What would Kaju think if she saw me like this? I donned one of Yanami’s white blouses over an undershirt. My shoulders being so broad worried me, but according to her, it was “one of those oversize kinds you wear over layers.” Whatever that meant. Either way, I managed to get it buttoned. The loose collar distressed me somewhat, but that aside, we’d overcome the first hurdle. Now for part two.
I gulped. Before me, it lay silently. Menacingly. Yanami’s black, non-pleated skirt. Along its length, it gently widened, sort of like a blooming tulip. I could handle a woman’s blouse—I couldn’t, actually, but for the sake of argument, I could—but a skirt represented so much more.
“Um, guys?”
“Need help?” Shikiya-san breathed, peeking into my little room.
I frantically pushed her back. “No, I do not! Now please stay out!”
The despair became so great that it wrapped back around and became indignation. Resigned, I yanked the thing up over my pants. Which way was even the front on the thing? I managed to find a hook and zipper, fastening both. After a long, deep breath, I dared to look in the mirror. Staring back at me was a man. A man in women’s clothing.
It was worse than I thought. I threw the wig on next. It didn’t help.
“Gonna keep those pants on?”
“I’ll take them off when you people stop peeping, Yanami-san!” This was never gonna end. I tossed the pants off and threw aside the curtain. “I did it. Happy?”
There were awed sighs. Then applause. They were happy.
“I told you this wouldn’t work,” I grumbled. “I look like a total weirdo.”
Yanami, entirely too enthused about this, came up to me with an elastic band. “Skirt probably doesn’t fit, huh? Brought this to help.”
“Uh, no? It fits fine.” I tugged it a little. “Bit on the loose side, if anything. Will that help?” Nothing happened. “Hello? The band?”
She looked like she was ready to strangle me with it for some reason. Asagumo-san put a hand on her shoulder. “It’s coming together,” she said. “There are plenty of props and shapewear we can use here to adjust as needed. Shikiya-senpai, you’re up.” Then she and Shiratama-san escorted the president into the changing room.
I could see her pulling off menswear well. Something to look forward to.
I noticed Shikiya-san staring. “So you’re, uh, doing my makeup?”
“Not just that.” She staggered closer. “Anatomy… Hard to change. Limbs. Neck.”
“Neck?”
Her bony fingers felt my throat. “Boys have…an Adam’s apple.” She paused suddenly and cocked her head. “Yours is so small.”
Weird thing to have someone say to you. There was a first for everything.
Yanami butted in. “What? Come on, even he has to—whoa, dude, where even is it?”
“Tiny,” Shikiya-san rasped.
“Super tiny. Sousuke’s way bigger.”
I did not like the feeling of two girls calling any part of my body “tiny.” What was even happening right now?
I tried to retreat, but Shikiya-san’s hands were faster. They slid all over my body. “Your legs are…so smooth.”
“Hey! What—” I yelped as she somehow found her way inside my skirt.
Yanami snatched her hand back. “Senpai! The lit club has a strict no touching policy!” She marched her away to a corner of the room.
“But they’re smooth,” Shikiya-san protested.
“Look, I know it’s easy to forget, but Nukumizu-kun’s still a guy. Trust me. Sometimes I catch him eyeing me up like a freak.” She shot me a look. Hey, I had reason to be offended too.
“But he has the body…of a woman.”
“Does he actually?”
I could confirm, fairly reliably, that I had both the body and the soul of a man. They sent concerning gazes my way that made me reflexively cover my skirt.
Just then, the curtain slid open again. The president strode out confidently, without a hint of hesitation or self-doubt. Brown leather shoes. Plaid slacks supported by suspenders. Over a black, high-collared shirt she wore a light brown coat. Her hair was concealed beneath a classy flat cap.
She was absolutely rocking the Taisho-era newspaper reporter look. Gender: Houkobaru Hibari.
“How do I look? Natural?” she asked. “It’s difficult to tell myself.”
“You do. It’s very…convincing.” Wasn’t sure what that was supposed to mean, but I meant it as a compliment.
Asagumo-san nodded in agreement. “The high collar is to obfuscate the neck area, and with her hair secured nicely in a net beneath the cap, I think we have quite the man on our hands.” She patted the president. “Now, the matter of your figures. We can use layers, shapewear, and bindings to adjust build. Shikiya-senpai, makeup is all yours.” She looked at the clock on the wall. Half past seven. Shiratama Minori would be getting to the venue right around now. “Phase one will begin soon. Once Shiratama-san is in, we’ll wait for an opportune moment, then swap her with Yanami-san. Now, leader! Rally the troops!”
Guess that was me. Right. Awesome. No going back now.
I stood up straight and faced the team. “Operation: Shiratama Riko Strikes Back is a go. I guess.”