THE BALCONY NOOK (Patreon)

The sunset sky often evokes feelings in us. The balcony nook of the ruined house far away on the horizon at dusk is where Sky and Victor often come to meet. That place was originally the location for adventure games between them, when they were still mischievous boys. They did not make an appointment in advance, but each time they went there, they met and told each other the stories of their lives.

Sky and Victor are childhood friends. To this day, they still maintain the same close relationship as ever. In the conversations between them, Sky is often the narrator, and Victor plays the role of an indifferent audience. Sky has never been upset because of his friend's somewhat cold attitude, because he knows that on the surface, Victor appears like that, but Victor always pays attention to Sky's stories. Although they had never been in the same class together, only met at the end of the day, they were still so close.

Sky is shy and gentle. Around the time of primary school, he had difficulty making friends. At that time, the person who stood out to help him with everything was his best friend, Victor. That balcony nook used to be a place to relieve Sky's sadness many times… because Victor was there. Victor is willing to listen to Sky's story and silently help Sky. Regardless of any school year, Victor is always loved by many friends, but he does not seem to want to make friends. Sometimes, Sky wondered why Victor would be friends with him.

By the time he was in middle school, Sky's shyness became more and more evident, becoming a cause for bullying by others. Sky is not a person who likes to tell his sufferings to others. However, a guy who always shows a cold face like Victor also sometimes becomes hot-tempered. Victor asked Sky why the wounds appeared on his body. Sky felt extremely warm when he was finally able to share his suffering with his close friend.

Sky doesn't believe in miracles! Since the day he told Victor about the bullying, he was no longer bullied. Sky knew for sure that Victor had done something to help him, but no matter how he inquired, Victor lay still in that balcony nook, pretending to sleep. Therefore, Sky became even more fond of his friend.

The high school years are years full of change. Teenagers in Country K are finally reaching puberty, the first step in shaping their own lives. Witnessing the girls with full breasts, the delicate appearance in the schoolgirl uniform every day makes deep in Sky's heart rise a mysterious desire.

He didn't know why he had such thoughts. But one thing is undeniable, Sky also wants to own a slim and soft body like girls. He also wanted to wear a schoolgirl uniform once. He wondered, will Victor compliment him when he wears the schoolgirl uniform for him to see?

It can be seen that, no matter what situation he experiences, Sky always remembers Victor first in his mind. “Would Victor be happy if I gave him the book for his birthday?” “Will Victor laugh when I tell him a funny story I watch on TV yesterday?” “Will Victor comfort me when I get bad grades in Math?”, etc. Gradually, Sky developed a strange feeling for Victor that he himself did not know what it was. That kind of emotion allows Sky to be happy when Victor smiles, allows Sky to be sad when Victor does not pay attention to him. Not to mention, it also made Sky ask himself a question in his mind: “If one day there is no more Victor, how will I live?” However, Sky did not think too much, because he thought that it was the emotion of a close friend.

With each passing day, Sky's desire for feminization becomes more intense. He did not dare to reveal this to anyone, causing the tension in his heart to sometimes peak. Sky grew up in a society that did not fully accept homosexuals. Once Sky reveals that he has distorted thoughts, he will receive harsh looks from others.

One time during a family meal, Sky heard his parents objectify gay people in a related topic that Sky couldn't remember clearly, because his mind was blank at that time. His parents cannot be blamed because the ideas and prejudices in a large society are difficult to change. But, that doesn't mean Sky doesn't feel sad.

Sky's parents used to show off to relatives and neighbors: “My son is very handsome and smart, not the gay, effeminate type.” However, they did not know that their son was suffering because of their compliments, because the girl sleeping deep in their son's mind always wanted to wake up.

“Why me?” – Many times, Sky asked himself that question, but no one could answer. It's not that Sky doesn't want to be a normal guy! If so, both his parents, relatives, friends, and himself were happy. But it really can't be… Cute lingerie, feminine dresses, elegant blouses... still haunt his mind. This is not fair! Why do they create them but stipulate that only a few people have the right to use them?!

