Chapter 1: First Impressions Are Important!

MADOKA'S SECRET

FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE IMPORTANT

CHAPTER 1 OF THE MANGA

Madoka is in her bedroom. She muses to herself while her older sister brushes and combs out her hair. Reviewing her personal situation, she silently remarks to herself that at home, she likes to play with dolls, as well as playing games that only girls would be interested in. Continuing, Madoka states that she has an older sister who loves to cut out patterns and construct girl's clothing for her, for free ! Collecting anime and animal plushies, she likes to take her favorite ones to bed with her and hug them while she is sleeping. Mommy, Daddy, and Big Sis tell me all the time that I am the cutest kid in the whole world, and that makes me so, so happy ! This is **my** (lit. *Boku* {masculine}) normal, everyday life !

Next school day will be the first day of Madoka's attendance as a transfer student. With the beginning of attending this new school, Madoka has reluctantly agreed to wear boy's clothing to class, and to masquerade as a male student during all of the school day. For this first day, Madoka has selected to wear a boy's plaid shirt, over that a hoodie style wrap with a pouch for your hands in front, and boy's dress pants. Before the beginning of the first class at school, Madoka remarks to a girl who is a fellow student that she likes the anime character on their book bag backpack. It is so cute ! Overhearing this exchange, a boy callously questions that you, Madoka, like cute things, *even thought you are a {boy} ?* **How gross!**

First off, the teacher for the class writes Madoka's name on the blackboard, then announces that we have a new transfer student with us today ! {His} name is Madoka Yamada, and let's give {him} a welcoming round of applause. This the class does. The homeroom teacher next asks Madoka to introduce themselves. Madoka silently tells herself that she needs to make a good first impression. With a big smile on her face, Madoka states---

"Hi ! I just moved her from H[iroshima] City. Nice to meet all of you ! I'm still getting used to things, so please help me out !"

Madoka silently wishes and hopes that her short introduction was okay. Several of the girls in the class begin to swoon with romantic vibes toward Madoka, about how cute and attractive she is--for a boy. The teacher tells Madoka to take the empty seat in the back of the room. This she does. As she makes her way to the back of the classroom, several students greet her with warm acknowledgement. When Madoka reaches her desk, she greets the student sitting across the aisle with a cheerful 'Hi, Nice to meet you'. However, the student, dressed as a boy, only scowls, and looking away, snubs Madoka with scorn. Feeling hurt, Madoka takes her seat, wondering why she was ignored, and what to do next ?

Sometime during an afternoon class, Madoka accidentally drops her eraser onto the floor. It bounces over to the sour student. Surprisingly, the sour one picks it up and puts it back onto Madoka's desk. With a wide, cheerful smile on her face, Madoka offers, thanks. The sour one only grunts, " 'tis fine". A couple of girls quietly remark that the sour student is just rude, and doesn't have a friendly bone in their body. However, Madoka counters, remarking that they think that student is just kinda cool and masculine. One of the girls bursts out, "Well, you are definitely right about that, Madoka !" Laughter breaks forth, causing Madoka to wonder why, what's so funny ?

After the last bell rings, indicating that the school day is over, several of the boys approach Madoka, inviting Madoka to play soccer with them at the public park nearby. Politely declining, Madoka states that they have to go home and help with the house cleaning. As Madoka is leaving the classroom, they notice the name tag on the sour student's book bag, "Itsuki Tanonaka". Itsuki leaves in a huff, with Madoka remarking to themselves that they never really got the chance to talk with this student.

As soon as she opens the front door of home, Madoka is welcomed by her big sister. Greeting are returned, as Madoka heads upstairs to her bedroom. There, she hugs her favorite giant plushie, the one that she loves the best. Big sis follows, and opening the bedroom door, questions how was school today ? Fine, everyone was nice, and we got along well. Yet Madoka is a bit tired. Big sis offers the advice that you don't have to hide stuff and be fake, just tell classmates that you like cute, feminine things. Madoka counters with the fact that they were going to try and be more like a typical boy at school. Big sis points out that don't you, Madoka, regularly change into girl's clothing as soon as you get home from school ? How about trying on a new dress that I just finished making ? Madoka is quiet, as if wheels are turning in her head. Finally, she bursts out with a, "YES! A new dress to try on...great!"!

After a while, Madoka models the dress for her sister. Bis sis's reaction ? "IT'S ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC...SO CUTE !" Big sis is practically crying, so much so that Madoka is a little worried. Yet, Big Sis is like that whenever it comes to Madoka's wardrobe of girl's clothing. After much gushing forth of compliments, Big Sis asks Madoka to take the Kairanban (\*) over to the neighbors. In the new dress ? Of course, you took the trouble to try it on, it would be a waste of time to take it off and dress again. Go, you look great anyway ! Madoka makes her way over to the neighbor's mailbox, and wonders if she looks like a suspicious person ? After dropping it in the box, Madoka turns around, only to be confronted by---A BLACK SHIBAINU DOG ! The dog offers its paws to Madoka, as she kneels down and takes the paws into her own hands.

