Chapter 2: Adaptation Period
For now, my singing ability was about average when I went to karaoke.
That hasn’t changed even now that I’m a woman.
But there’s this thing called tone.
“Wow, unnie, did you get an implant in your throat or something?”
“Guess so.”
They say singing is all about tone for a reason.
Seriously.
I tried singing different genres one after another, adjusting my voice to match, and it suited everyone.
Even when I lowered my tone to sing a man’s song, it sounded like a guy with a unique voice.
So, while marveling at my vocal cords, the playful testing time came to an end.
I fed Nayeon dinner at my studio before sending her home.
With my 28 years of experience as a man added to the mix, my cooking skills have improved a lot, so it was amusing to see Nayeon’s surprised reaction.
“See you.”
“Yeah.”
The next day, I went to the vocal academy for a consultation.
“Um, Lee Yeonwoo…?”
“Yes.”
Yes! This is it! The moment where they’re shocked, like, “Is there really a person this beautiful?!”
Sadly, the classic TS trope of a convenience store scene didn’t happen.
Why? Because I look too scary!
Thinking back, when I went to pay, the cashier glanced at my face, flinched, and kept their eyes down until I left.
Even passersby would look at my face once, then lower their gaze and move on. Honestly, it kind of hurt.
Maybe it’d be different if I got used to the attention…
I mean, I’m TS’d! And hella pretty! How does it make sense that I haven’t had a single clichéd moment?!
So, this was the first time I saw someone react properly to my appearance.
“As we discussed over the phone, we’ll do a quick test and wrap up for today.”
“Okay.”
They asked about my vocal range, what songs I wanted to learn, and discussed the direction moving forward. That was it for today.
“So, every Friday at this time?”
“Yes.”
“Alright, see you then.”
“Okay, see you next week.”
Back home, I turned on a Japanese VTuber stream.
Until the audition, my tasks are to think about how to appeal and practice singing.
A few days later.
I ran out of food at home, so I went grocery shopping.
I thought about ordering takeout since it’s a hassle, but cooking was fun last time, so I decided to do it myself.
“Excuse me…”
I turned at the sound of a voice and saw a man in a suit.
“Yes?”
Oh, he’s trying to get my number even after seeing my face!
I feel bad for him, but after experiencing this, it feels worse than I expected, so I stared at him blankly.
“Uh… I… um…”
“If you don’t have anything to say, I’ll go.”
“Wait! Please take my card!”
Huh? A business card?
Not a number? I don’t feel bad for him anymore. Scouts should be prepared for this kind of treatment.
I looked at the card he handed me.
…Isn’t this a second-tier entertainment agency?
It’s practically treated as 1.5-tier compared to the big three.
“Well, I’ll be going.”
“Uh… yes… please contact us if you’re interested…”
Whatever, that’s that. I’m going to be a VTuber, so I don’t need to care.
I haven’t even adjusted to my body yet, and being a celebrity?
I’d at least need to be able to shower with my eyes open before considering it.
…Accepting that I’m a woman is a separate issue.
I stopped by the mart to shop.
I felt a bit hurt when the cashier lady couldn’t meet my eyes… but I’m starting to get used to it.
By the way, maybe because I regressed, prices feel a lot cheaper.
I ended up buying a bunch of stuff while shopping.
What should I make for dinner?
When in doubt, ask.
Ting-ting
[Hey, unnie. What’s up?]
“Dinner recs.”
[This btch! Keep messing with your high school senior sister?]
“Why don’t you study instead of talking?”
[…I’m debating whether I like that you know me too well.]
“Good is good.”
It just means I care about my sister.
“So, what’s for dinner?”
[Hm… jeukbokkeum?]
“Did you TS too?”
[Huh? What’s that mean?]
“…Never mind.”
Don’t high school girls usually suggest snacks?
“Anyway, thanks. Call if you’re bored.”
[Yeah, enjoy dinner.]
With a menu recommended, I started cooking.
I put a pan on low heat and added a bit of cooking oil.
Then, I unwrapped the pork front leg I bought and tossed it in.
With the sizzling sound in the background, I grabbed some pre-chopped green onions from the fridge and threw in a handful.
After stir-frying for a bit, I opened the fridge again and got some minced garlic.
I added a big spoonful, along with soy sauce, gochugaru, oligosaccharides, and a bit of sugar.
After a few more steps, it was done.
I took a bite.
Mm, it’s the savory jeukbokkeum I like, not too sweet.
As a true sodium addict, I prefer salty over sweet.
Oh, right. I forgot to tell Nayeon about the business card.
I’ve bragged about getting cards a few times before, but bragging about this is like saying, “I’m pretty,” so I can’t give it up.
She takes after Dad, so her reactions are always great.
The next day.
Ugh… why do I feel so awful today?
My stomach’s queasy… did I eat something bad yesterday? Was the pork in the jeukbokkeum spoiled?
I had no appetite and stayed in bed all day.
While scrolling on my phone—
“Argh!”
