Toyohama Nodoka slamd the door shut.
Tears blurred her vision.
She threw herself onto the bed, burying her face deep in the pillow. Muffled sobs echoed through the tiny room.
"Why…why does this always happen to …"
Her fingers dug into the bedsheet so fiercely that her knuckles went white.
The words her mother had said at dinner still rang in her ears:
"Nodoka, take a look at your sister. At the sa age, Mai already won so many awards. And what about you?"
Once again today, her mother had used Mai as the benchmark to belittle her. It stung deeply.
The pillow was already soaked with her tears. Nodoka rolled over, staring up at the glow-in-the-dark star stickers on the ceiling. Mai had given her those star stickers for her 12th birthday.
She reached out, as though trying to touch those distant stars.
"If…if only I could beco my sister…"
That thought appeared again, coiling around her heart like a venomous snake.
"If I were Sakurajima Mai, Mom would definitely look at with pride… Everyone would like …"
Suddenly, it began raining outside, the downpour loud against the windows, almost as if answering her wish.
Nodoka felt a sudden dizziness. The star stickers on the ceiling seed to spin. Darkness gradually swallowed up her consciousness…
…
Elsewhere.
After giving "happiness" in turn to Sora, Emilia, Futaba, Tohru, Ilia, and the others, it was Mai's turn.
Mai was more passionate than expected, venting all her pent-up frustration. Because Rei Ao had recently spent most of his ti with the others, she'd grown quite jealous.
Confronted by Mai's fervor, Rei Ao reciprocated with all his focus and energy. Their almost feral abandon made Futaba and the rest speechless, as if Mai had undergone a terrifying onslaught.
Rei Ao gently caressed Sakurajima Mai's cheek. Under the soft lighting, her skin glead like fine porcelain. At such a spellbound mont, Mai truly was enticing.
But in the next second:
"!!!"
Mai's body abruptly froze, all movent stopping, and her eyes lost their sparkle.
"Huh?"
Rei Ao paused, baffled. Futaba and the others also noticed sothing was off.
"What's up with Mai?"
Tohru frowned, poking her. Mai gave no response.
Emilia's face changed dramatically, alard:
"Rei Ao, did you overdo it?! Did you…kill Mai?!"
Rei Ao twitched the corner of his mouth.
"Give a break."
Never mind that Mai was no ordinary human now; there was no way she'd die at his hands.
Right then, Mai stirred.
"Mm…so comfy…what is this…"
She murmured, heat flooding her body—yet feeling so comfortable and utterly satisfied, a sensation unlike anything she'd experienced before. anwhile, her lifeless eyes slowly regained focus.
And then…
She realized there was a man and five won, all of them staring at her, each one wearing nothing at all, while she herself was currently…with that attractive guy…
"???"
Though the pleasure coursing through her was definitely that, her mind montarily blanked.
"I…must be dreaming, right?"
She only had that possibility in mind—after all, she didn't recognize these people at all. There was no way she'd give away her precious "first ti" to so random guy, let alone join in with other people. It had to be a dream—a scandalous dream, but a dream nonetheless.
"A dream? Mai, what are you talking about?"
Futaba was perplexed.
"Mai?"
The woman blinked:
"Sakurajima…Mai?"
"Why are you repeating your own na so strangely?"
Futaba felt a weird chill. The other woman gave a wry smile:
"Ah, how pathetic. Even in my dreams, I can't escape Sakurajima Mai's shadow?"
"Sister… How can I ever surpass you?"
She murmured to herself. Emilia and the rest felt a shiver at her words. Tohru narrowed her eyes:
"Rei Ao-kun, she's not Mai."
"Mm. I know."
Rei Ao's gaze was amused, and he shifted a bit.
"!!!"
"M-Mai" stiffened.
"This…this feeling—so weird…"
She blushed, looking at Rei Ao so close to her.
"Woah, I—why would I dream of soone this handso? I guess I've reached that age?"
"But…Mom told I can't get a boyfriend, I have to beco a star."
She mumbled, taking stock of Rei Ao's good looks and superb physique…and realizing how unbelievably good he was just now.
Pressing her lips together, "Mai" wrapped her arms around his neck:
"Ugh, it's just a dream, so it can't hurt, right?"
She figured she'd just enjoy this in her dream—her mother wouldn't know.
But Rei Ao suddenly chuckled:
"Are you sure you don't mind doing this with while wearing Mai's face and body?"
"Huh?"
Toyohama Nodoka froze. She didn't understand his words until he went on:
"Mai's face, Mai's body?"
"Wait, what—? Look."
With a flick of his wrist, Rei Ao conjured a mirror. Seeing the reflection, "Mai" went slack-jawed. The mirror showed not her real face, but…Sakurajima Mai!
At the sa ti, Rei Ao explained:
"And, you're mistaken—this isn't a dream. It's real."
He gave her the simplest demonstration: pressing lightly on Mai's chest.
"Ow! That hurts!"
Pain shot through "Mai," forcing her to focus. She realized how bad this situation was. If she felt pain…this was no dream?!
"W-who are you? W-where is this?"
Her voice trembled, panic in her eyes.
"I'm not…Mai…"
She stared down at her hands, then touched her face, her expression turning horrified.
"What's happening? My voice…my body…"
She shrank back like a frightened creature. Clearly a reaction Sakurajima Mai would never have. Futaba and the others all looked puzzled. Emilia couldn't help asking:
"Rei Ao-kun, what's going on? She's saying she's not Mai?"
"She's telling the truth."
Rei Ao nodded. Yet he let the newcor speak for herself. He steadied her agitated movents with gentle hands.
"No need to panic just yet. Why not calm down and discuss what's happening? Let's start with a little self-introduction."
She bit her lip, tears pooling at the corners of her eyes.
"I…my na is Toyohama Nodoka…"
"…Mai's younger sister…"
Silence fell. The drumming of the rain outside grew louder, lightning splitting the sky and illuminating the shock on Futaba and the others' faces.
"Eh?!"
"Huh?!"
~~~
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