My name is Norio Tagawa.
I am now the first grade of Morikawa-West Junior High School.
In this January I have moved and transfered to the school.
This moving was decided at the end of November,
because of my father's job. So we moved very hurriedly.

I have a younger sister, Miyuki, 5th grade of elementary school.
My sister and I had to go to the new school from 8th January,
just after the newyear vacation.
Thus my mother diceded to go to school early with my sister and me,
to meet new school's teathers.
But my sister had a fever because of a cold at the day.
The day in December was cold, so it is bad that she walked around.
So my mother gave up, and went only with me.

My mother and I got on train and went first to my new junior hihg school.
The town is in a neighbor prefecture, but we needed 2 hours. 
When we arrived at the school, all students seemed to be in class.
The school was very quiet and we didn't meet anyone.
We go into the teather's room and my mother told a man about me,
then old man came on.
"I am Tagawa. From the next month, I would entrust my son to this school."
My mother said.
"Welcome. I am Mochida, vice-president of this school.
You are Norio, aren't you? I'm glad to meet you, everyday from
the next month. I should let you to meet the teather for your clasroom,
but today he is going to the office of education. I'm sorry."
The vice president and my mother talked some time about formality,
documents or something I can't understand. And my mother said
"And How codes on uniforms in this school are there?"
"The boy's uniform of my school is general uniform around our regional.
Maybe, you need only new buttons and a nameplate."
"OK, we don't need to buy."
"You can buy gym suits at shops listed here", he gave a paper,
"but you don't need to hurry."
My mother got buttons and a nameplate and got these in her bag.
Then we go out of the school, only ten minutes after arrival.

After lunch, next we went to my sister's new elementary school.
The elementary school is near our new house.
When we arrived the elementary school, it was just in noon break,
so many children was running around.
... but all children wore blue uniforms.
In the elementary school that I had go to till the last year, and my sister was going to,
There was not uniform. So I was surprised.
"Oh, I don't need to buy Norio's uniform, but need Miyuki's uniform."
We went into the teacher's room and told a man about my sister,
then a teacher came on.
"I am Tagawa,  From the next month, I would entrust my daughter
to your school."
"Welcome. I am Hashimoto, the teather in charge of the class you come in.
I'm glad to meet you, everyday from the next month, Miyuki."
The teacher speaked to me....The teacher mistook me for Miyuki.
I sometimes have been mistaken for a younger child than Miyuki,
but it was first time that I was mistaken for Miyuki.
Though I am actually short, I am a junior high school student.
But this teacher took me for a elementary school girl....
I should have worn junior high school uniform....
"No, he is my son, Miyuki's brother, in junior high school.
Miyuki has a fever today, so I can't bring her here.
But her face and tallness look like him."
"Oh, it is better she is quiet. I'm sorry for my mistake, brother."
The teacher and my mother talked like in the junior high school.
Then mother said
"And in this school, is uniforms ruled? I see in school yard."
"Yes. The shops list of the uniforms and gym suits is here."
The teather gave my mother a paper.
"All shops are near the station. On the back side of the paper,
dress-codes are written easily."
"OK, We will buy these on the way to home."
"And, if you don't hurry, would you see our classroom?
There isn't a classroom visitation in the half year.
I think it is better you see daughter's new classmates."
"Yes, It is really better. I see the classroom for a moment."
I didn't have aother place to go, so I went with my mother and
the teather.

When I went near classrooms, many children are running around.
"Don't run in bulding!"
"Oh! teacher come!"
"What happen? What do you do?"
"Don't mind, you may play."
"Who? Who is she?"
"Greet their!"
"Hello!"
"Hello!"
I heard children's conversations.
"Will she come in?"
"Our class?"
Then the chime ringed. The teacher called out.
"The time of cleaning room! begin!"
"is she ... is she girl?"
"Boy?"
"We will ask it of teacher later."
After We saw they began cleaning, we went out the elementary school.

