Chapter 2: A Girl Realizes That She is a Girl

A GIRL REALIZES THAT SHE IS A GIRL

CHAPTER 2 OF THE MANGA

( Anime Cross-reference---Anime Episode 2, " The Girl Realizes That She is a Girl " )

Previously
Hazumu has always been a person born perceived as a male, but with very feminine looks and personality qualities. While seeking solace on Mt. Kashima because of a love confession that was not to be, Hazumu was killed, but resurrected back to life as a teenage human female. But there is so much more that Hazumu has to address now that she is a girl.

Chapter Overview
Hazumu goes through medical tests at the hospital, but the doctors do not find anything wrong with her physically as a female. On her first day back to school, Hazumu wears a female school uniform obtained by her mother. She attempts to adjust to living life as a girl, but still retains somewhat of a male personality, and a male force of habit ( such as trying to go into the boys restroom ). Tomari Kurusu, her female childhood friend, attempts to teach Hazumu the ways of being a girl. However, Tomari finds it difficult since she is a tomboy herself, and is conflicted in her heart, to see Hazumu as a girl. Yasuna notices female Hazumu at school, too, and immediately opens up an intimate dialogue with her. At the end of the episode, Hazumu is surprised by two strangers who come for a visit, and are hanging out in her bedroom.

This Chapter's Story
An NHK newscast drones on and on from an unwatched and unattended television receiver---

It is six hours since the shocking news of the invading UFO---

Hazumu Osaragi is now back home---

Examination at a hospital has proved the alien's statement that Hazumu is an atomically correct female---

In this regard, Premier Oizumi will tomorrow convene a special session of the Japanese Diet---

on whether or not to change Osaragi Hazumu's Birth Certificate from 'born a male' to 'born a female'---

_______________________________________

On the school day that Hazumu is scheduled to return to class, she lays awake on her bed, wearing her boy clothes of a T-shirt and warm-up pants, pondering many thoughts. One thought keeps coming back for review and conformation--- " Have I really become a girl ? " She sits upright and looks down inside her T-shirt. ACK ! Real breasts !!! A knock, knock comes from her bedroom door. It is her parents, wanting to know if she has calmed down enough for a friendly chat ? Yes, as she gets up and turns off the unwanted television.

Mom enters first, with an arm-full of girl clothes, which she throws at Hazumu ! " Mother always wanted a girl ! ", she implores, as she deftly places a cute bow into Hazumu's hair ! Hazumu gives her a blank stare, changing to mild irritation. Father pushes Mom aside and he becomes serious--- " This is terrible, but no matter what happens in life, we have to look forward and keep living . . . . . . . So, it's always been Father's dream to bathe with his daughter, like tonight ! " This only elicits a swift karate kick to Father's head, from Mom ! After Father is 'out cold', Mom turns to Hazumu and tells her that she can wear this to her first day back at school, as she holds up a brand new, freshly pressed female school uniform.

Outside the front gate to the Osaragi family home wait the three friends---Tomari, Ayuki, and Asuta. But then there is a roudy gaggle of Faux News style reporters and cameramen there, too. Finally, Hazumu steps through the front door to the outside, as cute as ever in her new school uniform ! " Good Morning " comes rolling off her lips. The response to her warm greeting is a riotous noise of questions and comments from the reporters. The sidewalk is lit up like a fireworks display as flashbulbs and camera lights are all focused on Hazumu. Tomari sees the 'damsel in distress', and grabbing Hazumu's hand, makes a mad dash down the sidewalk with Hazumu in tow. As the two rush past a low standing wall, the teacher, Tsuki Namiko, jumps down from the wall and stands in the path of the bull-run of reporters and cameramen. Bravely she holds her ground, until she is smashed like a semi-tractor going through a wooden picket fence ! She is carried along mosh style, until she is thrown upward and descends into an open manhole.

Like a high speed bullet train, Tomari doesn't stop until the both of them are at the school's front gate. Huffing and puffing, Tomari is barely able to get out, " Are you okay with this ? ", to Hazumu. " Are you really all right with being a girl ? " is the next comment spit out from Tomari. Hazumu responds, as soon as she is able to catch her breath, that there is nothing that she can do about it, because all the tests show that she is completely female. Tomari storms off in a huff. Arriving Ayuki now hands Hazumu her briefcase that was dropped on the sidewalk during the melee. " I think that Tomari would rather you still be a boy ! ", states Ayuki in a matter-of-fact tone.

Once inside the school building, Hazumu is the subject of all manor of sickly rumor, slimy innuendo, and unwanted attention, said in a hushed whisper wherever she happens to be. Tomari and Asuta join up with Hazumu and walk with her seemingly as her personal bodyguards. Finally, the hushed talk gets to Tomari, as she shouts out for ones to speak out loud, or shut up ! Hazumu and her bodyguards turn into an almost empty hallway, only to see Yasuna standing in the way. Heavy oppressive silence overshadows both girls as Hazumu and her entourage bypass around her and enter a classroom. Tomari is plainly annoyed at Yasuna's presence. About half past noon, Hazumu needs to use the toilet. But nearby Ayuki has to grab Hazumu's elbow and yank her away from opening the door to the boy's restroom, and redirect her to the girl's restroom ( Hazumu can't use a urinal anymore ! ) Apparently, Asuta is confused, too, upon seeing Hazumu entering the girl's restroom, and yells something at Hazumu, only to receive a 'kick in the head' from Tomari !

