Long Straight-Haired Seon-ah
Holding hands affectionately with Han-na, we strolled slowly through the bustling streets, browsing the shops around us, when she suddenly stopped.
"Seon-ah, hold on a second."
"Hmm? What's up?"
Han-na had frozen mid-step and was now staring intently into one of the stores with a deeply thoughtful expression. Curious what kind of place would make her look like that, I checked the signboard. It was a cosplay goods shop.
...?
Cosplay, out of nowhere? I hadn't known Han-na was into this sort of thing.
"Let's go inside."
"Huh? Oh... sure."
I let her pull me in by the hand, glancing around nervously in case anyone we knew happened to see us. Not that it would really be embarrassing if they did...
The cosplay shop Han-na had dragged me into looked, at first glance, like it would only carry typical subculture items. But as I took in the wide interior packed with clothes and props, I realized it wasn't quite like that. There were maid outfits a girlfriend might wear as a special event for her boyfriend, bunny girl costumes, even school uniforms. Beyond the event wear, there were ordinary cosplay pieces like dinosaur onesies. Of course, one section was filled with the flashy, elaborate outfits that looked like they'd come straight out of some manga.
While I was wandering around alone, Han-na seemed to be searching for something specific. She asked the part-timer a question, then strode off briskly without me.
Left by myself in the middle of the cosplay shop, I stood there awkwardly shifting my weight. With nothing better to do, I started examining the maid outfit right in front of me. It was a classic design: black base dress, white apron, and frills everywhere. Maid costumes were apparently a popular choice even among women looking to surprise their lovers, so the quality was surprisingly high and the price reasonably affordable.
"...It's a pretty outfit."
I reached out and touched the fabric, then found myself imagining what I would look like wearing it. The way the apron would ride up over my massively swollen breasts, the tightly cinched waist, the garter belt and firm thighs revealed beneath the short skirt. And on top of my head, a small frilled headband... It would definitely look pretty erotic.
That was setting aside the fact that Lee Seon-ah's appearance was exactly my old type—a boyish, big-breasted female character.
Still, even if I wore it, there was no one I wanted to show it to. What would be the point?
"What? You're into that kind of thing?"
"Eh? Ah, no... I was just looking."
I had been staring blankly, lost in thought, when Han-na's voice suddenly came from right beside me. Startled, I quickly dropped the outfit.
"Hmm..."
"W-why are you looking at me like that? More importantly, what were you looking for... Whoa!"
Han-na kept glancing back and forth between me and the maid outfit, clearly imagining something. I tried to change the subject by looking at what she was holding, only to see an entire woman's head in her hand.
"W-what the... Did you finally rip someone's head off?"
"...? What are you even saying..."
"C-customer! Please wait!"
At the frantic voice behind Han-na, I turned to see the part-timer who had gone looking for the item with her.
"That mannequin head is just for displaying wigs, so you can't take it... P-please give it back..."
"Ah. ...Here you go."
With an awkward expression, Han-na handed the mannequin head back to the part-timer, who looked on the verge of tears. The girl bowed repeatedly in thanks before scurrying back to where she'd come from.
"...So that's what you came here to buy?"
"Yeah. This wig."
Han-na nodded at my question and lifted the wig in her hand. It was a long, silky straight wig that reminded me of Eun-jung's hair. The color was a deep brown, almost the same shade as my own.
"Try this on."
"...Me?"
"It looks like it would match your current makeup really well..."
I accepted the wig she offered, running my fingers through the smooth strands that spilled downward, then gave a small nod. Honestly, I was curious too. I wanted to know how the fully made-up, feminine version of myself would look with long hair.
In the game you could just swap hair parts whenever you wanted, but this was reality now. If I wanted to see myself with long straight hair, I'd either have to grow it out... or try on a wig like this.
"E-excuse me!"
I waved at the part-timer who was watching us anxiously from a distance and asked if I could try it on. She glanced nervously at Han-na, nodded, and led me to the fitting room.
"Please hand me the wig and sit here."
