Chapter Text
Hiroko made his way to the Bakery after school.
Life in school wasn't hard, the Futabamachi Secondary School wasn't a bad secondary school per se. He was sorted in a good class since Grade 2 in Secondary School, and he loved this school. Mingling with friends, going to arts and craft after school, the enjoyable schoolwork is not a bad time for him. Although his mother's declining health worsened him, he enjoyed every day of his life in School and the bakery.
Every friend of Hiroko knew he is a happy boy, often sharing food from his bakery. But something bugged him. Bugged hard. Although he had friends, none of them is friends he can share intimate details with. Nobody knew his mother had to go to hospitals. Nobody knew Hiroko's struggles. And even if he had close friends, how is Hiroko going to share his predicament? He didn't even know how, or what to say about it!
Days passed, nights passed, holidays passed, exams passed. He got his 1st set of drumsticks from his mother and started to practise the drum alone. Employees at the Yamabuki Bakery starts to see extreme times for Hiroko's duty. Hiroko started to feel bad around classmates, but he perfectly knew it wasn't their fault. Yet he knew the world was kind to him, and he shouldn't be reacting so.
He made sure to be fully practised for drum classes not to make his drum teacher sad. He also got up so early in the morning so that he could work in the Bakery without anyone seeing him. He made sure to be happy around anyone's sight; to his parents; to his classmates and to his teachers. No one really knows anything about this except Hiroko was distant and without reason. He declined offers for going to classmate's homes, he excused himself with illness more than usual, he cut himself off except when it's in class or at the appointed extra after school activities, where he is bright and friendly and share his treats as usual.
He still didn't know what is the cause of being so down, but he tried to be as happy as he can when other people see him. And this is tiring. There's definitely something that's wrong, but he didn't know the right words.
Crossing the street lights, he didn't notice the car running down the street.
BRRRRR!
He wasn't hurt, but he finally sees his surroundings. He was in the middle of the street, dazed with red lights on. The white car stopped at a distance and expletives are shouted. After the driver sees Hiroko is unhurt, he accelerated away, leaving Hiroko dazed in the middle of the road.
What's wrong with him?
Hiroko entered the Bakery and made a beeline to his room. The room wasn't well kept, and his parents find this is the only problem with Hiroko apart from his unexplained sadness. A soft bed sits near a bookshelf, and books and a practise pad are scattered on his working desk where a monitor is also on. Under his desk, there is the computer with some dust, seemingly unused for some time. Some sets of drumstick are also placed on top of the bookshelf, where a small pot of flower and a clock stands there.
Employees are accustomed to Hiroko often going to his room and not getting out until dinner is served. They knew something was off, but what?
Bakery works are sometimes boring, and sometimes there are chitchats going on. Although as the leading baker in the area and many local residents love this baker, there is still some times of offtime. There is also news being sold there, so the employees usually read them as a pastime during work, and the Yamabukis are very lax about these on the condition that they don't interfere with the operations of the bakery.
"The Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly has passed legislation to prohibit all discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. It is expected to be in effect soon, but the due day is unknown." Yuriko mused. "What's that to us? We have less than 10 employees and we are exempted from it. Why should we waste our time on these people? They are nobody to us."
"Are you serious?" A voice from the back of the bakery said. It's uncommon for Hiroko's mother to interject with staff while they are reading the news, and they seem to be shocked. "The Yamabukis aren't just here to earn a profit. We could have replaced you with machines. We wouldn't because we are one of the community. We earn from people, we then spend to better our skills and equipment to serve the people better. Otherwise, how did we sold bread here for 40 years straight, before Heisei even started?"
Yuriko knew she was in the wrong and she went back to work.
Hiroko was puzzled by Yuriko's reaction to the news. She wasn't this reactive usually so Hiroko became curious about the whole Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly thing. He booted up his computer and went to explore the web for the information he didn't know he needed badly.
This curiosity turned out to be one of the best things Hiroko had done.
She knew how to describe herself finally.
She wasn't a "boy loving to do what a girl do", she wasn't a "deranged teenager", she wasn't a "monster";
She is a girl.
"But what should I do?"
Two heavy realizations hit her. That night, Hiroko cried herself to sleep.