Chapter 2: I Want To Be Your Artwork
TL: Akabane
***
"Well, I want us to talk about it somewhere else after school...."
After a long silence, Sou let out those words.
Shiori nodded lightly, "Okay." she said.
From that moment until after school, class seemed to take forever.
After school, Sou took Shiori to the sewing room.
He unlocked the door and turned on the light in the dimly lit room.
"Can I come in here without permission?"
Shiori looked around. It must be an unusual classroom for the average student.
"I'm in the home economics club. I'm also a member of the ghost club."
"What? The home economics club is always in the kitchen, right? Aren't they supposed to cook?"
"The home economics club is divided into two sections: cooking and sewing. And I'm the only member in the sewing department this year."
Young people today may aspire to be good cooks, but no one wants to be a good tailor.
That's why the sewing room after school became Sou's hideout.
Sou is also a member of the ghost club because she makes her own cosplay costumes at home.
As long as you were enrolled in the club, they would share fabric with you - that was the goal.
"What do you mean you want to become a work of art with it?"
Sou quickly cut her off as she sat in the chair.
Shiori sat in the seat opposite him and sniffed happily.
"I want to cosplay too! With the costume you made!"
Well, that's what I'm talking about....
A shocking news, that's what happened, isn't it? An active model wants to cosplay.......
It is true that models and cosplayers have something in common as photography subjects.
However, the similarity does not mean that they are ...... one side putting fashion forward, and the other side an extreme otaku.
I think they are two poles that will never meet at all.
"Do you think it sucks......? I don't think it's something easy to make."
The Empress said in a surprisingly sullen voice.
If she threatens to reveal our secret ...... then I have no right to refuse.
But it seemed like she didn't have that idea in the slightest.
"I'm just doing it as a hobby, so I don't mind."
Instead of the usual costumes, he made clothes for Hoshino.......
That sounds interesting too, he thought.
"Yes!" she lifted her hips and clenched her fists in joy.
But the question was, what did she want to cosplay? If she mentioned the name of some obscure manga character known to everyone, her tension would drop to zero.
"So, what do you want to cosplay?"
Sou cut in, intending to refuse her request depending on what her answer was.
"That... of course, I want to be Dark Stella from 'Nuruzubo☆ Disire~Defeat Luna & Stella Dark Fall Ochi Training Arc'!"
"......What? What do you mean, "of course"?
I felt like something that shouldn't have come out of the preface, "Of course", jumped out.
"Huh? Don't you know Tsukigase-kun? You're a fan of Lunaste, but you don't know~"
It's not that I don't know. But Shiori put on a smug face and started talking smoothly.
"This season's dominant anime, 'Cosmolirical Angel Luna & Stella,' was originally an adult-oriented PC game! The "NuruZubo☆Disire" series was an insulting spin-off that depicted a world where the heroine had been defeated, and was difficult to find for a long time. It was remade as a version for ages 15 and up, with less sexually explicit elements, after the anime became a hit. In fact, if you apply the official secret patch to it, it's very mmmmmm........!"
"Wait, wait a minute!"
Please don't make me destroy the image of the Ice Empress with such force!
"I don't want to wait. Look, speaking of Stella, she's half of a dual heroine, a cool and reliable big sister type to the energetic and cute Luna. Luna's magical costume is gold while Stella's is silver, and of course, her normal costume is just as beautiful. However, in "Nuruzobo Disire," Stella is defeated by the enemy leader Edelbard and becomes Dark Stella with a jet black costume after being brainwashed into darkness! It's 70% more open and very echigo-chi Above all, the distance between the two is the best. Stella, who was once a proud witch girl, was shrouded in humiliation and forced to accept the pleasure she could not resist. ......Then her former partner, Luna, appears! Back to her usual sweet Stella! Luna was moved to tears! But her voice was lost in the deep darkness. I can't go back, Luna-chan ....... oh no .... what should I do!"
"What should I do?"
I want to ask about this one.
"I can't fight with Stella-chan! She attacked the hesitant Luna mercilessly ...... no, Dark Stella is to blame! The two of them became slimy and carelessly entangled with each other. Then Stella realized the lust and jealousy for the beautiful Luna hidden inside her ...... and she couldn't stop it anymore!"
"I wish you'd stop."
"I can't help it! I want to be the sad, rough, and beautiful Dark Stella, like black roses and all! Do you understand me?"
"I understand........"
It feels hard....
It's hard to know how to deal with her momentum....
It's hard to react when a beautiful girl in the upper caste talks passionately about game so-and-so with little acting.
I'm sure they won't suddenly drop you from there if you get involved in this conversation.
"That's ...... Hoshino-san, do you like that kind of thing?"
"That kind of thing? What do you mean ......?" she asked back with a sharp expression on her face.
"Girls being brainwashed and humiliated ...... that kind of thing."
"I feel horrified when I see a beautiful girl being defiled."
Shiori looked up at the sky happily, like a sommelier who had taken a sip of the finest wine.
"Not good, this...."
She had a twinkle in her eye that convinced me that she really liked it.
But ...... Sou inwardly felt happy about it.
