Episode 33: The Costumes Are Finished
“So, everyone’s costumes are done!”
Miyuki-san announced it right after closing on Tuesday, the day before the regular day off.
She carried three paper bags out from the locker room and handed one to each of us.
Peeking inside my bag, I found an idol costume built around a pink color scheme.
Each of our respective colors matched our usual maid uniforms, to avoid confusing customers.
But the overall style was completely different from our everyday maid dresses.
Mountains of frills and ribbons, layer upon layer of lace.
And on top of that, the skirt had been hand-sewn with an enormous number of beads.
“C-could it be… you sewed every single one of these on by hand…?”
“Yep! I thought sparkly beads on the skirt would be cute, so I really went all-out.”
“That’s amazing…!”
It wasn’t just the beads. The closer you looked, the more it became obvious just how much careful, painstaking time Miyuki-san had poured into these costumes.
Honestly, I never imagined the costumes would turn out this high-quality…!
I’m sure Sora-san and Möbius-san felt exactly the same way. Both of them were staring at their own costumes, eyes shining.
But even more than either of them, Miyuki-san’s own eyes were the brightest of all.
“I’m so glad you’re all happy with them. They’re definitely going to suit you, so I’d love for everyone to try them on right now. If any adjustments are needed, I want to catch that early!”
“Y-yes! I’ll go change right away!”
The words came out of me instantly — I’d wanted to put this costume on the moment I saw it, no prompting needed.
A costume this cute, on someone this cute — obviously the result’s going to be unstoppable…!!
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“Waah! Riri-chan, you look incredible! Like a little doll!”
“Guh, hehe, y-you think so…?”
“Yeah! Oh, wait, let me just fix this ribbon a little.”
Beaming, Miyuki-san adjusted the ribbon at my chest.
“The sizing’s perfect too. It’s really easy to move in, actually…!”
Since we’re planning to perform a dance on the day of the event, the length falls right around the knee. My legs move easily, and there’s no tightness around the shoulders at all either.
“Ehehe, I’m so glad. I made sure to focus on function, not just looks.”
“That’s Miyuki-san for you…!”
While I was busy being impressed, Sora-san and Möbius-san came out of the changing room too.
The two of them, dressed in the same design in their own colors, looked cute too, exactly as expected.
“Milk, you’re a genius…”
“…Miyuki-san, this is honestly incredible…”
Both of them stared at their costumes, murmuring in a daze. I guess it makes sense — working at a maid café, of course they’d both love cute clothes.
Of course, so do I. When someone as cute as me, to begin with, wears something this cute, the cuteness knows absolutely no limits.
“Fufu, I’m so glad everyone’s happy. Oh, since there’s still time, I was thinking of making matching shoes too, if that’s okay. Not from scratch — more just adding decorations to a base pair.”
I found some simple shoes that’ll be easy to work with, Miyuki-san said happily, showing us her phone screen.
Displayed on it was a pair of pure white pin heels.
“I thought lace flowers, or beads to match the skirt sewn onto the shoes too, could really pull the whole look together. What do you think?”
I pictured it in my head.
Yeah. Definitely cute.
Since we’re already wearing matching costumes, of course it’d be even cuter with matching shoes too.
“If it’s not too much for you, Milk, I’d love that. Obviously I’ll cover materials and pay you properly for the work too.”
“Thank you. I’ll do my best!”
Möbius-san and Miyuki-san started talking budget specifics — something like this much for materials, and so on.
Careful not to let them notice, I quietly tugged on Sora-san’s hand.
“U-um, Sora-san.”
“What?”
“…Ah, um, later, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about… could I get some time after this…?”
“Sure.”
Sora-san nodded without her expression shifting even slightly. I’ve gotten pretty used to that deadpan look of hers by now.
The shoes Miyuki-san makes are definitely going to be cute. Definitely going to be swoon-worthy.
But…
I have absolutely zero percent confidence in my ability to dance in pin heels!!
Even without the heels, I’m already the furthest behind out of the four of us on the choreography as it is. Still, I can’t exactly use that as an excuse to ask for different shoes.
So… I decided I’d ask Sora-san to help me practice the dance instead.