-Point of View: Shina Maka-

I'm waiting on the bench at the transport terminal when the shuttle pulls up. I've been here for a half hour already. Something about Seiko calling to meet me here has me on edge. There's something going on with him and whatever it is, good or bad, I'll be there for him.

The kids all climb off the shuttle, Kentan and Jenna, and also that strange new girl, Leona Vicca. Then Seiko steps down, and I can hardly believe my eyes. It's barely been a month since I visited, but he's even more feminine than before.

Even his hair. He's definitely gotten a haircut, which would be the first in years, and while it's subtle, it's definitely a female style. Was it intentional? Did the stylist do it because they they thought he was feminine and he didn't know any better?

Besides that, he has a huge, oversized black hoodie on just like last time, but with a much nicer pair of jeans. A... suspiciously nice pair of jeans. They don't looks like anything he's worn before. No sign of wear and tear of all his old, over-worn ones, and the way they fit his legs, it's not obvious at a glance, but those aren't a men's cut.

...What is going on? Why would he wear something like that? They walk up, and I stand, pushing all those thoughts away for now.

“It's good to see you again, Seiko,” I say, opening my arms up, and he hugs me. I notice the difference immediately. It doesn't look like much, but the seemingly grungy hoodie he's wearing is so soft under my hands, I wonder if it's made of silk. What in the world?

Again, I try to ignore it, hiding my confusion under my words. “You've grown again, Seiko, you're going to be taller than me in no time!” The top of his head is already level with my nose, if he keeps shooting up like this, he actually will get bigger.

A small part of me is sad that my little boy won't be so little anymore. I won't be able to pick him up and throw him around once he's bigger and taller, and he starts to fill out with muscle like Kentan has.

Except... I can't help but notice all the little changes as he hugs me. The clothes, the hair, all of it. He even smells nice. Is he wearing perfume? Or is it from his conditioner? I bring a hand up to rub his head, and even the feel of his hair is different than before. Softer and more supple under my fingers. I draw back, looking down at my perplexing son. He stares back up, his anxiety clear in his expression.

“Seiko?” I ask quietly. What is he nervous about? There weren't any other incidents, were there? I brush a finger over his cheek-

My hand flinches back on reflex. What was that?

“A-ah, umm, sorry, umm...” he gets all flustered by my reaction, so I reach out again, to calm him down. His skin though, it's like nothing I've ever felt. Smooth and perfect, like glazed porcelain, yet with the same soft, supple feel of flesh. Skin like this would be the envy of all women, but on a man...

He finally finds his words. “I, I kind of had something happen, it sort of caused this skin condition. So now it feels weird,” he explains. “It also made my skin really sensitive, so I had to change all my clothes, so they wouldn't be itchy.”

“Ahh, I see.” That explains everything. Of course men's jeans wouldn't be comfortable enough after contracting some strange skin condition like that... It's a pity he's been forced into women's clothes at a time like this though, I hope it isn't hitting him too hard.

“Are you alright, sweetie?” I ask to make sure. “What is this skin condition? Is it what you wanted to tell me about?”

“No, no,” he shakes his head. “That's just a weird thing that happened, you don't need to worry about it.” Don't need to worry? How could I not?! “It's not serious or anything, just a bit of a hassle, really. Besides, that's not what I called you about anyway. Can we just go?”

“Sure, sure.” I don't want to push and cause any more unneeded anxiety, he'll explain things in his own time.

“Hello, kids,” I greet the rest of them as we come together and begin walking.

“Hi, Maka-san, it's good to see you again,” Kentan returns the greeting, followed by the girls.

“So, where are we going?” I ask as we turn a corner in the mostly unfamiliar town. I've only been out this way a handful of times over the years.

“There's this park nearby, I figured that would be a good place to talk?” Seiko offers, and we all agree. When we arrive, it's quite a nice park. A playground with children running around some distance away, a few blacktop areas, some benches. As we walk through the small field, aimed toward the benches, I note that the grass is pretty well cut, if kind of scrubby and rough from the building heat of summer.

I wonder if Seiko is hot in that jacket? We're sitting down when I wonder about that, my next thoughts immediately following. If he had to wear women's pants because he couldn't find any for men that would work with his skin issues, would that go for shirts as well? He'd be so ashamed of that, no wonder why he would cover it up with a jacket, even in this heat.

Once we're settled on the somewhat stiff bench, Seiko glances around, but besides the kids running around over in the other section of the park, there's no one here at this time of day.

