Humans are comprised of males and females. Males need females, and vice versa. If someone desires the same gender, it means they're not normal. Faces and appearances can sometimes be deceiving. Sometimes, someone might have a masculine face but turn out to be female, or a feminine face but be male. God's creations are indeed sometimes hard to predict.
Even at my school, there are some people who look like girls but are boys, and vice versa. Sometimes I have to look closer to discern their true gender. I can't jump to conclusions just by looking at their faces.
"Ah, Good morning, Hayabusa-kun." Otome passed me before entering the school gate. "Morning, Otome," I greeted Otome back and we walked together to the school building. "You're really strong, aren't you?" Otome said to me. "Huh? What do you mean?" I was confused. "You and Ken helped me from the junior who harassed me in the student council room, and you also helped me when I fainted after meeting you." "That's a rule from the principal, so that's how it is."
Finally, the bell rang after Otome and I entered the school. Today, the kids asked me to go to the music room to teach them shamisen, and Nanaka also had a recording session at the music studio today. As I was about to go to the music room, I met Shizuka-sensei. I just remembered that today was Home Room Class. I slowly walked away, trying to escape from my own class.
"Wait, are you trying to skip home room?" Shizuka-sensei found me. "No, I just..." I couldn't speak because I often skipped home room class. "Come on, or Sensei will punish you." Shizuka-sensei grabbed me and pulled me towards the classroom. "Sensei, I can walk by myself! Please let go!" I struggled. "No, you'll definitely run away if I let go, won't you?"
Oh, Shizuka-sensei knows my weakness. I usually use home room class to sleep because I'm just sleepy. The teacher's words in class often put me into a deep sleep, like in a fairy tale, which is why I rarely attend home class and often skip to sleep on the fifth floor.
This time, miraculously, I wasn't sleepy at all during home room class. My eyes were wide open. This was the first time something like this had happened. And it was time to go to the music room to be a shamisen teacher. Finally, it was break time. I left the classroom and met my junior friend, Takeshi Akechi. His face looked like a girl's, but he was male. His voice was also a bit feminine. He had a weak heart condition, so he never participated in sports.
"Ah, Akechi," I called out. "Senpai, it's been a long time, hasn't it?" Akechi approached me. "What do you mean, 'long time'? We see each other often, don't we?" I patted his head. "Well, Mr. Bushido often skips class. So you're rarely seen in class." "Oi, Akechi, are you a boy or a girl?" Someone behind me said that. "Your face looks like a baby-faced boy, and your body is also male. But your voice is like a girl's, are you really a boy?"
Akechi just trembled and was scared; he truly looked like he was about to cry. Then, when that person was about to approach Akechi, I blocked him and protected Akechi. It seemed he was often a victim of bullying at this school.
"Listen, God the creator made humans in a way that is hard to predict. Sometimes there are those with feminine faces who are male, or those with masculine faces who are female. So what's wrong with Akechi being a boy, huh?" "But, when he sings, it's like a girl." "A person's voice can change at some point, or perhaps his voice has always been like that. Is that wrong?"
He was thoroughly defeated and couldn't say anything more because I brought up religion with him, and he finally left me and Akechi. When I turned back to Akechi, he had disappeared somewhere. Easy come, easy go.
This time my stomach was grumbling and demanded to be filled. I ran to the cafeteria, and when I arrived, it was surprisingly less crowded. Finally, I reached the cafeteria and ordered my favorite bread, Yakisoba Pan (Fried Noodle Bread).
"Auntie, Yakisoba Pan as usual, please!" "Sorry, Mr. Bushido, we're all out," the auntie replied, carrying an empty tray.
Duweeeng~~~, All out?! The bread of my dreams was gone?! AAARGH!! What now?! My stomach was rumbling and demanding to be completely filled. It felt like I'd have to endure this hunger until lunchtime. Right now, all I could do was strike a pose of regret in the corner by the vending machine.
Then someone handed me a Yakisoba bread. I looked at the person who gave me the bread, and it was Ken, offering the bread while biting into his melon bread.
"I know you came late, here, take mine," Ken said, holding the bread in his mouth. "Ahh~, Ken. Arigato gozaimasu~~~ (Thank you very much~~~) I could only be moved to tears, seeing Ken like an angel helping me. "Just hurry, eat it and don't cry!!" Who exactly is Erika Shiho?
After the fourth period ended, the second break bell rang. This time, the principal told me to go to the student council room. Ken and I crossed paths with Setsuko Miharu. Oh right, I also haven't thanked her for buying bread for me and Ken, and I'm also confused as to how she knew my real name and Ken's.
