To Forgive

Jinwoo had gathered up the courage to talk to me, but unfortunately, I was not in the mood to respond to him right now. After receiving those looks from the girls, I avoided them. I was not angry, but my thoughts were too troubled for me to stay beside them.

'My physical strength had definitely dropped tremendously too...'

The breasts I had not had before kept getting pressed against the floor during push-ups, which was distracting, and during sit-ups, they were pressed against my legs whenever I rose, which was uncomfortable too. Push-ups were difficult with a body that had no muscles, so I barely managed two while my arms trembled, and the resulting shaking in my breasts only made me more embarrassed.

'After feeling the entire class watching me while I ran, I looked back when it was over and saw everyone turning their heads away with red faces, probably because they were embarrassed...'

After the stares stopped, I felt them again during the flexibility test. It was uncomfortable when my breasts kept catching on the measuring bar as I repeatedly bent my body, but even taking that into account, I was fairly flexible. At least it was fortunate that I was weak but flexible.

'Yuna seems to be trying to apologize to me too, but do I look that upset?'

Yuna seemed unable to approach me, merely watching my expression as though gauging my mood. While thinking about various things, I entered the changing room and started changing, but when I took off my top, I remembered what had happened earlier, so I hurriedly put on my uniform blouse and began buttoning it up. Just then, Yuna and the other students from my class entered, and the atmosphere quickly turned icy.

'The atmosphere has become uncomfortable. I should get out of their way quickly.'

After changing back into my uniform, picking up my gym clothes, and returning to the classroom, I was called by my homeroom teacher and went to the faculty office.

"Jia, did Jihye approach you by any chance?"

"No, I did not see her today."

"That is a relief. I was worried because the disciplinary committee is meeting this afternoon."

The teacher said that and let out a sigh of relief.

"Did you call me because of Jihye?"

"Yes. If Jihye approaches you or you see her bullying any other students again, you need to tell a teacher immediately, all right?"

"Yes, I understand."

After being asked a few more questions, I could only say that I did not know, since most of them involved things I knew nothing about or had nothing to do with me. When I returned to the classroom, class was in progress, and I answered affirmatively when asked whether I had gone to the faculty office before sitting down.

'Yuna is still being so cautious around me...'

It was uncomfortable that Yuna continued to be so cautious around me, and I also felt uneasy seeing everyone take care not to look at me strangely. I should probably be the one to tell them first that I was fine, right? I did not want to keep living in this uncomfortable atmosphere.

"Yuna."

"Y-Yes?!"

As soon as fourth period ended, I spoke to Yuna, and she turned around in surprise. I had to eat lunch, but at least I did not want to eat it in an uncomfortable atmosphere.

"I am fine, so you do not have to keep worrying about how I feel."

"A-Are you really okay...?"

"Yes. I felt a little strange, but I was not angry."

"Then... you forgive me?"

After hearing me, Yuna's face brightened again, just as it had that morning, and the other students who had heard me relaxed and began approaching one by one. We ate lunch together in a harmonious atmosphere again and spent some time chatting over drinks. Later, while attending class, my stomach began hurting again, and just as I was heading to the nurse's office to use a hot pack, I felt someone staring intently at me as I went down the stairs, so I turned around.

"Hey, transfer student."

"...?"

"There is something I want to ask you."

"W-What is it...?"

The student who had appeared in front of me was Hwang Jihye, the perpetrator whose punishment was supposedly going to be decided at today's disciplinary committee meeting. Something to ask me...? Was there even anything like that?

"You have backing, right?"

"What are you talking about?"

"A committee meeting normally takes at least a week to be held, no matter how quickly they arrange it. If I have done anything differently from usual, the only thing is that I messed with you."

"I do not have any..."

Perhaps she did not like my answer, because Jihye cornered me against the wall as I was going down the stairs.

"The principal and vice principal were supposedly so shocked that they moved the committee meeting forward, so there has to be something. You must have at least some idea."

"There really is not..."

