A gag chapter, or maybe a little breather.
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Timeline: the day after the Tamaki Commercial match, Sunday.
Due to certain circumstances, I suddenly turned into a girl about a year ago. And not just that—when I was a guy, I was over 180 cm tall. But when I first became a girl, I wasn’t even 150 cm.
Modern medicine can’t just shrink someone by 30 cm without leaving surgical scars or anything. I even got some kind of genetic testing done, and the results showed I was completely different from the person I used to be as a guy.
This meant I couldn’t keep living in Japan as I was, so I faked a new identity and, starting this April, I began my life over as a proper high school girl. (By the way, I should’ve graduated high school last year, but due to other circumstances, even as a guy, I only attended until early June of my first year.)
Because explaining all of this in detail would be a huge hassle and only cause confusion, the only people who know everything are my family and a few others.
Ding-dong.
The doorbell rang.
“Yo, we’ve been waiting.”
“Hey.”
“Long time no see.”
The day after the intense match against Tamaki Commercial—Sunday. Two of the “few others” who know the truth came over to the Tachibana house.
Sawada Yuuki
Satou Yuuta
They don’t say it outright, but they’re my best friends. Our weird friendship started when we happened to be in the same first-grade class, and it lasted all the way through third year of middle school. We even chose the same high school.
That said, like I mentioned earlier, I couldn’t go to high school after June of my first year, so we don’t really have any high school memories together.
At this point, besides my family, they’re the only—well, the only two people I can still call my best friends even after changing genders.
They’re great friends, but trying to meet up and hang out with them is surprisingly difficult. Yuuki’s a student prepping for college entrance exams, Yuuta’s in university, and I’m a high school girl. And not just that—I’ve got a baby face, kind of a blocky build, and I’m shorter than average, so I might even get mistaken for a middle schooler.
So yeah, a group of two guys and one girl hanging out together outside stands out in a bad way. If it were one guy and one girl (unfortunately), people would just think we were a couple, so no big deal.
But since that would be a pain to deal with, hanging out in public is a no-go. Then you might think, what about indoors? But going to their places is also a bad idea. A high school girl casually visiting the home of a college-aged guy? Sounds sketchy no matter how you spin it. I can’t come up with a single excuse that would work on their moms.
So, for all those reasons, whenever we get together, it’s always at my place. Today’s activity is a new party game that came out this past Thursday.
“So, Yuuta. What’s university like?”
“Hmm... how do I put it... it feels pretty free?”
“What about you, Yuuki? What’s it like being a student preparing for exams?”
“Perfect for going full shut-in mode.”
“...Are you planning to spend another year prepping?”
“What about you, Yuuji? What’s high school girl life like?”
“I wanna hear too. And you’re at an all-girls school, right? I’m super jealous.”
“...How can I put it? It’s like a den of wild animals and old men?”
““What’s that supposed to mean?””
...If I told them, their image of all-girls schools would be shattered. Those girls act like the words “modesty” and “shame” don’t even exist.
“Still, you’re wearing a skirt even on your day off, huh?”
“It’s hot today. This is cooler.”
“That’s your reason?”
“I get what you’re trying to say, but... I’ve gotten used to it.”
“...You can really get used to it?”
“Yeah. You can. And once you do, there’s a real sense of freedom. It’s kind of like switching from briefs to boxers. At first, it feels a little unreliable, but once you get used to it, you prefer the freedom of boxers.”
“Really? It’s like that?”
“Yeah, pretty much.”
We kept chatting like that until we reached my room. It’s not like I live in a mansion or anything.
“Oh, before you go in—just saying, I did clean up a bit, but don’t go snooping around.”
“Huh? You got something we shouldn’t be seeing?”
“If you’re confident you won’t freeze up when you see feminine hygiene products, then go ahead and snoop.”
“...”
See? Told you so. Even I needed time to be able to say the words “feminine hygiene products” with a straight face.
Click.
“Same as always—just relax however you want.”
“Huh... even though you’re a girl now, the basics of your room haven’t really changed, huh?”
“Of course not. I’m still me.”
“Didn’t even redecorate a little?”
“Too much effort.”
“But you’ve got some girly-looking stuff in here.”
“Sometimes the girls from school come over, so I keep a few things around for camouflage.”
"But like, doesn’t it smell kinda nice?"
“Oh! Sharp observation, Yuuki! You’ve got a good nose! You see, male and female body odor is different. There’s a substance called androstenone—”
At first, I didn’t notice either, but men and women do smell different. And they also perceive smells differently. In my case, I’ve gotten to learn about those differences through firsthand experience.
