Once back in your office you carefully navigate your way through the newly arrived emails and impromptu meetings.
Work ends before you know it and there’s a hesitant knock at the door.
After the telling the person to enter, Kaiba Aoi pokes her head in.
She looks nervous, but at the same time a little excited.
“Ah, manager-san,” she says, “Are… are you ready to buy outfits…?”
You nod. “Sure,” you say, “Let me get my purse and we’ll head to Isekai Cosplay.”
And so, the both of you head out.
The plan is simple.
You’ll get cat girl outfits at Isekai Cosplay after which you’ll shop for some groceries and decorations.
Once that’s done, you’ll drop off Kaiba near Kitabayashi’s apartment and wait for the signal that confirms that she managed to get Kitabayashi out of their home.
Then you’ll sneak in using Kaiba’s key and decorate the place, put out snacks, and wear the purchased costumes.
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“…This one is fairly popular right now,” says the saleswoman as she holds up a costume with less fabric than a pair of socks.
Kaiba is hiding behind you, blushing fiercely and her face hidden in her hands.
“…Do you maybe have other ones…?” you ask carefully, you glance left and right, “Are we in the right section?”
The costume in front of you is particularly lacking some fabric around the area where the chest would go.
You’re trying to celebrate Kitabayashi’s birthday and would like it if she went on to have many more.
Whatever this woman is trying to sell you might just kill her on the spot.
The saleswoman sighs, “Well, I suppose we have some other stuff,” she says, “But I figured… what’s the occasion again?”
“A themed birthday party,” you say flatly.
The saleswoman winces, then sucks in air through clenched teeth, “Ehhh, well, this way then…” she says, then seems to reconsider, “…we have this other kind which has parts that tear-off…?”
“Just regular cosplay, please,” you say, feeling a blush come on.
“Ah, sure,” says the saleswoman, “Sometimes I forget that people buy this kind of stuff for other occasions as well…”
Well, suppose you now know what this random store employee gets up to in her spare time.
Eventually, after only offering you a handful of questionable items, she guides you to the other side of the store.
It’s a good thing you and Kaiba came here together.
If Kaiba had been by herself, she might’ve just been pressured into getting the more extreme versions.
In the end you buy three simple sets of cat ears and some tails with a clip-on that you can attach to your pants.
The quality is nothing like what Chigusa has been wearing during the photoshoot, but the price-tag on that kind of stuff is a bit excessive for a gag gift.
Just as you prepare to leave, the man you recognize as the owner stops you at the exit.
You worked with him last week during Chigusa’s shoot and know that he’s, to put mildly, a big fan of cat girls.
Though you didn’t speak much, you did learn that his name is Sakimoto Tetsuyuki.
“Nagata-san,” says Sakimoto, smirking, “I don’t fault you for awakening to this sort of thing. In fact, I applaud it. One might even say it was inevitable.”
He chuckles quietly to himself, then holds out a shopping bag, “On the house,” he says, “From one connoisseur to another…”
The fact that this man spied on you while you were shopping for embarrassing outfits is a bit…
However, he’s a business relation.
If Chigusa’s cooking and cosplay streams are going to be a regular thing, then you can’t afford to offend him.
You gratefully accept the bag with both hands, and bow, “Thank you, Sakimoto-san,” you say.
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Truth be told, you’re curious about what kind of gift a man like him would bestow on you but opening it in front of him would be terribly rude.
“Last week’s photoshoot was very entertaining,” says Sakimoto, offering a shallow bow, “I hope to work with you again.”
You bow again, “Likewise, Sakimoto-san,” you say, then eye the exit, “I apologize, but we should be on our way.”
Sakimoto nods knowingly, “Of course,” he says, then smiles knowingly, “Until next time!”
Ah, the smug smile of a person who thinks they’ve found a kindred spirit…
“Until next time,” you repeat, bob your head as Kaiba does likewise, then leave.
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Both you and Kaiba return to the car, where both of you sigh at the same time.
“Manager-san,” begins Kaiba, “…I-is there a hidden meaning behind dressing up for somebody like this?”
There isn’t. Besides, it’s just cat ears and a tail. Small stuff.
This is just a bit of fun around friends. Right?
The interaction with that saleswoman must’ve put some ideas in Kaiba’s head.
“No,” you say, then become unsure, “No… I don’t think so…?”
