I examined my reflection in the floor length mirror. In exactly 23 hours, I would receive an implant that would allow me to enter the 'oh-so-magical" world called Illusion. I didn't care about that. What I really cared about, was the fact in exactly 24 hours, I would be reunited with L. I smiled, thinking about the words he shouted back to me as he was swallowed into the ugly metal building called "The Implantation Center," where all residents would pass through the moment they turned 18. 

"I'll be waiting for you on the other side, the moment you walk out of the building, I'll be there!" 

I smiled to myself, and went back to studying myself. I had grown a lot over the course of a year. I hit another sudden growth spurt, and added another inch to my frame, making me 5 foot 5 inches. I developed muscle, turning my soft body into a lean, sinewy mass, with barely an ounce of fat to be seen. I was rather dissatisfied with my legs however... they had turned into what I nicknamed "man thighs." After picking up the art of fencing, I found that my thighs only grew stronger and harder with all the squats and lunges the Naruto program put me through. My arms also developed a lot of muscle, though not to the extent where I would call them "man arms." 

I had also developed in other ways, namely my waist, hips, and *cough* other areas. I found myself wearing baggier clothing, uncomfortable with my body. Besides, looser jeans suited my legs, masking the bulging muscle of my thighs. 

I grew my hair out longer, and it fell to my waist in silky stick straight strands. I honestly didn't like my hair very much, as it got in the way whenever I practiced with Naruto and was a pain to shove up into my fencing mask. But I needed that hair. It would work as coverage for when the port would be implanted into the back of my neck. I found that others also preparing to receive their ports were chopping their long locks into pixie cuts, wanting to be able to flaunt, instead of hiding their own ports. It was beyond me as to why anybody would want such an unnatural thing to be part of them, why anyone would want to brag about it. 

I walked out of my dorm, wanting to get some fresh air. I listened in as close friends walked past me, gossiping about the Implantation. 

"I heard that after you get the port implanted, they let you change yourself, like get surgery." 

"Seriously? Oh my goodness I can't wait. I want to fix my huge nose, get double eyelid surgery too. And do you see my skin? It's atrocious! do you think they'd be able to fix it?"

I reached up to touch my own smooth, unblemished skin. "Hehe. I've got no acne. No problem there." I thought to myself. 

"Yea, I heard that you can get this procedure that basically rubs off like half of your skin so that only perfect, new skin is left behind."

The girl with red spots dotting her face sighed dreamily. "I wonder what the guys on The Other Side look like. Even if their looks aren't natural..."

The girl next to her giggled. "I know... I wonder what some of our guy friends look like now. Will we be able to recognize them?" 

I turned around at this statement. I grabbed the arm of one of the girls, my grip tight. 

"Who the hell-" her eyes widened, seeing me. She exchanged looks with her friend, and I knew what was going through both of their minds

It's that weird that Woohyun hates... the one who thinks she's too high and mighty to talk to anyone.

I always heard people say something among those lines whenever they passed me in the dorms, or outside while I lounged in the grass. It was kind of insulting, how these strangers all judged me, when they didn't know the slightest thing about me. While it's true Woohyun hates me, the rest of it were false accusations. I tried to avoid building friendships with the other kids. But it wasn't because I thought I was "high and mighty." It was because, well, I didn't think I'd be able to connect with any of them. L was the only person who had ever agreed with me on not wanted the port to be a part of him. Also, there was my lack of patience. Though this may sound pig-headed, I didn't like talking to anyone but to L. I found that everyone else were air-heads, and unable to hold a conversation without stories about The Other Side leaking in. And as for the part... well I'll explain that later.

"Is it obligatory to change your appearance?"

"Excuse me? Obligatory?"

"Is it necessary, needed, mandatory." I explained impatiently. 

"Well... no. But who wouldn't take the chance to change how they look?" 

"Oh." I breathed a sigh of relief. "Good." Maybe my fear was irrational but if the ports were mandatory, who says changing your appearance isn't forced upon you either? I knew for sure however, that given the choice, L would prefer to keep his own face. And I grudgingly admit that he didn't need any kind of plastic surgery. 

"Will you let go of my arm? It hurts." the girls said irritably. 

"Sorry." I released my grip on her wrist. 

She half walked, half ran away from me with her friend close at her heels. "What is her problem?" I heard her hiss. 

I didn't bother with being bothered by the automatic repulsion by the girls. It was my own fault really. I had attracted a well liked guy a couple months after L left, though I had a feeling his attraction had something more to do with the size of my chest than a true interest. In was a bad choice on my part, but I was lonely, so I accepted him. What happened next was what led to me becoming the buzz, and not in a good way, of Little Ville. 

The boy, named Woohyun, had casually draped an arm across my shoulders, while we were watching a movie. I had shifted uncomfortably, the hot weight nothing like the comfort of L's own arm. His hand kept of brushing dangerously close towards my chest. I dealt with it the first c