Summer Festival (4)
To be honest, cross-dressing wasn't anything particularly special. Just put on a short wig, a compression bra, and pants, and that was it. Most game characters were androgynously beautiful anyway, so it didn't look out of place. Just yesterday, I'd seen at least several dozen people in disguise without it being a joke. But Seo Jia probably hadn't come dressed like that because she was enjoying it or wanted to attract attention.
"Hey, it suits you."
"...Shut up."
She'd simply come as covered up as possible to avoid being recognized. Long sleeves and long pants in this sweltering summer heat, even a mask. She'd even covered the mole under her lip with makeup just in case. If she hadn't shown up at all, every problem would have been solved, but I'd made sure to ask Hinami in a way that would be hard for her to refuse. The reason was nothing much.
...I simply wanted to see Seo Jia struggling.
It was a pretty shitty reason, but that didn't mean I could enjoy watching Haeun or Hinami in trouble.
"Anyway, you two have fun without getting recognized. I've got something to take care of, so I'll be gone for a bit."
"Yes. Oh, please contact us when you're coming back."
"Got it."
Seeing Seo Jia already shrinking in on herself even though no one was looking at her, I felt like blowing off my work and just tormenting her instead. But the festival would last a while anyway, so there was no need to rush. I could take my time and savor it slowly.
After all, in this hot summer, she'd probably strip off her outer layers on her own even if I didn't do anything.
I'm fucking exhausted. Getting caught and fired by the boss yesterday was bad enough, and today's weather made it worse. After spending hours outside taking photos for people, my irritation had hit its limit and was one step away from exploding. If I hadn't come inside the building to escape the sunlight, I probably would have sliced an island in half with the spear in my hand.
While taking countless photos and filling my ego through ego-searching, imagining 'Wait, maybe I'm actually really popular?' and the boss's reason for firing me yesterday slowly creeping back into my mind.
Just then, two pretty girls whose beauty pierced right through their masks passed in front of me, so I unconsciously reached out and stopped them. I was usually the one being asked for photos, but there was no rule against me asking, right?
"Ah, hello. Could I take a photo with you..."
"Sorry, we're just Japanese tourists...."
...Hmm? Hearing Japanese in the middle of Seoul wasn't that strange, but my ears that translated it perfectly without missing a single syllable felt a bit odd. Was it because I'd changed the game audio to Japanese recently? Why was it sticking in my ears so well?
Actually, I'd wanted to ask how people visiting Korea for fun had ended up cosplaying, but the two of them had already run far away, avoiding me. As I stood there blankly watching their retreating figures, more otaku bastards asked me to take their photos, so I had no choice but to look away.
...That tall girl, her ass was insane. What a shame.
Slightly licking my lips, I smiled at the decent-smelling, harmless otaku uncle and took his photo, then dragged my spear along as I tried to follow the two of them again. The reason was... nothing much.
I just wanted to find their Twitter accounts and fulfill one of my bucket list items: make a real Japanese friend.
Trusting my trait of being extremely introverted at home but extroverted outside, I pushed through the crowd to find them. It was painfully slow since someone talked to me every three steps.
I must be crazy. Why, why did I come here? No matter what kind of bullshit Kang Juhyuk pulled, no matter how much Hinami begged with that pitiful expression. I shouldn't have come to a place with so many people. No, the crowd wasn't the problem. I shouldn't have come dressed like this.
The heatstroke that made me feel like I was going to die was secondary. I was so embarrassed I couldn't even lift my head. I'd thought that after being an idol and wearing quite revealing outfits, a unisex outfit that wasn't even that strange wouldn't bother me. I never imagined cross-dressing would attract this much attention.
"Hey, let's go back now."
"Huh? Why? Are you tired?"
"...Yeah. It's hot. And I'm exhausted."
"Hmm... Then should we head out soon? It's getting late."
I'd have felt much more comfortable in the sunglasses and mask I'd worn on the way here. At least that had the excuse that I didn't want to draw attention while just visiting. This, the moment I was found out, would go beyond normal otaku level and become something I'd be roasted for my entire life.
Unlike you, who originally had that kind of concept, at least I... didn't have that bright and bubbly image.
I had said I didn't want to work hard as an idol anymore, but I never said a single word about wanting to be ruined. If I really didn't care about being ruined, I would have sued Kang Juhyuk a long time ago.
...And the same goes for you.
"That's why I told you to wear a skirt."
"Shut up."
How much had I suffered because of this one-month-older brat that I couldn't shake off or take care of? If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have had to work so hard as an idol, wouldn't have been caught in Kang Juhyuk's weakness and suffered his harassment while groveling, and wouldn't have come to a place like this, sweating buckets with chills running down my spine.
