Chapter 228 – Club

The next few weeks proved to be quite adventurous for Yuki as she learned how to live her new life. The first hurdle she encountered was undergarments. It wasn’t the wearing of them that stumped her, but rather the fact that she found bras rather uncomfortable to wear. But Akira and Erica insisted that she wore them when she went out, though Yuki could tell they had different reasons.

Managing her hair also became a big part of her daily routine. It took a while to get used to such long hair with all the combing and the washing that was involved, but Yuki found it soothing in a way. The time she spent thoughtlessly running a brush through her silver hair or rinsing it off calmed her. 

Other than that, it felt as if nothing had changed at all. That is, when she was a girl, it felt as if nothing had changed.

Yuki found that her biggest struggles came whenever she was forced to turn into a male. Just the thought would send shudders down her spine as she remembered the suffocating claustrophobia that followed. But she still needed to go out and attend classes and interact with others, so she forced herself.

Akira and Erica were the two pillars Yuki could lean on. They made the transitions bearable. They were always there, helping her along the way as she adjusted, comforting her whenever she had to change. During class, Akira was with Yuki, whispering words into her ears any time the crushing constriction began to rise within her. 

But even with that, Yuki still couldn’t quite get used to changing to a male. She was glad when class ended. It meant less time spent being something she was not. And it meant more time with the other two.

Now it was time for Yuki’s first mission as a girl. With her male form probably well known and circulating about, her transformation had become something of a blessing. She could go around without being recognized. 

To help with not being recognized, Yuki had a handy skill that she discovered by accident when she was brushing her hair. She tried to imagine what she would look like if her hair was curlier, and within seconds, her hair became so. After that, she experimented to see what she could and couldn’t do. She found that it couldn’t radically change her body, but it did apply to her male form as well.

Of course, that meant that it would be safer to go on missions as a male and change her looks. Yuki decided to ignore that train of logic though. She didn’t like having to be something she wasn’t for longer than she had to.

‘Alright. I hope this doesn’t look too flashy.’

Yuki smoothed her bodice, and turned this way and that as she looked at her reflection. It had a black and white horizontal striped pattern and an overall simple design that she found quite cute. The short black skirt that went down above her knees and black over knee socks completed the rest of the outfit.

‘I wonder what they’ll think?’

Her heart beated quicker at the thought, and she tried to calm it down. There was no need to be nervous. They always gave her positive comments on her style choices. But her heart didn’t seem to want to listen.

‘Time to go.’

She took a breath then walked out of her room and into the living room of the apartment where Akira and Erica waited. Then she stopped right at the end of the hallway and stared. 

Akira and Erica sat together, talking. They didn’t seem to notice her yet and Yuki was glad for that. Though what they wore wasn’t extravagant or fancy, they stood brighter than Yuki had ever seen them. Her stomach clenched. But she was far from scared.

“Yuki,” Akira called out, her voice bright. Yuki snapped her open mouth shut and gave her a small smile. “Oh, you look really cute.”

‘And you look gorgeous.’ Yuki couldn’t say those words out loud. Just the thought of doing that sent butterflies loose. 

“Are you ready to go partying~?” Erica asked with a grin. “I haven’t been out to a club in ages.”

“We’re there for a reason, Erica,” Akira reminded her, though she smiled as well. “Yuki, ready?”

‘Come on, idiot, say something,’ Yuki thought, hitting herself mentally. ‘You never were shy before.’

“Yes,” Yuki said out loud, nearly biting her tongue. “Erm. Let’s go?”

The two nodded with laughs and led the way. Yuki rushed to catch up to them, glad that she was wearing flats. Then they left the apartment.

Their destination was a nightclub inside Junction. It was a Friday night, and a monthly party was to be thrown there. Though the three of them were attending for reconnaissance purposes, Yuki couldn’t help but get excited. She understood what Erica felt, but instead of ages, Yuki had never been to such a party ever.

When they arrived, there was a small line as a bouncer inspected each person coming in. The line went by quickly. Each person who was to be admitted had an invitation with them and anyone who didn’t was immediately kicked out no matter what the person said. The bouncer also seemed to take the liberty of questioning people he found suspicious.

The three of them soon made their way to the front of the line and the bouncer gave them a quick look over that was all business. He raised an eyebrow and stuck out his hand.

“Invite,” the bouncer said. The three of them complied and held out their digital invitations. “Alright. Are you girls by yourself?”

“No. We got each other,” Erica replied. The bouncer smirked.

“Good answer. Just be careful in there,” the man warned. “This crowd isn’t beginner friendly.”

“Oh, we know,” Yuki grinned. She had done some research before. “But thanks for the warning.”

“Alright. Head on in.” The man tilted his head and stepped aside to let them pass before sticking an arm out to stop a person trying to squeeze past. “Hey, dumbass, I didn’t say you.”

Yuki walked past the doors of the club and was hit by a wave of sound as the music filled her. A small smile lifted the corners of her lips, the urge to move along to the beat building within her. Then her hand was taken and Erica was pulling her gently.

“Come on,” Erica said, half yelling. “Let’s have some fun.”

Yuki let her drag her, reaching out to grab Akira’s hand along the way. They stopped in the middle of the dance floor and stared at each other. Then Erica began to dance with a smile that urged the other two to do the same. It was awkward at first, Yuki shuffling about, feeling a bit shy. She could tell Akira felt the same. But soon the music drowned out her worries. 

They spun and danced, their feet stepping to the beat. The crowd melted away in Yuki’s mind until all that remained was the three of them. Sometime, Erica had gone away to look for something, leaving just Yuki and Akira. 

The two closed the space left behind by Erica. They held each other’s hands, stared into each other’s eyes. The music shifted, slowing down, and so too did their movements. But not Yuki’s heart. The longer they gazed at each other, the harder it beated. A strange urge built in Yuki’s throat, imploring her to close the gap even more. 

Akira filled Yuki’s every sense. Her warm hands that always pulled her up when she was falling. Her golden brown eyes that melted Yuki’s worries. At that moment, she was the most radiant thing Yuki had ever seen. And Yuki wanted to see how that radiance would feel on her skin.

Abruptly, Yuki jerked her head back and let Akira’s hands go. She muttered some excuse about restrooms and stumbled away. She ducked into a quiet hallway and slid down the wall. Letting out a sigh, she put her hand to her chest. Her heart was pumping faster than she had ever felt it done before. 

‘What was that?’ she thought, holding her head. ‘What the hell.’

Her body felt hot, and her skin was flushed. The slightest breeze that brushed her sent shivers that traveled throughout her body. It was confusing. But exhilarating. 

The image of Akira appeared in her mind again. That beautiful portrait with those rosy lips. Yuki wondered if they felt as soft as they looked. A soft gasp escaped her lips and she realised where her hand had gone. She stood up abruptly, the sudden change making her light headed for a moment.

‘Focus Yuki,’ she growled. ‘Focus. You’re here for a reason. Stop getting distracted by whatever that is.’

She shook her head and gathered herself, pushing down whatever it was she was feeling. Then she made her way out into the crowd again to find Akira. Just the thought of her sent waves through Yuki, filling her with an odd sense of confusion and need. And when Yuki found her, those feelings flared brighter before she smashed them down with an iron fist.

‘I need to sort this out later. If I can sort this out at all.’