Chapter 1 – The Revolution of the Moon and the Stars

AINZMARZO 29, 20220 COMMENTS

In my class, we have a classmate exaggeratedly dubbed the Ice Empress. 

Hoshino Shiori. She had reached the top of the school’s social hierarchy just a few days after her admission.

Before the Ice Empress’ rise to fame, the one at the top was dubbed the Prince, a third-year high school student.

The Prince is so handsomely sweet and trendy that he could even make girls melt. He was even featured in a magazine. As a result, the people who gaze upon him frequently do double-takes.

However, what brought the Prince unhappiness was the fact that Hoshino Shiori is an active model.

The difference between them was unmistakably obvious. An amateur and a professional. Despite this, the Prince didn’t want to yield to her.

　

He had a secret up his sleeve—he just had to make her, the Ice Empress, his.

As a result, his reputation will be bolstered further due to his relationship with a model. The Prince did his best to woo Shiori.

However, the Prince wasn’t the only one that came up with such an immature plan. It wasn’t such a novel idea since the Soccer Club’s Commander, the Track and Field Club’s Pegasus, the Student Council’s Chevalier, the Fallen Angel at the back of the school building, and many others, competed for Shiori’s attention.

For Shiori’s suitors to sit atop the summit of the high school social hierarchy, they would only need to succeed in capturing her heart. However, their efforts were unsurprisingly in vain as Shiori completely ignored their advances.

Ultimately, even the grandiose actions and subtle approaches of Shiori’s suitors were meaningless, as Shiori spared no effort in brushing them off.

To no one’s surprise, Shiori’s suitors became disheartened, giving up on reaching the apex of the school’s social hierarchy with such a method. As a consequence, the boys in this school never tried to talk to her again.

Soon after, the Newspaper Club gave her the title, Ice Empress. It went without saying that no man has ever caught a glimpse of her smile.

She is feared by the boys, but on the contrary, admired by the girls.

Shiori has a habit of wearing a fresh outfit every day—an outfit different from the one she had worn the previous day.

Since the girls devotedly revered Shiori, they imitated her. It was not an understatement to say that Hoshino Shiori, herself, is a living fashion trend.

That day, Hoshino Shiori elegantly entered the classroom as if she was performing in a fashion show.

Wearing a light overcoat, she carried herself with such confidence as she walked towards her friends, much like a fresh spring breeze.

Within her mature coat, though unexpected, she wore a sporty sweatshirt. She also wore a plaid shirt, its collar and hem poking out from underneath her sweatshirt, which exquisitely accented her outfit.

Upon seeing her, the girls expressed opinions like ‘that’s so cool…’ and ‘that’s so cute…,’ though, their praises muddled together almost incoherently.

I understood why the girls had different perceptions regarding Hoshino Shiori’s outfit since I could see how it’s both cool and cute.

—Good morning, everyone. — Hoshino Shiori greeted.

Upon saying this, she smiled and approached a circle of popular girls as they returned her greeting.

Accompanied by the guys in my unpopular friend group, we gazed at Hoshino-san’s figure.

—The Empress is cool and cute today, too… — murmured Naoya.

I nodded in agreement. I get the feeling that Hoshino-san always does a great job at mixing different fashion elements.

Say, if she wore an outfit made up of only cute clothes, then she would come off as too flirtatious.

On the other hand, if she wore a tomboyish outfit made up of only cool clothes, then she would come off as standoffish, making her hard to approach.

In the first place, her base specs are already high so it would be wholly unnatural if she went for either of the outfit styles I’ve mentioned. That must be why she mixes different elements to achieve a sort of balance in her outfits.

So, I secretly wondered. If she tried cosplay, what would happen…?

What if such a beauty wore clothes out of a fantasy world instead of her usual everyday clothing? I was convinced, without a shadow of a doubt, that she’d shine with blinding radiance.

—Sigh. I’m too afraid to fantasize about getting along with the Empress as it is, even more so when she’s that beautiful…

That’s what my friend, Kitajima Shoutoku, quietly muttered.

Shoutoku is the kind of otaku who has already discarded his desires for three-dimensional girls. He’s on the chubbier side in terms of physique much like the Buddha, and he always wears a gentle smile. He’s an all-around decent guy.

Though, like all people, it’s not as if he’s immune to feeling frustration. More often than not, he explodes in fury when his gacha pulls don’t go his way. 

