Caught completely off guard by Teacher Takagi exposing my identity, I panicked so hard my brain nearly short-circuited. If I’d known this would happen, I never would’ve come to this godforsaken masquerade in the first place!

“Th-this, that… My name is Chang Kai. You’ve got the wrong person!”

“Oh? Is that so?”

In response to my feeble denial, she calmly took out her phone and tapped at it a few times at lightning speed… and, naturally, my phone rang.

She even had the nerve to remind me kindly, “Young man, your phone’s ringing. Aren’t you going to answer it?”

Answer my a̲s̲s̲! Even if I used my toenail clippings to think about it, I’d know that call was from her.

At this exact moment, I deeply regretted not carrying two phones like Xiao Lei did, keeping devices for different identities separate.

At this point, denial was pointless. I scowled and snapped back, “What kind of homeroom teacher saves every single student’s phone number anyway?”

“Hah—hah. So you’re admitting it now?”

She hung up, shoved both hands into her pockets, and circled me with open curiosity.

“I knew it. There’s no way two people could look this alike. So it turns out Lingmeng here… is a crossdresser!”

Tch. Reputation destroyed.

“No, I’m a perfectly normal guy. What happened at school had… very specific reasons—”

She gestured twice in front of my chest and asked, “Then where did those huge— you know— go? Oh! Those are fake, weren’t they?”

Left with no choice, I answered stiffly, “…Yes. They were fake. Today I’m just accompanying my dad, so of course I didn’t wear them. Happy now?”

Wu Qinglan stretched out an Erkang-style hand. “Wait, hold on—what’s going on?”

“Yeah, what are you two even talking about?” Sayocho looked utterly lost.

Having to admit to “wearing women’s clothes,” while being misunderstood by both Sayocho and Wu Qinglan, felt like a public execution.

Even worse—this was a wrongful conviction. Because as a man, I had never worn women’s clothes!

No matter how good-tempered I was, even I was starting to get angry now… or rather, I had every right to be…probably?

Seeing me fall silent with a dark expression, Teacher Takagi explained to Sayocho in an amused tone.

“Didn’t I tell you before, sis? Two exchange students joined my class—both beautiful enough to pass as idols. One of them was him.”

Wu Qinglan looked at me strangely after hearing that, her gaze unfamiliar.

“Wait—Xiao Kai, you… dressed as a girl and went to the girls’ campus?”

Sayocho tilted her head. “That can’t be right. Xiao Kai still has a cast on his leg—how could he possibly run around the girls’ campus? Unless it’s already healed?”

That’s right—I still had a cast on my leg!

As expected of an editor, Sayocho’s logic was airtight. This was another blind spot I couldn’t explain, and the anxiety made my mouth go dry.

“No… my leg isn’t healed. Actually, the one at the girls’ campus… wasn’t me.”

I even confused myself saying it, and Teacher Takagi looked just as confused hearing it.

“Now you’re changing your story again. What do you mean ‘you’re not you’?”

I wasn’t mentally resilient to begin with, and at this point I felt like I was about to collapse. My face even felt numb.

“Hey, Xiao Kai, you look awful. If you don’t want to talk about it, you don’t have to.”

Wu Qinglan sounded genuinely worried. Sayocho even snatched my glasses back and returned them to me.

“Yeah, yeah! We won’t ask anymore!”

Sayocho was truly considerate. She even complained to Teacher Takagi on my behalf.

“Honestly, Ah Jin! How could you just blurt out something like crossdressing? You’re a teacher—don’t you care at all about a student’s feelings?”

“I didn’t think he’d react this strongly!”

…

No—this wouldn’t do. If I let things end here, the rumor of me wearing women’s clothes would never be cleared.

Shaking slightly, I put my glasses back on and rubbed my temples, forcing myself to calm down.

Lies are heavy. I learned that when I deceived Meow Meow and the others before. Sometimes, telling the truth actually makes you feel easier.

“…Do the three of you believe in gods?”

The question came out of nowhere. Teacher Takagi and Sayocho shook their heads without hesitation.

Wu Qinglan froze, her face full of disbelief.

“Actually… I am a god.”

Teacher Takagi patted my shoulder.