"WHO ARE YOU?", comes a voice, "and what are you doing in front of my house?" Stunned into silence, Madoka has a surprised look on her face as she looks up. The boy holding the leash of the dog remarks, "Wait.....you're the transfer student from this morning ! MADOKA YAMADA ! Actually, my first question should be, 'what's with that funky costume'? Are you trying to pass yourself off ***as a girl?*** *That's really weird !* Madoka's face morphs from surprise to shock and horror. The voice is that of Itsuki. He continues, "It's like you are fooling everyone during the day at school, then you turn around and do this in secret at your home. What is this....**MADOKA'S SECRET ???** Whatever you are doing, it is ***SERIOUSLY GROSS AND REPULSIVE !***"

Madoka's face morphs again, from horror to anger. She rises from her kneeling position, addresses Itsuki face to face, and gives Itsuki a feminine, yet powerful, slap across their face !

"WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO BADMOUTH ME LIKE THAT ?", cries out Madoka, practically at the top of her voice !

Without saying a word, Itsuki replies by giving Madoka a masculine tap on her cheek with their fist ! Taking a few steps back, Madoka puts her hand to her cheek, and begins crying.

"YA REALLY DONE IT NOW....YA GOT SOME NERVE, YA PUNK !", bellows out Itsuki.

Bursting out with tears of sorrow and regret, a profusely sobbing Madoka turns and runs away ! Itsuki screeches after her---

"HEY, YOU ! DON'T YOU RUN AWAY FROM ME...!"

Madoka shouts back an apology, but keeps running. A flood of negative emotions and comments wash upon Madoka's mind as she runs all that much harder---"Trying to pass yourself off as a girl?...Creep!...Gross!...Creep!...A boy from my class saw me as a girl...what do I do now?...If word gets around school about this...it will end up the same as last time...another transfer...?!?" Madoka is running hard, but is so upset and confused, that she catches her foot on the raised edge of a slab of sidewalk concrete, trips, and falls flat on her face, arms outstretched above her head !

"I give up.....", painfully cries out Madoka.

***"OH NO ! ARE YOU OKAY ?"*** A handsome young man, probably a high school student, approaches Madoka. "Geez....you took a tumble there....Are you hurt anywhere ?", implores the young man.

Madoka says that she is okay, more or less. You sure ? No blood or broken bones ? Can you stand ? No injuries, I guess. Then up you go, as the young man grasps Madoka under her arms and raises her up to standing on the sidewalk. Looks like just a light scrape on the knee. No need to cry ! It will ruin your unbelievably cute face !

"Am **I** (lit. *Boku* {masculine}) really cute ?", questions Madoka, "I'm not...gross?"

What ? Did someone say that to you ? Madoka nods her head. That's so mean ! "Don't worry!", offers the young man, "You are Super Duper Cute !!! The Cutest Girl in the World! Yeah!"

The young man now moves his backpack from his back to his chest, and offers for Madoka to get on, he will carry her on his back, to where she needs to be ! Giggling in such an adorable fashion, Madoka thanks the young man for the ride. Madoka points to the house next to where the young man lives. So you are the new neighbors that moved in yesterday ?

"Hey, Big Bro !", comes a familiar voice, "What do you think you are doing ?"

"Oh, hey, Itsuki! This adorable girl is from the family that moved in next door!"

"Yea, I know..."

The young man continues, "**You're both girls,**so you should get along well with one another !"

More unnerving thoughts assault Madoka's mind...You're kidding me...we are next door neighbors?...these two are siblings?...what do you mean, *Itsuki and me are both girls?...wait...Itsuki **is a girl?** Really ? Fer real ?*

The young man pipes up, saying that people get it all wrong about Itsuki because of the way she acts and dresses, but Itsuki is *My Little Sister!!!*

"WHAAAAAAAA", screeches Madoka ?!?!?

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(Click on Chapter 2: Beware of the Girl with the Black Hair, to be taken to the next chapter.)

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**(\*) Kairanban**

In the Japanese language, and according to Japanese customs, a Kairanban is essentually a folder or newspaper that is circulated by the Neighborhood Association, a social group, to inform citizens about local happenings, crime sasisticts, special events, advice, new neighbors, etc. Very few are printed, so one is supposed to read it, then pass it along to their neighbor, then that neighbor, on and on, until the Kairanban has worked its way throughtout the neighborhood.

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Click on Chapter 2: Beware the Girl with the Black Hair to be taken to the next chapter.