-Point of View: Kentan Yono-

It's Saturday again, the weekend. I practically have to carry Sei out of our room, down to meet everyone out front of the dorm building. I toss him into Jen's lap so he can loll sleepily and she can play with his hair.

Everyone gathers up, even Vicca without needing Sei to call her, and to my surprise, Runa comes too. I share a look with Jen and she flashes me a smile. She isn't actually trying to set us up, is she? I wouldn't be opposed, Runa's great. I just wonder if she's interested? How do I ask?

Like most things in life, being direct and honest is probably best. I should just ask her today. If she says no, then that's that. I'll never know without asking.

Once we're all together, we chat for a bit, and it sounds like we're heading back to Jostole to hang out. It's not too long before we get going.

We all board the shuttle and Jen nudges me to sit next to Runa, squished in between all the other students on their way to the mall. We're pressed right up against each other, but all we can do is share an awkward smile.

“So...” Runa starts.

“Yeah?” Come on, play it cool...

“Umm...” her eyes wander across the packed space, like she's searching for something. They end up landing on Sei and Vicca, where she has him pinned against the opposite side of the shuttle.

“Those two, are they... dating or something?”

“Well, no...”

“Then what are they up to?”

“That's, uhh, complicated...” Don't they have any idea how suggestive that looks to everyone around them? Even as I wonder, my head's sticking on that last thing she said. Dating...

“But, Runa-chan, about dating...” she already brought it up! “Should we?” Did that really just slip out like that?

Runa's staring at me, mouth open, but hasn't responded.

“Date, I mean?”

“...”

“Because, you know, you're really pretty, and I uhh, like you and, well, uhh...” Shit, I'm failing so hard! Why am I still talking?!

“...S-sure...” She said yes?! “I mean... we've known each other a while and you've always been pretty cool, so...” She glances away with the cutest blush spreading over her cheeks.

We sit there in silence for a bit, the whole shuttle full of noisy people all around us, but it feels like we're in our own little bubble.

“So, uhh, I guess... We're going out now?” I ask. “What- I mean, what do we actually do? Like... as a couple?”

“Umm, I don't really know,” she giggles. “What do couples do?” The first thing that comes to mind is kissing, but there's no way I'm bringing that up all of a sudden!

“Well, couples go on dates...” I try, “and we're already going out together, so do we call this a date?”

Runa covers her mouth as she giggles nervously. “I don't know, aren't dates supposed to be, you know, just us?”

“Haha, I guess you're right,” I grin and scratch a hand up through my hair. For now, we don't really know what to do, so we just sit together. It feels different though, like I'm more aware of her soft shoulder pressed against my side.

Everyone piles off the shuttle at the mall, and at first, Runa moves to follow, before I grab her hand and remind her we're heading to a different stop.

“Oh, right, Jostole?” she asks, and I nod. There's a moment's pause during which I become acutely aware that I'm still holding her hand. She does too, and we both stare at our hands, before snapping them back, like we're afraid the other will bite.

God, what am I doing? I shake my head, and extend my hand again. Still blushing, she takes it, and we share a smile.

“Awwww.” We both freeze when Jen makes a fuss, coming up to grin at us. “So, you two are a thing now?”

“W-well... Yeah.” I puff my chest out proudly. I should be proud, I have my first girlfriend! “Isn't that right... Runa?”

She lights up, red from ear to ear. “Y-yeah... Kentan...” I go just as red. Oh god, it's embarrassing referring to each other like this!

Of course, Jen just keeps snickering at us. “Well, what about you?” I challenge her, “any boyfriend targets?”

“Mmm... Not many guys around to choose from...”

“What about Sei-kun?” Runa suddenly asks. “I know there were those rumors, but it's not like that should stop you from actually going out.”

“Aaahhhh, that's....” Jen immediately scratches her head uncomfortably, glancing over in his direction, still pinned and helpless. It looks like he's about to cry...