Within the crevices of my mind, I was truly astounded by the selfish delusion that I had about Hoshino Shiori.

Whenever I catch a glimpse of an attractive girl, I can’t help but make them cosplay in my mind; it just so happened that it was Hoshino Shiori this time.

It’s a bad habit of mine that nobody else knew, born from my being a cosplay geek.

—Well, if you really want to befriend a girl, it’d probably be better to pick from the girls who are slightly less attractive, since they’ll be easier to approach. — I reasoned.

—Hehehe… — Naoya snickered slyly.

Naoya, Shoutoku, and I frequently spend our time as a group of three. In the classroom, I’m an unremarkably ordinary otaku who likes anime, manga, games, and light novels. I’m very sure that other people view me like this as well.

I hid my real hobby—one that I am truly devoted to—from my friends.

Making my stepsister do cosplay as my raison d’être—such a rumor about an intriguing and peculiar hobby like this would instantly make its way through every student in the school. 

Nobody will likely understand nor sympathize with such a hobby in the first place.

Nothing good will come from revealing your most treasured hobbies. Doing so would be akin to putting a target on your back, voluntarily making yourself an object of ridicule just because you’re devoted to what you love. 

—By the way, I’ve been thinking that it’s time for us to start wearing casual clothes instead of our boring uniforms! — Naoya said abruptly.

—…Eh? — I uttered, dumbfounded.

As if this was his cue to explain, Naoya began to speak extravagantly.

—As we all know by now, here in Youhou High School, one’s stylishness is inherently linked to fighting power—assertiveness, individuality, and consequently, social hierarchical position! Wearing a standard-issue uniform is like forfeiting the match before it even started—simply put, a loss by default!

—So, you’re saying that by wearing uniforms, we’re ignoring the prospect of climbing the school’s social hierarchical ladder? — I replied. 

Shoutoku also nodded, agreeing with my statement.

—I think we shouldn’t force ourselves to become someone we’re not. Isn’t it fine to continue living in a way that’s appropriate for introverted people like us? — remarked Shoutoku, before abruptly shifting to another topic. — By the way, wasn’t last night’s Cosmic Lyrical Angel Luna & Stella episode great?

—Right!? That episode was great… — I exclaimed, involuntarily leaning my body forward.

—Luna and Stella, upon borrowing the power of the moon and stars, transformed into angels and soared through space to prevent the Cosmic Massacre ~Megaton Meteor~ from eradicating humanity on Earth…

—The Cosmic Death Army’s new mobile robot models were approaching…!

—The elements of a great old-fashioned space opera and the magical girl subgenre are mixed to form a solid plot—exactly the kind of anime that tugs on us otakus’ heartstrings…!

Continuing our passionate discussion about the episode, I contorted my body to portray Luna’s signature pose and Shoutoku mimicked a mobile robot. It was a fun little performance.

—Stop! — shrieked Naoya, interrupting my conversation with Shoutoku.

—Aren’t you two embarrassed, doing these signature poses in front of everyone!? Also, quit talking about late-night anime in the classroom, you filthy otakus!

—Nobody really cares about us. Ah, yesterday, those extroverts were strangely fixated on discussing milk tea. D’you wanna grab milk tea later, Shoutoku? No, actually, let’s definitely get milk tea.

Upon hearing my invitation, Shoutoku chuckled, his expressive face resembling the Buddha’s.

—Fufu, what’s so funny about my invitation? — I asked.

—I didn’t laugh at your invitation! I laughed at you! The milk tea fad’s old news! — Shoutoku cried out.

—Really!? I had no idea… 

—Jeez. You guys are hopeless… — Naoya sighed in exasperation.

Upon getting over my dejection over the milk tea fad, I decided to glance around the classroom.

Unsurprisingly, my classmates had shown no signs of paying attention to our otaku chat earlier since they were so absorbed in their own conversations with their own friend groups.

Just as I was pondering about my classmates’ indifference, I locked eyes with someone. I unwittingly met Hoshino Shiori’s intriguing gaze. 

Without warning, her lips curled into a slight smile.

The Hoshino-san smiled as if she had been listening to our passionate otaku chat…

…Was the Ice Empress the kind of person who could smile like that?

—Stop bringing up unrelated topics! I didn’t want to talk about anime, I wanted to talk about fashion…! I’ve decided; let’s buy some new clothes after school! — Naoya declared.

