Chapter 3
The next day I attended school as a guy. Mr Usui made the necessary arrangements, whatever they were and no one seemed too suspicious. I felt uncomfortable wearing guy clothes and the tie was horrid. Why would they make guys were this?! I now understood the expession "feeling uncomfortable in your own skin".
"Oh, are you the new transfer student?" a girl's voice suddenly piped up. I looked and saw three girls staring up at me. I was even taller in my male form. It felt weird.
"Um...yes?"
I was only half-listening to them because I then spotted the person I needed to talk to.
"Akiro..." I said under my breath, but the girls heard me.
"That is so awesome! Your name is also Akiro?"
"Like Akiro Igarashi!" the other girl went on, "they both are super hot too, don't you think?"
"Erm...I didn't mean..."
"You two look very similar too! Hey, Igarashi!" the girl called out.
"Wait, don't call him here!" I protested, but I got cut off by the girls' excited chatter. Akiro walked over with a bored look on his face.
"What is it?"
"It's the new transfer student, his name is also Akiro!"
This got a slight lift of an eyebrow as he now looked at me. I wished the earth would open up and swallow me.
"That so?"
"They look so alike! They could have been twins seperated by birth!" one of the girls was whispering excitedly. I noticed the remark was irritating Akiro.
I figured I should just play along to get out of this situation the quickest, and besides I needed a guy name after all.
"Y..yes... Akiro Sou."
"Sou? Are you related to Ayana and Aveline Sou by any chance?"
"Um...yes actually...they are my...cousins."
"Really?"
Akiro had a calculating look on his face which kind of scared me. Just then the bell rang and everyone rushed to get to class. It was certainly odd to have girls staring at you during class. It was true that I had similar features to Akiro, who I 'borrowed' powers from, but my hair was white while his was black. Was I experiencing what it was like to be Akiro? I wonder what his demon powers were? I remembered he had wings, could I also sprout wings and fly? I should definitely try it sometime...
I noticed that my old desk was empty. Apparently my teacher had been informed that my female self was sick. I needed to get myself changed back, but at the same time I wanted to know more about this new ability.
When homeroom class ended the teacher asked me to stay behind.
"You know it is school regulations that students should not wear excessive jewellery or dye their hair unconventional colours."
"Yes?" I asked, not understanding what the teacher was going on about. The teacher was looking at my head and coughed when he realised I didn't catch the meaning.
"Your hair is white."
"So it is. Is it that impossible for men to have white hair at a young age?"
"Are you serisouly asking me to believe your hair has turned white at 17?"
"Please, I am not trying to make a fool out of you Sir. This is truly my natural hair colour," I said in exasperation.
"Hmph...you don't seem to be joking... then I feel very sorry for you. Your body seems to be aging before its time. Poor boy."
Classes dragged a bit and I was very happy when it was breaktime. I sat down on my usual spot under a tree and opened my lunch box. I prided myself in that I could at least cook, even if my grades weren't that spectacular or anything.
"Um...do you mind if I sit here too?"
I looked up in surprise.
"Kari! Oh...um.."
I'm not supposed to know her! What do I say?! I just automatically came to the spot we always shared...
"Sorry...I um...learned your name from the other girls...Miss Honda. Please, sit where you like."
Kari sat down some distance from me and started eating her lunch.
"Wow...look at his lunch box! His mother must really love him!" I heard girls whisper behind the tree. They were spying on me, seriously?!
"Or perhaps his girlfriend made it for him? Oh, I'm so jealous already!"
I decided to act like I didn't hear them. Kari must have heard, because she looked over at me.
"Um...what is your name?"
"Oh...it's Akiro Sou."
"Sou? Are you related to Ayane Sou?"
"Yes...we are cousins."
"Really? I didn't know she had a cousin... we are actually good friends, I am a bit disappointed that she didn't say anything. I'll have to ask her about you when she comes to school again. I heard she is sick?"
"Yes... last night after the lights festival she developed quite a fever so Mr Usui said she should stay home."
