• "Is it true?" Chiaki asked, "You want to be a girl?"
    Slowly, Makoto lowered himself to the floor. "Yeah, it's true."
    "But why"
    Makoto looked up at he ceiling as started to speak. "Do you remember the day you introduced me to Kaori? We saw her in the park on the way home from school. I didn't know it at the time, but you'd seen the look on my face and knew that I liked her." Chiaki looked at him, but he didn't look back. "Later that night, you told me that you knew her and asked if I wanted to meet her. I said yes, and you called her and invited her over. When you told me what you'd done, I panicked. I couldn't stand the thought of being rejected. You smiled and walked into your room. When you came back, you had a skirt and one of your shirts in hand. I was confused at first, but when you told me to disguise myself, I understood. Being a guy, I couldn't say that I enjoyed wearing your clothes, but I did. Eventually, Kaori arrived and we hung out, never mentioning who I really was. After that night,I borrowed your clothes at least once a week to go over to Kaori's house. I told you that it was because I wasn't sure if she liked me, but that wasn't true. I knew that she liked me. When I finally told her the truth, she was surprised, but we started dating anyway. I was happy to be with her, but Iwas also sad. I was sad that I couldn't be a girl anymore."
    Finished with his story, he looked athis sister and she was surprised to see tears in his eyes.
    "But you still haven't told me why."
    Makoto had a hard time getting his words out."I don't know, I just want to be a girl so bad. I don't expect you to understand because I don't understand myself. I want to be like you and Kaori. Both of you are so cute, without even trying to be." He fought hard to hold back his tears, but his strength was about to give. "You don't know how much pain I feel. Everyday seeing the thing you want most, and knowing that you can never have it."
    "I understand wanting to be cute, really I do. But why can't you just be a cute guy?" Chiaki still wasn't sure what was going on, but she knew that he was in pain.
    "I don't know. Thinking back, there were other signs. Whether I knew it or not, this has been my one true desire for my whole life. It just hurts so much."
    His head dropped as his emotions welled up inside his chest. Chiaki, seeing her brother's distress, reached out with one hand and raised his chin up so they were eye to eye. She didn't speak. Makoto's strength finally gave out and he started weeping, his tears falling onto his sister's hand. Slightly disturbed, Chiaki reached out wrapped her arms around him, cradling him as he wept. Eventually, Chiaki noticed that his agonized sobs had ceased and he was sleeping comfortably. Carefully, she laid him down on the floor and covered him with his blanket. Before she left the room she looked back at him and smiled. 'You are cute, Makoto.' she thought 'Don't worry, I'll do everything I can to help you. Besides, I've always wanted a sister.'