*****
Both Kaho-chan and I changed into our normal clothes, then sat in the corner cafeteria in the venue.
Kaho-chan, who’d already put in her contact lenses, was glued to her phone. I peeked at her screen with a sour expression.
“It can’t be helped, because I’m terrifically cute after all!”
On the screen danced a girl on stage, dressed like Rina-pyon. She imitated bunny ears with her hand, then jumped around, bearing a forced smile.
Just from that, I was taking out my white flag. It was so shameful my skin was crawling. It was definitely a huge embarrassment.
“Umm, Kaho-chan.”
“Uwaa, look at this. This really got a lot of hate. How funny, lol.”
“What kind of self-punishment is this?!”
“Eeh, but don’t you get curious about the comments?”
We were watching the recording of our show earlier that had been broadcasted online. The comments were flooding in so fast I couldn’t keep up with the words. It seemed like Kaho-chan’s eyesight excelled at detecting rapid movement.
Finally, the cat-eared maid Kaho-chan arrived. The way we moved made it seem like we were enjoying our work. Like we’d gone through chaotic days together, but also joyous events.
I’d always imagined that if I managed to become someone with a bright personality, my days would turn out to be something like this…
But I ended up being wrong. Unpleasant things would keep coming no matter what.
Even within the world of [Anima Maid!], there might be unpleasant things happening backstage. Alright, if that was the case, then I felt like I could empathize with Rina-pyon better…
“Ah, this one!”
“Huh? Ah, Perman-san?”
It was only a split second, but I saw the lady I remembered from before. The special member from the first photoshoot session, that photographer lady.
“Even Miharu-san and Ema-san also came, see?”
“I didn’t realize…as expected from Kaho-chan’s fans…”
I see… This time, I’d managed to show a better version of myself compared to the last time.
When I thought of it that way, I started to see the girl with rabbit ears who’d tried her best to become a character from an anime as someone brave.
Once our performance ended, the screen changed into a polling session. After a 15-minute break, it was time for the online and in-person attendee vote collection and count. Then it went straight to the announcement of the winner. Kaho-chan flicked her finger across the screen to skip to the end.
“Now, the result of this splendid grand prix—”
It wasn’t us. But it also wasn’t Serara-chan’s group. I bet the winners were the popular cosplayers.
I glanced at Kaho-chan’s face.
“That’s too bad, huh. The result.”
“Not really though? We placed 7th place among 8 participants, but that’s a given considering our popularity. Rather than think of it that way, we should feel grateful for the 854 fans who had voted for us, right!”
Kaho-chan pointed at the number 854 on her screen with a smile. That way of thinking, so unlike a comment from a recluse, was really wonderful. That was really what I thought but…
“What if those people only chose us because they’re [Anima Maid!] fans…”
“Why would you think something negative like that?! It’s not a problem right, to choose the most convenient way to wrap this up nicely!?”
I couldn’t say anything as Kaho-chan scolded me. Dammit. Even though my standing had been higher until a few moments ago…!
It seemed like I could never beat Kaho-chan in her normie cosplay for the rest of my life.
After everything ended, we stuck around the venue.
It seemed like Kaho-chan was done with the event now that her purpose was fulfilled. On the other hand, since I was nervous from the beginning, I thought I’d at least make some enjoyable memories while I was here.
“Somehow, having tea while wearing my cosplay like this feels so strange…”
“Nah, doing cosplay at this scale is practically heaven, though. If only school allowed cosplaying daily, meow…”
“Oozuka Mai would be unbeatable though.”
“It would be awesome though?! As a cosplayer, cosplaying is of course very enjoyable, but! Seeing the pinnacle of cosplay is the best of the best feeling ever!”
In contrast to Kaho-chan’s sparkling eyes that revealed her excitement, I had yet to get used to this whole situation. I couldn’t shake off the odd feeling of sitting around while wearing a bunny maid costume.
I looked around me. Well, there were a lot of cosplayers around, but still… For example, the girls who sat at the table diagonally from ours……
“Huh? You’re Satsuki-san, right?!”
