Lei knocked on the hollow, wooden door loudly, waiting for a response. She had promised Ryou the previous day that they'd walk to school together too, as they lived quite close to each other. After a few seconds of silence, Lei heard faint footsteps that gradually became louder as a figure slowly emerged behind the tinted rose glass. Slowly, the blurred form of Ryou's head came into focus as he fiddled with the lock of the door. A small click was heard before the door swung open, to reveal Ryou standing in the doorway with a beaming face
"Lei, you're here!" he piped happily. Lei stepped forward a little and was about to return the smile, when she suddenly sensed that there was something wrong.
Looking at Ryou up and down, Lei's face slowly twisted with perplexity. He was dressed, instead of the blue jacket and pants that Lei was expecting, in a pink shirt with a petite blue bow and a matching blue pleated skirt, the exact thing Lei was wearing.
She blinked a few times and froze in bewilderment, making sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her.
Ok…I may be insane…but this insane?! She thought to herself as she shut her eyes for a good few moments, before opening them again, only to still see Ryou dressed in the girl's attire. Running all the options she could think of for why Ryou would do such a thing through her head, Lei wondered if this was a very bad joke. Suddenly, just as she gave up guessing and was about to ask Ryou why he was dressed like that, a thought flashed across her mind as she remembered the encounter with the mysterious being that previous afternoon.
flashback
"Never have I ever seen such a…beautiful boy…shame that your beauty goes to waste. But perhaps I can change that…"
end flashback
Lei gasped. The blast must have brainwashed Ryou to make him believe that he was a girl, and now he was planning to go to school dressed in the girl's uniform!
For a few odd moments, Lei didn't know whether to laugh or to cry, for the situation was ironically funny, yet she just couldn't let Ryou go to school like that.
Not wanting to even start to imagine the things the students at school would tease him with, Lei impulsively grabbed Ryou by the wrist and dragged him back into his house without a thought.
Though Lei had never been to his house before, it did not take her long to locate his room, as his house was thankfully small and Ryou was an only child. Perhaps it was rude to just barge in like that, and maybe even a little audacious, but all that mattered little to Lei. Still pulling the rather surprised and confused Ryou, Lei managed to drag both of them into his room relentlessly
"Ryou!" she gasped, turning him to face her. She hesitated, not knowing where to start
"You…you can't go to school wearing that!" she snapped as she wildly waved a hand at his clothes. Ryou turned confused eyes to her
"Why not?" he asked simply.
Lei sighed. This was going to be hard…
"Because…you're a boy!" she replied. Ryou tilted his head
"What? No I'm not! I don't know what you're talking about Lei…I'm a girl!" he said in a matter-of-fact way. Lei, her mind hazy and blurred with panic, quickly located Ryou's wardrobe. Forgetting to ask Ryou for permission, she walked over and rummaged through the clothes until she found what she was looking for. She then dug her hands in and drew out Ryou's old, proper uniform and handed it to him solicitously
"This is what you're meant to wear!" she explained rather hopelessly, feeling like she was teaching an infant how to dress.
Ryou frowned, taking the uniform in his hands and analysing it for a few moments before handing it back to Lei
"But…I can't wear this!" he insisted, staring at the dark blue jacket and matching pants
"it's…the boy's school uniform," he concluded, pulling a face of disapproval. Lei looked at him in dismay
"Ryou! How many times do I have to tell you…you are a boy!" she sighed, shoving the clothes back in his arms. Ryou, weakly grasping the clothes Lei had pushed into him, stared at her as if she had just grown a third eye
"Lei…please stop this…I'm a girl and you know it!" he insisted, his eyes turning into confusion. Lei lightly grimaced. How could you not know your true gender? Wasn't it obvious to him whenever he had to go to the toilet or something?! Either way, Lei was too embarrassed to ask about it
"No Ryou! You're a guy inside and out! No matter what you say Ryou, no matter what you think, you're still going to be a guy!" Lei found herself half-screaming, her words becoming more and more desperate as she noticed the time ticking down.
They'd have to get to school soon, Lei suddenly realised in horror.
Ryou stared up at her in confusion
"But Lei…I don't know what you're talking about," he said, his brown eyes fixing onto hers
"Ryou…you're…a guy! Male! Boy! Dude! You know!" Lei cried desperately, but Ryou seemed to still be confused
"…what do you mean? I'm no guy…I'm a girl…" he said simply, as if it were something so obvious. Lei felt like slapping herself over the head –hard.
"Ryou! What's gotten into you?! You're a GUY!" she yelled, her last few words blasting from the depths of her lungs. She almost felt like crying in defeat, but knew she could not stop, even if it meant having to miss a whole day of school
"Listen Ryou, you have to wear this…" she pleaded, motioning to the male uniform. Ryou gave her a disapproving look,
"…for me," Lei added quickly, before Ryou could open his mouth and refuse once and for all. She turned her eyes up to him desperately, giving the illusion that she was on the verge of tears.
Ryou let out a sigh and shrugged slightly
"Ok…I'll have it your way…" he finally said, unfolding the uniform in front of him. Lei held her breath, hardly daring herself to believe she had won
"But…" Ryou said suddenly, dropping the clothes onto his body again, "people will tease me…and…won't I get in trouble for not wearing the proper uniform?"
Lei held back a heavy sigh and a scream of frustration
"If anything happens to you," she said calmly, "Then I'll take full responsibility. It will be OK," Lei found herself trembling as all her patience had been drained form her. Ryou nodded, though Lei could tell his was still unsure
"Ok…" he said with a sigh, before placing the uniform on his bed
"I feel silly," he mumbled as he began to unbutton his pink top. Lei jerked
"Um…I'll be waiting for you outside," she said quickly as she slipped out of the room before he could have time to complain. Delicately closing the door behind her, Lei held her breath. For the moments that the waited, she thought
What the hell… She thought in disbelief How am I suppose to get us out of this one…
For what seemed an age, she heard a soft rustle of clothes as Ryou got changed and, finally, the door clicked and slowly swung open. There, standing with an unsure expression on his face, was Ryou in his normal school uniform looking just as if nothing was wrong. Lei gave a sigh of relief…at least he was ok for today
"Ok, let's go then!" she said in a light tone
"Ok…" Ryou agreed reluctantly, as he slowly dawdled after Lei, who was now making her way out of his house…
A:N Short chapter, I know…but it's the reviewers fault!! (Or rather, the non-reviewers fault…) The lack of reviews I get really discourages me…well, not discourage, but it doesn't make me that motivated knowing that not many people care…
Ok, I'm starting to sound like an attention-seeker now…nevermind!!
Review and you'll all get acknowledgements in the next chapter!! PROMISE!!
P.s It's the holidays now, so perhaps I'll have more time to work on this stuff…