A/N: Ok, this is going to be more of a slice-of-life type chapter detailing fem!Yuu's new life as a girl, meaning that she's going to be looking and dressing like one from this point on now that Guren knows. But, unfortunately, there are others who still have their doubts and some are going to try and find out the truth in the most outrageous way imaginable ;) For fun, I've decided to have some characters from different anime and maybe even game series make cameo appearances in my fic; please refer to the footnotes at the end. Once again, I would like to thank my beta reader and editor, ResidentialPsycho, for her help in making this fic possible. Enjoy and please review! ;)
Chapter 15: An Unfortunate Misunderstanding
April 16, 2018
"Would you like one or two eggs with your breakfast, Guren?" Yuichiro asked her guardian as she bent over and poured him a cup of coffee from where she stood next to him at the breakfast table.
The lieutenant colonel was silent for a moment as his eyes moved up and down Yuichiro's slender, but well-fit form. Instead of the boys' gakuran school uniform he was used to seeing her in, the younger girl was now dressed in a sailor fuku, the typical girls' school uniform consisting of a white blouse and dark blue pleated skirt. *1* Her once-short, spiky raven hair had grown past her shoulders in a soft, wavy bob and Guren had to admit that he liked the look; Shinya's gifts of luxurious hair products not only made Yuichiro's hair soft and shimmery, but also grow out faster as well.
Now that the cat was finally out of the bag, Yuichiro was also free to wear make-up and nail polish openly as well; with Sayuri and Shigure's help, the younger girl had gotten a lot better at applying her own make-up and painting her nails over the last few months.
When Guren finally found his voice, he answered: "Just one will be fine, Yuu."
"Yes, sir," the younger girl said as she turned and walked back into the kitchen to relay the order to Sayuri.
Although Guren said nothing, Yuichiro could still feel his eyes on her back and could not help but wonder what he must be thinking even after all these months since he discovered her secret. It even took Guren a whole week to recover from his state of shock (and stupidity) for not realizing it for a whole year while everyone else in his squad knew from the start. In fact, he was so stupefied, that he couldn't even speak to Yuu during that entire week.
That, combined with his concern for Yuichiro, made Guren forget how displeased he was when he returned to the base and discovered that she had disobeyed his direct order to stay behind and headed out into the city on her own. Even though the younger girl could not take down the rogue vampire alone, she still bought time for him and his squad to arrive and finish the job while saving a mother and her child.
After the Liberation of Shinjuku, as the evacuation of the city six months ago was called, Guren was reluctant to send Yuichiro back to school right away. Not only because of the time required for her kunai wound to heal, but also because he was disturbed at the thought of his ward getting dressed and undressed in the boys' locker room for her PE class now that he knew she was a girl. Not to mention how shocked her teachers and classmates would have been if Yuichiro were to suddenly come back dressed in female garb with her boyishly short hair. So Guren thought it best to pull her out of school for at least a few months until her hair grew out and he was able to get her a female wardrobe.
Today was going to be Yuichiro's first day back in school. And as a girl, the girl she really was. Not the boy she had pretended to be all her life. Even now, Guren still could not believe how he had not been able to piece together that Yuichiro, the child he rescued from Sanguinem, who had been living with him in his own home for an entire year, was actually a girl. Especially with that bastard, Shinya, constantly asking him if he thought Yuichiro was "cute" and "pretty" as well as dropping hints all over the place like bombs, even if it was only so that he could win a bet with another bastard with sandy-blond hair and a goatee- a bet which turned out to be a draw with no winner or loser.
Oh, Guren was furious when he realized that his entire squad had kept the truth from him, that was for sure. But he also realized that his own denseness was to blame as well, though he'd die before he ever admitted it. Even so, he couldn't stay angry at his squad for long, especially not when he knew they were only trying to protect Yuichiro, if only from her own insecurity as a girl who was not yet ready to be one. Because her parents had ingrained it into her head since birth that she was and should be, a boy.
When Yuichiro returned, she was accompanied by Sayuri and both were carrying a few plates of food as well as and a pitcher of freshly-squeezed orange juice that the younger girl had made earlier that morning from some oranges she picked off a tree in Guren's yard.
As soon as breakfast was ready, they heard some light footsteps as Shigure entered the dining room and joined them at the table but not before quietly handing Guren his JIDA uniform jacket which she had been ironing earlier that morning along with Yuichiro's new school uniform.
"Good morning, sir," the raven-haired woman said politely before turning to the other two members of her household. "Sayuri. Yuichiro."
