"This is gonna be fun!" Skip beamed.

Lina chimed in, "At least we won't get hot and sweaty."

I gave them both a fake smile, "Yes, this will be enjoyable."

This was the most dreaded day of the week for me. Today was Wednesday and on this day was swimming. Ouran High school has a huge indoor pool, perfect for the rich snobs who attend here. The pool room was white and gold, the very pool itself looked like it was made for the gods. Everything about it was unworldly and Ouran has everyone swim, they made it into a required class. They have to get their money's worth somehow. For every other student, this wasn't a problem, they saw this as a time to relax and exercise without being outdoors.

However, this was a living nightmare for me as swimming was awful in general but it's difficult to keep my secret hidden. We were currently in the girl's locker room, everyone around me was talking amongst themselves and changing into their swimwear. The school provided everyone a swim uniform. They were a tight one-piece that was a golden shade. I kept my eyes gazed elsewhere from the girls, not wanting to watch them change. I have to keep some kind of decency as a man.

Lina and Skip were changing right in front of me, not caring to show their bodies to one another. Lina commented, "Wow Skip, do I actually see your chest is growing. It is about time." Her words made my cheeks flush as I averted my gaze even more. Ugh, let me have this one thing and not see naked girls. I especially didn't want to see Skip and Line nude, I had to hang out with them as friends. I had no desire to see them as anything else.

"What do you think, Yuki?" Skip asked a hint of pride in her tone.

"You'll always be flat-chested, " I quickly responded, not having to look.

Skip humph, "Not everyone can be blessed like you!"

Only if she knew I had nothing there, Mother forced me to wear a bra made to make me look like I had breasts. Anything to make me look more feminine she would say. I don't know how girls can wear these things. They are so uncomfortable and since I do not have natural boobs, the fabric rubs against my chest and makes them itchy. Even when I am home, I must wear this dreadful thing because Mother would never see me without it on.

Lina then thought it was a good idea to hug Skip suddenly, pressing her bare chest against hers. Lina was the largest out of our group, not saying I stare, but because they can't be ignored.

"Lina!" Skip squealed, wiggling out of her grip.

Lina laughed, "Just had to remind you who has the best breast."

Skip was blushing madly, "I already know. I see them every day!" She then paused, looking at me with curiosity. "We've never seen yours, Yuki. You always wait for everyone then you change."

I could feel sweat trying to roll down my cheek, "I'm just self-conscious of my body."

"Why?" Lina asked, "You have a wonderful body, you're just really thin."

"Exactly, so hurry up so I can change too." before I could react, I notice Skip had disappeared. Then suddenly I felt small hands grab my chest and squeeze. Panic spread through my body like wildfire and I couldn't hide the anger from my voice. "QUIT!" The locker room got silent as the girls around us were watching. Turning my head with a sneer I saw it was Skip who let go of me rapidly. Her face was pale and she looked surprised. Then her face tightened as she glared at me.

"You don't have to yell at me. " She retorted. The real Skip was coming out, her kind personality slipping away.

"Then don't just suddenly touch me!" I returned with a frown, not even caring I was looking at her naked frame.

Skip wasn't baking down, "How about you stop being so stuck up. We are just having fun, not like you know what that is."

I stood up, my fist balled up. "Who can have fun with someone like you!"

Skip got silent, biting her lip to where it could bleed any moment. She then shot a look at Lina and proceeded to grab her swimwear. She disappeared on the other side of the lockers to change. Lina was frozen in place but grabbed her swimsuit and joined Skip, making her choice on whose side she was on right then. I remained in my place, trying everything in me to calm down. The girls in the locker room quickly finished dressing so they could leave. The tension was thick in the air as everyone was rushing to escape it. Before long I was alone, hearing my own breathing.

"Who does she think she is. " I growled quietly. "I don't even want to be around those two but I have to." Trying to push the fight out of my thoughts, I slipped my uniform off. I was so heated that I didn't even bother checking the whole locker room like I normally do. Taking my bra off brought some kind of relief as my chest could relax. I shoved it into my swim bag, pulling out a different bra that was made of Nylon. Mother had to order this one, it was made to wear in the water but still, give the illusion of me having breasts. Then I heard someone shut a locker. My entire world froze, my skin becoming ice cold as I saw Haruhi walk around from the other set of lockers. What is he doing here!?