What the hell?
A sharp pain stabbed through my stomach and then faded.
Oh… no way…!
I quickly searched my memories and realized.
Right…!
The classic TS trope, the period event, has arrived.
Looking through my memories again, my periods are pretty rough…
Dragging my sluggish body, I relied on my memories and headed to the bathroom.
“Ugh, fck…”
I don’t usually swear, but it just came out.
I knew from my memories about the sensation of blood leaking down there, but experiencing it for real feels so gross.
Sigh…
In the end, I did nothing that day, just lay in bed, feeling miserable.
[Yo, you doing okay?]
“I’m fine, what’s up?”
A call from a friend after a while.
[Just wanted to see you since it’s been ages.]
“Cool, I’ll come to your place.”
[Alright.]
His name’s Han Kyungmin, my buddy since elementary school.
Luckily, our friendship seems to have carried over even after my TS.
It’s been a while since I last saw him.
Before I regressed, the last time we met was to celebrate my college graduation.
That’s almost three years ago.
Thinking about seeing his young face again made me feel good.
So, I put on my usual go-to outfit—black Adidas hoodie, track pants, and a cap—and headed out.
As I approached Kyungmin’s studio, not too far away, I saw him waiting outside.
“Yo! You came out to meet me… huh?”
Wait, why doesn’t he have the scruffy beard I’m used to?
“I mean, it’s been a while, and I didn’t want you to get lost.”
Come on, don’t do this to me. Please.
“You doing okay, Yeonwoo?”
The way he’s looking at me is suspicious.
I felt a strong sense of unease and quickly dug into my female memories.
No! No way! There’s nothing like this in my memories! Was this girl completely clueless about romance? To miss this vibe?! Fck! No wonder she was single!
It’s a relief she was single, but to be this oblivious?!
“Yeonwoo?”
“Oh, yeah… like I said, I’m fine…”
I calmed down and looked Kyungmin up and down.
His outfit looks casual but slightly intentional, his hair’s styled a bit, the way he’s looking at me…
No, no! The look in his eyes could just be my imagination, so let’s stick to objective facts.
…It’s still true, isn’t it?
My male perspective is telling me so.
“Let’s go inside.”
This guy likes me.
On guard, I entered Kyungmin’s place, greeted by a familiar scene.
“Yo, ventilate this place. What’s that flowery smell? I could get pregnant from the scent alone. You taking responsibility?”
“Hey! How’s a girl got such a foul mouth?! Watch it!”
Please! Don’t do this! Even with my gender changed, you used to call me out for talking like this!
His blushing, stammering reaction turned my suspicion into certainty.
“I’ll grab some drinks.”
“Yeah, Coke for me.”
“I know.”
Ugh… TS fcking sucks.
Finding out my best friend has a crush on me—it’s so bad I can’t even describe it!
Would even the anti-otaku crowd disagree with this situation?
No, they’d probably love it, calling it pure childhood friend romance! Fcking jerks! They’d only get it if they went through it! This isn’t pure romance, it’s BL!
I’m in such a bad state that I’m even imagining Kyungmin liked me when I was a guy.
“Sigh…”
I took a deep breath to calm down.
This is the most nerve-wracking moment since I regressed.
I have to choose between my best friend and my mental health, don’t I?
Obviously, my mental health comes first!
Yeah, I feel bad for Kyungmin, but for my sanity, I need to draw a line.
“Here, eat.”
Perfect timing. I decided to get to the point.
If I delay any longer, it’ll hurt me too. I’m already at my limit!
“Yo.”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t like me.”
“Huh?!”
Phew… I feel calmer after saying it.
“W-Wait… when did you figure it out?”
He’s trembling, clearly not expecting this. I felt a bit sorry for him—but wait, now I’m pissed! I’m a victim here too!
“I could tell today, seeing you after so long. The vibe’s different.”
I don’t want to hurt him more, so I answered as firmly as possible, hoping he’d move on.
“Oh… I see…”
I thought about comforting him, but I knew that’d leave lingering feelings, so I stopped.
“…Let’s eat.”
“Yeah.”
I couldn’t ask a heartbroken guy to cook, so I made something myself.
I whipped up some simple pasta with what he had and set it out.
“…Thanks.”
“No big deal.”
The only sounds were the clinking of dishes and slurping of noodles.
Ugh, this is awkward. Should I just act like a clown?
The thought crossed my mind, but I decided it’s better to give my friend time to process.
After eating, as I was about to head home—
“Yeonwoo.”
Oh, please.
“Yeah.”
“Can we still be friends?”
“Of course.”
Phew! Holy sht! I was terrified he’d confess right there. Thank god that wasn’t an option.
“Alright, sort out your feelings, and next time, explain why you liked me.”
“You b*tch! Is that something you say to someone who just got rejected?!”
Looks like he’s back to his old self, sorting out his feelings.
I left Kyungmin’s place and looked up at the sky.
“Sigh…”
This is tough…