Finding My Voice In Her Skin

Joseph was brimming with excitement, her heart racing so fast she could hardly keep still. She fidgeted nervously, her anticipation palpable.

When she first saw her reflection in the mirror after transforming into a girl, she knew instantly that anything she wore would look stunning on her.

The lingering gazes of passersby only confirmed it!

Some might wonder,

"But Joseph, weren't you a straight man? Why are you so thrilled about being a woman? Don't you miss being a man?"

Well, she did!

She missed her junior, her great pole!

But the gods had more than made up for it by blessing her with such undeniable attractiveness and cuteness. It wasn't a bad trade-off, all things considered.

As Joseph walked through the mall with her mom, she couldn't help but notice how her mother was steering them toward the second floor of SM, where all the high-end clothing brands were located. The department store was on the ground floor, but her mom seemed determined to head upstairs.

"Ma, let's take the escalator over there,"

Joseph suggested, pointing ahead.

"Alright, let's do just that," her mother agreed with a nod.

There were three ways to get to the second floor: the stairs, the elevator, or the escalator. Joseph and her mom weren't fans of the elevator-it was slow, and by the time you reached the second floor, everyone who took the stairs or escalator was already browsing. Efficiency was key, especially if you wanted to snag limited-stock items!

Once they reached the second floor, Joseph and her mom entered a store called Forme. It was filled with all kinds of clothes-dresses, blouses, pants, skirts, you name it. Her mom immediately started browsing, while Joseph lingered awkwardly near the entrance, unsure of what to do. She glanced at the racks of clothing, feeling completely out of her depth. Frilly dresses, floral prints, simple designs, sleeveless tops-she could barely describe what she was seeing, let alone decide what to try on. Fashion wasn't her forte, and she knew she'd have to figure it out eventually.

As Joseph stood there, her mom approached her with a simple white sundress.

"Joseph, try this on,"

her mom said, handing her the dress.

"Ah, ehm... yes po, Ma,"

Joseph replied, taking the dress. It was a plain sundress with thin straps, nothing too elaborate. But as she held it, she noticed the clerks glancing at her-some with admiration, others with disdain.

Was it her name?

Joseph wasn't exactly a common name for a girl, after all. Maybe she'd have to think about what she wanted to be called later. For now, though, she didn't care much about their opinions.

With the dress in hand, Joseph made her way to the fitting room. She carefully closed and locked the door, ensuring no one would disturb her. After undressing down to her underwear, she hung her t-shirt and shorts on the hanger and inspected the dress once more. Slipping it on, she turned to face the mirror-and her eyes lit up.

"Wow, I look really pretty,"

she whispered to herself.

She leaned closer to the mirror, lifting the hem of the dress and attempting a curtsy. She twirled and spun, watching as the fabric flowed elegantly around her. The dress was light and loose, yet it hugged her curves perfectly.

"I like this,"

she murmured, a smile tugging at her lips.

"The only downside is that I feel naked down there."

It was her first time wearing a dress, and the sensation was both vulnerable and refreshing.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Joseph, are you done fitting the dress?"

Ah! Joseph had completely forgotten her mother was waiting outside and must've come check on her! With a shy hesitation, she slowly opened the fitting room door, her head slightly lowered and a faint blush coloring her cheeks as she peeked out at her mother.

"H-how does it look, Ma?"

Her voice wavered slightly. Was it not good on her? Did it look bad? Joseph couldn't predict how her mother would react, and the uncertainty made her heart race.

To her surprise, her mother froze for a moment. Then, without a word, she stepped closer, gently lifting the skirt of the dress to feel the fabric between her fingers. Her eyes traced the way the dress hugged Joseph's figure, and after a moment, a small, approving smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"It's not bad. You look really pretty... Joseph," her mother said, nodding thoughtfully.

"Do you like the dress?"

Joseph's face lit up, and she nodded eagerly. She did like the dress-it was so pretty, and she had never worn anything like it before.

"I do! I love it very much!" she exclaimed, her voice bubbling with excitement.

Joseph's mother couldn't help but chuckle softly as she watched her son-now daughter-twirl around in delight. How many years had it been since she'd felt this kind of joy? Seeing her child so happy, so carefree, brought a warmth to her chest that she hadn't realized she'd been missing.

She would be lying if she said she hadn't once wished for a daughter, but life had other plans. Between her and her husband's meager incomes, they had barely been able to provide for Joseph, let alone indulge in such luxuries. And then there was the fact that Joseph had become a NEET, rarely leaving the house or showing interest in much of anything.

The only silver lining was that Joseph never fell into vices-no drinking, no reckless behavior. Still, it had been hard.

Her eyes drifted to her wallet. She had 10,000 pesos with her, and the dress cost 1,300. Just this once, she decided, she would splurge a little. After all, it had been so long since she'd seen Joseph this happy, this excited about something as simple as a piece of clothing. As a mother, wasn't it her duty to bring joy to her child? And now, seeing her son transformed into a daughter, she felt a strange sense of fulfillment.

"Perhaps you staying at our house isn't so bad after all," she muttered under her breath, almost to herself.

"What was that, Ma?"

Joseph leaned forward, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, her voice soft and sweet.

"Nothing,"

her mother replied, shaking her head.

"Let's go pay for this dress. It's almost 6 PM-we'll stop by the food court after this."

Joseph nodded, her smile radiant.

"Alright~!"

It was unusual for Joseph to be so enthusiastic. As a child, she would often complain about going out, eager to return home as soon as possible. But now, she seemed to be having the time of her life. Joseph's mother couldn't help but smile again. Whether this was truly Joseph or someone standing in her place didn't matter anymore. Deep down, she had a feeling that this change would bring more happy memories in the future-and for now, that was enough.