There she was. Satsuki-san, who was still in her cosplay, had precisely the same appearance when she stood on the stage.
“I have no idea who you are talking about. My name is Moon.”
“I see. It’s my bad, sorry! But why are you here?”
She had her legs crossed and an open book in front of her. The girl sitting across from her didn’t look like Serara-chan.
“Serara went home first. With my change of clothes.”
“Eh?!”
The frown on Moon-san’s face strangely suited her.
“It’d been a bad idea to come here with only one bag. I tried to call her but she won’t pick up. Everything’s kind of messed up. I guess that’s what people mean when they say the world is an ephemeral place.”
“So ephemeral, with a quality like the overwhelming presence of yours.”
“That Serara ・Lalaland girl, why would she behave like a flustered Santa Clause like that?” Kaho-chan asked her.
“I don’t know exactly why but it seemed like not getting first place shocked her. She was stupefied, then started weeping uncontrollably.”
“Aa…”
As if she came up with an idea, Kaho-chan folded her arms.
“That girl, she’s quite an individualist after all. I wonder if she’s never participated in an event with a ranking system like this.”
“Ah, as expected, you two interact a lot, eh.”
“Yup. I was the one who showed her the basics at her first event. During those times, she kept following after me, “Senpai, senpai♪” like a little puppy, just an adorable girl, meow.”
“Eh, really?!”
Holding her anime collaboration pine juice with both of her hands like a cup of warm beverage, Kaho-chan muttered, “But then, not long after, her attitude became arrogant… In this industry, as expected, the most valuable thing is youth and visuals after all. Of course those two aren’t the only factors, but the moment people start to think, ‘Ah this one already surpassed my popularity,’ that person can end up being in a risky position.”
“Scary…”
It was a women’s world I had no knowledge of. It was great that I attended Ashigaya. As long as I held my position as a member of Quintet, our leader would never be overthrown from her position.
“It’s just—she really does cosplay seriously. It seems like it’s because she’s serious about her dream to become a model. It’s not like I hate her guts, even though we’re at each other’s throats like this. Well, since the beginning, we’d never really had the same views about our impression and interpretation about anime though!”
Kaho-chan flashed a smile that made her look like a senpai.
It was like her body emitted an aura of composure. I honestly thought that she was incredible from the depths of my heart. I’d like to believe that Serara-chan also didn’t hate this reliable part of Kaho-chan. Rather than feeling underestimated, maybe it was more like the annoyance of getting treated as a child, I guess.
“I also don’t hate her, but I’d prefer if she gave me back my clothes at least.”
“About that, what are you going to do, Moon-san? You can’t just board a train home in that outfit, right? Ah, should I get you a shirt?”
Still in her soldier costume, Moon-san adjusted her assault rifle that rested on top of the table while showing a troubled expression.
“It’s…kind of a waste to buy a shirt.”
Uuh…if Moon-san with her frugal living was saying that. It felt a bit weird if I offered to buy it for her. This was complicated.
“It’s alright. You don’t have to be so considerate of me. I’ve got my own plans. For now, I’ll just kill time here until her performance is over.”
“Ah, I see, it’s good then. Is your cosplayer acquaintance performing?”
“...she’s not really a cosplayer acquaintance.”
That was an odd answer from Moon-san.
I tilted my head. Now that I thought about it, I was having a conversation with Moon-san while ignoring the girl sitting across from her that positioned between us. I naturally apologized, “Ah, I’m sorry,” and bowed my head at the person before me.
“N-no, it’s okay…”
She looked uneasy and didn’t turn towards us.
…huh?
My usually dysfunctional sixth sense had picked up on something. This girl… She hurriedly moved behind Moon-san.
The girl was wearing a gorgeous Chinese dress that was daring, but suited her very well.
“Eh, ah.”
The girl turned her face away. Her ears were red.
“Hm……?”
I moved to face her, and then observed her face more carefully. This time, she turned her whole body around and covered her face. We kept repeating these movements, circling around Moon-san.
“The heck are you doing, Rena-chin…?”