"Morning, Shigure," Sayuri greeted politely. "Did you sleep well?"
"As well as I usually do," the other woman answered flatly before turning to Yuichiro who was fiddling with the eggs on her plate with her spoon, obviously lost in thought.
"You shouldn't play with your food, Yuu…" she said dryly, trying to catch the younger girl's attention.
Startled, Yuichiro apologized before stuffing the spoonful of scrambled eggs into her mouth.
"Sorry, Shigure. My mind just wandered."
"Are you sure you're good to go back to school today, Yuu?" Sayuri asked, her brow furrowing in concern.
Yuichiro nodded. "I'll be ok," she insisted. "I can't avoid it forever, after all. Besides, I shouldn't have any trouble keeping up in class since you've all been good enough to tutor me over the last few months."
"I don't doubt that," Guren said. "I think what Sayuri was trying to ask is if you're going to be ok dealing with your teachers and classmates who knew you from before when they still thought you were a boy."
"I understand. And I'll be fine, really. People will think what they want, there's nothing I can do about that."
"That's true. And you're not at all concerned about what they will think of you as you are now?" her guardian pressed.
Yuichiro was silent for a moment. In all honestly, she would be lying if she said no. She was pretty sure Shinoa, Mitsuba, and all the other girls at school who used to crush on her when they thought she was a boy would be disappointed. As for the boys…
"Maybe a little," the girl admitted as she thought about how her teachers and classmates, male and female, might react upon discovering the truth about her. Would they be amused or freak out? There was no way to tell until she saw them again.
Sensing his ward's discomfort, Guren decided to change the subject.
"Yuichiro, I was thinking…"
"Yes?"
"I was thinking that since you are female, you should have a girl's name as well. How about I change your name to Yuukino or Yoshiko? You can also take my surname and introduce yourself as a relative of mine so that no one has to know who you really are."
Yuichiro raised a brow at her guardian's suggestion. Yuukino or Yoshiko Ichinose? Neither name sounded right to her. Not only that, taking on a fake identity would really be no different than how she lived before as a boy; she would still be essentially living a lie with the only truth being her gender as a girl. But most importantly…
"I appreciate the offer, Guren, but I don't think it would be a good idea. I've only been out of school for six months, not nearly long enough for everyone to forget me. Even though I'm dressed like…this, I'm sure my teachers and classmates would still recognize me. Not only that…" Yuichiro trailed off for a second, as if she was hesitant to speak what was on her mind.
"What is it, Yuu?" Sayuri asked curiously when she saw the younger girl frown at Guren's suggestion.
Yuichiro shook her head as she let it drop, her bangs covering her face.
"It's just that my name is all that I have left of my parents. It's the closest thing to a gift that I've ever gotten from them. It's also a part of who I am."
Guren raised a brow in astonishment. This wasn't exactly what he was expecting to hear from a child whose parents rejected her at birth simply because of her sex and forced her to be something she wasn't.
"Are you sure that's what you want, Yuichiro?" he asked gently with Sayuri and Shigure listening in silence.
The girl nodded. Her parents had not always been good to her but they were still the people who gave her life and she felt that she should honor that by at least keeping the name they chose for her. Even if it was a boy's name.
"Yes."
"I understand, Yuichiro. But if you change your mind, my offer still stands, ok?"
Yuichiro nodded and managed a smile. "Thank you, Guren. I think I should get going now if I don't want to be late for class."
"Yes, I think you should too," Shigure said as she stood up from her chair and handed Yuichiro her new schoolbag, a black leather satchel she found at a local clothing store that she thought would complement the younger girl's new school uniform more nicely than the backpack she used to carry.
"I put your books and everything you'll need for class inside this morning while you and Sayuri were making breakfast. Good luck today, Yuu."
"Thank you, Shigure. For the bag and the shoes. I like the way they look with my new uniform. Have a good day."
"You, too," the older woman replied before giving Yuu a small smile. Shigure may not have been as openly affectionate as Sayuri as well as being a woman of few words, but Yuichiro had no doubt that she cared.
After making a bow to her elders and receiving a silent nod of approval from Guren, Yuichiro left without another word.
When they heard the front door open and close upon Yuu's departure, Guren, Sayuri, and Shigure sat for a moment at the breakfast table in complete silence before Sayuri spoke.
"Do you think Yuichiro will be all right?" she asked in concern.
"I'm sure she'll be fine," Guren said quietly as he sipped on his coffee. "If she can readjust to life on the surface after four years underground, there is no reason she can't adjust to life as a girl as well."