We went in a shop street near the station.
"Gym suits of junior high school.... any shop are farther.
The next time we will go. Uniforms of elementary school....
Oh, this shop is near."
I had a foreboding when my mother decided only my mother and I went out.
When my mother and I go out, though only with me,
my mother sometimes buys wears for my sister.
Then my mother compares girl's wears with my body,
because I am only 1 inch taller than my sister.
I am 2 years older than my sister but only 1 inch taller.... or less.
My mother puts girl's wears only on my back to compare.
But I am taken into a floor of girl's wears and compared
with girl's wears. Especially when in the shop near home,
I blush very much because I think my friends may see it.
At the day, I had thought my mother and I went only new school
so my mother didn't buy wears for my sister.
But the foreboding became true. I am a bit fortunate
my friends were not around there.

After walking a bit, we arrived a shop of school uniforms.
In the window of the shop, various uniforms
of many junior high schools, senior high schools
and elementary schools was displayed.
My mother told a salesperson about the uniform,
and informed the name of the elementary school.
"Boy's, ... or Girl's?"
The salesperson asked. My mother answered.
"Girl's."
Another salesparpon took out a measure,
then my mother push me forth. I gave up as like always.
But they believed I was a elementary school girl, maybe.
So I blushed. The salesperson measured me and said my size
to the other salesperson. Then the salesperson took out a blouse.
It's colar was round and very large, as a little girl's wear.
The salesperson spreaded the blouse and put it on my back.
I felt I should wear it.
"How are this size? She is growing now, so I recommend this size,
bigger slightly."
My mother answered
"Yah... Please bigger than this. Please 3 blouse bigger than this."
Next, the salesperson take a skirt.
"Plese put on this skirt. Here is a fitting room."
I was surprised and looked at my mather face, but my mother said 
"put it over the jeans."
and she looked like saying "finish soon!".
I gave up. I had the skirt and got into the fitting room.
I tryed my leg into the skirt, but my leg hitched something.
I wondered and saw well the skirt. The skirt had two long beltings.
I extended it and then understood It was suspenders.
I put my legs into the skirt and put the suspenders on my shoulder.
I remembered a skirt of girl's uniform of a kindergarten.
The waist band of the skirt come up higher than the belt of my jeans.
I pulled up the zipper on the left side, and closed the hold-down.
The salesperson said
"Have you put on?"
"Yah"
The salesperson opened the curtain of the fitting room.
I put the skirt over jeans and was saw by people I didn't know,
but I was watched I was putting on skirt.
I blushed and I can't raise my face.
Furthermore, the salesperson touched my body and the skirt.
She entered her fingers between my body and the west band,
"OK, the waist is fitting well. You can resize with this hold-down
if you grow up more. How long skirt do you want? OK is this?"
Salesperson put a measure on the skirt.
"Mmm, I feel a bit shorter is pretty. aren't you?"
My mother said. I don't know about length of skirt.
Next salesperson take a jacket.
"Put on this."
I had already put on a skirt, so I can't go off.
I put on the jacket as salesperson said.
The jacket, without a collar, had buttons and button holes
on both sides. Salesperson soon buttoned up as right side over left.
I see me throgh a mirror. I didn't put on a blouse,
but I wore just same as elementary school girls, I had seen
in the elementary school. The mirror was near me,
so I can't seen jeans on my legs.
The uniforms were a bit larger to me, so I in the mirror look smaller.
Furthermore I felt I then wore same uniforms as melementary school girls.
I imaged white round big collar was around my neck.
"a bit larger, but it is easy to move in school. I recommend this size."
"OK, Please 2 jackets and 2 skirts, in these sizes."
"There also are vest or sweatercoat."
"How do you do?"
These was not mine, but my mother said to me.
"Therefrom it will be colder..."
"Mmm, 2 sweatercoat" My mother said.
"Do you need caps and knee-socks?"
"Yes. 2 caps and 5 knee-socks"
In addition, my mother bought red gymsuits, for girls.
My mother paid and went out the shop. I brought out the uniforms.

We had 1 hour to the next train, so we waited.
In the time, elementary school children walked back to home.
Children put on uniforms and caps, same as I had bought.
Girls put on just same as I had put on in a fitting room.
I noticed girls of 5th grade, I had seen in classroom
of the elementary school. They also noticed me.
"See you from newyear!" the girls said.
Boys only saw and pointed me.
"Good friends, I'm very easy."
My mother said. I held uniforms same as the girls.
I wanted to tell them "I am not Miyuki, becoming a classmate of you",
but I couldn't because they were too far to say it.
Maybe All of 5th grade of the elementary school believed
I came in their class next month.
If I didn't see again, I didn't mind it. But They became
my sister's classmates. Some day I shall see them. Then how do I do?
And I have put on uniforms just same as the girls.
I remembered my shape in a mirror, putting on uniforms same as the girls,
and I imaged that I was walking with the girls, as they and I put on
same uniforms.

