Chapter 2: Transfer Student Shiori

The walk to Raizen High School was usually a mundane affair for Shido Itsuka. It involved dodging Tonomachi’s bad jokes, keeping Tohka from buying food from every vendor she saw, and occasionally avoiding Fraxinus's "supportive" orbital strikes.

Today, however, was a gauntlet of shame.

"It’s breezy," Shido whispered, clutching the hem of his skirt as a gust of wind blew past. "It’s so breezy. I feel defenseless."

"Don't worry, Shido," Tohka said, walking to his right. She looked unusually serious. "If the wind tries to lift your skirt, I will punch the wind!"

"Physics doesn't work like that, Tohka... and please call me Shiori outside. Remember the plan."

"Right! Shiori!" Tohka grinned, linking her arm with Shido’s. "But Shiori, your arm is so much thinner now. I feel like I might break you if I squeeze too hard."

"Then please don't squeeze!"

To his left, Origami walked in silence. She had positioned herself perfectly to block the line of sight of any passing males. Occasionally, she would glare at a male student until he tripped over his own feet.

"Visual obstruction complete," Origami murmured into a small microphone on her collar. "Target 'Shiori' remains unobserved by hostiles."

"Who are you talking to?!" Shido hissed.

"The AST fan club," Origami replied calmly. "I have repurposed them as your personal security detail. If anyone tries to take a panty shot, they have authorization to use lethal force."

"Revoke that authorization immediately!"

As they approached the school gates, the whispers started.

"Who is that?"
"Is that a new student?"
"She's gorgeous..."
"Wait, she looks kinda like Itsuka, doesn't she?"

Shido kept his head down, his long blue hair curtaining his face. He just wanted to get to his seat and turn into a statue until the day was over.

---

Homeroom - Year 2, Class 4

The classroom buzzed with that specific energy reserved for the arrival of a transfer student. The rumor mill was already churning.

Tama-chan Sensei clapped her hands together, beaming. "Alright, settle down, everyone! We have a bit of a unique situation today. Due to a... sudden and very specific illness involving explosive gastroparesis... Shido Itsuka will be taking a leave of absence."

"Explosive what?" Tonomachi shouted from the back.

"Don't ask," Tama-chan said quickly, sweating. "However! To pick up his notes and ensure he doesn't fall behind, his cousin has transferred here to take his place temporarily! Come on in!"

The door slid open.

Shido took a deep breath. I can do this. I acted like Shiori during the festival. I just have to do that again. Just... act like a lady.

He stepped into the room, walking with the grace Miku had drilled into him (under threat of tickle torture). He stopped at the podium, tucked a strand of hair behind his ear, and smiled shyly.

"H-Hello, everyone. My name is Shiori Itsuka. It's a pleasure to meet you."

The effect was instantaneous.

The boys in the class collectively inhaled. A few pens dropped to the floor. The air in the room seemed to sparkle.

"She's an angel..."
"Those eyes... they're just like Shido's, but full of life!"
"I think I'm in love."

Even the girls seemed charmed. The "Shiori" persona wasn't just Shido in a dress anymore; thanks to Natsumi’s magic, she was biologically optimized for cuteness. Her voice had a natural lilt that Shido couldn't replicate before.

"Okay, Shiori-chan!" Tama-chan pointed to Shido's usual empty desk. "Why don't you take your cousin's seat?"

"Thank you, Sensei."

Shido walked down the aisle. He felt a hundred eyes boring into him. He reached his desk and sat down, letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

Safe. I just have to survive until lunch.

"Hey."

A voice called out from behind him. A voice dripping with an attempt at smoothness that failed miserably.

Shido froze. He knew that voice.

He turned around slowly.

Hiroto Tonomachi was leaning forward, resting his chin on his hands, flashing a sparkly grin that showed off a piece of spinach stuck in his teeth.

"So," Tonomachi said, his voice dropping an octave. "You're Itsuka's cousin? I gotta say, the resemblance is there, but you got all the good genes, huh?"

Shido’s eye twitched. Don't punch him. Don't punch him. He doesn't know.

"U-Um, hello," Shido said, forcing a high-pitched giggle. "You must be... Tono-kun?"

