Episode 13 – How to Handle A Princely Girl

source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16816927861984466906/episodes/16817139555363639570

There are two famous Ikemen at my school, Kounan High School.
One of them, I don’t have to tell you, is Jinguji Ren. He is the enemy of men, seducing numerous women with his sweet mask and gentle sweet words.

And the other one is Mitsushima Aki, who is now in front of me.
This person wins overwhelming popularity among girls with a neutral face and surprisingly masculine personality.
However, the gender is female, not male.
Her alias is Prince. Or a nobleman. Even though she’s a girl.
She’s much more popular with girls than most boys. Even though She is a girl.

“I was surprised. Are you a classmate ? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a boy like you before.”
“Oh, because I’m just a shadow.”

I didn’t notice because she had been to the hairdresser’s, her hair was shorter today, and she was even wearing glasses.
In addition, her simple attire of a casual hoodie and jeans in plain clothes made her even more Ikemen.

Besides, I wasn’t looking too directly into her face. I was almost jealous.

“Besides, you tried to save the girl earlier, right?”
“D-did you notice?”
“Of course. But I didn’t realize it until after I grabbed that uncle’s hand. You reached out and froze, and I was sure you were trying to help her. The courage you had to try to save the girl when so many people around you were pretending not to see her, I don’t think that’s something someone can do very often.”

She praised me so much.
There is a kind of embarrassment that is hard to describe when the person you helped praises you.

“You also helped stop him when he was about to run away.”
“No, I didn’t do anything. It was Mitsushima san who actually saved her, wasn’t it? I was mostly just watching, and what happened earlier was just a coincidence. I think it’s more impressive that Mitsushima san did everything from following up with the girl to explaining everything to the station staff.”
“I’m used to it. I often encounter molesters. Oh, of course, I’m not the one being touched.”

I don’t like the idea of having a life that often encounters molesters…….
A disposition to get into trouble. And the ability to solve them. This also seems to make her Ikemen stand out more.
She looks like a template protagonist, this person.

“’Even if you couldn’t do anything, your willingness to help is what counts. That’s what I thought.”
“T-Thanks..”

Even her words and actions are Ikemen.
I want this handsome power and manliness too. Maybe I’ll become her apprentice.

“But weren’t you scared, Mitsushima san, even though you’re a girl?”
“….”
“Mitsushima san?”
“Aah, Sorry. It’s nothing. As I said, I’ve never been touched. And when I see things like that, not just molesters, I just can’t leave them alone.”
“Is it always like that elsewhere?”
“I do. I act the way I want to.”

Cool. What a way to live.
I seriously want to become her apprentice.

But is that okay?
It’s nice to have a sense of justice, but there are still many strange people in the world.

“But don’t overdo it okay? After all, Mitsushima san is a girl, and if you get a scratch on your face, it would be irreversible.”
“…..!!”
“Mitsushima san?”

I worry because she suddenly becomes silent.

“Ah. Sorry. You’re the second person to treat me like a woman. I’m a little surprised.”

What’s that?
Ugh. Maybe it wasn’t good! You mean don’t treat you like a woman?
It was taken in a sexist way!

“Ah, no, This is not because you are a woman or anything like that…..”
“Fufu. I understand. I would at least ask for help….. If I thought it was dangerous.”

I know I sounded quiet at the end, but it’s true, isn’t it?

“Well then, I’m at this station. See you at school.”
“Ah, yes, see you”

Then, in the middle of our conversation, Mitsushima san arrived at the nearest station, waved to me, and got off the train.

◆

“Fuh…”

I get off the train and take a break.
I, Mitsushima Aki, somehow felt full.

[[After all, Mitsushima san is a girl.]]

“I’m a little embarrassed.”

Alone, I remember what just happened and mutter to myself.

When was the last time I was treated like a girl?

Ever since I can remember, I was often mistaken for a man.
My face was fortunately neutral, but I was often ridiculed as ‘male and female’ because of this behavior and personality.

This became especially apparent in elementary school, I think.
At that time I often played with the boys and even got into one-on-one fights with boys who harassed the girls.

It made them treat me like a man even more so, and for a time I was troubled by that.

Then a pretty girl moved in next door to my house.
The girl – Hitomi – was even more shy than she is now, and at the beginning of her new school, she didn’t fit in with her class.
And seeing such Hitomi, the boys were amused, harassing them extraordinarily.

I was afraid of being treated like a man, so I kept quiet, but seeing those eyes made me feel like I had to protect her, and I found myself punishing the boys like before.

I did it. They say I look like a man again.
So prepared, I looked into her eyes and she said, with a twinkle in her eye

[[I want to be a cool girl like you, Aki chan]].

Even if I am like this….one person at least sees me as a girl. Just thinking that made me feel so much lighter.

Then I continued to be a protector of Hitomi and the other girls, not caring that I was treated more and more like a man.

The boys were still teasing me about being a ‘boy and girl’.

And when I entered junior high school, this did not change, in fact, it seemed to get worse.
All the guys who were in puberty made fun of me for having short hair and wearing a uniform skirt.

Each time I silenced them with an iron fist, but most such boys had no delicacy, and after repeating such things, before I knew it, I became popular with girls and I was treated more and more as a man.

And to this day, I have naturally come to accept the idea of acting like a man.

Although I am no longer as hostile to boys as I used to be, few people see me as a woman.

Live like a man even if you are a woman. I thought I was accepting such a way of life, but after all, it was not that I was not troubled by the way of life as a girl as before at this time when the gender difference begins to become obvious.

So what happened earlier was a surprise.
One word like that made me surprisingly happy.

I am sure there was no great significance there.
But—–

“Ah, Aki chan, welcome home !”
“Hitomi. I’m home. You are cute today too”
“Hah? Wait a minute ?!”

I embrace Hitomi whom I just met at the door.

“Aki chan, is there anything good that happened?”
“…Fufu. I guess so. Meeting Hitomi, perhaps?”
“Mouu !!”

Afterward, after a brief conversation with Hitomi, we went back to each other’s homes.
Then I go back to my room and lie down on my bed.

“That’s right. I have to meddle a little for the sake of Hitomi. What did the boy next door’s name was…… hmmm? I’ll ask Hitomi again.”

Hitomi’s loved one.
I am sure he is a good guy. After all, she has good eyes.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t even heard his name….Well, it looks like we go to the same school, so I guess we’ll see each other soon.”

I decided to just close my eyes and go back to sleep.

–

(TL/A : Woooo….flag)