Life. Something I thought I had lost, now I had to learn to live again from scratch. Not the life of Hiroshi Takahatsu anymore, but that of Yuuka Hatsumina. Since being discharged from the hospital, every morning I've had to face that reality.
Yuuka's small apartment became my world. The first few days were tough. From getting dressed (still clumsy and awkward with this body), to preparing breakfast (I only knew how to make simple things like instant noodles or quick fried rice; thankfully, Yuuka had quite a bit of food in the fridge), and also... looking at myself in the mirror every morning.
The delicate face, the vivid blue eyes, the long black hair... That was me, but it wasn't me. It was like looking at my avatar in a game, pretty alright, but knowing it wasn't the real me.
[Body synchronization reaching 75%. Master is gradually adapting.]
The System occasionally appeared emotionlessly in my head.
75%? I wonder when it will reach 100% and what will change then.
The hardest part was going back to school. Jounan Academy. A normal high school in Tokyo. The girl's uniform: white shirt, beige sweater, striped skirt, knee-high socks. The feeling of walking to the subway station wearing a skirt and long socks... it honestly made me want to disappear into the earth.
On the first day back at school, I was trembling with nervousness. I knew nothing about Yuuka's friends, about her relationships. I only knew she was quite quiet and spoke little from the old messages on her phone. That was probably an advantage, helping me avoid talking too much and giving myself away easily.
I walked into the classroom. The noisy atmosphere of break time. Everyone's eyes turned towards me.
"Oh! Yuuka's awake!"
"She's come to school!"
"Thank goodness!"
A few girl friends ran over.
"Yuuka! Are you okay?"
"I was so worried about you!"
They surrounded me, their eyes filled with concern. I tried to force a weak smile and replied softly.
"Um... I... I'm okay..." My voice was still a bit shaky.
A girl with her hair tied up in a high ponytail, looking quite energetic, stared at me intently. "You look so pale. Still very weak, aren't you?"
"Um... I still need more rest..."
"I heard you have temporary amnesia?" another girl with short hair asked.
This information... did the police tell the school? Or did the nurse tell the ramen shop owner and he told someone?
"Ah... um... I don't remember much about the accident..." I said, trying to maintain a confused expression. "My head is... a bit muddled..."
The girls looked at each other understandingly.
"It's okay! Just take your time resting!" the ponytail girl said. "If anything is difficult at school, just tell us!"
They didn't ask any deeper questions. It seemed that memory loss after an accident wasn't too strange in this world, or at least they didn't want to press me.
In the classroom, I tried to catch up. The subjects... fortunately, 30-year-old Hiroshi's knowledge was more than enough to help me understand high school lessons, even finding them quite simple. Math, physics... completely easy. Even Japanese literature, with my background in reading manga/light novels and basic cultural knowledge, wasn't too difficult. The biggest problems were physical education and extracurricular activities, where I had to use this body naturally and interact more.
PE class... was truly a nightmare. Running, jumping rope, coordination exercises... This body was still weak, and controlling it according to my will (a man unfamiliar with feminine gentleness and flexibility) was extremely difficult. I constantly stumbled, gasped for breath, and felt truly "clumsy" at this subject.
"Yuuka, are you okay?" the PE teacher asked, looking worried. "Just sit and rest if you feel tired!"
"Yes... I... I'm a bit tired..." I replied, out of breath. The weakness after the accident became the perfect excuse.
My classmates looked at me with sympathetic eyes. Perhaps they thought the accident had severely affected my health.
"Yuuka seems a lot... quieter, lately?" I overheard someone saying to another girl when I wasn't paying attention.
"Maybe it's because of the accident. Feel kind of sorry for her."
They noticed a difference. But they attributed it to the accident and amnesia. That was convenient for me.
After school, I went to the Ichiraku ramen shop for my part-time job. The familiar rich smell of broth from when the owner visited. The shop wasn't very big, it was cozy and always busy. Mr. and Mrs. Tanaka (a very kind and sprightly elderly couple) were overjoyed to see me return.
"Yuuka-chan! You're back!" Mrs. Tanaka said, her hands still deftly wiping tables.
"Mr. and Mrs. Tanaka... Hello..." I bowed slightly in greeting.
"Excellent! Excellent!" Mr. Tanaka laughed loudly.
"Just take it easy! Health is the most important thing!"
I started Yuuka's familiar tasks: taking orders, serving water, clearing tables, and most importantly... folding gyoza.
The original Yuuka's gyoza-folding skills were truly masterful. My hands, or rather, Yuuka's hands, automatically knew how to pleat the wrapper quickly and evenly. This surprised and delighted me quite a bit. At least this body had some useful skills.
"You're still as quick at folding gyoza as ever!" Mr. Tanaka commented, looking satisfied. "Nobody can replace Yuuka-chan when it comes to this!"
I just gave a wry smile in response.
But there were times when I struggled with simple things that the original Yuuka probably did easily. For example, carrying a tray of hot ramen bowls. This body hadn't fully regained its strength, and maintaining balance, enduring heat... were all new challenges.
"Be careful, Yuuka-chan!" Mrs. Tanaka reminded me when she saw me stumble slightly. "Let me give you a hand!"
"Yes... I... I can do it myself..." I tried to decline, not wanting Mr. and Mrs. Tanaka to worry more.
While working, I observed everyone. Mr. and Mrs. Tanaka, the other co-workers (a college student and a middle-aged woman working the evening shift), and even the regular customers. They treated me very kindly, concerned, but also noticed a change.
"Yuuka seems a bit... quieter, lately?" I overheard the college student co-worker saying to the other woman when I wasn't paying attention.
"Probably because of the accident. It's kind of pitiful."
They saw I was different. But they still attributed it to the accident and the shock.
Yuuka's life continued. Mornings at school, afternoons working part-time at the ramen shop. There were times that were very difficult and awkward, especially when facing situations requiring feminine agility and dexterity, or when having to communicate naturally like a 16-year-old girl.
But gradually, I started getting more used to it. This body was no longer completely unfamiliar. I learned to control it a little better, learned how to move less awkwardly. I also learned to observe and imitate the behavior of girls my age.
It was like... learning a new language. The language of the female body, the language of teenage girl society.
I was still Hiroshi Takahatsu inside, with all the memories and mindset of a 30-year-old man. But on the outside, I was Yuuka Hatsumina, the 16-year-old girl slowly integrating back into her life.
Sometimes, during a break at the ramen shop, I looked out the window. Tokyo was still bustling. I remembered what Inspector Tanaka said about the "dropped items", about the lurking danger. But here, in this cozy ramen shop, with the familiar smell of broth and the kindness of Mr. and Mrs. Tanaka, that world seemed so far away.
However, I knew it was still out there. Waiting.
This normal life, despite being full of extraordinary things for me, was the perfect disguise. It helped me hide my true identity, gave me time to get used to the new body and observe this world.
There were still many difficulties. But I was surviving. And gradually... getting used to it.
I, Yuuka Hatsumina, continued to go to school, go to work, and try to live as normal a life as possible, in this world that was completely abnormal.