Comic 1
Panel 1
(Two people are sitting together on a white sofa. The person on the left [Person 1] is hugging a cushion while holding a mobile phone with both hands and with a wide eyed, close mouthed hard look on the face. The person on the right [Person 2] is holding onto a cushion with both hands and has a smiling look on the face.)
Person 2: …and yeah, I met you when you were still “Kai,” I just remember you complimenting my hair…
Panel 2
(Person 1 has a cushion held tight against the body with both hands held up with the fisted hands resting on the neck, eyes closed, and a pained grimace on the face. Person 2 has a puzzled look on the face with the mouth opened like an “O.”)
Person 1: Ewewewewew! I haven’t heard that name in a long time, and it’s totally grossing me out!! Ew!!!
Panel 3
(Person 1 is hugging a cushion with both hands in the front hanging down, eyes rolled up, and a big frown on the face. Person 2 has a wide smile, closed eyes, and is holding the shoulder of the person on the left with one hand.)
Person 2: Hehe why? That’s who you were back then, but you’re not that person now, it’s ok~
Panel 4
(Person 1 is hugging a cushion with both hands in the front hanging down, eyes wide, and an open mouthed smiling face. Person 2 has a neutral look.)
Person 1: Yeah I guess… you know how sometimes a really awkward moment in the past pops up in your head…
Panel 5
(Person 1 is hugging a cushion with both arms in front with the hands thrown up and fingers spread. The mouth is downturned in a grimace. Eyes are looking down. Person 2 is looking on with the mouth opened into a small “O.”)
Person 1: And it was like probably not as embarrassing to everyone else around, but it totally fucking kills you?
Panel 6
(Person 1 is hugging a cushion with both hands in the front hanging down, eyes wide and looking down and mouth opened flat and straight. Person 2 has a smiling look.)
Person 1: My pre-transition life was kinda like that… except it was freaking long and lasted forever.
Comic 2
Panel 1
(A person has both elbows resting on a surface and is holding a mobile phone with both hands. The person is looking down at the mobile phone with a small smile on the face.)
Person 1: I’ve noticed that, as a girl in str8 dating, guys who are interested in me almost always compliment my smile.
Panel 2
(The person has both elbows resting on a surface and is holding a mobile phone with both hands. The person is looking at the mobile phone with the head tilted very slightly and mouth turned upward and lopsided small grimace.)
Person 1: Before my transition when I used to date gay guys, they complimented my smile too, but not as much as str8 guys.
Panel 3
(The person has both hands down, shoulders straight, a slightly open mouth, and a pleasant, smiling expression on the face.)
Person 1: The first couple compliments gay dudes gave me were never on my smile, whereas now with str8 dudes, it’s 90% of the time.
Panel 4
(The person has both arms held close to the body, hands held upwards and fingers spread with a wide, lopsided smile on the face.)
Person 1: So I’m like, why all of a sudden I’m getting complimented on my smile? It’s not like I didn’t smile pre-transition? This is new to me.
Panel 5
(The person has one hand hanging down and the other resting on a surface. The head is propped up on the palm with the cheeks bulging out forming a crease. The person has a smile on the face.)
Person 1: Obviously everybody likes a person with a nice smile, but I suspect that str8 guys rank this higher than other groups do.
Panel 6
(The person is sitting in front of a laptop, looking at the screen with one hand on the laptop and a querying look on the face.)
Person 1: I only have my experience to draw from, but I was quite fascinated, so I decided to do a lil research to find out more.
Panel 7
(The person is sitting in front of a laptop, looking at the screen with one hand on the laptop and a focused look on the face.)
Person 1: Apparently, smiling makes a woman appear more feminine, and sometimes can be seen as a sign of submission.
Panel 8
(The person is sitting in front of a laptop, both arms folded across the body, and looking at the screen. The person has wide open eyes with the eyeballs at the lower end of the eyes and mouth stretched wide in a grimace.)
Person 1: Submission??… Argh…
Panel 9
(The person is sitting in front of a laptop with both hands hanging down and a contemplative look on the face with slightly open mouth.)
Person 1: Why did I just get a feeling when the next time a guy compliments my smile, I’m gonna do this:
Panel 10
(The person is sitting in front of a laptop with both hands held up and out with the fingers bent like claws, and shoulders hunched up to the neck. Eye are stretched wide, narrowed, and look red with anger. Mouth is opened wide and tight in an angry grimace with clenched large upper and lower teeth showing.)
Person 1: Hiss.
Comic 3
Panel 1
(A person has both elbows resting on a surface, arms up with one hand folded one above the other and fingers pointing down. The person has a neutral look on the face and is looking into a mirror on a small pedestal in front.)
Text: I think my story with mirrors is a little different from the popular “I used to see a stranger, but now I see me” one.
Panel 2
(A person has both elbows resting on a surface, arms up with both hands touching each other and hanging down from the wrist with fingers pointing down. The person has a smile on the face and the cheek bulging out slightly leading to a crease in the cheek. The person is looking into a mirror on a small pedestal in front.)
Text: Before discovering my gender identity, I did have moments when I looked in the mirror and wondered who that person was.
Panel 3
(A person has both elbows resting on a surface with one hand hanging down from the wrist with fingers pointing down and the other held at right angles to the wrist with the fingers pointing straight. The person has the mouth slightly opened and is looking into a mirror on a small pedestal in front.)
Text: But then I think cis folks do that too, no? I’m still not really sure if I did the “trans version” or the “everyone-does-it version.”
Panel 4
(A person has both hands hanging down and shoulders straight looking down into a mirror on a small pedestal in front with a cheerful, smiling face.)
Text: Now when I look in the mirror, I kinda see a stranger, this new person, but a very warm and friendly one this time.
Panel 5
(A person has both elbows resting on a surface and the face is propped up on both hands. The person has a wide smile, curving up, and is looking down into a mirror on a small pedestal in front.)
Text: And she’s always smiling—I really really really like her—
Panel 6
(A person has one elbow resting on a surface and the face is propped up on the hand. The other hand is held up with the forefinger touching the mirror with a pedestal in front and the middle finger pointing out. The rest of the fingers are closed and fisted. Both cheeks bulge out. The mouth is open with the tongue poking out slightly.)
Text: Who’s adorable? Who’s a good girl? Who’s a lil cutie patoo—
Panel 7
(The person on the left is holding a pair of crutches with both hands and has a smiling face with a pleasant expression on the face. The person on the right has one elbow resting on a surface and the hand propping up the face with a wide, open mouthed grin. The other hand is held up with the forefinger touching the mirror on a pedestal in front. A mobile phone and other things are scattered near the mirror.)
Person 1: Are you done getting ready? Do you still want me to drive you to the doctor or no?
Person 2: Yes Mom.
Panel 8
(The back of two people is seen. The person on the left is holding the pair of crutches, one under each arm. The person on the right is holding onto one of the arms of the person on the left.)
Person 1: I was having a nice moment back there—
Person 2: Stop being narcissistic.
Person 1: Mom I’m not a narcissist.
Person 2: You spent 10 minutes…
Person 1: I just really like looking at that girl in the mirror!
