"Please don't tell anyone. Please please!" Kinuko begs. She Err I mean he was so scared of what others would think. He was so ashamed that Yu found out. He was so ashamed that he felt too awkward to change in the girl's restroom.

"Relax. I'm not gonna tell anyone. Doesn't seem like my place to..." Yu ends up saying. He was shocked, Kinuko was a guy. Kinuko was a guy. He didn't know why the other was pretending to be a girl but it wasn't any of his business.

"Fuck..." Yu muttered to himself.

"I'm sorry for lying..." Nakamura says.

"She's a boy. She's a boy. She's a boy..." Yu muttered to himself. He didn't expect something like this. Thinking about it now it might've made sense but...

"So I'm guessing your actual name is something like Kin or Kinjiro..." Yu mentions.

"I-it's actually Kenji..." Kenji mentions. Suddenly a thought rushed through his head as he looked around to make sure no one was overhearing their conversation, she then turns back to Yu, "I know...it's such an unfitting name."

"I mean my name is Yu, if anyone has an unfitting name, it's me," the other boy mentions.

(Kenji: can mean strong and vigorous)

(Yu: can mean gentle)

"Oh..." Kenji mumbles, "I'm sorry..."

Yu cocked an eyebrow.

"What are you sorry for this time?"

"I don't know actually..."

Yu sighs and rubs his arm. "You shouldn't apologize unless you know what you're even apologizing for."

"Oh ok...sorry..."

Yu face palms a bit.

"Whatever...I'm just gonna get changed and then I'm gonna clean up the baking room," Yu says. Luckily he didn't have to worry about the cookies baking since he turned off the over before he burning went to change.

"Do you want help?" Kenji asks.

"I'd rather you not," Yu tells him and heads into the restroom.

Kenji stared at the door for a moment. He really screwed everything up, didn't he? He sighed and smoothed the skirt he was wearing out, then proceeded to walk away. A while later, the boy was back at his house just lying on his bed. First day, and someone had already found out his secret. He was hoping he could keep it a secret until he got stronger. After all, boys are supposed to be strong, right?

The puppy, Hachiko, would walk up to his owner, then try to climb up on the bed, obviously failing. Adorably failing to though. Kenji giggles and helps the pup on the bed. Hachiko in return, would reward Kenji by licking the boy's face causing him to squeal a tiny bit and hug the dog.

"Kinuko, take the trash outside," his mother calls.

After giving Hachiko a couple more pets, he'd head to the kitchen, Grab the trash bag, and exit the apartment to the balcony area.

In his way however, was a man in his twenties leaning against the railing outside another apartment. He had blonde hair and pink eyes (not to be confused with pink eye).

(The set up of the apartment complex is that the apartments are lined up next to each other with stairs on the outside leading to another floor outside, with doors lined next to each other)

"E-Excuse me..." Kenji said catching the man's attention.

"Oh sorry," he says and steps aside to clear just enough room for Kenji to fit through. After putting the bag in the bin on the first level, Kenji was tempted to say hi to that other man, assuming the other guy was his neighbor.

Mustering up the courage, Kenji went back upstairs and talked on the man's shoulder.

"Hmm. Can I help you?" He asks Kenji. His voice was very kind and a bit energetic even.

"Oh I was just gonna say hi, you're my neighbor...right?" Kenji asks.

"Well I'd assume so since you came out of the apartment next to mine," the man says and laughs a bit. Kenji, being self conscious, thought the other was laughing AT him.

"I'm sorry," he mutters. The neighbor would look confused.

"For what?" He asks. Once again, it was a question Kenji didn't know the answer to.

"I...don't know..."

Kenji would look away embarrassed and ashamed leading to the man to pat Kenji's shoulder.

"Hey no need to worry," he says and chuckles.

"Oh ok," Kenji whimpered a bit, suddenly the door behind them creaked open as a little girl ,around 7 years old and looked like the man Kenji was talking to, walks out.

"Is that your daughter?" Kenji asks looking at the girl who gave a happy wave.

"Hi pretty lady," the little girl said. The man chuckles.

"No, she's my little sister. I'm only 22. I hope she isn't my daughter," he jokes.

"Huh...why's that?" Kenji asks confused doing the math in his head, assuming that the little girl is 7. His mother had him when she was 14 what was wrong with a 15 year old having a kid.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

"Well Yuri here is 7, if she were my daughter, that would mean I was a father at 15."

"Math," Yuri says happily, "math is fun! Except Taki said calculus is "he-wait I mean it's just terrible.""

"Taki?" Kenji asks.

"My name's actually Takahiro, but Yuri calls me Taki," Takahiro says and picks up the little girl who gives him a big hug.