"Tono-kun!" Tonomachi clutched his chest as if shot. "She gave me a nickname already! It’s fate! I’m Hiroto. Shido’s best friend. But you know, I’ve always felt like there was something missing in my life. Now I know what it was."

"Is that so?" Shido asked dryly.

"Yeah. Tell me, Shiori-chan... do you have a boyfriend? Because I’m free. Like, extremely free. Desperately free."

"I... have a very strict brother," Shido lied through his teeth. "And a sister. And a girlfriend. I mean—girl friends. Lots of them. Very violent ones."

"I like a challenge," Tonomachi said, wiggling his eyebrows.

I am going to murder him, Shido thought. I am going to wait until I turn back into a guy, and then I am going to murder him.

Suddenly, a mechanical pencil flew across the room at Mach speed, embedding itself in Tonomachi’s desk, millimeters from his hand.

"Eep!" Tonomachi shrieked, falling out of his chair.

Origami sat two desks away, her hand still raised in a throwing motion. Her face was blank.

"My hand slipped," she said.

"Origami, thank you," Shido mouthed silently.

Origami gave a tiny nod. She pulled out a notepad and wrote: Observation Log: Subject Shiori attracts pests. Recommend deployment of bug spray.

---

Lunch Break

The moment the bell rang, Shido was besieged.

"Shiori-chan! Do you want to eat with us?"
"Shiori-san! What kind of electives are you taking?"
"Shiori-sama! Please step on me!"

"W-Wait, everyone, please!" Shido cried, hugging his bento box (which he had made himself that morning, complete with cute octopus wieners because Kotori insisted "Shiori" would make cute lunches).

"Back off."

A cold aura descended upon the classroom. Tohka stood up, emanating a pressure usually reserved for boss battles. She slammed her hands onto Shido’s desk.

"Shiori is eating with me!" Tohka declared. "We have important... cousin business!"

"And me," Origami added, appearing on Shido’s other side like a ninja.

The crowd, sensing the danger of getting between the two school idols, dispersed rapidly.

Shido let out a sigh. "Saved again. Thanks, you two."

"It is only natural," Tohka huffed, pulling up a chair. "Shido is mine. Even if Shido is a girl, Shido is still Shido!"

"Correct," Origami agreed, opening her own lunch. It was, disturbingly, a perfect replica of Shido’s lunch. "However, you should be careful. Tonomachi has been staring at the back of your neck for twenty minutes."

Shido shuddered. "I need to change schools."

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

Shido’s phone vibrated on the desk. It wasn't a call. It was a text message. Then another. Then fifty more.

FROM: Miku Izayoi
SUBJECT: DARLING!!!
TEXT: Shiori-chan! How is school? Are the boys looking at you? Don't let them! If anyone touches you, tell me and I will send a demolition crew! Also, I bought you new underwear! It has lace! Send pics! <3 <3 <3

"Miku is terrifying," Shido whispered, turning off his phone.

As he opened his chopsticks, he noticed something odd.

His bento box... the arrangement was different.

He had packed the octopus wieners on the left side. Now, they were on the right. And the tamagoyaki (rolled omelet) had been cut into the shape of... a skull?

"Huh?" Shido blinked.

Tohka peered over. "What is it, Shido? Did you make spooky eggs?"

"No... I didn't."

He picked up a piece of paper that had been slipped under the rice ball.

Having fun playing house?
Don't get too comfortable. The game is just starting.

— Natsumi

Shido crushed the note in his hand. Natsumi was here. In the school. She could be anyone. A student. A teacher. The cafeteria lady.

"Shido?" Origami touched his arm. Her hand lingered, her fingers brushing against his soft skin. "Your pulse is elevated."

"I'm fine," Shido said, forcing a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Just... remembered I forgot to turn off the stove."

She's watching me.

---

Period 4: Physical Education

"Alright, class! Today is volleyball!"

The gym teacher, a robust woman named Takamizawa, blew her whistle.

Shido stood in the corner of the gymnasium, tugging at his PE uniform. It was bloomers. Why was this school still using bloomers? It felt like a throwback to the Showa era.

