Though the motel incident had left me exposed, Si-hyun never mentioned it. We fell back into our usual dynamic like nothing happened, which felt right.

  His unchanged attitude was a relief. I'd worried he might distance himself after seeing me transformed, but Si-hyun remained the same person.

  "Virtual reality training today, finally!"

  "Just more footage of monsters charging at us, I bet."

  His reaction mirrored last week's indifference. Having trained rigorously with private instructors, he clearly held no interest in this virtual content.

  The VR booth was a cramped cubicle. Seated on an uncomfortable chair, I listened to the staff explain the equipment and safety guidelines.

  "Remember this isn't real. Don't use your Ability or exert excessive force, even if startled."

  "Understood."

  My current Ability and attributes couldn't possibly damage anything, but caution never hurt.

  The headset enveloped my vision the moment I pressed the activation button.

  First-person perspective immersed me completely. Turning my head shifted the viewpoint with startling realism.

  A status window appeared ahead, detailing the upcoming scenario. It described Gate monster movement speeds and attack patterns before vanishing. True to the description, creatures materialized before me.

  Their sudden lunge made me flinch, but the system immediately demonstrated countermeasures, ghostly arms mirroring proper movements within my field of view.

  I tracked the visual guides, analyzing each motion.

  This appeared to be a recorded Hunter encounter from a first-person perspective. After an hour of observing various monster engagements, I still felt disconnected.

  Though this Hunter's Stat Values remained unknown, I believed I could replicate their responses.

  Post-observation training involved sparring sessions with a guest Hunter instructor, but I abstained. Frankly, social interaction discomforted me.

  Instead, I recalled the VR footage while practicing movements alone.

  In a secluded corner, I gripped a training spear and adopted a combat stance. Visualizing the timberwolves from the footage, I began evading imaginary attacks.

  My body warmed as I swung the spear and pivoted through imagined scenarios. Enhanced stamina attribute delayed fatigue, permitting more intense practice.

  Eventually, the gym fell silent, the earlier clatter of Weapons and sparring conversations had ceased.

  Opening my eyes, I noticed people coughing awkwardly while avoiding my gaze.

  "...?"

  Si-hyun approached as I puzzled over the strange reactions.

  "Embarrassing yourself again."

  He draped a bulky jacket over my shoulders and forcibly turned me toward the wall.

  "What's wrong?"

  When I tried removing the stifling garment, he stopped me. Leaning close, he whispered:

  "Use your brain, idiot."

  Think? About what... His meaning escaped me.

  "Huh?"

  His cheeks colored slightly at my confusion. He stammered unintelligibly while I failed to grasp the situation.

  This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  As Si-hyun sighed and averted his gaze, I instinctively followed his line of sight-

  To my chest.

  ...The sweat-soaked fabric clung tightly to my skin, clearly outlining the shape of my bra.

  Ah...

  Now I understood. My clothes were drenched from swinging the spear so vigorously earlier.

  Suddenly, Mother's warnings came back to me. She'd repeatedly cautioned me about being mindful of others' gazes, but I'd dismissed it, until this moment, I'd completely forgotten I was female.

  The heat from my entire body rushed to my cheeks.

  "Sorry."

  Now I understood why Si-hyun had given me his jacket and told me to face the wall.

  Mother was right. I'd been far too careless.

  My mind was a mess in every possible way. Shame, self-loathing, and embarrassment washed over me.

  I quietly composed myself and made a decision: first, escape the gym to avoid further attention. The quickest and safest refuge was the restroom.

  "I'm going to the restroom."

  "Okay."

  "Um... can I borrow your jacket for a while?"

  I hurried toward the restroom along the least crowded route.

  Of course, before entering, I made sure to check whether it was the men's or women's room.

  Sitting on the toilet, I reexamined my condition.

  The heat on my body seemed to have subsided somewhat, but my already soaked shirt still clung to my skin, clearly outlining my chest and exposing my figure.