Kaho-chan sounded exasperated. Nah, I definitely wouldn’t ever behave insistently like this under normal circumstances, you see. But this time…
“Ajisai-san……?” I muttered.
“!”
The girl let out a major reaction, her shoulders trembling.
“He? As if Aa-chan would come to a place like—”
Before Kaho-chan finished her sentence, the girl raised her face like she was interrupting Kaho-chan.
As if she was already resigned to her fate, she timidly raised her hand.
“...yes, this is Sena Ajisai.”
“――eh?!”
Kaho-chan's eyes bugged out.
“Why is Aa-chan—?! In a place where a bunch of gloomies pretend to be normies by wearing their masks, at the Japan Animation Event—the genuine and pristine normie Aa-chan?!”
“You’ll piss a lot of people off, you know!” I said.
Why on earth did you yell something like that right in the middle of the event… the people around us were reacting pensively though. Nah, why were they accepting her remark?!
“But she’s right. Why are you…”
“Err, you see. I was kinda invited by my friend.”
So Ajisai-san would cosplay if she was invited. As long as she was invited, she would wear a Chinese dress with a thigh slit like that, huh… If so, did that mean that she would wear cute clothes like that if I invited her…?
“A friend…is it Moon-san? Huh? Moon-san?”
I really, truly, completely couldn’t imagine Satsuki-san sending a message toward Ajisai-san, “I’ll do cosplay so come watch,” after all. In fact, she looked like she would type something along, “If you come, you die,” instead.
“I wouldn’t say something like that, though.”
“You’re always reading my mind!”
“You’re just too easy to read. In the first place, I wasn’t the one who invited her. I just met Sena coincidentally here.”
Out of nowhere, Moon-san pulled out the Makuhari Summit pamphlet and showed us.
“It’s written here that a special guest will appear for today’s main event, right?”
“Ajisai-san is the special guest?!”
If so, then I could understand. If we did a ranking for high-schoolers in Tokyo, I bet Ajisai-san’s kindness and beauty would place among the top…no wait, she would be the first. If that was the case, it wouldn’t be weird.
When I became convinced, Ajisai-san yelped, “You’re wrong! Listen, it’s not me, it really is not me, err you see…”
As if she was troubled, Ajisai-san threaded her fingers together. As expected, her cuteness was incredible.
“Satsuki-chan, what should I do…?” She looked at Satsuki-san for help with a disheartened gaze. But suddenly, that desperate look disappeared from her face. “Ah, sorry, it’s not Satsuki-chan…right, umm, Moon-chan? Right now, it’s bad if I call you by your name, right?”
“...it’s not like I really mind.”
This was completely different from her usual vicious smile. She looked a bit embarrassed with that expression.
“You’re okay to call me by that name.”
“Really? Well, Satsuki-chan…?”
“Yes.”
Moon-san nodded her head slightly at a meek Ajisai-san. Then, Ajisai-san laughed, “Ehehe.” As if she was hiding her embarrassment, Moon-san directed her gaze on the book before her.
Kaho-chan and I traded a look.
…somehow, the way she treated us was completely different, no?
Kaho-chan pointed her finger at Moon-san, and then immediately filed her objection. “Why, Moon-chan?! You favour Aa-chan too much!”
“I don’t.”
“Then, it’s alright if we also call you by Satsuki-san right, Satsuki-san?! I’m not someone who understands that well about cosplaying after all! Hey, Satsuki-san, are you listening, Satsuki-san?!”
Bam, bam. She struck us with her book in order.
“Shut your trap, idiot #1 and idiot #2.”
“How cruel!” we shrieked in unison, clapping our hands over our heads.
Satsuki-san gazed at us like we were teammates who burdened her. Then she opened her mouth. “From your perspective, with your unrefined level of vocabulary, you might say it’s favoritism, but it’s not that. There’s a difference here. The value of words isn’t solely based on the words themselves; it also depends on the person saying those words. Since Sena was the one who said it, I can accept that. There’s nothing more to it.”
“In that case, it’s favoritism, right…?”