“Oh! If he's already with Vicca-san, even if they aren't dating yet...” Runa instantly tries to back off when she sees Jen hesitate.

“No no, it's not like that. It's just... complicated.”

“Kentan said the same thing.” Runa shows a cute pout, and we both share an awkward look. Is this really the time to tell her? Wait, actually-

Just as I'm realizing the problem, Jen leans close to whisper in my ear.

“Shit, I didn't think this through, what do we do when we get to the cafe?” Because Sei's been using the women's changing room, right.

“He could use the guy's room?” I whisper back. When she gives me the stink-eye for my suggestion, I add, “We change in the same room every day.”

“What if someone else sees?” she hisses back. Then she shakes her head, denying my suggestion. “Let's just say 'not now, later.' Sei's been looking more comfortable lately and I don't want to mess that up now.”

I still have some serious doubts about all of this. Jen seems so sure that Sei is really a girl, and I've seen some of the stuff she's mentioned, but I've been the one watching him cry himself to sleep for weeks now, ever since he changed. Why would he do that if he doesn't hate what happened to him?

Even listening to her talk to his parents on the phone, they clearly said they wanted him to grow into the best man he could be. Sei always said so too. Wouldn't being put in a body like that be absolute torture for a guy like him? I know it would be for me...

I consider all that for a few seconds, her proposal hanging between us. Whether she's right or wrong, helping Sei be comfortable and happy is good either way. I guess I'll go along with it.

I return to normal volume. “Fine, I'll tell Runa, you let Sei know.”

“You got it.”

She moves over to them and I look down to my new girlfriend.

“So... tell me what?” she asks expectantly.

“Well, we're trying to keep things easy for Sei today, so we'll tell you the whole thing later tonight, alright?”

“Ok, that's fine,” she agrees easily enough.

“So for now, just know that some stuff is going on with Sei. If you see anything obviously weird, like, you know,” and I gesture over to where the military psion has him pinned against a window as we speak.

“Yeah...” she murmurs.

“If you see anything, please just look the other way and ignore it. It'll all make sense later.”

“Ok, I'll do that,” she agrees.

“Thanks a lot, Runa.” She's always been pretty awesome like that.

We all sit back, and make it the rest of the way to Jostole.

“So, another movie, or...?” Lucy asks the whole group as we gather up.

“How about the arcade?” Amari suggests, “we haven't been there in a while.”

“Ooh, arcades are fun,” Jen chirps. Without much more discussion, we head off that way.

“Have you ever played arcade games before?” I ask Runa when we arrive and everyone immediately charges off in different directions. I used to go with Sei and Jen sometimes, but never had a chance with Runa.

“Yeah, some, with some friends.”

Nervously taking her hand again, I lead her in. “So, what do you like to play?”

“Well...”

We all romp though the arcade for a few hours, hitting up different kinds of games. A shooter and a racing game that Runa's surprisingly good at, and this dance game she's surprisingly bad at.

She even pulls me into a photo booth, saying, “We need a picture to commemorate our first date.”

“I thought it wasn't a date,” I joke.

“We're alone now, aren't we?”

She's dead on, and we both start laughing together. Then she plays with the screen on the photo machine, and we wind up getting a whole slew of silly pictures sent to our mobiles, all warped and strange, or with fancy stickers all over our faces. Neither of us can stop laughing until we're finished, and head off to goof around more.

By the time lunchtime rolls around, everyone is in high spirits, even Sei, despite looking half-dead from Vicca putting him through the wringer again today. When we ask, she says he's done for today and can rest now. He gives a tired thumbs up.

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“I beat my old high score in Dance Evolution Dance!” Lucy boasts as we all walk to the cafe, followed by more reports here and there about various games people enjoyed.

Apparently, Vicca made Sei do the sledgehammer strength game repeatedly until he ran out of energy – that one where you hit the thing at the bottom and it rates you based on how hard you hit it. “Two hundred points,” he groans. “My best score was only two hundred points.”

