Today, Yukino was wearing an over-the-knee skirt, its hemline resting just above her rounded knees, revealing her slender, fair calves.
Utaha, on the other hand, was dressed in a light-colored, cinched-waist long dress, showing only her delicate ankles.
On any normal day, these two stunning girls would undoubtedly draw attention. But today was different.
At the anime convention, there were simply too many eye-catching cosplayers—whether it was strikingly cool characters or those boldly showing off large portions of skin—constantly stealing the spotlight.
"You predicted this in advance, didn't you?"
Yukino strolled leisurely through the venue, relishing the rare feeling of not being in the center of attention. She couldn't help but regard Utaha with a newfound appreciation.
"Well, this is a convention, after all. Most people who come here, aside from the occasional visitor dragged in by friends, usually have a goal in mind." Utaha nodded.
"A goal?"
"They're looking to take photos of their favorite characters. If possible, they'd love to take a picture with them, too."
Utaha paused for a moment, then gestured toward the front. "For example—him."
Following her gaze, Yukino saw Haru posing for a photo with two people dressed in Ultraman suits.
Earlier, when they had arrived at the venue, their group had split into two teams.
Yukino and Utaha had already planned to stick together, while Haru was tasked with carrying their bags.
And then there was Megumi.
The reason she was referred to as just "Megumi" was that, unlike the two of them—who couldn't help but be captivated by the dazzling sights around them—she remained as quiet and docile as a harmless little rabbit. Wherever Haru went, she followed, only occasionally glancing at her surroundings.
"When did she get over there?"
Yukino pointed at Megumi, who was now holding the camera and helping Haru take photos.
Utaha chuckled helplessly. "You're asking me?"
Realizing her mistake, Yukino fell silent. She and Utaha had both been too preoccupied with the convention. Unless they focused entirely on Megumi, it was all too easy to be fooled by her almost ghost-like presence.
Just then, Haru ran off toward a nearby Kamen Rider cosplayer, and Yukino took the opportunity to speak up.
"You had something important to discuss with me earlier, didn't you?"
Utaha hummed in acknowledgment but said nothing more.
Yukino raised an eyebrow. "So?"
"I'm just thinking about how to start."
"Oh."
Yukino immediately understood.
With a slow, deliberate tone, she mused, "So… it's about that awkward topic from last time."
Although Utaha was looking directly at her, her gaze wavered slightly. "Yukinoshita, how… how's your physical endurance?"
The moment she heard "physical endurance," Yukino's mind involuntarily flashed back to a rather embarrassing scene at home with a certain someone.
Her tone became uncharacteristically hesitant. "Why are you asking all of a sudden?"
Utaha hesitated, then, after a few seconds, as if making up her mind, she leaned in slightly and lowered her voice.
"Don't you think… he's ridiculously strong? Like, way stronger than he should be?"
A faint blush crept onto Yukino's face as she shot her a glare. "Have you been hanging around that guy too much? Since when did you start bringing up dirty jokes like this?"
No wonder Utaha had been so hesitant last time—it was because of this?
Wait.
So they really have gotten to that stage.
Yukino's chest rose and fell ever so slightly.
She had long anticipated this outcome. In fact, she could even guess that Utaha was probably the one who had made the first move.
But now that she was hearing it directly from her, she found herself feeling thoroughly annoyed.
"…I know this isn't exactly appropriate to bring up, but I really think his strength is kind of overwhelming."
Utaha's expression turned awkward. After much deliberation, she finally voiced her concerns.
After all, both of them were passengers on the same ship.
The problem was that the ship was rocking too much, and Utaha was struggling to keep up.
Which was why she was desperate to know if Yukino was facing the same struggle.
"I'm not discussing this with you."
Yukino cut her off without hesitation.
Utaha leaned in closer, whispering, "I can share the details of my experience with you."
Yukino's gaze turned icy.
Clearing her throat, Utaha turned away, wisely deciding to drop the subject.
Yukino's rejection was crystal clear.
A hint of regret flickered in Utaha's eyes.
"I finally understand why Haru likes you."
Yukino's expression remained blank.
"What exactly are you trying to say?" Utaha had a feeling she wasn't about to hear anything pleasant.
Sure enough, Yukino coldly remarked, "You're just like him. At your core, you're both hopeless perverts."