“I already told you that’s not it. Speaking hypothetically—well, it’s impossible for Oozuka Mai to discriminate against others, but this is a what-if. If by any chance you and Sena both have the same degree of virtuousness, and then the other side received a more favorable treatment, in a sense it might be favoritism, but actually it’s not as simple as that, right?”
“U-uh-huh.”
Well, as expected, there wouldn’t be a single homo sapiens who insisted they were on par with Ashigaya’s angel when being compared.
Moon-san relaxed her cheek and formed a cold smile.
“I’m happy you finally seem to get it. Listen, Amaori. You’ve been getting ahead of yourself lately, but don’t misunderstand. As for me, I personally harbor nothing towards you, whether it’s a feeling of like or anything else.”
“Satsuki-chan.” Ajisai-san furrowed her eyebrows and stared at Satsuki-san, seeming displeased. “I’m sorry. I really am happy when I know you cherish me that much, so thank you. But saying something like that is…you said too much, don’t you think?”
“That’s right.”
WIthout missing a beat, Moon-san bowed her head.
Moon-san bowed her head?!
“Apologies, I ended up saying something rude and hurt your feelings. You’re my dear friend, Amaori. Please take care of me from now on.”
“Are you some sort of a spoiled brat?!”
The effect of seeing Satsuki-san who earnestly did everything that Ajisai-san said shocked me so much that I had no time to feel hurt… Eh, what was that? What was the meaning of this? Were the two of them dating? You two? Was there a possibility of AjiSatsu?
As if the shock was not enough, Ajisai-san smiled warmly while looking at Satsuki-san. “You apologized. That’s remarkable.”
Satsuki-san averted her gaze while looking shy, her cheeks reddening. “It’s nothing…”
“I do get it that Saa-chan respects Aa-chan very much based on what’s happening right now, but…I can’t be fully convinced by this situation yet meow…” Kaho-chan murmured.
I wanted to nod my head along with her statement like fans banging their heads at some heavy rock metal festival.
And so, errr…
“If it wasn’t Moon-san who invited you here, then who did, Ajisai-san?”
I returned to the topic. By doing this, I could erase the discomfort I’d felt earlier for the sake of calming my mind. This was one of my high-level techniques.
For a moment, Ajisai-san held her breath…or that was my impression of what she was doing.
After looking like she was brooding over something, she opened her mouth. “Un, you see.”
At that moment, the room turned dark.
Oho…I looked around. The screen at the center stage unfolded and started playing the event video. After the introduction of the performers, they announced the special guest for today’s event.
The screen showed a girl backstage, in the middle of having her makeup done.
Long blonde hair. Amidst the flickering sea of light, there was only a single light that didn’t budge. A true star.
A woman as if she was the sun.
“Take care of me for today.”
When she flashed a wink, everyone let out a shriek, “Kyaaa!” from every nook and cranny, filling the whole venue.
My mouth hung open. I was completely taken aback by the situation. While fixated on the screen, I murmured, “O-Oozuka Mai…”
“It’s MaiMai!” Kaho-chan yelped without a moment’s delay, absorbed into the venue’s enthusiasm.
“Y-yup, so this is why.” Ajisai-san nodded slightly.
I see, so Ajisai-san was invited by Mai… Huh? Ajisai-san was invited by Mai? But why…on what grounds? Wait, they were friends after all so getting invited to hang out wasn’t something so odd… But still, just two of them?
“Well, that’s the case.”
I could understand Satsuki-san’s circumstances. Since Mai would definitely bring a lot of outfits, Satsuki-san, who’d heard from Ajisai-san that Mai was coming today, perhaps thought that she could head home together with Mai after. They lived relatively close to each other after all.
But the huge question that resounded in my head was quickly overwritten by the excitement from the venue’s atmosphere.
An excited and cheerful Kaho-chan clenched her fist.
“Hey, hey! Let’s quickly go to the stage! MaiMai is performing, right?! I definitely want to watch her! From the front row!”
“Eh, ah, okay.”
People from other tables also headed towards the main stage. I stood up, flustered, while Kaho-chan hurried us along.
“Then, um, ah! Ajisai-san too, let’s go!”
