a lot of lead-up, but just so you know, it’s not actually some crazy story or anything. It’s the same kinda stuff that happens to a bunch of people, nothing special.” With that disclaimer, [Taichi] (Kiriyama) took a deep breath and continued. “When I was in middle school, a man tried to rape me.” Pause. “It’s not as serious as it sounds, though. I mean, he tried, but nothing actually happened. I fought back and got away.” She kept her gaze pointedly averted. “But at the time I was this kickass karate girl, you know? I thought I was invincible. Heck, I’d been picking fights with boys since grade school and won every time. So I always figured, if anybody tried to force themselves on me, I could just beat ‘em to a pulp. But then, once it actually happened? Totally different story. It took everything I had just to make a break for it... Turns out adult men are really strong. Hopelessly strong, compared to a preteen girl. And that was the moment I thought to myself, no matter what I do, I’ll never stand a chance against a man.”

[Taichi] (Kiriyama) looked up into the night sky, and [Kiriyama] (Taichi) followed suit, gazing up at the perfect half moon.

“I’d lost my share of karate matches against older girls, but it never once made me think ‘Oh, I’ll never, ever beat this person.’ And yet somehow I felt that way about any old average guy. That was around the time puberty finally kicked in for the guys in my classes, and they were starting to get taller and stuff... So every time I remembered how powerless I was against them, I would get freaked out. It felt like men and women were completely different species, and that only freaked me out more... And once I noticed one little difference, I started to see all the other minor differences, which magnified it even further... Gah, I’m so stupid.”

“You’re not stupid. After what you went through, I can’t blame you for feeling that way.”

As a man, Taichi knew he could never truly understand exactly how she felt, but he could imagine it, at least.

“...So yeah, from that point on, I saw men as these indecipherable alien creatures. For a while, just being around them would turn my stomach... but thankfully that didn’t last long. Pretty soon I got to the stage I’m at now, where I can hold casual conversations and mess around. It’s just... If they get too close, or too touchy-feely, well... it activates my fight-or-flight response, I guess.”

“So when you’re goofing off with me and Aoki, it doesn’t activate, I take it?”

“As long as I know I have room to escape, yeah.”

The average conversation typically took place in fairly close proximity, though...

“I wonder what it is... I don’t think I was traumatized by the attempted rape itself, but... I guess because he was overpowering my arms at the time, I came away with this belief that once a man grabs you, it’s all over. It’s funny... You’d think I’d understand myself a little better than this, but... Well, anyway, that’s my story.” [Taichi] (Kiriyama) bowed as if to conclude her performance.

Her pain was deeper and more ingrained than Taichi ever imagined. Thankfully she didn’t treat all men like monsters—but she still saw them as threats on a subconscious level, to the point that her body and rational mind were entirely at odds. Her potential for getting over it was... less than ideal, to say the least.

...The fact that his train of thought went straight to “getting over it” was probably a sign of his dogged optimism. He could only imagine what Aoki or Inaba would say if they were here.

Regardless, his feelings on the matter weren’t important here—just hers.

“So, how do you want to handle it? Your... you know... androphobia.” Maybe it was an obvious question, but nevertheless, he wanted to ask.

“I’d rather not say...” [Taichi] (Kiriyama) furrowed [his] brow and curled [his] lips into a familiar pained smile—one he’d likely seen on Kiriyama herself at some point.

“Okay, how about... what do you want for yourself in the future? Can’t hurt to dream, right?”

“But...” She faltered, conflicted.

“I want to help you,” [Kiriyama] (Taichi) said firmly.

“...That’s the problem,” [Taichi] (Kiriyama) retorted bluntly. She sighed, but not out of annoyance or resignation—something softer, kinder. “If I tell you, then you’ll see it as me asking you for help.”

The words pierced his chest and gripped his heart in a way most things never could—possibly because they were spoken by someone wearing his face. It felt like his inner self was communicating to him directly.

Was this the basis of who he was, ultimately?

“Is that... a bad thing?”

