In A Pinch | A Walk To Remember

Things are coming to a head for Soon-Hee

She didn’t see Sonny in the mirror anymore.

As far back as she could remember, there had always been a line between the two.  Sonny was a boy, Soon-Hee was his feminine half. That definition kept the two sides apart; everything was compartmentalized and placed in separate boxes.   Certain elements made it easier to manage. Soon-Hee kept herself hidden until the prosthetics and make-up came out. The further feminized Sonny became, the more Soon-Hee took control.  The entire ritual of becoming Soon-Hee was a submersive experience for Sonny. They were two minds sharing the same body and desires. . . one could not exist without the other.

Those neat , definitive lines were fading - one side blending into the other.  There was no need for prosthetics - no corsets to shrink her slender waist. Her bust was definitive and healthy, perfect for her frame and trending towards a slight over-abundance.  Soon-Hee’s waist tapered into slim yet shapely hips; all the right curves in all the right places. Her skin was delicate and glowing - smoothly soft and alive to every sensation around her.  On the yacht, she could smell the salt water from the waves while the ocean winds tickled her body. Most of all, she felt the strength of Kevin’s arms as he held her steady against his toned frame.  The safety of being protected. . . cared for. That was how it was supposed to look to anyone watching, wasn’t it? But it felt so real to her. Too real to be ignored.

Soon-Hee had tried to ignore those growing sensations of warmth whenever she was in the presence of her friend.  She didn’t want to acknowledge them - to do so would be to admit the impossible. But it wasn’t something she could ignore any longer.  Not when her body seemed to have it’s own agenda. The lingering vestiges of her male persona fading, yet they still tried to make their presence known.  THOSE feelings shouldn’t be real; there was NO WAY she could be falling for Kevin. . . And yet, it was right in front of her. How her heart fluttered as she felt his eyes lingering on her, how a simple touch could spark tingles of anticipation.  The play was becoming real, at least for her.

It only compiled the conflict building within the budding woman.  She knew it was only a matter of time before she was complete. So little of Sonny remained.  Even now, it took nothing to hide those little remnants of maleness between her thighs. What was left was easily hidden within a budding gap that grew deeper each day.  Where hardness was once the norm there was now a balmy dampness. . . a dampness that was amplified in the presence of her friend and roommate. That same dampness was why she took off after docking - she needed to put space between herself and Kevin. . . let the heat simmer down so she could gather her thoughts.  

“So there you are!” Her heart pressed against her chest when she heard Kevin’s familiar voice.  The flutter of excitement was so hard to suppress. “Is everything ok?”

“I’m fine,” she lied, giving him a smile as she slips the thin shaw from her arms.  The radiance of the sun was encouraging. “I just wanted to walk the beach. It’s so beautiful here.”

“This is my family’s private island near the resort.” Kevin told her.  “We always come out here before we head back home. It’s where father wants to build a villa just for the family.”

“I’m sure it will be divine,” She murmured.  When had her voice become so normal? It had become so hard to use Sonny’s voice these days.  She no longer had to consciously think about it; the soothing, dulcet soprano was her default.  

“I have to say, you’ve outdone yourself today,” Kevin told her as they padded along the beach.  “You are just beautiful, breakingly so. . .”

“That’s sweet of you to say,” Soon-Hee couldn’t hide the delight in her voice, it was always nice to know her looks were appreciated but Kevin’s compliments held more sway with her.  

“I mean it.  I wasn’t even sure you could WEAR a bikini!”  

“I have my ways,” she winked at him.  “It’s gotten easier lately, especially since I haven’t had to shift back and forth during this whole trip.  I only brought my girl clothes on this trip.”

“Well, this trip has made it hard to remember Sonny. . .”  there was a hitch in Kevin’s voice, his eyes on Soon-Hee as she basked in the sunlight.  “I mean, you were pretty much Soon-Hee all the time before we left.”

“I know. . .”  There was a wishful longing in her voice, words softly carried out to the ocean by the breeze.  “I’m having a hard time remembering myself. But it’s not so scary these days.”

“I promise you it will be worth it,”  Kevin told her. “My dad has been really attentive this trip.  He keeps talking to me about the big picture with the company. I think he’s grooming me to take a bigger role in the day to day operations.”

“That sounds wonderful!”  She was genuinely happy for him.  Kevin has been so focused lately - it was clear he was trying to assert himself and become the man his family wanted him to be.  It didn’t hurt that ambition made him more attractive . . .

“None of it would be possible without you.  I don’t know how I’m going to do it, but I will do everything I can to repay you for the sacrifice you’ve made to help me.”  Soon-Hee paused for a moment, her heart threatening to jump out of her chest. Why did he have to be so gallant?

“I know you mean it,” she told him.  “Just knowing that you are sincere makes me think it’s all worth it.  Like I told you once before, I’ve learned a lot about myself in all of this.  We are both growing.”

“You are doing a lot more than I am.” Kevin’s prodding comment made Soon-Hee giggle a bit.

“Well, if all else fails, I could become your trophy wife.  Then you WILL have to take care of me.” She winked again, letting him share in the joke.

“You certainly look the part.  I bet you would look good on my arm.”  For just a moment, Soon-Hee let herself imagine how it would look. . .Kevin in a tux, her in a gown, both of them moving around the room and charming clients.  It wasn’t the most unpleasant idea.

“Let’s head back before your mother comes looking for us,”  she took his hand, pulling back toward the dock. As they left, she pushed the ideas of the future aside.  Those could wait until they were back home.