In the clubroom after school, the only sound echoing was the thud, thud of wall practice. Echizen Ryouma was alone, gripping the racket, stopping, gripping it again, over and over. On the desk lay that cursed racket. He stared intently at the unfamiliar, intricate pattern carved into the grip. (Even when I touch it, I'm fine… the only one.) All his fingers felt was coldness. Yesterday, the day before — no matter how many times he touched it, Ryouma's body remained a boy's. The captain, Oishi-senpai, Kikumaru-senpai — they'd all turned into girls, yet nothing happened to him alone. In Inui-senpai's data notebook, it said "Resistance," but was that really true? (It's kind of… creepy.) He tugged the brim of his cap down. That's when it happened. BANG! The clubroom door was flung open with enough force to slam against the wall. "[excited]Yo, Echizen! You still alive?!" The one who burst in was Momoshiro Takeshi. A second-year regular, his trademark was his spiky, dark brown hair. His large, round eyes were sparkling. As always, his smile was way too bright. "…Momo-senpai." Ryouma answered curtly, without even turning around. "[excited]Man, I heard some weird noise coming from the clubroom and figured it was you! Thought you were doing wall practice or something, but guess not!" Momoshiro peered at what Ryouma was holding. "[excited]That thing! That racket's the cursed one, right?! The one that turns everyone who touches it into a girl!" "You probably shouldn't touch it." "[excited]But you've touched it a bunch of times and you haven't changed at all! That's amazing, Echizen!" Without a shred of restraint, Momoshiro slapped Ryouma on the back repeatedly. It hurt. "More importantly, Momo-senpai, what did you come here for?" "[excited]Oh, right! I heard from the captain that you're investigating this on your own! Sounds interesting!" Momoshiro folded his arms and puffed out his chest. "[excited]So, let me in on it! As your partner!" "What a pain." "[excited]What's that supposed to mean! Oishi-senpai said it too, don't try to handle everything by yourself!" What a pain, Ryouma thought. But looking into Momoshiro's earnest eyes, he somehow lost his words. This guy was always like this. He never gave you a chance to interrupt, dragging his kouhai in with full force. (…But.) (There's too much I can't figure out alone.) Ryouma let out a small sigh. "[sarcastic]…Fine. Just don't get in my way." "[excited]Alright! Leave it to me!" Momoshiro's large hand ruffled Ryouma's hair vigorously. Ryouma made a disgusted face, but deep in his chest, he felt a small flame ignite. Dependable. In his heart, he truly thought so. The two of them first headed to Kawamura Sushi. About a ten-minute walk from Seishun Academy. It was the sushi shop run by Kawamura Takashi's family, and it had become a hangout for the club members. Clatter-rattle, went the sliding door as they opened it. "[excited]Boss! Welcome!" Behind the counter, Kawamura raised a lively voice. He was already in a girl's form. But his skill hadn't changed at all. The way his hands shaped the sushi was exactly the Kawamura-senpai they'd always known. "Kawamura-senpai, where's Inui-senpai?" "[excited]Upstairs! He's been glaring at his notebook the whole time!" The two went up to the second-floor tatami room. In front of the low table sat Inui Sadaharu. The eyes behind his glasses were tracking a notebook filled with countless numbers. He, too, was already in a girl's form. But there was no hesitation in the hands handling the data. "[serious]Echizen, and Momoshiro too. You've come at a good time." Seeing the two, Inui held out his data notebook. "[serious]This is the transformation progress of everyone who came into contact with the racket. All of them transformed within twenty-four hours. However — with the exception of Echizen Ryouma." Momoshiro peered into the notebook. "[surprised]Whoa, it really is just you! Why? Why don't you transform?" Momoshiro stared intently at Ryouma's face. "[sarcastic]You've still got a ways to go." He grinned smugly. But his true feelings were different. (Even though I've touched the racket so many times, why just me…) (Am I really okay?) The creepiness throbbed painfully in his chest. "Still, why a girl's form, I wonder. Echizen, do you have any idea?" Inui muttered, tapping his notebook with his pen. Without answering, Ryouma picked up the cursed racket that had been placed at the edge of the desk. "[serious]That's why I'm telling you, there's insufficient data. We need to investigate the racket itself more—" At that moment. A faint light, *fwoosh*, leaked from Ryouma's body. "Huh…?" The light overflowed from Ryouma and enveloped Momoshiro, who was sitting right next to him. "[surprised]Whoa!? What is this!?" Momoshiro's body began to change within the light. His rugged shoulder width narrowed, and the muscles of his upper arms became slender and smooth. His neckline tightened as well. His pants rapidly became baggy, and he could see his waistline transforming into a curvy figure. "[scared]W-wait, hold on, my body's turning all curvy!?" The light vanished in an instant. Standing there was Momoshiro Takeshi, now in the form of a girl. "[crying]GYAAAAAAAH!! I've changed!! I've really changed!!" Momoshiro touched his body all over and screamed. But his voice was a little higher than usual. He pinched the hem of his practice uniform, which had become a skirt, and trembled violently. "[surprised]The curse infected him… Momoshiro." Inui's eyes lit up as he began scribbling in his notebook. "[sad]Why did this happen!? I didn't even touch the cursed racket!" "[serious]It seems that simply being near someone who has transformed can sometimes cause infection. There are too many uncertain factors — this is extremely interesting." "[angry]It's not interesting!!" Momoshiro stood up, yelling. "[angry]What do we do about