“Is there something wrong, honey?” I can't even help myself from asking. As soon as he turns to me, I can see the anxiety in his face again, in the stiffness of his shoulders and the sweat on his brow. Even his hands are clenched against his legs. Whatever it is, he's scared.

“Nothing's wrong, Mom,” he says, and it actually doesn't just sound like lip service.

“Then why are you so worried? What is it?”

“I...” he's starting to shake, like he's getting choked up over something. What could it be? I pull him into my arms. He feels so frail, shaking like a small animal. “I'm...” he mumbles into my shoulder, before audibly gulping. I can hear his shallow breath, panting like he's about to have a full-blown panic attack.

“Whatever it is, I'm your mother. I will love and support you no matter what.” I squeeze my little boy tight, let him know that everything will be alright.

“Mom...” The words are so low, practically whispered in my ear. “...I'm... a girl.”

Huh?

“Alright, that's fine sweetie, perfectly fine.” I rub the back of his head, while he's shuddering and starting to cry.

What does he mean, a girl? Like, he would rather be a girl? He wishes he was born different? Or that he just doesn't want to be a man anymore? What could change his mind so suddenly? Were Albert's expectations just too much for him? In my visits after he went to school, he's only become more feminine, even with the onset of puberty.

So, could it be physical? A chemical imbalance so puberty isn't working correctly for him, so now he's convinced he isn't as much of a man as he should be?

Or, it could even be the trauma after being molested. Does he simply not see himself as a man after what happened?

I continue to spin in my own head for a solid minute while Seiko cries, any elaboration lost as I attempt to puzzle out anything I can from what I know. I show none of it, cooing softly and comforting my son, hoping to get him through whatever he's going through. No matter what, I will support him, that's a mother's job.

After some time, his friends who have been hanging back to give us some space, come forward, gently patting him on the back together, until he can peel himself away from my shoulder. Without any prompting, he goes on.

“I... I thought about it a lot. I don't want to be a boy. I never did, I just- I was going with what Dad said. Lying to myself. I hated it so much-” That's as far as he gets before his voice breaks and he's crying again.

He leans in and hugs me, hard. I wince. It's hard to breathe, he's way stronger than he looks. But it's nothing I can't handle, nothing compared to what I've been through before. So I bear with it and listen as he blubbers, frantic to get the words out despite the tears and sobs wracking his body.

“I was a-always a girl. I couldn't see it, b-but I felt it. I kept saying what I thought you wanted to hear, but I w-was lying. It was all b-because of, of Dad and the bullies, so I wouldn't get hurt, but it was never real! It was never me!” He keeps going on after that, but I can hardly even make out his words anymore, they've all turned to cries of anguish, trying to gouge my heart out.

I can't believe it, he's saying this isn't something new. That he's always felt like this? When he told us he wanted to be a strong man, it was just a lie? Why would he lie to us like that? We're his parents, we would support him, no matter what he does. Even if it's something strange like trying to be the opposite gender.

It takes a while this time, but he does eventually calm down again. I still feel like I've hardly processed this at all, but I show him a loving smile anyway.

“Thanks... thanks for listening...” he mumbles, not meeting my eyes. “You don't... hate me now, do you? Are you disappointed?”

“No, of course not. I'll never be disappointed with what you want to do with your life. You're my son.” He flinches at the word. The pain in his eyes, like he's going to break down again- “Sorry,” he said he wanted to be a girl, so, “would daughter be better now?”

He nods repeatedly, tears still running down his cheeks. This is going to take a lot of getting used to...

----------------------------------------

When Seiko is calm again, we decide to go to a movie. It's nice and dark and will give us all something fun to do together after such a heavy conversation. We end up watching some goofy, slapstick romantic comedy. I don't pay much attention, mainly focusing on Seiko and his friends, and attempting to process what Seiko just told me. If he wants to be a woman, does that mean he likes men? It's not like he could ever get one though... So he's always going to be alone... Am I not going to get any grandchildren?

No, Laila is only fourteen, but she's already sweet on one of the boys in her class, she'll probably be married sooner rather than later. Just have to warn her to to be careful because I don't want those grandkids too early...

I keep mulling everything over. I don't think it's just one of those high school phases. He always had these peculiarities about him, so having it all culminate after he goes off to school and starts to find independence is understandable. Either that, or the trauma of being molested again brought it all to a head, I can't really say.

But being a woman... What does Seiko even know about being a woman? He's always been a boy and without the correct anatomy, no matter what he wants, he'll never really be a woman. Not if he can't bear a child, or be a mother. Not to mention, even if he says he's female, all of his identification says otherwise. It's not like just saying it will make it true.

