It burned. The first time Randou opened his eyes after that. The light. It hurt. Like he hadn't used his eyes in a long time or something. Sitting up, he groaned. Something was strange. He wasn't sure what, but it didn't feel right. His body…
"Oh, wow! So you're finally awake!"
Randou jumped and he looked over to the source of the voice to find a middle-aged man with messy long black hair. His intense eyes were fixed upon Randou and Randou was sure he detected a bit of insanity behind them. He wore glasses and a long white lab coat. The doctor snapped a chart closed and walked over.
"After a year, I was worried you'd never wake up." He said.
Randou blinked a bit and then it sunk in. "A year?"
But it wasn't his voice that came out. It was high and girly sounding. He was anything but girly.
"Yes, unfortunately, you were in an accident. After they stabilized you at the hospital, they sent you to my clinic for intensive reconstructive surgeries. I'm Dr. Manabe, by the way."
"Re… Reconstructive surgeries?"
"It seems this is a bit much for you to take in all at once, but bear with me."
Randou had nothing to say to that. He wanted answers and it seemed like this doctor was the only one who had them. Putting his own mental health aside, Randou simply replied, "Please…tell me."
Pushing up his glasses, the doctor continued, "When they brought you here, you were burned beyond recognition. All they found was this picture of you." He held up the treasured photo of Rina, except now the photo was singed and the corners have been burned away. "I was able to fully restore your face and identity based on this."
His eyes widening, he grabbed the photo. "This… This isn't me!"
"It…isn't?"
"No! Why would I carry a photo of myself around?"
"Hmm… I wonder."
Holding out his hand, Randou demanded, "Give me a mirror."
"Mirror? Why?"
"Give me a mirror!"
Dr. Manabe walked over to his instrument cabinet and pulled out a mirror that he must use for surgeries out of a drawer and then gave it to Randou.
Snatching the mirror, Randou looked at himself. He found Rina's face staring back at him, except she now had brown hair instead of black.
"My hair… My face! It's Rina-chan's!"
"Your hair? Oh! I suppose it was bleached from the scarring."
Randou grabbed the doctor and shook him. "Couldn't you tell I was a man?"
"What do you mean?"
"My…manhood!"
"Oh! No."
"What do you mean no?"
"You had no identifying characteristics at all! You were badly burned. Even gender-identifying things were gone."
Looking as if the apocalypse was near, Randou echoed, "Gone?"
"Gone."
"You mean it's…"
"Gone."
Randou went pale. "This…can't be happening…" Sitting up, he stared at the doctor. "Wait… I lost my manhood and you thought I was a girl. Which means…"
"You hadn't noticed yet?"
Looking down, he finally noticed two lumps on his chest. Breasts? No way! Wait… He put a cautious hand down under the blanket and found what he feared. "I'm… I… I'm a woman!"
Dr. Manabe pranced as he sang, "Isn't it beautiful!"
Randou thundered his…or her…fist against the doctor's face, sending him into a cabinet. "You bastard! Stop acting happy about this!"
Once again, Randou looked down and then squeezed his breasts a bit and then sighed. "I have…boobs and… Wait… These are fake, right?"
Standing up again, Dr. Manabe cleared his throat. "Well, no. I used real hormones to, what I thought at the time, regrow your breasts. Real is better than fake, right?"
"These and…that… And…this face…" Randou glared at him. "Turn me…back! Now!"
"Umm… I can't."
"Why?"
"I don't have a picture of you to remake your face. And when it comes to the others, I could flatten your chest, but you'll never have a functioning 'manhood' ever again."
Randou shook with anger. "I…can't believe this!"
"Are you blaming me? Someone without a real photo and without even gender to rely on?"
Looking at him, Randou's face softened and he admitted, "Well, no. I suppose you're not to blame. You were just doing what you thought would make me happy at the time."
Happily, Dr. Manabe pranced over and hugged Randou. "Oh, Kimiko-chan! You've made me so happy!"
"Ki…Kimiko?" Randou's eyebrow twitched and the pushed the crazy doctor away. "My name is Randou! And get me some damn clothes!"
"But we agreed on that name when you were in your coma!"
"Don't associate your dementia with reality!"
A bit later, Randou was standing in front of a body mirror. He, or she, was wearing a long-sleeved pink shirt that exposed his shoulders. He was also wearing a white skirt. As he looked at the reflection that had Rina's face, he blushed a bit as if she was really standing there.
Snapping out of it, Randou screamed, "Don't you have anything normal for me to a wear?"
"That is normal for a cute girl to wear."
"I'm not a cute girl!"
"Your reflection says otherwise."
Looking back into the mirror, Randou knew he couldn't argue that, but it still made him angry. "Look, I'll go back to my house and grab a picture of myself and then you can get back to work."
"And ruin my greatest creation? I refuse!"
"You bastard… You did this, you fix it!"
"I told you… Even if I did, you could never live like a normal guy."
"But… Like this… I look just like the girl I love!"
Taken aback, the doctor admitted, "Oh, I see where that may be a problem."
"You think?"
"Well, I grant you that is a problem, but you becoming a guy again is also a problem."
"You! I…" Randou looked down and realized what he was talking about. "Even if I get back my old face and everything, I'd never be able to live like a real guy…" Closing his eyes tightly, he asked, "What else can I do, though?"
"A second option would be to bring me an equally beautiful face. It's really completely up to you, though. Live life as half-a-man or live as a beautiful woman."
Randou looked down at his body. Half-a-man or a beautiful woman? Does it really come down to that? As he walked over to the elevator, Randou muttered to himself, "What…bullshit."
The doctor held out a hand and said, "Wait a minute! You said you were a guy, but you never mentioned your real name."
Turning around, Randou introduced himself, "My name is Masashi Randou, third year at Seika High School."
"That's strange… That's the name of the boy that died in the bus fall with you."
"That can't be! I'm right here!"
"In the bus accident, five people were injured and one person died. Just like you, the deceased had no identification. The family was sure is was you, Randou."
Rushing over, Randou pushed the button for the elevator and pointed back at Dr. Manabe. "I'm going to have to go through some hell to make them believe it's me, but I will! I'm going home to get a picture of myself and then I'll be back!"
"Are you going to consider what I said before?" Manabe asked and pushed up his glasses, they shine ominously as he does.
So what is Rando decision?
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