"Mr Usui...do you stay with them?" Kari asked, surprised.
"Um...yes, for now."
"That would explain your lunch box. It is exactly what Ayane would make. Did she make it for you?"
"I...you are right, he-he, she insisted even though I told her to go back to bed..." I laughed nervously. Where was this all going?
"I still can't believe Ayane didn't say anything, even at the festival..."
I felt guilty about lying to Kari like this, but I had no other choice.
After break it was time for PE. It was a horrifying experience since I had to go into the boys locker room to change. I found it was not only the boys from my grade but some seniors as well since they just had PE. Each group automatically kept to themselves. What was I to do? I had a man's body, but still couldn't just tear off my shirt and go: "oh, how nice to let these babies breathe a bit" and flex my arm muscles like that idiot Jun. I sat down on a bench, not knowing that to do when some of the guys in my grade came over.
"Hey, Sou! What are you just sitting there for? Teacher's going to be mad if you are late. Made Jun run 20 laps last time."
"20 laps? Seriously?" I asked. I could barely manage 5 in my girl form. I wondered if I had more stamina now?
"Or perhaps he is ashamed of how unappealing his body is," Jun piped up, stil flexing his arm muscles.
"Oh, no...nothing like that...why don't you guys just go ahead? I'll catch up just now... he-he..."
Then the guys suddenly grabbed me and pulled my shirt off. I involuntarily screamed and tried to cover up.
"Oh my gosh...are you gay?" one of the guys suddenly asked, staring at me. The others had let go of me as well as if I had the plague or something.
"What?! No, of course not!" I stammered and realised I was still acting like a girl... how embarrasing...
I stopped covering myself and grabbed my shirt back.
"You surprised me, that's all," I said as nonchalantly as I could. Even Jun looked impressed with my physique. I had rock-hard abs and very toned arms. And tattoos running down my left arm.
"Whoa, that's wicked dude! But I seriously don't want to be you if any of the teachers find out you have tats. Kio's son got kicked out for just having a girl's name tatooed on his wrist."
"And then they broke up anyway. What an idiot."
They all seemed to be waiting for something... oh... I still needed to change into my shorts...
"Hey, what are you guys waiting for? Can't a guy at least have a bit of privacy?" I asked annoyed. They didn't seem to take a hint. Luckily the bell then rang.
"Oh s... we better get going!" Jun shouted in panic and the rest followed suit. I sighed a sigh of relief. Now I could quickly change while there was no-one here...
"Akiro Sou, huh?" I suddenly heard a voice as I had just pulled up my shorts. I didn't notice him...what?! Akiro?!
Akiro suddenly leaned towards me and I backed away, bumping my back into a wall. He then put his arm out to block me from escaping. His face was so close I could feel his breath on my skin.
"Akiro...what are you doing?" I asked and tried to wriggle out, but he used his other hand to push me back against the wall.
"Just who are you really?"
"What do you mean? I told you..."
"These tattoos..." he said stroking my left arm sending shivers down my back, "they are unqiue to the Kurago tribe."
"Kurago tribe? I had no idea...I just saw the design on the net one day and decided it would look awesome!" I said and laughed nervously. Akiro didn't seem to buy it.
"You will not find these designs on the net as they are family heirlooms and are passed down from generation to generation. They also signify who is to be the next head of the family."
My mouth went dry...did that mean...
Just then Akiro pulled his shirt off. He had the exact same tattoo running down his left arm. I guess this was it...
"And also, your story of being a 'cousin' of the Sou family is invalid. There is only ever one child born every generation."
I knew I had no way out now...
"Um...okay...the truth is that I am Ayane Sou. Your kiss the other night seemed to have put me in this predicament and the only way it can be reversed is if you kiss me again."
Just then we hurt a surprised gasp and we both looked over to see another guy from my grade who had just come out of a toilet cubicle run out of the locker room.
"This is not good," I muttered, "that was Tako who is on the school paper team...we need to stop him!"
I was going to chase after him, but Akiro grabbed my arm.