Oh god, the more I think about this, the worse it gets. What's he going to do for any sex-separated activities or spaces? Changing rooms? Toilets? It may not be quite as bad for him since he's so feminine he could easily pass for a girl and puberty doesn't appear to be doing much to change that, at least for now...

But it's still a huge problem. If he gets caught, he could be attacked, or arrested as some sort of sex offender. And what happens when puberty finally does kick in for him properly? Once his voice drops, it doesn't matter what he looks like anymore.

Not to mention, how he looks or sounds is meaningless in a lot of cases. He's male. It's not like he could just tell the school he wants to attend as a girl, they would never accept something like that. Is he attending as a boy and only acting like a girl away from school? And what about his future job?

The further I delve into this, the more worried I get about Seiko. Why would he decide he wants something like this? No matter how much I think, there is no upside!

Even if I assume he somehow successfully navigates all the pitfalls and dangers, all he'll have to show for it is being a woman. And being a woman is just, objectively worse than being a man! I would know, I've been dealing with it for forty years already.

I almost wish I didn't have a few full hours of movie to realize all of this. I briefly consider if I can change his mind, but I have no idea. He was so afraid of just telling me, I don't want to push him right now. Besides, it doesn't matter if I don't understand or disagree. I said I would support him, so that's what I'll do. With that resolution, I watch my beautiful son... daughter(?) laugh and smile with his friends as the film comes to a close.

After the movie, I'm surprised when it's the seemingly stoic Vicca that chats most animatedly with Seiko about it. I give them space as we walk away from the theater. We end up at a little diner, pretty much moving on auto-pilot, where we sit as the talk of the movie finishes up. I'm just glad to see Seiko happy again.

Seiko sits across from me, sandwiched between Kentan and Vicca, while I have Jenna to my right, against the window. They look kind of squished in on their side, with Kentan hanging partway out of the booth for extra space, but they don't seem troubled by it at all.

We order, and while we're waiting for the food to arrive, Vicca nudges Seiko. “Hey, let's finish explaining, alright?”

“Yeah, right.” Once again, there's a tightness to his voice that speaks to his nerves, but it's hardly a fraction of before. What else is there to explain?

“I...” Seiko thinks, before nodding and starting to pull off his hoodie. He has to fight his way out of it since it's so big on him, but once he does, my eyes go open wide.

Beneath the black jacket, he's wearing gorgeous pink top that looks both classy and extremely feminine. It looks... right, great on him, I remind myself. If he's crossdressing as a woman, that's an incredible look.

But, his chest... He has a small bulge, like breasts. There's only one way I could think to accomplish that. Is he wearing women's underwear? I push down the surge of revulsion as soon as it comes up. If this is what he wants- If this is what Seiko wants, I won't question it. He isn't just a pervert wearing women's underwear, he said he wants to be a woman.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Women wear women's underwear, so of course he would do something like that, I tell myself. It's fine. I have no problem with this. None at all.

I'm grateful when the food arrives before the silence goes on too long. “My, my, haven't seen you folks before.” The words come from the ancient waitress, her stature short and face a mass of wrinkles from her long years of life. “Are you new in town?” she asks as she slowly spreads plates of food to everyone, one at a time, with her withered, somewhat shaky hands.

“Just meeting here. We're from Ferrvale, and it's halfway between,” I explain.

“Ahh, ahh,” the lady chuckles, “always good to see high school kids who don't forget about their poor parents.” She jabs at Ken with her bony elbow since he's the closest, before moving toward me. “Nothing like my brats, back in the day, let me tell you!” With a small wave, she cackles and leans over to hand Vicca her plate, since she can't reach all the way over the table.

Even the kids can't help grinning at the wacky old lady. She reminds me a little of my own mother, I think. I should give her a call sometime...

“Gorgeous girl you got there,” she grins at me, wagging her eyebrows and tilting her head toward Seiko. “I pity those poor boys in her class, bet they can't keep their eyes off her, huh?” And she throws another jab at Kentan, who blushes unexpectedly at the comment.

“Y-yeah...” Off balance, I chuckle awkwardly. “He's, you know, a really great kid.”

“Hmm?” the woman pauses, eyes moving from me, to Kentan, then to Seiko. That's when I realize what I just said, and I see the look on Seiko's face. The pain, and the fear, when he looks back at the waitress. The women's face tightens with realization, eyes scanning him the same way I did earlier.

