“You’re going to have to get used to it, kiddo,” the nurse told me. “Every second year boy has to go through a week of this. You’re class is just the first batch of the year.”

“I would’ve liked to be second at least. Then I could get some pointers.”

“You’re going to be the one giving pointers later. That’s why I picked your class first.”

“That’s what I get for being the part of the health committee, Sasakura-Sensei.”

“It makes you a lot calmer than most students at least,” she laughed before standing up. While she grabbed my hand and pulled me off the chair I was seated on as well. She hovered her hand over my head to make my current height known.

Going from 180 cm to 165 cm was a dramatic change. I was previously taller than the nurse, but now I was eye level with her. It was a strange feeling.

“Remember to tell your temporary replacement you won’t be able to help out in this next week,” Sasakura-Sensei told me. “You’ll be getting smaller throughout the week, so it’d be better if you had fewer responsibilities while dealing with your new height.”

“I got it, Sensei,” I nodded. “Takahashi will be coming later today.”

“Glad to hear you’ve already let her know,” Sensei smirked. She picked up a clipboard from her desk and walked over to the door, sliding it open. “Well, back to class with you then. You’ll see me again tomorrow. In the meantime, be wary that the reduction rate picks up. You’ll be a much smaller size once that happens.”

Smaller size. Those two words caused by body to focus its senses on my height that was slowly melting away. How small would the Reduction take me and what would it be like? I was curious but I also honestly could have done without knowing. 

To adjust for the use of size altering technology’s commonplace use in the workplace, all of us boys and girls had to be taught how it was at different sizes. Being mandated by the government to go through Reduction for a week was going to be a strange time for all of us.

“Okay. Next student!”

I was thankful I wasn’t one of the super popular kids. It meant I wasn’t surrounded by a majority of the girls like Eguchi. The handsome guy was smoothly avoiding standing up, but I could see the sweat pouring down his neck from nervousness. I wasn’t a friend of the gyaru clique like Arai. His normal bravado and confidence vanished while he was pulled along by his girlfriend and her friends. Their presence didn’t mean I didn’t have anything to worry about, however.

Just because I wasn’t super popular didn’t mean I didn’t have many female friends.

“So, Touya, how are you feeling? Is it overwhelming yet?” my classmate and childhood friend Yae approached me with quiet footsteps. “You sure look like you’re doing well after getting shorter.”

“It hasn’t gotten drastic enough yet, so it isn’t an issue yet,” I shrugged.

“Aw… I’m a little disappointed. I thought you’d be a bit more panicky,” Yae admitted with a gentle smile. She played with the pink hairpin pulling her bangs aide. “I want to see you shocked at us being the same height.”

Yae being 160 cm tall, she always did complain about being unable to reach places I could. She had mentioned before that she was looking forward to our second year of high school because of what the boys and girls had to go through.

“Well, you’ll have to wait until later then. I’m not giving you that satisfaction by standing up.”

“Eh? But I want to see it. Can’t you stand up for me?”

“Nope. Have some mercy, would you?”

“Bu-”

Yawn.

“Sheesh. You boys really are all chicken,” the yawning classmate in the seat in front of me, Takahashi, remarked, rubbing her eyes as she turned around. She tried to straighten her curling hair with her finger, but her permanent bedhead couldn’t be fixed. “You should just face facts and be honest that you’re shorter now. That’s what Reduction does.”

“Hey, I’ll admit it. I’ll also admit I don’t want to see the difference,” I was honest. “I like Yae here being shorter than me. I’d rather she stay her cute, short self.”

“T-Touya!” I could hear Yae stutter. Her ears were red.

“Fufu… Well, I guess that is honest,” my words made Takahashi chuckle. “You two need to get a room. Also, you’re going to have a hard time when Asano has to go through Magnification, Kirishima-kun.””

“Urgh...”

Though I knew that, I didn’t want to be reminded of it. Despite always looking sleepy, Takahashi had a sharp tongue.

Her wit was also pretty sharp.

“Hm… Now that I think about it, even if you’re around the same height, you should’ve gotten a lot lighter, Kirishima-kun. I bet if Asano really wanted, she could pull you out of your seat without trying.”

Though she was simply just thinking aloud while still attempting to wake back up after sleeping during the last period, I didn’t like what she was implying. The hand suddenly on my shoulder was all I needed to confirm.

“Please, Touya?” Yae asked for permission. I flinched for a moment. Her grip was a bit rough. I told myself that it was those puppy dog eyes she used that were always effective against me. I was always soft on my childhood friend. 

“Fine,” I sighed and stood up to match the 160 cm height…

Is what I wanted to be the case, but I stood corrected. I was looking up at her already. By the looks of it, I was maybe 3 cm shorter, so 157 cm.

I don’t know what kind of expression was on my face, but it was definitely one of shock. In the time it took for all of the boys’ Reductions to finish and for class to end, I had lost another 8 cm. What Sasakura-Sensei about the reduction rate was right.

Yae couldn’t hide her smile at the sight of me, her 180 cm friend now slightly shorter than her.  

“So that’s the face… Fufu...” Yae stifled a giggle. “So I’m finally the taller one. I don’t know if I could get used to this though.”

“You’ll have to because you’re going to be taller all week,” I told her with a nervous smile. “So could you please stop using your hand to check heights? It’s a little embarrassing.”

I tried to swat Yae’s hand away but she immediately moved it back. I had to use my full force when I grabbed her wrist to stop her because, though we were around the same height, I was clearly smaller due to proportionality both in height and build. I was tiring myself out however as Takahashi soon got into the teasing as well when she became remotely more awake. Standing up, she flanked me and compared her 170 cm height to mine as well.

“By the way, Kirishima-kun. You’ll need to show me where the nurse’s office is later. I’m supposed to be your substitute, right?” spoke Takahashi who dropped her chin on my shoulder and held me from behind.

“What? You forgot already? Come on, Takahashi,” though I struggled, fighting Takahashi’s hold was useless. It wasn’t even due to my height in this case. The sleepy girl had a dead man’s grip almost naturally. Getting grabbed by her while she was sleeping meant no escape even when I was 180 cm tall.

“Whoa,” the girl holding me ignored my words and struggles and looked over at Yae. “Asano. You can feel him getting smaller if you hold him like this.”

“Really? Do you mind if I try, Touya?” Yae requested.

I sighed as I continued to be pulled along for the remainder of the passing period. At least I wasn’t the only one. The rest of the boys in class 2-D were in the same boat. Eguchi had four of his admirers pulling on him and while arguing with each other. It was only going to get worse for him. Arai was being pressed into his gyaru girlfriend’s chest while her friends laughed. 

This week, there was no way any boy in 2-D was going to have any influence over the girls. This week of Reduction was meant to give us boys a taste of the future, but it definitely wasn’t something I wanted to get used to. This entire day and week were going to be long.