"What about your parents?"

"M-My parents... I do not have any..."

After hearing my answer, Jihye was startled, then apologized, saying, "S-Sorry..." I might have sounded as though I was lying, but... as Han Jia, it was true that I had no parents, so I was not really lying.

"Hey! Hwang Jihye! What are you doing to Jia?!"

Fortunately, Yuna spotted me while passing by and ran over. Jihye went off somewhere again, and Yuna hurried over to examine me.

"Are you all right? She did not hit you anywhere, did she?"

"She did not hit me. She said she had something to ask me."

"What did she ask?"

"She said that since the committee had been held so quickly, the only thing she had done differently from usual was bully me, and asked whether I had someone powerful backing me."

Yuna was relieved that I was unharmed and returned to the classroom, while I headed to the nurse's office. Perhaps because the pain had been fairly severe, I used a hot pack for an hour as the nurse had advised, then returned to the classroom. After one more period of class, it was time to go home.

"Jia, are you free tomorrow?"

"Let's go out tomorrow!"

The girls approached me and said, "Let's go eat something delicious on Friday evening!" Hmm... Did I really have to go? Seeing everyone looking for me, perhaps the girls were coming because they wanted to see me too. If so, would it be a little... wrong to say I would not be joining them?

"I will check when I get home and let you know in the group chat."

"Okay! See you tomorrow~"

"See you tomorrow, Jia~"

"Okay, see you tomorrow~"

After saying goodbye to the girls and walking home, I fell into deep thought. On the surface, I had no reason to refuse going to dinner with them. However, I could not imagine myself fitting in normally with them at all.

'The weather is a little cold...'

Although April was approaching, the weather was still somewhat cold except in the middle of the day, when the sun was high. It was not cold enough for my breath to fog, but it was chilly enough to be exactly the kind of weather where I might let my guard down, catch a cold, and end up bedridden.

*

I should just shower now. If I shower before bed later, it will take time to dry my hair... If I shower and dry it quickly now, it should be dry before dinner, right?

"It really is more spacious and comfortable because there is no toilet in the shower room."

There was only one bathroom, so things were occasionally inconvenient, but since the shower room had no toilet, I did not have to worry about odors, and the extra space made showering more comfortable while also providing room to change clothes.

"Hmm-hmm-hmm~ How refreshing."

After showering, I felt better, so I finished drying my hair and sat down in front of the computer. Of course, since I was still in the middle of my period, I would soon feel uncomfortable again, but I had at least been able to enjoy a brief moment of freshness, and that was enough for me. I was watching an anime because I was bored when I heard Unnie come home and immediately went out to greet her.

"Unnie!"

"Did something happen, Jia?"

"My friends asked me to go out to dinner with them tomorrow... I was wondering whether it might be difficult to act normally..."

Unnie advised me that everyone was a little different, so I did not need to hide myself by putting on an act. As long as I was just a little careful with what I said, there would be no problem.

"Then I will try going tomorrow evening."

"Have something delicious and come home, Jia."

"Yes!"

After spending the evening talking about this and that, I took Unnie's advice about what to wear and posted in the class group chat, [I am free tomorrow evening!]. The girls in the chat then began discussing the menu even more actively than before.

*

I thought this high school had no clubs because nobody had mentioned them, but... it did have clubs, though they were optional. Students who did not choose a club could study in their classrooms... Should I just not choose a club and study in the classroom?

"Jia, which club are you going to join?"

"Well... There is not really anything I want to do, so I think I will study in the classroom."

"Really? That is a shame. Our school has a lot of fun clubs."

Since there was very little time for me to be alone at school, I thought that not choosing a club and studying in the classroom would give me some quiet time by myself. Besides, apart from my period, I had the major problem of ovulation... I needed at least one day when I could rest comfortably.

"Since school ends early on Friday, should we go home, change clothes, and meet up, everyone?"

"Yes, sounds good!"

"I am curious about Jia's fashion!"

