The G-Star day was fast approaching. Honestly, it was only a few days away, but I found myself realizing it was the day before.
We decided to gather at Nicang’s house to try on our cosplay outfits before we set off.
Yes, it’s “us.”
“Why do I have to…?”
Next to me, a familiar-looking woman muttered quietly as she brushed her hair aside. She was a petite creature, about a hand’s width shorter than me, giving off a cute, small animal vibe.
It was Riri.
Unlike usual, her hair was strikingly dyed a bright yellow. It wasn’t that her real hair was permanently dyed; after all, you can’t change your hair color just for cosplay.
Of course, the world is full of all sorts of people. According to Nicang, some even go so far as to dye their hair and diet to sculpt their bodies for proper cosplay. But that wasn’t our plan; we were just casually enjoying cosplay.
Riri’s lifelike yellow hair was fake. Or rather, it would be more accurate to call it a wig. However, the quality was such that it didn’t look cheap or poorly made. It matched quite well with Theodora’s shining blonde hair.
Since I already knew it was a wig, I noticed it right away; otherwise, I wouldn’t have realized at all.
Wigs nowadays are so good, you can’t even tell— I thought as I reassured Riri.
“It’d be nice to go to G-Star together, right?”
“Going together is fine, but…”
I guess it was a bit awkward to be doing cosplay too. I understood that feeling; I felt it myself.
Bringing Riri into this was purely my own decision. Just like how I was dragged along by Nicang, I brought her along like an anchor.
It was a strategic choice. Remembering the cosplay team I met at the Abyss Pro League last time, I realized one thing.
The more people there are, the less embarrassing it is. Since there are at least three of us, the attention is distributed, and beyond that, I felt mentally more at ease. It’s like that buff you get.
Why, the bold things you do in school tend to feel less daunting when you’re with friends. Like getting on the festival stage that you would never dare to do alone. It’s a similar logic.
Sure, Riri’s dignity might suffer a bit, but that was not my concern. She’s not a kid; she must have accepted the proposal with that in mind. Of course, I was grateful, and I plan to treat her even better in the future.
It’s not something to worry about. They wouldn’t have accepted the suggestion if they weren’t bothered by it. Of course, I’m not ungrateful; I plan to treat them better in the future.
“So, Dahee is cosplaying as Theodora, right? I’m Camilla.”
“Why’s that?”
Ah, does this guy really not know?
“According to the story, Camilla and Theodora are the closest of friends. Camilla, who only knows how to dance, has very few close heroes, and among them, only Theodora would teach her how to dance.”
“Hmm, I see. As expected, Mun Ah knows everything about Camilla!”
However, Riri didn’t seem to be paying much attention to my story. She was responding absentmindedly while looking in the mirror, as if she had half-listened and let it slide.
I meant to imply that we were close friends like Camilla and Theodora, but maybe I had talked too much about Camilla and she was just tired of it.
“I’m ready now! You two aren’t feeling uncomfortable or anything, right?”
At that moment, Nicang walked out after changing into her cosplay outfit.
She seemed to know a lot about cosplay because she started by helping Riri and me get ready before she started her own.
But I couldn’t hide my slight disappointment when I saw Nicang’s appearance.
She had a wig on and seemed to be wearing contacts, but the outfit was just so ordinary.
It was a black basic dress with white fabric around the neck and shoulders. The clothes were so baggy they looked like she was wrapped in a sack.
What Nicang was wearing was nothing more than a common nun’s outfit. It captured the battle nun aspect of Calliope well. A cross that could be called Calliope’s identity hung around her neck.
To be honest, the synchronicity was high for the cosplay, but the reason I found it plain was different.
“Isn’t it too plain?”
“The Calliope outfit is a nun’s habit, so there’s not much to embellish.”
That’s not what I meant. I was thinking that even if it’s a common nun’s outfit, a cosplay would have something a little tighter fitting or have slits like a cheongsam. Maybe a bit of skin showing and some flesh tones mixed in.
“This… this is lewd! Cosplay isn’t supposed to be like that! What do you think cosplay is?”
“You seem a bit scratched…,” Riri murmured from the side, as if to prove her point. Nicang launched into a long tirade about the aesthetics of cosplay.
