Miss Sakuramiya didn't like collecting cosplay photos

"Born from the beauty of this world, reborn from that kind heart."

White-gloved hands spread open, and a magic wand flashing red spun between her fingertips.

"To protect the world from destruction, to safeguard world peace."

Scarlet and pink skirts fluttered, one of the girl's fair legs lifted slightly while the other stood straight on the spot.

"Magical Girl of Love Aili, reporting for duty~"

Her right eye was shut tight, while her left, wearing a purple contact lens, aimed at the wand's gem, and her right hand mimed drawing a bowstring.

"Come, minions of evil! Let Aili purify you!!"

You Anlina, in full makeup, colored contacts, and a wig, sparkled brightly, her little face growing larger and larger in Aishili's eyes.

The next second, Aishili clutched her head in agony, blushing as she shouted,

"Don't recite anime lines like they come completely naturally to you!!"

Still posing, You Anlina tilted her head in confusion, then pouted at Aishili, who was crouching on the ground with her face covered.

"What are you talking about, Magical Girl of the Stars Bess? Hurry up and stand up to fight the monsters."

"Aaaaaah!!"

Aishili covered her face, feeling the gazes of Yan Huan, Hitomi Sakuramiya, and Yatsuhashi Ki beside her. She really wanted to find a hole to crawl into and never come out again.

If she'd known, she never would have softened and agreed to cosplay with this idiot!

I want to die. I really want to die.

"Pfft!"

Yatsuhashi Ki burst out laughing at the sight and silently raised his phone to take a picture.

But the blue magical girl Aishili, crouched on the ground, raised her head like a tiger just then, her eyes with their blue contacts sweeping fiercely toward him.

As if Yatsuhashi were the anime's "photo-taking monster" at that moment.

"Hey, Yatsuhashi. If you dare take a picture now, you'll die."

The Disciplinary Committee chair is terrifying!

"..."

Yatsuhashi Ki swallowed and silently withdrew his phone.

Holding her parasol, Hitomi Sakuramiya didn't know much about this and asked You Anlina in some confusion,

"You Anlina, did you make Aishili cosplay a character she doesn't know at all?"

"Huh? Of course not! Aishili loves watching Magical Girl of Love more than anything!"

You Anlina vehemently denied it.

Yatsuhashi Ki chuckled and explained to Hitomi Sakuramiya,

"Aishili probably really does like watching it. Just, elementary-school Aishili."

At that, Aishili's face grew even redder as she crouched on the ground and buried her head between her knees, making Yan Huan feel a little sympathetic.

It was probably a bit like cosplaying someone from Balala the Fairies and then saying lines like "Balala power, little fairy, full-body transformation" in public.

No, this had probably already reached the level of having to sing all of "Once upon a time, there was a Fairy Castle" in public.

Hitomi Sakuramiya rubbed her chin, still confused.

"So that's how it is... But it's fine to cosplay a character from a childhood cartoon?"

Yan Huan smiled faintly and told Hitomi Sakuramiya,

"Of course. And from my experience surfing the internet, things made for children often end up being popular with lots of adults."

"?"

Hitomi Sakuramiya hadn't yet grasped what Yan Huan meant, but he gently pointed behind her.

Quite a few people had already walked over with cameras and asked You Anlina,

"Oh, these are Aili and Bess from Magical Girl of Love, right?! You're spot-on! Could we take your pictures?"

"Huh?"

Aishili raised her head blankly and looked at You Anlina beside her.

You Anlina exchanged a glance with Aishili, then gave an innocent, guileless (devilish) smile.

"Sure!"

"N-nooo..."

But You Anlina still pulled Aishili up to stand beside her, striking a pose for the magical girls' combination attack.

"Love and stars ★, attack together~"

"Aaaaaah!!"

Hitomi Sakuramiya withdrew her gaze, no longer watching Aishili, who looked as if she'd been taken to the execution ground, and simply prayed silently for her.

Hopefully the poor girl will be all right.

"It looks like these cosplayers have already started taking pictures and things outside. Aren't they going inside?"

Hitomi Sakuramiya glanced around the spacious grounds outside the convention center as she asked.

At that moment, plenty of cosplayers dressed as all sorts of characters walked around the grounds, and quite a few were being asked for pictures like You Anlina and Aishili.

"Oh, because you have to line up to get into the venue. There are all sorts of activities and booths inside, too. Just for taking pictures and collecting cosplay photos, outside is probably better."