Upon seeing the fierce look on his face, I had to hear him out.

—What brought this on so suddenly? — I asked.

—It’s not ‘sudden’ at all. We’re changing seats on Monday, right?

Changing seats—it’s an event that creates an opportunity to make more friends! Basically, it’s like a free gacha campaign.

So that’s the reason for the need to wear casual clothes instead of a uniform… It’d probably help in making friends easier; it all makes sense now.

—Though, it’s not that simple since we will inevitably have to fight a cruel battle with the extroverts.

Hmm, a battle of fashion wherein stylishness = fighting power… This is a troublesome concept that we introverts will be forced to deal with. Once we make eye contact, we can’t escape.

Oddly enough, the extroverts in the school immediately talk about each other’s fashion styles when they meet. On the surface, it looks like they just want to chat, but their pride is actually at stake. There are only two outcomes of such conversations: either ‘that’s great!’ or ‘that’s lame.’

It’s common knowledge in this school that the students who wear uniforms are unfashionable; they lost the match before they even participated. Once you’ve been labeled as someone tacky, it’d be a pipe dream to climb to the upper caste of fashionable people.

I call this terrible custom the ‘Fashion Dominance Battle.’

—Sure, we can show off our new clothes, but the people we talk to will be the deciding factor. — Shoutoku reasoned, smiling bitterly.

Sigh. He has a point…

—Well, there’s indeed nobody else we could invite to buy clothes, but we can’t go buy fashionable clothes by ourselves. We’re not exactly what you’d call ‘fashionable’ in the first place, right? — I added.

—Ugh. — Naoya blurted dejectedly.

I don’t really see what’s wrong with our uniforms in the first place. I have little to no idea about fashion, but I can at least differentiate what looks good and what doesn’t.

Here in Youhou High School, we had navy blue blazers, gray slacks for guys, and gray skirts for girls. Our uniforms were made of a mix of wool and nylon, so their texture and firmness felt pleasant to the touch.

Since the uniform was also made by a famous designer, there’s absolutely nothing to criticize about it.

If I were to make this kind of clothing on my own, who knows how much money it would cost just to buy the materials…?

Rather than the thin, casual outfits worn by sociable people, aren’t our uniforms of much higher quality?

In the first place, how many people can even stylishly wear this ‘costume’ of a uniform?

—Naoya, have you ever worn ironed clothes during your stay in this school so far? — I suspiciously eyed Naoya’s uniform.

—Eh? — uttered Naoya, seemingly bewildered by my question.

—These slacks are only nicely finished when they’ve been ironed out and creased in the middle. It’d go back to being plain and wrinkled after a few weeks; by then, the creases would be gone. Also, you leave your blazer and slacks unworn whenever you take them off.

—Ouch… — Naoya muttered.

—And your necktie looks… unsightly. The knot’s too crooked.

—Sou, you talk like my father. — Shoutoku said, stifling a laugh. — Anyway, the uniform actually doesn’t look bad on you, Sou. If anything, it actually looks comfortable on you…

Most of the unsociable lot in this school wore baggy uniforms that don’t fit them, so they were worse than they’d otherwise look.

But in Youhou High School, there’s a secret policy of being able to ask for uniform alterations, so it could be matched to your own build.

The policy was hidden in the corner of the school pamphlet, which could be the reason why it isn’t as widely known.

Conversely, I saw the policy so I’ve been wearing a perfectly-sized uniform ever since the start of the school year.

—If you can’t even wear your uniform stylishly, then what would happen if you bought and wore casual clothing!? — I roared as if saying my own signature phrase.

—Actually, you’re right… — a girl’s voice said as if agreeing to my declaration.

It could just be that the girls’ conversation coincidentally matched ours. They were probably agreeing to something else completely.

When I glanced in the direction where I heard the voice, I noticed Hoshino Shiori looking at us.

Just when I recalled her mysterious smile earlier today, she quickly turned away and talked to her friends. My heart skipped a beat.

—I–I just purposely dressed poorly! Normally, aren’t uniforms meant to look unsophisticated…?! — Naoya retorted, turning red in embarrassment.

—Naoya, let’s not overdo it… — Shoutoku whispered, placing his hand on Naoya’s shoulder. — Even if you suddenly grow taller, nothing good will come out of it. Besides, I’m convinced that what you’re doing isn’t a fruitless effort. Though, I think we shouldn’t be hasty in becoming stylish by next week since it’s not like we’re in a rush. If it’s not right now, then we’ll go definitely shopping with you.