This Ice Empress is really our sister spirit....
"I mean, I like Stella so much that I even like the way she falls. It's not that I'm into the abuse genre. It's out of love, you know?"
"That's what all otaku with specialized sexuality say, isn't it?"
"So, I want to magically transform into Dark Stella, okay?"
"Oh, yes, a magical transformation. ...... Okay, I'll take care of it."
Sou went up and accepted her free request.
Making cosplay costumes - for cosplayers who weren't Manaka.
"I guess the first thing I should do is ...... take measurements."
***
"If it's three sizes, I know that I don't need to take measurements...."
If you're an active model, of course you do. But three sizes is not enough.
"Stella's costume fits you perfectly, so we need more accurate data."
"......Of course! It's not Dark Stella if it's not tight and plump!!!!"
"Plump ....... Hoshino-san, do you not mind exposing your skin or something?"
Dark Stella's outfit was quite extreme.
If Manaka wanted to do it, as her brother, I would probably feel the urge to refuse.
"Not at all. The naughty part is part of Stella's charm. I want to be Stella, including that one. Even at fashion shows, there are a lot of extreme outfits, but not a single person cat walking looks shy. The most important thing is, 'what do you want to express?'"
Shiori laughs as she humbly adds, "I've never been a show model."
That's a mature opinion for an expressive person. This might be the right idea.
If Manaka says she wants to do this kind of cosplay, should I consider it?
"Fine if you insist that much...." Sou said, extending a tape measure to Shiori.
"What I want you to measure are breasts, waist, midriff, hips, waist length, back length, back width, shoulder width, arm length, chest width...."
"What?!" she rolled her eyes.
"That's because I don't know anything about it."
"I'll tell you exactly how long each one is, but...."
"I won't be able to do it, even if you tell me!"
So I asked her to change into her sports uniform and we both took measurements.
Actually, it would be more accurate if she just wore her underwear, but if she couldn't do it ...... I had no choice.
"In that case, I'm in your care."
.....Suddenly, I felt a wave of nervousness.
I'll just teach her how to measure, I don't need to touch her body myself, so she doesn't have to.......
"Well, then, let's start with your breasts...."
I gave instructions. Shiori tried to follow.
But measuring breasts alone is actually quite difficult.
"Hey, the back of the measuring tape has come off. Can you hold it?"
"......Okay."
Sou went behind Shiori and held the measuring tape with her fingers around the shoulder blades.
Then she leaned back as if taking a deep breath and her shoulders shook.
He noticed that there was nothing transparent on the white shirt of her sports uniform except her skin.
Seriously ....... it seemed like she ...... wasn't wearing a bra under her sports uniform!
Sou didn't give such instructions. I think she took it off at her own discretion so that I could measure it as accurately as possible.
But if not, it would be transparent, right......?
The tape measure wrapped around her chest, biting into her chest, which was only wearing a thin T-shirt.
"Eighty-three centimeters ....... hey, I said eighty-three centimeters!"
"......Oh, oh. Sorry."
Sou hurriedly removed the tape measure and made a note. 83cm.......
"Don't make me repeat myself. So, what's next?"
"Next, I want you to measure ...... the point of your breasts."
"Hmm? What's the difference between that and the breasts I just measured?"
I was at a loss for words when I tried to explain.
"It ...... is a little thing referred to as measuring the distance between your two nipples ......"
"Pfft!" Shiori gushed.
"Tsukigase-kun ...... your face turned red instantly! You don't have to be embarrassed to say 'nipple' when mentioning it! It's just a nipple! Hahaha!"
"No! It's funny considering how you can say nipple without hesitation! It's a nipple, you know, a nipple!"
"You can just say it like that, you know! Hahaha!"
She laughed merrily. Is ...... she really not embarrassed?
"It's for the sake of being the perfect Dark Stella. So I don't mind."
Shiori turned her back and squirmed around her chest.
She must have been holding a tape measure for her ...... breasts without a bra.
"Twenty-one centimeters..." Shiori said in a pleasantly calm voice.
"Then next is your waist ......"
Sou said, and Shiori opened the hem of her shirt, revealing her slender waist.
"Hey, Tsukigase-kun, do you like it? Aren't I skinny? I'm more confident in my waist than my breasts."
Suddenly asked my opinion, I was confused.
"Uh, ah, yes ...... normal......? No, skinny? Thin......?"
"What the hell is that thinness of yours?"
Shiori made a dissatisfied face, then quickly agreed with herself, "Ah, I see."
"Tsukigase-kun's standard is Manamana, don't you think?"
"Yes. That's why it didn't really hit me."
Although said to be thin, Manaka was even smaller and had a slender physique.
"Manamana, she's so skinny that it doesn't seem realistic. But she's not skinny, she's fat, that's too vain, but it's great. She's like a fairy living in modern times. But if she were a fairy .... I would be an angel!"
What is she talking about?
"Be careful, if you think she's normal, you'll make enemies with all the girls in the world. This waist is very thin. Remember that. ...... fifty-four centimeters."
"Yes. ...... Fifty-four centimeters."
All the measurements had been taken.
