Chapter 2: Adjusting to a New Reality

“Am I really supposed to wear this…?”

“Hmm…”

I looked at the set of women’s underwear in front of me. It was a matching top and bottom. There was no way I could bring myself to wear it.

I should’ve prepared myself when she took my measurements, but I had been deliberately avoiding the thought. That was on me.

‘Well, I guess I should at least try it on.’

Among the clothes that Yoon Bora had bought, I reluctantly picked up the embarrassing undergarment. The label read “boyshorts.” I had only known about briefs and boxers before, so this was a new term for me.

Still, I figured I’d have less of an issue with the bottoms than the top. At least it was underwear, something I used to wear as a man too.

“Ugh.”

I took off the men’s underwear I had been wearing and glanced at Yoon Bora. I had to change, but she wasn’t taking her eyes off me. Outwardly, we were the same gender, but inwardly, I wasn’t. I felt embarrassed and turned my head away.

Of course, she was probably watching me for security reasons, but still, it was uncomfortable. Thankfully, the oversized shirt I was wearing kept the important parts covered.

With a little more confidence, I extended my legs.

‘They look so weak.’

My legs were thin, without even a hint of hair. My thighs seemed a bit more solid, but compared to when I was a man, they felt fragile.

I gritted my teeth and slid my feet into the underwear. First my ankles, then my knees.

As the fabric slid up my legs, it made a strange, soft noise as it rubbed against my bare skin.

‘What the hell…’

The mix of guilt and embarrassment made me freeze. I couldn’t believe how awkward it felt just to put on underwear.

“Hoo…”

Taking a deep breath, I looked down.

The underwear was in place, right where it should be, but the whole situation felt incredibly humiliating.

That thought spurred me to keep pulling.

Swoosh—

As I slowly pulled the underwear higher, it molded to the curves of my thighs. My thicker thighs seemed about to burst out, but the fabric gently hugged my hips. Despite the thin material pressing against my groin, there was nothing bulky or out of place, which felt strangely wrong.

“Ugh…”

I lifted my shirt and looked down.

Smooth. Absolutely nothing was sticking out. It looked just like any ordinary woman’s.

“Unbelievable.”

At this point, it was starting to sink in—I had really become a woman. Why had I, of all people, contracted this rare condition? The injustice of it all made me want to cry, but I somehow managed to hold back the tears.

‘…Well, at least I got one thing done.’

But now there was one more task left.

The bra.

And that was where the real problem lay.

I had no idea how to put on a bra.

This was the first time I’d ever even touched one. Honestly, isn’t it more strange for a guy to know how to wear a bra? Sure, I might know how to take one off, but that was it.

‘There’s a hook or something on the back, right?’

I had heard about hooks or clasps before. Looking closely, I could see that the shoulder straps could be adjusted.

‘Maybe if I figure out how to combine these two…’

Nope, I still had no clue. Wearing underwear wasn’t some kind of puzzle.

“Hmm.”

I stole a glance at Yoon Bora. As much as I wanted to ask her for help, it seemed like an impossible task.

Even though I looked like a girl now, I was still a man on the inside. Asking a woman to help me put on a bra would definitely not be appropriate. At best, I’d just get a slap in the face.

‘What do I do?’

I didn’t know how to put it on, and I couldn’t ask for help. That left me with one option: rebellion.

Resolving myself, I approached Yoon Bora with a determined look.

“Do I really have to wear this?”

After all, I was still a guy, and there was no reason for me to wear a bra. Surely, Yoon Bora would understand that much.

Yoon Bora knew it wasn’t polite to watch someone change. In a normal situation, she’d have turned away or left the room. But something about me rather, the girl I had become seemed to draw her attention.

‘She’s so shy.’

My ears were drooping with embarrassment, and my tail had wrapped itself around my thigh. It must’ve been amusing to her because a smile played on her lips. It was as if she was watching a shy, growing girl. The only problem was, deep down, I was still a man.

“Sigh.”

Yoon Bora let out a soft sigh, one that she thought I wouldn’t hear.

‘It’s not easy treating him purely as a guy…’

Even though I was technically still a man, I looked like an innocent, bashful girl. And that wagging, cute tail only made it harder. How could she possibly treat someone like that as a man?

At least for Yoon Bora, it was an impossible task.

