Mika is truly beautiful, I thought as I watched her through the camera lens.

It was hard to believe. She was once Mikage Kagimura, the most popular boy who decided to become a girl, saying this was how he wished to live. The entire school talked about it for a month already.

That led us to this.

Our Film Club’s president decided to write a script and cast Mika as our heroine. The story went something like this—A girl woke up without any memory, and nobody knew who she was. It was as if she were created on some god’s whim. Filled with doubts, the heroine decided to live this new life to answer the question. Why was she born?

“Alright, Mika,” said the club president. “Try the opening line, please.”

“I am me,” Mika began, “without any recollection that’ll help define me, yet I know that I am who I am—”

Her delivery induced goosebumps in the entire audience.

I knew, because such a thing was infectious. My hands were shaking by this point. It took my all to keep the camera steady.

“Ah, my eyes are now blinded by this light,” continued Mika, moving toward the window. “But once I get used to this, I might see more. This world looks massive, with many people I can see from here. If I could make my life a part of it all, perhaps I may know more. Why have I come into this world?”

“Cut,” the president said.

And Mika heaved a sigh before turning our way. She looked about to ask if she had done okay.

But the room was already filled with applause.