Nervous. Restless.

The moment of shedding my disguise had finally arrived. Just imagining myself standing before Old Chang—Uncle Chang—as a woman made my heart pound so hard it felt like it might burst straight out of my throat.

A dress I hadn’t worn in ages. Stockings I hadn’t worn in ages. Makeup I hadn’t touched in ages.

And—after so long—the thing I hadn’t truly faced in ages: myself, as a woman.

That aside, the cosplay outfit I brought this time was Ruby’s¹. I didn’t bring Crescent Rose though.

When I slipped into the cosplay outfit that Scarlet-chan had sewn with her own hands and stood before the mirror, a strange sense of dissonance welled up inside me…

Damn it.

Was it because I’m getting older that I no longer give off that girlish feeling?

Or was it simply that my temperament didn’t suit this character at all?

Me cosplaying a bishoujo character really was pushing it, wasn’t it…

Speaking of bishoujos, what Xiao Kai said earlier also lingered uncomfortably in my mind—gods and all that. I sincerely hoped it wasn’t what I feared. If his master really was the “God of Bishoujo,” then my secret would be exposed sooner or later. And when that happened… would Xiao Kai be able to accept it?

He already wasn’t keen on me being together with Uncle Chang. He still seemed intent on finding his biological mother. If he learned the truth about me, he’d probably be even more unwilling to let me become his stepmother.

“…Sigh.”

“O-oh! Captain Wu?!”

Lost in thought at the vanity—brooding, zoning out, sighing—I hadn’t noticed anyone else enter the changing room. When I turned around, I found a petite, long-ahoge-sporting girl staring back at me.

It was Sayocho, editor at Lilith Publishing, and also Adviser Takagi’s daughter.

On paper, I was only two years older than her.

So how does she look so young?

“Oh—it’s… Xiao… Mian-chan? You’re here to change too?”

She bristled immediately.

“Don’t call me Mian-chan, you damn otaku!”

She was carrying a large bag as well—probably that reindeer outfit she’d mentioned earlier.

…Seriously. It’s not even Christmas. Why a reindeer?

Right now, though, she was openly staring me up and down in shock, her gaze eventually settling squarely on my chest—

Because I slouch all the time, it’s not obvious, but my bust does have some substance. At the very least, it beats the junior-high-build legal loli in front of me.

“Cross-dressing? No—wait… you were a woman all along?!”

Her adorably stunned reaction eased my tension a little, and I couldn’t resist teasing her.

“Hehe. Surprised? Go on—call me ‘big sister.’”

Arms wide—
Hug attack!

Ah. Dodged.

She ducked under my arms, retreated three steps, and stared at me warily, her sharp little eyes just like a cautious deer.

Ha… bishoujos really are wonderful.

Even though she’s hardly a shoujo by age anymore.

“Then why do you usually pretend to be a man?”

Despite her vigilance, curiosity got the better of her.

“Xiao Kai’s father has gynophobia. You know that, right? If I work with him, I can’t reveal that I’m female.”

“Then why dress as a man during conventions too?!”

…Well.

It had been over ten years since I survived that car accident—and became a girl. Wearing women’s clothing wasn’t uncomfortable anymore. Continuing to live as a man was probably just the final stubborn resistance of my male soul.

Though no matter how stubborn I was, that monthly visitor never failed to show up…

If Uncle Chang could accept me, then maybe that stubbornness wasn’t necessary anymore. Fully accepting myself as a woman… might not be so bad.

Of course, I couldn’t tell Sayocho any of that, so I brushed it off.

“There are… all sorts of reasons, you know~”

She snorted.
“Figures. Even knowing you’re a woman, I still can’t let my guard down. You’re totally the type who’d be in the women’s bathhouse to peep on other women, you pervert.”

“Hey! I’m not a pervert! I just like cute girls like you! As a woman, what’s wrong with liking cute things?”

That hit a nerve.

She yelped, her ahoge snapping upright like an antenna as she shouted,
“I’m twenty-six! Twenty-six! Do I still count as a ‘girl’?! And don’t call me cute! Is it my fault I’m short?! I want to be called sexy, mature, an attractive lady!”

Ah.

None of those descriptions fit her at all.

“Well then, I’ll head out. You change… yeah.”

It suddenly occurred to me—those one-piece reindeer suits usually meant you could only wear underwear underneath.

…And yet she just stood there, glaring.

