Are Men Really a Rare Species? - Chapter 11: Doubt?

“Wow!”

I can’t help but get excited.

…No, it’s not like I’m excited by the pleasant scent of women filling the mall or anything, okay?

I can’t help but be amazed by the numerous shops lined up in the mall.

Amazing.

Even though they are all stores I’ve seen before, everything they sell is aimed at women.

Especially clothing stores.

There isn’t even a men’s area.

Apparently, there are specialized brands for men’s products.

When it comes to famous brands like UMIQULO and S&M, they have established independent men’s brands and have isolated stores on the opposite side of the mall.

Apparently, many men said, “I can’t change clothes where there are unfamiliar women,” so it was necessary to separate the stores.

They say that just separating the fitting rooms isn’t enough.

It must be tough for the store too.

But even though we’ve gone this far, no male customers are coming at all.

Until about ten years ago, there were quite a few male customers, but it seems they have hardly come at all in recent years.

The cause is the rise and spread of online shopping.

Apparently, everyone buys online because they’re scared to go to physical stores.

It’s seriously tough for the store, isn’t it…?

Well, it can’t be helped.

After all, the expansion of stores for men is a government mandate.

Because of all the talk about protecting men and gender-free policies, the regulations for stores are strict.

Since they have to set up a physical store for male customers who don’t even come, it must be a complete loss for the store.

I was thinking that way, but it seems that’s not actually the case.

Actually, women can also enter men’s brand stores.

That’s why the store’s sales are quite high.

Because women who love cross-dressing as men come to buy them.

Some people even dress up male dolls they have at home and enjoy a simulated cohabitation life.

As a result, the men’s brand stores are overflowing with women.

No, that’s completely missing the point…

“Isn’t this just perfect for Yuu-chan?”

Mom says that while holding a child’s overall against my body.

We are at the store of the men’s brand—Adam Saint Laurent.

It’s a foreign men’s specialty brand, and it’s quite a high-end store.

“I-Is that so?”

“Of course~. You don’t usually wear denim like this, do you? Yuu-chan looks good in anything, so I think you would look great in something like this too~”

Indeed, I don’t have many memories of wearing denim clothes.

My clothes are almost 100% Mom’s choice.

The criteria for choosing clothes seem to be not only comfort but also being gentle on the skin.

So, most of my clothes are 100% cotton or pure silk, and very few are made of synthetic fibers.

The reason there are few denim fabric clothes is because the texture is rough.

Mom said, “Yuu-chan’s beautiful skin is getting rough!”

…Mom, aren’t you being a bit overprotective?

Denim is mostly made of cotton, right?

I don’t think it’s that bad for my skin, though…

“That’s why~, try it on, Yuu-chan.”

Mom hands me a denim overall and a checkered shirt.

Apparently, today is special.

…No, maybe they just want to use me as a dress-up doll.

By the way, what I’m wearing right now is a unisex T-shirt and shorts.

If they say it’s a boy, it looks like a boy, and if they say it’s a girl, it doesn’t feel out of place.

It’s not exactly cross-dressing, but it’s an outfit that wouldn’t immediately reveal I’m a boy.

It is a disguise outfit that cleverly utilizes the characteristics of a 6-year-old who has not yet developed secondary sexual characteristics.

Of course, I’m doing this to prevent my gender from being revealed.

If it gets out that I’m a boy, it will attract a lot of attention and cause a lot of trouble, so this is just a necessary measure.

Azuma-san’s proposal was to go all out with the cross-dressing, but since I really wanted to avoid frilly dresses and knee-length culottes, I settled on my current outfit.

Thanks to my still high voice, no one has figured out that I’m a boy yet.

“Alright, I’ll try it on.”

In times like this, it’s safest to stay quiet and comply.

If I make a sad face, Mama will be sad too.

“The fitting room is this way.”

The shop assistant lady tries to guide us with a beaming smile.

Women customers come to this store too… or rather, most of the customers who come here are women.

Among them, there are many families with children like us.

Of course, the child is a girl.

The reason they’re bringing their daughter to a men’s clothing store is because it’s their hobby.

Apparently, many parents are dressing their daughters, who have not yet shown any secondary sexual characteristics, as boys and enjoying the feeling of being a “mother of a boy” by putting them in boys’ clothes.

The girl herself is quite happy because she gets to wear clothes with a completely different design from what she usually wears.

