Chapter 29

"Ahh—what do I do?"

Yu So-ra was in a complete flurry in front of the full-length mirror.

Dresses, two-piece outfits, pants, and even cosplay costumes were spread across the bed. She kept trying them on, holding each one up under her chin, then tossing it aside and starting over.

It was no wonder. I have to dress up pretty when I meet the writer, right?

Today, after all, she was meeting the creator of the Scholar-ticon, Side-Hustling Teddy Bear.

In truth, it had been a very long time since she’d gotten this frazzled.

She never got nervous at fan meetings or work-related conferences, but when she thought about something she loved, the typical successful otaku that she was could completely lose her head like this.

From the looks of it, he doesn’t seem to know much about cosplay. Should I just go all out and wear a full character outfit?

She did put on a sexy cosplay outfit that had racked up 100 million views on social media, but then...

No. That might be too shocking for a muggle... I mean, a regular person.

Still, she didn’t want to dress too frilly either.

She was definitely a devoted fan, but this was also business, so it felt safest to dress properly and respectfully.

Office wear it is.

Even if she was an otaku, she had to be careful not to go overboard on a first meeting, since that could make things awkward.

***

"Good, good."

Sitting on the workshop window ledge, I enjoyed the cool autumn breeze and looked up at the sky.

I never thought having my own space would feel this satisfying.

If I’d known, I would’ve gotten one much earlier. That was how good it felt.

Part of me wanted to invite close acquaintances over for a house party tonight and brag a little, but...

Still, I should hold off for now.

Right now, just having it all to myself was enough.

Come to think of it, handicrafts cover a way wider range than I expected.

I’d never known anything about this field, so I had only thought of beads and maybe a few simple crafts. But once I actually got started, there were plenty of options beyond figurines and leatherwork: woodworking, embroidery, resin art, flower crafts, and more.

And on top of that, the rank ended at S+, so whatever I made, I was basically a jack-of-all-trades.

But doing only handicrafts is a bit of a burden.

After all, each piece had to be made by hand, one step at a time, which took a lot of time.

Even if I wasn’t thinking of building some grand brand, getting properly paid for the work would still take time to build recognition and momentum.

Until then, the other side jobs would probably be more efficient.

Once this project is sorted out, I’ll do other side jobs while working on handicrafts in my spare time.

Handicrafts weren’t the sort of thing that took off overnight. Over time, the brand name Kang Seo-jun would have to rise naturally before the work could truly command value.

That said, I wonder if that punk Choi Kang-san delivered the bag to Lim Yu-jin properly.

I’d heard that Lim Yu-jin had been overseas filming for a while and that he’d hand it over when she returned to Korea, but when I checked social media out of curiosity, it looked like she was still a long way from coming back.

Probably better to forget about it for now.

She wasn’t the kind of person who’d ignore me just because she didn’t like it, so if I waited, she’d contact me.

Bwaaaang-.

At the harsh engine roar that stabbed at my ears, I looked out the window before I’d even realized it.

A Porsche?

And one with a convertible top, at that.

Who drives a sports car like that around a hillbilly neighborhood like this?

I only tilted my head for a moment before...

Skreeech-.

The Porsche pulled into our building’s parking lot.

The basement storage owner? Or the convenience store owner on the first floor?

I could tell a woman was getting out, but I couldn’t make out her face properly.

Then, a little later...

Knock, knock, knock!

When I opened the door at the knock, there stood Yu So-ra, neatly dressed in a semi-formal office outfit.

"H-Hello!"

"I’m Yu So-ra. I messaged you through DM!"

She bowed at a perfect ninety degrees, all proper and courteous.

"Were you the one who just came in a Porsche?"

"Ah, yes! You saw that?"

"Yes, by chance."

I’d thought it was a car that didn’t belong in this neighborhood.

As expected, she wasn’t from around here.

"Nice to meet you. Come in."

"Ah, yes! Thank you for having me!"

Swallowing hard, she stepped inside.

"This place is still pretty sparse since I only moved in recently, so it’s a bit shabby."

"Ooh, no, not at all. It’s actually kind of hip, which makes it nice. It even has a Seongsu-dong vibe."

"You think so? Haha."