A deep blush spread across Utaha's face.
Well…
She couldn't exactly deny it.
She really was addicted to doing those things with him.
Whether it was playing the role of a noble knight or pressing against the wall with her hair cascading over her shoulders, she found herself thoroughly enjoying it.
And Haru had complimented her waist-to-hip ratio more than once.
That praise left her both embarrassed and—if she was being honest—just a little proud.
Which was probably why she didn't mind indulging him, whether it meant leaning against a wall or…
"Senpai, if possible, could you please wipe that awful look off your face?"
Yukino's voice cut through her thoughts.
Utaha's cheeks burned. Realizing she had no way to refute the accusation, she hurriedly changed the subject.
"…Why is he still over there taking photos? Is he planning to just leave us here?"
"A pathetic attempt to dodge the conversation," Yukino said with cutting precision.
Utaha, still blushing, met her gaze but quickly recovered her composure. "There are times when avoidance is actually quite useful."
Yukino didn't bother continuing the debate.
To her, it was pointless.
But Utaha's reaction just now did reveal something interesting.
She didn't last long either.
Somehow, that thought made Yukino feel much better.
Before long, Haru and Megumi returned, and the four of them continued wandering the convention, stopping now and then to browse and pick up a few souvenirs.
Yukino took out her phone and snapped a few pictures.
Most of them were of cute animal plushies and outfits.
"You have good taste."
Standing beside her, Haru scrolled through the photo album with her.
Yukino generously let him look. "Coming to a convention like this every once in a while isn't bad at all. Those rabbit and panda plushies we just saw were adorable."
"I liked the fox better," Haru interjected.
Yukino hadn't taken a picture of the fox. She recalled it for a moment, then shot him a look of pure disdain. "Of course you would. You exposed your perverted nature in an instant."
Her memory was sharp—she knew exactly which cosplayer he was talking about. That fox had only been wearing a headpiece, while the rest of their outfit was a maid costume paired with black lace stockings.
Haru remained unfazed. "It's a convention. Seeing a character like that isn't unusual. You're the one overthinking it."
"Really?"
"Not really."
"Hah, at least you know your place."
Seeing how quickly he surrendered, Yukino decided to let him off the hook.
Behind them, Utaha and Megumi Kato were still busy taking pictures.
When the two finally rejoined them, Yukino mentioned she needed to stop by the restroom. Haru immediately volunteered as her "escort."
Yukino didn't refuse, though her eyes made it abundantly clear that she found the notion ridiculous.
She didn't need an escort.
At the restroom entrance, they split up.
Haru finished his business and walked over to wash his hands. Just as he looked up at the mirror, he caught sight of a bathroom stall door swinging open.
A figure in black stockings and a bunny girl outfit stepped out.
Their eyes met.
Haru was stunned.
So was the other person.
"...Furukawa?"
For the first time in his life, Haru completely lost control of his expression. His eyes widened in disbelief.
Never in a million years would he have guessed that his usually timid, soft-spoken friend at school… would be dressed like this in private.
Sure, this was an anime convention. Male crossplayers weren't exactly rare.
But the problem was—this was his friend.
"H-Haru? What are you doing here?" Furukawa looked utterly mortified.
Haru's mind was still reeling. "Not just me—the entire Photography Club is here."
"…Nani?"
Furukawa's face turned an even deeper shade of red.
Haru finally looked away, muttering, "How did I never notice? You're into crossdressing? And not just any crossdressing—you're this deep into it? Damn, you really hid it well."
"Um… Haru, can I ask you a favor?"
"Relax, I won't go around telling people."
Seeing the sheer panic in Furukawa's eyes, Haru already knew what he was about to say.
"…Thanks."
With that, an awkward silence settled between them.
Just then, two other young men walked into the restroom.
They paused for a moment upon seeing Furukawa's outfit but only gave polite, knowing smiles before heading into the stalls.
Clearly, regular convention-goers were well accustomed to sights like this.
Haru watched them go, then lowered his voice. "So… when exactly did you 'awaken' to this hobby?"
"'Awaken' is such a weird way to put it…" Furukawa muttered. "My sister used to dress me up as a girl when I was little. At some point, I realized I didn't really mind."
"And your… preferences?"
"What? I'm straight, obviously!" Furukawa scowled, raising his voice.