Sou was surprised by the results of the figures. She was an outstanding eight-headed woman.
That's why she was scouted as a model....
Beside him, Shiori muttered, "Hah~, that's embarrassing."
Sou could not help but let out a voice, "What?"
"You're embarrassed? Even though you seem so unconcerned."
"That's right, I'm embarrassed. That's normal, right?"
"You're a model. I thought you were confident about your body."
"I am confident! Especially my waist! ......But that's different from this! Even though I'm a model, it depends on who I show it to. ......I don't know what they think of me......."
Shiori muttered a few words and then coughed and started again.
"So, when will Dark Stella's costume be ready? About three days from now, okay!"
"You want to make me work like hell, huh? I can't do it that fast. First, I'll make a ...... pattern. Then I'll pick out the fabric, cut it, and do some temporary stitching...."
Sou thought ...... while counting his fingers for future work.
While making Manaka's costume, the two checked each other's work at every step of the process....
The two of them were not often alone in this sewing room.
Shiori's eyes lit up and she looked at me.
"Do you want to check every single thing? If you're busy, I'll go ahead and do it myself."
......No, that's not good enough. Sou immediately reconsidered.
This cosplay costume isn't just something I made because I was asked to.
This was my job. Costumes are not something that can be made by numbers alone.
"Sorry, I still need you to make sure and check it every step of the way. I know you're busy---"
"I don't mind. We're sitting next to each other, so we can talk anytime."
"No ...... I don't want to talk about cosplay in class ....... I want you to come to the sewing room after school like this."
"Hmm, okay. It's kind of interesting, like a secret headquarters. ......Oh, yes."
Shiori rummaged through her bag. ......
"Ta-da! Nuruzubo☆Disire - Defeating Luna & Stella Dark Falling Ochi Training Edition!"
Sou looked down.
"......Why did you bring your game to school?"
"Of course so I don't miss the chance to preach all the time!"
"Are you always ready to evangelize naughty games whenever the opportunity arises? I'm scared...."
"I'm not scared. Tsukigase-kun, you're still a virgin, right?"
"I know it's a disgusting way to waste your time, but, well...."
I wanted the PC version if I wanted to play it, I had checked second-hand stores and online auctions, but I didn't get a chance.
"Well, I'll lend it to you! You'll definitely like Dark Stella too!"
"But I'm more suited to Luna."
"Luna is good too! I'll change uniforms then."
"Ah, yes, thank you."
Shiori left the sewing room.
She was going to change, or .......
That was a delicate way of putting it. Would she come back here again?
No, there was nothing special to do anymore. This should be taken as a group dissolution statement.
Sou also picked up her bag, locked her sewing room, and decided to head home.
As he pedaled his bicycle on his way home, he realized that he was left with a mystery.
How did she know the identity of "Manamana"?
***
[Hoshino's POV]
This is a situation where it's not surprising that I feel scared.
Being alone with a boy. After school, I was taken to an empty sewing room .......
Despite this, what filled my heart was an unshakable sense of security. Because.......
"Sou, you never change...."
Hoshino Shiori muttered under her breath as she changed clothes in the changing room.
"I like it."
Clutching the sports uniform she took off, she let out an impressed voice.
"Hah~ I like it, I like it...."
Her expression turned into a grin and a dangerous look.
The only time I felt fear in my neck was when I turned around and the major held me back. Still, I was able to keep my composure when I thought the man was an akumon.
I put on my bra and looked down at my body.
......I was different. In perfect style.
I wonder if he felt anything when he saw this slimmer waist.
I left the dressing room. Shiori didn't go straight home, but went to the sewing room. .......
The door was locked and she was already gone.
I wonder if I should ...... ask her to come home with me. I'm sure we'll go home in the same direction.
...... No, that's a step too far. It'll look weird.
I've done enough today.
We swapped seats and got to be next to each other, and from there we were able to start many conversations....
I should be happy with that for now.
I went down the stairs at a fast pace. My heart was beating at the same rhythm as my happiness.
***
Sou set up NuruZubo☆Disire on the game console and started it.
Playing sexually explicit games in the living room was not a good idea, but there was only one game console in Sou's house, so what else could it be. It was impossible for him to play games in secret.
In Nuruzubo☆Disire, a mausoleum spin-off, you first have to choose between Luna and Stella as the heroine.
The chosen heroine is kidnapped in the opening scene by Edelbard, the director of the Cosmo Killer Army, and subjected to brainwashing training and pleasure to "fall into darkness."
Other players, not selected for the game, go to help her, but ...... the player who becomes Edelbard and fights her, along with the brainwashed heroine, will aim to invade the earth... that's how the gameplay goes.
This is the scenario from the enemy's point of view.
This is a problematic work that is hated like a snake by fans who don't know that the Luna & Stella series was originally intended for adult PCs, and it is referred to as black history. There are also those who think.......
The costume of the person falling in the dark is erotic. This is such a work.
The living room door opened with the sound of.......
"Master ...... what are you doing here without saying "I'm home!" to me?"
What appeared with that voice was a tsundere loli maid with an arbitrary attitude.
