Since We're Friends, What Is a Female Character Fanatic?
The term “female character fanatic” is often thrown around as an insult, but in truth it’s nothing more than the longing of a romanticist who wants to meet his ideal type even if it’s only inside a monitor. You could call it customizing a character to your exact tastes, piloting her, and giving yourself a little “self-praise.” It’s the complete opposite of male-character fanatics who self-insert into their avatars. Of course, even as a female-character fanatic, I never used to self-insert into my own character.
…Yeah. At least not until a few months ago.
It has been roughly five months since I was spirited away, without warning or explanation, into the world of the dating sim Dugeun Dugeun Academy Life. I’m now attending a so-called academy—a glorified school I never asked for. I’ve made a few friends and adapted better than expected, but…
“Haa…”
I finish washing my face and lift my head. In the mirror I see my body. Wild brown short-cut hair, a boyish beauty with slightly sharp features, a slender frame decorated with crisp eleven-line abs. Yet below that are the unmistakably feminine assets—large, heavy breasts, a narrow waist, and wide hips that flare out in a violent, sensual curve. A textbook sports-type beautiful girl.
This is the exact appearance of “Lee Seon-ah,” the character I created by cramming all my tastes into one body. Now I, her creator, have been reverse-possessed into her. I once believed I would never adapt to a complete change of both appearance and gender…
Turns out nothing in this world is truly absolute.
…I never thought I’d be the one saying those words.
I towel off, return to my room, and change into the academy uniform—a white blouse and navy skirt. “I’m heading out,” I murmur to no one. My parents are conveniently “on overseas assignment,” so the house is mine alone. I cross the small garden, step through the gate, and breathe in air far fresher than any city should allow.
The scenery is similar to the real world yet subtly different. Brand names are slightly altered, but the most jarring thing is how many houses there are. Then again, that’s just standard dating-sim geography.
I adjust the strangely light bag on my shoulder and step onto the main road. Groups of students chatter as they head to school. I can’t help feeling envious; they all look like social butterflies. Ever since I arrived in this world, I’ve been too busy adapting to my new body and common sense to make many friends. I only have two.
“Speak of the devil…”
One of those rare friends is waving at me from up ahead.
“Lee Seon-ah, hurry up!”
“Ah, Eun-jung…!”
Long black hair that reminds me of the night sky, a petite and slender frame, and a fox-like face that somehow looks both elegant and mischievous. Cha Eun-jung—third-generation chaebol, the very picture of a pure, graceful beauty. She has been my greatest reference point for learning how to live as a woman.
I can’t hide my delight. A wide smile breaks across my face as I jog over and fall into step beside her.
“Seon-ah, the final exam results come out today. How do you think you did?”
“Finals? Oh, just average, I guess…”
“Average? After you always score so well? You’re just being modest again, aren’t you?”
“No, really. This time I honestly don’t know.”
“If I lose first place again my father will kill me, but you look completely relaxed.”
Eun-jung glances at me with an unreadable emotion flickering in her eyes. I wave both hands in front of me, flustered. I’m still stuck in a world I don’t fully understand, with no idea how to get out—or if I even can. The only thing I can do is study as if my future depends on it. Fortunately the basic theories here are almost identical to my old world, just with different scholars’ names, so it hasn’t been that difficult. The so-called perk of living a second life, I suppose.
“Anyway, what are you doing over summer break, Eun-jung?”
“I have to attend social gatherings, learn the family business… that sort of thing. Why?”
“Too bad. I was hoping we could work out together.”
“I’d rather do Pilates than follow your hellish schedule.”
We chat and laugh until the academy’s main gate comes into view. The pure-white, imposing buildings stand out like beacons among the surrounding gray structures. As the main setting of the game, they feel almost aggressively detailed. I still remember how stunned I was the first day I saw them.
“What are you staring at? Let’s go in.”
“Ah, right.”
I snap out of my memories and follow her toward the girls’ building. The entrance is filled with delicate, sweet-smelling girls in uniform. I change into indoor slippers at the main shoe rack, walk softly down the hallway, and reach our classroom. Eun-jung and I sit together, killing time, until the front door slides open.
Our homeroom teacher enters—Seong Mi-na, dressed in a suit with the top buttons of her blouse undone to reveal a hint of cleavage. She looks seductive, yet she’s an incredibly diligent educator.
“All right, everyone quiet down. Teacher’s here. If you keep talking, I’ll delay handing out the report cards.”
“Miss Mi-na, can’t you just keep them forever?”
“Then I’ll mail them straight to your parents. If that’s what you want, be my guest.”
“Ugh.”
After effortlessly shutting down the joke, she sets a thick stack of report cards on the lectern. On those ordinary sheets of paper, someone will laugh and someone will cry.