"I don't think that's what Sayuri meant, sir," Shigure said, concern lacing her own features. "She means she's concerned about how the people at school might treat Yuichiro once they find out the truth. That's not going to be something she has control over. And to be frank, I'm concerned too."
"Believe me, I have thought of that" Guren said. "I have faith that her teachers and classmates will still treat her well but if, for any reason, Yuichiro is not received positively and it becomes too much for her, I will have her transferred to another school. I'm not made out of stone, you know."
"Of course, sir. That does make us feel better."
"One more thing, Sayuri, Shigure…"
"Yes?" both women asked in unison.
Guren sighed and took a deep moment before he finally asked the question that had been lingering on his mind for months but had not found any opportunity to ask until now with everything that had been going on.
"I understand why none of you saw fit to tell me Yuichiro was a girl. My question is, why did she herself not tell me while confiding in all of you?"
"She didn't exactly confide in us by choice, Guren," Sayuri explained. "If you recall, Yuichiro was injured when we found her outside of Sanguinem and there was no way Shigure and I could treat her without asking her to undress. As for Shinya and Goshi, well, you know how perceptive they can be when they choose."
"You must also remember that Yuichiro had a traumatic experience before her escape in addition to the fact that she had been living as a boy all her life. I really think that more than anything, Yuichiro feared that you may treat her as her parents did if you found out she was a girl," Shigure added.
"Did she really believe that?" Guren asked incredulously. "Have I ever undervalued your abilities on the battlefield or treated either of you any less fairly than Shinya or Goshi simply because you are women?"
"Of course not, sir. But Yuichiro is still a child and has not known you as long as we have. You can't really blame her for feeling that way, especially with the life she has led before you found her."
"Hmm… I guess not. Do I really give off that impression?"
Sayuri and Shigure were silent. It was obvious to Guren that neither of them wanted to answer his question but their refusal in itself was an answer.
"Never mind. Dumb question. I'll talk to Yuichiro later. For now, I better get going before I'm late for work. The last thing I need is for Shinya, or worse, Kureto, to lecture me on punctuality. See you tonight when I get off."
"Of course; have a good day, sir."
"You too."
SSSSSS
"Everyone, please give a warm welcome to Yuichiro Hyakuya, who has returned to us after six months' absence," Kosuki Niwa *2*, Yuu's English teacher as well as the older brother of her classmate, Daisuke, announced. Despite the fact that he was just as surprised as his students at seeing Yuu return dressed as a girl, the teacher did his best to maintain a professional demeanor.
Trying to ignore the bewildered stares of her classmates, who obviously did remember her despite her change of garb as well as longer hair and make-up, Yuichiro silently bowed. She could not help feeling like a specimen on display as she stood in front of everyone in her English class in a female school uniform, stockings, and loafers. The ravenette, who was not used to having her legs exposed in public, felt naked where the air touched her bare skin not covered by her stockings as soon as she left Guren's house. However, Yuichiro knew she would eventually get used to it; she had to because wearing a boy's uniform was no longer an option.
Not surprisingly, Yuichiro heard the students quietly whispering among themselves instead of greeting her like Mr. Niwa had asked them to. Like Shinya had predicted, the girls who crushed on her appeared to be sorely disappointed upon discovering Yuichiro's true gender, especially Shinoa Hiragi and Mitsuba Sangu, who had been the biggest rivals for her affections when they thought she was a boy.
"I knew something was off about Yuichiro!" Mitsuba hissed into Shinoa's ear. Since the ravenette had shown absolutely no interest in girls despite their best efforts to get her attention, Mitsuba had started to assume Yuu was gay or asexual. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever suspect that her raven-haired classmate was a girl since Yuichiro had played the part of a boy so well.
Shinoa, on the other hand, had her suspicions from the start even though she wasn't certain. She even questioned Shinya about Yuichiro but her adoptive brother would always find a way to evade her questions, especially ones that cast Yuichiro's identity as a boy, in doubt.
"I can't really say I'm surprised, Mi-chan," the purple-haired girl admitted. "I always thought Yuu looked rather delicate for a boy."
Before the blonde could reply, they saw Yuichiro leave the front of the classroom and walked down the aisle until she found an unoccupied desk, not surprisingly, at the very back of the classroom. Now that everyone knew she was female, Yuichiro had to use the girls' locker room from now on. Which meant she would, without a doubt, have more encounters with her female classmates.
