Finally, somehow, I managed to get thru the first day of the entrance ceremony. Although, it seems as if I’m not the only one. Suddenly...
“Ah, Onee-chan!” (Mii)
While I’m in the middle of changing clothes, Miyuki suddenly barges in speaking with a loud voice. I’m standing there in only my bra and panties. I hurriedly hold the shirt in my hands up to my chest to cover myself.
“You are supposed to knock before you come in!” (Tsukasa)
I scold Miyuki while pressing a hand against my chest trying to calm my heart after her sudden intrusion.
“Onee-chan is s.e.xy!” (Mii)
She says with an appreciative look. My complaint apparently didn’t get through to her, because Miyuki doesn’t move and continues to stare at me, so I reach out to grasp the sea urchin plushy that was near me.
“Just get out of here!” (Tsukasa)
I yell at Miyuki while blushing and threw the sea urchin plush doll at her. It hit her in the face and fell to the floor. Of course, it shouldn’t hurt her at all, it’s a plushy after all.
“[Ah~!] Onee-chan, don’t be like that. You are being too serious!!” (Mii)
“Go on! Get out!” (Tsukasa)
“Really? You don"t have to act so shy; I"m your imouto after all.” (Mii)
“I wouldn’t know what a naughty girl like you is talking about!” (Tsukasa)
I pick up a plastic model of a sea urchin close at hand. This one would leave a mark for sure. I don’t really want to throw it, because it took a long time to a.s.semble.
“Okay. Okay. I get it. I’m leaving. You, don’t throw that.” (Mii)
Miyuki says petulantly and finally turned to leave the room. Relieved, I move to set the sea urchin back down. Although...
“Onee-chan, you don’t understand!” (Mii)
“I said get out!” (Tsukasa)
I ended up having to throw my precious sea urchin model after all.
After I finish getting dressed, I go to find Miyuki to ask her why she was making such a fuss. She tells me I got a call from my friend Hayate. When I first went to high school, he was in the seat next to mine and we became friends. We were in the same cla.s.s and in the entertainment club for two years. We were always together. Thanks to all that, you could easily say he was my best friend. When we were seniors, he suddenly announced ‘I will be studying overseas,’ submitted a leave of absence with the school and flew away.
A year later and a few days before I came down with the fever that changed me, he called and said ‘I will be returning to j.a.pan soon,’ but he never said what day. I wonder if this means he’s back now.
“O-Onee-chan, what are you going to do.” (Mii)
“That’s a good question. What should I do?” (Tsukasa)
I reply to Miyuki apprehensively while looking at the phone, which is on hold. By the way, I don’t remember if I told you or not, but Miyuki and I don’t have cell phones. Our parents decided that we wouldn’t be allowed to have them until we graduated from high school. I was upset when they made that decision, but at the moment, I’m rather thankful. It would have been more than a little awkward if I had one when he called.
No matter how I look at it, this is dangerous. I need to decide what to say quickly. I can always have Miyuki tell him I’m not here, but that will only gain me a small respite and won’t solve the problem. It would be hard to just pick up the phone and tell him ‘I’m a girl now.’ I have no clue if that is a good or bad idea, but I do know that Hayate is uneasy around girls. He’s a good guy, but if I tell him I’m a girl now, will he still be my best friend? I’m not sure if things will ever be the same as they were before with him. He’s my best friend and just thinking about losing him makes me a little — no — very lonely.
Miyuki is looking at me with a concerned expression because I’m holding my head in my hands while all of these thoughts run through my mind.
“Tsukasa, you look troubled.” (Mother)
Mom says, suddenly appearing out of nowhere.
“Here try using this.” (Mother)
She says as she sets a strange device on the table beside the phone. When I look at it suspiciously, mom tells me “it’s a voice changer.” ‘Why would she have such a thing?’ I wonder.
A voice changer is a machine that you talk into allowing you to change your voice to sound however you like. When used in a recent trial, the voice of a woman was made to sound like the voice of a man with just the turn of a k.n.o.b and the flick of a switch. Mom has me talk while she plays with the k.n.o.b and soon a voice came out that was very close to the original Tsutomu’s. I can’t speak to him in person, but over the phone should be fine.
Using the voice changer, I speak into the handset nervously.
“H-h-h.e.l.lo.” (Tsukasa)
“Oh, Tsutomu? It’s Hayate, it’s been a long time. I just got back. Jet lag is a b.i.t.c.h.” (Hayate)
Hayate’s familiar voice leaps from the handset. There is no doubt in his tone; he seems to believe it really is Tsutomu. Tears run down my face while I pat my chest and try to speak in a normal tone.
“Yeah, it’s been awhile. I’m surprised. Just as suddenly as you left, you came back. You should have let me know the day you got back.” (Tsukasa)
“[Hehehe] I really meant to surprise you yesterday when I got back, but customs took forever, which made me miss the opening ceremony.” (Hayate)
“The opening ceremony?” (Tsukasa)
“Don’t you remember, I took a leave of absence in high school? I still have one more year left at Lotus Pond.” (Hayate)
Oh, is that how it is? Since he had been given a leave of absence, Hayate is going to be a senior this year?
“Since I was absent the first day, I need to see my homeroom teacher.” (Hayate)
“Hayate has always been getting in a lot of trouble ever since our first year in high school.” (Tsukasa)
“[Hehe] That’s true.” (Hayate)
I hear him laughing which makes me smile. Hayate told me the evaluation of his teachers from soph.o.m.ore and junior years were rather good, so there shouldn’t be an issue with missing the first day. We continue to converse for about half an hour.
“...then again, you’ll be busy with college yourself, so do your best. Let’s play again soon.” (Hayate)
“Oh, ahh, see you.” (Tsukasa)
I give a vague reply to him and hang up the phone. ‘Of course, you had to,’ I tell myself. It’s not as if I can tell him I became a girl. I sigh and look up from the phone to see my mom standing there.
“Thanks mom, with this I was able to talk to him.” (Tsukasa)
“I see. That’s good.” (Mother)
Mom says while smiling happily. Then she continues,
“Tsukasa, I know Hayate is an important friend of yours. I’m sorry you had to hide who you are from him. I didn’t lend you that just to hide the fact you’ve become a girl. You need to talk to him face-to-face to tell him, not on the phone. Do you understand?” (Mother)
“[Mou~] Of course I understand.” (Tsukasa)
While I was hesitant to do so, Mom’s intimidating air persuaded me to nod awkwardly and answer her agreeing. Like mom said, at some point I’m going to have to talk to Hayate, but for now I will make good use of the voice changer. Honestly, I’m afraid to know how he will react to how I am now.
For the time being, I’m unlikely to be able to tell him the truth.