Snap.

The white silk panties stretched snugly over my hips, making a soft elastic sound.

My face flushed with heat.

A shy girl, blushing like this, with curves like that, standing in nothing but her underwear—by all logic, it should’ve set off every primal male instinct I have.

But… it didn’t.

Because the girl in the mirror, looking all bashful and delicate, was me.

Who would’ve thought such a tiny scrap of fabric would actually fit? Not only did it fit, it was surprisingly comfortable—this snug, close-fitting sensation somehow made me feel… safe.

I leaned forward to check out my now-flat stomach—purely for research purposes, of course—but my chest got in the way. I couldn’t even see past it.

The bra holding everything up helped relieve some of the weight from my shoulders, sure. But thanks to the design, the side straps were digging into my back—just like when a clothing tag keeps itching at your neck and you can’t stop noticing it.

“Next time, I should probably get a strapless one…”

Oops. That slipped out.

“You said next time, didn’t you?” came my little sister’s voice through the Bluetooth earpiece. She only talks this casually when it’s just me or her close friends around.

“Ahaha, just kidding! I’ll have Chang Kai turn me back after the signing event tomorrow.”

“You know, you’ve been a lot more relaxed since turning into a girl.”

“Have I?”

I left the fitting room wearing the outfit we picked out earlier. A white round-neck base layer, topped with a light brown knit cardigan. A dark blue denim miniskirt for the bottom. On my feet were platform ankle boots—partly to make up for the height I’d lost… I’d also bought a pair of thigh-high socks, but chickened out on wearing them. I shoved them in my bag. Somehow, putting them on felt like crossing a line I wasn’t ready for.

My sister had picked out the whole outfit. I just took fitting-room selfies and let her make the calls.

From a guy’s point of view, I had to admit—this combo looked decent. But in this body, I looked way too gentle and delicate for such a lively, peppy style. Something floatier and softer—like that pink chiffon blouse I saw earlier—might suit me better.

Actually, it’s like this body wants to wear cute, girly clothes.

Not good. It feels like my male psyche is slowly being taken over by this teenage girl body. Chang Kai’s powers… they might be a little too effective.

After leaving the lingerie store, I didn’t head home right away. Instead, I stopped by a dessert café to rest my legs. These platform boots were heavy—walking around in them made my calves sore, like I’d strapped bricks to my feet. They didn’t have the grounded, stable feel of sneakers at all.

Turning into a girl isn’t something that happens every day. If I’m going to do it, I want to try the full experience—buying clothes, testing out makeup, trying all the little things. Let’s call it… immersive research. After all, “Miyanaga Kohime” is technically a female romance novelist.

So why not… order a parfait?

Yeah, that sounds pretty girly.

“Your deluxe fruit parfait, miss.”

“Whoa, that’s huge!”

“Well, it is our café’s signature item.”

A cheerful waitress with cute twin tails set down a towering glass in front of me. My eyes locked on instantly.

What a dazzling sight.

Chocolate, strawberries, vanilla, crushed Oreos, and scoop after scoop of layered ice cream, stacked beautifully in a deep glass.
On top of the mountain of creamy white was a lavish crown of fruit chunks, syrup, Pocky sticks, waffles, and wafers.

This “deluxe parfait” didn’t hold back. It practically screamed indulgence.

Click.

I snapped a pic and sent it to my sister—just to tease her a little. It’s kind of a mean move, but hey, it felt in character.

“You’re eating that thing while I’m stuck at home with potato salad?!”

“I’ve been walking around all day! I deserve a little treat. Don’t worry, I’ll bring you back dinner later. Or you could come join me if you really want to.”

“You know I can’t go out alone!”

“Well, this thing doesn’t travel. It’ll melt before I even get home.”

Time flew faster than I expected. It was already four o’clock. Cooking dinner might be tight, so I’ll swing by a fast food joint and grab a couple of burgers. My sister loves that stuff.

She’s not just into burgers—fried chicken, fries, you name it. I’ve always tried to limit how often I get her junk food… she worries me sometimes.

“Nom… oho~”

The first bite of the parfait sent a cold rush through my brain, but I couldn’t help letting out a little sound of delight.

Sweets are happiness incarnate. The sugar triggers endorphins in your brain—it’s literal joy in a spoon.

“Oho~!”

“Okay seriously, can you not make weird noises while eating?! It’s torture over here! I don’t want potato salad anymore!”

From the clatter in the background, she was clearly throwing her utensils onto the table. Still sulking. Sixteen-year-old girls, man…

“There, there, my sweet little sister. Next time, big sis will take you out for parfaits too.”

