Chapter 3: Approach

The man briskly appeared in the classroom, instantly capturing the attention of all his classmates.

Naoya Koseki—Sou's close friend—made his entrance into the classroom wearing a black shirt adorned with an all-over print of oranges. Sporting a somewhat cocky smile.

It's not just a hint of orange, it's a full-on print.

Not delicate like polka dots, nor cute illustration-style touches – real orange, as if photographed, generously printed all over the shirt.

It was a clothing style with an amazing atmosphere.

The classroom was immediately engulfed in laughter.

For him, it turned out to be a somewhat bitter debut in casual wear.

Taunted by the "Mikan-sensei" nickname from the fulfilled students, Naoya, with teary eyes, sought refuge with Sou.

"Why did it have to turn out like this?" Sou asked while comforting Naoya.

"I realized ... I'm scared to go into stylish stores alone, but I can confidently enter a thrift shop." Naoya explained.

"Huh? A thrift shop?"

"I found lots of branded clothes at a nearby thrift shop. And they were all cheap ... I won! Now I can join the ranks of the fashionable! That's what I thought."

Sou felt like he could see the problem.

"Isn't it because it's not in fashion? Those are probably old clothes, right?" pointed out Shoutoku. Sou continued, "Did you buy clothes from some special brand with a unique worldview? In a thrift shop, you won't understand the atmosphere of that brand."

"But ... these are really great clothes! It's from a super high-end brand called 'Something'! I should be wearing the most fashionable outfit in this classroom now!" Naoya insisted.

"I feel like it's already over when you can't even say the brand's name..." Sou remarked.

Entering a thrift shop because it's hard to go into stylish stores, believing it's a branded item, and making a private fashion debut. The man who became the laughingstock of the day.

"Hahaha, today's blunderous teacher." Sou laughed.

"Thank you for the lesson." bowed Shoutoku.

"Darn it!" Naoya exclaimed.

But looking closely, it was indeed a glossy jet-black fabric.

The vivid orange photo print that emerged was remarkably vibrant, with no hint of cheapness.

It exuded a frightening, comical, and strange power.

"Koseki-kun, isn't that Paul Smith?" Shiori, from the stylish girls' group, turned her gaze towards them.

Caught by the Ice Empress's attention, Naoya became flustered.

"Uh, well ... yeah, I think that was the name!"

Shiori stood up and walked towards them.

The classroom buzzed with laughter and surprise once again.

"That's a really famous one. It was part of a collection that incorporated photography into fashion. How much did you pay for it?"

"1500 yen..."

"Really!? Is it okay for a piece that changed history to be that cheap!?"

Shiori exaggeratedly leaned back like a host on a shopping channel.

Laughter and astonishment spread through the classroom.

"Well, you have a good eye! It's nice to follow trends, but enjoying archives that actually created the trends is great too." Shiori whispered to Sou and the others.

Naoya wore flashy damaged jeans and an aloha shirt-like garment.

His overall styling was, indeed, a failure.

After perfectly defending Naoya, Shiori returned to the girls' group with a confident demeanor.

The girls cheered, "Hoshino Theater!" "Amazing~!" "So cool!"

Her behavior was certainly refined and cool.

"Well, starting tomorrow, you should go back to wearing the uniform." Sou advised, patting Naoya on the shoulder.

"...Yeah, I'll do that. I don't have any clothes that are elegantly mature."

Wearing the flashy shirt, Naoya looked downcast.

The path to escaping otaku culture seemed deep and challenging, and Sou observed it as if it were someone else's business.

***

After school, Sou and Shiori found themselves alone in the sewing room.

Finally, the pattern for Dark Stella was completed.

"Wow! A full-size pattern, not a miniature! Does this mean we're finally cutting the fabric!?"

"And this is the 'sewing' done according to the pattern." Sou said, unveiling the already finished all-white costume, like a cooking show.

"Huh? Sewing? What's that?" Shiori tilted her head in confusion.

"It's cheap cotton fabric for temporary sewing. This is a prototype using it." Sou explained.

"After making so many miniatures, you're still making a prototype?!"

"Well, there are still things you won't know until you actually wear it. That's why ... I want you to try it on a few times."

Trying on, taking off, and making minor adjustments would be repeated several times.

"Oh, in that case, I have just the thing."

Shiori casually rummaged through her bag.

Then, she pulled out a deep navy blue fabric.