—Shoutoku… — Naoya said, tears forming at the corners of his eyes.

As if he was the Buddha, Shoutoku continued to whisper gently and said: 

—Let’s go to the bookstore today. After all, it’s the release date of the Fujimi Fantasia Book Collection. I won’t allow you guys to refuse.

I figured… He was a filthy otaku who only wanted a new light novel.

—Welcome home, Onii-chan! Today’s dinner is…ta-da! Meat and stir-fried vegetables!

When I came home, Manaka, my stepsister, threw herself at me.

—You… You always cook meat and stir-fried vegetables, though… — I said.

—But tonight’s meat portion is different! Today’s pork was 88 yen per 100 grams! …Ah?

When Manaka saw the guests behind me—Naoya and Shoutoku, she widened her eyes.

The two greeted her suspiciously.

—H–hello, Manaka-chan! Do you remember me?

—T–Thank you for having us. T–T–Thank you for always s–supporting Sou-kun.

After going to the bookstore, we decided to stop by my house. It turned into a regular gathering spot for us since my parents aren’t usually home.

—Long time no see, Naoya-san, Shoutoku-san. — Manaka said, politely lowering her head.

Having their names be mentioned by a beautiful younger girl, Naoya and Shoutoku were lovestruck.

She’s still wearing her uniform so it hasn’t been long since she arrived home. She probably stopped by the supermarket on the way home.

Casual clothes are allowed at Youhou Middle School, but she isn’t interested in wearing them.

—88 yen per 100 grams is embarrassing. We usually eat more expensive meat. — I replied.

—Ohoho. — Manaka laughed pompously.

Just who are you imitating…?

—No, no, but you’re amazing, Mana-chan. You’re still in middle school but you’re able to cook every day. You even know about the special sale at the supermarket. You’re amazing.

Naoya, unaware of the cost of pork meat, praised Manaka.

…Well, the truth is that our parents give us enough money to buy cooked meals, so we’d be fine even if we didn’t cook our own meals.

Manaka’s motivated to cook our own meals since she wants to save the rest of the money for cosplay. She learned how to cook from Go○○le-sensei.

—The Tsukigase family motto is… Most things can be googled! — Manaka exclaimed with pride.

…Well, she wasn’t wrong.

Although I grew up without being able to learn a lot from my mother, my family and I are still able to live a respectable life.

My mother died from sickness when I was in my first year of elementary school. Growing up, my father was always away from home due to work. Despite that, he sends us an abundant amount of money so that we won’t run into any financial trouble.

—Do you also do the household chores, Sou? You’re not forcing your cute sister, are you~? — Naoya said as he glanced at me.

Rude…

—No, no, my Onii-chan works hard on his share of chores, too, you know? — Manaka said, coming to my defense.

—Yup, we split our chores equally.

—The Tsukigase family motto is… The two of us are one being in body and soul! — Manaka cheered merrily as she raised her right hand.

I gave her a high five.

—Ehehe, that hurt me a bit. — giggled Manaka as she showed off her white teeth.

—Guess I put in too much force.

—It’s because Onii-chan is unaware that he got stronger.

Manaka playfully kicked me. It didn’t hurt one bit.

—Ah, as usual, you two get along well. — Shoutoku mumbled. 

—Yup, we’re a happily married couple after all… — Manaka said as she bowed.

—Don’t say such things to an otaku. He might actually believe you, so stop. — I said, poking her head.

—Oh? Sister route? You’ll do the sister route? Sure! Come on, oraaaaaa! — Manaka yelled.

—No one would pick a woman who speaks like a pro wrestler. — I said, still poking her head.

—Aw. — Manaka said, pouting.

—Well, let’s not talk while standing. Let’s go to my room. 

I faced my friends. At that moment, an alarm blared. It was the refrigerator alarm. It must’ve been left open.

—Hey! — I glared at Manaka.

—Oh, I was in the middle of putting the groceries I bought inside the fridge when you came home.

Manaka immediately went to the kitchen.

—Ahh, she’s so cute… Mana-chan. — Naoya said with a perverted look on his face.

—Not that much. — I bluntly replied.

Well, she indeed looks great. You could call her beautiful and charming. She’s also fun to be with. Though, she’s not very seductive when she isn’t doing cosplay.