"Who's the pretty lady, Taki. Is she your girlfriend?" Yuri asks

"Of course not!" Takahiro tells her, "she doesn't look a day older than 16. Of course she wouldn't be my girlfriend."

Takahiro turns to Kenji.

"I am so sorry about that, miss." He was worried that he made the other uncomfortable.

"Sorry, pretty lady," Yuri tells Kenji as well.

"I-it's fine. Really. Don't worry," Kenji says, feeling guilty himself. He rubbed his arm embarrassed and had unknowingly teared up slightly. Takahiro would set Yuri down. He was about to give Kenji a hug but right before he did, he realized that may make him feel uncomfortable, so he gave him the best head pat he could. It felt a little weird since he had to reach up to do it. Kenji was 4 inches taller than Takahiro after all.

"Th-thank you..." Kenji mentions.

"Kinuko. You aren't bothering this young man, are you?" Kenji's mother scolds exiting the apartment and walks over to them, looking up at Takahiro. "I am so sorry about my disrespectful...daughter."

"No don't worry, she ain't bothering me," Takahiro says.

"She was only supposed to take out the trash," the mother says sternly. Kenji would look down ashamed, "not be bothering some man she just met."

"Hey really, it's fine," Takahiro says and chuckles, "she's a really nice young lady, I don't mind talking to her."

"Kinuko, let's go inside," the mother scolds, ignoring what Takahiro said and grabbed Kenji's arm roughly causing then boy to tear up in pain.

"Hey, don't you think you're being a little too harsh with your daughter?" Takahiro asks noticing. Yuri hid behind her brother. Takahiro would put his hand on the mother's trying to get her to loosen her tight grip on Kenji's arm.

"Sir, don't tell me how to raise my daughter," the mother says, removing Takahiro's arm the best she could, and dragging Kenji into their apartment, leaving Takahiro there. The man started to get worried.

"Will pretty lady be ok?" Yuri asks.

"I hope so," Takahiro says concerned and thinks to himself for a moment before kneeling by Yuri.

"Hey Yuri," he says.

"What?" She asks.

"Do you think you would like to have a babysitter?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile Kenji's mother would scold him and tell him to go to his room.

Kenji would close his door, sits down, then start to silently cry to himself. Hachiko who was still in the room goes over and cuddles up by his sobbing owner. If the dog could speak human languages, he'd try and comfort Kenji.

"What's wrong with me, Hachiko?" Kenji asks quietly causing the dog to tilt his head.

"Never mind."

The timid boy would pet his dog's head afterwards. Eventually, Kenji opened up his closet and pulled out a guitar he had in there. It belonged to one of his cousins who gave it to him. Sitting on the bed, he played and sang a quiet peaceful tune. Sometimes he'd forget whatever was bothering him in the moment when he played guitar. It was comforting. Made him feel like his cousin was still next to him playing for him.

Italics usually mean flashback.

A little Kenji who was waddling around in the barn, he was drawn by the sound of a guitar.

"Oh hey there, little guy," a young girl would say. She was in the barn by the horses, just playing a gentle tune. (After all this is at Kenji's old home)

"Hello," Kenji said to her and pointed to the guitar, "what that?"

"Hmm?" The girl asked confused and looks at her guitar, "you mean my guitar?" This question resulted in Kenji nodding his little head. The girl would smile and gesture for the boy to sit by her.

"This is my guitar, I use it to play music, wanna hear me play?" She asked. She normally never has an audience so she takes whatever chance she gets to play for someone.

"Yes please!" The boy said very excited. The girl giggled and patted Kenji's head. Then would play and sing a small tune. Kenji would listen intently at her playing. He was definitely interested. As soon as she finished Kenji gave the hugest smile.

"Did you like that?" His cousin asked. Kenji nodded in response. He then reached to touch the guitar. The girl by him would giggle.

"I'm guessing you want to play as well," she said. Kenji once again nods.

"Well I think I have a small guitar in my room that you can use then. I'll teach you all that I know...which isn't that much actually ."

The girl giggled and ran inside.

Hachiko had now fell asleep to Kenji's guitar playing. The cross dresser smiles and pets the doggie's head. "Awww..." he squealed very softly.

"Kinuko, come out of your room to eat!" Kenji's mother shouts. Kenji would get up off the floor and head to the kitchen, on his way, he tried his best to make it look like he wasn't crying. At least his parents wouldn't be as mad at him for crying than if he wasn't pretending to be a girl.

"I'm here..." Kenji says and sits down at the table. At this point of time, his father was already home and at the table. The man didn't even bother to look up at Kenji. Hadn't did that for a while now. Almost like he wanted nothing to do with his son.

"Hey dad..." Kenji says, at least the boy wanted to try and talk to his father however the adult chose to ignore the teen. "...sorry..."

The rest of dinner was really quiet. Afterwards Kenji's father would whisper something to his mother then head to his room.

