kscans

Chapter 293 - Battle Preparations

Everyone has a flaw or two.

Some are trivial, others are fatal. These individual quirks are infinitely varied—but even so, this was just too much.

Looking through the series of pictures her best friend had sent, she—Mitsueda Hiyori—was overcome by a sense of intense weariness and exhaustion that could be described as a form of 'despair.'

"…You know, Nia-cha."

`Yes.`

Seeing the text response from the display she was talking to, she chose her words carefully… or rather, she abandoned all such consideration. Awakened from a post-all-nighter slumber, the busy girl spoke in a voice as sweet as melting honey.

"When should we schedule the heartbreak party?"

`Whyyyy!!`

There's no 'why.' It's because every single one of the 'date outfit ideas' she sent over was so atrocious it made my head hurt.

"Honestly… I kept quiet because you said you'd try on your own, but this is the result. When you can't do something, you should just ask for help."

`Y-You don't have to be so harsh… The third one wasn't that bad, was it…?`

"If you want to say 'nice to meet you' to the boy you adore while looking like a daruma doll, then by all means, be my guest."

`A daru—!? It's not that bad!!`

Personally, I find my bundled-up best friend adorable, but the color palette is dead, and I wish she'd consider the season. Are you a little old lady who gets cold easily?

"Stop dithering and lay out your clothes in your room already."

`But…`

"No 'buts' or 'becauses.' Your meetup is in the afternoon, isn't it? It's almost noon. Do you still have time to be indecisive? Do you? Well?"

Knowing her friend's 'disastrous fashion sense that only applies to herself,' a trait unbecoming of a clothing artisan, Hiyori mercilessly rushed her friend, deeming it an impossible task for her alone.

After a moment, the chat room, which had gone silent, was updated with a photo of a room buried in clothes. As if to protest, the outfit she'd dubbed the 'daruma' was placed defiantly in the very center.

`There, you happy?! I'm leaving it all up to you!!`

"Now, now, don't pout—I'll take responsibility and make you as cute as possible, so all you have to do is give it your all on the actual date."

Honestly, when her best friend, who had finally worked up the courage, reported that she had 'secured a date in the real world,' she had been so shocked she was speechless.

And after the shock, came a lecture.

Meeting a boy she only knew from a virtual world in real life so suddenly was dangerous, no matter what—even if the other person was someone who had risen to a 'position' where he couldn't do anything reckless.

Even if, to seriously pursue the budding love, she had to reveal her real self first to be fair.

However,

'But, but, but…'—she wouldn't back down an inch, so there was nothing to be done.

From what I heard, 'he' had been considerate enough to make up for Nia's reckless charge. The proposed plan, which seemed to consciously stick to crowded places from meeting to parting, had a certain persuasiveness and sense of security.

All she could do was trust the character of the person she'd heard about and the straightforward 'young man' she had seen with her own eyes the other day.

All that was left—was to hope that 'he' wouldn't lose control upon seeing the cutest best friend in the world. If anything were to happen, she was prepared to chase him to the ends of the earth and make him take responsibility.

…That aside,

"Nia-cha."

`Yes.`

"Take out a skirt."

`Whyyyy!!`

I know she's never been comfortable with them, but I want to shout at her for being so bold as to suddenly ask him on a real-life date, yet getting cold feet about this.

Seriously, give me a break.

With that face, refusing to wear frills is a loss for all of humanity. There's no reason that could ever be forgiven.

"You're going to give it your all, no holding back, right? I'm going to support you with everything I've got, so you go and hit him with all your charm."

When she stated it as a final decision, a sticker of a character with a 'world is ending' expression popped up in response.

Trying to curry favor with a sticker of a character Hiyori once voiced is futile. Unfortunately, there's no way she's going to go easy on her now—

"Alrighty then… let's begin the production!"

—The goal is a love-at-first-sight-reversal.

Let's unleash the completely invincible 'maiden in love' on the man of the hour.