Come to think of it, there was one thing I hadn’t checked since becoming a woman.
“No way?!”
Driven by a faint glimmer of hope, I opened my wardrobe.
“Ah…”
To my dismay, however, all my original clothes remained untouched, a dismal collection of dark, drab garments filling the space.
Why wouldn’t it change even these minor details?
The only thing that had transformed was…
My military uniform had been replaced by a girl’s school uniform.
A school uniform…
I fixed my gaze upon the uniform for a moment.
Physically, I was twenty-three, but mentally, I was twenty-five.
Would I ever have the occasion to wear a school uniform again? A girl’s school uniform, at that?
Had I not become a woman, I would never have worn a girl’s school uniform in my entire life.
Therefore,
“Just once, perhaps…!”
It wouldn’t hurt to try on a school uniform, just this once, would it? When else would I ever get to wear a girl’s uniform?
Having thus convinced myself, I promptly began to try on the uniform.
It was a pristine white shirt, a navy blue cardigan, and a typical plaid school skirt.
Finally, I tied the necktie and stood before the mirror.
“This is actually better than I thought—”
Beep. Beep-beep. Beep-beep-beep. *Ding-a-ling~♪*
“Nuna! Mom said to bring you these side dishes…”
Just then,
The door suddenly swung open, and my younger brother entered the house, carrying side dishes.
“……”
“……”
Our gazes met and locked in the air.
“Hey, hey! Don’t even think anything weird. It’s not what you’re imagining—”
Beep. Beep. Beep-beep-beep.
My brother began dialing a number.
“Mom! Nuna must have finally lost her mind! She’s wearing a high school uniform by herself at home—”
“Hey!”
My body moved faster than my words.
I seized my brother’s wrist and subdued him.
I forcibly ended the call.
“It’s not what you’re thinking, so please don’t misunderstand.”
“What? Then what on earth is it?! It’s already horrifying enough for a twenty-three-year-old to be wearing a high school uniform alone at home. How am I supposed to react when I see you grinning at yourself in that uniform?!”
It seemed my brother’s attitude toward me hadn’t changed, despite my gender transformation. He still spoke to me with the same impudence as he did to his older brother.
“Th-that’s…”
Having no other excuses, I simply spoke the truth.
“They said I needed to send a photo to get fashion recommendations…”
Before putting on the uniform, I had sought advice on spring outfits in an online community.
This meant I hadn’t worn the uniform purely out of personal desire.
+
[Looking for spring fashion recommendations for women]
– Your three sizes.
– Huh?
– Your three sizes. We need to know those to recommend anything.
– How do I measure that?
– This guy’s a dude, lol.
– I’m actually a girl, seriously.
– Then authenticate it.
– If you just do it, someone might steal your identity.
– Authenticate it by wearing a school uniform.
+
These were the reasons I had worn the school uniform.
“So? You were really going to take a picture and send it to those creeps? Nuna, are you out of your mind?”
“Well… wouldn’t it be okay if I just covered my face?”
“Didn’t you consider that those creeps could identify your high school from the uniform? What would you do if a problem arose because of that?”
“Th-that…”
I hadn’t thought that far ahead.
“And why are you getting fashion recommendations from a community? You could just ask YouTube or your friends. Don’t you have any friends?”
“I don’t…”
Having dropped out of high school, I typically stayed home, except when attending academies or spending time with family. Naturally, I had no friends.
Even those I’d befriended in the military were now out of touch.
“Haaah.”
Jungwoo let out a deep sigh.
“You need clothes?”
“Uh, uh…”
He said, a look of profound annoyance plastered across his face.
“Follow me.”
“Huh?”
“I said, follow me. I’ll help you buy clothes.”
****
Unlike me, a perpetual singleton, Jungwoo had a wealth of dating experience.
Was it what they called “genetic jackpot” (TL Note: A Korean slang term referring to someone who has received all the good genes, resulting in exceptional looks or talent)?