Then I paused and saw he was in female swimwear and then noticed that Haruhi was not a he but a she. She had a very small chest but you could tell something was there. She too was staring at me as I was holding the bra in my hands. I couldn't hear anything around me as Haruhi could only stare. I have to do something! The words spilled out of my mouth, trying to save my own skin. I dropped the bra and covered my chest like I was trying to cover up my shame.

"Please don't look!" I pleaded.

Haruhi did just that and proceeded to leave, not saying a word about what she just witnessed. I had to stop her, I needed to give her some kind of excuse so she doesn't know my real gender. "Haruhi, wait," I yelled. She paused, not looking my way. "Listen, I am really insecure about my flat chest and I buy these bras to make me look bigger. They make me more confident. Please don't tell anyone." Tears weld up in my eyes because of everything that was happening. I felt cornered and my fate was in the hands of Haruhi.

She finally looked at me, understanding in her gaze. I could feel the warmth return to my body as things were calming down. "I understand. I didn't mean to pry." She gave me a warm smile. "I won't tell anyone."

I could finally breathe a sigh of relief as she bought my lie, thinking I just wanted to have fake boobs. She had no idea I was a boy and thank god I didn't take my underwear off and I was still tucked down there. "Thank you so much, Haruhi."

"Nice to know you could recognize me." She laughed.

"What do you mean."

Haruhi sighed, "When I wear girly stuff people can't seem to put two and two together. They think I'm a different person."

"Does it bother you?" I asked.

She shrugged, "Not really. I don't mind it honestly."

It was confusing to understand. How could Haruhi not care how people saw her? She didn't care that most of the girls at the school saw her as only a host club member. Some boy who they could receive mindless flirts from. Yet, she did not try to hide her real self, not wondering what other people would say. Seeing this side of her made me uncomfortable. The very idea of living with two images of herself and being okay with both was mind-blowing. I have been living as a girl my whole life and seeing someone live both lives freely and without worry was terrifying.

"I see..." I managed to speak.

She waved as she was heading out, "I won't tell anyone this so it'll be okay."

As she closed the door behind her, I stood there dumbfounded. How can it be so easy for her? She didn't even falter at the thought of me seeing her like that. To see herself so open and bare, she seemed so relaxed. What was even more disturbing was she saw me like this, so naked and vulnerable, yet she proceeded to accept it. Haruhi agreed to keep it to herself. Luckily, she didn't see past anything else, she barely touched the surface of my mask. My image at this school, how I must remain this perfect princess, which requires me to be harsh to other students. Haruhi doesn't care and still willing chose to keep this a secret.

I need to recover from this, I need to push this far from my mind. It will be okay, I can trust her right? Trying to rack my brain for any information I've heard from anyone in this school about Haruhi, it was coming up blank. In fact, I've never really heard her name until she became part of the Host Club. She must have been a loner before then. Nobody seemed to really care about her, I didn't. I don't remember Haruhi even existing. I may not know anything about her, but she knows me. At least, the persona I have in this school. Which isn't the best and because of that, I need to keep a close eye on Haruhi. She could use this against me and even worse...What if the Host Club members find out? What if Kyoya finds out. This will be the end of me as I know it. I must never let him find out about this, no one can ever know about this. It is only a stepping stone to finding out my true identity.

Taking a deep breath, it will be okay. I need to pick up the pieces, I need to put my mask back on. Looking up at the door that leads to the pool, I could see myself looking back but it was me who looked like the perfect princess. Yuki's bright blue eyes stared back at mine, she was dressed in a perfect pink gown and her tight blonde curls were snug around her frame. Plastered on her porcelain skin was a sicking smile, her slim hand reaches out for me to take. All I could do was stare at her, she seemed so real to me but I knew she was in my head. I was staring at the other side of me, the one that I grew to become. My eyes drifted to the mirrors against the wall, of course, she wasn't in the reflection but I was. Was it me? The person in the mirror was so foreign. Standing there naked was a boy with no name. The only thing I could recognize was the fake blue eyes and long blonde hair.

When my gaze returned to the door, Yuki was still there, her hand still stretched out. I need to calm down. Now is not the time. Slipping into my bathing suit and making sure the boy in the mirror was gone, I sighed. I need to pick up the pieces, I need to put my mask back on.

I took Yuki's hand and walked out the door.