At the Gotoh residence.
3:30 a.m.
Mrs. Gotoh, who had woken up in the middle of the night because she had eaten too much watermelon, went to the bathroom and discovered that her eldest daughter was taking a shower at this hour.
Although she knew her eldest daughter had a personality different from other children, this was the first time something like this had happened. It was a bit strange.
Worried, she knocked on the bathroom door and softly asked,
"Hitori, why are you taking a shower now?"
"Ah, Mom."
The sound of hot water splashing onto the floor stopped as Hitori turned off the shower.
"It's nothing. I had a nightmare and woke up covered in a cold sweat. If I don't take a shower and change my clothes, I'm afraid I'll catch a cold."
"I see. Well, finish up quickly and get back to bed."
"Okay, goodnight, Mom."
Feeling relieved, Mrs. Gotoh went back to her room after using the bathroom.
Ten minutes later, Hitori came out, dressed in her favorite dinosaur pajamas.
Back in her room, she didn't go back to bed but instead went into the large wardrobe, crouching in a dim corner with her arms wrapped around her knees.
This was definitely supposed to be a time for sleeping, but with her mind in a mess, she couldn't fall asleep.
For most people, a wardrobe is a place to store clothes. This isn't a manga; no one would want to rest in a wardrobe like Doraemon.
However, Hitori really liked this small space.
When she was little and lonely, just the thought of hiding in there after school gave her a strong sense of comfort.
To her, it was a place of escape from the mundane world—a sanctuary for her spirit, in a sense.
That may sound exaggerated, but for Hitori now, aside from her family...aside from her father's embrace, this was the only place where she could truly feel at peace.
Only here, wrapped in the warm darkness, could she shut out the world, listen to her own breathing and heartbeat, and focus on her thoughts without distraction.
"A nightmare, huh..."
Hitori muttered to herself.
"But it didn't quite feel like a nightmare. It felt kind of real..."
Hitori lifted her chin, pinching the zipper and pulling it down. Her bare body, without any underwear, was fully exposed.
She touched the edge of the wardrobe and turned on a small lamp. The warm yellow light immediately filled the small space.
In the light, she took off her dinosaur pajamas.
She looked down at her body.
Her skin was smooth, probably because she stayed indoors and rarely went out in the sun, giving it a pale tone.
Besides that, there was nothing particularly remarkable.
There were no scars, deep or shallow, large or small.
Were those extra thoughts in her head a kind of soul transfer or memories of a past life?
But...
Hitori gritted her teeth, gently pinched her belly, and then squeezed hard.
Hiss—
It really did hurt...
But what was this faint sense of satisfaction her body was giving her, aside from the pain?
She couldn't understand it at all.
However, there was one thing she could confirm.
"Chisato-kun..."
She really wanted to see him.
…
The next morning.
The energetic Gotoh Futari opened the wardrobe door along with the family dog, Jimihen.
When Futari saw her sister lying inside wearing nothing but a pair of panties, she quickly closed the wardrobe door again.
She hurried downstairs with the dog, ready to tell their mom that her always-strange sister had awakened some incredible new quirk.
At the breakfast table, Hitori, now dressed, was eating without much energy. It felt like her body was there, eating, but her mind was somewhere else.
Mrs. Gotoh looked at her eldest daughter with some concern, and the younger daughter had told her earlier that Ichiri was now sleeping naked.
Although sleeping naked is not a big deal, it is hard not to think about it when it is placed on this child.
Just as she was about to open her mouth and ask her eldest daughter from the side if she had any troubles lately, Hitori's phone rang.
Hitori put down his chopsticks and turned his head sideways to connect the phone.
It was Nijika, her voice was very excited, revealing a sense of impatience,
"Bocchi-chan, are you coming to the store today?"
"To the store?"
Hitori recalled with her still somewhat chaotic brain, it seems that she really didn't make an appointment to go to STARRY to practice on Saturday before,
"What's the matter?"
"Yes, didn't Suzumiya-kun provide us with a song yesterday?"
"After you all left yesterday, Suzumiya-kun stayed behind and has been working hard on it until now."
"The arrangement is tentatively finished. If you're free, call Ikuyo-chan as well, and we can try to do a rehearsal this afternoon."
"Afternoon..."
Hitori looked out at the weather. It was a sunny day with glaring sunlight, not the kind of weather she preferred for her gloomy personality.
On top of that, she still hadn't figured out the extra memories in her head or the unfamiliar traits and habits her body was exhibiting—perhaps even a kink.
Hitori had originally intended to refuse, but then she suddenly remembered something, and her emotions became as excited as Nijika's.
"If we're going to try a rehearsal, we… we should notify Suzumiya-kun, right?"
"Yeah, of course. After all, we agreed last night to let him listen and check the arrangement as soon as it was finished."
Nijika replied as a matter of course.
Hitori tried to calm her heart, which was beating wildly and a bit too excitedly.
"I… I'll go change clothes right away!"
"It's still morning. You can come around two in the afternoon."
"After all, Ryo stayed up all night working on the arrangement and is now sleeping on the couch. I haven't slept at all and could use a quick nap…"
"I'll be there within an hour. I'll let Chisato-kun know!"
"Eh? No… I mean, Bocchi-chan…"
"See you soon!"
"Wait…"
Beep, beep, beep—
Nijika listened to the busy signal on her phone, staring blankly as she hung up.
Why does it feel like Bocchi-chan is a different person today, so assertive?
But arriving in an hour means there won't be any rest time for her and Ryo, who have been up all night finishing the arrangement.
But it's okay. She's really looking forward to everyone playing the new song together.
Nijika slapped her face to wake up, then dialed Ikuyo-chan's number.
Meanwhile, Chisato was awoken by the pecking of a dark crow.
He opened his dry eyes, barely awake, and heard the faint buzzing of his phone.
He picked it up and answered, and Hitori's cautious voice came through.
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For those who dont get it in previous chapters, yes, Miri is Bocchi.
Details will be explained in the next few chapters.
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20+ advanced chapters on patreon.com/SenatusTheta
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