She was "Komatori Miminari" the subheroine of the popular light novel, "This Maid Was Raised by Me" that Sou had become addicted to during his junior high school years....
Of course, it was Manaka in costume. So he wasn't surprised.
It wasn't monotone, but rather an elegant navy maid uniform.
Navy was a color that clearly showed a sense of quality, so they used luxurious fabrics sparingly.
And once again, Manaka reproduced Komatori's character with perfect acting.......
"It's Nuruzubo! You finally gave up on the PC version and bought it on consumer!"
Instead of reproducing ...... Manaka ran up to me with an innocent expression on her face.
"I didn't buy it, I borrowed it from a friend."
The expression on Manaka's face as she looked at the screen quickly disappeared.
"What......? Onii-chan, why did you choose Stella over Luna?"
"There was no particular reason, I just randomly chose. I was in the mood to wear Stella once in a while."
"That's cute ...... If Manamana was going to cosplay, you would choose Luna. ......"
I definitely wouldn't choose Stella if I became Sou normally. Because there's no reason for me to choose her.
I was originally a fan of Luna, and more importantly, Luna is by far the best fit for Manamana.
But ...... this time I'm choosing Stella because I'll be providing costumes for other cosplayers.
Can I be stupidly honest about such a thing?
Could this be an act of betrayal?
Feeling like a husband caught cheating, Sou became agitated.
"I'm tired of always thinking about cosplay. With Luna, I would always end up thinking about cosplay. But by daring to choose Stella, I can enjoy the game purely."
"My sister Manaka wouldn't say that...."
Manaka said back with a constant cold aura.
It's true that I normally wouldn't say such a thing....
I'm sure, my step-sister knows exactly what's going on in my mind.
The one who is always thinking about making cosplay costumes.
The stupid cosplayer who has no problem with that is Sou Tsukigase.
"Well, it's up to you, Onii-chan. Alright, Manaka will choose Luna."
Manaka sighed as if she had no choice. Apparently, she forgave me.
"Please don't make me miss dinner because of something like this...."
"I won't. Onii-chan didn't do anything wrong or anything."
"Then, don't be so grumpy."
Manaka made a puffy face, "Boo!" while panting.
Manaka stuck to her side and watched Sou play from the side.
"Eh! Why don't you use that candle over there! Why is the exposure rotated?"
It's because of my sexuality......
I wanted to say it ...... but this game isn't a simple game.
This game is divided into two parts: the training part and the strategy part.
In the training part, you will train captured witch girls from all over the world, and various status changes occur: the fire attribute increases when you train them with candles, the water attribute increases when you train them with slime, and the wind attribute increases when you make them play with exposure.
In the strategic part, the player organizes units with the witch girl who has been corrupted by darkness and her subordinates, as well as mobile robots, and invades various parts of the earth....
The next invasion target is the water city of Venice, where a powerful water boss awaits.
As Manaka said, it was a natural formula to fight with the fire attribute.
However......
Dropping a candle on a beautiful girl doesn't excite me ...... in the slightest.
It's a bit of culture that I don't understand. It's just painful.
Instead, Stella, the proud girl, was humiliated ...... and forced to dress up in a humiliating outfit.
That's good, Sou thought.
Since this was a consumer game, the training scenes were much lighter, but there were still beautiful CGs available, preventing players from making rational choices.
"Oh, could it be?" Manaka giggled.
"That's kind of your hobby, Onii-chan~ you like girls being humiliated by dressing sexually."
"Anyone would! That's enough!"
"Not everyone, okay?!"
"Shut up! Don't follow me when I'm playing naughty games! Get lost!"
As Sou said so, Manaka in return squeezed his left arm tightly and whispered to him.
"But ...... isn't the exposure game similar to cosplay?"
On the screen in front of him was Stella who was forced to dress embarrassingly in public.......
"Could it be, Onii-chan, did you think like this when you made Manaka's cosplay?"
"What?! What are you saying?!!!"
--- "......Keke. You're a holy witch girl, but you're so rude. Kyahaha......"
From the game screen, I could hear Edelbard's evil and ugly laughter.
This is heartbreaking. There was no way she would let Manaka dress up in a costume with this kind of heart.
"......Master, I'm disappointed."
Manaka's voice became cold. Her tone of voice changed to that of the tsundere servant, Komatori Miminari.
She was a high-flying, haughty, and slightly sadistic character.
"......Master treats his cute half-sister like a doll and shows her off. You don't envy those around you, do you? Right? Why don't you admit it?"
"No, no, no, Miminari! Listen to me!
"I won't listen to your excuses! You should be ashamed of yourself!"
She turned her face away from me.
I didn't think anything of it when I was verbally abused by Manaka, but....
I got goosebumps when Miminari gave me a tsundere attitude!
Manaka, who had become Miminari, only glanced at me and her cheeks flushed red.
The shiny change in her facial expression was truly a god-level performance.
"Well ...... I'm your servant. So you can do that kind of thing to me if you want, okay?"
As if to turn her palm over, she peeked out from her tsundere stance. The golden tsundere gesture.