“Attendance will be taken while distributing the cards, so come quickly when your name is called. First, Kim Ga-yeon?”
“Here!”
Watching her hand out the cards, I feel my entire school life flash before my eyes. How hard it had been to adapt to this world when I knew nothing about its culture or how to live as a woman. The number of humiliating, unspeakable things I endured before I could finally stand here as myself. The worst was undoubtedly the day my period started right in the middle of class…
“Lee Seon-ah? Lee Seon-ah!”
“Ah, yes!”
I shake off the memories, push my chair back, and stand in front of the lectern. The report card is placed gently in my hands. Amid the complicated breakdowns, one number stands out in thick print: ‘1’.
So I took first place in the entire school again. The dignity of a second-life gamer reveals itself in the strangest places.
“Once again, our Seon-ah has taken school-wide first place. Everyone, let’s give her a round of applause for all her hard work!”
…This teacher is beautiful, diligent, and wonderful in every way—except for how much she loves embarrassing people. While applause fills the room, I blush furiously and hurry back to my seat.
“Hm…?”
I suddenly feel a sharp gaze and turn. There stands Cha Eun-jung, staring at me with an utterly blank expression. She looks like a ghost. I nearly jump out of my skin.
Since our eyes have met, I flash her a small smile that says I did well, right? and wave. She stares a moment longer, then bites her lip hard, drops her head onto the desk, and buries her face in her arms.
Did her results turn out worse than she expected? No, she hasn’t even received her card yet… I have a vague idea what’s wrong, but it’s clear she’s in a bad mood. She’s always been quick to sulk. If I pry now I might make it worse. Since exams are over, maybe I’ll take her to the karaoke place she likes after school and cheer her up. Once she’s relaxed I can casually ask what’s bothering her.
I sit back down, trying to ignore the faint sense of unease. It’s probably just my imagination.
“Let’s go to karaoke for the first time in ages, yeah? Exams are over—time to blow off some steam.”
“…You don’t even sing.”
“I’m fine just listening. I like hearing you sing.”
“You really know how to talk your way out of anything.”
I stick close to Eun-jung as we leave the academy, trying to persuade her, when I spot a girl parting the crowd of students like Moses parting the sea. Her golden-dyed bob swings every time she whips her head around, clearly waiting for someone. The delinquent aura radiating from her is unmistakable. My other friend—Kim Han-na.
She skips class, fights delinquents, and generally looks like trouble, but she has a surprisingly warm heart. I’m not joking.
“Eun-jung, wait here a second.”
I leave Eun-jung for a moment and creep up behind Han-na. Closer… closer… until I can smell her scent.
“Gotcha!”
I throw my arms around her from behind and squeeze tight.
“Eek…! What the—wait, Seon-ah? Let go! People are staring…!”
“Hehe, I don’t see anyone.”
“I’m right here! Let go!”
I ignore her flustered protests and nuzzle my cheek against her back, hugging her even tighter. One of the best things about having a girl’s body is how low the barrier for skinship is. I can hug cute girls whenever I want. Friends kiss each other, grope each other’s breasts—it’s practically normal. As long as the other person doesn’t mind, of course, and Han-na never really does. She complains, but her body always relaxes eventually.
“Ugh… You pervert…”
See? The fierce struggling stops. Her body is completely mine now. I can do whatever I like. I slide my hands along her slim waist, “accidentally” brush against the soft swell of her chest, and bury my face deeper into her back, inhaling her scent.
This is… heaven…
While I’m lost in her warmth, someone taps my shoulder.
“That’s enough. Weren’t we going to karaoke?”
“Huh? Karaoke?”
Oh right, Eun-jung was still here. I turn and see her pouting, lips pushed out like she’s jealous.
“Exams are over, so I thought we could go to karaoke and have fun. You should come too, Han-na.”
“Hmm… I’m not very good at singing.”
“That’s fine! Eun-jung will sing everything anyway. You and I can just play the tambourine together.”
Han-na tilts her head, thinks for a moment, then nods.
“All right. Where are we going?”
“Near the station. Your house is far, so we should play close by.”
“…Let’s go already.”
“Ow! Okay, okay!”
While I’m talking to Han-na, Eun-jung—apparently unable to wait any longer—kicks my calf. Honestly… She acted like she didn’t want to go earlier, but she clearly does. I take both their hands and we head to the karaoke room together, completely unaware that we are walking toward the starting point of every problem that is about to happen.
“I looove~ you so muuuch~♬”
It has been three hours since Eun-jung, Han-na, and I entered the karaoke room.