—It’s that much. Did you get too used to her? She’s, like, the number one in her school. — Naoya reasoned.

—You say ‘number one,’ but she’ll probably lose to Hoshino Shiori.

After I said that, the door rattled. Is it shaking…? Maybe I left the window open?

—Well, to each their own. The cool Hoshino-san and the bright Mana-chan… — Naoya replied.

—Mana-chan’s like an anime character, right!? Her eyes are large, and she has an anime voice! — Shoutoku said excitedly.

—You’re right… she’s like a life-sized figurine! 

Naoya and Shoutoku excitedly exchanged their opinions.

Well, Manaka indeed gave off an impression of an anime character from her gestures and expressions. When you apply makeup on her, make her wear cosplay clothes, and face a camera… she turns into a completely different person, one that exudes an extremely alluring demonic charm.

Oddly enough, such expressions came to mind only through the viewfinder of the camera… Usually, Manaka’s just an airheaded girl. That’s what I feel as her stepbrother.

—This kind of scenario is only usually seen in manga and anime, but I still can’t imagine living together with a beautiful sister. What’s it like? — Naoya asked.

—What exactly do you mean? — I replied.

—Did you ever become conscious of her as a woman and suddenly became horny?

—H–Huh? Mana-chan’s also conscious of you as a man!?

Naoya and Shoutoku spoke together in a strange tone of voice.

—…Oh!

I haven’t told them that Manaka and I aren’t related by blood. It would be very bothersome if I tell them.

Truthfully, regardless of my blood relation to Manaka, I consider her a cherished family member who has always supported me, even at my worst.

So I don’t want to get involved in this kind of talk.

—No, I don’t think so. — I replied decisively. — No, there’s honestly none. I can’t imagine it. She’s like a child. It’s really impossible.

Once again, the door to my room began to rattle. It happened again. Just what was causing that?

By any chance, was Manaka eavesdropping by the door…? She reacted as if I said something utterly inexcusable…

—But peeping while changing clothes, or barging in while the other is in the bath… Surely, you had those lucky moments, right?

—No, those things never happened. She’s very careful. — I replied.

I glanced at the door.

…Even if she heard us, we weren’t really saying anything sketchy.

—She’s more of like a stupid younger brother, really.

This time, the door was eerily silent.

—Hmm… in that case, even if you have a beautiful younger sister, you’re still just like us: introverted otakus. — Shoutoku concluded.

—Even if I boasted about her, it’s not like I’ll feel great as a result.

At that moment…

—To make the most out of our adolescence, we should first wear casual clothes to school! — Naoya declared, raising a clenched fist.

—We’re seriously returning to that topic…? — I sighed in exasperation.

—It’s such a waste, Sou. I think I’m a shiny sphere that only needs to be polished. I feel like I can become a handsome dude with good vibes. I just know it.

—Tell me that when you actually shine… — I said as I shook my head in disbelief.

I, for one, don’t believe that it’s that important to change who I am. Nonchalantly, I forcefully changed the topic.

—By the way, I’ve been making eye contact with Hoshino Shiori lately. Maybe I have a chance at her? Fufufu… — I joked.

—What? Eh!? — Naoya and Shoutoku shrieked in unison.

—There’s no way that’s true. Come to your senses, man. The Ice Empress!?

—Sou, you’re probably hallucinating. Are you sure that you didn’t eat a spoiled mushroom?

Thump! Thump! Once again, the door rattled. Was this the work of an enemy stand!? Or not, it’s probably just a poltergeist.

—You guys didn’t have to deny it to that extent. 

It went without saying that even I think it’s impossible, but…

Soon after Naoya and Shoutoku went home, it was time for dinner.

—Master, I made dinner.

I heard a pure voice, one which I like, together with a knock on the door. Emerging from the open doorway, an innocent loli maid trembled as she let herself be seen.

At this point, I had no idea about what was happening. 

It was my favorite heroine from when I was in middle school, Mitarai Mei, from the light novel series ‘I Raised​ This Maid.’ Am I hallucinating…?

—Ohhhhhh!! Mei-tan is adoraaaableeeee…! — I squirmed excitedly, noticing that it was cosplay.

Oh, right, I made that costume myself.

She wore a shorter-than-usual miniskirt. An apron was tightened around her waist, which emphasized the fullness of her breasts. She also exposed a large amount of skin from her collarbone to her chest.

