Chapter 10: Lines, Lamias, and a Cosplay Connection

High-quality, official limited edition goods.

A 1:1 scale display figure.

Various hands-on events.

Stage performances.

And countless requests for photos.

There were many things about this year’s AGC that made me excited.

In particular, the fact that she was too young to participate in the 2019 event played a part.

New and fresh experiences are always enjoyable.

But.

“It’s cold…”

Clack, clack, clack. my expression, as I shook a hot pack, was not very bright.

It was 5:30 AM.

Ticket inspection starts at 8 AM, and entry is from 9:30 AM.

In other words, there were more than 5 hours left to wait before entering the exhibition hall.

‘I should just draw…

Honestly.

I can never get used to waiting all night.’

‘Sigh’, I let out a deep sigh, took out the iPad she had put in one side of her bag, and started to draw.

Recently, I was busy drawing illustrations for goods, so I haven’t been uploading to Pixiv much.

If the supporter-only illustrations start to pile up, the public sentiment will burn, so I have to make them whenever I have time.

‘It would be nice to draw a Lamia for the first time in a while.’

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

‘I’m going to draw a Lamia, a snake mythical creature with a snake lower body.

The key is to depict the scales, which are unique to reptiles, as subtly shining metal, while giving the human upper body a soft feel to create a difference in texture.’

The beauty of mythical creature illustrations lies in the sense of difference that comes from the disharmony between the human and animal parts.

A slightly bluish skin and a long tongue, and the supporter-only illustration will be one where the scales are lifted to reveal the hidden genitals…

‘Okay, I have a good feeling about this.’

While I was happily completing the rough sketch of the Lamia illustration.

-…?

The status window showed a question mark, as if wondering why the hell someone who draws something like this wouldn’t draw furry illustrations.

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

Of course, I didn’t have time to resolve the status window’s doubts.

I am a hardcore otaku who purely loves both the process and the result of drawing these illustrations.

Once I get started, I don’t see anything else.

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

‘Furries and mythical creatures are different, f*ck!’ I said.

And so, while I was sketching the Lamia.

And the status window was looking at me in disbelief.

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

“The line is moving!”

“Finally!”

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

***

“Okay, this line can go in now.”

The line started moving at 7:30, but it wasn’t until almost 9:50 that I got close to the entrance of the exhibition hall.

“Finally…!”

Still, this was quite fast, and I, barely able to contain my desire to shout with joy, turned towards the area where the stage tickets were being distributed.

‘To think that I have to stand in line again as soon as I enter…

It made me sigh, but at least this line disappeared quickly after about 10 minutes of waiting.’

“Take the ticket you want.”

“Okay.”

The time to worry was not long.

Because the stage performance I wanted to see was already decided from the beginning.

After taking the ticket for the last performance, I turned and headed to the booth I had always wanted to go to.

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

If there were goods she had missed, she wanted to buy them, and if there was a doujin event she couldn’t participate in, she felt bad.

In that sense, this 2019 AGC was the best.

It was an event that I couldn’t participate in at the time because I was too young, and there were a lot of goods that I couldn’t buy due to money problems when I was in school.

“Hehe, this is it.”

I arrived at the booth of Memory Store, a well-known visual novel company in Korea.

Isn’t it amazing to create a complete world by combining the world inside the story writer’s head with illustrations, voice actor performances, BGM, and other elements?

At least for me, it was.

“It’s a gold mine, a gold mine.”

Acrylic stands.

Mug cups.

Portable batteries.

Acrylic keychains.

Multi-cleaners.

After checking the checkboxes for all kinds of products, she headed to the counter.

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

“Yes, I’ll pay in full.”

And then, with a chic expression, I paid 320,000 that I had won.

I, barely able to suppress her overflowing smile, headed to the famous storage area as if I had finished my business.

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

But, for people like me who want to change clothes on site, there are facilities next to this storage area that also serve as changing rooms.

“It’s going to take forever…”

Of course, I have to stand in line here too.

It even seemed like it would take longer than when I was waiting in line for the stage ticket because more people had gathered…

After waiting for a full 30 minutes, I entered the changing room and immediately started to change my clothes.

I took off the long padding that had kept me warm during the all-nighter, and took off the sweatshirt.

I left only a long-sleeved T-shirt for warmth, then put on the HK-M4 cosplay jacket and tactical gloves. Now, moving on to the bottoms…

I took off my fleece-lined pants, bit my lower lip at the cold wind that hit my exposed thighs, and put on black thigh-high socks that came up to my knees.

After wearing them on both legs, I put on the checkered pleated skirt…

“Okay, I’m done with the clothes.”

I checked my outfit two or three times, felt that I had put it on properly, and smiled.