As for the boys, more than a few found themselves blushing at seeing Yuichiro walk past them in her swishing skirt and slim, pretty legs when they remembered how they used to casually strip in front of her in the boys' locker room.
After his eyes had taken their fill of Yuichiro's feminine form, Daisuke leaned over and whispered into Satoshi's ear.
"It looks like you were right about Yuu, Sato. I always thought you were joking when you said you thought she was a girl!"
"I was joking!" the blue-haired boy hissed. "I didn't believe she actually was female! And to think we've been taking our clothes off in front of her for months!"
"Hey, what are you two whispering about?" another boy, who had overheard their conversation, asked curiously.
Daisuke and Satoshi turned to the brunet boy who sat in the row behind them.
"We're talking about how we didn't know that Yuichiro Hyakuya was a girl in all the months she was in our PE class even though I questioned her and joked about it all the time, Takeshi," Satoshi answered matter-of-factually.
Takeshi Saehara *3*, who had also been in Yuichiro's PE class, shot a quick glance at the ravenette sitting at the back of the classroom before turning back to Daisuke and Satoshi.
"Well, how can you still be sure she is? For all we know, Yuichiro may just be a really girly boy and a cross-dresser."
At the brunet boy's suggestion, Daisuke grinned as a wicked idea came to him.
"Well, there is a way to find out…" he suggested.
"Oh?"
"Isn't it obvious?" If Yuichiro really is a girl, she should lack a certain something down there…"
Catching on to Daisuke's idea, Satoshi also grinned mischievously. Normally, he prided himself on being the most logical and mature of the boys in his class but at the end of the day, he was still a teenage boy with the same curiosity about girls that all boys have.
"Daisuke's right, Takeshi. Hey, if you're really curious, why don't you try taking a quick peak under Yuu's skirt? I'll do your homework for a week if you do…" the blue-haired boy offered with a wag of his eyebrows.
The brunet boy raised a brow. Takeshi knew very well that Satoshi was one of the smartest kids in school and he could really use a week without having to do any homework. Plus he himself was curious as to Yuichiro's true sex and that along with Satoshi's offer, was too tempting for him to refuse.
"Ok! Just say when!" Takeshi said excitedly as he tried his best to keep his voice down.
"How about during lunch in the cafeteria?" Satoshi suggested. "Just stand behind Yuu in the lunch line and pull up her skirt for a second. I'll stand in front of her and take a quick look."
"Don't forget to make a run for it once you do," Daisuke added. "If Yuichiro doesn't see you, she can't rat you out to the teachers."
"Great idea!"
Upon securing the brunet boy's agreement, Satoshi shot Daisuke a wink. They both knew Takeshi was naive and gullible as well as a sucker for pretty girls which made him the perfect candidate to help them confirm Yuichiro Hyakuya's true sex.
Now that the boys have a plan, all they have to do is wait until lunchtime…
SSSSSS
"Hey, Yuu…"
The ravenette was startled when she felt a light tap on her shoulder as soon as she entered the school's cafeteria. Turning around, Yuichiro saw Shinoa Hiragi accompanied by Mitsuba Sangu, and had to resist the temptation to roll her eyes.
"What is it, you two? Don't tell me you're here to ask me out on dates with you again now that you both know I'm a girl. Sorry, but I don't swing that way."
Instead of being offended by Yuichiro's implication, Shinoa gave a merry laugh and brushed it off.
"No, not that," she said. I was going to ask if you wanted to join me and Mi-chan at that table over there in the corner. I'm sure it would be nicer than eating alone. In case you haven't noticed, not everyone is exactly comfortable with your change of attire and hairstyle."
Curious at the other girl's words, Yuichiro looked around the cafeteria and saw that Shinoa was right. The ravenette had been so preoccupied with her thoughts as well as trying to get used to having parts of her legs exposed that she failed to notice the other students, male and female, trying to keep their distance from her.
"Well, Yuu?" Shinoa persisted.
"I don't mind eating alone," the other girl answered quietly.
Mitsuba frowned. "But why do that if you don't have to? Come on, Yuu, be reasonable; it can't hurt to have some company for lunch, wouldn't it? I heard you wanted to join the Demon Army and if that's true, you should at least try to brush up on your social skills."
Yuichiro frowned at the blonde girl's suggestion but deep down, she knew Mitsuba was right. Guren himself had told her the same thing, even if a bit less delicately than her classmate.
"Fine," she said. "I'll join you as soon as I get my lunch."
Shinoa smiled, obviously delighted that the brooding ravenette was finally starting to see reason.
