I Will Return Again
V1c07 (Part 2)
Nyaa?!
As you are already aware, today is the entrance ceremony of Lotus Pond Private High School.
The entrance ceremony starts this afternoon, but since Miyuki is a junior she left to go help set
up for the ceremony a while ago. Dad can’t attend due to work and Mother seems to have
shunted her work off onto a kouhai. Poor thing.
We ate an early lunch, then left to head for school. This is my first time being outside of the
house since my change. I walk alongside Mom with my hand over my heart trying my best to
stay calm.
The high school isn’t very far from my house, roughly half an hour walk. If you ride a bike, you
can do it in about 10 minutes, but you have to apply for permission to do so from the student
council. Above all else, I never gave a moment’s thought to riding a bike to school in a skirt,
even if it will take me a little longer. Today, of course, Mom is with me, so I would have had to
walk regardless.
It’s just as I thought it would be, since my silver hair and blue eyes are quite eye-catching, ever
since we left the house I’ve felt as if everyone is watching me. Actually, quite a few of them are
openly staring at me.
“Why are you so antsy? Try to settle down.” (Mother)
“That’s easy for you to say. I knew I was going to stand out, but I didn"t think it would be this
bad.” (Tsukasa)
I mean, it’s not that I’m afraid because people are looking at me. However, it’s absolutely nerve
wracking to attract this much attention.
“Well, of course you stand out. It’s because you’re so cute!” (Mother)
“Why are you complimenting me?” (Tsukasa)
“You are a child who grows with praise.” (Mother)
"That isn’t what I meant.” (Tsukasa)
“Mom is so proud to have such a cute child like Tsukasa.” (Mother)
As we get closer and closer to the school, we see more people wearing the same uniform. Of
course, if the uniform is new, unwrinkled, it suggests that they are new students.
My eyes meet with another girl’s who’s walking diagonally in front of me. When I bow slightly to
her, she turns away quickly and takes off at a trot.
…eh? That… did she ignore me? I’m a little shocked. If anything, I’m the shy type, so I did my
best to greet her because she might become a cla.s.smate of mine. My eyes follow her as she
makes her escape. She never once looked back
Did she ignore me because she thought I was a foreigner? Or did she feel that I didn’t greet her
properly? Regardless, the fact remains that she did and it hurts my feelings.
Something that happened two years ago, when I was a junior in high school, comes to mind. A
girl came to talk to a friend of mine, who sat next to me, during every break. It would be safe to
say that from anyone’s point of view the two of them seemed as if they were very close friends.
At least, that’s what I had thought. One day, when the girls were talking as usual during a break,
she had an errand she needed to do and left the cla.s.sroom…
…And so it began. As soon as my friend had gone, the other girl told me ‘I don’t really like
dealing with her, but we are in the same cla.s.s, so I will get along with her for the time being.’ I
was rather shocked, because I had thought they were best friends. She continued with her
ranting ‘she’s so annoying’ among other rather nasty comments. To say I was astonished at the
difference between how she acted and how she really felt would be putting it far too mildly.
[Hie~!] Honestly, just thinking about it sends cold chills up my spine. The way I viewed girls
changed because of her. However, it wasn’t really my problem and didn’t affect me at the time.
Now that I’m a girl, it’s seems as if it might be another matter entirely. d.a.m.n it! Thinking about
this is making me really anxious! I don’t know why she ran away from me and I don’t want to be
treated like my friend was.
I’m afraid of being alone!
“Tsukasa, what"s wrong?” (Mother)
“Eh? Uh, it’s nothing.” (Tsukasa)
I lie unconvincingly. I knew it was already too late to convince her nothing was wrong before I
said anything. Before I even realized what I’m doing my head is in my hands and I shake it back
and forth.
“It"s okay. There"s nothing to worry about.” (Mother)
She says while smiling warmly. It isn’t often my mom shows this side of herself, but when she
does I’m powerless against it. It’s somehow rea.s.suring and warms my frail heart.
I already know Mom is right. I have nothing to worry about. Only one person ignored me. Stuff
like that happens. Forget about it and think positively. No one gets along with everyone, so if I
just make a few friends I will be fine for the next three years of high school. Even if people
dislike me like someone disliked my friend and I don’t notice it, I can get by being superficial
friends.
Eh? It"s just like having a positive outlook or, more realistically, just being too lazy to worry about
it. Anyway, that’s a load off of my mind.
After that, when I bowed to someone a few would turn away, but far more would return it
normally. When I reach the school gate, I am a little less nervous. Oh, I think the ones who
ignored my greeting did so more because they were fl.u.s.tered than because they hated me. I’m
a very nice person, so I have no doubts about it.
I make my way past the school gate while nodding at the surrounding people and finally arrive at
the main entrance.
[Kya!!!] “Who is that cute girl?!” (Female student)
[Nyaa!!] (Tsukasa)
I unexpectedly let out such a strange sound as a girl, who had run out of the school, suddenly
hugged me tight enough that I could barely breathe.