A dark dress with fine wool that looked extremely expensive.

Its white frills and delicate laces added a soft and lovely touch. 

A daring miniskirt with knee-high socks on long legs…

Is this still two-dimensional or three-dimensional? It’s so perfect that I can’t even tell. Though, I didn’t feel like this just from the costume’s quality. 

It was a performance of such a high caliber. Manaka, wearing a maid uniform, fearfully peeked from the doorway. Her delicate figure appeared downcast as she gazed at me with upturned eyes.

This scene… I feel like I’ve seen it from an anime. It was Mitarai Mei herself, from her casual mannerisms to her facial expressions—seeing her again felt refreshing.

Ah, right, what is she doing? Why is she perfectly cosplaying at home? Us siblings might be a pair of cosplay geeks, but we’re not like those Comiket cosplay addicts that cosplay daily.

—Master, shall we go to the dining table?

She approached me and tugged at my sleeve.

—Ah, th-thank you. — I replied bashfully.

—Ehehe… — the maid giggled, smiling broadly.— It’s because I made Master’s favorite meal. Please praise me!

At that moment, she snugly embraced my left arm. I felt a pink arrow pierce my otaku heart.

Mitarai Mei, a loli maid younger than her master, had perfect knowledge of household chores. She usually has a bashful personality but will openly express her happiness and sweetness if you praise her.

She mimicked Mei’s characteristics extremely well. I know it’s Manaka, but nevertheless, my heart fluttered. I felt the soft sensation of her chest grazing my elbow… I know it’s Manaka, but I can’t help but be conscious of it.

—Don’t cling to me too much… — I said, insincerely.

While she was embracing me, we walked towards the dining table. However, I came back to my senses when I saw the menu at the dining table. Reality is cruel. Meat with stir-fried vegetables simply isn’t a meal that Mei-tan would cook… This isn’t Victorian at all…

To save money, meat with stir-fried vegetables is a recurring meal that Manaka’s great at making. Well, I can’t deny that it requires minimal cost and effort to cook meat with stir-fried vegetables…

However, the strong, distinct scents of garlic and ginger stimulate the appetite of us high school boys, which allows us to eat an endless amount of rice servings. To say the least, this dish is a favorite of mine.

—How was it? Is it delicious? — Manaka asked, currently sitting on the sofa beside me.

Manaka returned to her normal self, back to the role of being my stepsister.

—It tastes like how it usually is. It’s delicious. 

—Hehehe… if that’s the case, then praise me!

I raised my hand and caressed her head.

I told my friends that we divided our work evenly, but actually, Manaka does 80% of the work in the house. In exchange, I make costumes for her. That way, it’d be fair.

—Why’d you cosplay as Mei? — I asked.

—The reason’s nothing deep, really. — Manaka murmured as she averted her gaze.

—…It’s just that… Onii-chan loves this Mei character, right?

Mitarai Mei is very popular and well-liked by otakus. ManaMana wore Mitarai Mei’s costume on her cosplay debut during her first year in middle school, which made her famous.

—Fufufu, it was fun being pampered by Mei-tan, right? Praise me. — Manaka said.

Manaka shook her head while saying ‘praise me, praise me’ as if she wanted me to pat her.

—Of course, I enjoyed it. Mei-tan’s the best, after all. Deep inside, it’s not actually Mei but you, though.

—You said what…!? — Manaka yelled, fuming.

Impulsively, I caressed her head, seemingly quelling her anger.

—What’s the matter? — I inquired once again, feeling that there’s a reason why she’s acting like this.

—Nothing, really… I already told you I just felt like doing cosplay.

As I thought, were you eavesdropping on the conversation I had with my friends earlier?

—Since I’m now in high school, did you feel lonely?

Until last year, I was with her in Youhou Middle School, too, albeit as a third-year middle schooler. Since we’re now attending different schools, the time we spent together has decreased.

—I told you, it’s not! — Manaka said, averting her gaze from me. She fiddled with her phone while eating.

Normally, I’d tell her off for using the phone while eating since it’s bad manners, but I let it slide this time.

—How is ManaMana’s reputation?

Earlier, I finished editing the picture we took at the photography studio in Ikebukuro, and it was uploaded to the ManaMana account. The account currently has several hundred thousand followers. By now, the post should have an extraordinary amount of responses.

Manaka pouted in dissatisfaction. 

