What Did I Git Myself Into?

The first week at Kagetsu felt normal.

That’s what Tsukihito told himself as he walked through the torii gates that morning. The hills were quiet, as always. The main building stood tall against the trees, sunlight catching on the windows. Students gathered in small groups, laughter carrying through the air. It looked like any other school morning.

He walked beside Kiyuri, who was talking about how she had already forgotten half the names from yesterday’s introductions. “I swear,” she said, adjusting her ribbon, “everyone looks confident until you ask them to say something about themselves. Then they just freeze.”

Tsukihito gave a small nod. He understood that feeling too well.

Inside the classroom, the noise level was already higher than it had been on the first day. Desks scraped against the floor. Someone was arguing about club sign-ups. Hiro was laughing at something across the room. Then Mr. Kitagawa burst in. “Good morning, future legends!” A few students answered him. Most didn’t.

He placed a plastic cup on his desk with dramatic flair. Inside were wooden sticks with names written on them.

“Today,” he declared, “we begin our first collaborative assignment. Groups will be chosen randomly. Fate will decide your bonds.” A murmur spread across the room.Before he could reach into the cup, several students had already started rearranging their desks.“I’ll work with Tsukihito,” one of them said casually, already dragging her chair closer.

“Excuse me? I sat near him yesterday,” another shot back.

“That doesn’t mean you claimed him.” A girl slammed her hand on Tsukihito’s desk. “Hold on. I was his first partner. Seniority matters.” “You decided that by yourself,” someone else said. “It’s still valid!” Chairs scraped louder this time. Someone lightly shoved another student’s shoulder. It wasn’t serious. More dramatic than anything else.

“Tsukihito, who do you want to work with?” one girl asked, leaning in.

He froze. Every eye turned to him. One girl crossed her arms. “Choose wisely.” Another girl grabbed his sleeve. “We’ll actually get work done.” “We did get work done!” someone protested. They began arguing over one another, voices overlapping.

“I’m better at notes.”

“I’m better at presentations.”

“I bring snacks!”

Meanwhile, Tsukihito sat perfectly still in the center of it all.

He turned to Hiro, but before he could say anything, Hiro jesterd that he was partners with Masaki. Tsukihito didn’t see Kiyuri anywhere either. 

He hadn’t volunteered. He hadn’t even said anything. A collective groan filled the room as Mr. Kitagawa cleared his throat loudly. “Ah,” he said thoughtfully. “The quiet ones are always the most popular.”

Tsukihito wished the floor would open up and swallow him.

Kitagawa finally reached into the cup and pulled out a stick. “Tsukihito Kisaragi… and Takana Kira!” Several heads turned immediately. Kira spun around in her chair and grinned like she had just won something. “No way. We’re paired? That’s actually perfect.” Perfect was not the word Tsukihito would have chosen. She dragged her desk over without hesitation. Her movements were loud and unapologetic. She smelled faintly of citrus shampoo.

“Okay,” she said, leaning her chin into her hand and studying him openly. “You’re quiet. I’ve decided that’s your thing.”

“I don't try to be.” he replied. “That’s fine." said Kira, "I’ll handle the talking. You just sit there and look mysterious, pretty boy.” 

The assignment was simple enough: answer questions from the textbook and prepare a short summary to present to the class. Kira took control immediately. She read the questions aloud, filled in most of the answers herself, and occasionally glanced at him for confirmation. “You agree, right?” she asked at one point. “Yeah.” “See? Teamwork.” By the end of the period, she stretched her arms and smiled brightly.

“We actually work really well together. I feel like we’ve been friends for years.”

Tsukihito had spoken only in fragments, never once forming a full sentence. He wasn’t sure how she had come to that conclusion. The next morning, he left home earlier than usual. After the chaos of yesterday, he needed quiet before the classroom swallowed him again.

The road toward school curved gently uphill. The city behind him slowly gave way to trees and narrow streets. The air smelled faintly of damp earth from last night’s rain.

Halfway there, something glinted near the edge of the sidewalk. He slowed his steps. A small pink-silver pendant lay near the curb, shaped like an apple blossom. It was simple, round and smooth, with no gemstones. It looked old but well cared for. He picked it up and turned it over in his hand. It had weight to it, heavier than it appeared.

