Better to Rent Than Buy

(Bai Ziye)

9:30 AM.

"Ah! Over here! Over here!"

A stylish woman with long purple hair was waving at me from a city intersection.

She was very distinctive; even in the bustling crowds of a Saturday, she was easily recognizable.

And we are separated by only a zebra crossing.

Red light.

Although I could speed Past by accelerating, I don't intend to do that.

I waited until the light turned green before joining the crowd.

"Miss Fahrenheit, what brings you here?"

Because of the popularity brought by "Supernova Idol Festival".

Finally, I'm recognized even when I go out in my own clothes, and I have to wear cheap sunglasses from a dollar store. I don't know whether to be happy or annoyed.

"Of course it's for your stage costume! Your stage costume!"

She answered like that, then pointed to the clothes I was wearing.

"Choosing an outfit suitable for standing on stage can amplify your aura, enrich your style, and make your performance more attractive! Do you know why magicians always dress so flamboyantly? It's because only in this way can they firmly attract the audience's attention, thus making them overlook some of the small movements behind the scenes."

What she said makes a lot of sense.

But a very real and harsh problem lies before me.

"Let me make this clear first, I'm not registered with the Association, which means... I don't have much money to buy clothes."

Miss Fahrenheit, however, stood with her hands on her hips and let out a smug snort.

"Hmph! I knew you'd say that. Do you think calling you out will bankrupt you? If you can't afford clothes, we can rent them!"

"Rent?"

"There's a store I frequent that has every kind of clothing you can imagine... and of course, even some you can't."

Are there still shops like this?

Renting an outfit, however, is something I could consider; I think I could afford it.

"You can give it a try."

"Let's go then!"

Miss Fahrenheit took my hand and led me into the Metro Shopping Street.

Because my sunglasses were cheap and the old subway station was dimly lit, my vision was completely obscured, so I had no choice but to let her lead the way.

As a result, she led me in a zigzag motion, and we ended up in the bathroom.

"What are you up to?"

I only realized how silly the question was after I asked it.

"Oh dear? Miluno, what else can humans do in the bathroom?"

"... Then I'll wait for you at the door."

"Uh-huh."

Miss Fahrenheit's two personalities, one strong-willed and the other quiet, are surprisingly gentle in relation to their heating and cooling abilities.

But the combination of the two can be described in one word: "A surging undercurrent".

On the surface, she's a kind and gentle older sister, but upon closer inspection, you'll find she's quite mischievous. And this kind of subtle mischief often leaves people caught off guard and unable to escape her grasp.

For example, me.

"Yay! We're all done!"

"Miluno, please take care of me from now on."

Two little girls ran out of the cubicle.

She wore a red and blue plaid dress that reached above the knee, white socks, and small leather shoes, with red and blue sapphire hair clips on her head.

How many people would feel a criminal impulse if they saw these two little ones walking hand in hand down the street?

"So, why split yourself into two?"

"It would be better to have someone offer advice from multiple perspectives when choosing performance outfits!"

"We disagree on many things and can offer different suggestions..."

I sighed.

Doesn't this just complicate things further?

"I need to prepare for tonight's performance, can you please hurry?"

I don't want to appear impatient.

"Yes, that's important too, so come with me first!"

"This way, this way."

Two little girls, one in front and one behind, one pulling and one pushing, led me to... a coin-operated TKV booth placed along the pedestrian street.

It's a soundproof glass box; inside you can select songs and there's a microphone.

"... What are you planning to do now?"

The red one put headphones on me.

"Is that even a question? Let us hear the song you're going to perform tonight!"

The blue one shoved the microphone into my hand.

"It won't waste much time, and it'll make it easier for us to recommend clothes based on your music style."

I found a song on the karaoke machine and sang it once.

"Wow, it's amazing you managed to sing that song... did you even catch your breath?"

Just as Hualun said, this is a song that really tests your breathing and lung capacity.

But it wasn't difficult for me.

"After Time Acceleration, the air becomes heavy and thin, so my lung capacity is much larger than that of the average person, and I've already adapted."

I can even sing and dance at the same time.

"You're really amazing. We have no reason to feel wronged at all that we lost to you."

Since there were only two bar stools in the private room, Haite sat on my lap... She wasn't very fussy, and she wasn't heavy on my lap, so it didn't bother me much. However, her cute, loli-like posture still made me want to hug her and rub against her...

Of course, you can't do that.

"I know what kind of outfit to pick for you. Although your Battle Dress is a JK uniform, it doesn't really bring out your aloof aura!"

"Especially to match this song, you need a more suitable outfit for your performance."

After we finished singing, Hualun hurriedly pulled me away from the mini karaoke room.

"A magnificent long dress! Like a mature queen!"

"Neutral clothing better complements Miluno's charisma."

They dragged me into a place called the Photography Park.

Occupying an entire side path and covering a considerable area, the Photography Park offers photo rentals of cameras and clothing at the entrance, allowing visitors to take photos to their heart's content within the various themed areas.

It's a pretty interesting shop.

"Come on over here and pick out some clothes, sis!"

"I can have any clothes you want, big sister."

The saleswoman at the women's clothing counter glanced at the chattering little girl surrounding me, then looked up and asked, "Is this your first time here, miss? Would you like me to recommend something...?"

But halfway through the question, she paused, squinted at my face for a while, and then looked as if she had suddenly realized something.

"... Oh, you must be Miss Miluno!"

I was recognized again.

But I still whispered, "Yes, please don't tell anyone."

"Understood! Do you need us to clear the area for you?"

Clear the area?

Does that mean kicking out the other guests?

"No, it doesn't have to go that far. I'm just here to rent costumes."

"The outfit for the Idol Festival? That can't be taken lightly! Miss Miluno, a Western-style dress paired with a white jade folding fan would be most suitable..."

Am I some medieval noblewoman from who-knows-where?

"Plus, wear a wide-brimmed sun hat!"

However, the recording of the Idol Festival takes place at night, when there is no sun at all.

"Then a corset must be arranged..."

It sounds painful, I don't really want to wear that thing.

"That's enough. I have a dance performance scheduled for tonight, and I can't possibly wear a long dress... Can I watch for a bit first?"

Realizing they were unreliable, I had to rely on myself.

The equipment in front of the counter allows you to browse all the clothing here. The selection is vast, with diverse styles, and even the same style of clothing comes in different colors and sizes. It's truly a paradise for those who love dressing up and photography...

"Um?"

An item that's perfect for an idol.

It also suits my dresses perfectly when they come into view.

"Please give me this one."