The moment Yukima Azuma stumbled into the room, barely steady on his feet, he was greeted by the sweet voice of Suou Yuki.
"Great athletic ability, Onii-chan," she teased, covering her mouth with a hand as a playful smile curved her lips and her brows arched mischievously.
Azuma froze mid-step.
"…Did you just call me something?"
"Onii-chan?" she echoed, feigning innocence. "What's wrong with that?"
Once she confirmed it again, realization dawned on him. In Suou Yuki's eyes—despite the identity-exchange mechanism that even the god of Itomori couldn't override—he appeared as himself.
She saw Yukima Azuma.
How she managed to see through the supernatural cognitive shift, he didn't know. Maybe she didn't either.
But it explained a lot.
Those times she looked flustered when he patted her head or held her hand—things she otherwise accepted without protest—suddenly made sense. She'd always seen him as a boy.
And if he hadn't been her life-saving benefactor, she probably would've slapped him by now for those casual touches.
Realizing this, Azuma quickly let go of her hand.
"What's wrong, Onii-chan? Shy~?" Yuki grinned, her eyes curving like little crescent moons.
"If you knew I was a guy, why didn't you pull away when I touched your head?"
"Well~" she said playfully, "you did save my life. Even if I let you pat my head or… repay you with my body…"
She trailed off dramatically, blinking up at him with mock innocence, before sticking out her tongue. "Do whatever you want~"
Azuma reached out and poked her forehead. This girl was a little too cheeky for her own good.
In any normal situation, someone discovering the truth of a supernatural identity swap would be freaked out, maybe terrified.
But Suou Yuki?
She thought it was fun.
"Onii-chan," she asked, head tilted. "What's your real name?"
"Yukima Azuma."
"Nice name! What about Miyamizu Mitsuha? Is she your girlfriend?"
"She's… me. Over there, right now."
"Wha—? That's so light novel! Isn't this supposed to be a body swap?"
While speaking, she pressed a hand to Azuma's arm, squeezing gently. Her eyes widened slightly at the sensation of solid muscle under his sleeve.
"This feels real…"
Azuma raised an eyebrow. "You're catching on way too fast. Shouldn't you be more weirded out? Why is it only you who can see through this?"
In response, Yuki crossed her arms and lifted her chin proudly. "I'm a veteran otaku, okay? Hundreds of anime, thousands of light novels—this is my domain."
"That's nothing to be proud of," Azuma muttered.
"Of course it is!"
Their banter flowed easily, laughter spilling into the room like sunlight through an open window. It was clear that Suou Yuki hadn't had anyone she could joke around with like this in a long time.
But just as Azuma relaxed, Yuki began to cough.
It wasn't a cute, dainty cough—it was the kind that hollowed her chest and lingered in her throat.
Immediately, Azuma helped her sit at the edge of the bed, patting her back gently. She felt so light. Frail.
He'd noticed it earlier when he carried her while escaping. She'd barely weighed anything.
Could it be she hadn't been eating well?
A soft knock interrupted his thoughts.
"Yuki-sama, may I come in~?"
Kimishima Ayano stepped into the room with her usual refined grace. But when her eyes fell on Yuki sitting close to Azuma, her expression flickered.
She rushed over, concern clouding her features.
"I'm fine, Ayano," Yuki said, waving weakly. "You can go."
"But—" Ayano glanced at Azuma, her expression clearly uneasy. As Yuki's personal maid, it was a dereliction of duty to let a stranger into her lady's private chambers.
Yuki suddenly hugged Azuma's arm, winking at Ayano. "Keep this a secret for me, okay?"
Ayano hesitated. Her Ojou-sama had never acted this way before.
Still, after a moment's silence, she bowed and exited.
But when the door closed, Yuki's smile faltered. A subtle darkness passed through her violet eyes—something unguarded and vulnerable.
She was the heiress of the Suou family.
One day, the weight of that household would be hers to bear.
But for now, the pressure had already begun to crush her.
"You need to take care of yourself," Azuma said gently. "Once you get stronger, the asthma will improve. You're still developing—proper meals matter."
Yuki blinked.
Words of genuine concern—delivered without pretense or pity—slipped right past her defenses.
Her cheeks warmed. Her gaze drifted down to her chest. Flat.
"Well, I am still growing…" she murmured. Then, with a mischievous twinkle: "Azuma-nii, do you like big breasts?"
Azuma sighed.
"Don't sigh like that! They might be small now, but in two years, I'll be a solid C-cup!"
Yuki giggled and made a vow—starting today, she'd eat properly.
Later, as exhaustion overtook her, Yuki lay sprawled on the bed like a slumbering fairy tale princess.
"Ahh… I'm so tired. Azuma-nii, go do it yourself."
"Don't say things like that. Someone might misunderstand."
"Ehhh, but it's more fun that way. Tell me a story, Azuma-nii."
Azuma paused, surprised by the request.
Then he walked to her desk, grabbed some paper and a fountain pen, and began writing.
"What kind of story?" she asked, intrigued.
"A magical one… about a boy named Harry Potter."
At first, she laughed, thinking he was joking.
But the moment he began speaking—describing owls delivering letters, Platform 9¾, the halls of Hogwarts—Suou Yuki went silent, utterly mesmerized.
Time passed in an instant.
The scratch of the pen and Azuma's calm voice were the only sounds in the room.
By the time Ayano knocked again to ask about lunch, Suou Yuki had been completely whisked away into the wizarding world.
When she came back to reality, she smiled brightly and leaned close to Azuma.
"What do you want to eat? I'll have Ayano make it."
"I have a better idea," Azuma whispered close to her ear, "Ask her to sneak me into the kitchen. I'll cook something for you."
Yuki blinked at the whisper, her ear tingling.
"…You'll cook for me?" Her voice was quiet, awed.
Azuma just nodded.
Without hesitation, Yuki ran to the door and whispered to Ayano.
The loyal maid was baffled—but Yuki's stubborn will left no room for argument.
Soon, Ayano returned with a chef's uniform, which Azuma changed into.
The Suou kitchen was practically a five-star restaurant, complete with professional chefs.
As Azuma entered, their eyes narrowed in confusion at the unfamiliar "girl" in chef whites.
Ignoring them, he walked straight to the freezer and selected ingredients—soft white fish, fresh vegetables, and cashews.
He grabbed a knife.
Then, with movements smooth as water, he descaled, gutted, and filleted the bass in a matter of seconds.
The chefs stared in stunned silence.
Was this some prodigy? A hidden culinary master?
When Azuma placed the fish in the steamer and stir-fried the vegetables and nuts into a dish rich in nutrients but gentle on the stomach, the aroma filled the air.
As he left with the plate, Ayano tried to follow but was mobbed by the chefs.
"Kimishima-san… are we getting replaced?"
"Her cooking's better than my master's!"
"Where'd she train? Please, tell us!"
Ayano blinked, dazed by their questions.
In the end, she could only whisper to herself, utterly confused:
"She's… Ojou-sama's lover…?"