A Shopping Trip and a Shocking Revelation

That afternoon, Chloe found herself being dragged by Tia to go clothes shopping.

In truth, Chloe saw no issue with her usual shirts and trousers, having dressed that way for months since her transformation, and found them perfectly adequate. When Chloe voiced this sentiment to Tia, it was met with a swift and stern refusal.

“Absolutely not!” Tia declared. “I don’t care how you dressed before, but now that you are my servant, you will wear skirts, and you will look presentable. Otherwise… you’ll simply disgrace me.”

The boutique Tia led her to was not nestled within a grand shopping mall but tucked away on a considerably old street. It was a women’s clothing shop, modest in size and plainly decorated, yet the array of garments showcased within was astonishingly diverse. From simple coats to sweet Lolita dresses, and from demure camisoles to daring lingerie, it offered every conceivable style, even if no designer labels were present.

“Well, well, isn’t it little Tia?” A kindly middle-aged woman, her face wreathed in smiles, emerged to greet them. “Are you here to buy clothes for your sister again? It feels like ages since I’ve seen you. And this young lady,” she added, her gaze falling on Chloe, “she looks a bit unfamiliar. Is she a friend of yours?”

The shop owner is remarkably bold, Chloe mused. I’d never dare address Tia in such a familiar manner, fearing I’d be impaled by tentacles.

“Her name is Chloe, and she’s my classmate,” Tia replied smoothly. “We’re here to get her some new clothes. We’ll manage just fine on our own; please, go attend to your other duties.”

The shop owner raised an eyebrow, a knowing glint in her eyes as she regarded Chloe. “Very well,” she said, a faint smile playing on her lips. “The fitting rooms are this way; feel free to try on anything you like.” With that, she turned and walked away, chuckling softly.

Chloe glanced around, overwhelmed by the dazzling array of skirts. She scratched her head in embarrassment. “Um, I’m not very good at choosing clothes,” she admitted. “I used to just grab whatever; I don’t really understand the nuances.”

While she could easily discern which skirts were aesthetically pleasing, the moment she considered them for herself, she found herself at a loss for how to style them.

“It doesn’t matter,” Tia stated flatly, her voice devoid of emotion. “I never intended for you to pick them out yourself anyway.”

“Hmph… as if I cared to begin with…” Chloe muttered.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing at all. I’ll simply wear whatever my master prefers.”

Chloe turned, intending to find a sofa to pass the time, but Tia suddenly gripped the nape of her neck, causing Chloe to instinctively grimace and retract her head.

“Who said you could leave?” Tia’s voice was sharp. “We won’t know if they fit unless you try them on.”

“Oh.”

Chloe reluctantly trailed behind Tia, observing as she meticulously selected each garment, occasionally holding a piece of clothing up to Chloe’s front to gauge its size. The time women dedicate to such pursuits is truly immeasurable. Chloe found herself trailing Tia through the aisles until her calves ached, the lingering injuries from the previous night’s ‘battle’ still far from healed.

After what felt like an eternity, Tia’s arms were laden with a substantial pile of garments. “Come,” she commanded, “let’s go to the fitting room.”

The fitting room was incredibly cramped, clearly designed for a single occupant, making Chloe’s predicament exceedingly uncomfortable.

“Are you actually going to watch me change?” Chloe asked, pressing her lips together. “This feels… inappropriate. Even if you’re not embarrassed, I certainly am.” She desperately wanted to convince Tia to leave, fearing what might happen if Tia’s mood took over. When it came to Tia’s mental state, Chloe invariably gravitated towards the most dire conjectures.

“Do you even know how to put them on?” Tia retorted. “There are several different styles here, each with its own way of being worn. How much of my time would you waste fumbling around? Now, take off your clothes.”

Having no recourse, Chloe reluctantly conceded. She first shed the trousers she had hastily donned for their outing. Her shirt, with its slightly longer hem, provided just enough coverage, a tantalizing glimpse that sparked the imagination. Then, biting her lower lip, she mustered her courage and, under Tia’s unblinking stare, removed her top.

Underwear? Tia hadn’t provided any.