"Kinuko, since you're a girl now, you can do the dishes," the mother would say and follow her husband.

"Ok, mother," Kenji would say. It didn't take long for him to clean the dishes. Once he finished, he went out on the balcony of the apartment once again.

He'd lay his head on the cool metal railing. It felt nice to him.

"*chuckle*. Is that even comfortable?" Takahiro's voice asks. Kenji, of course, would yelp in surprise, and then fall down.

"Are you ok?" Takahiro asks running over to the fallen child and helping him to his feet. Kenji looks down to the grown with embarrassment, then he'd mutter,

"Yeah...I'm ok...sorry..."

"Hey you don't need to apologize for falling like that. You didn't get hurt, did you? Do you feel sore anywhere?"

Takahiro would grab Kenny's hands and give a look of concern

"N-No I'm fine," Kenji mutters. Takahiro lets go and sigh in relief.

"That's good, how's your arm?"

"My arm?"

"Your mother grabbed your arm pretty rough, earlier, I want to make sure there's no bruise there..."

Kenji would flinch a tiny bit and pull his sleeve farther over his arm. There was a bruise there. But that's probably because he was weak rather than his mother grabbing his arm.

Takahiro gave another look of concern.

"Does your mother do this often?" He asks.

"I Umm," Kenji says, he clearly looked uncomfortable with the question. The older man sighs and decides to drop it for now.

"Anyways, I wanted to ask you something," Takahiro says, "Umm."

Takahiro realized he doesn't know this kid's last name. He overheard the first name from earlier.

"Oh, Umm Nakamura," Kenji says softly, "Ke-Kinuko Nakamura."

The boy paled up realizing he almost let his real name slip. Takahiro didn't seem to notice though, as he didn't mention that.

"Takahiro Yoshida," Takahiro says and shakes Kenji's hand, actually quite energetically. This made Kenji feel a little awkward though, so Takahiro stopped.

"Anyways like I was saying, Nakamura, have you ever babysat before?" The blonde haired man asks.

"Well I mean no..." Kenji says, "why do you ask?"

"I was wondering if you'd be willing to babysit my little sister for me, it's be a huge help if you'd like. You don't have to if you don't want to though."

Kenji pondered for a moment. He's never babysat before but he knew what babysitting was. Also perhaps it's be good for him to be out of the apartment, and it'd be nice to have an excuse to not be in there...but suddenly he felt guilty for wanting to get away from the apartment. He'd cover his face ashamed of himself.

"Naka-Chan, are you ok?!" Takahiro asks.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I just..." Kenji muttered, "I want to take the job but..."

"...I'm sorry..." Kenji mentioned again.

"What're you sorry about?..." Taka asks, "if you're unable to take the job, it's fine. Are you worried your mother won't let you?"

"A little..."

The teenager still felt guilty that when the job was mentioned, he wanted to take it to get away from his mother. Such a disrespectful child he was. He felt horrible for that. Granted he also figured his mom wouldn't let him take the job anyways.

"I can try and convince your mom to let you take the job if you'd like me to," Takahiro mentions.

"Are you sure you can though...?" Kenji asks. Takahiro grins.

"I'm considered pretty lucky in some aspects. Survived getting hit by a car before in an accident I shouldn't have survived," Takahiro says laughing.

"But getting hit by a car d-doesn't sound lucky," Kenji says softly but then his voice squeaks, "I'm sorry..."

"No no no, you're right."

The man would rub his neck awkwardly. "You're right. That's not actually lucky. But I mean. I can still try and convince your mom if you'd like me to."

"I-I'd like that..." Kenji says tearing up.

"What's wrong?"

"Am I a bad child for wanting to get away from the apartment...?"

"No, of course not, why would you think that?"

Kenji didn't believe what Takahiro said though. He just felt like a horrible child. Was he making a bad choice? He'd continue to wipe his tears when he suddenly felt something embrace him.

"It's ok," Takahiro says giving Kenji a small hug, "I promise you. You're not a bad child."

Takahiro patted the boys head. Well tried to. Hoping that this would comfort him. Hugs always helped himself after all. Kenji felt weird in the hug. Not a bad weird just. He's not used to this kind of affection. He'd immediately pull away afterwards.

"I Umm," Kenji says, "I should go back inside."

"Yeah, it's getting late," Takahiro replies and then wondered to himself if he made the other uncomfortable. He begged that he didn't. "Sorry about that," he ended up saying.

"I Umm. It's fine really," Kenji says and walks back into his own apartment. Soon, he'd flop on his bed thinking to himself.

Was this a good idea? No matter how much he thought, he couldn't really pin point an answer.

As he thought and thought more about it, one new question entered his head.

Why did Takahiro choose him of all people?