Chapter 2: Classmates

UNBALANCED SCHOOL LIFE

CLASSMATES

CHAPTER 2 OF THE MANGA

(Story Note---This entire chapter is an on-again, off-again lengthy conversation that occurs between Shinya and the girls in his homeroom class, on Shinya's second day back to school.)

The next day, at the beginning of the school day, Shinya Sanada is placed before the class of his homeroom, and introduced to all his new classmates by the homeroom teacher. He seems to be handling himself well, however, disconcerting thoughts begin roaming through his mind. He takes his seat at his desk, and the first class of the new school day begins. Later, during a breaktime, Shinya begins the dubious effort of presenting himself socially to the girls in his class. He meanders over to a table where Midori and Koiwai are playing a card game. Approaching the two girls, he matter-of-factly states---

"Even if all of you look like girls, I know that you are all guys on the inside. Therefore, I'm gonna be just fine !"

"Nobody asked you, ya know !", fires back Midori.

She goes on to remark that it would be super awkward if Shinya would develop a crush on any one of the girls here. Midori puts down her hand of cards, gets up and sits on the table, addressing Shinya eye-to-eye. She continues saying that if Shinya is a guy, and he begins shipping with a girl who he thinks or believes is a guy inside, wouldn't that make him gay ? Shinya replies that no matter how cute or innocent that Midori appears to be, she is still a guy, same as he is. Midori asks him if he thinks that all of us girls are nothing more than cute and adorable looking "guys" ? That would make the girl you are shipping with supposedly "a gay male", wouldn't it ? Shinya only begins laughing. Midori sees nothing funny about her comment, and approaches Shinya with her hands in fists and her arms swinging. Shinya deftly puts a hand upon her head, as Midori only strikes the air between them. "Stop laughing !", belts out Midori. Shinya does so, but comments on how short Midori is now, with short arms, too. Midori breaks away from Shinya, and embraces nearby Koiwai. Koiwai comforts a very distressed Midori as only another girl could, with Midori beginning to sob and cry. Midori wails that she is only 160 CM now (5 feet, 3 inches) !

A tall girl, with long, black hair done up in a sexy ponytail, enters the room and comes over to see why Midori is crying. Her name is Akagi. She pats Shinya on his back, and congenially tells him that what happened to Midori is not her fault. We all got changed into girls, you see. Our bones, skin, physical features, all of which look like and function like an anatomically correct girl's body now. Shinya says that he understands; that is why the girls look like natural girls, and not like boys in drag, or disgusting, repulsive male drag queens. He silently begins thinking and reasoning with himself regarding this observation. Midori has stopped crying, and is looking at him with a scolding and a I-told-you-so look on her face. Shinya ponders that there is this weird, unfamiliar feeling he is getting from Midori, after knowing them for so long a time. Maybe it's because of her high-pitched feminine voice, or her shorter, thinner body build, or that her face looks different from before, so soft and delicate. He tells himself that she is definitely Midori, but there is something different, intangible, about her compared to when she was a boy. Maybe it is the contour of her pretty face (Shinya puts his hand on and strokes Midori's chin, completely surprising her). Another girl with pale red hair in a pixie cut speaks up, saying---

"I heard you two were childhood friends. Or has it developed into more than that ..... ?"

Shinya barks out, *"Hell no!"* The girl comes up to Shinya, and silently eyes him 'up and down'. Shinya, for his part, silently asks himself if this person in front of him is a girl, or a boy who got turned into a girl ? The girl places her hand on his shoulder, and the other hand upon his chest. She remarks that she thought that because he has been hospitalized for so long, that he might have had a frail, weak body. But that does not appear to be the case, as she runs her hand across his chest. Shinya states that it was acute appendicitis. The girl introduces herself as, "Tooru Kuonji". (Translator's Note--- Tooru is a unisex name, but mostly given to boys.) Tooru says that she is pleased to meet Shinya, using a very soft and provocative, ultra-feminine, sing-song voice. Shinya blurts out that she must be a female, born female. "Ding-dong ! Correct answer !!"

