Here's a natural, fluent translation into American English, keeping a novel-like tone:
When Catherine regained consciousness, she felt a little better.
At the very least, that suffocating, oppressive feeling seemed to have disappeared.
Before, it was as if Catherine had been resisting herself, but now she was beginning—just a little—to accept it. Even that small change made her feel much more comfortable. With her mood lifted, the script that had been giving her so much trouble was suddenly finished in one go, and Catherine felt even more energized.
Back in her dorm room, the chaotic, tangled thoughts that had been filling her mind also faded away.
Sometimes, she felt like she worried too much about gender. When she had been male, she could accept men without issue, so why did she feel repulsed now? There was no need for that!
With her spirits improved, the script came together effortlessly, and Catherine felt a surge of excitement.
She even felt like writing another one.
But she decided it would be better to film this one first.
Lily could handle the equipment. High-end gear wasn't necessary—sometimes it even made footage look unreal. What they needed was that slightly shaky, unsettling feeling.
The story of The Blair Witch Project takes place in Blair, Maryland.
Maryland lies just south of Pennsylvania. While it was a bit far from New York, it was still a manageable trip from their school.
Since the filming would be immersive, Catherine even planned to see if she could get some local residents involved—that would make things even more interesting.
Still, there was plenty of preparation to do, and that alone wouldn't be enough. Lily suggested recruiting members from the photography club, which would make filming much easier.
Shooting was scheduled for mid-February, and there was still a lot left to do.
Catherine also needed to return to New York.
Lately, she'd been feeling discomfort in her chest, as if it had grown again, meaning she needed to buy a new bra—an ominous sign, in her opinion.
Ida and Lisa went with her.
Although Catherine insisted that costumes weren't necessary—after all, the main characters in The Blair Witch Project wore ordinary clothes, and the witch never appeared—Lisa stubbornly insisted on ordering several "costumes."
"They should look as ordinary as possible," Catherine finally advised. "This is a horror film shot in a documentary style. If the clothes are too flashy, it'll ruin the effect."
Lisa was passionate about clothing, especially after Ida and Catherine proved to be excellent "models."
Most of the time, though, it was Ida who tried on the clothes. Catherine's shoulders were narrow, giving her a delicate appearance that differed from most Caucasians—perhaps because of her ancestry. Ida's shoulders, while not broad, had a more dramatic presence that fit mainstream Western aesthetics better.
"Sigh."
That was the first thing Catherine did when she got home.
"What's wrong?" her mother asked.
Since Catherine usually stayed at school, her family hadn't noticed anything unusual, but today she couldn't help sighing.
"Mom…"
Catherine looked at Emma with pitiful eyes, like a child who had done something wrong.
"Hm?"
"Could you… buy me a bra?"
Catherine didn't want things sagging, but buying one herself would be way too embarrassing.
"Too tight? Oh, that's fine, Kate. Breast development is normal. You don't need me to go with you. Your father and I can't always be there—you need to learn to be independent."
"I already am independent," Catherine said with a bitter smile.
She really was—she rarely needed her parents' help… except when she was feeling lazy.
"Kate, buying a bra isn't just about the bra—it's about social skills. Sweetheart, you need to go out on your own instead of coming back blushing and begging us. It's not that big a deal."
In her previous life, Catherine would've bought one without hesitation. But now, as a girl, she felt inexplicably ashamed.
Kate, pull yourself together and show some courage!
And so, just as she was emerging from the shadows of her past, Catherine found herself plunged into yet another crisis—this time, a bra crisis.
"This is beyond ridiculous…"
Back in her room, Catherine took off the bra that was now half a size too small and put on a nightgown.
But two words echoed in her mind:
Sagging.
Sagging!
Sagging!!
Less than fifteen minutes later, Catherine shot upright in bed.
She couldn't just sit around waiting for disaster!
She changed clothes and walked out of her room.
Seeing Catherine's determination, Emma almost laughed—but felt relieved instead.
Catherine, however, felt extremely uncomfortable.
She decided she would never buy one near her home again.
So she took the subway straight into New York City, planning to find a small, discreet clothing shop.
"Catherine, it's no big deal. It's a natural bodily need. If you don't wear one… things will sag."
Becoming a woman was a little scary—but becoming an unattractive woman was truly terrifying. Even though Catherine didn't use makeup or so-called chemical skincare products, she cared deeply about her body.
In the end… she still lost her nerve.
"Forget it. I'll ask Lisa for help…"
Lisa and Ida didn't live in New York and were currently staying at the company. Although the business had expanded and hired employees, it was already 5 p.m., and most people had gone home. Only Lisa and Ida were likely still there—possibly Homan at most. But Homan was in Los Angeles negotiating distribution rights, so he wasn't around.
"Kate? Why are you back?" Lisa asked. She was designing clothes in her studio, and surprisingly, three employees were still working overtime. Overtime was rare in Europe and the U.S.; some people wouldn't even do it for extra pay.
To be honest, Lisa's designs weren't especially elegant, but they were very comfortable. Although Catherine wasn't a professional designer, she often gave Lisa advice—especially on sketches.
Catherine had dabbled in drawing for some time. While she couldn't compare herself to masters, her imitations were nearly on par—after all, she had references. Many of Lisa's miniskirt designs were based on Catherine's drawings.
At the moment, Lisa was in charge of the main designs, while the employees focused on refining the clothing. Catherine thought that, given the chance, she could collaborate with more experienced designers—she didn't want to be limited forever.
"Lisa…" Catherine leaned close and whispered, "Could you… buy me a bra?"
Lisa froze, then burst out laughing, completely abandoning her image.
"Wait—Catherine, are you seriously scared to buy a bra?!"
Catherine's face turned bright red. Luckily, all the employees were women, and none of them looked up.
"Well, Kate, tell me your size—no, wait, I'll measure you myself." Lisa stared at her intently.
At first, this should have been a relief.
But… why did that intense look send a chill down Catherine's spine?
She was confused, unable to remember what she had said during hypnosis. If she could remember, she might have understood the meaning behind Lisa's expression.