Some girls even discover their interest in cross-dressing as a result of this.

…Isn’t that a bit perverted?

Well, for that reason, the staff are quite experienced in dealing with customers who have children.

Even if the children are noisy, they don’t make a face just because it’s a high-end brand.

However, the store clerk who is trying to guide me to the fitting room feels a bit different.

…Maybe, but this person has figured out that I am the real boy.

It’s a full-on sales smile, but there’s a suspicious glint hiding in the depths of their eyes.

…Wait, I’m just a 6-year-old who hasn’t even hit puberty yet.

It’s still too early to call him a “man”?

Aren’t you a bit too starved for men, miss?

I think the reason people found out I’m a guy is because of Mom, right?

Because Mom’s attitude is just like that of a mother who dotes on her son.

Here on Earth, mothers can be quite rough with their daughters.

In other words, it’s like being treated as a Showa-era man.

Even if I’m hungry, I just get handed some random food, and if I do something stupid, I get hit without mercy. That’s how it is.

Of course, it’s not that there’s no love, but it seems that being raised with the same kind of pampering as on the old Earth is quite rare.

On the contrary, it is the boys who are treated like fragile objects.

Men are weak in various ways, so it seems they can get depressed if not treated gently.

…Is it a sunfish?

Due to such a culture, young girls are not overly pampered.

The way my mom dotes on me is usually something only done for boys.

Conversely, this means that children who are treated like Mama’s favorites are highly likely to be boys.

…Yeah, if I don’t cover this up, it’s going to get really troublesome.

Just in case, Mom and I have small communication devices attached to our right ears, and we are in constant contact with Azuma-san and the others.

The messages mostly contain safety warnings like “Avoid the rough group over there” or “Take the detour route because suspicious individuals are lurking around there.”

Some even advise, “You’re attracting attention, so move away from there quickly,” or “Your voices are echoing, so quiet down.”

And it seems that Azuma-san and the others are also aware of this store clerk.

From the communication device hidden in her hair, Azuma-san’s voice could be heard.

“The staff might have figured out your gender. Please change right there on the spot.”

Mom, who was listening to the same instructions, flinched and froze.

Well, it’s a value that says it’s absolutely unacceptable for a man to change clothes in front of others.

In the context of the previous Earth, it would be like a young woman trying on underwear in public.

But, I think this time it’s unavoidable.

I also find it uncomfortable to change clothes in front of others, but if I don’t, it will become even more troublesome.

Most little girls don’t care about being watched.

So, in clothing stores, everyone just changes right there on the spot.

Because, basically, there are no members of the opposite sex around.

It feels just like being in the women’s changing room.

So, no one bothers with the hassle of hiding where they change.

On the contrary, if it’s the eyes of the opposite sex, then it’s more than welcome—I’d even love for them to see it.

Only boys care about what others think.

Since they are quite sensitive, it seems that if they are made to change clothes in front of others, they would be mentally distressed.

So, only men need fitting rooms.

Conversely, if a fitting room is needed, it is highly likely that the person is male.

If I show any signs of being self-conscious here, it will confirm that I am a boy.

Therefore, Azuma-san’s advice is correct.

“It’s okay. It’s a hassle, so this is fine.”

After saying that, I took off the T-shirt and shorts I was wearing right there.

I feel like Mom is screaming deep down her throat while keeping her usual gentle smile, but it’s probably just my imagination.

The sound of Azuma-san swallowing was heard through the communicator, probably because she was also anxious about the situation.

I quickly strip off my clothes and I end up in just my underwear.

The pants are also unisex, so no problem.

“My son is still growing, so he hasn’t developed yet.”

How about this magnificent appearance!

If you look, the clerk is frozen with a surprised expression.

And then, for just a moment, he looked confused as if to say, “Did I misjudge?” at the sight of me trying on clothes so boldly right there, but he quickly returned to his professional sales smile.

From those eyes, the suspicious light from earlier has disappeared completely.

…Phew.

I’m glad.

It seems like I managed to pull it off.

After that.

I left the store while dragging my mom, who looked like a burnt-out boxer.

What happened to the clothes I tried on?

Of course, I just bought it as it was.

The shop assistant was secretly trying to check the smell.

How much do you doubt my gender, store clerk…?

Haa…

Seriously, just being a man makes life so much harder…