Now, gazing into the fitting room mirror, Chloe saw her entirely naked form reflected back, her cheeks flushed so crimson they looked ready to drip. She instinctively used a small hand to meagerly cover herself, her eyes darting nervously to the side.

The poorly ventilated fitting room was thick with their combined presence. A slight shift of Chloe’s foot brought her nearly flush against Tia, the potent scent of her companion clouding Chloe’s mind. Chloe obeyed without question: extending her arm when bid, raising her leg upon command, and turning around whenever instructed.

As she mechanically tried on garment after garment, a peculiar thought surfaced in Chloe’s mind: perhaps simply following orders was, in its own way, rather effortless. She could accomplish tasks without having to think at all.

Upon completing the fitting of the final garment, Chloe patted her chest and exhaled a sigh of relief, grateful that no elaborate “fitting room scenario” had unfolded. Just as she was about to slip back into her original clothes, a sharp ‘smack’ echoed through the small space as her bare bottom was suddenly slapped.

“Kya! What was that for?!” Chloe cried out, her face burning crimson as she clutched her backside. Realizing her voice had been too loud, she deliberately lowered it to a hushed plea. “Couldn’t we… not do this here? At home, you can do anything you wish… just please, not here…”

Chloe’s pathetic plea seemed to ignite a flicker of sadism in Tia. In truth, Tia hadn’t intended anything more, but the sight of Chloe’s small, exposed bottom had simply proven too tempting to resist a quick, playful slap.

“What are you babbling about?” Tia demanded, her voice sharp with feigned indignation. “Are you planning to walk out naked? Why do you constantly fill your mind with such sordid thoughts?” Though her thoughts might have been mischievous, her outward demeanor remained strictly imperious.

“You—! Never mind…” Chloe nearly reeled from dizziness upon hearing Tia’s blatant ‘thief crying stop thief’ accusation.

So you were pure, and I was the one with the filthy mind, was that it?!

Hidden in the shadows, where Tia’s gaze couldn’t penetrate, Chloe’s eyes held a look of profound disdain.

As long as Tia doesn’t cross my absolute line, I’ll tolerate anything! But if that line is ever breached, I would rather ignite in a furious confrontation than endure it!

“Oh dear, so many clothes!” the shop owner exclaimed, her eyes widening at the mountain of garments piled upon the counter. “Will the young lady even get a chance to wear them all?”

As the shop owner meticulously folded and bagged the clothing, she couldn’t resist offering some advice. “Little Tia,” she began, “it’s not that I, Auntie, am being nosy, but matters between two people always require both to consider them. How can one person dictate everything? Don’t take advantage of this young lady’s age; be a little more accommodating. And perhaps… don’t be quite so frequent with certain activities; it’s not good for a young girl’s health!”

“Auntie,” Tia replied, her expression perfectly serene, without a hint of a blush or a quickened pulse, “Chloe is my classmate. Of course I wouldn’t bully her.”

“Right, right, classmates,” the shop owner murmured, casting another glance at Chloe, whose cheeks still retained a faint blush. She then handed the heavy bags of clothes to Tia.

Suddenly, a thought seemed to strike the shop owner, her eyes widening. “Wait a moment,” she exclaimed. “Don’t I recall you buying these exact styles before? Am I mistaken?”

“You must be mistaken, Auntie,” Tia replied, her expression still utterly placid, making it almost impossible not to believe her. “Why would I ever purchase clothes I already own?”

Standing nearby, Chloe’s eyes snapped wide at the shop owner’s words, a maelstrom of thoughts churning within her, yet she dared not voice them. She had a faint recollection of these very garments. They were the ones hanging in the wardrobe of the room where Chloe had woken up that morning—the very clothes Tia had forbidden her to wear. They were unequivocally identical!

Oh, you clever Tia, Chloe thought, her mind seething. You want me to dress up like Yilan, to satisfy your everyday fantasies, don’t you?

Without the shop owner’s unwitting revelation, Chloe would never have imagined Tia capable of such audacity.

Hmph, you can fantasize all you want, Chloe silently vowed. Chloe is Chloe, and I will never become Yilan. I certainly won’t be your mere substitute!