Chapter 17: XVI.

. . .

I proceeded to leave English, walking with Celeste and Diana, both of whom were not uttering a singular word to neither I nor each other, as I tried to find Hibiki.

I’m sure he already found out about all of this. I’m sure everyone has by this point. Everyone.

But what does everyone classify as? Does everyone mean the popular kids? Or does everyone in fact truly mean everyone?

And what will everyone think of Diana Bianchi? What will Diana Bianchi think of herself?

What would society think of a singular person who hasn’t done anything wrong? A person that, though I will admit is not perfect and has her flawed moments, hasn’t done anything to deserve the title of a “monster” or a “creature”. Diana Bianchi will be seen as a disgrace to society.

As long as people don’t like her decisions, that is. But, considering that one kid had called her a ‘tranny’, I don’t think people are going to like her decision to express who she truly is. A woman. A girl. A lady.

Diana Bianchi is who she truly is. But, I don’t know if she’s accepting that reality anymore

“King,” I heard someone call out to me from afar, the voice echoing out of existence in my mind as I raced through my thoughts that still lingered from that situation.

I need to take the knot and untie it, I need to seal the box, I need a way for people to forget that Diana Bianchi was born a male.

“King!” I heard the person shout again. It grew louder, but it stretched out for longer. I had been ignoring it previously, but now that is becoming impossible.

Diana. She’s the only one on my mind right now. I want her to be okay, because I already know that she hasn’t been previously. I need her to stay in that bright, colorful field of flowers, instead of that dark, isolated room of pitch black darkness.

It’s okay if she goes there occasionally, but if she tunes out her true colors, her true feelings, she won’t be able to turn back to the road that leads to her joy. To take the proper directions to reach the destination she needs to.

To become Diana Bianchi.

To be free of the restraints that come from not accepting who she truly is. The chains that tug her, the chains that pull her down, dragging her further and further into that abyss of darkness. Utter darkness. Darkness that can see no light. Darkness that does not accept light. Darkness that isolates itself.

A Diana Bianchi that isolates herself.

It pains me to admit that she probably feels alone, I’m not helping her, I’m isolating myself from her. I’m not doing it on purpose, I’m just used to a certain schedule that is now going to be messed up because of Hibiki Kaiyo.

What would Hibiki think about her? Oh god. I can’t even bring myself to think about what he thinks about her. What he’ll think about me for being that “things” friend.

I don’t think of Diana Bianchi as a thing of course, but he certainly will. Or he certainly does.

“King! Answer me!” That person's voice is getting louder. I definitely can’t ignore it now.

I turned around and, to my surprise, it was Hibiki himself. I waved at him before changing my blank, emotionless expression into one of happiness and joy.

“Hey! S-sorry, I was thinking about something…” I replied. It was an honest reply, of course it was, because I had been thinking about something. But do I admit to Hibiki what that something is?

He smiled at me as he came over. “I have someone to introduce you to!” He chuckled as my gaze directed itself towards someone I had seen before, but someone whose name was drawing up blanks on my bingo card.

“Oh, hello!” I aimed an arm out towards the guy and wanted him to shake my hand. Formalities, my good suit, my strong suit.

He shook my hand in return before speaking, “Machiko Kimura. Top player on the basketball team.”

I wasn’t sure why he had said that last bit but I personally did not mind it. I responded to him in the same formal way, “King. King Okamura.” But I didn’t feel the need to give him unnecessary information about myself.

He was looking into my eyes for a moment, a longer moment of time that would scream ‘this guy is not exclusively attracted to women’, but if he’s a popular boy that plays sports, and especially if he’s a top player, all of that homosexual nonsense would be exclusively a joke.

After he managed to break eye contact, I glanced at Hibiki and cleared my throat. “Can I talk to you? In private?”

He nodded almost immediately and turned to face Machiko. “You heard him, go to your class, I gotta talk to him.”

I sighed before Machiko left the two of us. Hibiki and I made our way to a restroom which we entered, ensuring that nobody else was in here, and then got into the stall.

I proceeded to sit on the toilet and put my legs up as Hibiki stood in front of it, in front of me, probably trying to make sure that it looked like he was grabbing at his wiener and disposing of his “human fluids” into the toilet.

Something I cannot do because I have a vagina, but, if anyone was to ask, I would just play it off as “Oh! I’m a little baby who likes to sit on the fucking toilet while pissing probably because my cock is too small to get enough pressure to get the piss in the toilet in the first place!” or something like that.

“What?” He asked, I think he liked the dominance he had over me, probably.

“Are you transphobic?” I asked.