A pink arrow shot into Sou's otaku heart.
But ...... calm down. This is Manaka.
Whether she's a tsundere or not, it doesn't matter.
She was still a step-sister and wouldn't change.
Sou came back to himself and gave Manaka a "tee-hee" with a bump on the head.
"Ouch! ......What are you doing all of a sudden!"
Sou faced Manaka angrily because she was still acting like Miminari, but Sou ignored her and faced her.
"Cosplay is something more sacred. Don't compare it to an exposure game. Besides ...... there's no way I'm going to do anything weird with you."
Manaka's expression lost its acting and returned to its true self.
"Hmm, you are very cool."
-- "Kekeke ...... be more lustful! Drown yourself in the fire of lust!"
Edelbard's voice interrupted from the side.
Family perversion, lust ...... things like that are really strange.
Sou looked at the clock.
"I guess it's time to start preparing dinner, right?"
"Even though you're the one playing it, you big coward!"
Manaka stood up with a jerk and kicked Sou's leg lightly. It didn't hurt at all.
"Huuu!" Manaka screeched and ran into the kitchen.
Sou continued his game. He had to continue his exposure game.
As soon as she thought that, Manaka peeked out from the kitchen.
"I'm in the kitchen, so don't ...... do anything weird!"
"I won't!"
***
[Manaka's POV]
Why did I feel like I was betrayed back then?
Manaka thought about that while cutting vegetables with a knife in the kitchen.
Her brother had chosen Stella over Luna. That's all....
Because he didn't consider Manamana's cosplay a top priority?
Because he identified too much with Luna and myself?
Luna looks like me, but Stella doesn't look like me. .......
Nevertheless....
It's up to my brother how he wants to play the game.
I can't keep bending my navel over something like that.
I won't reveal such a void that a sister is unilaterally possessive of her brother....
"Be proud, Manaka!"
Fill the pot with water, add the seaweed, and heat it up.
Manaka stared blankly at the water until it boiled.
Finally, my pukupuku and bubbles float to the surface.
.....Part of the conversation they had just had came to mind.
--- "There's no way I'm going to do anything weird with you!" that's what my brother said.
"Liar."
Looking down at the bubbling bubbles, Manaka made a small sound.
Yes, I've long known that those words contained lies....
Why did he choose Stella?
It was a choice that my real brother would never have made.
Unnatural behavior - I feel a strange omen there.
***
The data is ready.
Sou stayed up half the night to finish clearing the star route, and then....
He immediately went to his desk and started working on the costume design.
The data was ready. All of Dark Stella's images were screenshots.
Various ideas are just waiting to be explored.
Are there any real-life outfits similar in construction to this costume?
Are there any parts of the patterns I've made so far that can be used?
What materials can I use? Should I use fabric or make a model?
I didn't feel sleepy. As if carried away by the heat, Sou finished it.
***
And the next day, in class...
"Sorry, Tsukigase-kun, I forgot my textbook. Can I see yours?"
It was third period. Shiori, who was sitting next to me, put her hands together and said to Sou.
"Sure, but......." he replied.
With an expression as if she was humming a song, Shiori shifted her desk towards me.
Seriously, this girl....
Sou thought, as this was the third time that day.
She forgot her textbook for three classes in a row and asked Sou to show it to her!
"What are you planning.....?" asked Sou in fear.
"Heh? Plan?"
Shiori looked at him and then let out a small sigh, "Pfft ...... ahahaha."
Then she brought her face closer to Sou's and whispered, "Plan? Why are you thinking like that?"
My heart leapt into my throat at the soft and sweet scent that came out of her black hair.
"It's natural to think that you're planning something. How could you forget the textbook three times in a row?"
With a calm tone of voice, Shiori whispered, "Then......"
"Shouldn't you be thinking, "...... This girl must have a crush on me, right?""
I would have thought that way if I wasn't a shady guy and you weren't in the upper caste.
"......In fact, I mistook the schedule itself for another day. That's why not all the textbooks for today were carried by me. Does this excuse make sense?"
It made sense at first glance, but it wasn't ...... enough to make me believe her.
Textbooks are usually left in the locker.
If I had to take all my textbooks home every day, my bag would be overcrowded.
"By the way, have you finished ...... Nuruzubo?" Shiori changed the topic.
"I have, and I just finished the design drawings for the costume. I'll ask you to take a look at it later."
"......Really?! I want to see it!"
Shiori bit him with great force.
"You're in class right now! Just after school, in the sewing room!"
Shiori backed away and laughed happily, "......Hehehe."
***
It was lunch time after Shiori had clashed with me in every class.
With my lunch box in hand, I felt at ease as Naoya and Shotoku faced each other.
Ah, my precious friends. I could really feel that this was where I belonged.
"Hey ...... Sou, what's wrong with you?" asked Naoya.
It was natural for him to ask that when I was busy at my own desk.
But before that, Sou had something he wanted to ask.
"What's wrong with you?"
Naoya had no eyebrows on his face.
It was obvious that it was an anomaly.
"Actually ...... I tried shaving and grooming my eyebrows this morning, but I messed up."
