novelraw Chapter 95
Chapter 95
Chapter 95
I got into the black car Tsukinami-san had called, and what I was brought to was a high-rise apartment. It's pitch black, and seems to be more than twice the height of the apartment where I live.......
Everyone going in and out of the apartment has an aura about them.
"Is this Tsukinami-san's home......?"
"Yes. It's an apartment my mother manages. The entire top floor is my house."
"Heh......ehh!? The entire top floor!?"
As I thought, we live on different levels......in more ways than one.
"No time to be surprised. If we dawdle, the festival will be over."
"......yes"
I still don't feel up for this.
If I wear a yukata, and dress the same as Tsukinami-san, I feel like the difference will only become more obvious.
But she's this motivated about it, so I won't stop her. Once she sees me in a yukata, Tsukinami-san will probably stop having such high expectations of me. That's fine.
I follow behind Tsukinami-san and enter the apartment.
Just entering required three layers of security—scanning a card, entering a number, and scanning my iris. I've only seen iris scans in spy movies.......
We arrive at the top floor.
The floor and walls are marble (probably). Carpets are laid out. Even the top floor is divided like a normal apartment, with rooms labeled like Room XXX.
According to Tsukinami-san, each room has a purpose—like a room just for watching videos like movies, a room for muscle training, a room where you can do karaoke or play instruments with complete soundproofing, and so on.
"Lady Seika"
A woman in a maid outfit comes out from one of the rooms.
S-she's young. She seems about the same age as me......maybe even high school age.
"Himuro. Dress this child in a yukata. And do her hair and makeup too please."
"Understood"
"Eh? Eh?? Um......"
"This way please"
"I'll wait in front of the elevator"
Led by Himuro-san?, I arrived at a room filled with clothes.
I'm made to sit in the center of the room.
"H-Himuro-san......um......"
Himuro-san moves without pause. She prepares everything at such speed it's like she has clones. Was she a ninja or something in her past life?
A mirror, a hair and makeup set, and more are all arranged on the desk in front of me in no time.
"For the yukata......would this one be good?"
Himuro-san brings over a cute, orange yukata with a flower pattern.
"No, Himuro. You're an excellent maid, but your fashion sense is lacking."
A woman enters the room.
When Himuro-san sees her, she takes a step back and bows.
I look at the woman and can't help but stare.
(S-such a beautiful person......)
Silver hair like Tsukinami-san's, in a medium cut. She's tall—maybe around 170 cm. Long legs, slender, and yet her chest is large.
She's wearing a white outfit that exposes her shoulders, with wide pants that emphasize her long legs. So cool.......
M-maybe Tsukinami-san's big sister?
"Lady Rantsuki. This is a friend of Lady Seika—"
"It's Furushiki Rei, right? I know. Nice to meet you, Rei-chan. I'm Tsukinami Rantsuki. I'm Seika's mother."
"Y-your mother!?"
The fashion designer that rumor mentioned!?
S-she's young......my mom tries to look young too, but this is beyond that.
"Ah, um, that......I'm Furushiki Rei. Pleased to meet you!"
As I stand and bow, Tsukinami-san's mother waves her right hand lightly,
"No need to be so formal"
With that, Tsukinami-san's mother places her hand on my shoulder.
"This child isn't the flowery type. There should be a Kingyo (a type of goldfish) pattern one. Dress her in that. The quiet beauty of a goldfish suits this child."
Tsukinami-san's mother pushes my shoulders to sit me back in the chair, and picks up the makeup set.
"I'll do your makeup. Makeup by a first-class fashion designer would normally cost tens of thousands."
"Th-thank you very much!"
My bangs are lifted, and I receive what's almost my first-ever makeup.
"Your skin is nice. The makeup goes on well. Your face is small too, and your eyes are big. This is worth doing. If you tidy yourself up properly, you'll be quite popular."
"Ah, um, yes......"
I-it tickles.......
"Showing your forehead makes you look childish, so I'll sweep it to the side so it doesn't get in your eyes......and, OK. Done."
"Ah, thank you very much"
"It's fine. Keep getting along with Seika, okay? That one is the embodiment of excessive self-consciousness. She thinks no one but herself can ever reach her level. So with your sniping, put a hole through that fool's chest—Shiki."
"Yes! ......wait, huh?"
I turn around, but Tsukinami-san's mother is already gone.
(How did she know my player name? Did Tsukinami-san tell her?)
"Lady Rei. Shall we proceed to dressing you?"
"Ah, yes!"
I let them do as they will, and they dress me in the yukata.
I go to the full-length mirror and look at myself.
—I'm shocked.
Even though I'm used to seeing myself, a stranger stood there.
It's Rei, but if anything, it resembles Shiki's avatar. I-I know it's weird to say this about myself......but maybe just a little, just a tiny bit, I look cute.......
Tsukinami-san's mother and Himuro-san are amazing. They took plain old me and brought me up to average-looking.
Someone once said "makeup is magic," and they were right. I now understand why women never let go of their makeup tools.
"My role is finished here. Please go show Lady Seika."
"Y-yes! Thank you very much, Himuro-san"
I bow and leave the room.
In front of the elevator. I approach Tsukinami-san, who has her back to me. When I get within four steps, she notices me and turns around.
And then—
"Cute"
She just says that one word. Though her expression doesn't change.
"......uu......! That......um......thank you"
I can feel my face turning red.
Since Tsukinami-san isn't someone who says such things as flattery, it makes me happy, and embarrassed......!
---
We're driven again by car to near the festival grounds, and we walk to the main street where the festival is being held.
I was planning to push through the crowd, but for some reason, when people see us, they clear a path on their own. Like samurai making way for a daimyo.
"......such pale skin......"
"......a model? Or maybe an actress?"
As I thought, Tsukinami-san is amazing. Of course. If such a beauty walked toward me, I'd clear the way too—
"......so incredibly cute. Both of them"
Eh......?
(Both......? Did they just say both? Tsukinami-san and......who?)
I look around, but no one else stands out like Tsukinami-san.
"......the silver-haired one might be half. Such a Western beauty"
"......the black-haired one gives off that Yamato Nadeshiko vibe~"
Um......could it be, no way, "both"......does that mean Tsukinami-san and......me?
"Yakisoba"
"Eh?"
"Yakisoba. I want some"
Tsukinami-san points to a yakisoba stand.
Somehow—it all feels silly now.
"I'm not someone who can walk beside Tsukinami-san," or "can I even enjoy the festival properly," who cares about any of that.
If I can just walk around the festival happily with this cute person, isn't that enough?
"—All right! Let's eat some yakisoba!"