kscans

Chapter 29 -

Passion in Words

Thanks to the precedent set by Yanagi, they accepted Onisaki's survival and cooperation more readily than before. However, that didn't stop Chika from holding her head in her hands.

"Why did he become an okama... I mean, I guess that's a valid lifestyle choice... Not that I'm trying to judge, but you..."

Well, she was certainly struggling with it.

Chika probably came to my place expecting something erotic. But the shock of Onisaki's situation seemed to have completely killed that mood, and she ended up drowning her sorrows in alcohol instead. She drank until she was completely wasted, so I had to use my transfer ability to send her home. Naturally, I didn't try anything funny. After all, Rika was at home too.

Now, about Onisaki.

I informed the Mutual Aid Society to take the same measures as they did with Yanagi. Perhaps because it was the second time, they accepted it without much fuss. They said they'd handle things with the government too, so I left that to them. However, there was still one man I needed to talk to personally. That was my responsibility.

"Oh, if it isn't Hide-san," a voice called out.

"Hey. I brought some gifts. Is the Professor around?"

After work, I visited the riverbank to meet Yanagi. Since we'd be working together from now on, I couldn't just throw them together without a word. We might have a contract, but we were once mortal enemies. It was only right that I should speak to him first before introducing them.

"The Professor? Seems he's out wandering again. Hasn't come back yet."

"I see. Mind if I wait a bit?"

"Of course not. Especially since you brought gifts."

I joined their circle and sat down with a grunt. One of the homeless men placed a cup in front of me.

"Hm? Is this... coffee?"

"It's coffee made from roasted dandelions. It's pretty good. Give it a try."

"Don't mind if I do."

I took a sip. It was similar to coffee... but with a unique flavor.

"This is delicious."

I might even prefer it to regular coffee.

"Hehe, glad you like it. There's more if you want, so don't hold back."

"Ah, I couldn't..."

"Don't worry about it. We got gifts from you too, after all."

"If you insist. So, what were you guys talking about?"

In the center of the circle was a pile of erotic magazines. If you just saw this scene out of context, you might think they were performing some strange ritual.

"We were discussing sexual preferences."

...Oh?

In an instant, every cell in my body perked up. I see, I see. A talk about sexual preferences. Erotic talk, huh?

If that's the case, I can't just halfheartedly join in. That would be disrespectful.

"Since you're here, why don't you tell us about your preferences?"

"Alright. My preference is..."

What are your sexual preferences? It's easy to say, but it's an incredibly profound question.

Some guys like big breasts. Does that mean their preference is just "likes big boobs"? No, that's not right. They might like big butts too, you know?

Preferences are complex. It's hard to pinpoint just one thing.

But if you're forced to name one, think about what you naturally pay attention to when choosing erotic magazines or adult videos. It might not be the absolute top preference, but it's significant enough that you can't ignore it.

"...Cosplay."

"Ooh, straight to the point!"

"There's no need to be deliberately eccentric, right?"

Their eyes seemed to ask if I wanted to elaborate, so I nodded.

"What I want to make clear is that what I like is specifically cosplay."

Take nurses, for example. If you had to choose between a regular woman in a nurse costume and a real nurse in her work uniform, which would you prefer? For me, it's the former.

"I'm not looking for realism. What I want is the 'lie'.
Take nurse cosplay, for instance. You know how the skirts are often so short you can almost see their panties, or how the necklines are really low?"

That wouldn't fly for real nurses.

The short skirts and such are only permissible within the context of cosplay, the 'lie'.

"I prefer the cheap, obviously-cosplay look over anything trying too hard to be realistic."

"You're really getting into this, huh?"

Of course I am. This is important stuff.

"Bloomers are hot right now, but what I like are fantasy bloomers."

"Fantasy bloomers?"

"I like the kind of bloomers that are 100% erotic, with sexy butt lines and just the right amount of wedgie. Not the real ones."

By the time I was in elementary school, bloomers were already gone. We had short pants, and by middle school, they were a bit longer.

But it's not like I've never seen real bloomers. I've seen them in my parents' childhood photos. They're the type to keep a lot of sports day photos and such.

"Real bloomers are kind of frumpy, right?"

"Well... yeah. When I was a kid, we had bloomers, but I didn't think much of them."

"See? But it's not like the real element is completely unnecessary."

What I want to say is that cosplay is based on reality.

"Take nurses, for example. Why do we want to see nurse cosplay? It's because we find real nurses sexy, right?"

If you showed a girl in a nurse outfit to someone who's never seen a nurse, they wouldn't get it. The appeal that people who know nurses feel.

"How do you describe the blue sky to a blind person? It's the same thing."

"No, it's not!"

"You're getting poetic all of a sudden..."

"The sexiness you feel from real nurses! Isn't that what makes cosplay exciting?"

I was about to ramp up my explanation even more when I suddenly sensed a presence and hit the brakes. Looking up, I saw Yanagi walking towards us from a distance.

"Sorry, I need to step out for a bit. I have something to discuss with the Professor."

"Talk about a mood killer..."

I trotted over to Yanagi, who tilted his head in confusion.

"Do you need something? It shouldn't be time yet. You shouldn't have any reason to come here..."

"Ah, well. The thing is, I've confirmed that Onisaki Ranmaru is alive. He's become an okama."

"What? Wait. He's alive and... an okama?"

"And well, it seems he's reformed like you, so I've decided to make him a subordinate."

"Hold on-"

"You'll be working together from now on, so I thought I should at least let you know."

"Wait, wait, wait! Explain this properly... Hey! Where are you going?"

"Shut up. I'm busy right now. We'll talk later."

Now, back to discussing sexual preferences!!