"It is Friday, so it should be fine anyway."

That meant I would have to stop by home and change clothes before going... The teachers probably wanted to leave early on Fridays too, so the homeroom teachers gave us brief closing remarks and dismissed us early. I went straight home to choose an outfit.

"Hmm... What should I wear? The weather is still cold..."

I put on a black skirt with stockings, a warm layer over my underwear, and a white sweater, then headed to the place near school where we had agreed to meet. After walking for another twenty minutes, I arrived near the school, but no one was there even after I waited for a while.

'Hmm... Why can I not see the girls? I came here in case they were meeting in front of the main building, but they are not here... Should I message them?'

[I am in front of the main building, everyone. Where did you go?]

Just as I typed that into the message box and was about to press send, I heard Yeji's voice from behind me.

"Jia~! I am over here~!"

"Oh, Yeji!"

I had worried that I had mistaken the meeting place and come somewhere else by myself, but I felt relieved when I saw one of my classmates.

"Did you come first, Jia?"

"Y-Yes... No one was there when I waited in front of the main gate, so I came to the main building."

After waiting another five minutes in front of the school gate with Yeji, everyone gathered, starting with Yuna. When I checked the group chat to see whether they had decided what to eat, I saw that a vote had settled on nakgopsae.

"Have you ever had nakgopsae, Jia?"

"No, I have never had it before."

"Really? We will teach you how to eat it deliciously!"

"It is really good, and the restaurant is only fifteen minutes from school, so let us go right away!"

We all went to eat nakgopsae, split into groups of five and six, and finished our meals. What were we going to do now? Come to think of it, would we not obviously go to a café? It was getting a little late, though... Were we going to karaoke?

"Should we stop by a café, everyone?"

"Sure. We still have plenty to talk about, so we can finish up after spending some time at a café."

Spending more than an hour chatting with the girls at the café was a little difficult. Perhaps because it was not a classroom and was a space where I did not have to be as careful as I did at school, all sorts of questions poured out.

'Does Jia have a boy she likes?'

'What is your favorite food?'

'What is your hobby?'

And so on... There was no way I could have a boy I liked, so I naturally said no. When asked about my favorite food, I thought for a while and said pasta. I generally ate anything without being picky, so it was hard to choose just one, but in front of the girls, I could not name the ordinary foods that boys tended to like.

"I do not think I really have a hobby..."

"Really?"

"Then you can go out and have fun with us until you find a hobby!"

The easiest thing to talk about, of all, was exam anxiety. I had experienced plenty of that myself, so I could talk about it a little.

"It is frustrating when a question worth a lot of points appears on something you did not study, right...?"

"Exactly. But when did you experience that, Jia?"

Oh no! I had spoken from my experience as Jihoon instead of Jia. I was supposed to have been unable to attend school for a long time because I was sick, so how would Jia know so much about exams?!

"Oh, I see. You must have studied consistently while you were unable to come to school, then?"

"Y-Yes, that is right! Hahaha..."

Fortunately, Yuna said that, giving me a way out, and I was relieved. The girls ordered a large amount of drinks and desserts and chatted for over an hour. Perhaps because my exhaustion was obvious, they suggested that we go home and rest since it was getting late, so I was able to finally head home.

"Jia, that must have been really tiring, right?"

"It has been a while since I had this much fun, so I am a little tired, haha..."

The girls who lived farther away each took a bus home, while Yuna said she would walk as far as her neighborhood. Yuna and I decided to walk together only as far as the school.

"Jia, thank you for forgiving me."

"You do not have to thank me that much. It may have been something worth getting angry about, but you and the other girls in our class did not look at me that way on purpose, did you?"

"Yes... You are right, Jia."

Yuna had been extremely worried about what happened in the changing room, apparently suffering as she wondered what she would do if she had made me feel bad. If my mind had not already been so tangled, it would have been something I could simply laugh off, but... I also felt sorry for the people around me, so it would be best for me to pull myself together and regain my composure as soon as possible.