Who the h.e.l.l is this? Some girl I had never met suddenly hugged me. Doesn’t she have any
common sense?
“Ooh, I want to play with you in the cla.s.sroom! I want to play with you in the clubroom! I want to
take you home! [Nu Ehehe]…” (Female student)
Eh? What the h.e.l.l is with this girl? Oh, I think I see. It’s the old, ‘When I see a girl like a small
doll, I want to hug her’ thing. I have to say, I had thought it was a joke at the time, but I guess it’s
really true. That being said, there are things you can’t say or do. It’s a little outrageous to just
hug people you have just met and to do so without any hesitation... Oh well, if it becomes too
troublesome the police or school can deal with it. j.a.pan truly is a peaceful country.
She doesn"t seem to be aware of who I am. Oh, right. I look like a completely different person.
“Your skin is as smooth as a baby’s!” (Female student)
She said as she rubbed her cheek against mine. Although I try to push her off me, I’m not
having much success.
Just then, something hits my arm. This softness, coupled with the position we are in. It’s
unmistakably something girl-specific… b.r.e.a.s.t.s. My face becomes hot and I can’t move. The
soft, elastic feeling of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s is conveyed to me with her every movement.
Shaken up, I look around us and, of course, we are the center of attention. Which, of course,
causes me to look down in embarra.s.sment. Umm, why is Mom so calm about this? I’d rather
you help me instead of just looking! She just stands there taking a picture while her nose bleeds
profusely.
“Silky, smooth, silky, smooth.” (Female student)
“Uh, um...” (Tsukasa)
“Ah! She smells good!” [Kun] [Kun] [Kun] (Female student)
You aren’t supposed to go around smelling people!
“I"m sorry. You’re hurting me, so would you mind letting me go?” (Tsukasa)
I think to myself ‘She doesn’t realize it’s me,’ while suppressing my mixed emotions. Do I need
to use honorifics with this girl, now that I’m her kouhai? Then again, it’s her first time meeting
me. Well, smart mouthed kouhai end up in trouble later. Let’s just be patient.
“Eh? Oh, right.” (Female student)
She scratches her head while stepping away from me with an embarra.s.sed face. She has red,
bouncy hair that doesn’t quite reach her shoulders. All taken together her hair, slightly raised
eyes, and lightly tanned skin make her look lively.
“Sorry, sorry. I saw you when I was pa.s.sing by and you were just too cute. I"m sorry!” (Female
student)
She gracefully bows her head to me, which makes me unable to stay angry at her.
“No, it doesn’t matter.” (Tsukasa)
“Ah, I’m glad.” (Female student)
Of course, I’m not telling the truth.
“Oh yes. This must be fate or something and it would be a pity to leave things as they are, so
why don’t we introduce ourselves? My name is Rissen Akane and I’m a senior in cla.s.s 3.”
(Akane)
I know who you are. The last two years were really hard for me because of you. Although I feel
a little conflicted, because they are surprisingly good memories.
“I’d like us to be friends. Please, call me Akane-senpai.” (Akane)
Akane-senpai? I called you ’Akane’ until a few weeks ago. That doesn’t seem that friendly, it
seems to be a little too respectful to me and the edge of your mouth seems to be twitching.
“Well, now it"s your turn.” (Akane)
“Ah, yes. I"m fine...” (Tsukasa)
(TN: She used ‘Boku’ here, a male form of self-address.)
I said the wrong word! What do I do? Do I hide my true ident.i.ty or reveal it? I interacted
somewhat with Akane as her senior in club activities. So she isn’t a complete stranger, bit it’s
Akane… Alright, well lets run a quick simulation to predict what Akane would do if she found out
who I really am. Let’s decide whether or not I should reveal my true ident.i.ty based off of the
results.
If I reveal the truth, how will she react?
‘Oh! You were Tsutomu?! How did you become a girl?! So cute!’
Yep, I"ll be hiding it.
"I’m Yoshina Tsukasa a soph.o.m.ore. I don’t know which cla.s.s I’m in yet.” (Tsukasa)
“Tsukaschan, that"s a nice name, but Charlotte seems to suit you as well.” (Akane)
It seems a clone of my dad has appeared.
“Oh, by the way, cla.s.ses haven’t been decided yet, but that’s okay, I’ll find out anyway. I have
my ways.” (Akane)
“Is that so?” (Tsukasa)
Okay, she’s a stalker.
“Well, I would love to talk more, but if I’m any later than this Saki will get angry, so I need to go
for now. Sorry. Oh, yes, if you haven’t decided on any club to join yet, how about considering
entertainment. I’m in that club too, so come and see if you like it.” (Akane)
With that said, Akane takes off like a shot. She hasn’t changed at all since she was a
soph.o.m.ore, even though she is a senior this year.
…Entertainment? I just retired from that club a few months ago but it feels so nostalgic.