Kenji closed the door to the bathroom and leaned against the sink. The room smelled faintly of soap and disinfectant. He turned toward the mirror and met his own gaze.
The reflection looking back at him was pale, eyes tired, hair messy from another restless night. There was something familiar yet foreign about the face staring back, the quiet resignation, the invisible weight he carried.
Is this really how I look like?
He touched the glass lightly. A thought nagged at him, persistent and stubborn: maybe he didn't have to stay like this. Maybe he could change.
"Could I… be someone worth noticing?"
And, almost against his own caution, another thought crept in.
Would Aoi… like me if I did?
The mirror reflected the same tired face, but for the first time, Kenji felt a spark of determination beneath the weight.
Kenji stepped back and ran a hand through his messy hair. The fluorescent light above flickered slightly, catching the determination fill in his eyes. He didn't have answers yet. He didn't know how he would change, or if it would be enough. But for the first time in a long time, he felt… ready to start.
Kenji tilted his head, studying himself from different angles. His posture slouched without him realizing it, he straightened his back and was surprised how much taller he looked. "Huh," he muttered quietly. It wasn't much, but it made a difference.
The idea of changing wasn't just about impressing anyone anymore, not even Aoi. It was about feeling like someone he could respect when he looked in the mirror.
The next morning, Kenji stood in front of the mirror again, a towel around his shoulders and scissors in his trembling hand. He had watched a few tutorials the night before.
The first snip echoed louder than he expected, a small lock of hair fell on the sink, then another and another.
When he put the scissors down he could barely recognize himself, his neck felt lighter, his reflection sharper.
He tilted his head brushing a few stray strands away.
A couple minutes later kenji was outside an optical shop downtown, he hesitated before going in. His glasses always slid down his nose, fogged up at the worst times, it made him feel hidden
"Just do it," he muttered under his breath, pushing it open.
The bell above the door chimed as Kenji stepped inside. The place smelled faintly of glass cleaner and something floral. Rows of glasses lined the walls, neat and spotless.
A woman behind the counter looked up. "Hi there. Can I help you?"
"Yeah," Kenji said after a pause. "I'm… thinking about getting contact lenses."
She smiled. "First time?"
He nodded. "Yeah. My glasses keep slipping. And I thought… maybe it's time for a change."
"Got it. Let's see what we can do."
She led him to a small examination room where the optician was waiting. Kenji sat down, glancing at the reflection of himself in the side mirror.
"Alright," the optician said, adjusting a few instruments. "You've never worn lenses before, right?"
"No. Just glasses. Since middle school."
"Okay. I'll walk you through it."
Kenji nodded, taking a deep breath as she opened a small case.
"Relax," she said kindly. "You'll get the hang of it."
"Easier said than done," he muttered, blinking rapidly as the lens hovered near his eye.
She chuckled softly. "You're not the first."
It took a few tries, but when the lens finally slipped in, Kenji froze. Everything snapped into focus, the details on the wall chart, the faint pattern on the floor tiles, even the texture of his own skin reflected in the mirror.
"…Whoa," he murmured.
"Different, right?"
"Yeah," he said quietly. "Feels weird. But good weird."
She smiled. "You'll get used to it."
He stared at himself in the mirror for a few seconds longer. Without the glasses, he looked… exposed. There was nothing between him and his reflection now.
"Looks good," the optician said. "You've got nice eyes, they stand out more this way."
Kenji laughed softly. "Someone else said that once."
"Girlfriend?" she asked, teasing.
He shook his head. "No. Just someone."
The smile faded a little as her voice echoed in his memory -
'I only talk to him 'cause of his best friend. He's kind of awkward, you know?'
The words still stung, even if he'd pretended not to care.
He blinked, pushing the thought away. "Yeah, I'll take the trial pack."
When he stepped outside, the afternoon light hit different. He could see everything clearly now, the sky, the signs, the faint reflection of his own face in a window. But even with all that clarity, some things still hurt just the same.
His phone buzzed.
Kenji stared at the message on his screen.
Aoi: "Hey, you free after school tomorrow?"
His thumb hovered over the keyboard. For a second, he almost typed Yeah, sure.
His chest tightened. He locked the phone and slipped it into his pocket.
He walked home, the sound of traffic and chatter mixing with the noise in his head.
At home, Kenji stood by his window, the city lights blurring slightly through the glass. He rubbed his eyes, forgetting he wasn't supposed to.
"Ow- damn it," he muttered, blinking hard.
A knock came from outside his door. "Kenji? Dinner," his mom called.
"I'll be there," he said quietly.
Next Day
Kenji walked into the school gates just as the bell rang. His shorter hair caught the morning light, his posture straighter than usual, contacts in place. No glasses. No slouch.
"Who's that?" someone whispered near the lockers.
"No idea," another replied. "He looks… good looking."
"Maybe a transfer?" a third suggested.
Kenji passed by without noticing. He was too focused on his own steps, on the strange lightness of movement without glasses.
In the hallway, a couple of classmates muttered.
"Kinda looks like… someone I know," one said.
"Yeah… but not really," the other said, shrugging.
Kenji didn't hear them.
Seiji came in late, glancing around the classroom. "Huh… who's that?" he murmured.
Aoi entered laughing with her friends. She glanced briefly in Kenji's direction. "New student?" she asked one of her friends.
"Maybe," her friend shrugged. "I've never seen him before."
Kenji didn't notice. He walked to his usual desk and opened his notebook.
The teacher called out names for attendance. "Seiji?"
"Here."
"Kenji?"
A few students looked around, puzzled. "Looks like he's not here today?" someone whispered.
Kenji blinked at the sound of his name.
"…Uh… that's me?" he said quietly.
A ripple of confusion went through the room. Seiji frowned. "Wait… seriously?"
Aoi's eyebrows shot up. "…That's… Kenji?" she asked softly.
The teacher repeated, "Yes, Kenji. Are you here?"
Kenji nodded. "…Here."
No one had recognized him until that moment. Not his classmates. Not Aoi. Not Ryo.
He exhaled slowly, a small, quiet smile forming. For the first time, the change he'd made wasn't invisible to himself anymore.
Students started gathering around him, a small crowd forming as they whispered, nudged each other, and stared.
"Whoa… is that really you?" one girl asked, leaning closer.
"You look… like a completely different person," someone else said.
Seiji nudged him. "Dude, this is insane. How did you pull this off?"
Kenji smiled faintly, trying to keep it cool. "…Just some changes," he said.
"Seriously, who did your hair?" another student asked.
"Are you wearing contacts? You look… perfect," a girl added, eyes wide.
Aoi's friends exchanged looks, clearly impressed, while Aoi herself glanced away, a mix of surprise and something unreadable on her face.
"Man… I barely recognize you," Seiji said, shaking his head.
Kenji laughed softly. "Guess I really look different now."
The crowd murmured, some teasing, some admiring, all buzzing with energy.
For the first time, Kenji felt it, the attention, the notice, the curiosity. And yet, he stayed calm, letting it wash over him quietly.
"Uh… thanks," he said, a little awkwardly, trying not to grin too much.