Faking Cram School and the SM Tendency Test
The next morning, I knocked on the door of the Retaker's Academy office with a face full of tension.
Knock knock.
“Who is it?”
“It's, uh, Seo-jin.”
“Seo-jin? What's up, this early in the morning?”
The instructor peered at me through his glasses with a puzzled look.
I swallowed hard, mentally rehearsing the scenario Ye-eun Seo had scripted for me last night.
'Act natural, pretend to be in as much pain as possible.'
I clutched my stomach with both hands, furrowed my brow, and spoke in a weak, trembling voice.
“Teacher, I... I feel really sick.”
“Where does it hurt? Caught a cold?”
“No, not that... It's, um... that time of the month.”
“Huh?”
“My stomach hurts so bad I can't even sit still... I already told my parents.”
As I mumbled the words that time, the teacher's face flushed with embarrassment in an instant.
A guy would naturally get flustered hearing that from a girl, right?
The teacher cleared his throat awkwardly and averted his gaze from my stomach to somewhere in empty space.
“Ah, ahem... I see? Girls get that sometimes. Hurts a lot?”
“Yes... Even painkillers aren't helping.”
“Got it. Since your parents know, go home and rest.”
“Th-thank you...”
The teacher let me go early without prying like he usually would.
The moment I stepped into the hallway, I let out the breath I'd been holding and patted my chest.
'Whoa... It actually worked?'
Just like Ye-eun had said.
The teacher folded immediately at the mention of menstrual cramps, and since it hadn't been long since I'd become a girl, he was extra cautious.
She'd predicted his exact reaction and laid out the whole plan.
A mix of awe at Ye-eun's meticulousness and the thrilling liberation of ditching class washed over me.
'Ye-eun... You're one scary girl...'
With lighter steps but a strangely heavier heart, I slipped out of the academy.
Now it was time to head to my real destination.
Once I reached the neighborhood near Ye-eun's house, I first changed clothes in the bathroom of a nearby cafe.
Unlike the baggy hoodie and jeans I wore to cram school, this outfit was far more feminine.
A white polo shirt and tee that hugged my curves more noticeably, paired with a tennis skirt so short it left my thighs fully exposed.
Walking down the street like that, no one would believe I'd been a guy just a few days ago.
It was unfamiliar, but undeniably the look of a pretty girl.
“This should be fine. I'm... a girl now, after all.”
Muttering to myself for reassurance, I gripped my pounding heart and cautiously approached Ye-eun's house.
I'd barely pressed the doorbell when the door swung open, and Ye-eun greeted me.
“Hey, Ye-eun...”
“Oh my, our little Seo-jin~.”
Ye-eun's eyes widened for a split second when she saw me, then curved into a satisfied smile.
Leaning against the doorframe, she blatantly scanned me from head to toe with a sticky gaze, like she was inspecting the packaging on a new purchase.
Chills ran down my spine before I knew it.
“You're even prettier than yesterday? You must've been looking forward to today. And that outfit... so cute.”
“Huh? Oh, no, it's not like that... I just grabbed whatever was handy...”
“Hmm, really? You smell nice too~?”
Ye-eun suddenly thrust her face toward my neck.
Her hot breath brushed my skin, and I recoiled in panic.
Maybe because it was so abrupt, I hadn't braced myself mentally.
My heart raced wildly.
I wanted to bolt, but there was no escaping her in the narrow entryway.
“Sniff sniff... Did you wash up nice and clean like I told you last time?”
“W-wait a sec...”
“Smells so good~. Good job, Seo-jin.”
Soon her hand gripped my waist, and I had no choice but to let her run her hands over me, sniffing as she went.
I could've resisted, but the weird atmosphere kept me from pushing her away.
She toyed with me like that for a bit, then looked at my face with a proud smile.
“Seeing you change into such a good girl makes me so proud. If only you'd been like this from the start~.”
“R-really...?”
“Yeah. Oh, right—Hye-won's waiting inside, so come on in.”
I followed Ye-eun into the house as she naturally hooked her arm through mine.
Hye-won Kang was lounging on the living room sofa, munching snacks and watching TV.
She turned at the sound of us, froze mid-chew when she saw me, and let out a mocking laugh.
“Whoa, Lee Seo-jin... You're insane, you bitch. Skipping cram school and dolled up like that? Looks like you're here for a date.”
“Ugh...”
“You really went all out. Hey, Ye-eun. She looks like she's super excited.”
“Hye-won, that's too harsh. Our Seo-jin made a big effort to dress up pretty—praise her~.”
Ye-eun's words sounded like compliments propping me up, while Hye-won's felt like teasing.
Caught between them, I didn't know what to say.
