Chapter 5
The day after a birthday filled with all sorts of events.
Today, I was sleeping in.
“Hwee….”
It was two in the afternoon.
Ordinary people had already gotten up and were out and about, but….
Since classes were canceled, I was basically unemployed, so I didn't have to be active or anything!
“I love blankets….”
Lying sprawled out on the soft bed and pillow, my fatigue melted away, and I felt great….
“Snow…Woma….”
Besides, as a Snow Woman, I could be forgiven for turning on the air conditioner, covering myself with a blanket, and sleeping.
My father would have beaten me half to death if I'd done this at my parents' house, but this was my own place!
I was the only one here!
Ah…. This is so comfortable…. This is why people live alone.
“Seol… wake….”
I never want to get up from here for the rest of my life….
Let's stay together forever, bed and pillow—
“Seolhwa! I told you to wake up!”
“Hwe?!”
Startled by the sudden voice calling me, I was forcibly woken up.
I turned my head toward the source in confusion and found Haru standing there, dressed nicely and looking angry.
“Honestly…. It's already two in the afternoon, you know? You're way past the time we were supposed to meet.”
“Uh…. What appointment…?”
Haru scolded me for being late, pointing to the watch on her wrist.
Uh…. But what appointment…?
While I sat there blankly with an expression that said I had no idea what was going on, Haru spoke with an incredulous look.
“I told you yesterday. We were going to the department store because you need to buy new clothes.”
“Ah…. Now that you mention it….”
Right before all my friends went home yesterday.
Haru had come over and casually asked me something.
“By the way, do you have anything to wear? You said what you're wearing now was borrowed from a senior at your university.”
“Probably not…. None of the clothes I wore before transforming would fit now.”
After transforming, I spent a long time rummaging through my closet before going to my senior's place, but even the smallest clothes I found were too big for me now.
So the tracksuit I'd borrowed from my senior was probably the only thing I could wear properly right now.
“Hmm…. I figured…. In that case….”
After hearing what I said, Haru took out her phone, looked at it for a moment, and continued.
“All right, you don't have anything to do tomorrow, right?”
“Huh? I don't, but….”
“Then let's meet at the park at eleven tomorrow morning. We're going shopping for clothes together.”
As Haru said this, she smiled and seemed to add the outing to her phone.
“Hehe, it's been a while since I've gone clothes shopping with a friend of the same gender. I'm looking forward to it.”
...Huh? Did I somehow end up with shopping plans without even knowing it…?
“Uh…. Well, I can buy clothes by myself….”
“But do you think you can properly buy women's clothes? You need to get things like bras and panties too.”
“Hmm…. That's true, buuut….”
Haru deliberately brought up the fact I'd been trying so hard to forget.
Having to buy new clothes also meant I had to buy underwear.
But even though my body had changed like this, wearing women's underwear still filled me with guilt and resistance…!
Seeing me clutching my head and agonizing over the underwear, Haru sighed and spoke.
“And you were definitely planning to buy a whole bunch of plain cotton T-shirts, weren't you?”
“Huh? Is that not okay?”
Wasn't clothing just a matter of wearing something casual enough to throw on and go outside in?
“No, no, no! You changed into such a cute girl, so you have to dress to match.”
“D-Don't call me cute!”
The sudden mental attack sent my face blazing red, and I ended up shouting without meaning to.
C-Cute…. What are you saying to a twenty-one-year-old man!
“What's wrong with that? It's true. And you're a woman now, aren't you?”
“I-I mean, that's true, but….”
“Anyway, come out by eleven tomorrow, okay? Have sweet dreams!”
“Ah…! W-Wait a second!”
I hurriedly tried to stop Haru as she ran off, but she ran away faster than I expected.
In the end, I'd wound up with an unplanned shopping appointment.
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“Come to think of it, that's right….”
“It's been less than a day, and you forgot…?”
“I did forget….”
“Honestly, you….”
Seeing me look as though I had no memory of it at all, Haru held her head in exasperation.
“Whatever. It won't be too late even if we leave now. I'll wait here, so shower and come out.”
“Mmm….”
To be honest, I wasn't particularly keen on going clothes shopping with Haru, but….
Thinking about Haru, who had waited three hours for me, I couldn't say that, so I gave up and went into the bathroom.
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Shhhhh-
The sound of the cool water streaming from the showerhead gradually filled the bathroom.