Yan Huan patiently explained to Hitomi Sakuramiya, who seemed to know nothing,

"Besides, ticket prices have been scalped really high. Not everyone necessarily has a ticket, so lots of people make friends and take pictures outside."

Hitomi Sakuramiya looked at Yan Huan beside her and covered her mouth with a soft laugh.

"You seem to know a lot about this, President."

"Well, it's held every year. Even though I haven't been before, I've seen posts about it. And we have Yatsuhashi in the Student Council, don't we?"

Scheming~

In reality, how could Hitomi Sakuramiya not know?

Even if she hadn't understood before, after Nara's reminder, she'd crammed enough to know it all inside out.

She was actually hinting that everyone should hurry into the venue, because many of her arrangements were inside.

After all, out here she couldn't do anything to the president!!

Just as Hitomi Sakuramiya was about to say something else, Yatsuhashi Ki picked up his phone. Someone seemed to have sent him a message.

"Oh, they're here too."

"They?"

Yan Huan looked at Yatsuhashi Ki and asked,

"Who?"

"Oh, didn't I say earlier I'd introduce you to people in the Inner World? They're a couple of big names there, and they're a couple. They're attending this time too, selling their new work in the doujin area."

"The Inner World?"

This really did hit a gap in Hitomi Sakuramiya's knowledge. She blinked and looked at Yatsuhashi Ki and Yan Huan, seemingly asking what exactly it meant.

But neither answered immediately. Instead, they first exchanged a look, holding a silent conversation.

Yan Huan tilted his head: Hey, you were the one who wanted to introduce these big names. You explain what the Inner World is to Sakuramiya.

Yatsuhashi Ki blinked: Huh?! You want me to explain that stuff to her? Her family will definitely kill me if they find out, won't they?

Yan Huan: Then why did you offer to introduce people in the community when you knew Sakuramiya was a sheltered young lady?!

Yatsuhashi Ki: Everyone has to grow up, President. So you can be the one who makes Vice President Sakuramiya an adult!

Yan Huan: *...*

Yan Huan blinked and turned toward Hitomi Sakuramiya, who stood beside him holding her parasol and looking puzzled.

He saw her furrow her brow and ask,

"Is it some sort of secret code between you boys?"

"Not exactly..."

Yan Huan glanced back at Yatsuhashi Ki again, only to discover that the guy had silently retreated several steps and turned away to scout cosplayers he wanted to ask for pictures later.

You underhanded otaku!

As the saying went, the more you wanted to hide something from someone, the more curious they became.

That was probably exactly what was happening now.

Sakuramiya edged closer to Yan Huan, her wide eyes full of inquiry.

Considering herself someone who knew Yan Huan inside out, she had to get to the bottom of anything he knew that she didn't.

"President?"

Helpless, Yan Huan could only curl a finger, signaling her to come closer.

After Hitomi Sakuramiya moved a little closer, he also stepped forward, entering the shelter of her parasol.

Feeling Yan Huan approach, Hitomi Sakuramiya instantly flushed faintly, and even her hand holding the parasol trembled.

Wait...

It's a little strange, but doesn't this feel a bit like sharing an umbrella as a couple?

But before Sakuramiya could feel shy for even a second, Yan Huan had already leaned close to her ear and begun explaining something in a low whisper.

"What we call the Inner World is..."

As she listened, her eyes gradually narrowed in disbelief, and even her lips parted unconsciously...

Works filled entirely with this sort of thing and that sort of thing~

Those strange imagined scenes flew uncontrollably through her vacant eyes, taking up all her brain's memory at that moment.

"..."

Under Yan Huan's patient guidance, Hitomi Sakuramiya successfully came of age that day!

Behind him, Yatsuhashi Ki didn't look back, but shakily gave Yan Huan's back a thumbs-up in tribute to his courage.

Only after finishing his detailed explanation did Yan Huan step back, leaving the shade of her parasol.

"That's more or less it, Sakuramiya."

"..."

Hitomi Sakuramiya's mouth hung slightly open, her little face burning as though she had a fever.

She couldn't help looking at Yan Huan, but after one glance, her gaze hastily darted away as though scalded.

Then, before Yan Huan's eyes, her cheeks actually began to puff up.

"Ooh..."

After that, she huffily raised her fist and gave Yan Huan's shoulder a light thump.

"Tap~"

It was soft and gentle. The frail Hitomi Sakuramiya couldn't muster any force at all.

"Oh, Sakuramiya, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry~"

"Ooh..."

Yan Huan hurriedly apologized, though in truth, he felt that Sakuramiya's punch had been more like an adorable show of petulance.