“Hey, that's not bad at all!” I try to encourage him. “I only hit like three hundred points on it.”

He just sighs. I don't get it, isn't that a good score? For his size, with his tiny arms, and even his body is female now... I'm actually pretty impressed. Maybe it's all the working out Vicca's been putting him through?

Soon after, we get to the cafe. Being her first time, Runa looks around in wonder. “Food first, I'm starving,” Sei speaks up immediately when we consider where to start.

Once we're all seated, I order a sandwich like last time. After a few weeks of attempting to cook for myself, I'm more and more grateful for meals made by people who actually know what they're doing.

Of course, the girls get parfaits, while Vicca decides on a meatball sub, of all things.

And Sei gets... pancakes? For lunch? Well, if that's what he wants I won't question it.

“Mmm...” I nod through my mouthful of food once it arrives. Yeah, this and some soda really hits the spot. “How is it?” I ask Runa as she munches happily on spoonfuls of ice cream and fruit.

“Delicious...” she sighs, a hand pressed to her cheek in joy. She's so cute!

Then Vicca has to restrain Sei when his small stack of pancakes arrive and he nearly shoves his face into the plate.

“Like a human this time, Seiko,” she chides him for some reason. When she catches all our questioning looks, she explains.

“When I took Seiko to central, we went out for burgers and Seiko inhaled half of it. Got grease everywhere and needed to go to the toilet to wash up.”

“Pshh,” we all leak out small laughs at the ridiculous story.

“Seriously, what are you even doing, Sei?” I shake my head and have to set down my sandwich.

“I-I'm sorry!” he stammers, already bright red in the face. “I hadn't eaten in three days!”

“Huh?”

“Wait, what do you mean, three days?” I ask. Not getting it. He only went over to psi-ops for like three days. Don't tell me they didn't feed him the entire time?!

“Ah, wait, sorry,” Sei immediately backtracks. “That's right, it only felt like three days, it was just a few hours, wasn't it?” Oh, he's talking about that whole time stretching thing they mentioned, that made it feel way longer to him.

“W-well still!” he suddenly exclaims, “it felt like a long time and I was really hungry! Hmph!” When he crosses his arms in a huff, all I can think is, 'don't do that, it's way too cute,' and sigh in my head. He really does act like a girl sometimes, doesn't he?

Vicca ends up patting him and apologizing a few times since apparently it was her fault that happened, before Sei gets back to devouring his pancakes.

When he's done, he still winds up getting syrup on his cheeks and nose, and quickly excuses himself to get washed up anyway. No one can keep in their laughter after hearing Vicca's story. I wish she'd taken a picture, I would have loved to see Sei all messy like that.

When he comes back, he eyes the girls' half-eaten parfaits, then actually orders one for himself.

“You're still eating?” I ask.

“Yeah, those pancakes weren't actually that big.” I shrug at his reasoning. That's understandable. “And parfaits always look so good...” he mumbles out after, glancing away.

I can't help but grin. He gets to use his current looks to eat something girly like that without anyone making fun of him.

Wait, didn't that happen sometime back in grade school? Back when he never let anyone touch him? I definitely remember he got a parfait at some point when we were kids, but a bunch of bullies knocked it off the table and made fun of him, and when his dad saw him crying over it, he berated Sei over the crying and the girly parfait.

That's... not a good memory. As I watch the waitress in a dog costume arrive with the treat, I hope that Sei doesn't remember that anymore.

Thankfully, there's no darkness in his expression as he smiles and digs in.

“Hey, don't eat too much or you'll get fat,” Jen jeers playfully.

“Not a chance with Leona around,” he retorts without missing a beat. That has Lucy and Amari in a fit of giggles, Lucy elbowing Jen. Even Runa joins in, laughing at everyone's antics, and I wrap one arm around her narrow shoulders, holding her close to my side.

I grin, glad Sei can finally eat what he wants without anyone giving him shit for it.