Many times, Sky wanted to express his psychological misery to his best friend, but in the end he stopped. Sky is afraid that even his best friend, who always listens to all his thoughts, will disappear. If he calls himself a close friend of Sky, obviously Victor is able to recognize the change in his friend's personality. From an optimistic guy, suddenly became miserable for something. So, one evening…

“Sky, don't you want to tell me something? Up until now, you have always told me everything in your life!”

“Ah… I don't have anything special to tell.”

“If you don't want to talk, I won't ask anymore.”

“I… actually… I…” – Sky faltered for a long time, but Victor didn't seem impatient. He was still waiting to hear his friend's next words. Victor's stare made Sky pour out his last courage to express.

“Maybe you'll feel I'm a deviant, but… I want to be a girl… I really want to be a girl. If I keep this thought in my heart, I will probably go crazy!”

After listening to Sky's words, Victor still silently stared at Sky for a while, making Sky very worried. However, just a minute later, Victor closed his eyes again as if he had just heard a very tasteless story.

“I don't think that's a bad thing.”

“Why? This society has not fully accepted it yet! Even my parents are not happy when it comes to gay people.”

“Like you said… ‘not fully’ also means that some people accept it and some people don't. If I tell you I'm not surprised, it's a lie. We have spent a long time as friends, it will be difficult for me to immediately adapt to your wishes. But that awkward feeling… will not easily overshadow our friendship.”

Sky burst into tears, but they were tears of happiness. Victor was stunned when he witnessed that scene. But then, he gave a gentle smile. Victor's mind is starting to replace the image of that shy guy from years ago into a pretty, happy girl. “Ah… maybe this isn't so bad!”

In subsequent meetings, Sky was not afraid to let Victor see his appearance when wearing women's clothing. Of course, until now, Sky only wears them in front of Victor! The outfits he wore were just defective dresses placed by the CSW tailor in a box labeled “Free”. However, that was enough to make Sky much happier. He expected nothing less. Sky also secretly learned makeup and improved his skills day by day. Every time he dresses like a girl, Victor always compliments Sky as a beautiful girl.

A lot of times, there are moments of silence between them. They looked straight into each other's eyes, their hearts filled with indescribable emotions. However, those moments did not last too long. Every time that happens, they turn away to dispel their embarrassment. Every evening in that balcony nook, two close friends develop a deep relationship every day.

One day, when they were all adults, right at that balcony nook, Sky sadly said to Victor: “I'm about to get married! My parents said I was of marriageable age and wanted me to marry a girl they liked through a matchmaking service.” Victor lay there, closing his eyes: “So that's it.”

Sky said as if about to cry: “What should I do? I can't be a normal husband, but I can't disobey my parents either! You tell me, what should I do?!” Victor thought for a while and then said: “You… are always a kind, loving, caring person for others. Surely… you would be… a good husband.”

Sky was stunned when he heard Victor speak. He bent his face to the ground for a long time. Then Sky forced himself to force a smile: “Thank you! I will be a good husband! I hope you will soon marry a beautiful wife!” Saying that, Sky stood up and ran away without turning around. Victor sighed. “Perhaps that's best, isn't it? The world between you and me is so small, you deserve a place much bigger than this balcony nook, Sky!”

From that day on, Sky no longer went to that balcony nook. For the first time in more than 20 years, Victor lay there alone until midnight. One day, Sky's wedding invitation was sent to Victor's house by postal mail. Lying on that balcony and holding the wedding invitation in his hand, Victor's heart aroused bitterness. “Ah… as it turns out, it is I who is afraid of society's prejudices.”

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Sky's wedding day finally came. In the groom's dressing room, Sky's mother took his hand: “My son is very handsome today. Surely the bride will be fascinated you!” However, contrary to his mother's thinking, Sky did not seem to be happy in the day called “the happiest day in life”.