“No,” he responded, “but you can’t tell anyone.”

I need a way to prove something, to prove that he wasn’t transphobic, to prove that he, in fact, would not be a bitch about the ‘Diana Bianchi situation’.

I stood up and I showed him. If, suddenly, it gets around that I am a transgender male, I know exactly who started it.

Because, unlike Diana, I don’t really have a reputation I need to uphold, yet.

He nodded, visibly blushing, before I sat back down, of course I would be too if someone just showed me their genitalia, but I don’t know if he would believe me if I just flat out said “I’m transgender, I have a uterus.” or something along those lines.

Suddenly, the bathroom door slammed open and I heard chuckling from two people. And one of them is a girl, the other one is a guy.

I didn’t recognize either of the voices, but from what I’m suspecting, Hibiki and I are about to have a phone conversation rather than a vocal one, to which we should also probably put something in our ears in order to not hear two teenagers atrociously moan to each other about how well they’re feeling.

I just stared into Hibiki’s eyes, taking my phone out and pointing to it, trying not to laugh, considering it was pretty funny what was about to happen in one of the stalls near us.

Hibiki was just… looking at me, blushing severely now, which was adding to my amusement. This shit is funny as fuck. Quite literally too!

“Just text me on your phone,” I whispered. He pulled out his phone and started to look at it, before immediately texting me.

Thats Rich and Keslyr. There dating I wanted to invite them to the party

I responded back with my message saying.

well as long as they dont have sex i dont mind you inviting them

He blushed more before responding.

Enough about them what did you want to talk about

“You have the condom, right?” Keslyr spoke with a slight whisper as I tried to ignore the two of them.

“Ah shit, I forgot it,” Rich responded to his girlfriend as I heard him fidget in his pocket, assuming he was grabbing lube or something of the sort.

I shook my head and went back to my phone.

i think it would be more appropriate to talk about it with you face to face using our voices. lets wait for rich and keslyr to leave

And so, that’s the story of how I found out that Rich is a lot louder at moaning than Keslyr.

. . .

Afterwards, once Rich and Keslyr left the bathroom, Hibiki and I were just staring at each other in pure, utter shock.

“That did not just happen,” I managed to get my voice out through chuckles and laughter, a sound that, yes, in fact, I was able to hold in. “There is no way he’s a sissy like that.”

Hibiki looked like he was about to fall on the floor and start crying. The two of us were laughing hysterically now before I suddenly cleared my throat, let out a few small bits of laughter, and sighed.

“So.. about what I wanted to talk about,” I exhaled as I glanced up at Hibiki. “Diana is trans. She got outed.”

His jaw had completely dropped as he stared into my eyes, speechless. “...I had no idea.”

I sighed as I teared up slightly, “Please. Don’t let it get spread around.” The two of us just stayed there for a moment, staring at each other before I suddenly spoke up, “I’d rather skip class right now. I didn’t help her, at all.”

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Hibiki glanced at the ground before directing his gaze back to me, “How did you… not help her?”

“I just… talked to her, just rambling on about whatever I could until I finally was told to go to the principal’s office… and after that I had never… I… I didn’t talk to her. Well, I mean I did but… I… I just… I asked if I could help and she said no…”

Hibiki’s voice rose, “Well, then you did help. You tried to help. She didn’t want it.”

I felt a little… smaller than I usually did, my voice got more feminine, “But I still shouldn’t’ve just ignored it… I don’t know what she’s going to do… she might hurt herself… she might kill herself.”

“And? What are the signs that she’d do that?”

“She kept writing nise no on'nanoko on her paper,” I admitted.

Hibiki’s expression shifted to one of more surprise and gloom. “Oh,” was all he managed to get out.

“Yeah,” I replied. “She’s not safe. If we’re still throwing this fucking party, I’m keeping her near me.”

Hibiki shook his head, “No, throwing a party now wouldn’t be right.”

“We have to Hibiki.”

“We can’t.”

“It’s happening and that’s final.” My voice sternly replied.

“It isn’t happening, King.”

I stood up and glared at him, “I want to be popular. I will make sure Diana is fine. This party is happening and you’re helping me set it up.”

He shook his head and started yelling back at me, “I’m not fucking helping you set up this goddamn party! You need to be there for Diana! She’s not doing okay!”

“Says the one who just told me that he doesn’t think she’d hurt or kill herself!”

“That’s before you told me what you fucking experienced you faggot!”

My eyes widened as I stepped back slightly, feeling the toilet bowl bump against my leg.