A "tormented expression" appeared on the boy's face. He was probably repenting properly.

Behind them, Yatsuhashi Ki, who had finished surveying the cosplayers, turned around just then.

Seeing this was like taking a flashbang head-on, without any chance to turn away.

"Bzzzt!!"

Gah!!

Everyone, run!!

It's the holy light magic used by normies!! Retreat to the cave!!

This time, the other boy genuinely wore a tormented expression.

He was genuinely repenting, too: Why did I come to a Comic Convention with these damned normies?

On the verge of tears, Yatsuhashi Ki took out his phone, checked the message again, and turned to ask Yan Huan and Hitomi Sakuramiya,

"Those two creators are already inside the convention center. So, are we going in, or...?"

Yan Huan glanced at You Anlina and Aishili, who were surrounded by people taking pictures, and said to Yatsuhashi Ki,

"Shall we wait until they're done and go in together?"

"That'll probably take quite a while. Hmm, I happen to want to take some pictures too, so, President, Vice President, you two..."

Although socializing was the most important part of a Comic Convention, Yan Huan couldn't help glancing at Sakuramiya beside him, standing in the grounds knowing nothing about anime culture.

"..."

After thinking it over, he smiled and said,

"Then I'll get in line with Sakuramiya first. Neither of us brought anything, so if we go inside early and have a look around, we won't get bored."

"Okay, President. We'll share our locations on Plane to get in touch later. I'll come in with You Anlina and the others in a bit."

"Sure."

Yatsuhashi Ki took out the "Audio Cheer Stick" that held a recording of his voice, then took a camera from his backpack and headed off in one direction.

His retreating figure looked so resolute.

Meanwhile, behind Yan Huan, Hitomi Sakuramiya hurriedly patted her slightly flushed face while holding her parasol.

Actually, it wasn't that she was so innocent she knew absolutely nothing about these things. Mainly...

Too... too close, just now...

Whispering softly into my ear like that...

It had given Hitomi Sakuramiya quite the feeling of intimate closeness.

His voice sounding softly beside her ear, his breath brushing her earlobe, and a topic so difficult to describe-it easily sent her imagination running wild.

A tingling feeling rose from deep within her. Though she was very shy and liked it very much, her body seemed to move beyond her control, doing the opposite.

That was why she'd reached out and punched Yan Huan.

Why, exactly?

Cute aggression~

A psychological term describing the feeling of "overwhelming cuteness/affection" produced when the brain encountered someone far too cute or someone it liked far too much.

To balance the excessive affection it produced, the brain generated actions that appeared utterly contrary to that supposed "affection."

Just now, Hitomi Sakuramiya's brain had been swept along by just such a mechanism, causing her to pound on him.

He didn't misunderstand me, did he?

Beneath her parasol, Hitomi Sakuramiya looked at Yan Huan's back, her face slightly flushed.

Misunderstood and thought I did that because I hated him...

The next second, having seen Yatsuhashi Ki off, Yan Huan turned around, startling Hitomi Sakuramiya into hurriedly tilting her parasol forward to hide half her face.

Fortunately, Yan Huan only smiled faintly and said to Hitomi Sakuramiya,

"Let's go line up, Sakuramiya."

"Mm."

He headed toward the line at the east entrance with Hitomi Sakuramiya, and soon saw the long queue of people waiting to enter.

"Sakuramiya, your ticket."

"Thank you, President."

Yan Huan handed Sakuramiya the ticket he had brought. He had the QR code Bai Yi had given him, which apparently let him use the VIP lane beside them.

But since Sakuramiya was with him, Yan Huan decided to line up with her.

As they slowly followed the line forward, Hitomi Sakuramiya occasionally glanced at Yan Huan, who was looking at his phone beside her.

She pressed her lips together, wanting to explain her earlier behavior.

But just as she was about to speak, another voice sounded beside Yan Huan.

"Um... excuse me, handsome, could I get a photo with you?"

Hitomi Sakuramiya froze slightly and turned to look beside her, only to see several rather bashful young women gathered around Yan Huan.

A photo?

If I remember correctly, that means they want to take a photo with the president, right?

W-wait!

I've been so busy posing and preparing the "traps" inside the convention all morning that I forgot to take a photo with the president!

And now someone's going to steal that first photo with him?!

Taking photos together...

What an awful custom!

Taking photos with strangers of the opposite sex-don't they think that's indecent?

Because she had not gotten a photo herself, Hitomi Sakuramiya launched a fierce critique of Comic Convention customs.

Should I stop them?

