Vol 1 Chapter 21 – President Takahashi’s True Feelings

“So, I wanted to ask your advice, President Takahashi. Should I accept the offer for the photobook?”

After the photoshoot at the cosplay area, we left the convention.

There was still plenty of time before my curfew, so we all came to a family restaurant.

While ordering some light snacks to go with the drink bar, I asked President Takahashi my question.

Should I take Tsukishima-san up on her offer and do a photobook?

“Um, well. Honestly, as long as the costume isn’t too revealing, I think it would be fine. But that’s just, you know, my personal opinion.”

That’s the “personal opinion” I want to hear.

The one I value more than anything.

I’m anxious to hear President Takahashi’s judgment.

“Kajiwara-kun, if I were to say I was against it, would you really stop?”

“Well, yeah, I would. If you told me to make this my one and only time cosplaying, President, then that’s what I’d do.”

“Huh? Really?”

The president looked at me, her eyes wide with surprise.

Yep, really.

Besides, it’s not like I’m that attached to cosplaying.

It was definitely fun to try, but when it comes down to it, that’s all it was.

President Takahashi and the rest of the Modern Culture Research Club are the ones who brought me this far.

“I don’t think you should ever forget why you started. I cosplayed to help promote the doujinshi, not to be fawned over.”

“But you did enjoy the cosplay itself, right?”

“Oh, absolutely.”

It’s true that I enjoyed it.

But that’s not the point.

Originally, I was just happy if I could be of use to the Modern Culture Research Club that so warmly welcomed me.

My contribution as a club member > cosplay. That’s the order of priority.

I have no intention of getting that twisted or misunderstanding my place.

“Ah, Kajiwara-kun. Just so you know, as an acquaintance, Tsukishima-san is a pretty trustworthy person. I don’t think anything weird would happen. But of course, before you get Chihiro’s permission, you won’t be able to publish a photobook without your parents’ permission anyway.”

Toudou-san chimed in, adding a bit of supplementary information.

“Well, that’s true, but…”

I was already planning on checking with my mom.

But President Takahashi comes first.

It’s just… well.

If she thought I was some ungrateful jerk who’d forgotten his place as a club member, I wouldn’t be able to stand it.

…?

Why am I so incredibly concerned about whether President Takahashi dislikes me or not?

“…”

I took a sip of the melon soda I’d gotten from the drink bar.

I tried to pin down where my own will was in all of this.

It’s not that I’m leaving the decision to others.

It might look like I’m relying on the president’s judgment, but it’s different from that.

I want to hear how the president judges my actions.

“I wouldn’t want to cosplay if it meant you’d hate me for it.”

After some serious thought, I arrived at my answer and spoke my true feelings aloud.

For some reason, Emma-san gasped, her eyes darting to President Takahashi’s face.

“Ah, no. I mean, I’m really happy to hear you say that. Um, what should I do?”

President Takahashi seemed at a loss for words, as if my declaration had caught in her throat.

Segawa-san, sitting next to me, was staring intently at the president.

For some reason, her gaze felt strangely affectionate.

“It’s hard to know what to do when you put it like that. I… well, if you’re telling me your honest feelings, Kajiwara-kun, then I’ll tell you mine. It might sound strange, but I’d want you to keep it within the scope of our club activities.”

“Within the scope of club activities?”

“I guess I wouldn’t want you to go somewhere beyond our reach. No, I know I’m being really selfish, I really do.”

Fidgeting, President Takahashi answered while nervously turning her coffee spoon in her hands.

“It’s just… this is selfish, but I’d hate it if you became a famous cosplayer, got busy, and then quit the Modern Culture Research Club, Kajiwara-kun. I’d hate it if we couldn’t do club activities together anymore. I want us to keep working the booth at events, doing doujin activities, playing card games in the clubroom, and just having fun together. Is that a bad answer?”

“You said it! Chihiro! That’s what it means to be a woman!!”