"Don't you have bigger problems to worry about?"
"But...but... if we don't stop Tako...we don't know what he heard!"
"I don't care what rumours they spread. Now, are you seriously Ayane?"
"Oh please, don't tell me you want me to prove it to you? I'm not letting you do anything like...like that night to me again and I've also decided I would never kiss you again either so get used to me being a guy already!"
With that I pulled away from a stunned Akiro and ran out of the locker room. I got off easy today with the PE teacher since I was new. I also wondered if I didn't miss my only chance with Akiro when I declared I would never kiss him again. Was I really okay with being a guy for the rest of my life? I was feeling quite gloomy that afternoon while I was waiting for Mr Usui to come pick me up.
"Um... Akiro?" a girl suddenly asked next to me and I noticed that it was Kari.
"Oh Kari, it's you."
I could see she looked a bit embarrased to talk to me. Did something happen?
"C...coul you please give this to Ayane? It is just something to cheer her up while she is getting better."
"Okay, I can do that."
As she was reaching out to give me the letter another girl came running out and bumped into Kari, causing her to crash into me. I grabbed her to prevent her from falling and she ended up pressed against my chest. I never realised she had such big boobs...
"I'm so sorry!" she quickly apologised and quickly stood away from me. Her face was red as a beetroot.
"Please give this to Ayane!" she yelled and pressed the letter into my hands and then ran off. It dawned on me that she might just have a crush on me... Oh boy...
On the way home I noticed that I was feeling a bit weird. My whole buddy had a fuzzy feeling, a strange tingling feeling. When Mr Usui opened the door for me at home he almost dropped my bag.
"Oh...I see you managed to revert back to your original form. Congratulations," he said as if nothing strange have happened and proceeded to carry my bag to the house.
"What...did I change back?! How? But, I didn't even kiss Igarashi!"
I ran up to my room to check for myself in the mirror. Yup, I was back! I was so happy that I did a little victory dance. No more having to put up with dirty boys in the locker room. No more having to kiss that arrogant, anoying Akiro! And trying not to look at myself too closely in the mirror and get a nosebleed!
The next morning I was in very good spirits. Finally I could put the whole ordeal behind me and pretend that Akiro doesn't exist. Since he is a senior there should be very little reason for me to see him. Kari was waiting for me at the gate and somehow seemed...disappointed?
"Hi Kari, thanks for your letter. It made me feel better!"
"I'm glad you liked it! Um...where is Akiro?"
"Akiro...oh...um...he decided to go home."
"Home?!"
"Yeah, something urgent came up so he had to go back."
"Oh..."
I felt sorry for Kari since she looked so down. Wow, I never knew a girl could fall for a guy so easily...
"Um...I have to go somewhere, please can you excuse me?" Kari said and then ran off.
I was about to run after her.
"Ayane."
I looked up to see the person I least wanted to see today.
"What do you want?"
"Is that the way to greet your senior? Have they not taught you any manners?"
Akiro was leaning against my locker, blocking my way.
"You're in my way, move."
"Ask nicely and I might consider."
"I said move!"
I pushed against his chest, but it was like pushing against a wall. Eventually I gave up.
"Fine...please move aside."
"Say again, I didn't hear you."
"Please," I said with a frustrated sigh.
"See, now that wasn't so hard."
Akiro moved aside so I could access my locker, but he didn't leave.
"Oh, I'm disappointed. Not even a poster of a boyband or anything..."
I slammed the locker door closed.
"That is none of your business! Why are you pestering me?"
"Pestering? I just came to see how you were doing. I heard you were ill?"
I looked at Akiro like he was speaking alien. Was he testing me or playing dumb?
"Yes, but I am better now. Thanks for your consern."
"Oh so. Well, I'm happy to hear you are better too. I have a feeling you'll want to speak to me again sometime. Here, this is my cellphone number. Don't lose it."
He pressed a piece of paper in my hands.
"No thanks, I don't need it!" I yelled to his back. He just lifted his hands like he didn't care and walked off.
"Suit yourself."