“No, but... I just really hate to burden other people with my problems. It makes me feel so guilty and pathetic and weak...” she muttered bitterly, her anguish now plain to see.

Man, it’s so awkward being human, Taichi thought to himself.

No matter how much you care for each other, it’s not the same as truly understanding one another. Your kindness ends up misplaced. Despite whatever good intent you may have, the other person may see it in a different light entirely.

And apparently no amount of body-swapping would change that. Mind-reading, maybe. Otherwise, if your friend decided not to use their words, well, you were left in the dark.

Thus, they needed to have the conversation. Put it all out in the open... and move past it.

“Personally, I think the real burden here is you having androphobia.”

He knew he’d put it harshly... but it was the honest truth, and he had to say it.

Sure, they could always just be there for her, watching from the sidelines as she worked through her fears bit by bit. And even if she didn’t find a perfect solution, at least this option would keep the peace, if only on the surface.

But Taichi had just shot that option in the foot, now that he’d called her fear a burden. Now they’d be forced to find a solution or else face a total breakdown of their friendship.

Predictably, [Taichi] (Kiriyama) began to shake with rage. “How... how could you just say that?! A burden?! I never asked to be like this, okay?! I hate this just as much as anyone!”

Well, look at that. Take a chance on honesty, and sometimes the other person will return it in kind.

“Then let me help you.”

“Wha—?!”

“You just said you hate it, right?”

Don’t hide in half-measures. Confront it.

Accept it—but don’t run from it. Fight it.

“Wh... What are you even saying...? No, really... What’s your problem...? Mind your own business...” [Taichi] (Kiriyama) mumbled, staring blankly.

As far as Taichi believed, at this point, if she still had yet to overcome it, then she wasn’t about to start anytime soon—not without facing it head-on. It was a hardline approach, but that was just his style—and it wouldn’t change, even if he wanted it to.

But most importantly, Taichi had hit upon a potential solution. If the body-swap could hurt, then maybe the body-swap could heal.

“Kiriyama... You’re afraid that if a guy grabs you or uses his brute force against you, you’ll be powerless. Right?”

“Huh? Y-Yeah...?”

“And your body tends not to cooperate with you... whether it’s a subconscious thing or what, I don’t know, but it triggers your fight-or-flight response. Right?”

As he spoke, [Kiriyama] (Taichi) walked forward, step by step, slowly closing the distance between himself and [Taichi] (Kiriyama).

“Yeah...? Wait, what are you doing?”

“So, if we were to imprint on your subconscious that you’ll be fine even when a guy’s grabbing you, we could probably help you overcome your fear, right?”

“I feel like you’re oversimplifying this a little, but yeah, I guess...? Uh... I really don’t like that look in your eyes...”

They were now so close, he could hear her breathing. [Taichi] was only of slightly above-average height for a teenage guy, but from [Kiriyama]’s perspective, he was a giant.

“I’m going to teach [your body] that you can overpower a guy just fine. Get ready, because it’s time for a little shock therapy.”

“Seriously, I can’t even with that look on your face. It’s starting to freak me out! Even worse considering it’s not your face, it’s [MY face]!”

[Taichi] (Kiriyama) retreated back a step, [his] expression stiff with fear.

“Just trust me on this. Now, grab me.”

“O-Okay...” Timidly, [Taichi] (Kiriyama) reached out and grabbed [Kiriyama] (Taichi) by the shoulder.

Now that he was conscious of her fear, here in [Kiriyama’s body], he could feel a distinct discomfort at [Taichi]’s masculine touch.

Meanwhile, Kiriyama looked at him anxiously. He grinned back. Then he took a deep breath and summoned all of his resolve.

Going through with this would mean hurting [his own body], but that wasn’t nearly as important.

Alright... Let’s do this.

And so, without further ado, [Kiriyama] (Taichi) kneed [Taichi] (Kiriyama)—directly in the family jewels.

He felt something soft squish against [her] knee. Eugh. He wasn’t even the victim here, but he couldn’t stop himself from whimpering. Knowing full well how badly this would hurt, he’d exercised some restraint in dealing the blow, but the attack landed so perfectly it gave him goosebumps.