......Naoya was slumped in his chair every break today.
I thought he was very sleepy, but was it to hide this pitiful appearance of his?
"Maybe it's because you're using a T-shaped razor like the one you use to shave your beard."
I made that guess when I saw that the remaining eyebrows were furrowed in outline.
"......Is there another kind?"
"You know, there are I-shaped razors for eyebrows at pharmacies and department stores."
Sou said, and Shoutoku made a face as if he had never heard of it before, "Heh."
"If you're not interested, that kind of thing won't catch your attention, right?"
It couldn't be helped. Sou got up from his seat and walked towards the group of girls containing Shiori.
I was a little nervous to go in there, but....
She was very friendly to me, so it wouldn't matter if I called out to her, right?
"Hoshino-san, take a look at that guy's face for a moment."
Shiori turned around and said, "Hmm?" and at the same time she turned to look at me, Sou pointed at the man without eyebrows.
"......Pfftt!"
Shiori almost spit out the bottled tea she was drinking.
"That's why, can I borrow your eyebrow pencil?"
"Okay."
Shiori took out an eyebrow pencil from her cosmetic pouch and handed it to Sou.
The whole class buzzed.
Sou returned to Naoya and bowed, saying, "Here, be quiet."
With a familiar hand, he colored the eyebrows with eyebrow powder and added the pencil.
He corrected the others, which were distorted.
A sigh escaped from the people around her at the clarity of her handiwork.
"Your eyebrows are a bit asymmetrical, so you should be careful."
"Sou ...... how did you manage to do this?"
With widened eyes, she asked.
"It's because I ...... have a younger sister."
"......Do all the older brothers in this world know much about eyebrow makeup? You're lying, right?"
When Manaka did her cosplay, it was Sou who did all the makeup.
That's why Sou was convinced that she was the best makeup artist in this school.
Of course, he wouldn't show off such a fact because it would only make him feel uncomfortable.
Anyway, the most handsome Naoya in history was done.
I returned to Shiori and handed back the tools, saying, "Thank you."
"You're welcome. Tsukigase-kun, why don't you get your eyebrows trimmed too?"
"It's too much trouble."
I wasn't going to do it on the same level as Manaka, and I felt there was no point in doing it halfway through.
When I returned to Naoya and the others, they looked at me with a frown.
"......Y-You spoke to the Ice Empress so naturally."
When they said that, Sou realized that he was attracting the attention of the entire class.
He attracted more attention than Naoya, who was showing his stupid eyebrows that had no eyebrows.
"The Ice Empress talks to a boy......."
"She also talked to him during class......"
"Really?"
"Hoshino-san, is that the kind of man she wants?"
"Who is that guy?"
"He's a shady guy, isn't he?"
The atmosphere was very uncomfortable.
"Hey, Hoshino-san! What was that all about?" one of the girls asked directly to the person in question.
Shiori replied as if declaring to the entire class.
"I like Tsukigase-kun. Any problem?"
The classroom, which had been bustling with excitement, became silent.
"Seriously!" muttered Naoya.
Sou sighed and turned to Naoya and the others.
"It seems so. After we switched seats, she kind of liked me."
"Likes? What do you mean like? And how can she like you?"
It was, of course, because of my cosplay skills. But....
"Well? I think she just likes me as her toy."
Well, let it be like that.
***
Later, in the sewing room after school, Sou faced Shiori alone.
"I was thinking of making it like this."
Sou placed several sketches on the table, which he had completed last night.
The overall design of the costume was drawn on top of the same eight-headed silhouette as Shiori.
And individual design sketches for each item.
It also showed which parts would be divided and where they would be sewn together.
"Oh, oh!" Shiori cheered and looked at the sketch.
"Wow. I thought ...... you'd make it more sketchy."
"It's a three-dimensional object, so you'll get stuck if you make it in a haphazard way."
"Well, it's not something you can make for free, is it...."
You have realized your own courage now.
"I'll have it as my work too, so don't worry about that."
Shiori started shooting pictures of the design with the camera on her cell phone.
"Can I upload the process of making this cosplay to my social networking sites?"
A working model doing cosplay as a hobby? Well, you can do whatever you want.
"As long as you don't take pictures of my face, I don't mind."
"Thank you! ......It's quite different from the original image, isn't it?"
"The balance between a two-dimensional character and a real person is different, you know."
The balance between a two-dimensional character and a real person is different. ......It was so as not to break with the small face of Shiori, who was an eight-headed model.
However, to make her look slender and long-legged like a two-dimensional character.......
Overall, the upper body is compactly composed.
"Hmmm. It looks like there are more decorations and stitches that weren't in the original work."
"I thought the amount of information would be spaced out when made in realistic size. I added it based on what kind of details would be present in a similar costume in real life."
"Oh, you probably know what I mean ....... if it was a real outfit, the seams would appear in this position. I see."
In that sense, Sou was not the "supremacy of the original work".
There were definitely many cosplayers who preferred to make their outfits more anime-like.
"I want to start making it after getting approval from those people, is this okay?"
"...... That's what I want! The idea is that if there was a real-life Stella, this is what would happen?!"
