After the company president told me the important news, it kept swirling in my head for days and nights... The way to get back to my old self was at this school. The way to turn back into a guy again...
"Fah... FAH!!"
But even though I knew that, I still had no clue where to start. Chasing down a runaway scientist like in some spy movie? How could a regular high school kid like me even do that...
"FAH!!!"
Huh?
The shouts of Aqua and Beam snapped me out of my thoughts. At first, I wondered why they were calling for me, but when I turned around, I saw both of their faces looking at me in shock.
Oh... right, we were in the middle of volleyball class.
*Thump*
A sharp pain spread across my cheek as the ball hit me, making my face go numb. It wasn't even a hard hit, just a ball tossed my way, but it was enough to knock me off balance and send me crashing to the floor, stars spinning around my head.
"AAAHH! Fah!!"
The screams from all the girls in the gym echoed around me, followed by the sound of a stampede running toward me. They looked at me with worry as if I'd just been hit by a truck or something.
"Are you okay, Fah? Your face is all red!"
"Oh no, this is bad. Our little doll's face is bruised!"
"Look at her, her face is all swollen! Do you think her bones are broken?!"
Whoa, whoa, I'm not that fragile... I'm still a dude at heart! I can handle this, no problem!!
"I'm so sorry, Fah! I must have thrown the ball too fast. Please, please don't be hurt!"
Everyone, calm down. It's just a volleyball to the face, not a car accident. Why do we need all this drama?
The most important thing right now was the girl who had thrown the ball at me. If I wasn't mistaken, her name was Ploy. She was cute, not quite on the level of the "Prince" or the "Princess," but she'd definitely be popular at any other school.
And now, Ploy was staring at me with a guilt-ridden expression, like she'd just accidentally shot me. I wanted to shout that it wasn't her fault at all—I'd been too lost in thought to even notice the ball coming my way.
"About that—"
"Fah, you don't need to say anything. Hold on a second, the ambulance will be here soon."
Wait, WHAT?!
Aqua's voice came from beside me, and I could see her holding the latest, most expensive smartphone, showing that she wasn't joking. The screen clearly displayed her having called an ambulance.
"That's way too much! I'm just a little dizzy, I'll be fine after a short rest—"
"No way! Fah, we can't take any risks. What if you've broken a bone? It's better to get checked out by a doctor first."
It's a volleyball, not a sledgehammer! I'm not gonna shatter that easily, Aqua!
"You're overreacting, Aqua."
Oh, Beam... thank goodness. Despite being the daughter of a mafia boss, she's also an athlete. She should understand that this wasn't a big deal.
"I'll carry Fah to the nurse's office."
Without waiting for a response, Beam suddenly scooped me up from the floor. And while it made sense—an injured person should go to the nurse's office—the weird part was...
Why was she carrying me bridal style?!
"B-Beam... um, I..."
I could feel it. The heat rushing to my face, the blood pumping so hard that the pain from the volleyball was completely overshadowed.
With my voice trembling, I tried to speak, but it just made things worse when the "Prince" turned and flashed a dazzling smile my way.
"Don't worry, Fah. I'll take care of you."
Too smooth. Too swoon-worthy. Even as a guy, I couldn't help but blush... This was straight out of some romance drama!
Beam's over-the-top charm had me speechless, my mouth just hanging open like a statue.
"If you move her without care, you'll only make her injuries worse," Aqua interrupted, looking seriously annoyed. "We should wait for the ambulance I called."
"What?! Aqua, that's ridiculous! It's just a volleyball, not a truck accident!"
"You know how delicate Fah is! We have to make sure there's no hidden injury. I'm not taking any chances!"
Aqua, come on! Sure, this body is a bit small and fragile, but not *that* fragile!
This wasn't going anywhere productive. If I let them keep going like this, I'd never get any real treatment. So I spoke up.
"Uh... really, just taking me to the nurse's office here at school is enough..."
If I ended up in the hospital, I'd definitely miss the afternoon classes.
"See? Like Fah said, I'll take her to the nurse's office."
"Fah, if something happens—like a broken nose or something worse—you could be scarred for life!" Aqua argued.
It's not that serious, Aqua! Sure, my face is a little swollen, but a cold compress will do the trick... I think.
"I'm an athlete; I know how to take care of this kind of thing. Let's go."
"W-Wait!!"
Before Aqua could say anything more, Beam carried me straight to the nurse's office, bridal style. By this point, my face was as red as a tomato.
I could feel all the eyes on us—everyone in the school staring at me like they were watching some dramatic soap opera. Some even had their phones out, snapping photos, which only made my embarrassment grow.
Still, no matter how embarrassed I felt, I couldn't bring myself to say anything. My mind was a total mess. I wasn't even sure if my face was red from the volleyball or from being carried like this...