“Gghhck...!” With a guttural, almost inhuman groan, [Taichi] (Kiriyama) collapsed to [his] knees, then fell forward on [his] face as though she’d passed out.

...Did I kill her?

It was a serious possibility.

No, wait, she’s still moving. Whew.

“Nggah... ghhah... ggaahh... gggbbbhh...” Kneeling with [his] forehead pressed to the ground, [Taichi] (Kiriyama) scratched at the dirt with one hand, all the while making a series of groans Taichi had never heard (much less uttered) in his life. [His] other hand was clamped over [his] mouth. The nausea must have kicked in.

[Kiriyama] (Taichi) winced. It was far from pleasant, watching [himself] writhe in agony like this. That said, it had to be better than the hell Kiriyama endured.

Gradually, [Taichi] (Kiriyama) began to relax, chest still heaving. [Kiriyama] (Taichi) crouched down beside [him]. “See? It only takes one hit.”

[Taichi] (Kiriyama) whipped [his] head around and glared at [Kiriyama] (Taichi) like he was the devil incarnate. [His] face was dripping with sweat, and there were tears in [his] eyes. “Th-That was... extremely... uncool of you... you jerk...!”

“But now you—”

At first, he thought he was seeing things.

But sure enough, the next moment, before he could even finish his sentence, he found [Kiriyama] staring back at him... where seconds ago he’d been piloting [her body]... which meant...

Just as the realization dawned on him, a sharp burst of pain shot up from his crotch.

“AaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!”

Oh god, it’s all over! I’m never having kids!

He pressed his hands between his legs and rolled from side to side, hoping to ease the pain in any way he could... but it offered little comfort. A fresh wave of tears pricked up at the corners of his eyes.

“Wh-What the...? Oh, we switched back! Hehehe! Serves you right!”

“But now... waste of... ti...” Taichi could barely speak.

“Of course it was a waste of time, you idiot! Haah... That was the worst pain of my life... I thought I might like literally die from shock!” She looked up suddenly. “What the...? Oh, crap! Taichi, someone’s coming this way!”

He could hear the panic in her voice, but he was kinda busy trying to make it through the next few minutes.

“C-Come on! They’re heading right this way! W-We gotta get out of here...! Not that we’re doing anything illegal, but if they see us like this, we’re gonna have a heck of a time explaining ourselves! Now let’s go!”

She had a point, considering all the groaning and screaming they’d been doing... but...

“Look... Forget about me... Just save yourself... I’m a goner...”

“Quit joking around! Save the cheesy lines for the action movies! Now get on your feet!”

I wasn’t joking, though...

“No, seriously, I can’t do this... I don’t think I can stay upright, much less run...”

“Hey! You there!” a distant, feminine voice called out. Whoever it was, Taichi could hear a note of disapproval in her tone.

“Oh crap! Ugh, come ON! Hurry!”

Kiriyama yanked on his jacket sleeve, hoisting him up against his will, and he staggered to his feet.

“Ow, ow, ow! Give me a minute to—”

“Shut it! Get your act together and start running!”

With that, Kiriyama dashed off, dragging him with her.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!”

Damn, she’s fast... That’s a karate girl for you, I guess!

“GRAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!” Kiriyama let out a fierce roar as she shifted into high gear, hauling Taichi at full speed.

Their wild escape lasted a solid twenty minutes.

Before he knew it, they had arrived at the city’s largest river.

“K-Kiriyama... This is... far enough... don’t you think...?!” Taichi rasped, utterly out of breath. He couldn’t bear to take a single step more. With Kiriyama in the lead, they’d run a considerable distance, and their “pursuer” was long gone (read: hadn’t been chasing after them in the first place).

“Huh? Oh... Right.” She finally slowed to a stop and exhaled, her petite chest heaving hard, but still steady. Evidently she still had gas in the tank.

Swallowing lungfuls of air like water, Taichi sent much-needed oxygen to his brain and willed his heartbeat to slow down. He needed to get the words out.

