It was only then that I realized — the loud roar of the hairdryer from the bathroom had stopped.

Rinka came rushing out, hair wild and messy like some ghost straight out of the horror movie we watched yesterday.

She grabbed Liuliuzi’s hand just as she was trying to undo her buttons and slammed it onto her chest. Liuliuzi let out a soft, pleasant “Ah~” from the pain and collapsed into the plush filled sofa.

"I was just drying my hair for a bit — how did Liuliu turn into a girl all of a sudden?! Kai-chan, what the hell are you doing?!"

Rinka glared at me as if she was about to shoot flames from her eyes. If she hadn’t been holding Liuliuzi down, I’m sure she would’ve punched me right there.

"Well, obviously, it's because she’s sexier... after becoming a girl. Uh, I mean sentimental!¹"

"Oh? And?"

"Aren’t you curious how Old Yan really feels about you?" I whispered into her ear. Rinka’s cheeks flushed a pretty pink, and she huffed, "Mind your own business. Even if Liuliu hadn’t turned into a girl, I already know what’s going on in her head."

Pinned under Rinka, Liuliuzi struggled a bit, but realizing she couldn’t get free, she surrendered.

"Fine, I won’t take it off. Now will you let me go?"

"Nope! You’re coming with me to change into something safer. That outfit’s way too dangerous."

Still gripping Liuliuzi’s hand tightly, Rinka yanked her off the sofa and started dragging her toward the bedroom. Before they disappeared inside, she turned and threatened me:

"If you dare peek or eavesdrop, you're the next to be wearing the dress!"

After hearing that, I immediately straightened up on the sofa, nodding obediently.

Why does everyone want to shove me into women's clothes? Even Rinka’s fallen to temptation… I found myself missing the sweet little angel Rinka used to be.

When they came back, Liuliuzi had changed into a silver-gray silk dress with a small V-neck and soft, puffy lantern sleeves — a very modest style. The dress was long, but from the knees down, it had flowing tassels that danced with each step, giving glimpses of her smooth, fair calves like a shy girl-next-door.

Of course, given her perpetually blank expression, I doubted she even knew what "shyness" meant.

She stepped out without a hint of emotion, but once behind the coffee table, she made a slow turn, the silver-gray skirt blooming like a flower.

"Chang Kai, how do I look?"

"You look great! Rinka has good taste as always, it really suits you."

"Compared to not wearing anything?"

"...Huh?"

The question caught me off guard. Rinka frowned and leered at me suspiciously. Realizing I needed to salvage this, I quickly spoke louder:

"Of course it's better with clothes! One of the main purposes of clothing is to make people look even better, right?"

I said it on purpose, knowing Rinka was listening.

She seemed satisfied, sighing and letting go of her fiery aura, dragging Liuliuzi back to sit on the sofa.

"You know, Kai-chan, you have to be that so-called divine emissary of the God of Bishoujo, right?"

Still with that theory, huh...

"I swear I'm not. It really is someone else, all the moonstones I have were gifts from her."

Liuliuzi picked up the moonstone I had handed her earlier and asked, "This one still expires at midnight?"

That reminded me — if it wore off tonight, Liuliuzi wouldn’t be able to join the cosplay event tomorrow. I fished another moonstone from my pocket and tossed it over.

"Now it lasts until tomorrow night at twelve."

"... (glare)"
Even Liuliuzi, usually stone-faced, looked like she couldn’t hold it in anymore.

"You’re way too casual about this... And seriously, how many of these do you have?! Just admit it — you're the emissary!" Rinka questioned once again.

"These stones don’t even work on me. If I was really the emissary, it would be impossible that I can’t receive the blessing myself right?"

Honestly, that excuse even sounded convincing to myself.

"Who knows? Maybe you secretly transform at home..."

Transform into what, exactly? Admiring myself in the mirror?

"Tell you what — next time I meet the real divine emissary, I’ll take a photo for you."

Rinka stared at me suspiciously, even sniffing the air like she could somehow smell if I was lying.

One lie patched with another... I had a bad feeling I was digging myself into a deeper hole.

"Wait — you said the transformation lasts until tomorrow night?"

Liuliuzi suddenly cut in, rarely, frowning slightly.

"I was planning to go to the CP convention tomorrow. I already bought my ticket... I wanted to visit the Lilim Publishing booth."

"Just go in your girl form," Rinka said lightly. "Or... are you meeting someone?"

"Yeah, a friend," Liuliuzi nodded. "Remember that guy who drove us back from Water World? That Brother Feng Wu?"

"Ohh! His sister's the author of Dreamlike Fragrance!"

Actually, he is the author himself... but I wasn't about to explain that just yet.

Besides, I hadn’t expected Liuliuzi to be meeting Mai-chan. This morning at the Feng’s house, she hadn’t mentioned anything.

If Liuliuzi went tomorrow cosplaying, she’d definitely go visit Lilim Publishing’s booth for the signing, and probably end up buying a signed copy too. Tomorrow was going to be... interesting.

"Sorry," I said. "Maybe just message him and cancel?"

"I guess that's the only option."

Yan Liuzhuan was someone who took his promises seriously. I genuinely felt a little guilty.

Still, Mai-chan would probably cancel on her first anyway. I’d just have Cangyu pass a message along later. That way Liuliuzi wouldn’t feel so bad.

After all, mutual flaking is still a kind of connection.

"Actually," I added, "there’s one more thing I was hoping you could help with."

"What is it?"

"I was originally going to ask Rinka, but for this... you’re more suitable."

"Huh? Liuliuzi’s more suitable than me?"

"I’ve been helping to set up a booth at the CP event all morning. But now they’re short three cosplayers. I already found two, but we’re still one short. Could you fill in?"

"What kind of character? Uh... will I be wearing clothes?"

What the hell kind of question is that? Of course you’ll be wearing clothes!

What do you think this is — a hentai booth?!

"Obviously you’ll be clothed. Here — look." I pulled a flyer for Magical Girl Paradise from my bag — the same ones Wu Qinglan handed out in the underground shopping district.

"Wait a second," Rinka interrupted, predictably. "Why Liuliu? I have way more cosplay experience! Practically half my life has been spent cosplaying as the ideal perfect girl, you know!"

You call that cosplay?

“But you know, Rinka…” I picked up the flyer and tapped on the five magical girls, each with distinct looks and personalities. “Not a single one of them is flat-chested, you know?”

Rinka was momentarily speechless, her mouth hanging open like she’d just swallowed a fly.

“…Does the divine emissary have any way to, uh, give me a little boost in the chest department?”

I thought of Xiao Lei and couldn’t help but smile wryly.

“If she really could do that, she wouldn’t be so flat herself. You at least have a little curve—she’s an actual ironing board. Touching her chest might leave your hand bruised… Not that I’ve ever touched it, of course!”

Rinka turned to the side and covered her chest, feigning outrage. “Wow! Talking so seriously about a girl’s chest... Kai-chan, you’re seriously the worst!”

“Ahem, well, you still pretty much look like your old self. And your chest is still kind of flat, so sometimes I forget you’re technically a girl now.”

“That's so mean!” Rinka actually seemed kind of mad.

I turned back to Liuliuzi.

"Then can Old Yan help out? If not, I’ll have to trouble Rinka to stuff in some padding."

"I am not stuffing anything! But this scythe-wielding magical girl really does suit Liuliu—just braid her hair a bit and she won’t even need a wig, right?"

"I get it. I’ll help," Liuliuzi said, a rare, faint smile appearing on her usually blank face.

"I still haven’t properly thanked you, after all."

...

"You really do look beautiful when you smile."