We finish up soon after, though it turns out Sei's smaller stomach isn't quite enough for the whole parfait after all. He pouts about it a little, until Vicca swoops in and finishes it off. She actually shows an uncharacteristically surprised face as she mumbles about it being really good. So even she isn't immune to the draw of sweets, huh?

Once we're done there, we all head over to the cosplay side of the cafe, and I give Runa a quick explanation while everyone else goes on ahead.

“Hah, so do you like getting all dressed up?” she asks with a little smirk.

“Yeah, they have some awesome outfits. Just watch, I'll show you my cool side,” I claim.

“I'm looking forward to it,” she smiles up at me. “I'm going to look for something cute.”

“Cool.” She trots off toward the racks of costumes, and I head to another section with much larger ones that will fit me.

Like that, we play around for a while. I try a few different warrior costumes, one with an enormous prop sword, and everyone claps and takes pictures. Runa comes out in a poofy princess gown, blushing ear to ear and asks if it makes her look silly.

“On the contrary, ma'am,” I start, trying to sound as suave as possible, then, “ya look fuckin' hot.” We both lean into each other, holding our sides and laughing.

Lucy and Amari look like they're in a competition, continuously one-upping each other with ever more over the top outfits.

Vicca goes through a handful styled after military uniforms, making a few remarks on how accurate, or in some cases, absurdly in inaccurate, some of them are.

As for Sei and Jen, she manages to coax him into progressively less masculine outfits by repeatedly wearing the same outfit so they match. They both laugh and joke around about it, and Sei even looks pretty comfortable after the first couple.

Then, Jen pulls one off rack that is not at all neutral.

It looks like two pieces, a dark blue top, with a long white skirt. “Woah, this one is so pretty,” she exclaims, looking it up and down. She turns to Sei, a couple steps away, fidgeting with his hands. “Do you want to try this one?” she asks lightly.

“W-well, umm...”

He's clearly on the edge, but I think he's about to deny it, before Jen laughs and says, “Let's give it a shot then. Just tell me if it's no good.”

Without further argument, she pushes Sei through the door into the women's changing room. I'm a bit worried, is this really a good idea...? What if he really hates it and she's pushing too hard?

I glance over at the others still mingling and chatting among the clothes, and move a little closer to the changing room, before they come back out a couple minutes later.

Sei is... woah. Even as his best friend, I have to admit he's beautiful. The dark blue top has this serious businesswoman feel to it with buttons down the front and the way it's tucked into the skirt all the way up at his waist. Then the white skirt falls to his knees, cut shorter in the front and longer in the back, with frills all along the bottom.

It has this mature beauty that I've only seen on older women, like Vicca when she dresses casually, but on Sei, who's so small and cute, it gives a completely different feel.

All I can do is stare as I watch Jen push him out of the changing room, holding him gently by the shoulders to bring him in front of the large mirror, while continuously assuring him it looks really good.

Then they stop and turn. Sei's back is to me, but I can see him clearly in the mirror. I take a few slow steps forward, gaze fixed on Sei's reflection.

He looks at himself, eyes trailing slowly up and down as a vague wonder crosses his face. Then he smiles. A shocked, euphoric smile like I've never seen, tears welling in the corners of his eyes.

That is not the face of a man in a dress.

Holy shit, Jen was right.

“Look, it's a good size too,” Jen is saying when they finally notice me approaching in the mirror and turn back to see me.

I catch the fear in Sei's eyes. That fear of rejection. Of being made fun of for being weird, or being wrong.

I lean down and smile. “Hey, you're really pretty, Sei. It suits you.” A couple tears leak out, so I wipe them away, and grin a little more. Let her know we're still best friends. Always.

Sei turns back to the mirror, fumbling to pull out her mobile with shaky hands. Still with that same teary, wonderful smile, she snaps a picture of the three of us, together.

As she swipes over to look at the picture with a big, dumb grin on her face, the mobile rings.

