Why I Hate Fluff

Body Swap I (Karina)

The Monday morning alarm never fails to blare its harsh melody, rudely jolting Karina awake. Today's ringtone, slightly off from her usual, barely registered as she hit snooze. Navigating through a blur of sleep, she stumbled toward the bathroom, her shoulders bumping against the walls.

"Where's the bathroom?" she murmured, her fingers clumsily rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

After several fumbling attempts, her hand finally found the elusive doorknob. Following her ingrained morning ritual, she plopped down on the toilet.

"What the...?" A confused pause. She felt an unfamiliar anatomy between her legs.

"WHAT!?" Her shriek echoed up and down two floors.

In a flash, she was at the mirror, her heart pounding. Staring back was Y/N's face. Frantic slaps to her cheeks did nothing to alter the surreal reality. She dashed for her phone, dialing Y/N in a panic.

No answer.

She called again.

Silence.

A third attempt met the same fate.

"Why isn't he picking up?" Frustration boiled over as she hurled her phone onto the bed, her fingers entangling in her - no, Y/N's - hair.

Despite the whirlwind of emotions, curiosity nudged her forward. She hesitantly peered down, her hand briefly exploring this new, foreign part of herself before yanking the pants back up, flushed with embarrassment.

Karina's reflection in the mirror, once so familiar, had transformed into an unrecognizable visage. Where her elegant, fine-boned face and cascading waves of hair once were, now Y/N's striking features loomed. His eyes, an intense shade of hazel flecked with gold, gleamed with an almost unnerving brightness. Tousled, chestnut brown hair fell in a disheveled manner, framing a more angular, distinctly masculine face. His broad shoulders and taller frame were a stark contrast to her delicate build. Panic clawed at her insides.

What in the world had happened? Was this a twisted joke?

Memories from the night before began to resurface with startling clarity. The casual, late-night stroll she had shared with Y/N, their laughter echoing in the empty streets, the unexpected, drunken kiss they had shared under the dim streetlights. And then, that peculiar, electric sensation that tingled through her body just as sleep claimed her. It all made a bizarre kind of sense now. Somehow, impossibly, they had swapped bodies.

Time marched relentlessly onward as Karina frantically dialed Y/N's number; each call met with silence. A realization dawned on her - Y/N had classes to attend. Shaking off her daze, she resolved to tackle the basics first. Attempting to tame Y/N's hair turned into a comedic fiasco, her efforts culminating in a haphazard bun that barely managed to imprison his rebellious curls.

"Seriously, this is a cry for help," she muttered, giving his hair a more thorough combing. "You need a proper hair care routine."

Confronted by the absence of her usual skin care and makeup, Karina felt compelled to at least nourish Y/N's neglected skin. Ironically, it was she who missed the familiar ritual of self-care. Yet, his daily routine couldn't be ignored. Breakfast posed another dilemma. Was Y/N accustomed to eating in the morning? With uncertainty, she prepared a modest meal.

"If memory serves me right," she pondered, "he's more the grab-a-sandwich-from-the-convenience-store type on his way to campus."

Having finished her breakfast, Karina set off for Y/N's campus, determined to blend in among his friends and classmates. As she walked, a pair of girls approached with flirtatious smiles.