"W-What is that!?" Sou was taken aback.

"If you're an otaku, you'll loves it – a school swimsuit!"

--- It's not like I love it or anything... Sou retorted in a low voice.

"Since it's a hassle to go to the changing room, wait in the hallway. "Shiori said, pushing Sou out and starting to change.

She was the kind of girl who easily did things that would normally provoke resistance...

--- Doesn't she have any anxiety about being peeked at?

"You, sorry to keep you waiting."

Shiori popped her head into the hallway, beckoning Sou.

It felt strange.

Facing a school swimsuit-clad beauty that seemed out of place in the sewing room.

"Why are you subtly averting your gaze?"

"...Can I look at it boldly then?"

"It's fine. Swimsuits are something people normally see at the beach or pool."

While that was true, looking at a girl in a swimsuit in a room alone with just the two of them...

It felt like a strange situation.

But if they kept hesitating, the work wouldn't progress.

Sou timidly turned his face.

Shiori slightly trembled, took a deep breath, and then faced Sou.

--- Her cheeks seemed to have a faint blush ... but since she said she's okay, it must be my imagination.

"I have a good figure, right? I'm a model, after all."

"Yeah, um ... why did you bring a swimsuit, though?"

"I was forced to buy it at school the other day for the summer swimming class."

For the upcoming summer swimming class, they were required to buy the school-designated swimsuit.

"At that time, I thought it would be nice to have this for measurements. I thought it might come in handy for some other occasion. ...So, I'll wear the white one now."

Shiori put the prototype over the swimsuit.

"Amazing! The color is pure white, but ... everything else is just like Dark Stella!"

Reflecting in the mirror, Shiori jumped up and down.

Indeed, Sou was impressed. It was the first time he had dressed someone other than Manaka in a costume...

Fashion models are the ultimate "living mannequins."

"Okay, take it off."

"Huh!? You've only seen it once! What's the issue...?"

"The collar in the back is out of place."

Startled, Shiori reaches for the collar, finding it floating a few centimeters away from her neck.

As Shiori undresses, Sou skillfully undoes the stitches, makes subtle adjustments, then resews. Shiori is made to try it on again – a dizzyingly quick process.

Sou has become indifferent to school swimsuits and the like. There are countless things to check – no strange wrinkles, the silhouette embracing body curves flawlessly, and no tension points when posing.

2D characters are flawless products of imagination. That perfection must be pursued in reality.

"Isn't this too obsessive? It feels like you're working..."

"Because it's a hobby, compromising would lead to regrets. That attitude is necessary for creating 'works.'"

"A tailor..."

Shiori mutters. "What's that?" Sou raises his face.

"Custom-made suits that cost hundreds of thousands require not just measurements but multiple fittings, calling the client to the workshop, adjusting over weeks. I thought about it regarding Tsukigase's cosplay. It's akin to what top craftsmen do."

"...It's not something that can be compared."

A mere high school student obsessed with cosplay can't approach such excellence. The only thing he can confidently hold onto is 'not compromising.'

Through sewing and undoing, the seething fabric becomes tattered, yet the form itself inches closer to Sou's ideal. The ideal is love for that character or perhaps affection for the cosplayer.

"Tsukigase-kun is amazing..." Shiori murmurs with a sigh.

Around 7 PM, Sou finishes the task. The heavily altered fabric resembles tatters, but Sou and Shiori gaze down at it as if beholding something sacred.

"Now, with this as a base, I'll create the final pattern..."

"Next, we finally work on the fabric!"

Shiori asks with excitement, "No, the fabric isn't ready yet. I plan to have Hoshino-san see and choose the actual fabric."

"I get to choose the fabric too!?"

"I'd appreciate it if you could, but of course, I'll give advice."

"Great! Being able to choose the fabric for Dark Stella's costume is like divine intervention!"

She happily jumps around in her swimsuit. Though choosing fabric is on the agenda, there's no convenient stock at Sou's home sewing room. A shopping trip is necessary.

--- In that case, going together would be efficient, but that would seem like...

"So, this weekend is a date!"

"Huh?"

"Because we're going to buy fabric, right?"

"Can't we just call it that without labeling it a date?"

However, Shiori ignores and smiles.

"Wow, I'm so excited! Choosing fabric for Dark Stella's costume with Tsukigase-kun, putting so much effort into it, is divine! It's all divine!? What a divine development!"

Sou stammers.