"Great! Mi-chan and I will be at the table waiting for you over there. Come over anytime you're ready."
"Ok."
And without another word, Yuichiro left the other two girls and headed for the lunch line on the other side of the cafeteria.
Satoshi, who had been discreetly watching her for the last few minutes, finally took his place in the lunch line when he saw Yuichiro approach. As the mastermind of the plot he had been discussing with Daisuke and Takeshi in class earlier, Satoshi instructed the brunet boy to offer Yuichiro to cut in front of him so that she would be wedged between them with Satoshi in the front. As for Daisuke, he was to intervene and provide a distraction for Takeshi to get away in case Yuichiro decided to go after him for pulling up her skirt.
Although Satoshi's conscience told him that it was definitely wrong to pull such a prank on an unsuspecting classmate, his own curiosity got the better of him and overpowered his inner voice's demand to call it off. He told himself that taking a quick peak under Yuichiro's skirt was not going to hurt the girl in any way and justified it by telling himself that she had seen him as well as plenty of boys in their class half-naked in the locker room for months. So, it was only fair that they try and confirm her sex by doing this.
When Yuichiro finally arrived at the lunch line, she was about to take her place in the back when she saw Takeshi wave to her and made a beckoning gesture with his hands. Curious as to what her classmate wanted, she approached him.
"Yes? What is it?"
"Hey, Yuu, I was thinking that since this is your first day back in school after so long, why don't you go in front of me for today?"
"What? Are you sure?" Yuichiro asked curiously.
"Yeah."
"Um, ok. Thanks for the offer. Takeshi. That's very nice of you."
After Yuichiro had taken her new place in line in front of him, Takeshi took a deep breath as he stepped back slightly to put a little space between himself and his intended victim. Satoshi did the same from his position in front of her and as soon as Takeshi was sure Yuichiro had her guard down, the brunet boy quickly grabbed the hem of her uniform skirt with both hands and pulled it up as high as he could.
Yuichiro's eyes widened and she gasped as soon as she felt the cool air hit her newly exposed behind as well as front. Both boys quickly looked at her lower body and their own eyes widened in shock when they saw their classmate clad in a frilly white panty with no sign of male anatomy between her legs.
"My God, she really is a girl!" Takeshi gasped, so stunned by his discovery that he completely forgot to make a run for it like Satoshi had instructed him to during their debriefing that morning. The blue-haired boy quickly realized that but before he could open his mouth to remind Takeshi, Yuichiro gritted her teeth, drew back her right fist, and sent it flying straight into his jaw, her own face burning with rage and humiliation.
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?
Of course, her assailant could not answer for as soon as Yuichiro's fist made contact with Takeshi's jaw, she sent him flying back several feet before he landed on the cafeteria floor, completely out cold.
Upon hearing the ruckus at the lunch line, the other students were startled and every set of eyes in the cafeteria turned in Yuichiro's direction as well as that of their unconscious classmate on the floor.
"Hey, what's going on?" Mitsuba demanded as she and Shinoa got up from their seats at the corner table where they were waiting for Yuichiro.
"It looks like Yuu's first day back as a girl isn't going as well as I thought," Shinoa answered. "Come on, Mi-chan, I think she might need our help."
Even though she completely missed it, it wasn't too hard for the purple-haired girl to figure out what happened when she heard Yuichiro scream from across the cafeteria as well as well as what sounded like someone's jaw cracking.
Unfortunately, Yuichiro's act of "self-defense" also drew the attention of the cafeteria monitor who made his way through the crowd of students before seeing Takeshi's unconscious form on the floor.
Without giving the girl a chance to explain, the monitor turned to Yuichiro and made a gesture towards the double doors on the other side of the cafeteria.
"Hyakuya, principal's office. NOW," he said sharply but calmly.
"Wait, there's been a misunderstanding!" Shinoa protested as soon as she and Mitsuba arrived.
"She's right, that kid started it!" Mitsuba said defensively as she pointed to the comatose Takeshi.
"I don't care who started it! My job is to keep order here and these two disrupted it. The principal will deal with Saehara later. Right now, it's Hyakuya who needs to be straightened out," the cafeteria monitor snapped harshly.
The two girls were about to protest again when surprisingly, Yuichiro cut them off.
"It's ok, you two. I'll be fine so don't worry about me. It just looks like we'll have to do lunch another day," the ravenette said coolly. Having stared death in the face twice when she faced Ferid Bathory as well as the rouge vampire in Shinjuku, Yuichiro had no fear of a simple tongue-lashing by an authority figure and made sure everyone knew it.