On the way to home, I held girl's uniforms of elementary school, fit to me.
In train and on all the way from the station to home, I held it.
I didn't see classmates, but sometimes I saw someone I know, so I blushed.
Someone I know had see I held girl's uniform of elementary school,
fit to me. Anyone didn't know what I held. But I blushed.
After I arrived home and put uniforms in my sister's room,
I breathed again easily.

The uniforms was bought for my sister, but I tried on it and
it was fit to me. My sister has not put on it. Only I has put on it.
I wanted my sister to put on it even if only onetime.
But we was busy for moving, so my sister didn't put on it.
I felt it was "my uniforms".
In addition, I have not seen the teacher and classmates of
my new classroom in my new junior high school, but I have seen
and known the teacher and classmates of my sister's new classroom
in sister's new elementary school. My sister's new classmates,
but My sister didn't know and I knew.
I could image the life after moving, only that I was in the classroom
of 5th grade of the elementary school, I put on girl's uniforms
of the elementary school, and I played with girls of 5th grade
of the elementary school.
I couldn't image except I went to the elementary school.

After the ceremony of the end of the quarter,
I have soon moved to our new house. In the newyear vacation,
I don't see junior high school students putting on uniforms.
But the elementary scool is near, so I see often the elementary school.
Only things of the elementary school come to my mind.

My sister have finished to sort out her stuffs, so at last
she take out uniforms of her elementary school. But she says
"Very childish. I dislike it."
and refuses to put on it.
"Do I have to go to school, wearing this? NO!"
My mother says
"All in the elementary school wear this. You have seen, Norio."
"Yah"
"But I have not seen."
"Your brother tried on it and it is fit to you, so ..."
Oh, my mother says such things...
"Then he wears it and goes to school!"
My mother gives up and goes to kitchen.
"Thus, This is yours. I put this in your room!"

When I am going to sleep, I can't ignore the uniform.
The uniform appears in my dream. In the deam, I wear the uniform
and play girls of 5th grade of the elementary school.
I wake up early, and I see the uniform on the wall of my room,
a little time. I want to wear it. I take a blouse and put my arm
through blouse's sleeve and button up it.
Next skirt, jacket, and socks. In a mirror, I see
the large round collar around my neck, in no dream, no imagination,
but in real mirror. Very large collar, so I look very childish.
I touch the collar with my fingers.
Now I don't wear jeans, so my legs feel the touch of the skirt.
I remeber the classroom of 5th grade of the elementary school,
and girls in the classroom. I look in a mirror a half hour,
then I take off the uniform.

The last day of newyear vacation, I walk around with a dog.
When I walk by the elementary school, I remember I weared
the uniform of this school. I feel tomorrow I shall wear
the uniform, walk on this road and go into this elementary school.
I think and stop a moment by the school.
Then two girls come. I have seen them in the classroom of 5th grade.
"Oh, she is the new comer to my class!"
"Your name is .... Miyuki, Tagawa, isn't it?"
"Y...Yes"
"You are very tall!"
"But shorter than Yoshizawa."
"I am Mika Gotou."
"I am Kayo Nakao. Oh, You have a dog. Can I gentle your dog?"
"Yah"
"Do you live near?"
"Turn that corner and soon."
"near school!"
"I can go to school with you!"
"Let's play tomorrow!"
"See you tomorrow!"
"... See you... tomorrow..."

Tomorrow, How do I do? I think, while I see the uniform on the wall
of my room. I shall wear this uniform and go to the elementary school
... No, Miyuki will wear this and go to the elementary school.
But I have weared this, not Miyuki. This is fit to me, not Miyuki.
I have already gone into the classroom and seen classmates.
And Goto and Nakao say "See you tomorrow!" to me, not Miyuki.
Must I go to a junior high school, I don't know? Must I wear another?
I feel these are lies.... Yah, tomorrow morning, I shall wear
this uniform, go to the elementary school, and see the teacher and
the clsassmetes. Not Miyuki, but me.
I will not give up this uniform and friends, to Miyuki!