It only shows up for a moment, the caller coming up over the camera app, right when Sei swipes, and the call connects.

Just from the first note, I recognize the ringtone, Sei's parents. Sei stares at the mobile for a moment, too shocked to respond.

Then her dad's voice comes over the line like a shout, loud enough to be audible from where I'm standing behind her.

“Hey, Sei. How ya doin', son?”

Staring at the girl in the mirror, I watch her heart break.

The mobile drops to the floor as she goes tearing from the room.

“Shit!” Jen runs after her. Hands shaking, I pick up the mobile. For an instant, I want to scream at this man for what he's put Sei through. I understand every bit of Jen's rage after speaking with him two weeks ago.

But I can't. I know how important Sei's parents are to her. I can't tell them.

So I choke it all down.

“Oh, hey, Maka-san, you just missed Sei.” Everything but my voice is shaking.

“Kentan-kun? Where's Sei?”

“Shhheeoot,” I deflect, badly. “He just ran for the toilet, might have eaten something bad.”

He sighs. “Figures, boy needs to bulk up, then he wouldn't get the shits so easy. When I was back in the army, they would-” I stop listening. I can't take hearing him talk about Sei like that. Not now.

When the drone of his words finally stops, I fume into the phone. “Sorry, have to go I'll tell him you called bye,” and I hang up.

Then I press my face into my hands, squat down, and clench my teeth so hard my jaw creaks, to keep from screaming in the middle of the store.

Eventually, when I think I can control myself, I stand up again.

Of course by this point, everyone is standing nearby, waiting expectantly. I turn to them, choking down the angry tears that want to force themselves from my eyes. All I can say is, “Sei is a girl. Definitely.” I toss them the mobile, the picture still open, Sei's brief moment of acceptance recorded right there. “Then her dad called.”

I don't say anything more. I walk over to the changing room and knock on the door. “You guys good in there?” There's a muffled 'yeah' and 'just a minute,' from Jen, and soon after they come out. Sei trails behind, face to the floor like the life has been sucked out of her.

“Come on guys, let's get back,” I say as we walk back past our shocked friends. “I think we have a lot to talk about.”

As we go, Lucy assures the hostess that we're fine after she catches our dismal mood on the way out. She says we just had a bit of a family issue and we'll be back again another time. Then we get on the shuttle. I hold Runa's hand while Sei buries her head in Jen's lap, and we explain how things are and catch Runa up on everything.

I follow Jen's example though, and so does everyone else. We all refer to Sei as 'he' out loud for now, to avoid pushing her when she's already so hurt.

It's only after that, as we're approaching the school, that we finally ask.

“Sei, would you like us to call you 'she' now?”

She stares at me from Jen's lap, mouth moving like she doesn't know what to say. “Only when we're alone, of course. We know you need to hide it at school.”

“I... don't know...”

“Alright, let's put it this way,” Jen comes in. She pins Sei's face between her hands and the two lock gazes. “Forget the past. Forget the bullies. Forget school. Forget your parents. Forget us.” They continue staring into each other's eyes, Sei's breath shallow.

“If you had the choice, and nothing else mattered, which would you choose?”

There's a long stretch of silence, nothing but our breath. We're almost to the school though, Sei needs to answer, before the moment is gone.

“...Girl...” The word passes her trembling lips, barely above a whisper. Then we pull to a stop, hardly a few seconds later, and the tension is broken as we're all forced to depart.

Once we're off the shuttle though, we all stand in the terminal. I hook an arm around Runa, while Sei stands with her head down. Once we look around, determining we're alone, Jen walks over. “Come on, girl, let it out.” She hugs Sei's head to her chest, and lets her weep quietly for a while. Jen pats her back and strokes her hair. She makes a few soothing comments, but she mostly just lets Sei cry.

Shortly after, Jen and Vicca wave us off, saying that they'll deal with Sei for today, and we all go.