Pat. Toudou-san clapped President Takahashi’s shoulder.

She was looking at her with an adoring gaze, like she was watching Bambi finally learning to stand.

As for me, I was just genuinely happy to hear President Takahashi’s true feelings.

She wants to keep doing club activities and having fun with me.

That’s what she thinks.

“…Thank you.”

“No, it’s, uh, just my own selfish thought. If you seriously want to pursue being a cosplayer, Kajiwara-kun, that’s fine too. I’ll support you, I promise.”

“I don’t have the slightest intention of doing that, so please don’t worry.”

For my part, I’m completely satisfied now that I’ve heard the answer I wanted.

That’s right, I just wanted President Takahashi’s approval.

I wanted her to tell me, as a fellow otaku we hang out with, not to go off somewhere else.

That’s all.

…Wait, are my feelings a little intense?

I feel like I’m developing a borderline obsessive attachment to President Takahashi.

“I want to do exactly what you said, President. So, should I turn down the photobook offer?”

“No, I think it’s fine for you to do it. Cosplay is a perfectly respectable doujin activity, you know. If Tsukishima-san is handling all the promotion, advertising, and distribution, it won’t be much of a burden on you. It could be a really good memory, don’t you think?”

I guess that’s true.

Alright, let’s do it.

There’s just one more person I need to get permission from.

“Kajiwara-kun, think you can persuade your mother?”

Toudou-san asked.

Hmm, I wonder.

My mother is the type of person who won’t say anything as long as I act with confidence, but I have no idea how she’ll react if I tell her I’m putting out a cosplay photobook.

“I don’t know. I think it’ll probably be fine, but… I haven’t even told my mom I was cosplaying in the first place.”

“Is that going to be okay?”

“Well, I was just wearing a white dress shirt, a tie, and suspenders—a gentlemanly outfit. I don’t think she can say much about the costume being too revealing or anything.”

It’ll probably be fine.

Yeah, probably.

That’s my conclusion.

“By the way, Kajiwara-kun. Now that things seem to be settled, there’s something I have to tell you.”

“What is it?”

Suddenly, Segawa-san looked at me with a serious expression.

She thrust her smartphone at me, telling me to look at the screen.

I obediently focused my eyes on it.

“…It’s going viral?”

“It’s going viral.”

It was Tsukishima-san’s social media account.

Apparently, after she uploaded the photos, they had been shared widely across the internet.

It seemed my cosplay was a huge hit.

But so what?

“Isn’t that a good thing?”

“Well, it is, but… and having our circle get recognized through all of this is a really, really good thing, but…”

What is Segawa-san trying to say?

As I tilted my head in confusion, my smartphone rang.

It was a call from my mom.

“Hello?”

“Ichirou, a cosplay photo of you just showed up on my social media feed, and it looks like it’s being spread all over the world.”

“What about it?”

Just like Segawa-san, my mom seems to have something to say.

What on earth is it?

“Is anyone there with you?”

I slowly looked around me.

There were indeed people with me.

The members of the Modern Culture Research Club.

“I’m at a family restaurant with everyone from the Modern Culture Research Club.”

“Let me speak to your president.”

“Huh? Why?”

President Takahashi must have overheard the call, as she nodded as if steeling herself for something.

“Kajiwara-kun, please let me take it. I’ll explain the situation to your mother.”

“Wait, is something wrong?”

“I guess there’s the question of my responsibility as the club president for her precious son getting into cosplay without her knowledge and having his pictures spread all over the internet… a little, maybe? Hello, um, it’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Takahashi Chihiro, the club president. Yes. I’m good friends with your son, Kajiwara-kun.”

Muttering this, she gently placed her hand on mine and took the smartphone.

Watching her, I thought for a moment.

It’s not like I wore a revealing cosplay or anything, so is this really such a big deal? I thought—before deciding that, no matter what, I would tell my mom as soon as I got home that the president was not to blame for anything.