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I opened my eyes to a familiar room. I’ve only been here for a bit more than half a year, but I’ve become familiar enough with it to recognize it as home. My new home. Where I have a life different from the past.

“So she noticed it, huh.”

Had she brought me to the Shimotsuki family home, it would’ve made my promise fulfilled, and I wouldn’t have to go there in January. Things don’t always go the way you like. And even if she did bring me home, I would probably have a hell of a time. But since they have classes today, it wouldn’t have lasted long.

“I also have to go to the academy today, though.”

The time is currently 7 am. Usually, I’d consider this oversleeping, but after recalling yesterday’s incident, I’m amazed I even got up this early. I’m sure Sherry was able to get me in my room thanks to Akane. I gave her a spare key, after all.

“Come to think of it, Akane hasn’t come.”

Maybe she thinks I’m still asleep. I haven’t told her about my plans today. In that case, I guess I’ll take the day slow and have some rest. First, a shower. Since I fell asleep while sweaty from all the activities yesterday.

“Was there anything in the fridge?”

While showering, I think up breakfast and piece together my plan for the day. I’m going to have to go to the academy and pass by the cafe as well. If the owner and Saori have seen the news, then I’ll have to explain things to them. They might have already gotten in contact with Kaori, but I have the responsibility as the cause of it.

“After this is room cleaning and restocking on ingredients.”

There’s a lot to do. I was out for a while, so I’m sure there must be some dust here and there. I’ve used up all ingredients with short shelf lives before the field trip, so I need to buy those. I’m not going to the academy for classes, so I have free time.

“It’ll practically be a hearing.”

The reason I’m going there is to explain to the principal what I’ve done on the field trip. This was instructed to me by the teachers. The principal will then decide my punishment after hearing my explanation. I’ll have to be ready for at least a suspension. After all, I know that I did enough to warrant that.

“I seriously didn’t think things through.”

While drying my hair, I reflect on myself. It’s not my actions I’m reflecting on, it’s my lack of planning back then. Depending on how I handled it, I could have resolved it a lot more peacefully. However, that assumption is dependent on me thinking straight.

“In conclusion, never pull an all-nighter.”

The mental decline resulting from the lack of sleep got me the most. My thinking was considerably lacking in detail. In the first place, it would have been easy to think of how to deal with the media, but I was done for the moment I forgot to think about it. I guess my mind could only process resolving the problem at hand back then.

“I wonder what’s on the TV.”

Turning the TV on, it was a special news coverage. The captions and headlines said, “A new event at a famous theme park”, “Famous diva appears as surprise guest”, “Who is the diva’s mysterious partner, Unknown?” Not much exaggeration there. Also, Kaori and Kotori were perfectly captured on screen.

“A message from Yui? That’s rare.”

She occasionally sends me her gripes with Isami and the gang, but I can only help with countermeasures against their shenanigans. However, this time her message wasn’t anything I expected.

“When doing gigs, please contact our office first.”
“I’m not affiliated with you.”

Why is she treating me as if I’m affiliated with their agency? I already told her I don’t plan on joining EXIST. She still hasn’t given up on that? It’s the same with Sherry, but I don’t plan on having a music profession.

“It can’t be, are you transferring to Sherry’s agency!? Betrayal!?”
“That’s wrong as well. It was just happenstance.”

Not good, she’s not rational. Recently it feels like Yui’s mind has been poisoned by the gang. Maybe it’s because they’re close in age and easy to communicate with. The more influenced she is, the greater the damage to me is. I wonder if there’s a way to turn her back.

“Welp, since Yui knew about it, there’s no way the gang will stay silent for long.”

Once they know that I sang with someone, there’s no way Isami and the others would stay put. Especially with it being Sherry. There’s a chance that even Hajime would act out. I didn’t expect Yui to be the first to contact me about it, though.

“This silence is scaring me.”

Even after I finished my breakfast and changed into my uniform, my phone didn’t ring even once. Maybe they haven’t woken up and seen the news yet. Can they please continue not knowing about it? For the sake of my peace. Not that there’s a chance of that ever happening, but I can at least be optimistic.

“Forget about it for now. I need to leave soon.”

How do I say it? With every move I make, I’m starting to realize that I’m getting used to being a girl. I no longer feel anything from seeing my naked body in the shower, drying my hair, or even seeing underwear. Even though it was embarrassing for me before.

“Eventually, I might even forget I was a man before.”

With this much change in just more than half a year, I might be able to fully accept myself as a woman by the time I graduate. I’m scared that it might lead to me forgetting the Souji part of myself, but as long as I continue being with Isami and the others, I don’t think I can forget it.

“I guess there’s no need to worry, huh.”

Kotone and Souji. Both are inside of me. I can’t cast away one over the other and I want to reject the possibility of doing that altogether. I want to maintain both the past we’ve lived through and the future we’re heading towards. While it may be egotistical of me, I’m not changing my mind.

“As expected, there aren’t any students around at this time.”

Walking on my usual route to the academy, there weren’t any students to be seen. I guess that’s natural. It’s pretty late in the morning, after all. The time I was told to go was awkwardly between morning and noon. The principal has things to do in the morning, so it can’t be helped.

“There’ll definitely be rumors popping if I get seen. Understandable, though.”

If a student that should be having a field trip is seen going to the academy, most people would probably guess that they did something and had to be sent home. I’d think the same. People are going to see me at the academy anyways. But I really don’t want to bump into the twelve family people.

“Now then, the academy isn’t that far from here, time for some stealth action.”

In that case, I just have to remain unseen. Unlike Isami’s father and Ruru, I don’t have some mysterious presence concealment technique. All I’m doing is keeping myself hidden from the eyes of people. It’s surprisingly difficult. After all, people are generally looking all around the place.

“I’ve safely –– I guess? –– reached the destination. It feels like it’s been ages since I’ve last been here.”