A Moment of Discomfort

I tumbled onto the bed without a trace of ladylike grace, my face flushed, not from embarrassment or anger, but from the unsettling feeling of having my secrets exposed. The sight of my brother prostrating himself on the floor, apologizing, was utterly bizarre.

Sinking into the plush bed, my body barely dipped, my slight frame unable to achieve the sensation of being engulfed. Thus, I found myself trapped in a dilemma that would be a delightful worry for any other girl.

Late Afternoon.

6:30 p.m.

The sky had darkened slightly, and instinctively, I wanted to burrow into the warm embrace of my bed.

Swoosh

Pulling back the thick bedspread, I was about to dive in, but an intense feeling of discomfort suddenly washed over me. After a day filled with both joy and sorrow, my already inactive body had sweated profusely. Perhaps it could be described as ‘glistening with sweat’?

In my male form, I would have ignored the perspiration, but on my ‘sensitive’ current body, the sweat felt like tiny tadpoles wriggling all over, especially the sticky, airless feeling between my skin folds, which made me increasingly uneasy.

Before me, three options lay:

[1: Crawl into bed, enduring the sticky, uncomfortable feeling of sweat all night.]

[2: Take a bath.]

[3: Die.]

‘What was option three supposed to be?’

Ahhh, so frustrating!

In a fit of exasperation, I tossed the blanket to the floor and, fighting off drowsiness, pushed open the door.

Clang!

With an awkward gait, I entered the bathroom. Inside, a copper-framed sink and a bathtub with intricate patterns stood in stark contrast to the old apartment. In front of the sink was a mirror, neither large nor small, reflecting light but serving no other purpose.

This mirror remained only because of my brother’s insistence. Otherwise, it would never have been in my home. He had said,

“How can one hold one’s head high without knowing one’s own appearance?”

Although I agreed with the sentiment, truth often shifts with circumstance. Now, I felt that knowing my appearance made it impossible to hold my head high.

Resisting the urge to gaze at my reflection, I focused on the bathtub, where steam rose tantalizingly. The tub had filled itself automatically, seemingly just for me.

Ohh~

The glowing, shimmering water seemed to beckon me.

‘What incredible luck! So perfect, I don’t even need to lift a finger. Wow!’

I swiftly removed my loose school jacket, my slender shoulders offering no resistance. Next, I unfastened my belt, and my pants slid to the floor, revealing my flawless, pale calves. In the bathroom now stood a black-haired girl with eyes that sparkled like rubies, her upper body bound with a wrap.

Her face, however, was flushed, and the wrap was not to accentuate any impressive assets, but to alleviate the strange, tormenting sensation between her skin and clothing. More importantly, I had no desire for an ‘impressive bust,’ hoping the tight fabric might slow my body’s evolution.

As for underwear, I would never wear men’s briefs, as that would be truly perverse. With a mix of anticipation and trepidation, I stepped into the tub, creating a gentle splashing sound.