LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 7: Chapter 5
Chapter XXVII: Costume and Play
Laying down at their living room, Akiko scrolls down Chime, looking at various cosplays and fan arts. After getting bored, she goes to YourBook. She looks again at fan arts about different anime and reacts to it. She then comes across a post regarding a cosplay convention near their town which will take place in just one week. She looks overjoyed with this. She goes to her wardrobe to see her costumes.
At school, she tells Hanako about this but she tells her that she can't come since she's got somewhere to go at that time. She also tells Enmei and Asahi but they can't go since they're gonna be busy. Kota arrives and an embarrassed Akiko approaches him.
"Um, would you like to join me at the comic con?", asks Akiko.
Kota nods and complies. Akiko thank him and adds,
"Who are you going to cosplay then?".
"Well, I think I'mma go as the Water Hashira but I got no wig", says Kota.
"That's no problem, I have many wigs. You can come to my house on that day 9am before we go to the venue.", Akiko responds while Kota complies.
The day of the event has come, Kota arrives at her house. Akiko opens the door and takes him in. Once entering the living room, he greets her grandma. As they get into Akiko's room, a big woman enters the living room, who just got back from work. She sits beside Akiko's grandma. Akiko's grandma then tells her that they have a visitor in their house which is Akiko's classmate. The big woman looks upstairs suspiciously.
On the other hand, Akiko opens her wardrobe and shows him her costumes. The genre varies from RPG like The Twins, Legion of Myths; anime like My Sister is a Demon, Quirk University, Avenge of the Titan, and for casual and formal clothing. She gets a long black wig, gives it to him and asks him if it fits. Kota then puts on the jacket and the wig as well as the socks and sandals.
"I think this is good to go", he says.
Akiko looks at him, tilting her head, and tells her that something is missing. She then grabs his leg which makes Kota exclaims,
"Oi, what are you-"
She wraps a white gauze around his leg, and fashioned it into the same way the Water Hashira wears.
"So, who'll you cosplay?", he asks.
"It's very hard to choose", she responds. She adds,
"Hmm, since you're gonna go as the Water Hashira, I think I'mma go as the Insect Hashira."
"It makes sense though", says Kota.
"But I just need some help on fixing my hair but the Haori is just a jacket.", says Akiko.
Kota tells her that it's no problem since he'll be the one helping her with this. After fashioning it, Akiko asks him,
"Hey, do you think I'm fit to cosplay this? Since when I wear that in public, some of my friends says that it doesn't fit me."
"You know, from my point and to be honest, your face is naturally beautiful. You're actually a perfect fit in playing the Harp Player in The Twins, although that character is a boy (laughs). For every anime girls, you're also a good fit for them. Just don't listen to what they are saying you're pretty as always. On the contrary, since you're an artist, you can express what you've experience in that piece of literature ", he says to her. As she's flattered, she says to him,
"Bish, it's just, you know, I-"
She gets interrupted by Kota's phone ringing. He turns it off, pauses for a while then says,
"So, you were saying?"
"Oh, it's nothing", she responds back although she have something to say but the moment has passed and cat got her tongue.
As they go down wearing their cosplays, the big woman intervenes on their way out and asks,
"Akiko, can you spare me a minute to talk to your 'friend'?"
Akiko awkwardly nods and both she and her grandma goes out of the living room to give them privacy. The big woman looks at Kota while he is being pressured.
"So, tell me, what is your relationship with my daughter?", she asks.
"Um, nothing madame. I'm just his friend", Kota responds. The big lady then says,
"Are you sure? Very well then. In that case, I haven't introduced myself, right? I'm her mother, nice to meet you."
Kota then introduces himself to her. He thanks her and prepares to leave.
"One last thing before you go young man. Please be careful of my daughter. And I have to make myself clear, I have my eyes on you", says Akiko's mother.
Kota goes to Akiko and they began to go out. Akiko's grandma then enter the room. As she sits on the sofa, Akiko's mother leans to her ear and whispers something.
They both arrive at the venue. As they enter the convention center, they are then greeted in a realm of crossovers. Many different characters from different anime, memes, and games. The most cosplayers appearing there are from My Sister is a Demon, Avenge of the Titan, and predominantly, Agent x Family, Curse Academy, and Quirk University. There are also famous RPG characters from The Twins and Legion of Myths. Akiko remembers that maybe her friends are there since most of them are cosplayers. Kota asks,
"Don't you think I wouldn't be an embarrassment in front of your friends?"
"What do you mean?", she asks.
"I mean, do you think, me showing up here, accompanying you, wouldn't embarrass you?", he explains.
"Of course not. Why do you think you're gonna embarrass me? I'm proud to have you by my side in this cosplay event. Although it's my first time to have a boy accompany me in this type of event. Bish, try to have fun and moreover, they're nice. So act natural", she responds.
As they explore, they get a selfie or groupie with the other cosplayers. While walking, a girl in a sexy bunny outfit passes by which catches Kota's attention. Looking at the situation, Akiko slaps him and Kota apologizes afterwards.
"You know, you could be in that outfit, it suits you", Kota teases her.
"Oh, shove off. But on the contrary, maybe I could in the future and you know what might happen", Akiko says flirtatiously.
On another section, they see three little cute girls, one has a black hair, the other has brown, and the last one has white. They see a familiar guy in the audience cheering and that guy turns out to be Enmei. As Enmei sees them, he flees fast, making a reference from a very detailed anime.
They then bump into her friends, who are cosplaying a Vocaloid, and the others are from Curse Academy, Legion of Myths, and Quirk University.
"Yow, who's this guy?", they asks Akiko.
Akiko introduces Kota to them as a friend.
"Noice, the Water Hashira and Insect Hashira, you make a nice couple", they say
The two thank them for the nice complement. As they go out of the convention center, Akiko says to him,
"See, I told you. They didn't bite at all. Quit being worried at least for a second or two."
Kota nods and silence erupts for a while. Akiko then says,
"Btw, thank you for coming with me to comic con. It was nice to be here with you."
"No, thank you for making me have this experience. Maybe next year, we could do this again", he says.
Akiko then leans to his ear, and kisses him on the cheeks.
"Oh God, that doesn't really get old", says Kota as he chuckles while blushing to her.
"You really do make a cute Hashira", she says.
"Oh sheesh, you too", he says back to her.
Akiko then realizes the kiss mark on his cheeks are discernible. She panics and fixes it with a handkerchief.
"Yow, that was a close one. Having your mother know you have a special someone—I think you already know what I'm talking about, lol", she says.
By hearing this Kota laughs it off. They then go hangout for a bit and went thereafter.