“Get out already! No peeking!”

She really thought that badly of me?

Was I really the kind of person who’d peek?

Bang!

The door slammed shut violently, smashing right into my face. My right eye nearly got taken out.

Hmph. As expected of an editor—she saw through my intentions instantly… ow.

“I knew you’d try to peek! Get out!”

Back in the hall, Xiao Kai and Uncle Chang were already surrounded in a corner by a crowd of coworkers.

Which was only natural. The company wasn’t big, and Uncle Chang’s “issues” were common knowledge among longtime staff. No one expected him to show up today—and with the rumored son who resembled his ex-wife Ying appearing too, people came out of sheer curiosity.

Like tourists visiting a panda exhibit, three layers deep.

There were female colleagues too, of course—but they all tactfully kept silent, watching Uncle Chang’s reactions instead.

“Hey Old Chang, Xiao Wu’s here.”

I’d hoped to approach quietly, but I’d still been noticed.

The fact that I was actually a woman—everyone in the department knew it except Uncle Chang himself. So while there was some surprise, it wasn’t truly unexpected. You could even say I joined this department because of him.

Xiao Kai’s reaction, though, was interesting.

Aside from that hospital incident, this was only the second time he’d seen me dressed as a woman—and this time, in a cosplay outfit he liked, with makeup on. I caught the flash of amazement in his eyes instantly.

Heh.

That’s the power of contrast.

I squeezed through the crowd and sat across from them.

“Well, Xiao Kai? When I get serious, I’m not bad, right?”

He composed himself, forced out a look of disdain, and replied,
“Not at all. You don’t suit Ruby’s role whatsoever. That fox-like face of yours is way too seductive.”

Tch. This brat really can’t say anything nice.

“Role?” Uncle Chang asked, curiosity piqued. He didn’t flip up his goggles yet. “Xiao Wu, what character are you dressed as? There aren’t any women around, right?”

I replied,
“Of course there are.”

You’re looking at one.

His body stiffened slightly.

“…Then I won’t look for now. I’ll wait until there aren’t any.”

Just like Xiao Kai said—his condition had worsened again. Merely hearing that women were nearby made him rigid.

…This really might be the last chance.

“All right, everyone, please take your seats. The dance is about to begin. Don’t crowd Uncle Chang like this—you’ll make him nervous.”

I waved the others away, signaling them not to interfere. Before revealing this appearance to him, he probably needs time to acclimate. This was an operation that cannot afford to fail.

At the center of the dance floor, the host was delivering the ball’s opening speech. I barely heard a word. All my attention was fixed on the man in front of me, dressed in a dog-headed mascot suit.

I took the walkie-talkie from Xiao Kai and spoke carefully.

“Uncle Chang… we’ve worked together for four months now. Thank you for all your help during these times.”

“Huh? What’s with the formality all of a sudden?” He paused, then chuckled. “If anything, you’re the one taking care of me. I’ve gotten so used to the rides lately—I can’t manage without you now!”

“That’s not it. I meant work-wise. Without your guidance, I wouldn’t have gotten up to speed so quickly.”

“That’s because you learn fast. And once you’re competent, things get easier on my end too.”

Xiao Kai cut in,
“Okay, okay, stop awkwardly praising each other. It’s painful to listen to… Qinglan-ge, you’ve got something else to say, don’t you?”

Uncle Chang scratched the dog head awkwardly.

“Yeah. Saying all this feels distant. Just talk like usual, Xiao Wu.”

I gathered my courage.

“…All right. Then, Uncle Chang—once it starts, would you… dance with me?”

“Dance? Why? Wouldn’t it be awkward for two men to dance together?”

Xiao Kai muttered,
“I mean, even if you had a female partner, you wouldn’t dare go dance anyway.”

I pressed on.
“Come on, it’s a ball. We’re already here—might as well dance once, right?”

“I’ll… pass. I don’t really know how to dance… and if I go down there, it’ll be full of women.”

“It’s fine. Everyone knows your situation, they’ll keep their distance. I’ll lead you. Ballroom dancing is just spinning in circles anyway. Just follow my steps, you can dance even with your eyes closed…Which you basically are right now, aren’t you?”

Xiao Kai added,
“Dad, just go. You even have such a safe mascot suit prepared for this.”

Uncle Chang shifted his feet uneasily.

“…If you’re both insisting that much… I’ll dance once then.”