"So, what happened to you? What are you doing here Àfter disappearing for a year?" I asked.

Actually, I'm Still confused, The way she talks somewhat familiar to me but then, her body, voice, and other traits of her is really different.

"I texted you, right? I told you I'll come back after a year."

"So, when you said that you will and I should be prepared, you mean this? You become transgender?"

"Eh? I told you I'm a girl," She looked down on the ground and sighed. "If you still can't believe me, then want me to show you my birth certificate?"

"No need..." If she's that confident that she will show me her birth certificate then it's true..

"But what the hell is going on? You were totally a guy before, you're even in the basketball club, and the way you acted was totally what guy would do back then..

could you explain that?"

But, Naruki, being a girl explains something why she said something a guy wouldn't do, and that is confessing that she likes me.

"T-that's." Feeling hesitant, she continued. "My mother... My mother wants to have a High school son but she can't have any more baby and consequently, she also can't have a son, so she dress me up like a boy, treated me like a boy and taught me to act like a boy and that continued for at least ten years and then I met you.. when I noticed that I'm not attractive enough for you to fall for me, I decided that I will put some effort and become the girl you will like.."

She brushed away the pink hair that had stuck to her cheek,

"I mean, I know your preference, you like attractive pink haired girls in anime, so I tried to make myself like this."

She still remember that, huh. I mean yeah, I like it but... that's my anime character preference but not like in real life.

She looked at me and blushed . "Is your heart skipping a beat now that you're seeing me?"

"No." My answer has automatically slip out of my mouth.

"Eh!!" Then she held her head using both hands as if she's regretting something. "Did I make a mistakes! I mean..aren't I supposed to be cute?"

Watching her to act like this is actually amusing..What could have happened if she stays like a guy?

"Don't worry," I patted her head. "You look gorgeous right now, I don't know why you're doing this but I think your looks right now suit you better than before."

"Really?" She Looked at me like she was some kind of puppy. Then swept some of her tears and "I'm glad." she smiled.

Yeah, I think this is fine, I feel weird talking to her, I feel like I'm having a conversation with a girl I just met but I've been with for a long time. Sigh, Naruki is my first friend and I wanted to keep my relationship with him , ah! I mean her. Is it okay? I mean, Naruki is Naruki and if her gender is female...I just have to accept it.. And I think, I feel like I'm starting to get over my hate about girls, and sometime I wonder if do really hate them or am I just telling that to myself to avoid them?

Why do I feel like this? What should I do about this? Shit! Now is not the time to think about it!

"Sorry about earlier."I apologetic

said.

"Hhmm? About what?"

"Well, sorry for touching you like that, I mean I touched your.."

I touched her sensitive part and that's my mistakes.. well, I thought she's just joking and pretending to be a girl. so...

"It's fine," She brightly smiled and leaned against me.

"Uhmm.. Naruki, I think you need to distance yourself for a bit of space."

"Huh? Why?"

Shit.. Now that her face and body are totally different and she smells great, I feel kinda weird.

I am already convinced that she's really Naruki, but then there's something I want to confirm.

"Naruki, will you help me with something?"

"Yes, anything for you Satoro-kun."

She happily response upon hearing me.

Naruki is good at technology and if I remember correctly, he can do some hacking.

"Can you hack the School's website. I am looking for someone inside this school and I think asking for your help would be much faster than me looking for her."

"Hmm..Wait a minute." She rummage in her bag and bring out her I pad.

"Let's see..." Then she started playing with it as if it was some kind of keyboard.

"Hmm..I am getting block, the security in this school is really strict so I'm having a Hard time..."

"....I will need my computer for this one, it may take a day or two, Satoro-kun."

There's no doubting it, She's really Naruki. The way she moves her hand is as dexterous as him and what's more, I'm familiar with that I pad, That's the I pad she always bring at school before.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Then can you look for a girl, named Natsumi?"

"A girl?" Her aura around her has changed and become dark as soon as she heard me saying girl.

"Y-yeah, I just need to confirm something from her," I subconsciously moved back.

"Is that so?... Then." She looked at me and tilted her head. "What will be my reward if I found her?"

Reward?.. She's asking for something in return? I guess that's not rare, there's nothing free anymore in this world, after all.

"I'll do one thing you want me to do in return."

"Really?" Her eyes sparkled then, she stood.

"Then Bye, see you later," She waved her hands excitedly.

She's leaving now?

"Where are you going?"

"At my apartment, You said you'll do anything so I will finished it as soon as possible."

"What? I think you misunderstood it, I said I'll do one thi--"

"See you later!"

*Thud.

She restlessly ran and excitedly exited the door after opening it.

Sigh, is she for real? "Is she really going to her apartment? there's still an afternoon class, right?

And what's more, it seems like she misunderstood what I said.

"Sigh"

***

To my blank amazement, it was not sympathy that lay in the gazes of most students, but nothing but envy of their peers.

As soon as Kira Miyoko appeared at school after her long absence, everyone strove to be around her. In no time at all, a wall akin to a fortress loomed before her.

"Are you okay, Kira-san? Aren't you tired? Don't hesitate to tell me if there's anything I can help you with, okay?" A girl standing next to her said.

"Thank you, Miku. I feel much better now that I have seen your lovely face. I really should have brought myself to come to school sooner," Kira put on a brilliant smile and stroked her cheek softly, while the girl that seems to be her friend was worriedly looking up at her. Kira then took a look at the surrounding people. "My sincere thanks to everyone else as well. I can't express how happy I am… that so many of you have worried about me and my mother. I am really lucky to have classmates like you!"

