What Suits Me Best?
What suits me best? It was the weekend, and Chris stood in front of the mirror in her room. It was early morning. With their appointment set for lunchtime, it was still too early to get ready. But...
"I-is this okay...? Or... this one...?"
She held a fluttering dress in one hand and a more casual blouse in the other, deep in thought. The dress had a pure, innocent color palette with a swaying skirt that emphasized femininity and cuteness. For the blouse, she was thinking of pairing it with pants—definitely less feminine than the dress, but more natural and composed.
...A skirt after all?
Even though she'd lived in a mercenary band, Chris was still a woman. In a date situation, her heart leaned toward the skirt. But...
No, it's not even officially a date yet...
The toughness still lingering inside her created hesitation.
"Or maybe something else...!"
In the end, Chris tossed the two outfits onto her bed and rummaged for others. An hour passed.
"Was the earlier one better...?"
And two hours.
"No..., th-this is too much...."
Three hours went by.
"Uwaaaaaah━!!"
Unable to decide on anything, Chris bolted out of her room. At this rate, she'd never make it to their appointment on time.
Bang bang bang!
She dashed to the opposite building and urgently knocked on a door.
Entering the opposite gender's dormitory was against academy rules, but Chris didn't care right now. Luckily, it was the weekend, and no students were around.
Bang bang bang!
She just pounded desperately on the door.
"Ugh.... Who the hell is it this early in the morning...."
"Edric━!"
"Huh? Ch-Chris? What are you doing here...?"
The one who opened the door was Edric. He looked like he'd just woken up, staring blankly at Chris with messy bedhead.
"Hey, this is the men's dorm."
"Shut up! This isn't the time to worry about that━!"
Chris snapped sharply at the flustered Edric.
"Wh-what?!"
"I'm coming in!"
Bam!
She shoved Edric aside and barged into his room.
I hate relying on this guy, but...
Her fiancé—or more precisely, her temporary fiancé, Edric. Even if they'd agreed to break it off right after graduation, a betrothal was still a betrothal. She didn't want to ask him for favors like this.
But right now, he was the only one she could turn to for an opinion. Chris didn't have friends.
"I need your help!"
"Help...?"
Edric looked bewildered at Chris's urgent, sharp demeanor. This was his room—a man's room. Even if she was his temporary fiancée, a woman entering was...
What's gotten into her...?
Edric instinctively scanned the room. He checked carefully for anything embarrassing that might be visible to her.
"I don't know what's going on, but... explain first."
He ruffled his messy short hair and let her in.
Thud!
"......What."
"Take a good look and tell me."
The moment Chris entered Edric's room, she dropped a huge bag in front of him.
"So, what is it."
"Wh-what suits me...?"
"What...?"
"Tell me what suits me best!"
"......"
Chris shouted it out, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. It was the first time Edric had seen her like this.
What the hell...
He'd known her since childhood. Chris had always been fierce, sharp, and intimidating. So when their engagement was arranged, Edric hadn't been thrilled. He hadn't felt any feminine charm from her.
"Lemme borrow your bathroom real quick. Wait right there."
"Uh, okay..."
And so, now...
The shy, flustered Chris, acting like she was experiencing her first crush—it struck Edric in a new way.
"......"
Thump.
For the first time, he started seeing her as a woman.
Is it because I let her into my room?
Maybe it was because a woman had entered his space as a man. Being alone in a private room together stirred his instincts.
"......"
Thump, thump.
Suddenly, Chris looked cute sharing the same room. Instinctively, certain imaginations crept in. Even a one-in-ten-million chance was still a chance.
While Edric sat on the bed, caught between bewilderment and excitement, Chris emerged from the bathroom a moment later.
"......H-how's this?"
"......"
She was wearing a cute dress. Not overly girly, but elegant while retaining its charm.
Why the hell is she asking me...?
A man's instincts fired up his imagination wildly.
No way...
Still, she was his fiancée. Unless the contract broke, they were promised in marriage.
If, just if... Chris had feelings for him.