He glanced around. No one nearby seemed to be searching for anything. No footsteps rushed back toward him.

After a moment of hesitation, he slipped it into his pocket.It would look decent with the uniform. Just a small detail. Nothing flashy.Before homeroom, he stepped into the bathroom. It was empty, the fluorescent lights humming softly overhead. He stood in front of the mirror and took the pendant out.

Then he clasped it around his neck. It rested lightly against his chest. He adjusted his tie and looked at his reflection. He was finally starting to adjust to his new life here.

Then-

*Click.*

A small, almost delicate sound came from the bottom of the pendant.

His body tingled.It started at his chest and spread outward, like static electricity running under his skin. His balance shifted. His limbs felt lighter. The bun he had tied his hair into loosened and fell, dark strands slipping over his shoulders.

His heart began to pound.

Slowly, he looked up at the mirror.The person staring back at him was familiar. Same pitch-black hair. Same eyes. Same neutral expression. But different.His features were softer. His jawline more delicate. His frame slimmer. His uniform hung differently across his body. He looked down.

His breath caught.

It was still him, but as a girl. He tore the pendant off. Nothing changed. He stared at himself, chest rising and falling too quickly. He put it back on. Still nothing. He pressed along the surface frantically, but nothing responded. A wave of cold realization settled in.

He had class in five minutes.

He rushed out of the boys’ bathroom. No one seemed to notice a girl coming out. The hallway felt ten times longer than usual. He kept his head down, his blazer pulled tightly closed, though it barely fit properly anymore. He tried to speak under his breath, testing his voice. It still sounded like his own, just softer. 

Near the lockers, he heard a familiar voice. “Has anyone seen Tsukihito?” Masaki asked.“He wasn’t in homeroom,” Hiro replied. “That’s weird,” Kiyuri said quietly. “He wouldn’t just not show up. ”They walked right past him. They didn’t look twice. His stomach twisted. He should have felt relieved.Instead, he felt like he had just erased himself.

By lunchtime, rumors had already begun spreading.

“There’s a new transfer student.”

“She’s really pretty.”

“Which class is she in?”

“I heard she just appeared this morning.”

Someone laughed. “Her looks might even rival Tsukihito.” He avoided the cafeteria entirely and slipped into a small storage room near the back hallway. It smelled faintly of cleaning supplies and dust. He sat on the floor with his back against the door, trying to steady his breathing. After a few minutes, a soft knock startled him.

“Hey,” a girl’s voice said from the other side. “Are you okay?”

He hesitated. “I’m fine.” “You don’t sound fine.” He heard the faint sound of her shifting against the door.

“I hide here sometimes too,” she admitted. “It’s quieter than the cafeteria.”

“…Yeah,” he said after a moment.

She laughed softly. “That’s not very confident.”

They talked through the door for several minutes. They talked about how loud school felt, about how first weeks always seemed unreal, and about Mr. Kitagawa recommending three different anime during math class. He found himself answering without 

thinking too hard.

It felt easier when she couldn’t see him. When the bell rang, she sighed.“Looks like that’s it.” “Yeah.” “See you around,” she said lightly. “Mystery girl.” Her footsteps faded down the hallway. He stayed there until the building quieted and the last wave of students returned to class.

After school, he walked home faster than usual.

Once inside, he went straight to his room and locked the door.The pendant lay on his desk. He stared at it. “There has to be something I missed.”

He picked it up and examined it carefully, running his fingers along the edges.

Then he saw it. A tiny button at the bottom. His breath stopped.

He pressed it.

*Click.*

The tingling returned. His vision blurred for a second. He stumbled toward the mirror.

The reflection staring back at him was normal.

Completely normal.

He gripped the edge of his desk and exhaled shakily. Then his phone buzzed. The group chat.

Masaki: “Did you guys see that new girl?”

Hiro: “She came out of nowhere. 

”Kiyuri:“ she seems like she would get along with Tsukihito.” 

Tsukihito slowly lowered the phone, then he looked at the pendant, then back at the phone. His entire body went still.

“What did I get myself into?”