Reiko slowly stirred from her slumber on the floor as the smell of bacon sizzling danced through her nostrils. Slowly but surely, the events of last night came back to the drowsy damsel as she attempted to sit up. Paul finding her, the heartfelt apology, Paul's relent and the...well...wild animal makeup sex afterward. She smiled to herself as she slowly clambered to her feet and gently pushed open the bedroom door.

Paul turned back from the toaster to the frying pan just in time to see the bedroom door on the far side of the lounge open and a pale figure appear from the dark confines.

"Morning beautiful, breakfast?" The sleepy figure simply nodded while wiping the sleep from her eyes before her head hinged almost unnaturally as she yawned. Paul began setting the breakfast bar while Reiko made her way to the bar and pulled up a stool. Paul silently served up breakfast on two plates before placing one in front of Reiko and taking one for himself and sitting down beside the girl he loved. He did still love her after what happened didn't he? And what of last night?

*************************

With breakfast down and dishes in the sink, Paul stood opposite the bar from where the girl of his dreams sat and gazed into her eyes.

"So" Paul remarked, "how are you this morning baby?"

Another yawn. "Still sleepy, you?"

"Curious" Paul replied before turning around to start on the dishes.

"Oh?" Reiko stammered with a light hint of shame painting the word. It wasn't much, but Paul picked up on it clear as day.

"How do feel? A-about last night I mean. A lot happened before we uh, stained the carpet."

Reiko thought a moment, then hesitantly replied, "I-I feel better. I got everything off my chest."

"Everything?"

That question caught her off-guard. "Y-yes" she stammered, "I-I b-believe so..." Reiko looked at the back of Paul's head as he continued washing the dishes, her mind suddenly on fire. What did he know? She began to fidget, she felt like a schoolgirl who'd been caught lying the by teacher.

The silence was telling, Paul knew now was the time.

"Just who are you, really?"

Reiko's heart sank."

"You're doing a good job playing her, but you're far too nice and sincere. After getting in her skin I know everything was an act, but you. You have sincerity behind your words."

That last part threw Reiko off guard, she knew she'd been caught but didn't know how to respond.

"So I'll ask one more time" Paul said as he turned to face her.

"Who. are. you?"

Reiko let out a great sigh, then answered, "I'm kind of glad you found me out. I wasn't sure how long I'd be able to keep up the ruse."

Reiko then moved her hands to the back of her head and felt around, before finding the seam. She gently pried apart the skin at the back of her neck as her facial features deformed and begun to sag. A head of thick, black hair was starting to appear as Reiko's now empty face sagged to her chest. Paul recoiled and his eyes went wide as he saw the face of the person wearing his girlfriend, he recognised the face almost immediately.

"H...Ha..Ha-na-ko!? he stammered.

The figure nodded, Hanako sat there in her sister's skin with her head hung in shame. She felt like she wanted to cry, she was waiting for a verbal lashing from Paul that never came.

"W-why?" Paul asked with incredulity. "What's going on?" he asked as his head began to hurt.

Hanako sighed, "are you sure you want to hear it? Once I start I probably won't stop..."

Paul looked at Hanako as she tentatively brought her gaze to meet his.

"Yes."

Reiko sighed again, "okay, you asked for it. I've always been jealous of...her"

Paul noticed Hanako almost spat the last word with disgust. He said nothing, instead she continued on.

"She had everything from the start. She was younger than me, prettier than me and our parents always loved her more. Our parents barely ever register that I exist, yet are in constant contact with her. Fast forward to a year ago when I moved here from Japan. I began to make friends, built up a life, things were going well."

"Until?" Paul asked.

"She moved here. Suddenly, I felt in the background again as she instantly made friends. Wasn't long before she was draped on the arm of a gorgeous guy." Hanako winked, then continued. "As time went on and I got to know her partner, I realised what a catch he...you were. Not just with looks, but you were also kind and caring. I was envious, but was prepared to let it go.

Once again, Paul replied, "until?"

"Until last night. I noticed yesterday morning when I spoke to what I assumed was Reiko, but was most likely you" Hanako smiled, "that something was off. I had the afternoon free, so I decided to come over. Reiko had a key cut for me for when you guys went away on holidays so I could watch the place. I walked into the bedroom and saw her skin. Not sure what to make of it, I put it on. After all, I always wanted to be her so I thought why not?"

Hanako's smile faded. "Then it happened. I got her memories. What she had done, what she was planning. I was furious at first, but then I felt something else. I felt a faint tinge of anger, regret but mostly sorrow. None of it matched with what Reiko had done or who she was. Then it dawned on me, you must have put her on and seen what she'd done. The feelings I picked up on were your reaction."

Paul felt like he'd been punched in the gut, he wanted to cry. Hanako saw his reaction, so she stood up and walked over to him before embracing him.

Hanako continued, "when I realised it all, I cried. You deserved far better than that and the bitch deserved to rot. I'd fallen for you, hard and what she did..."

"It's okay" Paul replied as he felt a tear hit his chest. The two stood there embracing for what seemed an eternity.

"I...I love you. I just want you to know that."

"I love you too."

Paul knew not which words were his, but they were the truth. Paul had come to develop very strong feelings for the girl standing in the suit of her sister, entwined in his arms. He gently planted his lips on Hanako's, there the two stood for an eternity more.

When the kiss broke, Paul looked into Hanako's eyes. "So what's the plan...baby?"

Hanako was a little struck by this, but she quickly regained her composure and smiled a beautiful smile. "Well, Hanako is a bit of a background character, nobody will really notice her." She bit her lip.

Paul stepped back, giving her room. Hanako blew him a kiss before grabbing the loose skin around her neck, her face disappearing into the face of the woman he loved.

"Reiko however," Reiko stated, "is here to stay. She has a new lease on life, a wonderful boyfriend and a well paying job."

Paul raised a hand, "you got one thing wrong."

Reiko raised an eyebrow at that. "Oh?"

"Wait here."

Paul raced off to the bedroom, then returned after a few moments. "You don't know the full extent as to why I was so upset about Reiko's deception. Close your eyes."

Reiko closed her eyes, she then felt Paul embrace her hand and play with her fingers a little. "Okay, open 'em)"

She opened her eyes to see a gold ring adorning a finger. Reiko stared at the ring for a few moments, before pulling Paul into the most passionate kiss she could muster.