And there I was, washing my petite body beneath it.
Perhaps thanks to the water, the remnants of sleep still lingering in my head gradually faded, and my mind began to clear.
And what I thought in that state was-
“...Washing up is such a pain.”
I'd thought that washing would take less time now that my body was smaller, but reality was the exact opposite.
My hair had gotten absurdly long, so washing it actually took twice as long as usual.
On top of that, I had no idea how much shampoo to use, so I kept pouring it on until I was covered in foam….
Should I cut my hair? It's so inconvenient….
For the record, drying it took even longer than washing it.
“This should be enough, right…?”
I dried myself off just enough that water wouldn't drip onto the floor, then tossed the towel aside.
My arms hurt, so I couldn't dry myself any more than this….
“...Huh.”
Just as I was about to get dressed, I suddenly caught sight of myself in the mirror.
A small, blue-haired girl.
At the sight of myself, looking dangerous in more ways than one, I let out a hollow laugh.
This is what I look like…. Even after a day, I still haven't gotten used to it at all.
No, I don't think I'd get used to it even after several years.
I wish this were all just a dream….
“Good grief….”
Worried I might get depressed again for no reason, I turned my head away and immediately got dressed.
Since I couldn't change it anyway, I had no choice but to get used to it.
Yeah…. I have to get used to it. Let's stay strong!
“Are you done washing up?”
After steeling my resolve and stepping outside, I found Haru playing a game while eating snacks.
...Where did she find the snacks?
“Huh? You didn't dry your hair?”
“Oh, the hair dryer was over there.”
All I'd done with the towel was dry my hair enough that water wouldn't drip onto the floor.
I couldn't go outside with it still damp.
So I reached for the hair dryer to finish drying it, but-
Haru suddenly snatched the hair dryer first.
“...What are you doing?”
“Come on, sit here. I'll dry it for you.”
As she said this, Haru patted the floor and beckoned me over.
“I can dry it myself….”
“No. If you just dry it carelessly, you'll obviously ruin your hair.”
“Is there a special way to dry hair too?”
“Of course. Do you know how hard it is to keep your hair healthy? I'll teach you while I dry it, so pay close attention.”
Ugh….
“You're making a face like this is a pain….”
“Because it really is a pain….”
But now that Haru had taken the hair dryer from me, I had no choice.
So I reluctantly plopped down in front of Haru and resigned myself to having my hair dried.
“I wanted to teach you how to wash it too….”
“Give me a break on that one….”
======
The hot air from the hair dryer-
No, I was having my hair dried by cold air instead.
And Haru was drying my hair with a cheerful expression.
Anyone watching would have thought Haru was drying my hair for me as punishment, but surprisingly, she was doing it voluntarily.
“It's better to dry the roots in the opposite direction. That way, you get a little more volume.”
“Yeah, yeah”
Haru diligently explained several methods for drying my hair, but….
Honestly, none of it registered.
“By the way, your hair is incredibly silky….”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I'm jealous that it's this long, but I can't believe it's so silky too…. It makes me want to transform myself.”
She praised my hair so lavishly that I was starting to feel embarrassed.
Is my hair really that nice…?
Curious, I reached over and ran my hand through the long hair hanging at my side.
Yeah…. It really was soft and lovely, though…….
“I want to cut it because it's such a hassle….”
“What?!”
“No, no! You can't cut hair this nice! Do you know how long it takes to grow hair this long!”
...It only took a day to grow, though.
I'd originally thought about cutting it after we got back from the department store, but….
But with her so strongly opposed, I didn't think I could cut it….
...But still.
“Yaaawn….”
Maybe because my hair kept being played with, the drowsiness I'd chased away with my shower seemed to be returning.
Mmm…. Even so... I can't sleep…….
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“Ta-da! Seolhwa, wake up! I'm all done!”
“Eek….”
When I woke with a start at Haru's sudden shout, I found that my damp hair had been perfectly dried.
I must have fallen asleep while she was drying it….
“Thanks for drying it for me.”
“No, no, styling your hair was fun for me too, so it's fine.”
Oh, then that's a relief….
...Styling me?
Her words felt strange, so I immediately looked in the mirror beside me, and-
“...W-What is this?”
My hair was tied into twin tails.
“All right, shall we head to the department store? Let's go-!”
“How am I supposed to go out like this?! Untie it, quick!”
...Looks like I still have a ways to go before I get used to this.