"Uh... um, Setsuko," I called Setsuko. "Yes? What is it, Hayabusa and Ken?" Setsuko responded. "Um... please don't use my real name." "Why?" Setsuko asked. "That's... because it's the principal's order. So Mr. Gunslinger and I aren't allowed to tell anyone our real names." "Hmm~ It seems like Papa really told you to hide it, huh?" "Yes, and... you just said... Papa?" I was surprised. "Um, the current principal is my Papa."
No wonder, it turns out she's the principal's daughter. I was so surprised that she knew my real name and Ken's real name without having met him. It seems she must have opened the student data book registered here. After thanking Setsuko, I went to the student council room. The principal and Otome were already waiting inside.
"Oh, you've arrived too, Mr. Bushido, Mr. Gunslinger," said the principal. "Well, we also met your daughter." Ken and I entered. "What do you think of Miharu? Cute? Hot? Elegant?" The principal was excited. "Uh... Principal, the main topic," Otome interrupted. "Oh right, Mr. Bushido and Mr. Gunslinger, there's a new student here this time." "Oh, newbie?" Ken was a little surprised. "Yup, come in, Erika-san," the principal called Erika. "Okay," Erika replied.
As the door opened, Erika entered the student council room. It turned out that Erika was the person I had collided with in the school hallway that time. Immediately, Erika and I pointed at each other, unable to believe we were meeting again.
"YOU WERE THE ONE!?" Erika and I exclaimed, surprised. "Uww~~, busted," Ken said. "Hm? Don't tell me, you two know each other?" Otome said. "Uh..." I was speechless. "I-I don't know him, a perverted guy like him!" Erika replied, her face flushed.
Silence fell. The principal and Otome looked at Erika and me with disbelief at what Erika had just said. Ken just looked at them normally, then laughed.
"...Ahahaha," the principal laughed. "...," Otome was speechless. "Ha-Ha!!" Ken imitated Nelson's laugh from The Simpsons. "Rather than being so quiet, please introduce yourself, Erika," said the principal. "Alright, I'm a transfer student at Miyazawa school and my name is Erika Shiho, please take care of me," Erika introduced herself. "She is 'the first princess of a Royal Family in Eastern Europe,' so please be kind to her." "Hime? (Princess?)" Otome was surprised. "Princess!?" Ken was surprised. "Yes, I came to Japan to study here, and I'll be here for one year." "Is that so? In that case, I will guide you. My name is Amakase Otome, Class 3-2, Student Council President. Nice to meet you, Shiho-san." "Erika is fine, Otome-senpai." "So, nice to meet you, Erika," Otome greeted. "Yes, please work with me too," Erika greeted. "Oh yeah, my name is Mr. Gunslinger. Nice to meet you, princess," Ken posed like a prince. "Now, it's your turn, Hayabusa-kun," Otome said to me. "HMPH!!" Erika turned her face away. "Haah~~, Mr. Bushido, nice to meet you," I greeted. "Otome-senpai, please guide me around this place," Erika ignored me and left with Otome. "You're really getting ignored, aren't you?" said the principal. "Uh... yeah." "Ha-ha!!" Ken laughed at me. "Uruzai!! (Shut up!!)" I was still annoyed at being called a pervert.
I exited the student council room as the bell for class rang. This time, I went to the cafeteria to buy some bread to eat since I hadn't had time to eat during the break. Then I headed to the fifth floor, enjoying the gentle breeze. After finishing my meal, I decided to go down to the third floor. There, I met Kotori in her athletic clothes and a sports bag.
"Oh, Kotori. Are you going pole vaulting again?" "No, I'm going swimming today. Want to come?" "Swimming? Are boys allowed to join?" "Oh, just come on." Kotori pulled my hand. "JUST WAIT IN THERE BOTH OF YOU!!" Ken appeared behind the stairs, slid down the handrail, and landed safely. "I'M COMING TOO!! I DON'T WANT BOTH OF YOU HAVE A PERVERT THING IN THE SWIMMING POOL!!" Ken started saying strange things.
Then Kotori hit Ken's face with the bag she was carrying. The blow landed squarely on his face, and Ken immediately fell down after being struck by the bag. I approached Ken and poked him with the tip of my sword; he was completely motionless. Wow, that was brutal.
Finally, Kotori and I arrived at the indoor swimming pool. Kotori went to the changing room to switch from her athletic clothes to a swimsuit, and I changed my uniform into a swimsuit as well. Actually, boys wear swimming trunks, but because my body was covered in terrifying scars, I got permission to wear a wetsuit that I had cut in some parts to resemble a swimsuit.
