Shinow Awakening

Once upon a time in a apartment in San Francisco, an 18-year-old named Mark was having one of those extremely low nights. He was jobless; freshly out of work and feeling hopeless. His girlfriend had just ended their relationship and he was facing eviction from his apartment. Even his parents weren't speaking to him. Lying in bed, he felt the world had turned its back on him, and dreamt of a change of scenery. Telling himself he must sleep his problems away, he did so with an unusual, whimsical thought. "I don't know. I wish to be a random girl in a place like Japan or South Korea when I wake up," he said, goosebumpy from the thought but with a small smile creeping at the corner of his mouth. When dawn arrived, Mark awoke with a start. His surroundings were unfamiliar. He was buried beneath a pink duvet, the bed he was on was smaller, the room completely different. As his eyes drifted down, he noticed he was clad in Hello Kitty shorts and tank top. A swift realization hit him; he was shorter and his hair was longer. A quick glance at his reflection showcased a change more drastic than he could ever have imagined: Mark was now a young Japanese woman. "Dō shita no? Naze watashi ga joseina no ka?" were the first words out of his mouth, and even he was startled. Not only was he now a woman, but he was also speaking fluent Japanese, a language he'd never even studied. As he paced the unfamiliar room, trying to piece together the puzzle and find a way back to his former life, his foot slipped into a pair of black flats left carelessly on the floor. As soon as his toes curled into them, a rush of unfamiliar memories flooded him. One moment he was Mark, grappling with the situation. The next, he was 30-year-old Shinow, a woman who was completely at ease with her identity and her life. All remnants of his previous life had vanished. "Atamagaitai, dōshite kon'nani konran shite iru nodarou. Gārufurendo to dekakenakereba ikenainoni." Laughing at her confusion, the new Shinow smiled gently, leisurely leaning against her bed, sliding her feet completely into the comfy flats. She spent the next few minutes regrouping her thoughts, coming to grips with the irrational confusion. All the while, there was no memory of Mark or his troubles. She was Shinow now, and the hardships of his past life were buried within a forgotten dream. She was ready to step out into her new life, into a world that was once Mark's fascinating Utopia. It was a bizarre beginning to a new day, but she was embracing it, ready to face the day as the new Shinow.