Thanks to his handsome face, he had never lacked female attention since childhood. I’d even genuinely hit him out of jealousy once.
Though I, of course, lost.
In any case, having been surrounded by many women, Jungwoo naturally possessed considerable expertise in women’s fashion.
He even frequently went shopping for clothes with his girlfriend.
That damn enviable bastard.
“So? What kind of clothes are you planning to buy?”
“Just… things I can wear when I go out?”
“No, I mean, what kind of vibe? You must have a style you like, Nuna?”
“Hmm… just… an innocent, pure vibe?”
All I knew about women’s fashion was what I’d referenced a few times while designing characters.
Naturally, there was bound to be a significant gap between that and real-world fashion.
“Wait a moment.”
It was then that Jungwoo sent a chat message to someone.
“What are you doing?”
“I have a female friend who’s a model, so I’m going to ask her. She’d probably know better than I do.”
A model…
So, if you look like that, you can make friends like that.
Ding-a-ling.
No sooner had Jungwoo sent the DM than his phone rang.
To live a life where a model female friend calls you first.
Seriously, I’m so damn jealous.
****
Jungwoo remained on the phone with his model friend for quite a long time.
What on earth could they have so much to talk about?
‘That damn guy.’
It didn’t seem like he’d be done anytime soon.
Standing around doing nothing felt awkward.
I headed towards a nearby lingerie store.
After all, to choose clothes, I needed to know my size.
‘Wow…’
Stepping inside, I cautiously surveyed my surroundings.
There was an abundance of women’s lingerie.
My cheeks flushed.
My cheeks burned crimson.
For me, women’s lingerie had only ever been something I’d seen while sketching figures.
And even then, only in pictures.
The sensation of encountering it in reality was entirely different from seeing it in photographs.
“Excuse me… I’d like to get my size measured.”
I carefully spoke to the saleswoman.
“Could you please raise your arms for a moment?”
The saleswoman responded with gentle kindness.
She was an incredibly beautiful woman.
“Yes, yes…”
I closed my eyes and raised my arms.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Another woman’s hand touched my body.
Even such a minor physical contact was overwhelmingly stimulating for me, a lifelong singleton. My heart began to pound like a drum.
Had the measurement taken even a moment longer, I might have fainted.
“It seems you’re between a 75G and H… but the largest size we carry is G. Would you still like to try one on?”
“Yes, yes, please.”
G, huh…
So, such a size could actually exist in reality.
Once again, I understood why protagonists in TS (TL Note: Transsexual or gender-bending) novels often became actresses or models.
Gulp.
It was truly an unrealistic body.
If I had still been a man, I wouldn’t have dared to confess my feelings. I would have merely observed from afar.
—all while secretly thinking, ‘Damn, it’s huge.’
Just as I was admiring my reflection in the mirror, marveling at my own figure,
“How’s the size? Is it comfortable?”
I was startled by the voice from outside the fitting room and quickly replied.
“Oh, yes, yes! The second one feels a bit more comfortable!”
“Then, would you like me to pick out a few more in the same size?”
“Yes, yes, please!”
She was not only beautiful but also spoke so eloquently. It was impossible not to be charmed.
Thanks to her, I ended up buying several more items than I had originally intended.
Still…
A beautiful nuna recommended them!
Good things are good things, I suppose.
“Please come again~!”
“Yes, yes!”
As I emerged with my shopping bags, Jungwoo, having finished his call, was waiting for me.
“Excuse me, could I perhaps get your Instagram ID…?”
He was being asked for his Instagram ID by a strikingly beautiful woman.
‘Damn this life.’
It was a scene I had never once experienced.
For such a beautiful woman to approach him for a reason other than proselytizing—I couldn’t help but feel utterly enraged.
“I’m sorry. My girlfriend doesn’t like it.”
He didn’t even give her his ID.
If it had been me, I would have given it to her instantly.
“Oh, okay…”
The woman who had tried to get Jungwoo’s number narrowed her eyes slightly before returning to where she had been.