“Ugh!” Without another word, the woman drops the last plate of food, Seiko's, on the edge of the table, spilling half of his eggs onto the floor, and stomps off.

There's silence.

Then Seiko starts crying.

It draws eyes from everyone else in the diner, but I barely register that, all I can do is stare at my son.

He completely breaks down, bawling into his hands, his two friends hugging him from either side, rubbing his back for comfort, but he seems utterly inconsolable.

“S-Seiko...” I mumble. I don't think he even hears me. But I get glares, hostile glares from Kentan and Vicca. They gently usher him up and out of the restaurant.

I didn't... I glance to the side, where Jenna is sitting with her head down, not meeting my gaze.

Then the old waitress returns, a large man in a collared shirt behind her. Every eye in the diner follows them to our table.

“Ma'am,” he addresses me, “this is a decent establishment, we don't serve your kind. Get out.”

“I...” He doesn't even give me time to try and respond. He grabs me by the arm and yanks me up out of the seat. I go limp on reflex as he drags me to the door and throws me outside. I stumble, almost falling over as my shoes click across the sidewalk. I look back to the entrance. ...Why?

Then I see Jenna. When the man reaches for her, instead of letting him, she shows all her teeth and hisses at him like some kind of wild animal. That gives him pause, long enough for her to tramp out behind me. But before I can react to that display, she jams her shoulder into me, knocking me aside, her quick tread straight for where the other three are standing.

But she cuts short at the last moment, just a step away from them. I'm still stunned and speechless when she rounds on me. “Come,” she commands. She's just a seventeen year old girl, but one look at her face has me following behind her. Seiko really found such violent friends...

We make it down to the end of the block when Jenna stops. She turns on me, eyes burning. “What was that about? Calling Seiko like that? She just told you she's a girl!” It's a shock, hearing Jenna call him like that. But that's the point, isn't it?

“I don't- I didn't-” My stammering words won't straighten out. “It's just-” I wave my hands. How do I explain this? “I- Just- He's-”

“She.” Jenna growls.

“R-right, sh-she- Seiko said he-”

“She.”

“-sh-she wants to be a girl, but... But... I want to be supportive, but there are so many problems. Look at what just happened!” I wave angrily back at the restaurant. “We got kicked out because he's-”

“She's.”

“-dressed like a girl! I won't judge his-”

“Her.”

“-choices, but other people will! They'll call him-”

“Her.”

“A freak and a pervert!” When I finish, Jenna is fuming.

“I don't think you get it,” she snarls through her teeth. “Seiko. Is. Female. End of story.” I blink at her, stupefied. How can she say that with a straight face?

“But, but... It doesn't work like that, he has a-” Jenna's eyes narrow with a dangerous snarl in the back of her throat, cutting me short before I say it.

But then she says it herself. “A penis? And that alone determines who she is? Hmm? Would you accept her if she cut it off?”

“Well, that...”

“Would everything suddenly be fine if Seiko's body magically changed to female too?” Jenna presses on.

But that- “I mean, mostly, yeah?” My mind is lurching, unable to keep up.

“Seriously? The only thing that matters is her body?” Jenna demands. “Let me guess... You think Seiko can't be a 'real' woman if she can't give birth.”

“W-well, yes... As much as he wants something, if it's not biologically possible...”

“What about you?” she suddenly turns it on me.

“W-what about me?”

“Ten, twenty years from now, you hit menopause and can't have kids anymore. Are you suddenly no longer a woman?”

“I...”

“Do you really think 'woman' is defined solely by the ability to bear children? What about women infertile from birth defects, disease, or a miscarriage, or god forbid, injuries from being raped?!” She's openly screaming at me now. Other people in the street are staring.

I have no idea how to respond. I never thought about any of this before. I always thought- men are men and women are women. We're just born that way, and that's how we are. Men get big and strong and hairy, women stay small and delicate. Puberty sees to that.

“B-but, puberty...” I argue back when I think of it, “it's going to change him. He won't look like a woman. No one will accept him.”

“Forget about them.” Then for the first time, Jenna's tone softens slightly. “No one else matters, just you. You are Seiko's mother. She needs you to accept her. She needs you to see her for who she is. A girl. That's all.”

I grit my teeth. I don't know what to do, how to mesh these conflicting ideas together. I'm supposed to just... toss aside what separates men and women and believe Seiko is female? No one else is going to. His life will be hell.