Despite the obvious injustice of the situation, Shinoa and Mitsuba relented, not wanting to make the situation any worse for the other girl and nodded. As soon as Yuichiro was sure they understood, she turned and made her way for the exit of the cafeteria.
Not surprisingly, the crowd of students quickly parted and made room for her to leave. And not one of them dared to utter a word lest they incur Yuichiro Hyakuya's unbridled wrath...
SSSSSS
Ring
Ring
Ring
Guren, put down his pen and ceased the paperwork he was going over when he heard the phone on his desk ring. Hoping it wasn't Shinya or Goshi calling just to bug him, the lieutenant colonel picked it up and brought it to his ear.
"Hello? Can I help you?"
"Yes, is this Lieutenant Colonial Guren Ichinose?"
"It is. May I ask who you are?"
"I am Keisuke Nomura, the principal of Shibuya Middle School. I'm calling in regards to your ward, Yuichiro Hyakuya."
At the mention of Yuichiro's name, Guren forgot about his work for a brief moment as worry laced his features and asked
"What's wrong with her? Did something happen?"
"She had a... skirmish with another student in the cafeteria at lunch today so I've decide it best to send her home for the day. Since you live fairly close to the school, I'm assuming you don't need to send anyone to pick her up, am I correct?"
"Yes, that's correct. You can send Yuichiro home; she's perfectly fine with walking. Whatever it is, I'll talk to her later, ok?"
"Yes, Mr. Ichinose. Your ward has been a very good student before you pulled her out months ago and I don't want to have to suspend or expel her. She may just need a bit of help fitting back in with her classmates so I'd appreciate it if you talked to Yuichiro and get her to behave because I cannot allow her back to school until I'm sure she won't try to assault her fellow students again."
"I understand. Thank you."
"You too. Have a good day, sir."
After he heard Yuichiro's principal hang up, Guren frowned as he put down his own phone. Despite what he had told Sayuri and Shigure, he couldn't deny that he was afraid something like this might happen. If he could, Guren would have left work and picked Yuichiro up himself but his job did not allow him that luxury. So, he would have to wait until he got off later tonight before he could talk to her. He also didn't want to worry Sayuri or Shigure needlessly with such a trifle issue so Guren thought it best not to tell them anything for now.
Yuichiro, what happened to you?
Knowing that he wasn't going to get an answer until he saw his ward tonight, Guren picked up the pace with his paperwork, hoping to get them done faster so he could go home early.
SSSSSS
Yuichiro sighed and leaned back against the door to her room as soon as she got home. As usual, she was the first one back; Guren, Sayuri and Shigure were still at work and would not be home for a few hours, especially since Yuichiro had come home earlier than she normally would on a regular school day. Her stomach growled, making the girl suddenly remember that she never got a chance to eat lunch at school, having been sent home as soon as she assaulted Takeshi Saehara for pulling up her skirt just to see if she was really a girl.
Well, now they know! Yuichiro thought bitterly.
As humiliating as her experience was, the girl at least had the comfort of knowing that her classmates won't be questioning her sex anymore. Either way, there was nothing she could do about it now so Yuichiro decided to head to the kitchen for a snack as well as get an early start on dinner. While she was at it, the girl also thought she might want to clean the laundry in Shigure's place as well. It was the least she could do for the older raven-haired woman who had been so good to her since she moved into the Ichinose household.
"Yuichiro?"
Startled, the girl turned and saw Sayuri standing in the doorway of the kitchen with Shigure right behind her. Yuichiro had been so preoccupied with frying some fish on a pan for dinner that she did not hear the two older women entering the house. Since she had gone home a few hours earlier than normal, Yuichiro was able to cut the vegetables, cook the rice, and prepare the meat before the rest of her household came home. She also managed to get all of the laundry done as well.
"Hi, sorry I didn't hear you; I was really preoccupied."
"It's ok, I was just checking up on you. Dinner looks almost ready. How were you able to make it so fast by yourself, Yuu?" Sayuri asked curiously.
Yuichiro let her head drop and her long bangs fall over her eyes. It was times like these she was glad her hair was longer so that they could cover her face and hide how embarrassed she was.
"I came home early today. Just a little past noon."
"Really? Did school get out early?"
"No, I was sent home."
Shigure regarded her curiously.
"You were sent home, Yuu? Why?"
"Umm…well…"
"Yes?"
"I punched a boy at school during lunch. For pulling up my skirt."
