Nico’s breathing grew heavy as a wave of panic washed over him. I’ve been a straight man for the past thirty years, and I’m about to become a cross-dresser! I’m going to lose my dignity and pride!
In an attempt to regain composure, he rolled down the window, allowing a gust of fresh air to fill the car.
Right then, Charles’ cold voice rang out. “What’s the matter with you? Worried about looking ugly and embarrassing as a cross-dresser? Are you considering jumping out of the window?”
Charles’ response caught Nico off guard, leaving him momentarily speechless.
Nevertheless, determined to express his concerns, Nico uttered, “It’s not about looking ugly. It’s about struggling to accept this situation. Must you gloat? After all, you’re facing the same predicament as me, aren’t you?”
Although Charles also felt ill at ease, he looked a lot calmer than Nico. “You’ve trained in the Federal Bureau of Investigation since you were little, right? Surely you’ve taken disguise classes before. Haven’t you dressed up as a woman during one of the exercises?”
Nico slumped in deep dejection and replied, “No! I’m a straight man, and dressing up as a woman is something I would never do! I’d rather give up on the activity and face the punishment of doing three hundred push-ups than compromise my identity in such a way.”
“Well, you’ll finally make an exception today. It’s a significant event in your life. You should remember it.”
Nico’s irritation grew as he noticed Charles’ apparent gloating. He’s going through the same thing as me! What is he acting all high and mighty for?
In a fit of anger and frustration, Nico’s words tumbled out. “Did you think everyone is as driven by competition as you? Only someone like you would go to such lengths, including cross-dressing, just to come out on top. D*mn it! I should have punched you harder earlier and made sure you stayed down!”
Charles’ smirk grew wider as he responded to Nico’s anger with a nonchalant tone. “You’re panicking, aren’t you?”
Nico was at a loss for words.
“Hey! Stop it, okay?” Zendaya, who sat in the middle, took on the role of a peacemaker. “We’ve arrived at the laboratory! Let’s go!”
Nico got out of the car reluctantly and walked uneasily behind everyone else. Needless to say, resistance was written all over his face.
Zendaya held Charles’ hand with one hand and Nico’s with the other as she skipped her way toward the laboratory and into Benedict’s ward.
At that moment, Benedict was on the bed with an IV drip attached to his hand. The foot of the bed was piled up with things.
Upon taking a closer look, they could see the items Zendaya had mentioned earlier—wigs, clothes, and heels.
“Come here, Uncle Nico! Since you’re the winner, you get to choose first.” Benedict was as enthusiastic as a salesperson. “Uncle Nico, would you prefer black or white as the dominant color of your dress?”
Nico’s lips twitched, and he remained silent for a prolonged moment, unable to find the right words. Finally, he spoke with a mix of resignation and exasperation. “What difference does it make?”
“I’ll decide for you, then. You’ll wear a white skirt and a black pinafore. It’ll make you look so angelic. This combination suits your temperament!” Benedict declared with unwavering decisiveness.
In Nico’s eyes, the choice of colors held no significance anymore.
Resigned to his fate and realizing it was futile to resist, he gathered the set of clothes and headed into the bathroom in the ward to change.
While he was changing, the ward fell into complete silence.
Zendaya was setting up her phone camera to get ready to take photos of Nico.
Charles, feeling a sense of awkwardness at the moment, picked up his black skirt and white pinafore. “Should I change in the shared restroom in the laboratory? It would save time and effort to clean the bathroom in here afterward.”
“There’s no hurry.” Benedict’s childish voice sounded somewhat deep. “It’s Uncle Nico’s first time dressing up as a female. You ought to see it.”
Charles complied.
However, Benedict didn’t let him sit, so he stood at the foot of the bed with his back straightened and hands behind his back like he was serving a punishment.
Twenty minutes later, Nico was still in the bathroom.
Benedict craned his neck and yelled, “Uncle Nico? Are you all right in there? Did you faint when you saw how stunning you look in a dress?”
As soon as those words fell, footsteps were heard from inside the bathroom.
Nico placed his hand on the door handle, took a few deep breaths to steel himself, and opened the door.
The moment the door opened, Zendaya rushed toward the bathroom.
There and then, Nico was seen walking out uncomfortably. I’ve never felt more embarrassed in my life!
“Wow!” Zendaya widened her eyes and sized Nico up as though she had just seen an exotic animal. “Not bad!”
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