"Huh, why are you wearing a wetsuit?" Kotori came out of the changing room. "Ah, I already got permission to wear this." I started warming up.
Then Kotori and I entered the pool. We started swimming freestyle to reach the other side. Without realizing it, I arrived before Kotori. Oops, it seems I was too enthusiastic.
"You're so fast when you swim, Hayabusa." "Yeah, that's because of this and that and lalalala~~~," I started talking incoherently and singing indistinct instrumental sounds. "
Actually, back when I was in school in Kyoto, there was a swimming class in physical education. You had to swim fast and not be slow, or else you'd end up swimming with real sharks. It was basically horrifying.
After our swimming duel, Kotori and I floated in the pool. Then, Takeshi Akechi came to mind. I wanted to know Takeshi Akechi's secret—whether he was a boy or a girl. So I started talking to Kotori, who was floating in the swimming pool.
"Hey, Kotori." "Um, why, Hayabusa?" "Do you know Takeshi Akechi?" "Um, I know him. Why?" "Do you think Akechi is a boy or a girl?" "I see him as a boy; his face is so baby-faced, ahh~~~, his face is so cute~~," Kotori admired Akechi's face. "..." I was speechless. "Why, anyway?" Kotori got up from floating in the water. "No reason." I got up from floating. "Just wanted to know about him."
Okay, Kotori said he was a boy, and I haven't asked anyone else about Akechi yet. I need more information about Akechi. Most of Akechi's friends are girls, with only a few boys. I need to investigate this.
My investigation into Takeshi Akechi yielded results: 20% said he was male, 25% said female, and 55% were question marks. It seems Akechi is very mysterious; some say he's male, some say female, and some even say he has a split personality. Unveiling Akane's Identity
Finally, the school dismissal bell rang. Ken was guarding the third, fourth, and fifth floors, while I was checking the first, second, and outside the school. After checking everything on the first and second floors, I looked at the field area. I saw Akechi in male sports attire, running laps around the field, and he didn't seem to have a weak heart condition.
"What are you doing?" Ken appeared behind me. "Just looking at him. You know him, right?" "Oh, that boy whose voice is like a woman, right? Takeshi Akechi, right?" "Uh... do you think he's a boy or a girl?" "She's a woman," Ken said directly. "Ha!?" I was immediately shocked by Ken's unhesitating answer. "Just look at her shoes, that's a woman's shoes, and look at her hips too. There's no man who has small hips and a small back." Ken said it seriously.
Hmm, maybe Ken was right. The shoes she was wearing were indeed women's shoes. Mr. Gunslinger is quite clever at analyzing people; I salute him. Then, after Akechi ran a full lap, Ken and I saw Akechi stop running. And Akechi saw Ken and me.
"Ah, Mr. Bushido Senpai, Mr. Gunslinger Senpai. Konbanwa (Good evening/afternoon)." "Akechi, hurry, change your suit and go home. I want to go home now." "O-okay!" Akechi went into the school building. "Hayabusa, you take care of him or her. 'Kay?" Ken put his hand on my shoulder. "Ah... I understand."
Then I went into the building to inform the homeroom teacher that everything had been checked and there was still one student changing clothes. The homeroom teacher said he would wait outside and lock the door after Akechi and I left.
I went down to the second floor, and I headed to the men's changing room. I entered the men's changing room and something truly shocking happened, something I had never seen before. Akechi was wearing women's underwear, her chest was covered with tight bandages, and there were also extra shorts to cover the original underwear. Her body was indeed female. A woman, everyone! A woman! It turns out Akechi was a woman!
"GYAAAAAAAAAAA!!" Akechi screamed in embarrassment. "SO, SORRY!!" I closed the door, so shocked that Akechi was actually a woman. Oh My God!!
Then Akechi came out of the changing room as I was banging my head against the wall because I had seen Akechi like that. That incident just had to disappear from my head, it had to disappear!! AAARGH!! Now I'm going to be labeled a pervert if this gets out! First Erika, now Akechi!!
"U-um, Senpai..." Akechi called me from behind. "Let's talk outside school, the gate is about to close," I said, embarrassed to look at Akechi.
Finally, Akechi and I left the school as the homeroom teacher watched from the school gate. Then, Akechi and I needed to talk somewhere quiet with not many people around. I decided to talk at the downtown park. It was perfect for a chat.
