I Won't Back Down!
What the hell! It was the night before.
...I can't back down. Vita's resolve was rock-solid. She sure as hell wasn't going to retreat over something like this. Of course, a gender change wasn't just something like this, but who was Vita Shama? The embodiment of unyielding competitiveness—she had to see every bet through, no matter how trivial. A real man never runs from a challenge. Fleeing one was a lifelong disgrace, utterly unthinkable.
Fine, if I lose, I lose. Her body turning female changed nothing. She'd boasted big and challenged him; she couldn't stomach chickening out like a coward. Plus, as dorm monitor, she couldn't let a playboy like Carlyle run wild anymore!
"Hey, let's do this—!"
And that's how they ended up here. After a brief silence, a response popped out.
"Who the hell are you?"
Ash-gray hair, golden eyes. A total alpha-male straight out of a shoujo manga stepped up to Vita. Carlyle Schultz himself.
Truth be told, Vita hadn't been tall even as a guy, and now she was even shorter. She flinched—
Naturally, as the towering Carlyle approached, she felt a tiny bit intimidated.
...Damn him and his stupid height. Feeling the height difference all over again soured her mood.
[Hey, you hear? Libra Dorm's princess Hera's dating Carlyle now?]
[No way... He already broke up with Lindsay?]
[Well, he changes girlfriends like clockwork.]
Hera, Lindsay—even Vita's own crush, the angelic Emily Swan. Carlyle had a knack for tangling with the academy's most beautiful girls. Vita hated that about him.
Lifelong rival—that's what he felt like. No way could she be friends with a obnoxiously tall, promiscuous jerk like that.
A real man has to have purity of heart. That was Vita's philosophy. Innate values, maybe?
Damn right. Her dream since childhood: marrying her first love. With her pure-hearted nature, she'd deliberately steered clear of the sleazy stuff kids her age usually dabbled in. No interest until she experienced it herself.
[Vita, check this out. Isn't it killer?]
[Not into that crap.]
Of course, being a guy, she had some curiosity.
Ugh... Barely resisting, really. Jerking off to porn was a blow to her pride she couldn't allow. Maybe her competitiveness twisted into something weird.
Anyway, from Vita's perspective, Carlyle Schultz was a guy without principles. The type she didn't even want to deal with. Most men liked pure girls, but didn't that mean they had to be pure first?
With views like that, getting dethroned from first place and having her crush stolen? Vita had been seething.
Whoosh—whoosh. Suddenly, a large hand swept past Vita's poisonously glaring eyes.
Her thoughts had wandered too long, apparently.
"You deaf or something...?"
What a rude mouth on the guy.
"I'm not deaf, asshole—!"
Vita yelled back in fury, and a chuckle escaped him.
"At least you're not a doll."
Urk—Vita nearly hurled up her breakfast. Hate to admit it, but the jerk had a decent face, so cheap lines like that probably worked on girls.
But not on me. I'm different. She just wanted to punch him.
So Vita pointed her wooden sword upward with one hand.
You're getting beat today. She would win, no doubt.
"Anyway, beat it! We'll do kendo."
Vita raised her wooden sword. Carlyle stared, utterly baffled.
What the hell's with this girl? Was she nuts? He frowned at his brow, lost in thought for a moment.
From his side, he'd just humored that weirdly passionate kid, Vita Shama, and his challenge.
The guy clung like a leech—annoying, and he was bored anyway. So he'd agreed, only for some girl to show up on duel day.
Sleeveless top with a pattern up top, short skirt below. And weirdly, no shorts underneath.
Flutter—flutter. Every breeze lifted her skirt, flashing a glimpse inside.
Her panties, plain and simple. Carlyle couldn't make sense of it and ended up chuckling.
What is this... no way. Was this her play?
Such a bold seduction was new even for him. But damn if it didn't pique his interest.
Tiny frame, but sharp-featured. And cute as hell. Her light auburn wavy long hair flowed loose, unbound, making her poised stance with the wooden sword look ridiculously confident.
Intriguing enough. And not just for Carlyle.
Onlookers buzzed with reactions.
"Who's that?"
"Totally my type."
"New transfer?"
The guys' take.
"What's her deal?"
"No shorts, right?"
"Obviously on purpose."
The girls grumbled warily.
"Scared?"
Vita, oblivious to the whispers, stood tall and proud. Sure, a bit embarrassed.
But is that my problem? She was a guy at heart anyway. Not even her real body—underwear peeking wasn't a big deal. Kendo meant sacrificing comfort for mobility. Plus, her dad hadn't packed any pants.