His eyes widened too. “I didn’t… I’m sorry…”

I stood there, motionless and still for a moment before I pushed him aside and stepped out. “Call me a tranny while you’re at it too you stuck up bitch.”

. . .

I couldn’t go to class, not now. It was later into the period too and, especially if I saw Diana, I don’t know what would happen. I would probably feel guilty. Guilty for isolating myself away from her.

Guilty for a decision I made myself. Guilty for where that decision would lead.

Guilty for potentially causing her to kill herself.

“I should probably try to find a place to skip in-” I started before someone tapped me on the shoulder.

I turned around and was greeted by a girl who I had never seen before. “Hey! You’re King Okamura, right?” She asked, her soft quite soft, her gaze and stature pure and innocent.

“Oh, yes, that’s me,” I responded, trying to make myself seem as formal as possible.

She extended a hand out for a handshake, which I responded with doing the same. “Nice to meet you, I’m Keslyr Fujiwara!”

My expression went blank as I blushed slightly. “W-well, I guess I don’t have to introduce myself to you… haha…”

Suddenly, a guy came by and I immediately assumed it was Rich. But he looked familiar… wait… he’s the one that called Diana a tranny.

“‘Sup,” he spoke in a deep, grunting voice. “Rich Hisakawa.” He glared at me, trying to act all dominant.

“King Okamura,” I responded before he let out a small chuckle.

“I already know you.”

Yeah, I already know much about you, sissy. “Oh, haha.”

Keslyr glanced at Rich before eventually speaking, “Hey, be polite. You need to make good first impressions when you meet people.”

He nodded. “Yes, Keslyr,” he responded in a… submissive tone? For such a buff looking guy, he seems like he’d enjoy making out with guys or maybe getting off to gay porn in his free time.

And by gay I don’t mean lesbians.

“Did Hibiki talk to you guys about the party I’m planning on having?” I interrupted. The two of them glanced at each other before looking back at me.

“Hibiki mentioned a party in a group chat last night, didn’t know you were the one running it…” Keslyr rambled slightly.

I nodded, “Mhm. I’m having it tonight at my house. Can you give me your number?”

She immediately handed me her phone as I put in my number into her contacts. She smiled at me as she put her phone away. “Where is your house?” She asked softly as I thought about it for a moment, wondering if I should tell her now or let her figure it out on her own later.

But I decided for the latter. “Hibiki didn’t tell you? I live on Hojimi,” I stated proudly.

Her eyes glistened and widened. Rich’s own eyes did as well. “H-Hojimi? So… you’re like… rich rich?” She questioned.

I nodded in response, giving her a slight smirk. “Mhm. I’ve got a lot of money… my uncle funds the school for the most part.”

Rich was pondering while standing on the side of Keslyr. “Is that so…?” I heard him mumble under his breath. And, I didn’t feel like responding to him, so I acted like I didn’t hear him at all.

“You’re a skipper, I see,” Keslyr added into the conversation, which, was not true, however, I did not feel like correcting her. If I did, well, correcting a popular girl wouldn’t be very cool and not being a skipper would also not be very cool either.

I responded, “Yep! I skip all the time, haha.”

“Very believable, King. Great job,” Pyro suddenly whispered into my ear, to which I jumped in freight and shocked, but when I heard his voice, I knew not to have a reaction.

“Sorry… felt something weird on my neck…” I chuckled awkwardly. Rich looked at me in, what I interpreted as disgust and Keslyr just chuckled along with me.

“All good, no worries,” she chuckled in response.

. . .

When I finally decided it was time to go back to class, I didn’t go to the class after English, but this time, the class was Gym, which yes, I did also have with Diana.

When I got to the gymnasium, I saw Hibiki, who was sitting with Marcy on the floor, but I didn’t see a sign of Diana. Hibiki was waving me over and I, just very slightly hesitantly, went over.

“I still don’t appreciate what you said earlier, but I guess it would be wrong of me to just completely distance myself from you,” I said, gazing into Hibiki’s eyes.

“It just slipped out, I’m… I’m really sorry, it won’t happen again,” he responded.

Apology not accepted, I’m only still here conversing with you because I want my reputation to be seen as something good, and talking to you would certainly get me there. “Thanks, it’s fine.” No, it isn’t.

Hibiki nodded and Marcy sat there confused, but still. She didn’t need to know what happened, not because I don’t want her to know, but because she just doesn’t need to.

“Where’s Diana?” I asked the two of them. Marcy didn’t look like she was going to respond to me and Hibiki looked guilty. “Where is she?”

