High-quality official limited-edition merchandise.

1:1 scale display figure.

Various hands-on events.

Stage events.

And countless requests for photos.

This year’s AGC had many elements that made Min Hayoon excited.

In particular, the 2019 event was one that Min Hayoon was too young to even think about participating in, which added to the excitement.

New and fresh experiences are always enjoyable.

But.

!!!

Clack, clack, clack.

The sound of Min Hayoon shaking a hot pack was not very bright.

The current time was 5:30 AM.

Ticket verification starts at 8 AM, and entry begins at 9:30 AM.

In other words, she had to wait for more than five hours before she could enter the exhibition hall.

‘I should just draw…’

Seriously.

She couldn’t get used to waiting overnight, no matter how hard she tried.

Sighing deeply, Min Hayoon took out the iPad she had put in her bag and started drawing.

She hadn’t uploaded anything to Pixiv lately because she had been drawing illustrations for merchandise.

‘It might be nice to draw a Lamia for a change.’

It didn’t take her long to decide what to draw.

She would draw a Lamia, a snake-woman with the lower body of a snake.

The key was to depict the reptilian scales as subtly shining metal while giving the human upper body a soft feel to create a contrast in texture.

The aesthetics of these illustrations lie in the sense of incongruity that comes from the juxtaposition of human and animal parts.

She would also depict a slightly bluish skin tone and a long tongue, and for the sponsor-only illustration, she would lift the scales to reveal the hidden genitals…

‘Okay, I feel it.’

-…?

The status window displayed a question mark, wondering why someone who draws these kinds of things didn’t draw furry illustrations.

‘I need to emphasize the texture a bit more, and add a few scattered scales around the pelvis to blur the boundary between the human and snake parts… And the pose should be as sexy as possible…’

Of course, Min Hayoon didn’t have time to address the status window’s doubts.

Min Hayoon was a true otaku who purely loved both the process and the result of drawing these illustrations.

Once she got started, she became oblivious to everything else.

However, if Min Hayoon had seen the status window’s question mark, she would have definitely answered like this.

And so, as Min Hayoon sketched the Lamia.

And the status window looked at her with exasperation.

Time quickly passed, and it was around 7:30 AM.

“Th-the line is moving!”

“Finally!”

Cheers were heard from all over, signaling that entry was imminent.

#

“Okay, this line can go in now.”

It was finally 9:30 AM when the doors opened, and she was allowed to enter.

“Finally…!”

Still, she was able to get in fairly quickly, and suppressing the urge to shout with joy, Min Hayoon headed towards the stage ticket distribution area.

She had to stand in line again as soon as she entered…

She sighed at the thought, but this line disappeared quickly after about 10 minutes of waiting.

“Please take the ticket you want.”

“Okay.”

The time for her to think didn’t last long.

Even though she had become a woman, Min Hayoon was still an otaku.

If she missed out on merchandise, she wanted to buy it, and if she couldn’t participate in a fan event, she felt regret.

In that sense, this 2019 AGC was the best.

It was an event she couldn’t participate in when she was young, and there were plenty of goods that she couldn’t buy due to a lack of money during her school days.

“Yes, this is it.”

The booth Min Hayoon arrived at was the booth of Memory Store, a well-known visual novel company in Korea.

Combining the story writer’s world with various elements such as illustrations, voice acting, and BGM to create a complete world.

At least for Min Hayoon, it was.

“It’s a gold mine, a gold mine.”

Acrylic stands.

Mug cups.

Portable chargers.

Acrylic keychains.

Multi-cleaners.

After checking the boxes for all sorts of products, she headed to the checkout counter.

“That will be a total of 320,000 won. Will you be paying in full?”

“Yes, please.”

Then, with a chic expression, she paid 320,000 won.

Barely suppressing her overflowing smile, Min Hayoon headed to the famous item storage area as if she had finished her business.

Usually, people who just come to enjoy the booths don’t need to use the item storage.

However, for people like Min Hayoon who want to change clothes on-site, there are changing room facilities next to the item storage area.

“This will take forever…”

Of course, she had to stand in line here too.

It even seemed to take longer than when she was waiting for the stage tickets, as more people had gathered in the meantime…

After waiting for 30 minutes, Min Hayoon entered the changing room and immediately started changing her clothes.

She took off the long padded jacket that had kept her warm during the overnight wait and took off her sweatshirt.

She took off her thermal pants, bit her lower lip at the cold wind hitting her exposed thighs, and put on black thigh-high socks that reached above her knees.

After putting on both socks, she finally put on the checkered pleated skirt…

“Okay, the clothes are done.”

Min Hayoon checked her outfit two or three times, smiled, and felt that she had put it on properly.

