A Drama So Moving, It Brings Tears to Your Eyes

How can you not have kids before you graduate from university?!

I will not stand for this kind of discrimination against contemporary university students!

Besides, Rei wasn’t Yukino. She definitely wouldn’t let the child go hungry. Maybe I could even benefit from it.

My thoughts were momentarily lost in that sweet, illusory fantasy, but it was too late to say anything now. My little plan to get some extra nutrition was definitely not going to happen.

I was a little dejected. I took the long dress and its matching shoes and other accessories from Rei’s soft little hands and held them in my arms. Rei twirled the left of her two ponytails, while her other hand pointed to the open door of the changing room. “You can change in there… need any help~?” she asked, batting her big eyes, looking at me with great expectation.

So, why are you so expectant about helping me change clothes…

…Am I your Barbie doll??

Although letting Rei help me would certainly be very exciting, on par with Kira Yoshikage repeatedly tempting fate under the ambulance wheels, I was, after all, not a pro gamer who could not only snipe with an 8x scope without holding my breath but also make a gun appear or disappear out of thin air. So I definitely couldn’t let her help me with this.

I quickly shook my head, my long, smooth hair flying. “No, no… it’s a little embarrassing. I’ll just have Exu help me.”

“Oh?~” Rei’s eyes widened meaningfully, as if she had discovered something. She said, half to herself, “You’d be embarrassed to let me help, but not Exusiai. Does that mean… Exusiai often helps you… hmm? Hmmm? Hmmmmmm?~”

“Have you turned into a sonar demon?!” My face must have been as red as Exusiai’s hair, as if it had been smeared with a layer of apple jam. To be told by the girl I liked that I was often… helped… by another man… it was a strange… and indescribable thrill!

I buried my head in the long dress in my arms, trotted into the changing room, and resolved not to lift my head until the door was closed.

A few seconds later, the sound of Exusiai’s footsteps also entered the changing room. Everyone’s footsteps are different; I didn’t need to look to know it was her.

The sound of the door closing came from behind. Only then did I lift my burning face from the silky fabric of the long dress.

Exusiai smiled and patted my head. “Alright, Rei was just kidding. Relax, relax~ no need to be so shy.”

I nodded. I don’t know if it was her words or the warm, soft feeling of her palm on my head that calmed me down, but I was finally able to turn my attention to other things.

The changing room wasn’t very spacious, about the size of a small bedroom. There were several chairs neatly arranged, and dance shoes and some clothes that looked like they were for dancing were also placed in an orderly fashion. It was clear that there was a meticulous manager here.

I placed the long dress and all its matching accessories on a few chairs that were pushed together and began to carefully examine what was there. “Hmm… besides the dress, there are high heels. I don’t know if I can even walk in them… Are these two breast pads? How thoughtful… This is a pair of stockings, and a garter belt, so garter stockings? …Huh? Why is there even underwear?!”

I froze. What kind of costume comes with its own underwear?! And the underwear was also pure white, with a silvery, pure texture, and even adorned with cute lace. It was clearly a set with the dress.

Exusiai’s magnificent eyes stared at the underwear, which I had laid out in a bikini-like fashion. She touched her handsome chin and analyzed, “The sole purpose of a costume is to be seen by the audience. The audience sees the actor’s appearance, so the actor needs to wear a gorgeous long dress. As for the parts that can’t be seen, there’s naturally no need for costume decoration. Since this costume set includes these items, there can only be one reason, and that is—the performance includes a scene where they need to be… seen!!!”

Her words struck me like a bolt of lightning. The image of the audience shouting “Get her out of here!” after I had revealed them had already appeared in my mind.

Beside me, Exusiai’s demonic reasoning continued. “…This raises a question. In what kind of plot would Snow White need to have the audience witness these things? The answer is obvious. It must be that kind of scene! So, in that kind of scene, who is her co-star? It can’t possibly be the Sealed Dark Dwarf Exodia… then, there can only be one answer!”

The eye not covered by Exusiai’s bangs widened, the excitement, thrill, and glee within it about to take flight, no less than Lappland seeing Texas. “The only answer is that Snow White and the Prince not only have a kissing scene, but also… that kind of scene! That’s why they needed to prepare pure white lace underwear that perfectly matches the concept of ‘Snow White’!!”

Exusiai’s analysis sounded very reasonable. Not only did it make the truth bubble to the surface, but it also made my brain completely boil over.

My brain trembles!

On… on the stage, in front of the entire school’s teachers and students, to perform a moving drama with Exusiai that would make both the audience and the actors shed tears of emotion, I, I, I, I, I, I, I…

What saved me from my exposed human nature was Rei. Her very pleasant, girlish voice came through the closed door, full of amusement. “There’s no scene like that! Do you think if my script had that kind of scene, Yanagi-sensei would have approved it? …Okay, with her personality, she might have actually let it pass, but when the teacher in charge of the event reviewed it, it definitely wouldn’t have been approved! The Snow White dress is a set. When I bought it, it came in a big box with the shoes, stockings, and underwear. I don’t know why it even included underwear…”

Hearing this, Exusiai, who had been flushed with excitement, instantly froze. The charming blush faded from her pretty face, and her shoulders slumped in disappointment.

So, just how much were you looking forward to putting on a hit show with me in front of the entire school?!

I didn’t try to comfort Exusiai. The reason was simple. I was also wallowing in the disappointment of not being able to put on a hit show with Exusiai on stage.

I was also looking forward to it just now?!!

So instead, Exusiai comforted me. She patted my shoulder and said in a brotherly tone, “It’s okay. Even if we’ve lost the chance to have a moving, tear-jerking performance on stage, we can always do it privately off-stage!”

A good brother would never say something like that!!