"Akechi... are you... really a girl?" I asked Akechi. "Yes, and my real name is Tachibana Akane." "Akane, huh? So that's your real name?" "Um..." Akane nodded slowly. "Then why did you change into a boy?" "Because I don't want to be a woman." "Ha!?" I was surprised to hear Akane's answer. "Since childhood, my chest grew larger than usual, and I was often teased as 'big-chested.' Boys would even touch my chest. So I decided I would become a boy once I entered junior high until I graduated." "Hmm... trauma, huh?" "Um... that's why I tightly bind my chest with these bandages so no one knows I'm a girl." "But someone knows you're a girl?" "Only my female friends, Senpai." "So you faked your weak heart too?" "Um..." Akane nodded slowly.
So that's why Akane changed into a boy and pretended to have a weak heart, hmm... this is truly a very complicated case. But how can I make her comfortable being a woman again at school? Maybe I need a more logical approach.
Then Akane left me to go home. I finally went home too. I stopped in front of Nanaka's house; there was no sound of Nanaka singing at all. Most likely, her recording wasn't finished yet. Meeting at the Cafe and Kyoto
That evening, I felt bored at home with nothing to do. I decided to go for a walk outside. I wore my hat so my friends wouldn't recognize me since I tend to wander around at night. This time, I headed to a cafe I hadn't seen before near the residential area. As I entered the cafe, it was quite small and had a decent number of customers. Many of the staff here were wearing maid outfits.
"Welcome, for one person?" "Um," I replied with a hum. "Please come this way." The staff led me to a seat near the cashier. "What would you like to order?" "Um... I'll have an orange shake and omo rice (Omurice, Japanese fried rice wrapped in an omelet)." I said, looking at the menu. "Alright, it'll be 10 minutes." The staff went to the cashier.
I felt something was off about this cafe. The staff's voice just now sounded like Akane's. But could Akane possibly be working here? Ah, it doesn't seem likely. But it could be, I guess. Not long after, the staff brought my order. I'll try using my real voice to test if it's really Akane or not.
"Here's your Orange shake and omo rice." "Yes." I spoke in my real voice.
My ears told me the staff sounded like Akane. Then I looked at the staff and indeed, the maid-costumed employee was Tachibana Akane, my junior. Akane then scurried into the kitchen. How strange. Before I ate the omo rice I ordered, Akane was in front of me.
"I didn't expect to see you here, Senpai." "But I can't believe you're actually working here." "This is my home, so I work here after school." "Hmm, I see. Do any of the kids know?" "Some already know: Kazuki, Ayumi, Ren, Gustav, Karen, Otome, Kotori, Nanaka, Midori, and Kuro-sensei." "Even Sensei comes here? Good grief." "But, Mr. Bushido. Why are you wearing a hat?" "Actually, it's just to conceal my identity, to make a distinction between when I'm at school and outside of school." I took off my hat.
Not long after, more customers arrived, and I finally finished the omo rice; it tasted really good. Then, as I was enjoying my orange shake, sushi with dried salmon appeared in front of me. The person who gave it seemed to be the owner of this cafe.
"Um... I didn't order this." I spoke to the owner. "Don't worry, it's free. You're Akane's friend, aren't you?" "A-Ah, I'm Akane's classmate." "Hm, your name?" "Uh... at school I'm called Mr. Bushido, but since I'm not at school, my name is Hasukawa Hayabusa." "OOH~~, Mr. Bushido!! You're the one called the school police, right?" The cafe owner was surprised to hear my name. "Y-Yes..." "I'm truly grateful, Mr. Bushido. Thank you for saving my child." The cafe owner thanked me. "It's nothing, it's nothing." I became even more embarrassed. "Papa, another order came in!" Akane called out.
The cafe owner began cooking at the cooking station, and I bought another drink because an orange shake wasn't enough. So I ordered an Iced Coffee as an additional drink.
"Um... Senpai," Akane began to speak. "Hm, why, Akane?" "Senpai, which do you prefer, me as a boy or me as a girl?" Akane asked shyly. "I want to know you as a girl, because you're often acting as a boy." "I see..." Akane blushed even more. "But you can imitate my style if you want." "What do you mean?" "At school, my appearance seems fierce and I carry a sword, but outside of school, this is how I look, wearing a hat and clothes like this." "Hmm, maybe it's a bit complicated, huh?"
Not long after, the cafe was nearing closing time. As many customers left, Akane and I finally helped clean up the cafe until it was spotless.
"Haah~, finally clean." I finished stacking the chairs on the tables. "Sorry for the trouble..." Akane said. "It's fine, aren't friends supposed to help each other?" "Oh right, where are you going next week, Senpai?" Akane asked. "Kyoto," I replied. "Huh?" Akane didn't believe what I said. "I'm going to Kyoto tomorrow to visit the temple. Why?" "No, no reason at all."