“Eh, eh, okay, you’re right.”
Ajisai-san, who definitely would go along with the flow during moments like this, also stood up, then she stretched out her hand to Satsuki-san.
“We should go. Here, Satsuki-chan too, let’s hurry.”
“M-me? I’m alright. I’ve seen her work a lot before, so I—”
Even then, Satsuki-san, who was sweet towards Ajisai-san, couldn’t do something like shake off her hand.
“I-I get it. I’m going—I’m really going now.”
“Yup!”
With this, the four of us rushed to the main stage.
“This is kinda incredible! To think that the Quintet has assembled completely in this place!”
“Yup. A lovely coincidence like this really could happen, eh!”
“This is nothing though. We always meet at school anyway, so to go out of our way to meet like this on the weekend isn’t really necessary right…”
“What are you saying, Satsuki-san!”
Watching the scene before me, I said to her at the top of my voice, “———this is fun ,right!”
After a quiet effort of pushing and pressing, and also luck, we managed to secure the front seats right before the main stage. The only thing left to do was to wait for the show to start in excitement.
Kaho-chan, Ajisai-san, and then Satsuki-san, and I. Now come to think of it, we’d never really had an outing together on the weekend before. There was this super busy person who couldn’t match our schedule after all.
After half a year, did that mean that the distance between all of us was getting closer, like I wished?
There were a lot of spectators around us. Everyone’s eyes sparkled as we waited for Mai’s arrival.
Waaah. Cheers began to fill the venue once again.
The spotlight had fixated on a single point. The one who slowly came out was Queen Rose Apparel’s star model. She was also wearing cosplay. She really appeared brighter than anyone else.
She had on a splendid dress with a touch of the Chinese style. It reminded me of Mai’s fashion show event during summer break. Her long legs and her high waist clearly showed off her otherworldly charm as an entertainer. I wondered if the girl before me was the most beautiful person in the world.
“Hey there, everyone. Did you have fun at today’s Makuhari Cosplay Summit?”
The Oozuka Mai on stage, a microphone held in her hand, looked so dignified despite the gazes that rained down on her.
Well, it wasn’t really weird since she’d even showed up on television before. And of course, she’d stood alone on an even more grandiose stage than this, surrounded with a larger audience. In short, to truly live meant accumulating experiences. It was the same with RPG.
“Up until today, I hadn’t really had a chance to experience cosplay and become another person, but this is quite fun. It feels oddly familiar, but maybe that’s because it’s similar to the way of enjoying fashion.”
While showing off her costume to the audience, she smiled.
“This reminds me of something. When I was a kid, I had special clothes that were bought for me, and whenever I wore it, it made me feel more glamorous. It was like I could be more confident and stand up proudly. So I ended up thinking that this is probably also the same.”
Mai’s voice sounded calm and gentle as it echoed in the venue and permeated through everyone’s body.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Kaho-chan staring at Mai with adoration, dazed.
I perfectly understood that she shouldn’t be compared to someone like me, but as expected, Mai really was amazing.
There was one thing I was aware of: I could faintly pinpoint Mai’s position right now. She had already walked so far ahead of me.
Whether it was her academics, her stage experiences, or even confessing her feelings of affection to someone, she did her best in all of it. Unlike Mai, I couldn’t do those things smoothly. Nevertheless, it didn't mean that Mai had been good at everything from the get-go.
“Mai-chan,” Ajisai-san murmured in a hushed voice. From her voice, I could sense a feeling of anguish.
I looked at her.
Ajisai-san was staring at Mai with wide eyes that looked slightly wet. I felt my heart skip a beat. It reminded me of that summer day when she suddenly cried before me.
“A-Ajisai-san…?”
“Eh?”
Ajisai-san’s cheeks slowly turned red.
“N-no, it’s nothing. It’s just—I just thought that Mai-chan sure looks pretty.”
“I-I see.”
At that moment, I brushed her reaction off with a thought: “Ajisai-san sure is easy to be moved, eh.” But I might had been so dazzled by Mai’s appearance on stage that my train of thoughts weren’t working properly.
