Takamura-kun is Cursed - Chapter 8

Chapter 8 – Sena Tsugumi Knows (2)

　Make no mistake, Sena Tsugumi is male.
　He is a young man possessing sweet features such as short pink hair with tinges of light brown, large eyes and pouty ‘duck lips’[1] of which corners are upturned. In addition to his 166cm not-quite-tall height, he also possesses a delicate stature with his slender waist and limbs. If anything, he was originally the type that could be termed ‘cute’.

　In this manner, while the original Sena was not-quite manly, the curse whereby the eldest son of the Sena family becomes a girl on his 17th birthday was cast on him. And the one who ended up receiving the curse this time was the Sena family’s eldest son, Tsugumi ――also known as Takaaki.
　Although when he was young he had heard that there is a curse that would turn boys into girls, as expected he felt uneasy when he actually became one. However he resigned to his fate and transferred from the private high school that he had been attending in the metropolitan area, to Hitotose High School. That was on the 8th of April.
　The female Sena is a delicate girl who has a height of 156cm. As before, her limbs are long and her waist so thin it appears breakable. A bishoujo possessing semi-long pink hair with tinges of light brown, silky-smooth and tender white skin and a small chest. It may be presumptuous to say this of oneself, but indeed, perhaps due to the curse, she appears pretty cute.
　The original Sena already had a delicate stature and cute facial features for a boy, but he grew even cuter after becoming a girl. Cute, beautiful, the school’s idol. Sena did not feel unpleasant to be praised this way, but because he personally preferred boyish girls instead of cute ones, neither did he feel even a twinge of happiness at becoming a girl.

“Being a girl suits Aki so much it’s hilariousー”

“Aki-chan, cuteee. Cutee”

　Sena’s two older sisters completely treated it as someone else’s business. The eldest daughter, Kuina, who was 26 years old that year was watching the television as she spoke. Meanwhile, the second daughter, Suzume, who was turning 21 years old was pointing at Sena while guffawing.
　It was because the two were already female and did not have to worry about the curse. But Sena Takaaki is different. As the eldest son, he had to shoulder the curse in its entirety.
　Although he already had a girlish face originally, it was no laughing matter when he really became one.
　He had sweet, girlish features but they became even more gentle and cute with the curse. His originally small and delicate build also became even thinner and more delicate.

“The female Aki-chan’s name can’t be Takaaki, huh. It has to be a more girl-like and cute name.”

“That’s true. Something like ‘Tsugumi’? ‘Hibari’ or ‘Tsubame’ works too though.”

“I think ‘Tsugumi’ is fineー”

　Thanks to such sloppy naming, Sena’s name was changed from Takaaki to Tsugumi.
　Thereafter, it was as you know it. He was made to enter Hitotose High School as a female student, labelled as the school’s idol as he looked on in blank amazement, and ended up living as a bishoujo who’s cute, kind and treats everyone equally.

“How lucky you two are, being so carefree.”

　His two older sisters did not take even his sarcastic words to heart.

“But of course. It’s a problem concerning only Aki-chan――……Tsugu.”

“Rather, shouldn’t it be a happy event for you, Tsugumin? You can rub a girl’s boobs all you want y’know~. Moreover, you’re a girl as cute as meー”

　She’s absolutely not happy at all. Let her repeat that. She’s absolutely not happy at all.
　She’s not happy but she only thought of her two older sisters’ teasing as irritating; she didn’t feel particularly displeased other than that.
　Ever since becoming a girl, there were tons of things she was inexperienced at, things she didn’t understand and troublesome things, but they weren’t much once she got used to them.
　Wearing underwear with cute lace and putting on the sailor uniform in a cute way, in addition to high socks. An easygoing way of speaking and gestures cute to the extent they can be termed ‘cunning’. Pink lipstick and orange blusher. Accessories that aren’t too overboard. All these resulted because Sena thought that she might as well play the part of a girl she himself thought would be cute.

　As she had been living sandwiched between her two sisters, she thought that she had handled things pretty well, even when compared to real girls. But if asked whether she would like to return to being male, the answer is definitely a yes. Obviously! Although Sena’s outer appearance is that of a female, the inside is packed full of the gender ‘male’ that had been nurtured for 16 years and 11 months.That isn’t something that can be easily thrown away.
　But in order to return to being male, she has to obtain mutual love and kiss her counterpart.
　Sena certainly succeeded in becoming a cute girl. But girls don’t like cute girls. While there were many boys who looked at Sena romantically, there weren’t a single girl Sena looked at that way.

“Hey, Tsuguー. Come to think of it, do you know? It seems like there’s another lineage that inherits this curse besides the Senas. Right, Suzume?”

“That’s rightー. They’re called the Takamuras and contrary to our family, it seems their eldest daughter turns into a boy~. ‘nd the eldest daughter’s name is Takamura Mahiro, apparently.

　According to Suzume, the story goes like this.
　Approximately 100 years ago, the two households, Takamura and Sena, were originally a household called ‘Takase’. It was unknown when it split into two households, with the Takamuras and Senas each receiving a curse. And thus each generation inherits the curse: the eldest son of the Sena family becomes a girl on his 17th birthday while the eldest daughter of the Takamura family becomes a boy on her 17th birthday.
　As of current times, it is unknown why they had received the curse. A theory said that it was due to being absorbed with harlots and male prostitutes; playing around too much with the opposite sex. Another said that it was simply God’s whim.