"Good, thank you. ......Then for today, you can go home."
Sou said as she took out her stationery and calculator.
"I can go home?" Shiori made a sullen face.
"It'll take a long time before I do the next thing for you to check."
"What are you going to do now, Tsukigase-kun?"
"I'm going to make a pattern." I turned my back to Shiori and borrowed hatron paper from the closet in the sewing room.
I wasn't comfortable making costumes for people other than Manaka at home.
So I decided to make this costume in the sewing room after school.
"Can I see it?"
"Sure, but I think it'll be plain and uninteresting."
"It might be interesting. I'm interested in making clothes."
......That reminds me, this girl is in the fashion industry.
"It's like a blueprint of a garment broken down into its parts, a pattern, if I had to explain."
Sou started working on it as he explained it to Shiori, who was taking care of him.
"Hmmm. When you cut the cloth, you cut it according to the pattern, right?"
"If it's a simple shape, you can draw the lines directly on the cloth, but it will be useless if you make a mistake. That's why we make it on paper first. ...... But before that, we first make a "torso prototype" that is a copy of Hoshino-san's body shape."
Shiori's measurement data was made into a plan view and drawn on hatron paper.
The drawing was done using a calculator.
Of course, he did not do it with his bare hands, but used various rulers to complete the drawing.
"......This is Hoshino-san's prototype. When this plan is finalized, a mannequin with the same body shape as Hoshino-san's, a special body, will be made."
"Wow, you're going to make a figure the size of me?"
"Well, that's the torso, so it doesn't have a face, arms, or legs.
Of course, the figure does not capture the shape of her breasts. It's a simplified upper body.
"This prototype can be used to make other costumes. I don't know if there will be another costume."
"Make another one!" I thought Shiori would say, but she didn't.
She looked at Sou's work with a serious face.
Based on this prototype, she started designing costumes.
"For normal clothes like T-shirts and the like, you can arrange them into regular shapes, but ...... cosplay costumes have many incomprehensible shapes, so you have to test your imagination."
"Imagination......?"
Imagine a three-dimensional object in your mind and develop it into a two-dimensional design. ......
"I guess it's more like trial and error. Because nothing works the way you want it to in one shot. That's why I don't suddenly make full-sized pieces, but first make a number of prototype mini-sized pieces."
I make mini paper patterns and actually attach them with tape to see if they become three-dimensional as I envisioned. If anything is not quite right, then I correct it.
The angle of the lines that determine the silhouette and the depth of the darts ...... are all carefully checked.
For example, the breast pockets are perfectly sized. It is not easy to create such a thing.
After repeated readjustments, the three-dimensional object-a costume made of fabric-was complete.
"What about the parts that are not made of cloth? Shoes or armor?"
"For the shoes, I look for cheap ones that are similar to the finished ones. For parts like the armor, I can......"
"Did you make it out of cardboard?"
"No, there are better boards called cosplay boards. I cut it, paste it, paint it, and so on. It's like a full-scale plastic model that I made myself."
Cosplay modeling - a field he would like to master someday, but for now he is just going with the flow.
"There's so much to do that it drives me crazy...."
"But it's something that's fun to do."
The desire to create. The pleasure of creating something unique with your own hands. I got carried away with it.
The anticipation of creating a great work of art turns any task into something sweet.
In this case, it was Hoshino Shiori, but I usually recreate characters from works I like, using the person closest to me as the material, Manaka.
The satisfaction is unbearable.
The work was rewarded with praise and applause from many people at events and on SNS.......
This is Sou's sanctuary, a world where he doesn't want anyone to make fun of him.
***
At six o'clock in the afternoon, Sou stopped working.
"Tsukigase-kun, are you going to work here every day from now on?"
"I don't think I'll do it every day. But most of the time, yes...."
Of course there would be times when he went home with Naoya and Shoutoku or played with them.
"In that case, let me know in advance when you won't be here. I don't want us to cross paths."
"Eh?"
"Oh, that's right! I mean, let's exchange contact information!"
"What? Contact......?"
Shiori looked exasperated. "What's with that reaction?"
"I'm a bit afraid of exchanging contact information with the Ice Empress ......"
The one who made the cosplay and the one who wore it.
It was as if she was trying to have a relationship that was more than that, so I was confused.
"The Ice Empress, huh? Is my impression that cold ...... Tsukigase-kun?"
"No, it's not like that."
To be honest, I've always felt "at odds" with public rumors.
"I was afraid that when I entered school, I would get involved with a group of seniors that I didn't know. They only knew my name, but they wanted to own me and treat me like a trophy, one after another. Can you imagine that?"
"So scary."
"So, I could only frown, scrunch up my face, and continue to ignore them. That's why the newspaper club gave me the nickname "The Ice Empress" ....... right?"
Shiori let out a soul-shattering sigh, "Haa."
"But thanks to that, I'm thankful that no extra bugs came near me ....... I don't like boys, basically."
Her title was high school active model. But her nickname was the Empress of Ice.
First impressions, prejudices, and psychological biases.......
People judge whether they should look down on or respect the person in front of them based on that alone.
