The two arrived at the ticket checkpoint in front of the S.S. Anne. Hibiki took out his phone and had the attendant scan the QR code on his invitation, then a member of the staff escorted them to their private cabin.
Once the staff member left, Hibiki began taking off his clothes one piece at a time. The boy quickly covered his eyes, his face faintly red as he asked, "Wh-what are you doing?"
Wearing only his boxer shorts, Hibiki pulled a suit from his backpack while stuffing his clothes inside. "Getting changed? Were you planning to go to the banquet dressed like that?" He looked the boy up and down: a light blue sleeveless coat, a black shirt with three-quarter sleeves, cobalt blue jeans, and brown boots. He looked like a traveler, dressed in nothing remotely suitable for a banquet.
He had a point. A banquet like this was bound to include dancing; the black-haired boy had attended similar events before. But he had no suit with him. While he was wondering what to do, Hibiki opened the cabin's wardrobe. "No problem. There's a black tailcoat here. Put this on." It really was a banquet for the nobility-they even provided clothes.
He took out a black tailcoat ensemble and handed it to the boy. The boy accepted it, then looked at Hibiki awkwardly. "Uh... um..."
"Oh, come on, we're both boys. What's there to be shy about? Fine, fine, I'll turn around." Understanding what the black-haired boy meant, Hibiki immediately turned away and thought, He really is shy.
"I'm changed." Once Hibiki turned around, the black-haired boy quickly put on the tailcoat and stuffed his own clothes into his backpack.
"Then let's go." Hibiki grabbed the boy's hand and headed straight for the banquet hall.
As soon as they