  As I tried to wring out the damp clothing, I heard someone enter the restroom.

  "Ugh, my eyes."

  "Total slut. Acting all innocent while clearly fishing for male attention."

  "Right. Flaunting those big breasts."

  "Probably got implants."

  "Always acts so prim and proper, ignoring anyone who talks to her."

  "Disgusting."

  "Yeah, even her boyfriend must be embarrassed."

  ...Nothing but vicious comments. Most likely aimed at me. They kept cursing for a long time before finally leaving.

  My mind was in turmoil. I'd personally experienced the consequences of being careless about how others perceived me.

  They understood nothing. I had no such intentions... I just felt wronged. I wasn't trying to seduce anyone, nor was I deliberately ignoring anyone. It wasn't my fault, so why was I being cursed at? My chest felt tight.

  I felt guilty that Si-hyun would be cursed at because of me too. My self-disgust and disappointment grew stronger, sinking me deeper into depression.

  When countless negative emotions began overwhelming me one after another, unstoppable tears finally spilled over.

  After crying alone for over five minutes, the depressive mood eased slightly.

  That's when I truly began to understand that I needed to be more careful with my words and actions.

  In others' eyes now, I was no longer male but female, this fact finally sank in completely.

  Earlier, my family and friends had been considerate and tolerant. Only now did I painfully realize how I must appear to those who didn't know my circumstances.

  From now on, by society's definition, I am female.

  So naturally, I must act like a woman and observe my surroundings from a female perspective.

  Just then, the Status Panel appeared, and my femininity attribute rose from F to E.

  Damn it... just as I thought. This femininity attribute definitely increases as I become more feminine.

  The problem is what benefit raising it actually gives me.

  Flustered, I wiped my tears with tissue paper and left the stall. Standing before the sink, I looked in the mirror, my eyes were red and tear-streaked.

  To cover my tracks, I washed my face. The cold water seemed to calm my nerves a little. I grabbed a random towel to dry off, and when I checked the mirror again, I noticed a wet patch on my chest where water had dripped.

  "Haha..."

  I thought the sweat-soaked areas had dried, but splashing water while washing my face made them damp again. I couldn't go out looking like this. Maybe I should just leave the training center and find someplace deserted?

  Just when I thought washing my face had settled me, the gloom returned.

  I slipped out of the restroom, turned a corner, and headed for the training center exit. Once outside, the chilly wind hit me with a biting cold.

  "Hah..."

  Mid-March air still held a chill, and my breath misted white. But the cold breeze cleared away some of the heaviness inside. I shifted to a corner, crouched down, and looked up at the sky when someone pressed a warm can against my cheek.

  "Hot!"

  "Hehe, what are you doing here, trainee?"

  I looked up and saw the staff member I'd often run into since the term started.

  "Just taking a break."

  "Is that so? It's cold, want some coffee?"

  She handed me the same coffee that had touched my cheek. Since I was a bit chilly, I didn't refuse.

  "Ahh~"

  The hot coffee went down, and though my outer clothes were thin, the warmth spreading from my stomach lifted my mood.

  "Actually, I'm not supposed to say this by the rules... but, well, the higher-ups are already aware of your situation."

  "What situation?"

  "Your awakened ability. We civil servants at the Hunter Management Department check the registered abilities of Awakened individuals in advance."

  Ah... I thought she was a regular employee, but she's a civil servant. She tapped on her phone and showed me the screen.

  "Female Awakened with fuller chests often use this."

  The display showed a chest compression garment. If I were a real girl, I might have known about such things already, but having been female for only about twenty days, I had no clue. I'd assumed a bra would be enough.

  I pulled out my phone from my back pocket and searched for the item right there.

  "Th-thank you very much."

  "Don't mention it. Providing this kind of support is part of our duty to Hunters."

  "Ah! And thank you for the coffee, too."

  She smiled and walked away. Though she's a civil servant, that small act of kindness felt like a bright light to me.

  I stayed where I was and ordered a compression garment in my size.

  -

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