“Maka-san, sex and gender aren't the same thing.” Jenna tells me. “Sex is your body, gender is your soul. Did you know they can tell apart the souls of men and women?”

I blink stupidly. “No, but... But doesn't that prove my point? That there are differences between us you can't just ignore because you feel like it?”

“The soul isn't dependent on the body. Sex and gender don't have to match.”

“O-oh?” They don't? What happens when they don't match? Is Seiko is like that? A female soul?

Before I can ask anything like that, Jenna continues. “What I'm saying is, you can't just dismiss something you don't understand. When Seiko tells you she's a girl, you're supposed to believe her, because she knows herself best. Just because you don't get it, doesn't make it any less real.”

I look back down the sidewalk, to where Seiko is still wailing in the arms of his friends. Can I really do that? Can I really change my whole view and see him as something other than the wonderful baby boy I gave birth to? Wouldn't that be like losing my son?

My mind goes back to all those years of love and memories... Feeding him, changing his diapers, seeing him walk for the first time. All the way up from a baby, to a child. Picked on and bullied for his name. I put so much care into his name, yet it only ever brought him pain.

I still remember it so vividly. Those first few minutes, pushing through the drugs and pain and dead-eyed exhaustion.

The doctor declaring him a healthy baby boy and letting me cradle him in my arms. The name that came to me on sight, Seiko. Like the whole of the universe delivering it directly into my brain. From that moment, there was no other option. At first, the doctor wouldn't let me choose it, reminding me repeatedly he was a boy, not a girl. But there was no changing my mind. It wasn't until he looked it up for me and found that against all odds, it was technically a gender neutral name, that he even allowed it.

It's funny, thinking back on that now. How I took the name, which by everyone else's account is a female name, and how the world told me it meant I had to let Seiko be true to himself.

That's when it finally clicks.

...I was right. Everyone was right. On all counts, huh? Seiko is a girl's name, isn't it? And it took sixteen years, but Seiko did finally figure things out. Seiko figured out... that she is a girl.

Tears come to my eyes, and I have to sit down against the closest building. It was there the whole time, wasn't it? But I thought- Of course we thought Seiko was a boy, that's what the doctors told us. Penis means boy, what else were we supposed to go by?

But the whole time, the entire world was telling me, 'your child is female.' And I kept pushing her the wrong way anyway. Every time, when anything happened. Oh god, how many times did Albert tell her to 'just man up?' No wonder why none of his lessons stuck, Seiko didn't have a damn clue what any of that meant, did she? Of course her words and actions never made sense, all the signals were jumbled, the lines crossed the entire time.

Slowly, I raise my head, and Jenna is still there, waiting patiently. “Do you get it now?” she asks.

“Yes.” I push against the wall to stand again. “Yes, I understand now.” I rub the tears from my eyes. “Seiko was a girl right from the start. The world itself told me, but I was too blind to see it.”

“Nn.”

But now that I've accepted it... I groan, head in my hands. “But what now? I can see her clearly now, but that doesn't solve the real problems. She's going to be hated and called a freak by everyone who doesn't understand.”

“Maybe,” Jenna sighs, “but there is at least a solution to some of her problems.”

“What's that?”

“What Seiko was trying to tell you before that whole fiasco...” Here, Jenna hesitates, biting her lip. “No, it's still Seiko's place to tell you, not me. Come on.” She waves for us to go back.

Following behind, I say, “Thanks, Jenna-chan. For talking some sense into me.”

“You're welcome. I knew your heart was in the right place,” she shrugs noncommittally, a lot of her earlier energy draining as we draw closer to the others.

I stop, a couple steps from Seiko as her friends cradle her in their arms, hugging her from both sides while she cries her heart out.

They glare at me, a long stretch of silence between us mutely convey that I understand now. Only then, do they nudge Seiko to get her attention. Eventually, she looks up between them and they make small gestures to direct her attention to me.

She turns slowly, and her face is painful to behold. Puffy red eyes, tears everywhere, snot running from her nose, she's a total mess.

And it's all my fault.

“Seiko, sweetie... I was wrong, I'm sorry,” I apologize quietly. “I was confused, and scared, and I couldn't see what you really meant. But I get it now. You're not a boy, you never were. You are a beautiful, strong young woman, and I'm so glad you're my daughter.” When I open my arms, Seiko hesitates, like a scared child, afraid of being hurt again. Oh god, I did this to her.

But her friends give her encouragement, the little push she needs, and she jumps into my arms. I hold her close, rubbing her head and cooing quietly in her ear, and let her cry it all out. I join in, unable to hold my own tears, and so do her friends. The whole time, I thank this world, if it's listening, for blessing me with such a wonderful child.