Sayuri and Shigure were surprised when they heard the younger girl's confession.
"What? Why on earth did he do that?" Sayuri gasped.
Yuichiro hesitated for a moment as if the question was too embarrassing for her to answer.
Shigure, on the other hand, was able to figure it out pretty quickly and placed a hand on Sayuri's arm.
"I think I have a pretty good idea…"
The honey-colored haired woman raised her brows as understanding slowly dawned on her.
"Oh… I'm so sorry, Yuu. Did you get hurt?"
Yuichiro shook her head. "Just my pride…"
"That was pretty inconsiderate of the boy. Who was he?" Shigure asked. "Someone needs to talk to him."
"His name is Takeshi Saehara. My principal said he would talk to him…when he regains consciousness.
"You mean he's in a coma?"
"Yeah… after he pulled up my skirt, I was so mad and embarrassed, I punched him without thinking. I know I over-reacted; Takeshi is normally a harmless moron. I'm sure someone else must have put him up to it."
"Well, regardless of whether he acted alone or was talked into it by someone else, what that boy did was unacceptable," Sayuri insisted. "If Guren gets upset with you when he returns, I'll be sure to explain the situation to him so don't worry, Yuichiro."
When she heard the older woman's promise, Yuichiro managed a sad smile.
"Thanks, Sayuri. Would it be ok if I turned in early? I'm not really hungry and won't be needing dinner tonight."
Normally, Sayuri would insist that Yuichiro have at least three meals a day but decided not to push it tonight since she knew the younger girl had a rough day.
"It's all right, Yuu, we understand."
Shigure nodded in silent agreement when her ears picked up the sound of the washer and dryer running upstairs.
"Did you do the laundry too, Yuichiro? You didn't have to, that's my job."
"It's ok, Shigure. It's not like I had much else to do since I came home so early. And it's the least I can do for you after everything you and Sayuri did for me. I'll think I'll just finish my homework and read for a while before turning in."
"I understand. Thank you, Yuichiro."
"You're welcome. Goodnight."
SSSSSS
"So that's what happened…" Guren said dryly after he listen to Sayuri's explanation of what happened to Yuichiro at school earlier that day.
"It seems like she was traumatized by what happened," Shigure said as she poured her superior a glass of water from across the dinner table. "Yuichiro said she needed something to get her mind off it so she did all the cooking and laundry by herself until Sayuri and I got home."
"I see…"
"Guren, I'm worried about Yuichiro. It's only her first day at school and she's already gotten into trouble. I really think you should have her transferred to another school before she gets hurt again" Sayuri insisted.
"Don't be so hasty, Sayuri. I know you and Shigure are concerned for Yuichiro but let me talk to her first to see if that's what she really wants. I already spoke to the principal and he promised me that he would not suspend or expel her unjustly. We need to be rational about this," Guren answered calmly.
"I understand, sir. But I don't think that's what Sayuri meant," Shigure said. "We just don't want to see Yuichiro get hurt by kids who know her past as a cross-dressing girl. If you have her transferred, she can at least have a fresh new start at another school where nobody knows her."
"I understand both of your concerns, and I do appreciate your suggestions as well. I'm concerned for Yuichiro too. That's why I want to approach this rationally and talk to her myself before I make any decisions to have her transferred. Understood?"
"Yes, sir."
SSSSSS
Yuichiro looked up from the book she was reading while sitting in bed when she heard a soft knock at her door. It was just slightly past nine so she knew the other members of her household were not asleep yet and wondered who it could be.
"Yes, who is it?"
"It's me, Guren. May I come in, Yuu?"
"Of course! Just give me a minute!" the girl answered as she put her book away and went to answer the door. When she opened it, Yuichiro saw her guardian standing on the side with an expression of concern on his face. Which surprised her for she was certain Guren would be displeased upon hearing how she was sent home early for starting a ruckus at school earlier that day.
As soon as he stepped inside, Guren turned to Yuichiro.
"Sayuri and Shigure told me what happened to you at school today. Are you all right?"
"I'm ok, really. It was partly my fault anyway, I shouldn't have overreacted."
"True," her guardian agreed. "Not that I wouldn't have done the same in your place. I stopped by the hospital on my way back from work to see that boy you knocked out today. Turns out he regained consciousness shortly after you were sent home."
"Oh, really?" Yuichiro asked, her interest piqued. "Was he angry?"
Guren chuckled as he recalled his brief talk with the offending brunet boy.
