Chapter 65: Cosplay

After-school boys and girls taking purikura… this is peak youth. And the partner? A clingy, adorable childhood friend? Normally, this’d be a core memory for life.

“Look! They rent costumes here! Wow! This maid outfit’s crazy cute, right?”
“Yeah, suits you.”
“Mooou, Kogorou! You wanna turn me into your personal maid and force me into kinky power-play scenarios, don’t you?”

But thanks to the curse, this’ll be a core memory for all the wrong reasons. A literal curse. Even if I break it someday and date a normal girl, today’s trauma will flashback every time I blink. Whatever’s coming? It’s gonna scar.

“…Rental’s 100 yen. Hah. Shockingly reasonable.”
“Whoa! Wallet-friendly! Let’s try everything! So? You do wanna force me into submission, right? “Resist, and I’ll tell your dad to fire you!”—then make me “voluntarily” strip while I “struggle”? Ahem, the struggle’s purely roleplay! I’d never reject you, but forced submission? Chef’s kiss. Right? Right? Why’re you ignoring my flirting to talk money? You’re not a housewife! …I’ll be the housewife! I’ll control your stomach, salary, and that bag down there. Ah, not literally grabbing—except that bag. Won’t crush your guts, but your body’ll reject any food not cooked by me! Critical plan! Some delulu bimbo who thinks “I can fry an egg = wifey material” might stalk you! So, eat another girl’s cooking? Instant vomit till your stomach’s sukkaran! But how…? Classic Pavlovian method: gut-punch or finger-down-throat! Hmm… but hurting you’s sad. Anyway! Purikura time! C’mon, let’s hit the changing room!”

This is what ignoring her for 0.5 seconds gets me. Silver lining? I’ve uncovered her body-horror plans. Escape ideas? Zero.

Wait—stop dragging me! Clerk’s coming! Do something!

“U-um, the changing room is for one… Aah! N-never mind! Take your time!”

Useless! What face did she make?! Don’t fold to a high schooler, you grown-ass man!

“Hey, clerk-san! Can guys wear these?”
“………………………………Yes.”

That’s 100% against policy. Enjoy your firing. “A teen girl glared” isn’t a valid excuse!

“Kaede. “Women Only.” Giant letters.”
“Clerk-san said yes!”

He surrendered, not approved! His soul left his body mid-answer!

But whatever. Clerk caved, so I’ll roll with it. Dignity? Dead. Cops not involved? Good enough.

Crossdress resistance? Please. I’ve been diapered and photographed hairless. Cosplay’s whatever.

My outfit? A smock—toddler-core. Probably meant for janitors. At least it’s not a slutty qipao.

Kaede’s a miniskirt cop. Basic. This arcade’s too normie for wild costumes.

Shockingly, the changing room stayed PG. Prepped for worse, but… we just changed. Normally.

…Nothing happening is what’s got me worked up. Damn my lower half’s impeccable timing.

“Alright, announcing our first scenario!”
“…Sure.”

W-well, cosplay purikura needs scenarios, right? Totally normal. Please let this be normal.

“Hey, Kogorou’s playing a toddler here. A leather-wrapped toddler. Well, you’ve always been a fake adult anyway. Get my drift?”
“…Respond… right?”
“Correct! Gold star!”

Thanks, Committee Chair. Your babyplay trauma helped me decode Kaede’s nonsense. Never doing that again.

“First shot: “Naughty Toddler Harasses Flustered Policewoman.” Cool?”
“…Yep!”

Common trope, but the specifics are killing me. Half-hearted acting won’t fly—but how far do I go? “Naughty toddler mischief” should be innocent, right? Kids don’t know limits, but they’re not pervs. But Kaede’ll rage if I hold back…

“H-heya!”

I flipped her skirt. Toddler-level prank. Safe?

“Kyaaa!”

…So that’s okay? No scolding = success?

“Heeey! No bad!”

Whoa, she’s committed. Gestures on point. But what was that pause…?

“S-sowwy…”

Why are we doing this inside the purikura booth? We haven’t even paid yet.

“Sigh… Kogorou. Are you even trying?”
“Huh?! I’m trying!”

What’s wrong with my acting? Expecting Oscar-level from an amateur? Rude.

“Listen. You’re a toddler. You flipped my skirt, I screamed—now you’d celebrate, right? Proud of your mischief!”
“…Sure…? Maybe?”
“And when I scold you, you’d keep tugging my skirt, right?”

Depends on the kid! Some toddlers crumble at a glare!

“Then when I guard my skirt, you’d grab my boobs next! Toddlers do that!”
“Th-they do…?”

Since when do toddlers have horny instincts?!

“Just attack harder! We can’t move to the next scenario otherwise!”
“Next scenario…?”
“Don’t worry about it! Inserting coins now. Don’t mess up.”

…This’ll take forever. Or worse—get us banned.

“H-hyah!”

Gotta commit. Half-effort = Kaede extending this into eternity. Literally.

“Eek!”

…She’s not acting. Why’s this the thing making her blush?

“Eh-hehehe!”

I grinned like an idiot while yanking her skirt. Rental outfit, but if I’m too gentle? Worse punishment. Pulled just shy of tearing it.

“S-stop iiiit!”
“Noooope!”