Seiko wails and cries and snots into my shirt until she falls asleep standing up. No longer supporting her own weight, I struggle to hold her up. She's light, but she's still an adult size dead weight hanging off of me. I manage long enough for Vicca to come and sweep her up like she weighs nothing. That's the strength of a soldier for you.

Not knowing what else to do, we make our way back to the nearby park. Vicca lays Seiko down in a nice grassy spot the shade of the tree, and we all sit around her. There isn't much to say, it sounds like whatever is left, they're leaving it to Seiko. So we all sit quietly, letting Seiko sleep. It's quiet and surprisingly comfortable. We watch the children play and the clouds roll past. She isn't out for long. With the change in her breathing, we all look toward her.

Seiko rouses, sitting up. Her shoulders sag with emotional fatigue. We sit for a little longer as she looks around at everyone, smiling at her friends, then shyly at me.

“So, Seiko, there was one more thing you wanted to tell me? Your friends said you should explain?” I hope it isn't too much more for her, she's been through so much today already.

With a weak grin, Seiko nods. “Yeah, there was one more thing.” She just lifts her arms to gesture to herself. “I didn't just figure out I'm a girl. My body changed too. I'm physically a girl also.”

I blink. Why is she acting like that shouldn't surprise me? What could possibly change Seiko's entire body? And... just how physically female...?

All she does is give me a look, silently answering the question I haven't asked. Still stunned, I turn to Jenna and ask, “Why didn't you tell me that earlier?” It solves a huge number of problems Seiko is likely to face...

The girl is smiling, but looks guilty too. “Not my place to say, and besides- If you'd only accepted Seiko because her body changed, you know how fucked up that would be, right?”

I think about it and... Yeah. “You have a point.” It would mean I think she changed into a girl, and only changed because her body did. Like she was replaced, or turned into a new person. That she wasn't my daughter all along.

Thinking that way, I'd be invalidating her entire life up to that point. It would be the death of my 'son' and the birth of someone different. Jenna's right, that would be incredibly fucked up. Shaking my head a little, I turn back to my daughter. “I'm guessing it's a bit of a story?”

“Yeah. I'll... I don't know, I'll call or text or something. I'm kind of tired now,” she says sheepishly.

“That's fine, sweetie.” I wrap an arm around her and give her a kiss on the forehead. “Whenever you're ready.”

“A-and Mom?” After earlier, that anxiety that creeps into her voice makes me go still. “Please don't tell Dad?”

“Huh? Why not?” I don't understand.

“He's...” Seiko hugs closer to my side, looking down into the grass. “I've learned a lot lately, while I've been figuring things out and finding myself. Some of the stuff I learned... I just don't think Dad will react well when he finds out.”

I don't understand when she doesn't explain anything. Why would Albert react badly? He always wanted the best for Seiko as a boy, there's no reason that would change as a girl. After all, he's always so protective of Laila.

Could Seiko be worried about that? Like she would be taking Albert's attention away from Laila? It feels like a stretch...

“Are you sure, sweetie?” I ask again, to make absolutely sure, and she nods. Again, I don't understand, and it feels wrong to hide something like this from my own husband, but Seiko is serious, she clearly has a good reason. So even when I don't understand, I'll trust her.

“Fine, this will be our little mother-daughter secret, until you feel comfortable telling your father. Should I say anything to Laila?”

“No,” she shakes her head. “Just... keep it to yourself I guess. I have enough to deal with at school.”

“What's happening at school?” Is there something else she hasn't brought up?

“We switched to our summer uniforms,” she sighs. “The school doctor got me a couple weeks grace period with a gym and uniform exemption, but once that's up, there won't be any hiding the changes to my body, and I'm not about to pretend I'm suddenly in the wrong body... So I'll be switching over and start attending as a girl.”

“Oh my...” I'm reminded again of my laundry list of worries. What people will say, what they'll think. How they will respond. It won't be as bad with her body changed like this, but the chances of her classmates simply accepting things seems slim at best.

“Yeah, like I said, I have enough to deal with.”

“Sure, I understand. Just take your time.” No wonder she's so stressed about Albert, she can't take any more coming at her all at once.

“Mm.” The heavy talk subsides. We relax and chat for a little while longer, before going our separate ways.

With Seiko set to start as a female soon, I can probably expect to hear about it through the grapevine. I hope I don't hear anything too bad...