"Not at all. In fact, the first thing he said when he woke up was that he didn't know a girl could hit so hard. I'm sure you would have made Mito proud."
Despite the sour mood she had been in all day, Yuichiro could not help but laugh when she heard her guardian's confession.
Glad that he was able to make his ward smile for the first time that day, Guren continued.
"Takeshi Saehara, I believe that was his name, asked me to apologize to you on his behalf. He admitted that what he did was wrong…and stupid. He also confessed that some other boys put him up to it though who they were, he would not say."
Yuichiro shook her head. "Don't worry about it, Guren. It doesn't matter now."
Guren frowned. "Yuichiro, I know what Saehara did embarrassed and upset you a great deal, and I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to stay at Shibuya Middle School anymore. The principal told me that he will not put this incident on your record and you are free to return to school tomorrow if you behave. But if for any reason, you don't feel comfortable going back, I can arrange to have you transferred to another school."
Yuichiro was silent for a moment as she thought over her guardian's words.
"It's ok, Guren. That won't be necessary."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"I see. I'm glad to hear that, Yuu. Things like this happen and young boys often do stupid things as I'm sure Goshi and Shinya could tell you," Guren explained, purposely neglecting to tell Yuichiro that he had also done his fair share of stupid things as a boy; he did have his pride, after all.
"I hope you take this as a learning experience, just like your confrontation with that rogue vampire in Shinjuku. Speaking of which…"
Yuichiro raised a brow. "Yes?"
"There's another reason I came to see you tonight. I've been wanting to give you this for a while but needed a bit of time to wrap my head around the fact that you were actually a girl first, so I hope you'll forgive my tardiness. I know this is a long time in coming."
"Oh?"
Instead of answering right away, Guren stepped outside Yuichiro's room for a moment to reach for something he had been keeping just outside her door, leaning against the wall, a long object wrapped in an elegant silk case.
"What is that?" the younger girl answered curiously.
Guren smiled and handed the object to her.
"See for yourself, Yuu."
Taking her eyes off her guardian for a moment, Yuichiro pulled open the snap-on buttons at the top and put her hand inside where she could feel the unmistakable handle of a Japanese katana, the sword she had always wanted. Pulling the rest of the silk cover off, Yuichiro saw that the blade was encased in a beautiful, smooth wooden sheath. *4*
"It's heavy… heavier than a bokken" she exclaimed softly, her voice full of awe and wonder as she pulled out the blade slightly, admiring its craftsmanship. Yuichiro had no doubt that it was brand new and of far better quality than the one she considered taking for her own back in Shinjuku six months ago.
"Of course it is," Guren replied in amusement. "You made the right decision when you chose to save that little girl instead of going for that sword you saw on the ground back in the city. That was the answer I needed you to find within yourself. And now that you understand what it truly means to be a soldier, I know I can entrust this to you. Congratulations, Yuichiro. You earned it."
The girl blushed, the crazy events of the day completely forgotten upon receiving such a wonderful gift and praise from her guardian and mentor.
"Thank you, Guren. I will treasure it always."
"You're welcome, Yuu. I'm glad you like it. If you're up to it, we can start your training tomorrow. Using a real sword is a bit different than a bokken."
Yuichiro smiled and nodded excitedly. "I would like that."
"So would I," Guren said as he reached out and gently ruffled her soft, silky hair. Yuichiro felt her blush growing deeper at the rather intimate contact and had to admit that her guardian could be incredibly gentle when he wasn't busy roughing her up during combat training. She felt it ended too soon when he withdrew his hand and prepared to leave.
"Good night, Yuichiro. Sleep well."
"I will…and thank you," the girl said as she held her new gift close to her body.
Guren smiled and said nothing more as he quietly closed Yuichiro's door and left her for the night.
Footnotes:
1. A gakuran or the tsume-eri, are the uniforms for many middle school and high school boys in Japan. The color is normally black, but some schools use navy blue. The female equivalent is the sailor fuku worn by girls.
2. In the anime DN Angel, Kosuki Niwa is the father of Daisuke Niwa, the main protagonist of the series. But in my fic, he is Daisuke's older brother since all adults over age 13 supposedly perished when the apocalypse struck.
3. Takeshi Saehara is another character from DN Angel. In both the anime/manga and my AU, he is a fellow classmate and friend of Daisuke and Satoshi.
4. In canon, Guren gives male!Yuu a real sword after he helps to destroy the rogue vampire in Shinjuku. For my AU, I had him wait six months on it. Fem!Yuu doesn't ask because she was so busy trying to get used to living as a girl.