Honestly, the first feeling I’d had the moment I saw Yu So-ra was...

Thank goodness.

Relief.

Based on her feed, I’d expected something with every curve of her body on full display, or maybe an outfit cut so low in the chest I wouldn’t know where to look, which would have made meeting her pretty uncomfortable. But she was dressed so neatly that I actually felt at ease.

Right, cosplay was probably just for work-related occasions.

"Have a seat over here."

I led her to the sofa first.

"Would you like a hot coffee or an iced one?"

"Oh, um, hot coffee please."

"Sure, just a moment."

I mixed a cup of KanU instant coffee with hot water from the rental water purifier that had just arrived that morning and handed it to her.

I’d actually considered buying a coffee machine, but even secondhand they were pretty pricey, so I put that off for now.

Once I handed over the coffee, though, it felt a little bare.

"I should’ve prepared some snacks, but I didn’t have the time."

"Oh, no, it’s okay. I ate breakfast before coming, so I’m fine."

"This is my first time inviting a guest to the workshop, so I’m still a little awkward overall."

"I-I’m your first guest?"

Yu So-ra’s eyes went wide.

"The first person in this studio?"

"Yes. I only moved in recently."

"Whoa, amazing..."

She clasped her hands together, looking touched.

"So I’m the first person to..."

"It’s not that grand."

"Oh, is that so?"

Yu So-ra smiled bashfully.

Even while sipping her coffee, the atmosphere remained awkward.

Something I’d learned from years at the company was that if you wanted to break the ice, there was nothing better than business talk.

"So, you wanted to commission some clothing?"

"Ah, yes, yes."

Yu So-ra set her coffee down and, sitting perfectly straight, looked at me.

"Just one outfit is enough. Honestly, I have no idea how much your fee usually is, but I’ll match you as best I can. Within our industry, I can pay top tier rates."

Without pausing, she dove right into it.

"For a fully custom one-piece outfit, 3.5 million won. Fabric is separate. How does that sound?"

"...3.5 million?"

"Is that too little? If you had a number in mind..."

"No. That’s too much."

"Huh?"

"I’ve never even made a single piece of clothing before. That kind of money feels like too much pressure."

"Oh, no, that’s not expensive at all!"

Yu So-ra tilted her head, then rushed to explain.

"Even cheap clothes made from materials like pleather that you can only wear once and then throw away still cost 200,000 or 300,000 won apiece. Once the materials and finishing are decent, you’re already over 500,000. If it’s something you can actually wear, it can go up to 1 million won. Cosplay outfits are usually completely custom in the first place..."

Talking to her felt weirdly like watching someone frantically fire off messages in a chat window.

"Besides, your clothes are likely to be different, writer-nim. When I saw the figurine you made last time, even the details were on another level. And I think this might be something I could wear more than once."

"That’s just because it was small..."

"Even if it’s human-sized, I’m sure you won’t make it carelessly."

"Fair point."

"And most of all, I really do want to wear clothes made by you. I’m a true fan..."

"You’re a fan of mine?"

"Yes, writer-nim!"

Her eyes sparkled.

"I really love the Scholar-ticon."

"Ah."

Come to think of it, hadn’t she said she bought over 7,000 just to get that figurine?

By the math, she was a major customer who’d spent nearly 20 million won just on emoticons.

It was almost hard to refuse her.

"I understand what you mean."

I said calmly,

"I’ll make the outfit."

"Really?! Amazing!"

She sprang to her feet, then jumped in place before grabbing my hand in both of hers.

"Thank you, writer-nim!"

"Ah, yes, yes. But I should be honest: I’ll do my best, but I can’t promise you’ll love it."

"That’s fine!"

She smiled brightly and said,

"Then is the fee you mentioned earlier okay? Or should I add more..."

"No, I’ll make this one free."

"...W-Why?"

She flinched as she asked.

"Is this some kind of 'take it and leave' situation..."

"No, not at all. Let’s call it a thank-you for liking my emoticons. Since it’ll be my first piece, it’s basically a test run, so that should keep the pressure down too."

"E-even so, is that okay?"

She still looked uneasy.

"No matter how you put it, I’d feel too sorry if it were free."

"Then could I ask you for one favor too?"

"What kind of..."