--- ...It's as if she's genuinely happy to go with me.

Suddenly, he becomes aware of the school swimsuit she wore without thinking.

A gracefully curved chest, a waist with a gentle curve, and a captivating outline drawing from the hips...

He abruptly starts seeing her as a girl, becoming acutely aware.

--- Wait, calm down. Is this beautiful girl genuinely excited about a date with me?

--- Dealing with a real girl in 3D doesn't usually work out so conveniently...

"Can we do it on the weekend!?"

Shiori leans in, and Sou withdraws.

"Uh, yeah ... we'll go to Nippori, so if that suits you."

"Nippori, wasn't there something like a 'fabric wholesale district' there?"

An unusual station for a regular high schooler, but as an active model, Shiori seems to catch on.

"Alright! Well then ... it's late today, so let's finalize the details later!"

Accepting her words, Sou plans to leave the sewing room, leaving her to change. However...

"Tsukigase-kun."

With her hands on the swimsuit straps, Shiori smiles mischievously.

"Wait until I'm done changing. Want to go home together? We should be on the same way for part of the journey."

--- She knows the location of my house!

Sou has to think about the meaning of that.

"Tsukigase-kun! I'm done changing! Ta-da~!"

She comes out of the sewing room, suddenly lifting her skirt.

Instinctively swallowing, Sou's gaze is fixed on the inside of the skirt.

She's still in her swimsuit.

"Haha! I wanted to see that reaction, so I put it on over the swimsuit!"

Shiori laughs merrily.

--- What's with this girl...?

--- Perhaps she's just teasing me after all...

They leave the school building together. It's already close to the end of school hours, and the quiet schoolyard makes it feel like they're alone in the world.

Since Shiori commutes by bicycle, they head to the bike rack.

Instead of riding the bicycle, they walk home, talking along the way.

"Hey, Tsukigase-kun, which scene from 'Nuruzubo' did you like the most!?"

Most of their conversation revolves around ... somewhat explicit game talk.

"I like slime torment! Slime torment is great, isn't it...?"

Not really, even with sparkling eyes seeking approval, it's hard to understand.

But she passionately brings up otaku topics, so there's no shortage of conversation.

Soon, they reach a fork in the road.

"Oh, this is where we part ways..."

Under the streetlight, Shiori stops.

"...Should I escort you home?"

When Sou says that, Shiori opens her eyes wide, looking intently.

"Oh, no ... it's kind of my fault that we got this late..."

For some reason, he starts making excuses.

Shiori looks down and murmurs with a small sigh.


"............Haa... I like you... ♡"

"Did you say something?"

"No, it's nothing!"

Shiori lifts her face, smiling slyly.

"Thanks, I'm really happy because the night road is quite scary! But it's okay. See, I live in that apartment over there."

Pointing, indeed, an apartment is towering in visible distance.

"In that case, well then..."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow in the classroom!"

***

[Shiori's POV]

"Hyaa!" she felt the urge to shout, and Shiori pedaled her bicycle with tremendous force.

--- It was the best day!

Moreover, the "best record" is likely to be surpassed again soon.

The weekend is a date. A provisional date under the guise of shopping.

Shiori's excitement had secretly reached its peak.

"Fuhhi!"

An odd laugh escaped unintentionally, something she wouldn't do in public.

She might seem carefree, but it's her first date ever.

People often say she never seems troubled by men, but she hasn't had a boyfriend even for a moment.

--- ...Everything that makes others envy me is just a facade.

--- But now, I don't feel miserable anymore!

--- Fulfilling my first love from elementary school.

--- What else could be more romantic than that?

***

"Onii-chan, have you been coming home late from school recently?"

As Sou washed dishes in the kitchen, Manaka lounged on the sofa and asked.

"Well ... there have been various things."

--- Come to think of it, I decided to make sure Manaka didn't feel lonely, but I realize that I hadn't done that at all, Sou mumbled.

"Hmm, well, it's okay, I guess."

When Sou finished washing the dishes and turned around, Manaka had gracefully stood up from the sofa.

Wearing a frog-themed hoodie and shorts in a peculiar set she liked.

Suddenly, Manaka handed Sou a measuring tape.

"Hey, this time, Onii-chan, measure me."

"Measure you?"

This time refers to the Dark Luna costume for the cosplay.

"Why? You always do it yourself."

"Because the Dark Luna costume is tighter than before, right? And I'm worried I won't measure it accurately by myself."