“Why does Suzume-chan know something like that?”

“It’s a trade secret, nyaa.”

“Nyan nyan.”

　Sena was in doubt as his sister took up a kitty pose.
　He wondered what kind of girl Takamura Mahiro was? In the first place, when was Mahiro’s 17th birthday?
　If the Takamuras were originally the Senas’ relatives, she probably lived in the same metropolitan area as Sena or at the outskirts of it. However, it wasn’t certain that she would enter Hitotose High School. Moreover, she might have changed her name. There was no way he would recognise someone he’d never even met before.

　Even so, he ended up wondering about the person who received the same curse as him. What kind of person is she? What kind of girl is she?

“Pleased to meet you for the first time. I am Takamura Mahiro.”

　He transferred here in mid-May.
　Mahiro, the eldest daughter of the Takamura family, was a young man possessing short hair with a tinge of blue and large, sleepy eyes. Her first impression was probably that he was the type who fits the words ‘expressionless’ and ‘cool’. One wouldn’t really find this youth beautiful. In terms of Facial T-Score[2], Mahiro was at most 55. Above average. About so-so.
　But as Sena associates with him, she comes to realise that he isn’t cool[3]. Even his seemingly expressionless face is actually more abundant with expressions than anyone. He’s honest and slightly thick-headed. Although he appears vague and hard to get a grasp on, he would whimsically settle near others.
　She thought he was a cute person.
　Originally, Sena already liked boyish and cool girls.
　This is it, she thought. If Sena who turned female and Mahiro who turned male have mutual feelings and kiss, they can both return to their original forms. Isn’t that just perfect?

As she wondered when she’d start talking to him and when they’d get along well, it had become June before she knew it. She finally thought that this wouldn’t do, and decided to use the library committee work to approach him.
　She approached Kousaka who was fired up as he spoke about Bakumatsu Shishi Girls and Mahiro who didn’t seem very interested as he half-listened while stuffing textbooks into his bag.
　Having noticed Sena’s presence, Mahiro raised his head. White skin and glossy, short and straight blue hair. His sleepy eyes which had a colour like that of the vast sea, was shining brightly. The collar bone beneath his neck that peeped out from his gakuran and cutter shirt was strangely erotic. He wasn’t a transcendent beautiful youth even when looking at him like this, but observing at a close range, he was indeed exactly Sena’s type. Aah, so cool. Cute.

　Sena became shy and unconsciously fidgeted restlessly, unable to open her mouth.

　This isn’t how it should be.

　If it was the usual Sena, towards girls she’d be pretty much ――well, it’s unclear whether the current Mahiro can be categorised as a girl, but―― regardless, she should be able to hold a good conversation with him. But somehow she feels shy just from looking at Mahiro’s face. After all, his face is Sena’s type. Sena is weak to this face.

“Hm?”

　Did he do it unconsciously? Mahiro tilted his head as he prompted Sena to speak.
　Sena realised that her heartbeat raced even from his hoarse voice. Idiot idiot idiot. Despite being a girl, Mahiro’s voice and appearance is that of a boy. Even his smell and atmosphere isn’t like a girl’s, and Sena’s romantic targets are girls.
　Isn’t that, just like a gay? Perplexed, Sena unknowingly raised her voice.

“Takamura-kun! About the work for the library committee……”

“……. I’m a library committee member?”

“So you really forgot. We were told to organise the library after school today, right?”

　After looking down for a bit as though deep in thought, Mahiro raised his face and looked at Sena with upturned eyes.

“I see, sorry. Umm……”

“It’s Sena. Sena Tsugumi.”

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　Ruminating till this point, Sena unconsciously let out a faint smile.
　Before her is Mahiro who turned distressed because Sena pointed out the matter of the curse. His eyes that are usually only half-open are wide open as they stare at Sena. They are eyes like the sea illuminated by stars. Those eyes are shining.
　Sena felt an urge to hug Mahiro, but wriggled her fingers and suppressed it.

　Sena Takaaki must have been the first to come to like the male Takamura Mahiro. Although he had never seen the female Takamura Mahiro, he will definitely like her. He will come to like her.

“Sorry, Sena-san. I don’t particularly actively want to return to being female and I don’t want to kiss just because Sena-san and I happened to be comrades whose genders changed.”

“That’s not it. Takamura-kun, that’s wrong. I only want to get along better with Takamura-kun. I think that I’ll probably want to get along with you even if you’re really a boy, Takamura-kun. I’m also feeling uneasy with regards to that, though…”

“Getting along… are you saying you like me?”

　Takamura remained crouched in the corridor and directed his gaze downwards.

“That is still…”

“Sorry. I won’t come to like Sena-san. I don’t have the luxury of liking anyone right now.”

“That’s quite a clear-cut rejection, huh.”

　Sena gave a bitter smile.

“It’s more cruel if it’s half-baked and gives you expectations, right. I won’t come to like Sena-san, so give up once and for all and look for someone else. I think that there will be many who’ll come to like Sena-san.”

“Un… But I’m still unable to give up now. Perhaps going forward, Takamura-kun may come to like me[4], after all. That’s why, until I become able to give up, I’ll probably come to like you even more…… I’m sorry. Takamura-kun.”

　Sena buried her nose at Mahiro’s nape.
　Mahiro didn’t know what kind of expression Sena had on her face. That’s why he didn’t say a thing and simply remained silent.

Without realising that Sunohara was there.