Now, older or not, I wanted to smack the top of her head, but it was obvious she'd take off my mask the moment I did, so I held back.
After quickly grabbing our stuff from the luggage storage, we ran to the changing room and got in separate lines. But while waiting, the person who came out stared at me with unusual eyes and started giving me a strange, suspicious look.
"...Ah."
The moment I remembered what I was wearing, I hurriedly tore off the wig, revealing my sweat-soaked long hair. My hair was so ruined it looked dirty beyond description, and I felt shame at the sight of myself, but the people here didn't seem to think much of it, which was a relief.
As the line gradually shortened, only after I finally entered the changing room could I remove the bra that had been constricting my chest.
"Whew..."
When my breasts dropped with a soft bounce, the sweat that had been trapped flowed down in droplets, cooling my body. Worried about any smell, I carefully wiped away the sweat with a handkerchief. I cooled my equally sweat-drenched hair as much as possible, then twisted it up and tied it so my nape was exposed.
Then I changed back into the comfortable clothes I'd worn on the way, put on everything that could cover my face again. Only then did I feel my mind and body settle, and I came out of the changing room to wait for Hinami nearby.
"...Um, excuse me."
But. Even though I'd covered up so thoroughly, someone who had recognized me approached hesitantly.
A rather pretty woman cosplaying as my favorite character.
...And it was the person I'd run into earlier.
"...Are you Jia by any chance?"
"Huh?"
The woman even spoke casually to me. With an 'Aha' expression, she took out her phone from her pocket.
"It's me, Suah."
"...Ah."
She showed me her KakaoTalk profile and whispered in my ear with a strangely lewd smile.
"It's Jia, right? You pretended not to be interested when I told you, but you ended up coming after all."
"Ah, no. It's not..."
Avoiding Hwang Suah, who was twitching the corners of her mouth like she was thinking 'Look at this otaku,' I took a step back. But the more I retreated, the more she advanced, whispering softly into my ear.
"What do you mean no? Carrying around that much luggage. What did you buy?"
"This is... um...!"
I couldn't show her. The moment I showed the clothes inside, she'd know it was me she ran into earlier. I tried desperately to hide the bag, and the more I did, the more Hwang Suah giggled and teased me, asking if I'd bought something naughty.
If it were normal, I would have retorted that the clothes she was wearing were the most revealing, but I couldn't do that and just flustered in trouble when—
"Jia... I mean, Yeeun. What are you doing?"
...Hinami popped out at a truly ghostly timing.
"What are you guys doing? You two close?"
"Huh, Boss...?"
Kang Juhyuk, whom I'd forgotten about after seeing him in the morning, approached.
Covering his face, he walked over to stand beside me and shielded me as I leaned against the wall.
"...What is this, Mr. Kang Juhyuk."
"What do you mean? Since Haeun is here, I finished work and came right over."
"Then why is Hinami..."
"We met by chance."
...I didn't believe that 'by chance' at all.
Similarly, Hwang Suah, who had been teasing me, didn't show an ounce of trust toward her boss and sent him a suspicious look.
Noticing that, Kang Juhyuk scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, tossed me a canned coffee, and dropped a casual remark.
"Anyway, if you're going home, want a ride? I'm heading home too."
"Oppa, can that car fit five people?"
"It'll work if we squeeze in."
"..."
Should I get in this man's car?
...It can fit five people, so it should be fine, right? I've ridden in it multiple times before. With lots of luggage and people, calling a taxi would take a long time again.
Contrary to my head making these practical calculations, my chest that had just relaxed was shaking its head at him for completely irrational reasons.
"I'm fine."
"Eh, Jia. Why?"
"I'll take a taxi. I'm the tallest anyway. ...Five people in that car would be a bit much, don't you think?"
I simply didn't want to get in that car. The reason was... just.
The moment I got in Kang Juhyuk's car and relaxed after all this suffering, I felt like I'd feel grateful to him, and that was unpleasant.
Even knowing it wasn't rational at all, I couldn't accept it psychologically. After all, all he'd made me do was walk around here.
This much, even if I ignored Kang Juhyuk's words...
"Yeeun."
"What."
"Then wait since we'll be home soon anyway. I'll drop the others off and come get you."
"..."
But. He grabbed my wrist, pressed the cold canned coffee against my cheek.
"...Don't even think about taking a taxi alone."
...And once again, he shoved that spine-chilling voice into my ear.
He flicked my sunglasses, exposing my trembling pupils to the world.