Prejudices are created, and they are held back by this transparent chain.
Sou obviously always hated these chains.
......No, he was afraid of it.
He was afraid of it. That's why he's bound by it.
I was a "shady" person while Hoshino Shiori was at the top of the caste. I was well aware of this difference.
I didn't want to stand out in class, and I didn't want to get too involved with her.
"Tsukigase-kun....."
Shiori looked at the large number of mini stencils lying on her desk.
"Tsukigase-kun is an amazing person. You're much better ...... than me."
Sou took out a cell phone from his pocket.
Shiori smiled with satisfaction and started reading the QR code, "Good, good."
Sou asked a question as if offering an exchange.
"If you basically dislike men, why do you treat me so special?"
After the beeping and reading of her phone, Shiori answered.
"This is not our first meeting. It's a feeling I've longed for. I ...... want to become your artwork."
Shiori chuckled, then slung her fashionable shoulder bag over her shoulder.
Then, as if running away, she hurried away from the sewing room.
"Alright, see you tomorrow!"
Sou looked over in surprise. This isn't our first meeting....
No, no, she must be lying. There was no way he had contact with such a beautiful girl in his life.
First of all, I've never even been close to a girl other than Manaka....
"............"
Suddenly, the image of the face I had almost forgotten appeared in my mind.
No, but ....... in the dimly lit sewing room, Sou's mind wandered to various possibilities.
***
That night, the "Tsukigase Family Cosplay Meeting" was held in their living room.
It was called a meeting ...... but it was just a discussion between Sou and Mana to decide where and what kind of cosplay they would do next, and what their goals were.
Since there was no such event last time, they took pictures at the photography studio and uploaded them to social media.......
"Yes! Next time I want to cosplay as Dark Luna in "Cos Free"!"
Manaka commented.
The Cos Free, which will be held a month later at the end of May, is a small-scale event that can be easily attended.
I wouldn't mind doing it. However.....
"That Dark Luna ...... is a bit too exposed, isn't it?"
When first selecting Luna in NuruZubo☆Disire, a story unfolded where Luna was captured and trained who later became Dark Luna.
While Sou played the star route, Manaka continued with the Luna route.
"But it's cute, right? A sharp cuteness that I've never seen in a character I've played before. Up until now, all we've played is loli characters with sweet vibes."
Dark Luna. The theme color is black. Magical costume with a gothic punk look. Bold exposures. There's definitely a certain charm that comes out when a Lolita character looks like that.
"I want to play a character like that too." she said seriously.
Sou's words came back to her mind.
Even at fashion shows, there were a lot of radical outfits, but there were no people walking around looking shy.
What do you want to show? That is the most important essence.
If this character has a unique charm and you want to express it, then you can do so....
Sou shouldn't get in the way of that passion.
"Even the exposure isn't as strong as you said."
"I don't think so...... do you think so......?"
"Don't worry! I'll accept Dark Luna!"
Manaka forcefully pushed away Sou's wavering thoughts.
Well, in the end, the most important thing was to do is what will pleased Manaka.
"......So, Onii-chan, you should also complete the Luna Route!"
That was of course true. We can't make a costume without playing it.
I'll have to pull again all night.
Meanwhile, I'll continue making costumes for Dark Stella in the sewing room after school.
A life of double creation. Normal people might find it difficult, but ...... Sou's heart was pounding.
Dark Stella and Dark Luna. Shiori and Manaka. He took turns making two costumes.
It feels like a harem, doesn't it? From now on, I'll be able to occupy my mind with cosplay for a while, and my cosplay immersion days will begin!
That's what I thought.
"By the way, Onii-chan, you came home late again today, what are you doing?"
Sou grimaced.
"It was ...... just fooling around with Naoya and the others."
"Hmm."
At that moment, Sou's cell phone made a ringtone.
Sou jumped up and looked at the screen to see that it was an incoming call from Shiori.
Sou jumped out of the living room and into the hallway and made the call in a whisper.
|| "Hello, Tsukigase-kun."
"Hoshino-san ...... what do you really want?!"
|| "Nothing ...... I only did it because you gave me your contact information ....... are you surprised?"
"I thought my heart would stop."
|| "Haha, I'm sorry about that. Good night~!"
After a short conversation that I didn't even know what it meant, the call was disconnected.
Do popular people call strangers casually...?
It was a call through a messaging app, so it seemed like I didn't have to pay for the call.
"......Onii-chan, it's very unusual for you to receive a call. Who is it?"
Manaka came out into the hallway and Sou almost jumped.
"Umm, it's from Naoya...." he lied unconsciously.
"From Naoya?"
"Ah, he said good night...."
What am I talking about?!
Manaka said, "Wow!"
"Onii-chan ...... aren't you and Naoya too close? Is that the kind of relationship you guys have?"
"What's wrong with being close friends?! After all, what kind of relationship are you imagining, huh?!
"The kind of relationship where two shady guys comfort each other because they're unpopular...."
"That's none of your business! You're talking about it like it's something to think about!"
That's what I thought at the time.
At that moment, I wasn't prepared for what was about to happen.
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