Only then did Haru fully relax. "That's good. I was really worried you'd hit me with a 'Bro, do I smell nice?' one day. That'd be the end of our friendship."
"…???"
After surviving the shock of seeing his friend in a bunny girl outfit, Haru felt the rest of the convention had just gotten way more exciting.
Who knew? Maybe as they kept walking, another one of his classmates would pop up in cosplay.
"What's taking you so long?"
When Haru stepped out, Yukino was already waiting at the entrance, arms crossed.
"Nothing. Let's go."
Without another word, Haru grabbed Yukino's hand and started walking.
She blinked in surprise. "What exactly happened in there?"
They knew each other too well—she could tell at a glance that something was off about him.
She glanced back toward the restroom.
At that moment, Furukawa stepped out, now wearing a mask.
Yukino's eyes landed on the bunny girl outfit, and for a split second, she was visibly taken aback.
Haru cleared his throat. "This is normal."
Yukino was silent for two full seconds before slowly nodding. "Senpai mentioned this kind of thing before… but seeing it with my own eyes is something else entirely."
She glanced at Furukawa again—then frowned.
"Why does the way he walks seem… familiar?"
Of course it's familiar.
Furukawa was always running around behind the scenes during their club's film shoots.
Haru's expression didn't change. "It's obvious. The visual shock just overwhelmed your brain, so now you're making random connections."
"…Maybe."
Yukino didn't pay much attention to it.
After the two of them returned, they wandered around for a bit longer before finding a spot to rest.
The girls leaned against the wall behind him while Haru sat forward, idly watching the cosplayers passing by.
He recognized quite a few characters from different games—most of them female.
But he had no desire to take any photos.
After all, he already had three beautiful girls with completely different charms accompanying him. The best scenery was right beside him—there was no need to capture anything else.
"You're staring pretty intently. Why not take a few pictures?"
Utaha strolled up beside him, her smile holding a deeper meaning.
"I'm not interested."
Haru put on the same deadpan expression as the infamous 'Crow Guy' meme.
"Really?"
"Of course."
Hearing that, Utaha's smile turned into one of genuine delight.
She leaned in closer, lowering her voice. "You know, I originally planned to wear a dress today—with black stockings, just like the one you like."
Haru's gaze instinctively flickered to her long skirt. "So why did you change your mind?"
A faint blush rose to Utaha's cheeks. Her alluring eyes shimmered with an almost teasing light as her lips parted slightly. "Want to see?"
"Well, saying no would be a lie. But saying yes feels a little too straightforward." Haru was, after all, an honest man.
Utaha chuckled, her face still flushed. "Then follow me."
Haru didn't budge. "Quit messing around."
Utaha could tell what he was thinking, and her smile deepened. "Maybe you should turn around and check—where did your dear Yukino go?"
Haru's heart skipped a beat. He immediately spun around to look.
Yukino was no longer in their rest area.
His gaze darted around in search of her—until he spotted her and Megumi Kato standing by a plush toy booth.
The stand was filled with adorable stuffed animals—cats, dogs, pandas, and more.
By the time he turned back around, Utaha was already flashing a triumphant smile. "Megumi is a reliable accomplice."
Then, before Haru could even process what was happening, Utaha leaned in further, her voice dripping with charm. "I actually wore fishnet stockings today. Black ones. You once told me my legs suited them perfectly. Now do you understand why I switched to a long skirt?"
Haru instinctively nodded.
Utaha's smile grew even more playful. "So, do you want to see?"
As she spoke, her long lashes quivered slightly, her breath coming just a bit quicker. The soft rise and fall of her chest only made her words more enticing.
Her intoxicating scent wrapped around Haru, filling the air between them, threatening to pull him into her spell.
Before he could even answer, Utaha—who had clearly planned this from the start—grabbed his hand and began leading him toward the restroom.
Her pace was quick, decisive.
Haru held back for a moment, then couldn't help but mutter, "Why does it feel like I'm the one wearing fishnets, and you can't wait to see?"
"Time is running out!"
That was all she said.
But her meaning was crystal clear.
Yukino was sharp. Even with Megumi's level-headed composure, she wouldn't be able to distract her for too long.
In this scenario, Utaha was playing the aggressive carry, while Megumi had taken on the role of a gold-tier support.
And Haru…
Well, deep down, he wouldn't mind being the carry himself.