Now it was time to add the details.

She attached the gun holster to her thigh and put in the gun.

She put on tactical gloves, put on her hat…

And when she picked up the HK-M4 airsoft gun.

A perfect HK-M4 cosplay that would make any passing woman fall in love was complete.

Now that the change of clothes was complete.

Min Hayoon, who left her clothes and the merchandise she bought from the booth at the item storage, smiled as she felt the gazes from all directions and went out into the world.

‘This is crazy, really…?’

She shouldn’t do this…

But she felt so good.

It felt like everyone in the world was looking up to her.

Men sent her looks of admiration, and from women, she felt gazes that seemed to say they were being robbed of the attention that should have been theirs.

‘Ha, I wonder if I’ll get addicted.’

It wasn’t easy to manage her facial expressions, and just as she was about to start walking around and taking pictures with people.

“The quality is great.”

A completely unexpected, beautiful voice cut through the noise of the exhibition hall and caught Min Hayoon’s attention.

And beyond that gaze was…

“Y-you too. Haha.”

Just like Min Hayoon, it was a stunningly beautiful woman cosplaying as HK-M4.

Since there was a noticeable height difference between them, she was probably around 166 cm tall.

“Ah, haha…”

Even though she had become a beautiful girl, Min Hayoon’s true nature was still that of a shut-in otaku…

When such a beautiful cosplayer approached her, she couldn’t speak properly.

So, just as she was awkwardly laughing.

“Can I take a picture?”

“Huh?”

“Thank you. Please pose.”

“Uh, ah… Yes.”

Suddenly, she took out her phone, saying she wanted to take a picture.

“Hmm, good. You’re very pretty. It would be great if you could smile a bit more.”

“Ah, yes…!”

Following the instructions of another M4 cosplayer, who was rotating 360 degrees while taking pictures, she adjusted her pose.

After taking a dozen or so pictures.

“You’re a great model, so they came out really well. Thank you for letting me take them.”

“Ah, no. It’s nothing.”

Seemingly satisfied, the other M4 cosplayer came up to Min Hayoon and bowed in thanks.

And now it was…

“Yes?”

“Selfie. Let’s take one together.”

“I’d love to.”

Min Hayoon’s time to enjoy.

Min Hayoon requested various poses and angles and took friendly photos with the M4 cosplayer.

A pretty girl next to a pretty girl…!

Except for the fact that one of those pretty girls was Min Hayoon, this was the perfect first photo shoot.

“Thank you!”

“No, no. We both enjoyed it.”

Min Hayoon finally turned off the camera after taking more than ten pictures, satisfied.

After exchanging awkward greetings with the M4 cosplayer for a moment.

“Excuse me, this…”

“This is…?”

“I also draw on Pixiv. I’m participating in Surf at the end of the year, and I’m running a booth there.”

“Ah, really? You look young, that’s amazing.”

“Hehe… Anyway, just scan the QR, and please come take a look.”

“Yes, I’ll check it out later when I have a break.”

“Thank you!”

“No, I should be thanking you.”

Min Hayoon handed the M4 cosplayer a flyer with a QR code, which she had put in one of her cosplay prop pouches…

Once again, they exchanged awkward thank-yous, then went in opposite directions and started to enjoy AGC in earnest.

#

Min Hayoon had to take a picture every two or three steps, and eventually, she ended up stuck in a suitable open space.

Meanwhile, people started to gather, and they even started to form a line to take pictures with Min Hayoon.

“C-could you hold the gun while taking the picture?”

“Of course. It’s no big deal.”

“Th-thank you.”

“Here you go.

My Pixiv address.”

“Pi-Pixiv?”

“Yes, I’m also running a booth at Surf.”

One by one.

“Thank you!”

“Here’s the QR.

Come take a look later.”

“Yes!”

She quickly dealt with the people waiting in line for pictures, fulfilling their requests.

“Um, excuse me, can we do a heart with our hands…?”

“I’ll do a V-sign.”

“Ah, yes.”

“There are a lot of drawings, so please come take a look.”

“Yes.

I understand.”

She occasionally refused people who made uncomfortable requests.

“Hmm…”

Min Hayoon took out her phone and checked the time, realizing it was almost time.

“I’ll take pictures with those of you who are currently in line!”

“Yes!”

It’s time to go see the stage.

She ended the photo line with the last three people in line.

Then she headed to the corner of the exhibition hall where the stage was scheduled to take place.

“I’ve confirmed it.

Please go in.”

“Yes.”

As she waited for the stage to begin in her assigned seat.

“Huh…”

“Ah…!”

The M4 cosplayer from earlier came and sat in the seat next to her.

It was an amazing coincidence.