She closed her eyes softly without breaking her smile as she put her hands on her well-rounded bosom. Tskk..What is this situation, first thing in the morning and I already feel sick. Sigh, she's really acting like that bitch, why does she always resembles that bitch even though they're totally different?..

Tempted by the deep emotion Kira was showing, they all put on meek expressions and nodded all together.

I almost had to snort upon seeing that Kinori and other guys were among them, too, with earnest faces that couldn't have suited them less.

Originally my classmates probably wanted to be the ones that comforted a disheartened Kira, but infact it turned out the opposite. If someone had taken a photograph of that scene and told me it was Kira who comforts her disheartened classmates, I would have believed it. Sigh, what a sight.

In other words, Kira Miyoko could perfectly do without our worthless pity.

Only when she was among masses of people like now, her true value surfaced.

Though everyone wore the same uniform and was at the same age, only she was special and stood out from the others, shining almost like the moon in the darkest night: magnificently and full of elegance.

As there was no way to get through the impregnable fortress that was protecting her, I was degraded to a mere "commoner" who beheld the captivated princess from afar.... But who would have thought that I'll be involved with her.

From time to time, however, our eyes met.

I can't deny that I found myself not incapable of interpreting her demanding gaze as an appeal to get her out of there. But for one thing I would have looked stupid if I was wrong, and for another thing it was unreasonable to voluntarily take such a calorie-consuming action for someone like me who does not care two figs about knightliness. Thus, I slipped out of the uncomfortable classroom and brilliantly fulfilled my role as commoner or rather a bystander, I think it suit me much better. By silently watching the clouds through the corridor window until homeroom began at the end of the week, Friday.

I still don't have any Intel regarding Naruki's hacking, is it doing well? I hope so.

Even during breaks the situation didn't change.

It didn't take me long to able to properly talk to her at school for a while, thus I chose to spend my breaks in the quiet corridor, away from the noise. Why you asked? Well, I don't want to deal with anyone right now. I want to enjoy my time.

As reaction to my quick resignation, clever Kira secretly started to messages me on her phone and send some messages to me during the breaks because she couldn't talk to me directly.

By the time school was over, I see on my notification that I received five text messages from her.

I peeked at my phone and started reading it one by one, I first read the text I had gotten in the first break.

[Why are you not talking to me?]

[Matsuki-kun, I miss you.]

[It's been so long since we could talk.]

[ I will be visiting my mom in the hospital, we may not be able to talk for the time being, but please don't get angry if I wasn't able to contact you.]]

[ My mother is getting better now so don't worry.]

She had surely realized that texting me would have done the job. I sensed a kind of unyielding spirit and pride from the fact that she still chose to stick to those messages.

By the way, I had indulged myself in a midday nap during that lunch break. Because I thought I would have to deal with her at school and after school but it turns out that she will be busy; must be worried about her mom, huh.

As unexpected, she let a scrap of paper fall on my desk as she passed me by while cheerfully saying goodbye to her classmates.

A smile escaped my mouth when I read the hastily written message. It was at last a request I couldn't reject, so I quickly packed my bag and left the classroom.

[ This day tired me. It's not like I don't want to talk, it's just..I don't want you to see me like this. but would you be pleased if I asked you to walk me there in the hospital? Promise I'll make up for it later.]

As it seemed, it's not always easy to be in the spotlight. Just watching had annoyed me, so I figured her exhaustion had to be huge.

Since I was satisfied by having gotten her to show a sign of weakness, though only in letter, I was willing to walk her and wait and see what could be her "making up for it" mean.

When I left the school building with such thoughts, my eyes found a girl near the front gate.

She spotted me immediately and signaled me to come by waving me to her, while "hiding" in the shadow of the gate.

I would have preferred to just feign ignorance, but she wasn't someone I would ignore, it was Naruki after all.

I took out my mobile phone, quickly typed in a message and sent it. I informed Kira that I could not accompany her to the hospital.

I didn't want to involve her in "this matter". Not out of some sparkling heroism to protect her, but because I considered this a way to know more about the reason why Kira had been forced to date me.

A reply returned a few seconds later.

[I don't care about you anymore and don't text me ever again!]

What a speed And what did she said? Don't care about me anymore,huh. Considering the number of letters. I could well imagine her pressing the buttons of her phone with a furious wrath at an imperceptible speed but may be she's just fast at texting.

Even though I felt a litttle upset as I looked up at the clear blue sky, I had to acknowledge it was fine even if she doesn't care, I also don't care after all.

It's not like there was a special reason to feel anything if she doesn't care about me.

"Ya! Let's go into a cafe nearby instead of standing here, Satoro-kun" Naruki seems so enthusiastic and happy.

" So, did you find her?" I asked.

"Yes, I did take a picture of the girl I found, named Natsumi."

Then she bring out her phone and pointed her index finger at her phone.

"Is it her?"

I looked at the phone, hoping to see the blonde hair girl.

My eyes widened as I wasn't expecting what I just saw.

on the phone that is in front of me, yeah namely Natsumi is there, above the name was a picture of a blonde hair girl. Some of her information was also there beneath the name but that's not the one what surprised me the most. What surprised me was the girl next her.

[ Natsumi Kirya]

18 years old

section 2-F

GPA: 1.7

[Shira Reya ]

18 years old

Section 2-F

GPA:1.4

My blood boils And I felt rise hot up my neck when I see the name and the face of the person I hate the most.

"Satoro-kun, Are you okay?"

Naruki worriedly asked while e touching my sweating forehead, she said:

"You're sweating a lot."

I'm not expecting this turn of events but...Why? why is her name in there?..