Finally, I said goodbye to Akane from the cafe. I also decided to go home because tomorrow I was going to Kyoto to meet my grandfather there and the other monks. I approached Nanaka's house again; the lights in Nanaka's room were completely dark compared to the other rooms in her house. I took out my phone and wanted to try a missed call to Nanaka, but since it was unlikely she would answer her phone, I decided to forget about it, put my phone back in my pocket, and left Nanaka's house. Grandfather's Legacy and Akane's Change
The next morning I departed from the station towards Kyoto, it took three hours to reach Kyoto. Once I arrived in Kyoto, I headed to the temple where I used to live as a child. I found a monk cleaning the temple outside, he was my friend from the temple since I was a child and his name was Tadahashi. I walked slowly and stood behind him.
"Even now, the temple hasn't changed..." "Huh? What do you mean?" Tadahashi turned to look at me. "Did you forget about me?" I took off my hat, "It's me, Tadahashi, Hayabusa." "Hayabusa!! It's been a long time!!" Tadahashi was happy to see me. "Ah, it's been a long time since I've been to Kyoto."
Then the other monks and nuns also came to me because they hadn't seen me in a long time. They were the people who had taken care of me and accompanied me since childhood until I graduated from my school in Kyoto.
When I asked about Grandfather, Tadahashi said that Grandfather had been called by the Buddha. He had heard that I became Mr. Bushido when I entered my current school. Tadahashi showed me Grandfather's grave, and I prayed for Grandfather to rest in peace in heaven. He was a very kind and caring temple head to me.
"Hayabusa, come with me," Tadahashi said to me.
Tadahashi and I entered Grandfather's room. He said there was something Grandfather left behind that I had to take good care of. Tadahashi brought a rather large box, and when Tadahashi opened it, it contained a Katana (Samurai sword) with a Tsuba (sword guard) made of gold and a purple Saya (scabbard) with the kanji for Hayabusa, and a purple Tsuka (sword handle). The name of this Katana was Habataki (Flapping Wings). When I looked at the blade, it was incredibly sharp and shiny, with an engraving of a Suzaku bird (one of the four guardians of the world in Japan) flying on its Saya.
"Hayabusa, will you take care of it?" "Ah, of course." I put the sword back in. "Ah, maybe this can be a souvenir for you all." I gave them my usual sword that I carry at school. "Oi, is this really okay?" "Don't worry, I will take care of Grandfather's sword, I won't mess it up. Oh right, I brought my camera too." "Wait, let me call everyone to gather in the prayer room." "Oi, is it really okay to be in the prayer room?" "It's fine, this is also a souvenir so you can remember this place too."
Finally, all the monks and nuns gathered in the prayer room to be photographed as a souvenir so they could remember me and so I could remember them too. Finally, they also invited me to have lunch together; the atmosphere truly changed when I returned here.
Finally, I parted ways with my friends at the temple because it was almost evening. I left for the station and returned to where I lived. When I arrived back, it was already nearing night. I got off the train and exited the station.
"Welcome back, Hayabusa-senpai." Someone called me.
I looked ahead, and I saw Akane wearing a yukata (a Japanese kimono worn in summer) and dressed like a woman. She looked so cute and kawaii (beautiful) in the yukata. For some reason, my heart was pounding as I saw Akane in her yukata.
"You... look beautiful... in that yukata." I replied shyly. "Thank you, Senpai. Thanks to your advice, I feel at ease," Akane thanked me. "Ah, you're welcome, Akane." "I'll be a boy when I'm at school, and I'll be a woman outside of school. I might get a little used to it as I become a woman." "Ah, that's good, Akane."
Finally, Akane and I left the station and walked around, making Akane comfortable being a woman again like before. I also accompanied Akane until she was satisfied and finally went home safely after she was content with her yukata.
I passed Nanaka's house again; there was still no change, and only the light in Nanaka's room was still off. When I arrived home, Nanaka was in front of my house, carrying a package. I was surprised to see Nanaka.
"Nanaka?" I was surprised to see Nanaka. "Um... Hayabusa-kun... This... is a souvenir," Nanaka handed me another package. "Thanks, are you finished, Nanaka?" I took the package. "Um, my recording took longer than I thought," Nanaka smiled. "Ohh, it must be nice to be famous." "Um, Hayabusa-kun. Come here." "Hm? Why?" I walked closer to Nanaka.
Nanaka patted my head like a dog and then immediately left me after patting my head. Suddenly, my body felt incredibly hot, but I was happy that Nanaka was back to her old self again.