"This is humiliating," Shido muttered. His thighs felt exposed to the elements.

"Shido!" Tohka bounced over, wearing her own gym uniform. She looked completely at ease. "We are on the same team! We are going to crush them!"

"Tohka, remember, I have to hold back," Shido whispered. "I have the sealed power of six Spirits inside me. If I spike the ball too hard, I might blow up the gym."

"Right! Gentle! Like petting a kitten!"

The game began. It was Class 4 against Class 2.

Shido tried to stay in the back, playing libero. He just wanted to blend in.

"Shiori-chan! Incoming!"

The volleyball soared toward him. It was a high arc. An easy receive.

"I got it!" Shido called out. He positioned himself, knees bent.

Just a light tap. Just a soft receive.

He connected with the ball.

BOOM!

The sound was like a cannon firing.

The ball didn't just fly; it vanished. It tore through the air, creating a visible shockwave. It slammed into the opposite court, drilled into the floorboards, and sent splinters flying everywhere.

Silence descended upon the gym.

Everyone stared at the smoking crater where the ball used to be.

"..."

Shido slowly lowered his arms.

"Out!" the referee called, her voice trembling.

"Shido!" Tohka whispered loudly. "That was not a kitten! That was a tiger!"

"I barely touched it!" Shido hissed. "My body... it's lighter than before. Is the Spirit Mana reacting to the gender swap?"

"Shiori-chan..." Tonomachi, who was watching from the sidelines (boys' PE was next), looked at him with starry eyes. "She's... powerful. I like a woman who can kill me."

"Please stop talking," Shido prayed.

"Okay, time out!" The teacher blew the whistle. "Shiori-san, maybe... go check the equipment room? We need a new ball."

"Yes, Sensei!" Shido fled the court.

He walked into the equipment room, sighing. It was dark and smelled of rubber and sweat.

"I can't do this. I need to find Natsumi and fix this."

He walked over to the basket of volleyballs. He reached in to grab one.

Then, he paused.

One of the volleyballs... was giggling.

"Hehe."

Shido froze. He looked closely at the ball basket. Amidst the white and yellow balls, there was one ball that seemed slightly... greener?

And it had a face. Drawn in marker. A winking face sticking its tongue out.

"Hehe. Hehe."

"Natsumi?" Shido whispered.

The volleyball didn't answer. Instead, it bounced. Once. Twice.

Then, it launched itself at Shido's face.

"Woah!"

Shido dodged. The ball ricocheted off the wall with the force of a rubber bullet. It bounced around the room at high speed—ping, pong, ping, pong!

"Stop! Natsumi! I know it's you!"

The ball stopped mid-air, defying gravity. A cartoonish mouth opened on its surface.

"You think this is tough? Wait until you see what I put in your locker!"

With a poof, the volleyball transformed into a cloud of smoke and vanished.

Shido coughed, waving the smoke away.

"My locker?"

He ran out of the gym, ignoring the confused calls of his classmates. He sprinted to the changing room area.

The girls' changing room.

He stopped at the door. I can't go in there. There might be girls changing.

"Shido?"

Origami appeared behind him. She was already changed back into her uniform.

"Origami! Natsumi was in the gym! She said she put something in my locker!"

"Understood." Origami nodded. "I will secure the perimeter. You investigate the locker."

"But I can't—"

"Emergency protocols active. Pervert status: Suspended." Origami pushed the door open and shoved Shido inside.

The room was empty. Thankfully.

Shido ran to the locker assigned to "Shiori Itsuka". He threw it open.

Inside, there was no bomb. There were no snakes.

Instead, the locker was filled to the brim with bras.

Hundreds of them. In every color. Spilling out onto the floor like a flood of fabric.

And right on top, a note.

Hope you find one that fits! P.S. I told the student council these are yours.
— Natsumi

"..."

Shido fell to his knees, buried in a mountain of lingerie.

"Kill me," Shido squeaked. "Just kill me now."

Origami stepped into the room. She looked at the bras. She looked at Shido. She picked up a black lace one.

"This one is my size," she said stoically. "But I believe it would look better on you."

"Origami! Not helping!"