this! Club activities!? Food!? And it's drafty! The skirt is drafty!!" "Same as always, Momo-senpai." Ryouma's mouth relaxed into a smile despite himself. (As I thought, even transformed, Momo-senpai is still Momo-senpai.) As Momoshiro made a fuss, Inui voiced a question. "[serious]But it's strange. Echizen has clearly touched the racket. Yet he himself doesn't transform. However, the curse propagated. It passed through Echizen and infected Momoshiro." "[surprised]Huh… it's my fault?" "[serious]That's what the data indicates." A sharp pain shot through Ryouma's heart. (Because I touched the racket…) (Even Momo-senpai ended up turning into a girl.) But Momoshiro was different. "[excited]Well, whatever! This'll be more data for something, right! More importantly, I feel like my body's lighter!" In the wide space of the tatami room, Momoshiro suddenly started shadow-swinging. *Whoosh! Whoosh!* The sound of air being sliced. "[excited]Hey, Echizen! Kawamura said it's okay to use the area outside on the first floor, so let's hit a few!" "Huh?" In the end, the two of them ended up having a light rally in the backyard of the sushi shop. Momoshiro, despite being in a skirt, paid it no mind and slammed the ball with his usual force. *Thwock!* A heavy shot. (His power hasn't dropped. If anything—) Ryouma observed his movements while returning the ball. Momoshiro's footwork was, if anything, more agile than before. Becoming a girl had lowered his center of gravity, making his changes in direction smoother. "[excited]Echizen! Don't hold back!" At that moment, Momoshiro leaped from a position two steps back from the net. It wasn't a summersault. But it was the stance for his signature move, the Jackknife — a smash where he jumped vertically and arched his body backward. *Swoosh—!* His small frame bent like a bow, and the racket was swung through. *CRACK!!* The ball he smashed bounced deep in the back of Ryouma's court. A drive spin that seemed to gouge the ground. "[surprised]…You're kidding." "[excited]Alright! I can move even better than before!! Man, this curse is pretty good!" Momoshiro grinned, showing his teeth. On a girl's face. "[sarcastic]…This probably means your tennis ability hasn't dropped. If anything, it's improved." "[serious]I see. So the curse's true effect is only on outward appearance. It doesn't affect tennis ability or fundamental personality." Inui wrote in his notebook again. But at that moment, for some reason, Ryouma recalled the image of Captain Tezuka. The captain in a uniform, in a girl's form. Standing perfectly straight, entrusting the mission to him. That image suddenly flickered in his mind—. His heart pounded. (What am I thinking about?) He pulled the brim of his cap down tight. The next morning. In the hallway of Seishun Academy stood Momoshiro Takeshi, wearing the girls' school uniform. "[sad]Ugh, the skirt… it really is drafty…" Fussing with the collar of his sailor uniform, he walked down the hallway with awkward steps. "[serious]Momoshiro, your posture is fine as is, but your stride is too wide. Your skirt will flip up." Oishi, also in the girls' uniform, offered gentle advice. "Nyaa! Momo's one of us now, nya!" Kikumaru, now a girl with red hair, bounced up and down in delight. (Man, this is an incredible sight.) Ryouma thought to himself as he walked alone along the edge of the hallway. But the fact that Momoshiro was as energetic as ever also made him feel relieved. That's when it happened. From the other end of the hallway, an unfamiliar duo walked toward them. Neither wore a Seishun Academy uniform. One was slightly chubby, the other tall — both boys who looked around middle school age. The two of them were glancing around nervously at Ryouma and the others. "Those guys—" Momoshiro's gaze suddenly sharpened. "[serious]Scouts from another school. They must've caught wind of our transformation uproar." "What should we do?" "[serious]Isn't it obvious? We'll welcome them on the court." The two called the suspicious characters out to the tennis court. Momoshiro readied his racket. His opponent was the chubby one. "[cold]You guys, what school are you from?" "[cold]Do I need to tell you that?" "[excited]Then I'll make you tell me with tennis!" *Thwack!* Momoshiro's first serve was a high-speed slice that stabbed at the opponent's feet. (Amazing. He hasn't changed, even as a girl.) Ryouma watched from outside the net. It was a one-sided match. Though he didn't use the Jackknife, Momoshiro pulled away from his opponent in no time. In the end, the other tall scout joined in, making it an irregular two-on-one match, but the result was the same. "[scared]D-dammit! You'll regret this!" The duo scrambled away, fleeing out the back gate. "[excited]Alright! Serves them right!" Momoshiro laughed, wiping off sweat. "[sarcastic]You've both still got a ways to go." Ryouma's mouth relaxed too. At that moment, Momoshiro suddenly turned toward Ryouma with gentle eyes. "[gentle]Hey, Echizen. You're hiding something, aren't you." "…Huh?" "[gentle]I kinda get what you think about Captain Tezuka." Ryouma's heart leaped. "[surprised]Wha— what are you talking about?" "[gentle]You don't get it? Well, you will someday. But, Echizen. You're not alone. I'm here. All the club members are here. Don't forget that." Momoshiro's hand landed softly on Ryouma's head with a *pat*. (Momo-senpai…) A warmth spread gently deep in his chest. Ryouma silently pulled down the brim of his cap. He couldn't say anything more than that. Night. In the empty clubroom, Ryouma was alone, staring at the racket's grip. An old, unfamiliar pattern. He didn't know if it was some curse-maker or whatever, but he'd never seen a design like this. (Why am I the only one who doesn't transform?) (Captain Tezuka's orders to me, Momo-senpai's kindness to me…) (Am I really returning them properly?) A sigh escaped him.