"Do you already have a cosplay outfit in mind?"

"Ah, nothing comes to mind right now, but... work does come in pretty quickly. I get a lot of business offers."

"Then do you know about the Seoul Subculture Festival?"

"Oh, I think I’ve heard of it."

"Actually, my main job is advertising. And I just happened to get the advertising contract for that event."

"Oh, really? It’s rare to work with the subculture scene. That’s great!"

"So I was wondering if you might wear the outfit I make and appear there in cosplay."

"Okay, deal!"

"...I haven’t even said the conditions yet."

"I’ll do it no matter what. You’re making the outfit for me, so we should help each other out!"

Was it really that easy?

I’d thought she’d need a while to think it over and that we’d have to negotiate a bit before reaching a decision.

Instead, she’d given me a yes the moment she heard it.

I guess I should buy Manager Park a meal.

I’d brought it up because I felt bad about how he’d been worrying over this the whole time, so it was a relief that things worked out.

"By the way, writer-nim."

"Yes?"

"Now that I look at you, I feel like you’re exactly like the Scholar-ticon."

"...Excuse me?"

"Heh-heh—just kidding."

"...?"

"You can let that one go."

"Ah, yes."

It didn’t seem important.

"Right, to make the outfit, I’ll need to check your measurements first."

I pulled out my notebook and asked,

"Can you remember them?"

"What should I start with?"

As expected, since she regularly commissioned cosplay outfits, she seemed to remember her own body measurements.

"Height, bust, waist, hips, shoulders, back width, sleeve length, hip line, leg length, rise, inseam, neck circumference, and sleeve opening. I need all of them."

"Oh, right. I’m 165 centimeters tall. My bust is normally 75E, but I’ve recently put on a little weight, so I’m at F. Though that could go back down if I lose some again... it goes up and down, but we can adjust when the outfit’s done."

"Then I’ll set your bust measurement at about 96 centimeters."

"Ah, yes. And my waist is 64 centimeters and my hips are 104. My shoulders are a little broad..."

***

The next day, the moment I got to the company, I walked over to Manager Park.

As expected, he was staring at his monitor and muttering to himself like a man possessed.

"What do I do? Do I tell the client we’ve blown it? Like hell I’m saying that. No, but it’s already been almost ten days and they still haven’t opened the email. That just means they’ve put the business on pause, right? I already set the order of the remaining entries, so what am I supposed to do? Aaagh, I’m doomed..."

Watching him sweat that hard only made me feel even more certain I’d done the right thing meeting Yu So-ra yesterday.

"Manager Park."

"Ah...?"

He looked up at me with a face that seemed on the verge of tears.

"Sorry. I dragged you into this project for no good reason, and now what if we fail because we couldn’t even book the main cosplayer?"

"That’s booked."

"...?"

It looked like he’d been stunned in place.

He blinked at me blankly.

"I’m talking about Yu So-ra."

"What about her?"

"She agreed to take part in the festival."

"???"

He still looked like he had no idea what I was talking about.

"She’s coming to the Seoul Subculture Festival."

"What do you mean, coming? I haven’t even read the email."

"I met her and talked to her. That’s when I got her promise."

"...Huh?"

He nearly jumped, then stared straight into my eyes.

"You’re serious?"

"Yeah."

"?!"

Manager Park’s eyes went so wide they practically rounded out.

???????

!!?!?!?!

?!!!!

His face seemed to be talking for him.

If this guy ever entered a facial-expression contest, he’d probably win on the spot.

I opened Yu So-ra’s profile on social media and showed him her picture.

"This is her, right?"

"Y-Yeah, but... wait, why are you following each other?"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"She DM’d me. Said she wanted to try on an outfit I made. So during the meeting, we decided she’d appear. She should reply by ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠today. We just need to settle the terms."

"R-really?!"

Ding-!

Right on cue, an alert sounded in Manager Park’s work email inbox.

"Holy shit!"

He shot up from his seat and hugged me tight.

"Thank you, Kang Managerrrrr!"

At his shout, every employee in the office turned to look this way.

"Are you two filming a romance or something?"

"...No."

Embarrassed, I shoved him away.

But he must have been under so much stress that Manager Park didn’t care about anyone around him and just grinned from ear to ear.