Hibiki glanced back at me before exhaling his breath, pretty deeply, before attempting to speak, but completely failing in the process. I cleared my throat, as if signaling to him that he should say whatever is on his mind, no matter how uncomfortable he was because of it, but I don’t think that was the case.

It was as if whatever he was going to respond with would make me uncomfortable.

“If she’s changing into her gym clothes, she better be in the girl’s locker room,” I let out with a deep tone, before clearing my throat in response to what I myself said to him.

“She’s not here,” Marcy butted in.

“Then where is she?”

Hibiki looked like he was pleading with her to not respond but she still did anyway after giving him a single glance. “She’s in the office, talking to the principal about what happened earlier.”

“Who told you what happened earlier?” I responded.

“Celeste.”

I glanced down at the floor for a moment before clearing my throat and glancing back at Marcy. “No she didn’t.”

Marcy glared back in response. “How would you know?”

I stood up, put my hands on my hips, and then spoke a bit louder, and rougher, “That’s not in her character.”

“It doesn’t matter if it was in character, or not, King. It happened, that’s how I found out.”

“And what’s your opinion on it?”

She went silent. Just like everyone else would too. She wouldn’t respond, not because she doesn’t like what happened, but because she doesn’t like the truth that was revealed in the process.

“That’s what I thought,” I let out before sitting back down. My eyes moved to their next target, Hibiki, and I opened my mouth to speak, but I couldn’t get the proper words out of it.

He looked at me, still with that guilty expression on his face. God did he look punchable, he really did. I would love to punch Hibiki Kaiyo dead center in the middle of his face. Or maybe just the entirety of his face. Just bashing my fist right into it.

“Hibiki,” I managed to let out. “Why are you scared of me finding out that Diana is talking to the principal? Is there more to this that you know about?”

He shook his head in response, but he was seemingly calming down. “S-sorry… I… couldn’t speak for a moment there-” He responded to me. “No I just… didn’t know how to phrase it.”

Or maybe she just isn’t in the office at all; that could also be an excuse too.

But I can’t stop thinking about what Marcy just told me. Celeste told her? That doesn’t make any sense. Celeste wouldn’t do that. Celeste Nakamura would not tell a single soul one of Diana Bianchi’s secrets, especially not her biggest secret. Celeste Nakamura would not reveal any of Diana Bianchi’s secrets, and especially not her deepest secret; her vulnerability.

My gaze went back to Hibiki. “Do you think Celeste would reveal that?” I glared deep into his eyes, reading him, trying to eat his words before they could even come out of his mouth.

“...I… would have to say no…” He let out, giving vital information about his girlfriend. I smirked before turning my attention back to Marcy.

“See? I told you,” my voice let out as I sat back down. “If her boyfriend doesn’t think she’d do it, I don’t know who else would.”

Marcy was dead silent once again. But, suddenly, she cleared her throat and spoke, “Rich told me. He told me that ‘he got what he deserved. I called him a fucking tranny. I hate him now.’ or whatever.”

The expression on my face shifted but I quickly dismissed it in exchange for a nonchalant instead. I couldn’t possibly have anyone knowing that I was what they were hating.

Transgender.

Whatever it was inside of me, whatever I had growing, whatever was blooming, was taking its water from Diana’s rose, from her plant, letting her wilt in exchange for its own growth.

“Oh, haha,” I laughed. That was Rich. I thought to myself. He was the one to immediately call Diana Bianchi a tranny. He’s the one that’s going to deadname her any chance he gets. “Yeah, that’s kind of funny.”

But why did I say that? “Yeah, it was!” Marcy chuckled. “You know, King. You’re kind of growing me.” Marcy stood up, walked, with her quite long legs actually, I never truly realized that she was quite tall. Possibly breaking 182 centimeters. That’s almost as tall as me.

Her auburn hair, though it was rather dark, maybe it was actually brown, really helped with figure. She tended to wear tube tops, which accentuated her bosom quite a bit, sharpening the edges of breasts, squishing them together. If she didn’t wear a bra (I knew she was wearing one because I could see the straps of it) her nipples would probably be visible.

Maybe her tits were actually as big as she made them appear.

She seemed like a skank, though she probably was.

I wonder if Hibiki was a whore. I wonder if Celeste was a whore. Keslyr and Rich certainly seemed like they were. Who else could possibly be a slut?

I know Diana wasn’t one. Neither was my sister nor Kazuki. Though, to be fair, both of them are virgins. At least from my understanding.

“I heard you’re having a party,” Marcy added to her sentence. I wonder if she had said anything between what I previously heard and what she just said. “I wanna come.”

“Okay,” I responded.