Kaiba sighs in relief, “That’s alright then… I wasn’t sure how to feel about this for a moment…”
“It’s just cat ears and a clip-on tail,” you say, flashing a reassuring smile, “Just for fun.”
“Yeah, I must’ve been overthinking it,” says Kaiba, then looks towards the gift bag, “What did the owner of the store gift you there at the end?”
“Hmm, not sure,” you say, revealing the contents of the gift bag, then reel back in shock, “Geh!”
A large garment, frilly in all kinds of places.
Stockings and cufflets included.
It’s a black and wite maid uniform.
A small note is included.
“Of all cat girl attire, the maid costume stands at the pinnacle! Awaken, my child!”
It includes a really rough illustration of the owner with a thumbs-up.
Kaiba eyes you uncertainly, “…this seems like a strange gift…”
You nod, “It’s a bit… much…” you say, sliding it back into the bag.
“…Will you wear it?” asks Kaiba, eyeing you uncertainly.
“What!?” you cry, “No! No… This is…”
There’s no doubt that it’s over the top, but will you ever get another excuse to wear something like this?
You shake your head to clear your thoughts, “We need to get some groceries,” you say, as you start the car.
Kaiba nods, going quiet.
After a few minutes of driving, Kaiba slowly speaks up, “Manager-san…” she says.
“Yeah?” you reply, glancing at her direction before returning your eyes to the road.
“I know you and Yui-chan have gone out drinking in the past,” says Kaiba carefully as if she’s speaking about a taboo.
“Sometimes,” you say, “What about it?”
Kaiba revealed earlier today that Kitabayashi has emptied the entire house of alcohol.
In fact, Kaiba wasn’t even aware that Kitabayashi drank.
“I don’t want her to feel like she has to… you know… act different because I’m there…” says Kaiba.
“I’m sure she doesn’t mind,” you say, trying to uphold the virtuous image that Kitabayashi is trying to project.
“Do you think we should get some …drinks for the party?” says Kaiba, then suddenly holds up her hands defensively, “Not for me! For you and Yui-chan. To let Yui-chan know it’s okay… I won’t think any different of her or anything.”
> Decision: Maid Uniform
> >1 - Wear the maid uniform.
> >2 - Ask if Kaiba wants to wear the maid uniform.
> >3 - Nobody wears the maid uniform.
>
> Decision: Alcohol
> >1 - Buy some beer.
> >2 - Buy some beer and hard liquor for shots.
> >3 - No alcohol at the party.
>
> Winner
> >3 - Nobody wears the maid uniform.
> >1 - Buy some beer.
“We can get some beer,” you say, glancing at her, “That should be fine.”
Your eyes briefly linger on the shopping bag between the both of you, containing the maid costume.
“…As far as the maid outfit is concerned… I think it’s probably for the best if we just leave it in the bag,” you say.
“Are you sure?” replies Kaiba, “I figured that sort of thing would make Yui-chan happy…?”
You gently sway your head from side-to-side, “Eh, well, you’re not wrong,” you say, “But you have to draw the line somewhere. I like Yui-chan and I want nothing more than for her to be happy, but…”
“But… what?” says Kaiba, “If it makes her happy …and we sort of already shared that we want to dress up… then why not do it?”
You tap the steering wheel a few times with a finger as you think over how to put this.
“Boundaries,” you say, toggling your turn signal as you enter a roundabout, “Boundaries are important.”
Pulling into the parking lot of the mall, you draw your lips into a line.
There are probably a dozen ways to phrase what you tried to say in a better way.
Respect yourself. Don’t let others take advantage of you.
If you don’t draw a hard line in the sand, then somebody else will draw it for you and that line is probably a few dozen steps further than what you’re comfortable with.
As a serial people-pleaser notorious for putting others first you’ve often found yourself doing things you shouldn’t be.
Taking on additional work, stress, and problems just to help somebody else.
Sometimes it’s worth it, sometimes it isn’t. You get to decide whether or not it is.
Mainly though, despite how close you’ve gotten, you’re not about to explain to your idol that the girl you’ll be dressing up as cat girls for would absolutely drag you into her bedroom at the earliest sign of anything that even vaguely resembles consent.
Serving yourself up in a maid uniform with cat ears would be crossing any previously established boundaries.
Instead of a wider party theme where everyone wears cat stuff, you’d be singling yourself out.
You can’t lead Kitabayashi on like that.
With a turn of the key, you stop the car.
“Let’s get some supplies for the party,” you say.