I took him out of the office first.

He couldn’t hide his excitement as he asked,

"Wow, that’s incredible. But Kang Manager, you make clothes now too?"

"Just a side job, that’s all."

"Man, that’s amazing."

He couldn’t stop laughing.

"I really did end up with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a good friend, didn’t I? Hahaha!"

The smile on Manager Park’s face wouldn’t budge.

"I owe you one. Thank you!"

***

Making clothes really is on another level.

Unlike bags or wallets, which had fairly fixed shapes for holding items, making clothing was far more complicated than I’d expected.

I had to cut and prepare everything myself according to Yu So-ra’s measurements.

And that wasn’t all.

The fabric and accessories have to change depending on the part.

I’d always wondered why tailored outfits were so expensive, but now that I was doing it myself, I thought I understood.

Let’s take it slowly.

***

I’d thought I could finish it in three or four days flat.

But because I kept calling Yu So-ra in to try it on and then making corrections whenever something strayed from the intended direction, it took longer than I expected.

And then, after ten full days plus one more...

"Done..."

At last, the cosplay outfit for Yu So-ra was complete.

I’d tried to match the costume of the character she wanted as closely as possible, but...

I wasn’t sure whether she’d like it.

"Right now?"

"Yes. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I’ll head over now!"

"Uh... it’s not that late yet."

It was just a little past 9 p.m., so I told her to come over.

"Hello!"

I’d heard it was about an hour from her place, but...

"How did you get here in 30 minutes?"

"Hehe. I really wanted to try it on."

"..."

She must have floored the Porsche hard enough to make the engine smoke.

It was obvious she was dead serious about cosplay.

"Oh, is that it?"

"Yes."

As soon as she spotted the outfit hanging on the rack, she hurried over like a shot.

"H-Hold on, it looks even cuter in person..."

Her sparkling eyes left no doubt she meant it with 200 percent sincerity.

"Would you like to try it on right away?"

"Yes!"

"There isn’t a separate changing room, so I’ll wait in the bathroom. Let me know once you’re done dressing."

"Oh, you can stay here."

"I’d feel awkward."

Saying that, I was already heading into the bathroom.

"Then I’ll get dressed quickly."

"Okay."

A little later...

"I’m all dressed. You can come out now."

At Yu So-ra’s voice, I stepped out of the bathroom.

"Well?"

She asked cautiously.

"I rushed over, so I didn’t even bring my contacts or wig, so it might look a little awkward."

That didn’t matter at all.

"Oh..."

I couldn’t help but breathe out in admiration at Yu So-ra’s appearance.

The red cords swayed softly along her slender neck.

Thanks to the tailored fit, light slid over the curves that bent along her body-hugging silhouette.

When Yu So-ra moved her hand, the loose sleeves at her wrists fluttered beautifully in the air.

The skirt, flaring wide from the waist, drew the eye in a dreamlike way.

It was exactly like the character from the animation.

"It’s pretty, right?"

Yu So-ra shook the outfit lightly, clearly satisfied.

"The texture when it moves, the wave-like folds in the details... it’s honestly perfect."

"I’m glad you like it."

"I’m seriously 100% satisfied. I want to brag about it on social media right this second, and having to hold back is torture. I really love it. Can you see how my mouth just won’t go down because I’m so happy?"

"Haha, yeah, I can."

Unable to contain her joy, she gave me a bright-eyed proposal.

"Writer-nim, to say thanks, should I buy you a drink? Izakaya, maybe?"

If it had been any other day, I would’ve agreed, but tonight I was genuinely exhausted.

"No, I’m going to rest now. I only got two hours of sleep yesterday because I was working until 5 a.m."

"Oh dear, you must’ve been exhausted making the outfit. That was my mistake."

"It’s nothing."

"Then I’ll repay you next time!"

"Sure. Let’s call it a night for now."

"Yes! Thank you!"

I saw Yu So-ra out first.

Then I collapsed alone onto the workshop sofa.

I’m so tired I don’t even have the strength to go home.

Looks like I’d be sleeping here tonight.

My eyes closed of their own accord from sheer exhaustion.

Just as I was about to fall asleep,

Ding-!

It was a new type of alert.