There was this one time—after a volleyball practice, I was drenched in sweat. I pulled my shirt up to wipe my face, like I used to when I was a guy (which gets me yelled at by Hina because it supposedly shows my underwear), and along with the sweat, I caught a sweet smell.
At first, I thought I was imagining things. But after doing some research, I learned that it’s a scientifically proven thing. The human body is full of mysteries. What Yuuki picked up on must’ve been the lingering scent of my “female” body odor. It’s not weird or anything. Humans sweat, and no matter how hard you try, your scent clings to your carpet, bed, and blankets.
So, caught up in my excitement, I started lecturing them about the wonders of the human body... only to be met with looks like I was some tragic case.
“Yup, you’re still Yuuji.”
“Yeah. That awkward enthusiasm. You may look different, but you’re definitely still Yuuji.”
Hey! Why am I getting treated like a tragic case?!
We started hooking up the game cables, loaded the software, and powered it on.
By the way, all three of us have our own preferred gaming positions. Yuuki sits on my bed, Yuuta lies down, and I sit cross-legged on a cushion.
“Wait a sec. Hey, Yuuji. You’re sitting cross-legged in a skirt?”
“Huh? What’s the problem?”
“Uh, that’s the problem.”
“Oh, you’re worried about a panty flash? Don’t worry—I’ve got short spats on under the skirt.”
I flipped up my skirt like proof to show them. Now I could focus on the game—
“Hina-chan! Hina-chaaan! Emergency! Come to Yuuji’s room right now!”
HEY!! Why are you summoning Hina at a time like this?!
＝＝＝＝＝＝
"That's why I keep telling you, right? Yuu-chan, you're a girl now, so you shouldn't do embarrassing things!"
“Ow, ow! Hina, that hurts!”
“Not Hina! It’s Hina-oneechan!”
After that, Hina was summoned by Yuuta’s voice. When she heard the reason for her summoning, for some reason, she got furious. She's currently punishing me. I don’t get it...
“W-Wait... No, I mean, wait, Hina-nee. I’m wearing spats underneath, so it’s not like my underwear is showing or anything!”
For some reason, my excuse only made Hina tug harder on my ear.
“What you’re wearing, Yuu-chan, isn't something meant to be shown. It’s only there just in case someone accidentally sees. You're not supposed to create emergencies yourself! Got it?”
“Whoa… I’d heard about it, but it’s true that Yuuji’s really Hina-chan’s little sister now, huh.”
“Ah—well, on the family register my birthday’s later, and I definitely look more like a little kid, so… Hina, seriously, it hurts!”
“I! Said! Hina-oneechan!”
“Hey, Hina-chan. Even though Yuuji looks like that now, he/she’s actually stronger than before, right? That means if he/she really wanted to, he/she could probably hold you down easily. But since he/she’s letting you get away with this, doesn’t that mean he/she’s properly reflecting on what he/she did? Maybe it’s time to let him/her off?”
At Yuuta’s words, Hina reluctantly let go. Ow... that really hurt.
“But seriously, can Yuuji even survive as a high school girl in an all-girls school like this?”
“Ugh… If anything, it’s because it’s an all-girls school that I’m managing…”
“Didn’t I say earlier? That place is a den of beasts and old men. For example, it’s already late June and hot, right? So in the classroom, everyone starts fanning themselves with their skirts, like, ‘Ugh it’s so hot~’. Of course, they’re not wearing spats or bloomers underneath. It’s a whole other level—full-on panty exposure, not just peeks.”
““Eh!?””
“And then there’s PE. I used to think girls’ PE classes were quiet and ladylike, but now I realize that was only because guys were watching. In girls’ school? They charge in during soccer, yelling like banshees. It’s terrifying.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“No, for real. Right, I mean—right, Hina-nee!”
“Well, yeah, but maybe you could phrase it a bit more delicately…”
That was being delicate! I haven’t even mentioned how they fan themselves under their skirts or pluck arm hairs in class!
“Compared to that, I’m still on the more decent side. Even in this heat, I wear a vest over my uniform blouse during class because I think it’s unsightly if my bra shows through. But the other girls? Not only do they not wear vests, some of them even leave the top three buttons of their blouse undone, so their bras are completely visible.”
“W-Wait a sec. Wait! Yuuki-nii, Yuuta-nii! Sure, some girls might do that, but it’s not like everyone does!”
“Which side are you on, Hina?—Ow, ow! Don’t pull!”
“Ugh… Don’t get the wrong idea, you two. Just because it’s an all-girls school doesn’t mean everyone is like that.”
That’s true… not everyone is like that, but those who act with modesty are definitely in the minority.