Did Hye-won's reaction mean I actually looked pretty to her?
I couldn't be sure, but knowing her usual self, that had to be it.
“Anyway, go sit over there and relax. Hungry? Let's eat something and chat.”
“Yeah... Thanks.”
I nodded and carefully sat on the sofa in front of where Hye-won was.
She glanced at me, smirked, and turned back to the TV.
That nonchalant yet attentive vibe.
She usually came off as rude, but today it felt oddly reassuring.
“Here, snacks I prepared for our Seo-jin~.”
“Whoa, aren't these the fancy ones your dad brought from overseas?”
“Yep. Since Seo-jin's visiting again, I have to share~.”
“You're nuts. You never let me touch them when I come over. Lucky you, Seo-jin?”
“Uh, y-yeah... Thanks.”
Ye-eun plopped down next to me naturally, handing me some snacks.
After that, nothing much happened.
Just the TV droning on, snack bags rustling, and casual chit-chat.
Talk about good cosmetics, trendy cafes—typical early-20s girl stuff, with me chiming in occasionally.
But even in this normal scene, my mind was elsewhere.
'When... when the hell is it gonna start...!'
Legs crossed, I bit my lip in growing impatience.
That itch that had tormented me the past couple days was stirring again.
And every time I glanced at Ye-eun's fingers, I flashed back to that shiver in the bathroom yesterday—driving me nuts.
Yet these two had me like this and were just chilling, gossiping about celebrities.
Finally, I couldn't take it and spoke up first.
“Um, Ye-eun.”
“Yeah? What's wrong, Seo-jin? Uncomfortable?”
“No, it's... When are you gonna do the, uh, treatment?”
My words shifted the room's atmosphere in a flash.
A heavy silence drowned out the TV.
Ye-eun set down her juice glass and slowly turned to face me.
A predator's smile played on her lips—the kind aimed at eagerly awaited prey.
“Oh, that? I was actually waiting for you to bring it up first, Seo-jin.”
“R-really...?”
“Yeah. You seem pretty desperate? Fidgeting and showing off your outfit the second you got here.”
Ye-eun turned fully toward me, her playful glint gone.
Her eyes were serious and cool, like a doctor diagnosing a patient.
“Okay, then—I'll ask a few questions, so answer honestly, alright?”
“Y-yeah... Go ahead.”
“Yesterday, after I helped you in the bathroom... Did you try it yourself at home?”
“Try what myself...?”
I played dumb, but her knowing grin told me I'd failed to hide my feelings.
Yeah, I did try.
And I couldn't manage it alone, so I came begging for help.
Saying that outright with Hye-won here felt impossible, so I just nodded cautiously at Ye-eun's smile instead.
“Pfft! What kinda reaction is that?”
“Hye-won...?”
“Everyone here already knows. So just be honest.”
“Uh, y-yeah...”
That's when Hye-won burst out laughing and nudged my shoulder.
It felt friendly in one way, but had that signature delinquent vibe in another, freezing me up.
Hye-won knew too? How?
It made sense, though. Ye-eun and Hye-won were practically a package deal.
Of course she'd share details about my situation.
I'd half-expected that when I told Ye-eun.
“Don't worry, Seo-jin. What you tell us stays between us.”
“R-really?”
“I promise on everything. Want me to write up a contract~?”
“N-no, that's fine...”
With Ye-eun gently coaxing me, I sighed and steeled myself.
I had to spill it.
Only then could I find a way out of this maddening itch.
“I tried. Stuck my finger in and... rubbed, but it didn't work.”
“Hmm~. I see.”
“I thought about using a toy alone, but that scared me... Y-you two are the only ones who can help, so I came.”
I bowed my head after blurting it all out.
Humiliation burned my face red.
I braced for their mocking replies, but unexpectedly, Ye-eun's voice was warm.
“You did great. Smart thinking, Seo-jin.”
“Huh...?”
“Trying to masturbate with random stuff alone could've been dangerous. Especially since you just became a girl—you don't even know how to do it right.”
“R-right...”
“Don't worry~. I'm pretty good at this stuff too. I'll help our Seo-jin release her urges in a healthy way.”
Healthy way to release urges.
The paradoxical phrasing—crude yet earnest—perked up my ears.
Ye-eun had given off creepy vibes eyeing my body before, but separately, she'd shared useful girl info too.
Like how to find the right bra or clean sensitive spots—it'd actually helped.
Maybe this time she'd seriously teach me practical stuff.
With that hope, I looked at her.
“Then let's try this first?”
“Huh? What's that...?”
“Take a look first. Then I'll explain~.”
That is, up until Ye-eun pulled a few A4 sheets titled SM Tendency Test from the drawer.