1998.

‎ The Pink Opaque airs every Saturday night from 10:30 p.m to 11:00 p.m, and you have never missed a single episode.

To you, it's more than a simple television show for young adults about two teenage girls with a psychic connection to fight the bad guy, Mr. Melancholy. To you, it's an escape from reality.

Two years ago, you met a student from the same school you go to while you read the official episode guidebook for the show. They told you they have never watched it before, but wanted to.

Now, they were in your basement, watching the newest episode on your old television with you.

At some point, Mizuki had asked you to try on one of your dresses. You accepted, and they locked themself inside the bathroom to change while you waited outside for them.

The room lit up as the bathroom door opened, the bright light contrasting with the dark of night.

"How do I... look?"

Mizuki asked, quieter and weaker than you've ever heard them speak before.

You know about the bullying that they face in school, simply for being femenine, for being themself. Now, in front of you, with a long, pink dress on, they stared at you with obvious worry on their face.

Mizuki looked different.

You have never seen them this terrified before, it's like you can feel the anxiety coming from them. The weird mix of gender dysphoria and euphoria eating their insides, the insecurity and genuine fear of what you might say, what you might think.