Gulp.
"Uh, y-yeah, it suits you."
"Really? It doesn't look weird? ...I-I mean, I'm kinda boyish usually."
At Edric's words that it suited her, Chris mumbled with flushed cheeks.
Boyish? Edric saw no such thing. The girl before him could pass for a noble lady—she was stunning.
So he answered hastily.
"No! It suits you great! ...C-cute, even."
"......"
Chris blinked at his words, then furrowed her brow. It was her habit when embarrassed.
"Then next... look at the next outfit too!"
"Huh? Yeah..."
She grabbed another outfit and headed back to the bathroom.
What is this...?
Thump, thump.
His heart raced on its own. He'd never felt this before, not even recently when facing the beautiful student Sierra.
Unable to sit still with the unknown pounding, Edric fidgeted on the bed.
And then.
Rattle.
"H-how's this? Compared to the dress from before!"
Chris came out showing off her new outfit: a crisp white blouse and pants that beautifully accentuated her legs. If the previous dress gave an endearing girlish vibe, this one felt more mature and grown-up.
But that didn't mean it wasn't pretty—no way.
"Yeah, that's pretty too... I think."
"R-really?"
Chris smiled faintly and asked back, and Edric nodded.
"Then! So between the two, which is best? Hmm... the prettiest one, in your opinion?"
But it all boiled down to picking one outfit, so Chris asked Edric carefully. These two were the top contenders she couldn't decide between.
Hearing her question, Edric blushed faintly and pondered.
Why's she asking that...?
Imagining the possibility made Chris look even cuter. Her worried expression waiting for his answer seemed softer than usual.
Pushing aside those personal feelings,
"I... uh..."
Edric thought of the one that drew his heart more and told her.
"......The first one, definitely."
"The first? The dress?"
"Yeah, that one..."
"R-really? It suits me? Not weird? Right?"
"N-no, not weird at all. Suits you better than I thought. ...For real."
"Haa.... Good..."
At Edric's firm affirmation, Chris sighed in relief, bowed her head slightly, and smiled contentedly.
What the hell...
Why come to him of all people to pick an outfit she liked, and so early on a weekend morning?
Only one possibility...
Gulp.
Edric convinced himself his hunch was right.
"Hey, Chris..."
"Yeah?"
So he spoke first. He couldn't let the woman make the final move as a man.
"That thing... it'll take me a bit to get ready."
"......Huh?"
"No, I'll hurry, but... wait a little?"
"......Wait for what?"
Chris tilted her head in confusion.
Blushing, Edric answered her.
"I'll be out quick, so wait. I know a good restaurant. ...Weekend and all, together━."
He'd confirmed why she'd come and was about to man up and respond to her signal.
"Huh? Oh, sorry, Edric. Got a lunch appointment."
"━...Wh-what?"
"Ahaha, really sorry. I'll make it up next time for helping today."
"......"
Edric froze at her words.
Oblivious to him, Chris blushed faintly and toyed with her blonde hair.
"A d-date..., no, not officially a date. ...Yeah, that kinda vibe. Uh, anyway, lunch plans."
"......"
"Wh-what's with that face! You said it first last time. As long as we don't get caught, even before graduation... it's fine."
"......"
Chris ignored him, embarrassed on her own, then snapped, then made excuses shyly again.
Listening quietly, Edric soon realized the whole story.
"......Hey, Chris."
"Yeah?"
"......Who's it with?"
"Eh, uh..."
He'd asked without thinking. Honestly, he'd half-expected it.
"E-Emil.... The one sparring with me before..."
"......"
Hearing it straight from the shy Chris's mouth planted an indescribable disgust in Edric's heart.
"B-but listen, ...when you asked before, it really wasn't like that."
"......"
"You listening? Don't try teasing me over last time━...."
After a few more words, Chris thanked him and left the room.
Most of it went in one ear and out the other.
After Chris left.
"......"
Edric stared blankly at his floor, lips pressed tight.
Sting.
Feeling the unpleasant ache where his heart had thumped moments ago.