"So you correctly guessed that she is a girl, born a girl !", comes the accusative voice of a tall, stately girl with long, pitch black hair, and showing a disgusted look upon her face. The girl with pale red hair greets her as, "Shiori Okazaki"! She tells Shiori that she thinks that he guessed that because of her particular speech pattern and behavior. Shiori agrees. However, Shiori accuses Shinya of not being very congenial or considerate of other's feelings, and that profoundly male trait of his surprised her coming from the only guy in a school filled with girls. Shinya eyes Shiori up and down, telling himself that she is angry, probably at him right now. Suddenly, a realization comes to Shinya, and he blurts it out to Shiori---

"I know it....you're a girl, born a girl !"

Shiori wacks Shinya across his hefty chest with a thick stack of papers. She replies to his revelation---

"I'm Shiori Okazaki, born a female, raised a female, and still a female as we speak !"

Shinya only asks what all the papers are for, with the stack still pressed against his chest ? Shiori bluntly tells him that they are class notes, homework, and announcements from the entire last month of school classes. Shinya thanks her. Shiori only states that it was her responsibility as class rep, nothing more. No thanks are needed. Shinya then takes this opportunity to apologize for 'what happened last night'. Shiori wants to know just what is he talking about ? "You know, when I snubbed you....", whispers Shinya. Shiori says nothing happened between them. Nothing at all. Nothing to apologize for. The rest of the girls in the room look at each other with the silent understanding that something must have actually happened, but what ? Shiori again becomes angry, telling Shinya to 'just forget it', like right now ! Shinya pushes his luck by saying, how can he forget something like that ? Shiori clenches her hands into fists, and tells Shinya that fists, carefully placed on someone's body, can help one to forget ! Shinya utters, "Boom ! Forgotten, just like that ! What were we talking about ? I forgot !"

Deliberately changing the subject, Shinya asks the group how many girls are in this class ? All of their hands go up, saying that they are a girl. Midori tells Dumb Bunny Shinya that everyone is a girl ! Shinya says that he means, who are real girls ? Midori correctly answers for the group, "We are all *"real girls"* ! Shinya finally clarifies, asking how many are girls, born girls ? These two certainly are, pointing to Shiori and Tooru. Midori goes to answer the question, but Koiwai, from behind her, slaps her hand across Midori's mouth, so that no answer is spoken or forthcoming. The tall girl with the black hair in a ponytail 'tells it like it is'---

"Sorry, Sanada ! We are in this disadvantaged state. We can't just 'knuckle under' and tell you about all the girls and who's who, letting you get a head start on whatever questionable social plans you have concocted. There are only a few "girls born girls" here, as this was an all-boy's school to begin with. Remember ? We won't let you go and fill up your 'little black book' with 'who knows what' information !"

Shinya only blurts out, "Well, whatever.... I can just go and visit the girl's dorm, and see for myself !" (Prior to the change, there were several boy's dorms, but only one 'girl's only' dorm on campus.) Shiori now speaks up, saying that since she is assisting the superintendent, she will not allow Shinya to visit the girl's only dorm building. Shinya only replies that he was 'just kidding' anyway. Shinya points out to Shiori that her thoughtfully taking on such extra duties must be hard on her. Shiori states (without thinking) that the girls born girls are just 'first years', and she has to help protect the five of them ....... !!! ***Five***, questions Shinya ? Koiwai goes nuts, yelling at Shiori that she just 'spilled the beans' ! Shiori yells back that it is not supposed to be some deep, dark secret anyway ! Shinya quietly thinks to himself; five girls....that is way less than he had thought.

Another girl, wearing glasses, speaks up, but with a heavy Osaka accent (Language accents in Japanese are usually portrayed in English as having a "Southern Accent")---

"Gotta say Shiorin pulled the "short end o' the stick". She's da most reliable fella, ya know, so she had ta shoulder da 'whole nine yards' by herself. Ain't she the good girl ?!? ......OH ! Fur-got to say, I'mma be Shiorin's roommate. Miyake Suzumi's da name ! Cheers ! I'ma girl since muh mama popped me out ! Next on the 'Hit Parade" is..... (Susumi looks around the classroom, then points to a girl sleeping at her desk).....Nakaya Itsuki ! The final girl is.......she ain't here.....Dag-nab-bit....?!?"

Another girl calls out that the final girl born girl is probably in the Infirmary, as she spends a lot of time there, due to her tenuous mental condition.

(End chapter 2)

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

(Click on Chapter 4: They Used to be Guys, to be taken to the next chapter)