During the afternoon break, Asuta and Hazumu are on the roof of the main school building, having a private conversation amid the rooftop gardens. Asuta is proposing that their 'manly friendship' not change, and Hazumu agrees. But then Auita sorta contradicts himself by grabbing the fence with both hands and looking outward toward the city, inquiring about the fact that Hazumu now has a differently shaped chest. . . . . "Wanna see it . . . . . . ??? ", offers Hazumu, to which Tomari appears out of nowhere and delivers another 'kick to the head' to Asuta. Then she promptly scolds Hazumu about letting people see her 'ripe melons', as Hazumu meekly agrees to be more careful. At that moment, Yasuma enters the rooftop, sees what is going on, and falls into a deep melancholy.

Just before the last class period of the school day, Hazumu opens her desk, only to find an unopened envelope. It is a handwritten note from Yasuna, asking Hazumu to come to the Music Room after the last class, since there are no music activities today, and the room will be empty. Hazumu shows up, much to the surprise of Yasuna. Yasuna begins with an apology for her being so awful lately. Concerned Hazumu says not to worry about it. But Yasuna is worried, worried so much that she needs to say something right here and now---

" I love you, Hazumu ! "

Yasuna then says to please believe what she is saying from her heart ! Hazumu then apologizes this time for not understanding the Love Confession just offered to her, stating that she is 'now a girl', with some sort of implied perception offered. Dashing from the room, Hazumu leaves Yasuna in a puzzled, then annoyed mood. Ayuki looks into the room shortly thereafter, only to see a frustrated and dejected Yasuna all alone. . . ..

Coming home from school, Hazumu enters her home, only to see her father waiting on her with a dazzled look on his face, and with a tub filled with soap, washcloths, and shampoo in his hands. " The bath, let's go . . . . . . . " ! Hazumu walks right on by him as if he were a statue, saying, " Sorry, proper girls don't do that ! " Father then turns ghostly white, and turns into a statue ! Mom comes by and wonders what Father is kneeling and crying about ? Hazumu goes to her bedroom, and opens her clothes closet doors. Most of her boy clothes are gone, and It is packed full of the cutest, most feminine assortment of dresses styled for a pretty teenage girl ! The earlier image of an angry Tomari at school now comes to mind, with her obtuse comment of, " Is Hazumu okay with being a girl ? " ! Hazumu offers the comment to herself that she can't be anything else. All she can do is continue being a girl. She changes clothes and hangs up her female school uniform. Now the image of a kind but concerned Yasuna comes to mind making her Love Confession in the music room earlier today. Hazumu gently places her boy's school uniform shirt and tie next to her chest, and resolves---

" From now on, I am a girl ! "

Mysteriously, without warning, a 'PUU. . . PUU' sound comes from behind the closed door leading to Hazumu's study room. Suddenly, the door bursts open, and a teen/tween girl dressed in what looks like a little girl's leotard gymnastics outfit with footed leggings, embraces Hazumu ! She addresses her as former young man / present young woman, as well as a honored sibling ! A debonair, refined young man, wearing hooded all-in-one coveralls, then steps through the door and introduces himself as a 'space alien', and the cute teen/tween girl as 'the spaceship' ! You may want to know why were are both here is offered to Hazumu. Gesturing to the teen/tween girl who looks like an identical twin to Hazumu, he dryly states that she is the personage that Hazumu was modeled after. He goes on to say that the both of then will be here for a while, to observe human conduct, and thank you for making us welcome. The teen/tween girl embraces Hazumu for a second time, as Hazumu is beside herself in astonishment.

Chapter Lookback and Commentary
Following Hazumu's beginning to dress and present themselves at school and out in public as their affirmed gender identity of a teenage female, from that step forward, her friendship and social ties all need to be reassessed and reevaluated. The start of such is first shown in this chapter of the manga. Two social ties that are already beginning to evolve are Hazumu's friendship with the male friend and confidant, Asuta; and how Yasuna, who rejected Hazumu's Love Confession, begins to look at her in a different way, and begins to cultivate a girl with girl shipping with her. Look for more relationship adjustments in the chapters of the manga to come. Plus, two new 'people' enter Hazumu's life, the alien being that resurrected her from accidental death, and the A.I. that controlled and guided the crippled spaceship, now embodied in a visible body that bears a striking resemblance to that of a cute human teenage girl !

Manga Fan's Comments on this chapter---

Azathoth Matie / 3 years ago / 1 like

It is pretty friggen' insane how quickly [Hazumu] was supposed to just accept this. Overnight [their physical] sex changes and people are all just "WELL, BETTER START BEHAVING LIKE A GIRL; NO TIME TO THINK THINGS THROUGH; IT'S DRESSES FOR YOU NOW 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT GIRLS WEAR".

Crystal Asher / 2 years ago

[TO BECOME A GIRL---] I WOULD FREAKING LOVE THIS!

This would be the BEST THING EVER..

King Cron / a year ago

This may just be my opinion, but I think the Fox News channels would be more interested in the space aliens.