“Well now, going by the schedule, we’re supposed to have an event to recap everything that happened today, but before that, the truth is we have another guest for today. It’s my precious friend, someone who will bring to this stage a beautiful atmosphere, like a true flower. Let me introduce you.”
From her spot on the stage, Mai looked in our direction. I wondered if she’d already noticed our presence since the beginning. We were in the front row anyway.
Mai moved the microphone away from her mouth and beckoned to us.
“Come here, Ajisai.”
“Okay.”
Huh?
Ajisai-san stepped out of her seat, and then started towards the stage.
Could it be that the reason behind her cosplay was because of this?
I stared at the back of Ajisai as she went further away from us. There was a feeling like I was sending her off.
At that moment, Satsuki-san suddenly grabbed my wrist. She pulled me towards her with all of her might.
“Mue?”
I tumbled forward and fell onto Satsuki-san’s chest. And then she embraced me. The material of her costume was firm—no, rather it was stiff and tough.
“W-what is it?”
When I looked up, for a short second, Satsuki-san seemed like she also hadn’t expected to do that. She bit her lip.
“You also should go.”
“Haa?!”
This might have been the most unreasonable request I’d heard in my entire life.
“What are you saying, Satsuki-san?!”
I really didn’t get her. In the first place, it wasn’t like I was the one being called to the stage. Mai was only standing there because it was her job after all. If I carelessly got up there, I’d definitely end up in the security guard’s office after they caught me backstage.
I was about to make a fuss about that when Satsuki-san stopped me with her gaze.
“Whatever. Just go.”
“No, no no no no, no no…”
Nah, this was impossible… Even when I wanted to go back to my seat, Satsuki-san wouldn’t let go of my hand. But why?
Perhaps it was because she had heard Satsuki-san’s voice, Ajisai-san stopped walking and turned around.
“Ah, sorry, Ajisai-san. Just go ahead without minding us…” I said.
Ajisai had both hands clutched at her chest.
“Rena-chan…I also, want you to come,” she said.
“Eeeh…….?”
I was instantly bewildered. Wh-why…?
Ajisai-san stretched out her hand.
“Please.”
I didn’t get it.
“For Mai-chan’s sake.”
No, it was the opposite, though! I would only trouble her, right?!
“—it would be meaningless, if it’s not you.” Ajisai-san’s earnest tone made me even more confused.
“For Mai’s sake, what…”
Standing between Satsuki-san and Ajisai-san, I still couldn’t understand the situation. In the first place, even though without someone like me, she could stand by herself splendidly, magnificently—
As I was still filled with doubt, I looked up at the stage.
My eyes met Mai’s.
In that moment, I felt like I could hear voices.
—if that’s what you think, then.
—As for me, I really like you.
Mai always conducted herself properly. She was strong, and that was why—
That was why someone like me was…
“I can’t see!”
“Owaa.”
Kaho-chan suddenly thrusted me out of her way, into the direction of the aisle, towards Ajisai-san.
“I don’t know what’s happening but, if you need to go, then go! There. Do your best!”
“Something extremely unreasonable like this…!”
Somehow I ended up grabbing Ajisai-san’s hand. And then—
Ajisai-san, bursting with what was going on inside her heart, shouted, “Mai-chan is always waiting, more than anyone. She is always waiting for your answer!”
The memory of Mai’s face, smiling weakly, flashed inside my head, then scattered.
—aah, geez!
“But that doesn’t mean that doing this—doing something like this is…! Geez, I’m going though!”
I tugged on Ajisai-san’s hand.
I could see a glimmer of pain in her eyes, but it disappeared in an instant. With a blooming smile, Ajisai-san nodded.
“Yup.”
Whatever. I had something I needed to tell her anyway. If so, whether it was now or later, I should still go see her. To confront Mai.
But still, no one told me that I would have to do it on stage, though!
I get it, alright then, I’m going now. I’ll just do this, alright!
To the stage, the place where Mai was waiting for me!
*****
Credit:
TL and everything else: Meatbun
Proofread: Lyra
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