Wearing a white wedding suit, Sky was waiting for his future wife to appear from behind the door. When he saw her appear in a gorgeous wedding dress, Sky suddenly closed his eyes. He was doing his best to suppress the thought: “Why wasn't it me who was wearing that wedding dress?”

“Do you agree to take this girl as your wife? Whether healthy or sick, whether rich or poor, will you be there to take care of her and love her?”

“I…”

At this moment, the door of the aisle suddenly opened, causing everyone to look in that direction. The person who appeared behind the door was a tall, handsome man wearing a white wedding suit that was not too different from Sky's. This is a matchmaking wedding so the number of attendees is not too many. Instead of being angry because someone broke up the wedding, the vast majority of attendees were psychologically watching the comedy. Will this be a bride-stealing act?

However, contrary to their thoughts, this man walked up to hold Sky's hand before the surprise of many people present here. Arriving in the middle of the square, some distance from the wedding aisle, Sky threw his hand out of that man's grasp and shouted: “What are you doing? Why did you interrupt my wedding, Victor?”

“Why, since that day, you haven't been to our meeting point?”

“I… I'm too busy preparing for my wedding.”

“Really?”

“That's none of your business!”

“If you want me to leave now, I'll leave immediately. You just need to say two word ‘Go away!’”

However, a long time later, not a word came out of Sky's mouth. Finally, he couldn't stop his emotions: “Why are you treating me like that? I thought I had accepted my fate, become a normal and ideal husband, but in the end, you made me hesitate?!”

“That day… I was wrong!”

“Huh?”

“I don't want you to live in a boring world just the two of us forever. Not a quiet person like me, you are a cheerful, extroverted person. You deserve a happier life out there!”

“And… you said I should live in that happy world without you?”

“But… now I just want to keep you to myself! Am I a selfish person, Sky?”

“That's right! You are a selfish person who only thinks for yourself! Didn't you consider my feelings? I always loved you, Victor! And I know you have feelings for me too, that's for sure.”

Victor raised his face to the sky for a moment. Then he took Sky's hand and continued to drag him to another location: “Follow me!”

They went to a shop selling wedding outfits. Victor took the ATM card and gave it to the female shop owner: “Please choose the most beautiful wedding outfit for him!” As he spoke, Victor pointed to Sky. The female shop owner asked: “A more classy wedding suit for him, right?” Victor shook his head: “No! Please help herchoose the most beautiful wedding dress!” The female shop owner was suddenly surprised, but she quickly nodded: “I understand!”

Not understanding what was going on, Sky was pulled into the costume fitting area by the female shop owner. She did not hesitate to take off Sky's white wedding suit and even Sky's underwear, because for her right now, the person standing in front of her was a girl just like her. She helps Sky wear a white wedding lingerie set, along with a bridal half slip. Sky did not expect that the first lingerie set, the thing she always wanted to wear, would be wedding lingerie. After that, the female shop owner helped Sky wear a long classic A-line wedding dress.

Services at the store include bridal makeup. After meticulously applying Sky's makeup, the female shop owner placed a long, flowing dark brown wig and a bridal veil on Sky's hair. Sky looked at herself in the mirror. Sky feels so happy. Sky's wish came true! When the female owner shop led Sky out, Victor seemed to stand still for a few seconds. Victor felt that the time around him had stopped. Then, he stepped forward and placed his hand on Sky's red cheek: “You're so beautiful!”

In their wedding clothes, they held hands and walked to the familiar balcony. At this place, Victor took out a wedding ring from his pocket and put it on Sky's finger: “Even though it's a bit late, will you marry me?” Sky gave a happy smile: “Yes, of course!” Victor lifted Sky's bridal veil and the two shared a passionate kiss.

“At that balcony nook, you and I became best friends! At that balcony nook, you and I became husband and wife! And at that balcony nook, we will always be together for the rest of our lives! Sometimes the little world that revolves around a balcony with only two people isn't really that bad…”

THE END