Chapter 1

Prank in Moderation

“Do I seriously have to go dressed like this?”

Dark brown shoulder-length hair, and a girl’s school uniform that I thought I would never have a chance to wear.

When I saw my reflection in the mirror, I couldn’t help but furrow my eyebrow.

“It’s okay Takumi. It looks great on you.”

The guy who’s trying to chill me with flattery that doesn’t make me happy, and also who caused me to cross-dress as a girl— is Washino Kazuki.

“Being told it looks great on me doesn’t make me happy in the slightest!”

My legs felt strangely breezy, my face felt gross with foundations applied all over it, and my mood was the absolute worst.

Red necktie on a navy blue blazer, and indigo plaid pattern mini-skirt uniform. It’s certainly cute. But I didn’t have any interest to wear it of my own volition.

“Don’t say that. You lose so there’s no other way.”

“If I knew there was a penalty for it, I wouldn’t have done it!”

It was stupid of me to just nonchalantly come to Kazuki’s house when I got a call from him saying that he had bought a new game and we should play it together.

When he said there’s a penalty, I just agreed without checking what it was because I thought it’d be something trivial like usual. I seriously want to punch myself from that time.

Moreover, it wasn’t just cross-dressing as a girl. It also came with the worst addition. Kazuki asked me to meet and took a photo with the guy he knew from a dating app “Real Love.”, which account he had registered as a girl for fun.

I already feel so miserable having to cross-dress, why do I have to meet a total stranger guy on top of that?

I’m a bit jealous of Yuki, who couldn’t come here today because of club activities.

It’s too late to regret it now. By the hands of Kazuki who seem to be having so much fun, before I knew what was happening I ended up having to meet up with an old man he sent random messages to.

A few hours later, Kazuki’s older sister who seem to be so excited for some reason, gave me a splendid makeover.

“Takumi, you’re so cute! I had always wanted to try putting makeup on you for a while now, you see.”

“Gosh~ so pretty.” she said as she finished applying the light pink lip gloss to me. Satisfied, she went back to her own room.

I looked in the mirror again and felt amazed at how much a human can change with only just makeup. How to say it… my reflection in the mirror looked like a completely different person.

“I don’t want to do it. It’s already embarrassing just dressed like this. Anyway, he’ll find out right away.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. As long as you’re careful with the way you talk it’ll be fine. You’re good-looking from the start, your physique and height also don’t look out of place at all.”

It’s true that I’m short for a first-year high schooler. I’m also often told that I look like a girl because of my soft, silky hair and androgynous facial features. But that doesn’t mean I have the physique to be mistaken for a real girl.

I consider myself to have the body of a very average high school boy. It pissed me off when Kazuki whose body is not much different from me in size, told me that I’m short and have a baby face.

“Didn’t you say you’re also interested in what kinda guy was using the app, Takumi?”

It was true I said that I want to see what he was like when we talked about that topic, but actually meeting him myself is a different story.

Even if the person I’m meeting seems to be an unpopular guy who doesn’t meet many people in real life, he could probably tell the difference between a real girl and a cross-dresser. What if he found out that I’m a guy?

He might get angry and beat me up, and if I’m not careful I might get stabbed or something.

I shook my head and shook off the dreadful imagery that come to my mind unintentionally.

“It’ll be fine! My sister’s uniform also fits perfectly on you, you’re cute enough. If you were a real girl I might fall in love with you.”

He snickered like a pervert, then scrupulously checked up on me.

“That doesn’t make me happy at all. Anyway, I’m just taking the photo. Don’t ask me to do anything more reckless! Also, you have to come to my rescue when I got in trouble, alright?”

I wouldn’t be able to stand it if I had to go along with any more of Kazuki’s wild ideas.

“Don’t worry. If something happens I’ll come running for you.”

I couldn’t help but feel uneasy seeing Kazuki snickering and saying those words so lightly.

If I were to die, I’ll definitely become a ghost and haunt him!

“Isn’t it about time? Let’s hurry go and see what the unpopular guy looks like.”

“….Ugh, my stomach hurts…”

I rubbed the area around the pit of my stomach which was beginning to ache, and naturally let out a loud sigh.

“Hurry up and go” said Kazuki while urging me and pushing my back. I continued walking slowly.

I wish the trains would stop working just for these few hours now.

Or maybe I wish I would suddenly get a high fever at this very moment. Or maybe some kind of missile to come flying near us, so we’d be prohibited to go outside.

If that happened, then the plan would be canceled…..

If God really exists, please stop this ridiculous plan right now.

I quietly let out a sigh for God knows how many times already as I somehow managed to move my heavy legs forward.