As if to prove that what I muttered was true, Nicang launched into a lengthy speech about the aesthetics of cosplay.
“But just searching for cosplay brings up these scandalous outfits. Just look at how the algorithm is suggesting sexy event looks!”
“There are so many pretty people….”
“Ugh…”
Showing them the results of my cosplay search made Riri gasp, while Nicang fumed.
I may have only a hint of cosplay experience, but looking at me now, that’s hard to believe.
After being forcefully countered, Nicang fell silent for a moment before pointing at me and continuing.
“Well then, Kayak should have chosen a more revealing outfit. I was going to do Snowflake Queen Camilla, but opted for the basic skin… Want me to change it now?”
“O…”
Nicang raised her voice, and Riri’s eyes sparkled as she looked me up and down.
Snowflake Queen Camilla—the skin Nicang mentioned—boasts a high level of exposure even in the Abyss. The basic look itself is underboob with leggings so tight that they seem designed for attention.
I briefly imagined myself cosplaying as Snowflake Queen Camilla. It wasn’t hard; just thinking of the Snowflake Queen Camilla skin was enough.
If I were alone, I might manage it somehow, but wearing that while walking around G-Star…
“I was wrong… Looks like everyone is ready, so we can go like this.”
“Hey, hey, behave yourself, Kayak. Mess up and I might just rip it off you.”
“Kayak’s basic look is revealing enough; you can’t take more off…”
A swift declaration of surrender.
With Riri chiming in from the side, we set out.
*
Unfortunately, none of us owned a car. Objectively judging, we were all streamers making decent money, so it wasn’t like we lacked the funds. I wondered if I should have gotten a car just for occasions like this.
“It’s a bit inconvenient, but taking the train like this has its romance, doesn’t it?”
“That’s true.”
We opted for public transport, specifically the train, since we needed to get from Seoul to Busan anyway.
In the meantime, I felt curious glances directed our way. It must be because of these outfits. Camilla’s basic look is what you’d call a Western-style blouse—flowy attire with buttons fastened all the way to just below the neck.
Riri and Nicang planned to change outfits upon arrival at the venue. Unlike me, they had a lot to prepare, and their clothes were quite uncomfortable to move in.
“It’s a bit uncomfortable to move in these clothes.”
“I’m a bit embarrassed…”
“You only changed clothes and you’re embarrassed? Me and Nicang are going to wear wigs and lenses!”
“That’s true, at this level… it’s unusual for now, but once we get there, it’s basically casual wear. Because of cosplay, the more you try to mimic something, the weirder it can get.”
Well, considering my situation, I’m not doing too bad. Compared to those two, I didn’t struggle much with my outfit, and the only thing I feel is a slight tightness in my chest.
At least the fabric is decent, so nothing is really bothering me. No itchiness or loose ends that might get caught on something.
“It’s custom-made, so it’s technically a high-end product.”
“So, what’s the price…?”
That was a natural question that followed. Nicang responded that since it was someone she knew, she didn’t charge too much, but it was still quite expensive.
It’s possible to do cosplay on a budget, but Nicang is the type to be satisfied with a high sync rate, so she spent a bit. Looking at what she shows, it’s clear that the higher the price, the better the quality.
As we chatted, we munched on the kimbap I had bought earlier and enjoyed the travel vibe, discussing various things about cosplay and asking about G-Star. Since we were all streamers, the audio was lively.
Slowly, time passed, and people boarded the train at the stops along the way.
Among the passengers, some were heavily made up or dragging their suitcases, clearly headed for the same destination. We recognized each other and exchanged slight nods, with some even asking me for autographs.
There were some who really stood out, dressed in such well-known costumes that everyone on the train could recognize them. Naturally, the eyes of those inside the train were drawn to them.
It would typically be common to change once we arrive, but there they were, completely unbothered by anyone’s gaze.
At this moment, Nicang tapped my shoulder and said, “You said I was doing okay, right?”
“Yeah.”
Indeed, as she pointed out. Even before we arrived, this was the level we were at. Even a few people who weren’t in cosplay were taken aback by the sight of others in the train.
Inside, I was just a woman1 in unique fashion, looking very much like Camilla. Some might even say I looked plain.
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