—Even if it’s well made, something’s not quite right. Even though it’s well done, the responses we’re getting aren’t very good. Maybe it’s because it wasn’t a popular character… — Manaka said.

—It can’t be helped. The characters we love take priority, after all. — I reasoned.

—Maybe it’s better to show more skin next time?

—Not happening.

After I arranged my chopsticks, I faced her.

—You’re still in middle school. Once you’re older, then you’re free to do whatever you want. Right now, we’re still kids so that kind of thing is…

—I know! I know! Jeez…! Thank you for the food! — Manaka said, as she plopped down on the sofa.

Since she’s a cosplayer, Manaka has to mind her diet. She finishes eating first since she eats less than I do.

—I want to cosplay more… — Manaka said as she raised her phone. — I want to be loved more. To achieve that, I want to cosplay more than I do now.

I guess she really is lonely. I silently thought.

Manaka lost her parents due to an accident. She grew up being passed around from relative to relative. Manaka was being treated like a nuisance by her relatives, and my father couldn’t stand their appalling behavior. Once he had the chance, he decided to adopt her.

The first time I met Manaka, her heart was completely closed off. Although getting a new family member was sudden, I did everything to make her happy.

At the time, Manaka never spoke to anyone and was always immersed in reading manga and watching anime. She excitedly anticipated the magical girl anime that regularly aired on Sunday mornings. I got addicted to it once I watched it with her.

I also made a costume out of cardboard and invited her to a game of pretend. That was what got me and Manaka into cosplay. From then on, we became even closer. I was elated; so much so that I became serious. Unsatisfied with only cardboard cosplay, I learned how to sew clothes. Luckily, there was a sewing machine and some sewing tools in my late mother’s room.

Over time, the quality of the handmade goods and clothing I’ve made appeared as if it was made by a professional. My father spared no effort and fully supported me with my personal endeavors. Eventually, the two of us combined as one cosplayer—ManaMana was born.

While revisiting old memories, I realized that the present Manaka has grown more cheerful than before, almost as if there was no trace of her bleak childhood. Though, I guess it was naïve of me to think that. After all, her loneliness isn’t completely gone. 

Despite her cheerful demeanor, Manaka is always afraid of something. Manaka fears that she might suddenly be haunted by the loneliness she had felt during her childhood. Even something trivial such as my becoming a high schooler is not something she could consider trivial; it was enough to cause her anxiety. Still, her eavesdropping earlier was a little unbecoming of her…

—Manaka… — I said as I placed my hand on her head. — Many things might have changed when I became a high schooler, but I’ll always stay by your side, Manaka.

—Well, that’s to be expected since we’re siblings. I’m not doubting you. Even if you’re now a high schooler, nothing much has really changed since Onii-chan’s an introvert. — Manaka said as she lowered her phone and looked at me. — But… can you promise me that?

—Yeah, I promise. — I asserted with conviction.

As the week began with a change in the seating arrangement, I was suddenly faced with an emergency situation. Due to harsh luck, I was made to sit in the front row. 

When I look to my left, I only see the blue sky. Nothing else. Sitting at my right is the Ice Empress, Hoshino Shiori. There was no escape from her; what a truly frightening seating arrangement. 

Though, this is a rare chance to confirm what I’ve been curious about. I just wanted to know why she has been acting mysteriously the past few days.

—Tsukigase-kun… Looks like we’re seatmates. It’s nice to meet you. — greeted Shiori.

She’s also wearing stylish casual clothes today. It’s as if she’s in a different world than me—who’s currently wearing the school uniform—just from the difference between our outfits…

—Ni–nice to meet you. — I replied nervously.

—I’m so glad. I finally got to talk to you. — Shiori said as she leaned forward in excitement, gazing at me with her enthralling eyes.

—Talk to me…?

—I’ve been trying really hard to create an opportunity to talk to you, but it just wouldn’t work out. 

—Just what would you talk about with someone like me…?

Instead of a reply, Shiori showed me her phone. On her smartphone’s screen, I saw several brightly colored pictures.

—Huh!? — I murmured, almost yelling out in surprise.

Shiori showed me the photo that I uploaded last night—ManaMana’s cosplay.

—You make ManaMana’s costumes, right?

I shivered in fear. Did I get caught? But how? No, before that, what would she do now that she found out? The thought of getting blackmailed crossed my mind.

—I, too…

However, the active high schooler model said something unthinkable—

—I, too, want to be your work of art.