If there was one thing I hated more than cowards, it was school. Mostly because school was filled with them. If it wasn't coward students picking on the weak, it was coward teachers turning a blind eye to everything and looking down with scorn at people like me who chose the life of the streets instead.
That was why when Yazu's mum had enrolled me into school the very next day, I let out a cry as I rushed around in the living room trying to get ready.
"W, why would you do that?!"
I turned my eye to Yuzu's mum, a toothbrush still hanging from my mouth as I brushed frantically.
Yuzu's mum laughed, placing a polite hand over her mouth as she did so.
"Don't be silly, Ruzu," She said. "Of course, you need to go to school! You would kill me if I didn't enrol you in."
There goes my summer plans of lazing around inside the house, while trying to figure out the real Ruzu's whereabouts.
Yuzu was standing by the door, waiting with a bright smile on her face. Her school bag was carried with both hands in front of her in a cute manner that gave me a strong urge to hug her.
Instead, I went to the bathroom to spit out the toothpaste and rinse my mouth.
Catching a glance at the mirror, my heart stopped momentarily for a second, seeing the pretty girl staring back at me.
It seemed no matter how many times I saw the mirror, I was still stunned by how pretty Ruzu was.
It was the same feeling I got whenever I looked at Yuzu.
This wasn't good...
Get a grip of yourself, Taku!
Walking out the bathroom with a sigh, I was stopped by Yuzu.
"B, big sis...?!" Yuzu said. "You're not going out like that, are you?!"
"What?" I blinked, then leaned back into the bathroom to peer at myself in the mirror, seeing nothing wrong. "Why not?"
"Your hair!"
I peered closer to the mirror and saw minor strands of raven hair straying away from the perfection that was there yesterday.
I turned back to Yuzu and shrugged.
"Who cares, let's get going before we're late."
"Big sis!"
Yuzu pushed me back into the bathroom.
"Hey, hey...!"
"Stop moving!"
Yuzu pulled a brush from the closet, then before I knew what was going on, she started brushing my hair, one arm holding onto my shoulder to keep me in place.
"C, come on, Yuzu, I can do this myself...!"
I tried to move away from her, but her hand slid from my shoulder, and wrapped across my shoulderblades.
"Stay still, big sis!"
Yuzu's chest was now pressing up against my back, and heat shot across my face.
I froze, deciding to give in.
"We used to always do this together, big sis..." Yuzu whispered behind my head. "Doesn't this remind you of before?"
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I could see Yuzu smiling at me from the mirror as she gently brushed my hair.
"Ye, yeah..."
I glanced sideways, feeling embarrassed.
I was a boy for god's sakes.
Why did I have to go through this ordeal?!
Waiting a while more, I quickly stepped away from Yuzu as soon as she was done.
"Ah... my two lovely daughters..."
I glanced out from the open bathroom door to see Yuzu's dad standing there.
"You girls are so close together, it makes dad's heart melts!"
"Fuc-- Get out of here!!"
I screamed, raising a fist and Yuzu's dad quickly scuttled away with a laugh.
"Don't mind him, big sis..." Yuzu laughed weakly. "Dad's always been the really affectionate type..."
Dammit...
Really?
How was I going to deal with that...?
"Where are my school clothes?" I sighed, deciding to forget about Yuzu's dad for now. That's a problem for another day.
"Your ones haven't come in yet, since you just came back yesterday. You will have to wear mine."
"Say what?!"
--
This was the first time in my life I had to wear a skirt.
Walking up to the school with Yuzu humming cheerfully besides me, I was clenching onto my teeth, steam fuming from my head.
This humiliation...
At the very least, the saving grace was that I had pulled out one of Yuzu's old track pants and wore that underneath the skirt.
But still...!
Wearing Yuzu's clothes felt very wrong despite the fact that they were freshly washed.
No matter how you spin it, Yuzu was still the girl of my dreams!
I glanced sideways at Yuzu who was walking next to me.
She was sure pretty.
The sort of prettiness that was natural and seemed to stem even from the roots of her personality. The carefree expression and gentle smile she always had on her face...
Ah...
This was a dream to be able to walk together with Yuzu to school!
...
Hold on, Taku!
Remember the reason why you're even doing this in the first place!
I shook my head vigorously, waking myself up from my daze.
"Hey Yuzu..." I said.
"Hmm?"
"You know... back when I was in Australia, you used to call me right...?"
"Oh no, we never got your phone number and you never tried to contact us."
What a savage big sis...
"Haha, right, I was always busy with studying..." I laughed weakly. "But you remember who I was staying with, right? I didn't just go by myself to another country...?"
"Why are you asking all these questions, big sis?" Yuzu giggled. "You're talking like you have amnesia or something!"
Oh fuck!
Did I push it too far...?
"T-the truth is that my memory hasn't been all that good lately," I laughed, rubbing a hand to the back of my head. "I think the doctors said something about it in Australia--"
"What?! That sounds serious!! Are you sure you're okay, big sis?!"
"It's fine! The doctors said it is just a small phase, and will go away!"
Yuzu stared at me with a doubtful and concerned look.
"What is this sickness called...?" She asked. "Maybe we should go to the doctors again..."
"A, anyways," I changed the topic quickly. "So you had no idea where I was in Australia?"
"Hmm... no... you went with uncle, Senji, and we lost contact with him too."
"Uncle Senji...?"
"Dad's brother. Your condition seems really serious if you don't remember uncle Senji, big si-- Ahhh!!!"
"What is it? What is it?!"
Yuzu had suddenly screamed, and we both stopped walking, with me staring at Yuzu worriedly.
"I... I dropped my key chain...!!" Yuzu said, checking the sides of her bag feverishly. "I, it was on my bag!!"
"Oh really?" I breathed out a sigh of relief. "Is that it? I thought it would be something--"
"I'm going to run back to check!!" Yuzu cried, turning on her heels and sprinting the direction we had just walked. "Go to school first, big sis!!"
"What..."
I stared at Yuzu's disappearing figure as she bounced down the streets, weaving past alarmed passerbys as she went.
Sighing, I turned around and continued the walk to the school.
We were almost there anyways, and I was beginning to see more and more students as I followed the path.
S, shit...
People were staring at me as I went past... especially the guys.
Catching one guy peeping down my legs, my face turned sour with anger.
"What the hell do you think you're looking at?!" I barked. "Didn't your mother ever teach you manners!!"
A look of shock fell over the guy's face, before immediately being replaced by embarrassment as students turned to look at the commotion.
Ekk!
Why the fuck did I just do that?!
I thought I was in my normal body for a second there.
I still wasn't used to the fact that I was now in the body of a 5'4, 100lb high school girl.
Lowering my head, I quickly scuttled ahead, trying to get away from the glances.
Oh god, I can't believe I was back in this forsaken place.
I had quit school a year ago to pursue the life of a yakuza, precisely to avoid having to go to school.
And, now, here I was again...
The place was actually bringing back a lot of old memories, both good and bad.
"Hey Yuzu!!"
Someone grabbed onto my wrist, stopping me in the middle of the school courtyard and I lifted my eyes from the ground to see a cute girl with brown hair falling to her shoulders, with two tiny ponytails sticking out from the top sides of her head.
"What do you want?" I growled at her, then glanced down noticing she was holding onto me. "Let go of me! I don't know you!"
"What are you talking about, Yuzu! It's me! Your best friend, Rika!"
Then, I listened more carefully to their words.
Oh shit, did they think I was Yuzu?!