“…If there’s something you don’t want to say, we’ll understand. But you can’t just start spouting nonsense.”

I shook off her hand and said urgently, “I’m serious! I’m the apprentice of a certain deity. One of my divine abilities is creating a separate body—but the other body is female.”

Teacher Takagi looked completely unconvinced.

“Oh? So you’re saying Lingmeng is your clone?”

“Calling it a clone isn’t quite right—it’s still me, like an avatar. When I split, this body loses consciousness. Since my leg was broken, moving around as the female body was… more convenient.”

Wu Qinglan pressed on. “Xiao Kai, what god is your master?”

Unexpectedly, she was deeply interested.

“No—please allow me to keep the rest confidential. Please don’t ask any further.”

I had no intention of spilling Rinka and the others’ secrets.

Teacher Takagi grinned. “Wow, you really know how to keep people hanging.”

Sayocho chimed in, “Then show us the split sometime?”

“Well… it’s not something I can do anytime, anywhere.”

Wu Qinglan suddenly looked enlightened. “Then yesterday on the phone—your voice sounded off because you were in the female body at the time, right?”

“Yes…”

“So when will you show me?”

“Why are you asking too… Can we please just let this topic die? I’m begging you.”

I pressed my palms together in a pleading gesture. My pitiful look made Teacher Takagi apologize first.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I might’ve gone too far. Seeing you like this makes me feel awful.”

Even Wu Qinglan—normally completely tone-deaf—picked up on my discomfort and changed the subject.

“Alright, stop bullying Xiao Kai. We’re here for the ball—let’s all relax a bit. So, what are you two planning to dress up as?”

Teacher Takagi: “Just putting on a masquerade mask.”
Sayocho: “I’m wearing a reindeer costume!”

I finally let out a breath. Even though they deliberately avoided the topic, my own emotions still hadn’t settled, leaving me drained.

“Sorry… I’m going back to the car to rest for a bit.”

Leaning on my crutch, I turned and climbed back into the car.

Outside, Sayocho seemed to still be scolding Teacher Takagi. The atmosphere wasn’t exactly pleasant.

Dad had already put the dog-headed mascot helmet back on. As soon as I got in, that canine snout shoved itself toward me.

“Son, why do you look like you just chewed on a bitter gourd?”

“Please don’t ask. Just let me be.”

I seriously wanted to steal that helmet and put it on myself, just to have some peace.

After a while, Wu Qinglan knocked on the window. The Takagi sisters had already disappeared at some point—probably gone inside ahead of us.

“Xiao Kai, feeling better? Still upset?”

“No. What would I be upset about?”

“You looked like you were about to cry when you went back to the car!”

…If Dad hadn’t been there, I really might’ve cried.

She walked around the car and opened the door on Dad’s side.

“Uncle Chang, it’s ten thirty. Shall we go in?”

“Yeah. It’s roasting in here.”

Wu Qinglan then pulled a large travel bag from the trunk—no doubt containing her outfit.

Entering the venue, I originally thought Dad’s dog-headed mascot costume would draw a lot of attention. But once inside, I realized there were far stranger creatures roaming around.

A masquerade was supposed to be a refined European aristocratic affair, yet these people were clearly just messing around. And here I was, wearing a proper suit like an idiot.

Dracula, jack-o’-lanterns, Frankenstein—those were still normal. Someone even showed up in a full Ultraman bodysuit, complete with a protruding belly. I was genuinely worried for the integrity of that spandex. Did these people think this was Halloween?

“I’ll go change first. You two find a seat.”

Wu Qinglan left with her bag.

The enormous hall was carpeted in red. Heavy curtains blocked out the windows, while crystal chandeliers cast fractured golden light across the dim space.

Dad and I found a four-seat table near the dance floor. I heard a click as he flipped down the visor inside his helmet since there were plenty of women around now.

It suddenly hit me: Dad came to the costume ball held by the company to fit in socially… but dressed like this, who would even know he was here?

I borrowed paper and pen from a server and taped a white sign reading “Chang Wei” to his back. Then, reconsidering, I added another:
“No Women Please.”

The effect was immediate.

Before long, someone came over.

“Oh? Is that Old Chang?”