“Did you just call yourself big sis?!”

Well, I couldn’t very well call myself her brother while sitting in a public café surrounded by strangers, could I?

“Ahem. Anyway, anything you want me to pick up on the way back?”

“RTX 2080 Ti!”

“…Huh?”

“The new nuclear warhead.”

“???”

She does this sometimes—drops tech jargon that flies right over my head.

“If you don’t get it, never mind. Just grab a carton of milk.”

“Isn’t that a bit heavy…? And I thought you hated milk?”

“After seeing your chest, I feel like there’s still hope for me…”

Seriously?! We don’t even know if this power has anything to do with genetics.

“I think you should… temper your expectations.”

The parfait came with two long, thin spoons—clearly not meant to be eaten alone. Once the ice cream started melting, I sped up my pace to avoid wasting it.

“Oh, and don’t forget to call your editor. It’s great that Brother Kai had a workaround, but this whole mess started with you. Even if you can’t explain everything, you should at least apologize.”

“Yeah, yeah…”

Brain freeze was setting in. I rubbed my temples and sighed.

“I should probably text Yan too…” before he finds out some other way. It’ll be hard to explain otherwise—and I get the feeling Kai’s powers are supposed to be a secret.

“Hard to believe you, of all people, are attending a fan signing tomorrow. You’re actually kind of excited, aren’t you?”

“It’s… complicated. But as a novelist, nothing makes me happier than meeting readers.”

I gave the melting parfait one final stir and downed the rest straight from the glass. It wasn’t the most elegant move, but once it turns to soup, it loses its charm.

Wiping my lips, I cradled my still-aching head.

“…Maybe I shouldn’t publish under ‘Miyanaga Kohime’ anymore.”

“Why not?”

“My readers believe in me… but I’ve been lying to them. Doesn’t that feel wrong?”

“But right now, you are a real girl writer! I bet once you show up at that signing, your popularity will explode.”

The name “Miyanaga Kohime” had already gotten dragged into online drama. If I could turn things around, maybe people would finally see the truth—and maybe gain a few new fans along the way.

“But I’m not a newbie. I’ve written several books before Dreamlike Fragrance. Honestly, I don’t even think it’s my best work.”

“Wait… Dreamlike Fragrance?!”

The twin-tailed waitress who came to clear my empty glass perked up with wide, sparkling eyes.

“You’re… you’re Miyanaga Kohime-sensei!?”

Ah. A fan.

Scratching my cheek, I gave a sheepish nod.

“Uh… yeah. You’ve read it?”

“No way! I love your writing!” she practically squealed. She pulled a copy of Dreamlike Fragrance from behind her back like a magician and handed it over, fishing out a pen from her apron.

“Could I… get your autograph?”

I hadn’t practiced a signature, but luckily I had good penmanship. I carefully wrote my name, and she accepted it like it was a treasure.

“Thank you so much! I’ll keep supporting your books! MUA~!”

She actually kissed the cover.

“N-No need to be so formal, really… I’m not used to it.”

This girl was intense. Loud, energetic, and rough around the edges—I meant personality-wise.

“It’s just part of the job! Even if I’m older than the customers, I still use honorifics and smile for everyone. Sensei, are you really not going to the signing tomorrow?”

“See, bro? You’re already bumping into fans just walking around. You’re a celebrity now. You sure you’re ready to give up being ‘Miyanaga Kohime’ and let down all these fans?”

My sister sounded way too gleeful in my ear.

“…I am going to the signing. But just so you know—I’ve already written other books. They didn’t sell, but I’ve been around a while. I’m not exactly a debut author. Is that… okay?”

The waitress smiled and tucked the book behind her… somewhere. I’m not sure where it went.

“I can’t speak for everyone. But personally? I care about the story. Not whether the author’s a ‘newbie girl writer.’ Honestly, who’d sit through an entire book just because they thought the author was cute?”

Her words lifted something inside me.

“Thanks. Really.”

She turned red.

“Oh no… you’re way too cute when you’re serious! I can’t hold back!”

Before I could react, she lunged across the table and hugged me. Her bare arms wrapped around my neck, making me freeze in place.

“Your smile’s totally cheating. You’re so soft and huggable~ Can I keep hugging you?”

“You already are hugging me!”

Wait… is she into girls?

…Or worse, considering my figure now... is she into lolis?

“So soft… soooo soft…”

She nuzzled against me with a blissful sigh—and, well, I could definitely feel the softness too.

Ugh. Thanks for the service…

Y’know what? Maybe… being a girl isn’t so bad after all.

“Wait! Bro, what’s going on over there?!”