"Come on, come on~ What are you still standing there at the door for? Follow me, I'll definitely make you look super cute."
Rinka giggled as she pushed (almost half-carried) Natsuhi into the shop, and Natsuhi cautiously said:
"Um... I want something more neutral, no skirts..."
Seeing Rinka eagerly heading towards a section full of skirts, Natsuhi had to speak up before she reached her destination, seeming afraid of dampening her enthusiasm.
Sure enough, Rinka's footsteps halted. She turned around, her bright smile instantly collapsing.
"How could you..."
She muttered softly, her tone filled with the heartache of'such a waste,'
"You're so cute, with such a soft face and great presence. If you wore a skirt, you'd definitely be the soft, adorable type that makes people want to take you home..."
As she spoke, she fixed Natsuhi with a gaze that seemed to say, 'You have no idea what you're missing.'
[Hey, hey, hey! You really, really want me to wear a skirt, don't you?! Your obsession is practically oozing out of you!]
[And taking someone home? That's basically kidnapping! Okay, I already know wearing a skirt in this body would be dangerous.]
[Thank you, Student Nikaido. I will absolutely never wear a skirt in the future!]
Natsuhi internally screamed, feeling even more pressured. She'd never experienced anything like this even during fights.
"Sigh, alright..."
Rinka let out a long sigh, making a huge concession as if her whole spirit had deflated.
But to think that was enough to defeat her would be a grave mistake. Her lively eyes shifted subtly, and an 'evil' plan began to form in her heart—
[Darn you, Ito Natsuhi, just you wait. One day, I'll make you wear the cutest skirt willingly and from the bottom of your heart!]
Thus, Nikaido Rinka set a grand (are you sure?) goal in her heart: to 'tame' (or perhaps 'decorate') Student Ito.
"Even though Student Ito's appearance is so gentle, she'd definitely look adorable and soft in a skirt, making people want to take her home..."
As if unconsciously, she voiced her inner desire once more before perking up again and pulling Natsuhi towards the neutral-style section.
[Was it really necessary to repeat that? Is your obsession really that strong?]
[I'm sorry, Student Nikaido, but I truly can't fulfill your wish...]
Apologizing silently in her heart, Natsuhi also turned her gaze to the neatly arranged clothes.
"Let's start with some basic neutral styles then! Trust me, even without a skirt, I can make you look absolutely stunning."
"I feel like Student Ito has a very special presence. Although your features are gentle, there's a kind of spiritedness and... well... a refreshing crispness in your brow that most girls don't have?"
Rinka analyzed in a professional tone while picking out clothes, her eyes beneath her pink short hair gleaming with amused interest.
As she spoke, she picked up a short white off-shoulder sweatshirt and a pair of denim shorts.
"Hmm! This color complements your hair and skin tone really well, making you look clean and sharp."
Rinka shoved the clothes into Natsuhi's arms, then very naturally reached out to undo the buttons on Natsuhi's school uniform shirt?!
Hey, hey, hey! Is that something you can just casually undo?
Don't just act like a pervert because you're a girl, hey!
"Wait! I can do it myself! I can do it myself!"
Natsuhi nearly jumped in fright, her cheeks instantly flushing bright red. Clutching the clothes, she retreated repeatedly, desperately guarding her collar.
It made Rinka seem like some kind of misbehaving person, though her actions were indeed far too bold.
"Huh? Are you shy?"
Rinka tilted her head, her smile deepening. Far from backing off, she deliberately took a step forward, her fingertips lightly brushing Natsuhi's earlobe, which was slightly flushed from nervousness.
"We're both girls, what's the big deal~ Or is it... Student Ito has some special secret you don't want me to see~?"
Rinka's voice dropped low, carrying a hint of temptation, her breath lightly brushing against Natsuhi's ear.
[I told you I can't handle Student Nikaido!]
Natsuhi was truly, completely, utterly at Rinka's mercy, the kind with zero power to resist.
This body was ridiculously sensitive to overly intimate contact with the same sex!
Every time felt like being hit with a Taser, making her heart race out of control yet also strangely addictive.
"It's fine, it's fine. Student Ito being shy is part of what makes you cute. Come on, raise your arms, let big sister help you take off your uniform."
[Can you not make acting like a pervert sound so casual? This is a huge problem!]
"N-no, I can do it myself."
"Eh~ So distant."
Rinka pouted but didn't insist.
Finally, under Rinka's 'watchful' gaze, Natsuhi, holding the clothes, practically fled into the fitting room.
"Whew~ Finally calmed down."
Back in the familiar small space, Natsuhi slowly steadied her rapid breathing before turning her gaze to the clothes Rinka had personally chosen for her.
Holding the clothes up against herself in the mirror, she realized the white sweatshirt was ridiculously short, barely covering her chest with no coverage for her stomach at all.
And the neckline was absurdly large...
[Th-this is girls' clothing? Isn't it way too revealing?]
Only after becoming a girl herself did Natsuhi discover such clothes existed. Her small hand slowly reached for the collar of her school uniform.
But she quickly stopped.
[No... I can't do it...]
A wave of resistance, originating from the depths of her soul, washed over her like a tide.
Looking at the graceful figure of the girl in the mirror, she blushed.
[I have to look at this body... and personally take off this uniform to put on that kind of clothing?]
[How is that any different from public execution?! Just imagining the scene makes me feel like my brain is overheating and about to crash!]
A near-instinctive shyness and discomfort towards 'gazing' at her own female body left her frozen in place, unable to move.
This wasn't about aesthetics, but a deep-seated, intense conflict between her sense of identity and her physical appearance.
She hadn't yet fully adapted to living as a female.
[But... if I don't change, am I just going to hide in the fitting room forever?]
[Student Nikaido is still waiting outside... Should I ask her to help me?]
No, the thought of letting that rascal (referring to Rinka) lay hands on her body felt just as mortifying.
[Think of something! You're a boxing champion! Can't you even figure out how to change clothes?!]
Gritting her teeth, she firmly placed her hand on the buttons of her uniform...
[Darn it, still can't do it.]
'Change myself' or 'Let Rinka help'.
Neither option seemed good, but she also couldn't stand the chilly feeling of wearing a skirt.
[This is so hard!]
[Forget it!]
[Close my eyes! Don't look at anything! Don't think about anything!]
[Just treat it like... like going to a spa! Yeah! Just enjoy it! Student Nikaido seems pretty willing anyway.]
[Consider it doing someone a favor. I'm a good person!]
Hypnotizing herself like this, Natsuhi finally decided to bow to the evil forces.
Suddenly, she saw the fitting room curtain being carefully pulled aside a crack. Natsuhi's somewhat soft, timid voice came from inside.
"Could you... help me change? I'm not really sure how to put this on..."
Someone's eyes instantly lit up!