“Well, I mean, when you don’t have the opposite sex watching, you start feeling way more free.”
“Totally. We were the same.”
Yuuki, Yuuta, and me when I was still a guy—we all went to Matsubara High, the local all-boys school.
“Now that I think back, that place was pretty bad too. Around this time of year, everyone had their shirts totally unbuttoned…”
Ah, nostalgia. That was three years ago already…
But then, someone threw another memory grenade into the conversation.
“…Oh yeah. Back when Yuuji was there, things were still pretty tame, huh.”
“Well, it was only June of his first year (before gender swapping). Two months isn’t enough time to learn the truth about boys’ schools.”
“Huh? Then what’s the truth? Don’t tell me… shirtless?”
“Underwear-only cast-off.”
Yuuki gave us a thumbs-up with a smug grin.
Underwear only…?
“Y-You perverts!!”
Totally unexpected. Hina’s face turned bright red. Huh? Was she always this weak to dirty jokes? Though honestly, this isn’t even at the dirty joke level.
“Hina. We’ve got girls walking around with just their bras on. That kind of behavior would seem pretty much indecent to guys at a boys’ school.”
“D-Don’t compare that with some niche example like yours!”
“Not all of us were stripping down either…”
“Yeah, only about half of us did. I didn’t, but Yuuki did.”
“You bastard! Don’t try to make yourself look like the good guy!”
“It’s the truth! But I think Yuuji will understand—summer slacks are super hot and annoying. That’s why I get where Yuuki was coming from. Even though I thought it looked dumb, I used to roll up my pant legs too.”
“Right? Slacks cling to your legs when you sweat—it’s the worst. In that respect, skirts are awesome. So breezy! …Well, the downside is your legs are always visible, so shaving is a hassle.”
“Shaving, huh? Oh yeah, you mentioned that on SNS before. Being a girl is rough.”
“By the way, we all went to a boys’ school, and Hina-chan goes to a girls’ school, but what do co-ed school students do to stay cool? Like, does nobody strip?”
“Why is stripping the first idea that comes to mind!?”
“Why not just ask someone? I’ll go get Ryou-nee.”
Ryou-nee is the eldest of our siblings, our big sister. She graduated from grad school last year and turns 25 this year. A certified genius. (Though, to be fair, we are biased as her family.)
…She just has average athletic ability, though.
“…That’s not the high school students I remember.”
When we explained how boys’ and girls’ schools deal with the summer heat, Ryou-nee looked appalled and said this.
“So, how did high school students deal with it back in your day, Ryou-nee?”
Hina asked on our behalf.
“Let’s see… This is about Miyazono High, which I went to, so it’s already over seven years ago—but back then, we used folding fans.”
Huh? SEN-SU??? (Huh? folding fans??? — Because in the raw, it is written as へ？ＳＥＮＳＵ？？？)
“Using a plastic sheet or notebook to fan yourself looked tacky, and a paper fan, while thin, took up a lot of space sideways. Folding fans, on the other hand, were compact when closed. They became popular with both boys and girls.”
Wow, how classy. Compared to fanning under skirts or being in just your boxers, this is like another world…
“Oh, speaking of trends, fans made with fragrant wood for the ribs were especially popular. Each time you fanned, the scent—”
““““No way!!!””””
The four of us shouted in perfect harmony.
“What even is that!? Are co-ed schools really that different from boys’ schools!?”
“Ryou-neesan, you’re not just making this up, are you? What makes co-ed schools so different from ours!?”
“Is it… the academic level? Is that it?”
“That might be it… Yūki-nii’s Matsukō and our Matsujō are both around 62–66 for academic deviation score. Ryou-nee’s Miyazono High was like… 75, I think…”
“Ugh… So when you're smart, even how you stay cool is cultured!?”
“Unfair… We’re all high school students, so why are we so different?! Why are there students in modern-day Japan using something as refined as folding fans!?”
“We picked the wrong sample! It’s not about all-girls or co-ed! Ryou-nee’s school was elite! It’s not even a fair comparison! Let’s ask Mika-nee instead!”
“Hang on, I’ll call Mika-nee!”
“…You guys better not bother Mika over something this dumb.”
Even after that, we totally forgot about the game and got completely caught up talking about the strange customs of boys’, girls’, and co-ed schools—especially while Ryou-nee kept correcting us.
But the thing that had us all rolling in laughter… was the Valentine’s Day event at Matsubara High.
Apparently, the boys would bring store-bought chocolates and eat them together to "strengthen their friendship."
That’s just… a pity party for guys who don’t have girlfriends, right?
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