My name is Minato Fujiwara (♂). I’m a senior in high school.

  The springtime of my life was drawing to a close, and I stood at a major crossroads, needing to decide my future.

  Good at both the sciences and the humanities, I had considered going to a national university. But my parents told me our finances were in dire straits. I could go, but there was a chance I’d have to drop out midway.

  So I decided to focus on the civil service exam over summer break. If that didn’t work out, I’d shift my efforts to university entrance exams.

  As the second semester began and the exam date approached, I found my eyes drawn to a certain girl.

  Fuko Yamagishi (♀).

  Long eyelashes, a gracefully straight nose.

  She was undoubtedly beautiful, but there were no rumors of her dating anyone.

  Cold and distant, she studied even during breaks, her hair a mess as if she didn’t care about fashion.

  She often muttered things to herself about kinetic energy or Coulomb’s law.

  She seemed alienated from the other girls, and the boys avoided her too.

  I remember thinking she should enjoy her youth more, but all I did was watch from afar.

  Then, suddenly, she changed.

  She started tying up her hair, looking more refined—almost radiant.

  She even made a few friends, and I’d see her chatting happily.

  Why was I watching her so closely?

  At first, it was idle curiosity.

  But not anymore. I was in love.

  That day, when I got home, I stared at a picture of her on my phone.

  My breath quickened as I whispered her name.

  Ever since puberty, I’d done indecent things while watching adult videos and gravure photos, but this was the first time I did it while thinking of a classmate.

  I wanted to sit beside her. I wanted to hold her hand. Kiss her. See her naked…

  My imagination ran wild, ending in my ascension to the heavens.

  I should’ve been studying. What a disgrace.

  Time passed, and finally, the civil service exam results were posted.

  November 20th—my number was there.

  My heart danced with joy.

  I could’ve just called the school to report it, but I was so happy I went in person to the teachers' office.

  The teachers congratulated me. I was beaming with pride.

  Still on a high, I wandered the school grounds like some suspicious guy—through classrooms, across the field…

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  Eventually, I found myself under the cherry tree behind the gym.

  That’s when I saw them.

  A boy and a girl talking. The boy said something heatedly, and the girl collapsed to the ground.

  A failed love confession, maybe?

  Squinting closer, I realized I knew them both.

  Junpei Ishikawa and Fuko Yamagishi.

  Junpei walked off, leaving Fuko with her head down.

  Was she crying?

  "Hey, you there. Yes, you."

  A voice, but no one in sight.

  "I’m Chico, a Cupid of love, if you will."

  "Where are you?"

  "You can’t see me because I’m speaking to your heart. By the way, I read your feelings—you like her, don’t you?"

  My face flushed hot.

  "Now’s your chance. She’s down right now. Comfort her, and she’ll be yours."

  "Why are you interfering…?"

  "Because it’s super moe. I’m totally corrupted these days."

  "Corrupted?"

  "N-Never mind that. I just like watching you two from afar."

  "Are you messing with me?"

  "But seriously, if you miss this moment, you’ll regret it forever. You okay with that?"

  "No… I mean, I don’t want to… but…"

  "Be a man. Have some courage. Good luck!"

  The voice vanished, and it was just me and Fuko.

  Should I talk to her?

  "Um, Yamagishi-san. Are you okay?"

  "Ah… Fujiwara-kun."

  "Are you feeling unwell?"

  "I… I’m okay. I can walk on my own."

  "Actually… there’s something I want to tell you."

  "What is it?"

  "I like you!"

  Silence. Even the autumn wind could be heard.

  "So, you’re saying… you see me as a girl? As someone of the opposite sex?"

  "That’s right."

  She looked into the void.

  "Watch out!"

  She nearly collapsed, and I rushed to catch her.

  "Are you alright?"

  "Sorry… Not really."

  "Let’s go to the infirmary."

  She nodded faintly.

  At first, I offered my shoulder, but she had no strength left. I ended up carrying her in a princess lift.

  I thought she’d resist, but she didn’t.

  "Sorry… I didn’t think about how you’d feel. Do I really disgust you that much?"

  "That’s not it… It’s just… being reminded that I’m a girl—it hit me hard. My whole life flashed before me, and everything went dark."

  In health class, we were told that some girls can’t accept their bodies changing during puberty.

  She must be one of them.

  After laying her down and exchanging a few words with the nurse, I left the room.

  Was that the end of my first love?

  I thought so, until the next day when I received a message from her via social media, though I didn’t know how she got my account.

  *“I’m sorry I couldn’t respond properly yesterday. I’ve spent time facing myself. I thought deeply about what it means to date a man. I’ve decided to try living as a girl. If you’re okay with it, can we start as friends?

  P.S. I knew you really saw me as a girl because of the way your hands felt on my thighs when you carried me.”*

  Was she delicate or just pervy? I couldn’t tell.

  I think our first date was at a park, though I don’t remember much.

  She wore a frilly dress—clearly forcing herself to be girly. We were both stiff, like malfunctioning robots.

  She even tried using old-fashioned, anime-style feminine speech like "-no yo" and "-wa yo." It was oddly charming.

  She brought lunch, but… well, cooking might not be her forte.

  After the date, things were awkward. We didn’t talk at school for a while.

  If she was forcing herself to be a girl, maybe I was forcing myself to play the guy role, too.

  We finally clicked over manga, anime, and games.

  I was surprised she was into the kind of stuff guys liked.

  We’d exchange recommendations and share thoughts. It felt less like I had a girlfriend and more like I’d gained an otaku friend.

  Time passed, and we graduated.

  I got a job at city hall. She went to a junior college for home economics.

  Apparently, she wanted to go to a four-year university, but her parents wouldn’t allow it.

  Still, she was fired up about becoming the perfect wife and mom—sewing, cooking, and all.

  When I visited her house in secret, I was shocked. White and pink lace curtains, plushies of famous characters everywhere.

  I hadn’t expected such a stereotypical “girl’s room.”

  She said, “It’s your fault, you know!”

  "You said you liked me. That’s why I decided to try living as a girl. You made me into a girl."

  Apparently, her parents were thrilled about her embracing femininity.

  Somehow, it made me feel like I’d done a good thing.

  We weren’t allowed to have kids until after graduation, but the more our love was forbidden, the more it burned behind closed doors.

  "I’m doing something naughty… Forgive me, God."

  She was just as fired up by our forbidden love.

  In the end, we got married. Our love was so deep, we had three kids.

  Fuko learned to cook, handled housework, worked part-time—she supported our home.

  She’s a devoted mother, and our kids are growing up strong.

  A good mom, a good wife.

  I’m so glad I confessed to her that day.

  I’m truly happy.