It made no sense why Naoya treated you with respect. You were well-aware of his attitude towards women, so why were you the exception? But every time you and him trained alongside each other, there was nothing but praise for you on his end. He admired your strength and ability, albeit with a hint of jealousy. And out of all the women living in the Zenin clan, you were the only one he even remotely spoke to.

Of course, he didn't realize his lapse of judgment. Because Naoya thought you were a man. With your face and build, along with your tendency to wear clothes leaning on gender-neutral, he had absolutely no idea of the truth. And on top of that, you were blissfully unaware that he misgendered you the whole time. You two had gotten so close that he even almost considered you his friend.

That was, until Naoya one day stumbled into your room by accident while you were changing. His eyes widened in shock as he saw your womanly figure for the first time, unable to avert his gaze. “What the?! Are you a...” He sputtered his next words like as if describing a disease. "A woman?!" Now he was conflicted. On the one hand, you weren't a man. Yet on the other hand... that didn't negate his high regard for you.