“Why don’t you understand my heart~♪”
I’ve lost count of how many songs she’s sung. Han-na left earlier to help at her parents’ restaurant, so now it’s just Eun-jung and me. I’m starting to want to go home… Even though the setting says my parents are overseas, I still feel uneasy staying out late. I’m confident I won’t freeze up if someone tries anything strange, but having a girl’s body still scares me a little. If I get into a fight and take a hit to the back of the head, I might end up suffering something truly horrible as a woman. Just imagining a man pinning me down makes my skin crawl; I rub my arms.
“Cough, cough… Okay, I feel a bit better now.”
“Does your throat hurt? Here, drink some juice.”
“Thanks.”
Eun-jung’s face definitely looks more relaxed than before. Taking her to her favorite place really was the right call.
…I can probably ask now.
As she sets her glass down, I carefully speak up.
“Feeling better now?”
“…What?”
“You looked upset all day, so I was worried… Did something happen?”
“Worried…?”
I only meant to listen if she wanted to talk. The moment the words leave my mouth, her expression darkens at frightening speed.
“Ha, of course… I knew it.”
She mutters something under her breath, then reaches out and grabs my breast—hard.
“…Right. Since we’re friends, it’s okay to do this, isn’t it?”
…Eun-jung?
I had been in a terrible mood since morning. Or rather, I had been in a good mood until it was ruined. I was certain I could beat her this time…
“Once again, our Seon-ah has taken school-wide first place. Everyone, let’s give her a round of applause!”
Yes. Once again, Lee Seon-ah. Last time it was Lee Seon-ah, and it will probably be Lee Seon-ah next time too.
…Lee Seon-ah.
She looks like a sports idiot who doesn’t even pay attention in class, yet she somehow scores ridiculously well and has taken first place in the entire grade two times in a row. Thanks to her I’m stuck in second again. When I get home I’ll probably get scolded for missing first place.
I don’t understand how this is even possible. Is she living a second life too? Or maybe she’s seducing a male teacher to leak the test papers. With that absurd body and face, even an academy instructor wouldn’t be able to resist her.
While I’m staring at her with complicated feelings, she notices my gaze and waves at me with that carefree hand. She really has no idea what I’m thinking. Maybe she’s doing it on purpose. No, what am I thinking? How could I suspect someone as innocent as her over something as trivial as grades?
…I only feel this way because of those “trivial” grades.
Even though I keep telling myself I shouldn’t, the longer I stew in silence the darker my thoughts become. Emotions that have nowhere to go pool inside me, growing sticky and viscous. By the time the school day finally ends and I’m packing my bag, Seon-ah suggests we go to karaoke. I feel a little guilty for cursing her in my head, so I nod.
I didn’t tell my family I’d be late, but today should be fine…
After Han-na joins us midway, we reach the karaoke room. I lose track of time singing at the top of my lungs until Seon-ah suddenly speaks.
“Feeling better now?”
“…What?”
“You looked upset all day, so I was worried… Did something happen?”
“Worried…?”
Ha. I knew it. She’s messing with me. She saw how upset I was when the rankings were announced, yet she’s pretending she has no idea. She’s rubbing it in—saying she doesn’t have any worries because she’s so smart. I thought she was different, but she’s just like everyone else.
…This sly little fox.
I had been holding everything in all day. The sudden surge of anger made my vision go red.
“What does it even mean to be friends? You did it to me first—Hngh♡”
I reach out and squeeze that ridiculously large breast as hard as I can. I want to see that shameless face twist in pain. I want to see that pretty face suffer the same way I am.
“…Right. Since we’re friends, it’s okay to do this, isn’t it?”
I mock her with my words and dig my fingers in again. If she can hurt me while hiding behind the word “friend,” then she should have a taste of—
“………?”
But instead of pain, Seon-ah’s face flushes. “Hngh… Mmm…” She lowers her eyes, bites her lower lip, and wears an unmistakably sensual expression.
…What is this?
Is she enduring the pain for the sake of pride? I squeeze harder, again and again, but all I get in return is rougher breathing.
“Haah… Hngh…!”
Something’s wrong. This isn’t the reaction I wanted. Her waist is trembling now, and somehow my own mood is starting to feel strange. The hand that was supposed to be inflicting pain has gone weak; I’m kneading her breast like a giant rice cake.
…Honestly, the texture feels amazing.
No, that’s not the point. What the hell are we doing?
I try to change the strange atmosphere by snapping at her again. This is all her fault. She knew I was trying to get revenge and deliberately reacted like this…!
“H-hey, Seon-ah. Are… are you okay?”
My voice shakes from sheer bewilderment. That wasn’t what I meant to say at all. While I’m mentally scolding myself, Seon-ah’s equally shaky voice reaches me.
“O-of course… Between friends… something like this is… Hngh… perfectly normal, right…?”
She thinks having her breast groped like this is normal?
…What on earth is she talking about?