"Fah, don't worry. We're almost there," Beam said softly, her voice gentle, her smile the epitome of a romance drama lead. Her calmness only made me more tense.
"I-I can walk... This is just... too much," I managed to stammer out, but my voice was shaky, making me sound weak.
"Don't worry. I'm happy to take care of you, Fah."
Beam tightened her hold on me a bit, and without realizing it, I grabbed onto her school shirt tightly.
I could clearly hear my own heartbeat, pounding so loudly it felt like it would jump out of my chest. I had no idea what to do, so I just held onto her shirt.
Finally, after Beam's overly dramatic journey, we made it to the nurse's office. The school nurse looked at us a little weirdly at first, but when Beam explained that I'd been hit in the face with a volleyball, she just nodded and pointed to a bed.
Beam placed me down gently, making my heart race even more.
"Fah, lie down and rest. I'll get some ice for your face," Beam said in that warm, caring voice, smiling at me like a perfect drama prince. It was almost too much to handle.
"Uh... really, I'm fine..."
I tried to protest, but Beam just shook her head lightly and smiled again, making me feel even more flustered.
"Don't be stubborn, Fah. Even if it's not that bad, a cold compress will help reduce the swelling. If your face ends up bruised, what will we do then?"
I'm a guy! Why should I care if my face looks bruised? But I couldn't say that, so I just pulled the blanket over my blushing face.
"Really, it's..."
Before I could finish, Beam moved closer, sitting beside my bed, and took my hand gently.
"Fah, you need to take care of yourself. I'll be really worried otherwise."
Beam's voice was soft, and I could only widen my eyes, speechless under her gaze.
My heart was pounding like crazy, my face heating up even more. Meanwhile, Beam just sat there, holding my hand with a look of genuine concern.
Before I could say anything, the nurse came back with a bag of ice, handing it to Beam, who pressed it gently against my face.
"Does that feel better?"
"Uh... y-yeah."
I tried to respond, but my voice was so shaky that it didn't sound right. Beam just kept smiling at me with that same kind face, making me even more embarrassed.
"Fah, you've been spacing out lately. Are you feeling okay?"
"About that..."
It's been about a week since I found out there was a way to turn back into a guy. But since there had been no progress, I'd been overthinking it and stressing myself out. I guess I'd been too lost in my thoughts, and it had started to show.
"There's just... something on my mind."
"What is it? You can tell me. If you're worried about something, I'm here to listen."
"It's just..."
I couldn't exactly tell her that I was worried about wanting to change back to my old self. If I said that, it'd open a whole can of worms, and who knows, I might get thrown into the Andaman Sea or something.
Since I didn't know what to say, I just pulled the blanket over my face again.
"Are you being bullied? If someone's giving you trouble, I'll..."
"N-No! No one's bullying me at all."
I quickly denied it, not wanting anyone to end up tossed into the sea because of me.
"Everyone at school has been really nice to me. It's just... some family stuff, that's all."
Beam was quiet for a moment before smiling softly. "I get it. If it's family stuff, I understand. But don't worry, Fah. Even if you don't want to talk about it now, I'll be here for you. Whenever you feel like talking, just let me know."
Her voice was so warm that I couldn't help but feel my heart melt a little. And with her holding my hand so gently, it made it even harder to control my emotions.
"Thanks."
I replied softly, turning my face away so she wouldn't see how red it was. Not knowing what else to say, I just stayed like that.
Then, suddenly, Beam laughed quietly and leaned in close, whispering in my ear.
"Fah... if your face gets any redder, I might just think you're blushing because of me."
"It's not like that!!!"
I shouted back in embarrassment, quickly pulling the blanket up to cover my face completely.
Beam laughed again, her tone teasing. "You don't need to be so shy. I was just joking. Now, get some rest. I'll stay here with you."
"No, really... I can rest on my own... You don't need to stay... Isn't it almost time for class? I'd feel bad if you skipped because of me."
"Alright, alright. I'll go. But I'll bring you some lunch later. What do you want?"
"Just some porridge is fine."
"Porridge, huh? Fits a patient. Alright, I'll see you at lunch."
Beam smiled at me for a moment before finally letting go of my hand. My racing heart started to calm down a little as she stood up and walked away.
"Uh... Beam?"
Hearing my voice, she turned back.
"Yeah?"
"Um... thanks."
"Anytime."
The "Prince" left with a cool smile, while I tried to get my frantic emotions under control. Time passed until lunch, and soon after, another familiar figure appeared.
"Fah... I thought you might be hungry, so I brought you some food."
Aqua appeared with a large lunchbox in her hands, her golden hair shining brightly. She smiled when she saw I was safe and sound, but it clashed with the sense of worry I felt growing inside me.
With this vibe... it looks like I'm not getting any peaceful rest today, am I?
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