8year old Honoka Kosaka and her sister Yukiho were playing dress upand doing each others make up. Despite being a few years younger thanHonoka Yukiho was much better. Honoko liked it because she pretendedshe was a girl. Yukiho liked it because she got to pretend to have asister. Honoko was actually a boy; or so everyone thought. Honokowanted to be a girl for as long as she could remember. But everyonesaw her as a boy. She told Yukiho her real name was Honoko and theywere sisters now but it was their little secret.
"Ilove it when you get to be my sister, Honoka! I like you better as agirl because we can do sister things."
"Metoo. I want to be your sister all the time."
"Whycan't you be my sister?" Yukiho asked. Honoko looked sad.
"Idon't think mommy and daddy will let me. They think I'm a boy. Ithink they will be mad if I tell them I'm a girl." Her parents havecaught them playing dress up a few times before and were forced tostop after that. Now they can only do it when they know they'realone. Honoko looked down and started to cry. She hated how Yukihowas the only one who saw her for herself. Yukiho frowned at this andgave her a hug.
"You'remy sister no matter what. I don't care what mommy and daddy say."Honoko looked at her sister surprised. She cried again but this timeit was from happiness and hugged her sister back. A few weeks laterHonokos mother tried to take her to get her hair cut.
"Iwon't wanna go!" Honoko protested.
"Butsweetie you need to. The school doesn't really like it when your hairis long like that. They want all the boys hair to be nice and short.
"No!"Honoko cried. Her mother sighed and eventually gave up. EventuallyHonoko told her friends Kotori and Umi.
"Youthink you're a girl?" Kotori asked.
"IAM a girl. Just nobody knows yet except Yukiho and you two."
Andyou want your name to be Honoko now?" Umi replied. Honoko noddedher head. Kotari and Umi looked each other and also nodded.
"Allright" They said in unison. Honoko looked surprised.
"Youmean you're all right with it?"
"Ofcourse." Kotaro said." Besides now you can talk about girl thingswith us now." Honoko smiled at this. Things were going well for awhile. One day Kotari asked Honoko if she could stay the night soHonoko asked her mom.
"Ofcourse not!" Her mom said. "Boys don't sleep over at girlshouses."
"Butmom Kotari and Umi are my best friends!" Honoko protested.
"I'msorry but the answer is no. You just can't be with them all the time.You should start acting more like a boy." With this tears startedforming in Honokos eyes and she ran to her room crying.
"Matoto!"Honoko's mom called. She stood there for a moment before she saw herhusband.
"MaybeI should talk to him." He told her. She shook her head.
"Letme. He talks to me more. She went into Honoko's room and saw hercrying on her bed.
"Matoto."She spoke softly.
"Don'tcall me that!" Honoko spat.
"What?But that's your name."
"Idon't want it to be my name. It's a boys name!"
"Butyou are a-"
"NoI'm not! I'm a girl. My name is Honoko.
"You-youthink you're a girl? Honoko?" Honoko nodded her head.
"Yukihohelped me with it. She knows I'm her sister. Kotari and Umi know I'ma girl too." Honoko sniffed.
"Whydidn't you tell me our your dad?"
"Iwas scared you would be mad at me. I thought daddy would hit me."
"Thatwould never happen. I'm surprised to say the least but not mad. Yourfather won't be either. I'll admit he might be a little disappointedand heartbroken at first learning his only son is really his daughterbut he'll come around. I'm going to talk to him about this. Afterthat we'll see where things go." She talked to her husband aboutit. He was a little heartbroken over hearing it but agreed he wantedHonoko to be happy. They decided to let Honoko be the girl she feltshe was. It went really well with Honoko being truly happy. Thehardest thing was letting the school agree to let her be a girl. Itwas hard work but they got them to agree. When Honoko was 11 shebegged her parents for blockers.
"Idon't want my voice to drop or get facial hair. You can't let thathappen." Honoko begged. Her parents were able to get the blockersfor her and hormones a little bit later. They also had one othersurprised.
"Honoko.Your father and I have want to tell you something." Her mom said.
"Whatis it?"
"Well.We know how Kotari and and Umi are going to Otonokizaka Academy andhow badly you want to go." Honoko eyes began to lit up. "It's anall-girls school so we talked to Kotaris mother and she had allowedyou to go to the school as a girl.
"Really?"Honoko cried.
"Mmm-hmm"Her mom smiled. "Honoko jumped up and hugged her mom.
"Thankyou. Thank you for being with me all the way. You, dad, and Yukiho"
"Ofcourse." Her mom replied.