“Kiriyama... Look at your left hand.”

“What?”

Her gaze descended, then settled on her hand... which was currently clutching Taichi’s. At some point during the sprint, she had shifted her grip from his jacket sleeve to his hand. It made sense, of course; it wasn’t easy, pulling someone by the sleeve at that speed.

“Wh... What the heck?!” She whipped her hand away and clutched it at her chest protectively, then took three steps back.

“Kiriyama... Look at you... You’re fine,” Taichi wheezed, smiling.

“I was just... It was an emergency, that’s all! B-Besides, I... I can make an exception for you, obviously...” Kiriyama flushed pink, her gaze averted, rubbing her left hand in her right.

“But now we know... your androphobia... isn’t as insurmountable... as you thought...”

Admittedly, he’d known from the start that she’d be brave enough to rise to the occasion. After all, she’d squared off against «Heartseed» when it was piloting Gotou Ryuuzen’s body. Maybe her inhibitions were simply overridden in the heat of the moment, but at least now they had concrete proof that it was, in fact, possible.

At last, Taichi caught his breath. “Besides... you’ve seen for yourself just how devastating a low blow can be.”

Instantly Kiriyama’s face burned bright red, all the way to her ears. “Yeah, no kidding! Wh... What kind of nutjob are you?! THAT was your genius plan?! You should’ve at least warned me ahead of time!”

“If I warned you, it wouldn’t be shock therapy, now would it? Besides, it seems like it did the trick just fine.”

“What—the—HECK—gives you the right to put a girl through that?! That kind of pain could traumatize somebody for life! Ugghh... I’m not even in your body anymore and I can still feel it dangling in my pants... GAAAHHH! I can’t believe I just said that! God, I WANNA DIE!”

She certainly had a flair for the dramatic, this one.

“Alright, alright. Calm down, Kiriyama.”

“Th-This is YOUR FAULT, got it?!” she snapped, flailing her arms, tears in her eyes, her face red as a tomato.

She was so cute, he felt a strange impulse to pet her. He nearly mentioned this, but then he imagined her loud, angry reaction and quickly exercised self-control.

Kiriyama took a long, deep breath, then exhaled slowly. “Okay, admittedly... yeah, it hurt, like, crazy bad... but... Is that how it works for all guys, though?”

“Yep! Don’t worry. It’s not just me.”

“...Hmm... I see... Well then... If I did that, it would definitely put them out of commission, I guess... I mean, I’d heard about it, but I never knew it was that bad... Yeah... One shot and I’d have the upper hand for sure...” She began to practice a few knee strikes and punches. “As long as they don’t grab me from behind, or knock me out, I should be able to hit it from basically any angle... Yeah... Being grabbed shouldn’t be a problem, then...” As she practiced, it was clear she was envisioning her blows landing directly on a guy’s... most critical weak point.

“Oh no... Did I just inadvertently create a weapon of mass gonad destruction...?”

She dropped out of her fighting stance. Clearly she was ready to—

“I’ll work on it some more at home.”

—hone her skills even further?! Yikes!

“Wait... If it hurts that bad, then that means it’s kinda serious, doesn’t it...? Hold on... Why would you do that? Why would you hurt [yourself] like that, just for me?”

Her long chestnut hair danced in the autumn breeze. She brushed a strand out of her face and waited for his response. But as for the meaning behind the mournful look in her eyes, Taichi couldn’t begin to guess. Probably it meant a lot of things.

At her question, he reflected on his actions... and the answer he found was ridiculously simple.

“Because I wanted to. Is that so wrong?” he asked intently.

Kiriyama snickered. “Classic Taichi.”

She took two steps toward him, raised her fist up to her mouth, and blew on her knuckles. Then she extended her arm and bumped her fist lightly against Taichi’s chest.

...Her hand was trembling.

But she was smiling so brightly, he was sure she might just light up somebody’s entire universe.

“Thanks, Taichi.”

Keep going, Kiriyama. I’ll be rooting for you.