But...

What right do I have to stop them?

The persona I've established won't allow it, and this is a perfectly normal Comic Convention custom, isn't it?

As long as the president doesn't refuse, they can sidle right up beside him and raise their cameras, fair and square.

They'll definitely turn on a beauty filter, won't they?

Then add some cute stickers...

Ah, those would look so cute on the president's face.

"You're so handsome~"

They'll definitely say that, then naturally follow it up with a request.

"How about we add each other, too?"

After adding him on Plane, they'll chat up a storm with him there, and somehow sparks of love will fly.

Then, after graduation, they'll get married and have children, and they'll send me invitations to their wedding banquet and their baby celebrations, and I'll even have to give them cash gifts.

That's Dragon Nation's culture, right?

How terrifying. The Comic Convention photo custom is terrifying.

No, this horrible practice has to be eradicated.

From now on, every Comic Convention in Sakura Nation must ban people from taking photos together, and then it can slowly spread from one country to become a worldwide custom...

Within just a few seconds, Hitomi Sakuramiya's imagination had become so overflowing that a storm of thoughts erupted in her head.

"Excuse me, miss, could I take your picture?"

"Huh?"

Just as Hitomi Sakuramiya's smile grew increasingly poised and perfect while the air around her grew ever more oppressive, a male voice suddenly sounded behind her, interrupting her thoughts.

Holding her parasol, she turned around and saw several young men with cameras making the same request.

But without a second thought, Hitomi Sakuramiya politely declined.

"Sorry, I don't really take photos."

When Spencer had photographed her earlier, she had asked Yan Huan to hurry and delete it. How could Hitomi Sakuramiya let other people photograph her here?

"Aw, but you're so pretty, miss. I'm a professional photographer. I'll take them for free, no charge."

He still refused to give up.

"..."

Hitomi Sakuramiya maintained her smile without a word.

Just as the photographer in front of her was about to say something else, Yan Huan's voice suddenly rang out.

"Didn't you hear her? She said no photos."

Hitomi Sakuramiya blinked, while the photographers before her also froze briefly when they saw the person behind her, then put on apologetic smiles.

"Got it, man."

"..."

What kind of expression did the president make?

Only after the people in front of her had all left did Hitomi Sakuramiya turn to look at Yan Huan, but his expression had already returned to its usual smiling look.

"...Thank you, President."

"Of course."

Hitomi Sakuramiya glanced again at where those young women had been standing earlier. They were all gone now.

"Those girls earlier... the ones who wanted photos with you. Didn't you take any with them, President?"

"Ah, no."

Looking at the still-long line ahead, Yan Huan said with a smile,

"Your family doesn't let you take photos outside and leave images of yourself around, right, Sakuramiya?"

"That's right. After all, if they got out, it would affect my family."

"Mm, so it didn't feel right to leave you alone while I went off taking photos when you couldn't join in. Besides, I don't like taking photos myself."

Hitomi Sakuramiya's pupils contracted slightly.

Her heart clenched and she felt her body begin to warm, yet her grip on her parasol only grew tighter.

As though afraid he would see, she tilted her parasol slightly again, hiding her face.

"You don't like... taking photos?"

"Because seeing myself in photos feels a little... embarrassing?"

"Pfft, what kind of reason is that, President?"

Under her parasol, Hitomi Sakuramiya covered her mouth and chuckled.

"But maybe you'll get used to it if you take a few more?"

"You have a point."

"Knock, knock~"

Yan Huan's voice drifted over, and then Hitomi Sakuramiya felt what seemed like a few light taps on the top of her parasol.

They were like gentle knocks on a door, making Hitomi Sakuramiya pause.

From that direction...

It was Yan Huan tapping on her parasol.

She shifted the parasol along her shoulder, revealing her face to Yan Huan.

She raised her eyes toward the handsome boy before her, only to see him holding up his phone and looking at her with a smile.

"So, Sakuramiya, shall we take a photo together?"

"..."

Hitomi Sakuramiya's lips parted slightly, while her eyes seemed to gradually melt around Yan Huan's reflection within them, shimmering with light.

"O-okay, President."

Her answer was a little lacking, even somewhat flustered.

Her hand clenched around her parasol until it went white, and her chest felt as though she could not catch her breath, constricting her breathing.

"Thump... thump... thump."

Her heartbeat sounded like a drum, making Hitomi Sakuramiya silently change her mind.

The Comic Convention custom of taking photos together...

It's the best!!

Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry! I had something on tonight, so the update was a little late!

(;ω;`)