Now it’s time to add some details.

I put a pistol holster on my thigh, put the pistol in it.

Put on my tactical gloves, put on the hat…

And for the grand finale, I held the HK-M4 airsoft gun.

“Perfect.”

“A perfect HK-M4 cosplay that would make any woman passing by fall in love.”

With this, the change of clothes was complete.

After leaving my clothes and the goods I bought from the booth at the storage area, I smiled as she felt the gazes of everyone around me, and went out into the world.

‘It’s crazy, really…?

I shouldn’t be doing this…’

I felt too good.

‘Should I say that it felt like everyone in the world was looking up to me?’

The men were sending gazes of admiration, and the women seemed to feel like their gazes were being stolen, and there was a faint jealousy in their eyes as they looked at me.

‘Ha, I don’t know if I’ll get addicted to this.’

It wasn’t easy to manage my expression, and just as I was about to start walking around and taking pictures with people.

“The quality is good.”

A completely unexpected, beautiful voice pierced through the noise of the exhibition hall and caught my attention.

And the woman beyond that gaze was…

“Y, you too. Haha.”

Like me, she was a stunning beauty cosplaying as HK-M4.

Since there was a noticeable height difference between me and her, she must be around 166cm tall?

She was quite tall for a woman.

“Ah, haha…”

But even though she was a beautiful girl now, my true nature was still that of a shut-in otaku…

When such a beautiful cosplayer approached me, I couldn’t speak properly.

So, while I was just smiling awkwardly.

“Can I take a picture?”

“Huh?”

“Thank you. Please pose.”

“Uh, ah… okay.”

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

I, swept up by the atmosphere, casually pretended to aim her gun.

Although I had never even seen the military before becoming a woman, I had a lot of experience playing with airsoft guns, so I had a pretty sharp form.

“Okay. You look very pretty. It would be great if you could smile a little more.”

“Ah, yes…!”

Following the instructions of another M4 cosplayer who was rotating 360 degrees while taking pictures, I corrected her posture.

After taking more than a dozen pictures like that.

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

“Ah, no. It’s nothing.”

Another M4 cosplayer, who seemed satisfied, approached Hayoon and bowed in thanks.

And now…

“Now it’s my turn to take pictures.”

“Huh?”

“A selfie. Let’s take one together?”

“Of course.”

It was my time to enjoy.

I asked for as many different poses and angles as possible and took friendly photos with the M4 cosplayer.

A pretty girl next to a pretty girl…!

Except for the fact that one of the pretty girls was me, it was a perfect first photo shoot.

“Thank you!”

“No, it’s nothing. We both enjoyed taking them.”

Only after taking more than ten photos did I turn off the camera, satisfied, and after a brief exchange of awkward greetings with the M4 cosplayer.

“Here, this…”

“This is…?”

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

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

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

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

“Thank you!”

“No, I should thank you.”

Hayoon handed the M4 cosplayer a promotional sheet with a QR code that she had put in one of her cosplay prop pouches…

After exchanging awkward thank you once again, they split up in opposite directions and started to enjoy AGC in earnest.

***

Was it because the status window had made her into a beautiful girl with a face that would make any protagonist of a novel jealous?

I had to take a picture, take two or three steps, and then take another picture, and eventually, she was stuck in a suitable open space.

In the meantime, people started to gather, and they even started to make their own line to take pictures with Hayoon.

“Ca, can you take a picture holding a pistol?”

“It’s not that difficult. Of course I can.”

“Th, thank you.”

“Here, take this. It’s my Pixiv address.”

“Pi, Pixiv?”

“Yes, I’m also running a booth at Seo-pe.”

One by one.

“Please take a picture holding M4.”

“Okay.”

“Thank you!”

“Here’s the QR. Come take a look later.”

“Yes!”

She quickly handled the people waiting in line for photos while granting their requests.

“Um, can we do a hand heart together…”

“I’ll do a V.”

“Ah, yes.”

“There are a lot of pretty pictures, so please come and take a look.”

“Yes. I understand.”

Of course, sometimes people made unreasonable requests, and those were firmly rejected.

How long had it been since I had been sequentially clearing the photo line?

“Hmm…”

I, who took out my phone and checked the time, realized that it was about time.

“I will only take pictures with the people who are currently in line!”

“Yes!”

It was time to go see the stage.

After finishing with the last three people who were in line, I headed to a corner of the exhibition hall where the stage was scheduled to be held.

“Your ticket has been confirmed. Please enter.”

“Okay.”

After the inspection, I entered the stage.

While waiting for the stage to start in my assigned seat.

“Huh…”

“…!”

The M4 cosplayer from a little while ago came and sat in the seat next to me.

It was an amazing coincidence.