Whoosh—another skirt flap. Carlyle stared at the plain white panties before finally speaking.
"So, who are you? Where's the guy who challenged me?"
"Th-that's..."
Oh, right. Vita realized the contradiction too late.
Forgotten fact: For a duel, you'd obviously reveal your identity, right? Especially with some random girl showing up.
Considering his position.
...But that's tricky.
Twenty to thirty spectators—way more than expected. That was the issue.
......
And then she spotted someone. Vita's face hardened.
One of St. Antiope Academy's three flowers. From her own Reindeer Dorm, with lake-blue eyes and translucent silver hair—a pure, ethereal beauty.
Why is Emily here...?
Vita's crush. At this moment, revealing she was Vita was impossible.
What idiot confesses to his crush that he turned into a girl?!
"No way."
From the observer's seat, it was entertaining. Carlyle muttered to himself, shook his head, sighed, clenched his fist.
For such unique sincerity, he'd play along.
Vita spoke up.
"S-so, uh. My name is Bi... no, Bianca!"
Almost slipped.
"What's your deal with that guy?"
The immediate question to the flustered Vita. She hesitated, then bluffed.
No need to explain to him.
"Does that matter right now? Anyway, you cool with me subbing?"
Carlyle was dumbfounded, but this girl intrigued him. Her stubborn pout was oddly fresh.
He chuckled.
"Even I'm not sleazy enough to duel a girl. Different sport, maybe."
Well, yeah. Dueling a girl? Only one kind came to mind.
At least for him. Hook, line, and sinker—the bait worked on oblivious fish.
"What kind...?"
Innocent reaction. Pondering it herself now. Real personality or act? Carlyle felt like he'd discovered a new kink.
Cute... why?
Then, as if decided.
"Fine. Any sport you want is cool."
"No backing out?"
She'd proposed, he'd accepted. Carlyle scooped her up effortlessly.
"Wh-what—!"
"Gotta go to the duel spot. My room. Just us for the match."
Flustered, but Vita perked up at "just us."
"...Just us... duel?"
Her obsession twisted the words. Proof he was serious about their matchup.
But what the hell was it? Vita pondered, pure as can be in Carlyle's eyes.
"Put me down already—!"
Vita shrieked nonstop.
"You wanted a duel."
Laced with amusement.
"So what kind of duel is it?!"
She couldn't take it anymore. Vita fumed.
No explanation, just circling with vague bullshit.
"Spoils the fun if I tell."
Carlyle's face was dead serious. Like, we both know, so why play dumb?
And saying he'd drop her if she guessed? Sounded like quitting the duel.
Vita caved.
...No clue what crap this is, but fine. Put me down. I'll walk.
Her tension eased, recalling the crowd staring blankly. Including her crush, Emily Swan. Mood soured.
"Nope."
Carlyle refused again.
"Save your stamina."
That subtle line chased away her gloom. Right—duel first.
What sport needs stamina saved...? He's serious about this.
Vita ditched pride for the win, feeling oddly pleased by his reactions.
Fine. I'll crush you. Imagining an epic contest, she steeled herself. Clueless to his intentions.
Plop. Arriving, Vita hit the bed.
Carlyle's dorm room.
"Eh... huh...?"
Duel? Why the bed? Something felt off now.
"How old are you?"
Random age question.
"Same as you, dummy."
Answering irked her. He probably didn't even care if original Vita Shama was his age.
Aside from seeing her as someone else. Just a hunch? She'd always felt annoyed around him.
Only she saw him as rival, only she obsessed. Unfair, irritating.
"Thought you were younger."
Vita snorted in disbelief.
"So?"
"Meant it as a compliment."
Carlyle was right in her face now.
"Messing with minors bugs me."
Weird phrasing, but Vita agreed. Protect the young.
Even Ouroboros thugs had lines? Surprisingly decent.
And then. Vita was speechless.
What the hell was he doing? Stripping his shirt.
She couldn't look away from the superior male physique stirring inferiority.
...Genetics, huh. Confirmed: her losses were the world's unfairness. Innate physical gap.
Misreading her gaze, Carlyle smirked.
"Ready to start...?"
Yeah, something was off. Since earlier.
...Nah, no way.
The absurd hypothesis made her chuckle. She knew better, age-wise.
The signs pointed to... no, impossible...?
Even for crazy-free-spirit Carlyle.
Not that far...
But Vita was wrong. Something beyond common sense happened.
"Mmph—!"
What the hell—