That's really awkward.

--- I was about to refuse, but Manaka tilted her head and said, "We're siblings, it's fine, right? Onii-chan, do you mind?"

--- ...Being told that, I could only say, "Well, not at all."

If Manaka is okay with it, then I'm naturally okay with that too.

A stepbrother looking at his stepsister in a strange way is inconceivable and unacceptable.

"Okay, let's get started."

Manaka suddenly rolled up the hoodie she was wearing.

"Wait! Give me a moment!"

--- I wanted her to at least change into swimsuit ... but before that, Manaka had discarded the hoodie and shorts.

"I thought it was underwear that wouldn't get in the way, so I could measure quickly."

A thin cotton crop top and panties.

Both lime green in color.

No unnecessary decorations, clinging softly to the skin.

Like a little brother ... but ... I couldn't help but have my attention drawn.

Seeing Manaka's underwear, which is usually flawless, it had been years.

"Now, let's start with the bust."

Manaka lifted her arms. Smooth armpits were exposed, and her chest lifted.

--- It is large for her height, with a beautifully shaped bust.

--- It can't be helped. Sou reminded himself with a sigh.

--- ...I mustn't feel anything.

Bending down, Sou wrapped the tape measure around Manaka's chest.

Starting from the back, being careful not to disturb the horizontal line...

Passing through the highest point of her breasts.

The tape measure dug into the top of her breasts, conveying softness visually.

"Mmm..."

...When the tape measure dug into the top of her breasts, Manaka let out a small voice.

"It's ... 84 centimeters." Sou read out the measurement.

"I'm growing! Hehe, how about it, Onii-chan?"

Manaka cheerfully laughed while taking notes on her phone.

"Nothing in particular. Measure the bust points yourself later. Let's move on to the waist."

Bending down further, Sou focused on Manaka's navel.

--- Smooth, like a snowfield with no footprints, her stomach was.

Turning the tape measure from the waist, it was incredibly thin.

But it wasn't because she was extremely skinny, there was a hint of flesh, and the tape measure slightly dug in. A contradiction of being thin yet soft.

Probably, her bone structure is incredibly delicate.

"52 centimeters."

It was indeed smaller than Shiori.

Bending down even further ... Sou circled around to Manaka's back.

Faced with the dilemma of whether to view his stepsister's panties from the front or the back.

--- I thought it wouldn't be good to see from the front ... the back would be better. Therefore, it's from behind.

"Butt attack!"

Suddenly, Manaka thrust her buttocks out and delivered a hip attack to Sou's face.

"Ugh!"

With a soft impact, Sou fell backward.

"What are you doing suddenly!?"

"Because your face was near my butt, I just..."

"Just what? Don't press your butt against people's faces!"

--- ...It was soft, wasn't it?

While calming his mind, Sou measured Manaka's hips and midriff.

"Since it's hard to measure the inseam by myself, could you measure it?"

Certainly, it's difficult to measure that alone. There's no helping it.

Placing the end of the tape measure on the floor, Sou extended it to the area of Manaka's crotch.

"The tape measure is floating. It won't give an accurate number unless you press it against me."

Sou pressed the hand holding the tape measure firmly against Manaka's thigh.

Aligning the memory with the hip joint. She's short, but ... her legs are really long.

"Squeeze~"

Suddenly, Manaka closed her thighs, trapping Sou's hand.

Her warm and soft thighs enveloped his hand.

"Why are you doing this suddenly...!?"

"It doesn't mean anything, but I just thought it was your hand, Onii-chan."

"Don't play around while measuring!"

...In addition to measuring the shoulders and back, the sibling measuring session came to an end.

"Hehe, I've grown, I've grown♪"

"You haven't changed much, you little brat."

While Manaka was in high spirits, Sou felt completely exhausted.

...But it felt like he could now visualize Manaka's body shape as a 3-dimensional object, even though he had the numerical data. It wasn't a bad thing.

Thoughts of the silhouette for the next costume began to form in his mind.

"Boo. Who are you calling me brat?"

"...There's no specific comparison, baka. Just put your clothes back on."

Sou threw the hoodie that had been lying on the floor toward Manaka's face.

"Hehe, but it was fun after a long time."

"Why?"

"After a long time, I felt like relying on Onii-chan."

--- Saying something like that so casually, I thought it was more like a little sister than a little brother.


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