“You’re back?”
At that moment, Jungwoo’s gaze fell upon me.
“Uh, uh…”
For a moment, I stared blankly at him.
‘He really is damn handsome.’
So much so that even I, his family, had to admit it.
“Let’s hurry a bit. I made plans for tonight.”
“With whom?”
“I’m having a drink with that model friend I just called.”
Drinks with a model friend…
And he made plans so spontaneously?
Whack!
“Wh-what?! Why did you hit me?!”
“Because you’re annoying.”
“What…?”
“Never mind that. Just lead the way quickly.”
Jungwoo gave me a look that clearly said he’d seen all kinds of crazy people before, then started walking.
“I roughly asked her, but… do any of these styles appeal to you?”
Jungwoo showed me photos of outfits on his phone.
The pictures featured various styles, from trendy streetwear to fresh new-student looks.
I had thought all spring outfits would have a refreshing feel…
It seemed I was mistaken.
There were over ten outfits that could be created with just one pair of jeans.
“The second and third ones…?”
Jungwoo nodded at my carefully considered answer.
“Well… for Nuna, I suppose…”
Soon after, we headed to a clothing store.
****
Yoo Jungwoo.
Twenty-two years old this year.
Thanks to his handsome looks, he had been approached by many people of the opposite s*x since childhood. He was almost never without a girlfriend.
However, unlike him, his older sister had never once dated a man.
This was because while Yoo Jungwoo had heard countless times from relatives how handsome he was since he was young, his sister had never received any particular compliments.
She had only ever been told she had a kind face.
‘Why?’
Jungwoo glanced at his sister, who was trying on clothes.
Jiwon, reflected in the mirror, was undeniably beautiful even by objective standards.
If he, her brother, could see it, how much more so would others?
Indeed, men passing nearby were casting more than a few glances her way.
Had he not been there, she would likely have been asked for her number several times.
But then,
‘Why did I think Nuna was ugly until now?’
Jungwoo had always thought his sister was unattractive.
He had considered her a very different person from himself.
A person who preferred staying home to going out.
Surely, that was how it had always been…
“What the hell is going on?”
Jungwoo opened his phone and looked through photos he had taken with his sister.
In the pictures, his sister radiated beautiful charm.
“No, this isn’t right.”
Just a few days ago, he certainly hadn’t thought his sister was this pretty.
It was truly unbelievable, but…
‘Why did I think Nuna was my older brother until now?’
When he thought of his sister, it wasn’t the current image of her that came to mind, but the shadowy figure of another man.
Yet, he couldn’t recall the face.
His sister felt both familiar and strange.
‘Am I going crazy because I’m about to go to the military?’
Yoo Jungwoo was scheduled to enlist in the military three months later.
Because of this, he had taken a leave of absence from school and was living a dissolute life.
A life of playing games during the day and drinking with friends at night.
It seemed he had been living so mindlessly that his head had temporarily gone awry.
His sister, with whom he had lived his entire life, couldn’t possibly be his older brother.
“How is it…?”
Just then,
His sister, having changed clothes, cautiously approached him.
“Oh…”
Jungwoo stared blankly at his sister.
A practical trench coat, a cardigan, and jeans.
It was a common outfit worn by girls his age these days.
But…
Something felt very different.
Even though it was clearly the same clothes.
Perhaps the reason was…
Jungwoo’s cheeks flushed, and he shook his head vigorously as he said,
“N-not bad.”
“Really…? Wait, I’ll try on something else.”
Jiwon took other clothes and re-entered the fitting room.
“How about this?”
This time, it was a bolero cardigan, a sleeveless top, and a gray skirt with boots.
“That’s also…”
“Is it bad? Then I’ll try something else…”
“N-no! It’s pretty!”
Jungwoo hastily corrected himself.
At that, the gazes of those around them turned towards them.
It was the kind of look one would give to lovers in a quarrel.
Jungwoo’s face flushed, and he lowered his head.
‘Was Nuna always this pretty?’