As blunt as it might sound, Yoon Bora understood the importance of appearance. In her view, outer appearances were more crucial than inner qualities. The basic ability to build relationships came from physical appearance.

Anyone who denied that was just a hypocrite, and Yoon Bora didn’t want to be that kind of person.

‘Maybe it’s easier to just treat him like a girl.’

If he wanted to be treated that way, it’d be more convenient. But judging by the way Harang acted, he didn’t seem like he wanted to be treated as a girl. According to him, he had only become a girl today.

‘For now, it’s probably best to treat him like a guy.’

At least until he started seeing himself as a woman. Slowly transitioning, giving him time to adjust, was the right approach.

That was the conclusion Yoon Bora had reached.

At that moment, Harang suddenly spoke up.

“Do I really have to wear this?”

He held out the bra with a serious expression that didn’t suit him at all, clearly determined not to wear it. Though, even with that determination, he still looked like a timid girl.

‘He really doesn’t want to wear it, huh.’

Of course, Yoon Bora understood. As a man, this was bound to hurt his pride. But for his own sake, Yoon Bora couldn’t back down either. If he didn’t wear it, it would chafe, and his figure would lose its shape—especially given his size.

For Harang’s future, she had to make sure he wore it somehow. From now on, he’d be living with this body for the rest of his life. Even if he didn’t like it, he needed to take care of himself.

“You’ll need to wear it to get used to it.”

“Ugh.”

The feeling of the bra wrapping around his chest was uncomfortable. Annoyed, he kept tugging at the straps on his shoulders.

“You shouldn’t pull on them like that.”

Even so, Yoon Bora stopped his hand from doing any more damage. Following her lead, Harang looked up at her. The memory of being dressed up like a doll by her was still fresh in his mind. Embarrassed, he quickly lowered his head.

Each time her hands touched him, he’d let out weird little sounds like “Hik” or “Ugh.” Of course, Yoon Bora probably didn’t enjoy putting underwear on someone who used to be a man either. It was an uncomfortable experience for both of them.

‘Sigh.’

Still, Harang wondered how long she planned to keep holding his hand. He looked down at it. Her grip was firm but careful, as if she was controlling her strength to avoid crushing him. After all, with her strength, she could easily crack his skull.

Thinking about that sent a shiver down his spine. Hunters were monsters beyond human limits. And Yoon Bora was one of them. The thought stirred up his old traumas, and he bit his lip to keep them at bay.

‘But Bora’s a good Hunter, right?’

The fact that she was helping him despite her obvious discomfort was proof enough of that. There was no need to be scared—just don’t make her angry.

‘Damn it…’

Harang couldn’t help but feel small—insignificant, even. Well, in reality, he was smaller now. His hands, feet, height, and muscles—everything about him was now smaller than hers. The only things that could possibly compare to her body were his chest and hips. But as a man, that was nothing to be proud of.

“Ugh.”

As he let out another frustrated groan, Yoon Bora shook his hand gently and asked, “So, are you not going to the hospital?”

“No. I don’t think there’s any need.”

“Hmm. But shouldn’t you at least go to the community center? There’ll be issues with your ID and such.”

“That’s…”

It was true, of course. But right now, Harang didn’t want to go to either the hospital or the community center. If he went out like this, he’d definitely attract people’s attention.

— Is that a beast or a person?

— Why isn’t that dog on a leash?

He’d surely face ridicule along those lines. After all, humans with animal ears and tails didn’t exist on Earth at least not outside of virtual worlds like games or movies.

‘I used to love gaming too.’

He had been forced to quit due to the increasing system requirements and financial constraints, but he still missed it.

‘…I really do need to start making money.’

Harang knew he couldn’t continue living like this forever. Maybe this sudden change in his body could be a fresh start. After all, ‘they’ wouldn’t recognize him in this new form.

‘It’s just like doing rehab with Jinhyang.’

If he spent a busy month working, maybe his social anxiety would improve naturally. After that, he could find some other kind of work.

Having made up his mind, Harang looked up at Yoon Bora and spoke confidently, “I promised to work with you for a month, so I’ll focus on that first.”

“Alright. If that’s what you want, Harang let’s go with that.”

Yoon Bora nodded, understanding his decision. After all, her only task was to bring him back, so there was no reason to stop him.

“Shall we head out then?”

“Yes.”

Harang followed her lead. It had been a long time since he had gone outside.