I sat down, and she skillfully swept my hair up, placed a wig cap over it, then secured the wig on top. It was my first time wearing one, so I felt a little anxious, but when I shook my head vigorously as instructed, the wig stayed perfectly in place.
Wow. It clung without any tape or anything. This was impressive.
"Here you are, miss... Here's a mirror."
"Ah, thank you."
I took the mirror from the strangely blushing, fidgeting part-timer and looked into it with my heart pounding.
"Whoa..."
It was definitely my face, yet the longer hair completely changed the impression. I looked like an entirely different girl who only slightly resembled me.
At the same time, it was a little frustrating to admit that I really did look prettier as a girl with long hair. No. The boyish female character style has its own charm.
I forced a smile at that thought, and the pretty girl in the mirror smiled back at me, a little awkwardly.
"Does it... not suit you?"
"Ah, no. I like it a lot too."
Shaking off the strange feeling that I'd somehow lost to the girl in the mirror, I stepped out of the fitting room with the part-timer. Han-na, who had been waiting right outside while checking her phone, turned to look at me.
"H-how do I look? It suits me, right?"
"...."
I shyly touched my new hair and asked carefully. Han-na stared at me with slightly dazed eyes, then suddenly shoved her card at the part-timer.
"...Ring this up. Quickly."
"Y-yes!"
While the part-timer dashed off with the card, Han-na slowly approached me. She gently stroked my hair, then softly cupped my cheek with her palm.
"...You're so beautiful."
"R-really?"
Han-na gazed at me with dreamy, half-lidded eyes and gave a slow nod. Wow... She really likes it that much?
My face flushed bright red as I lightly smoothed the long strands that had spilled down beside my large breasts. The weight of all this hair felt a little inconvenient, but seeing myself in the mirror, even I had to admit I looked more like a proper girl now. I'd never planned to grow my hair out from its short cut—memories from my male days made the idea seem like too much hassle—but... maybe letting it grow a little longer wouldn't be so bad.
I turned my face slightly to the side, trying to hide the silly grin that kept creeping onto my lips, and fidgeted with my toes. Han-na gently turned my face back toward her and began to lean in closer.
She wants to kiss...
Watching her lips approach, I swallowed nervously. Then, as if I had truly become a girl all the way to the depths of my heart, I pressed a hand tightly against my chest—which was pounding harder than usual—closed my eyes, and shyly offered my lips to her.
Just as our warmth seemed about to meet and our lips were on the verge of touching—
"All done! Here's your card... Oh my goodness!"
"...!"
The part-timer came running back from across the store in a fluster and froze at the sight of us about to embrace and kiss.
Han-na quickly released me, cleared her throat with a faintly reddened face, and snatched the card from the girl's hand.
...It was just a kiss between friends. Why was she so shocked? It's not like we were doing anything too overt in public...
With my hand in hers and a puzzled look still on my face, Han-na hurried us out of the shop.
"Hey, why did you—"
"Let's go buy some clothes."
"Huh? Whoa...! S-slow down...!"
When I tried to ask why she'd bolted out in such a panic, she suggested buying clothes with an oddly flustered expression and pulled me along with long, urgent strides.
With my hand firmly gripped in hers, I half-ran down the street beside her. Then a thought occurred to me and I couldn't help but chuckle.
...I felt like I was being dragged around by Han-na more than usual today. How should I describe it? It was like watching a guy desperately trying to escort his girlfriend. Han-na looked kind of cute like this.
"I can walk on my own, so let's slow down, okay?"
"Sigh... ...Fine."
Her ears still red, Han-na shortened her stride. I fell into step beside her, interlacing our fingers, and we continued at a leisurely pace.
"W-why are you smiling like that...?"
"Hmm? No reason... I'm just happy."
"...I'm glad."
Feeling good after seeing her unexpectedly adorable side, I clung to her arm. Han-na smiled back at me and laced our fingers even more tightly.
Like that, we walked the streets in relaxed contentment, hands clasped so firmly that our palms grew sweaty, all the way until we reached the nearby clothing store.