"I think I saw my great-grandma." Ye Shuang stared at the clear blue sky, then glanced at the yellow object pressing down on him. The sudden fall had left his head buzzing.
The mascot head had rolled off, revealing the girl's delicate face. "Ye Shuang, are you okay?" she asked.
"I'm fine." Ye Shuang reached out and gently patted her head. "It’d be even better if you could get off me, though."
He wasn’t sure if the mascot suit was just that heavy or if the weight was concentrated on a small part of his body, but it felt suffocating.
With Tang Keke’s help, Bai Yuyou wobbled back to her feet. Watching her unsteady movements, Ye Shuang couldn’t help but worry she might faceplant again.
"Mmm..." Ye Shuang also stood up with Zhixia and Linlin’s assistance.
"Teacher Ye, are you alright?"
"I’m fine."
Picking up the fallen headpiece, he noticed a dent on the surface. He reached inside, fiddled around, and—pop—the nose of the headpiece snapped back into place.
"Fixed it!"
"Seems pretty durable." Ye Shuang held the headpiece and tried it on. Perhaps because Bai Yuyou had worn it earlier, the faint scent of flowers lingered inside.
The visibility was terrible, though. And with this weight, how the hell had An Shiyu managed to pull off those complicated judo throws in this clunky thing?
"Where’d this come from?" he asked after taking it off.
"Bought it off Xianyu. It’s leftover stock from that Pokémon-themed amusement park. Hehe, I snatched it up," Tang Keke explained cheerfully. "I was just thinking of having Yuyou wear it for the cosplay event."
"Cosplay event?"
"Yep! Right at the school gate—lots of people are dressed up taking photos." Tang Keke waved a brown wizard hat and an eyepatch. "Behold! I am Megumin, the greatest and most powerful wielder of Explosion Magic!"
She raised a staff dramatically. "EXPLOSION!"
"Hehe, how’s that? Straight out of Konosuba."
Ye Shuang studied her, rubbing his chin. "Hmm… Something feels off, but I can’t quite put my finger on it."
"What about you guys? Joining the event too?" He glanced at Zhixia and the others. They’d earned a fair bit from selling lemon tea lately—might as well enjoy the rest of the holiday.
"We don’t really have costumes," Zhixia said with a smile, waving it off. She spent most of her time on music anyway.
Linlin nodded. "Yeah, never tried cosplay."
"I’ve got more!" Tang Keke rummaged through her bag. "Linlin-senpai!"
"Eh? W-What?" Linlin stiffened as Tang Keke’s eyes gleamed with mischief.
"Wear this!"
"T-This? No way!"
Zhixia clapped her hands together. "In that case, let me help you~"
"W-Wait, don’t strip me—!" Linlin flailed, but Tang Keke and Zhixia had her pinned.
...
Moments later, a wriggling watermelon slice emerged, clutching a megaphone. "Fam, can y’all even—?"
"Ooooh, suits you perfectly, Linlin!" Tang Keke and Zhixia applauded in sync.
"Perfect my foot! What kind of abomination is this?!" Linlin’s voice echoed from inside the watermelon suit, which resembled a giant, squirming caterpillar.
Zhixia blinked. "I think it’s kinda fun."
"I’d rather wear a maid outfit than this!" Linlin crossed her arms, clearly revolted.
Tang Keke gasped. "Linlin-senpai, how did you know I brought a maid outfit?!"
"Huh?!"
"Heave-ho!" She yanked out a piece of blue-and-white striped fabric, glanced at it, and stuffed it back. "Wrong one. But hey, you can wear this later too~"
"Why do you even have that?!" Linlin’s voice cracked.
"Hold on, I never agreed—!"
"Eek?!"
In the end, Zhixia donned the watermelon suit, while Linlin was forced into the maid dress—her face burning as she desperately tugged at the short skirt. "It’s too short… Everything’s showing."
"Relax, I gave you safety shorts," Tang Keke said.
"Those striped things are just an extra layer, not actual coverage?!"
Meanwhile, Zhixia enthusiastically mashed the megaphone. "Fam, can y’all even—?"
"Fam, can y’all—?"
"Fam, famfamfamfamfam—"
"Come here, Yuyou." Tang Keke beckoned Bai Yuyou over. The girl wobbled adorably in the mascot suit as the four of them gathered, creating a bizarre yet charming tableau.
"Quite the lively bunch. Sure you don’t wanna join?" Ye Shuang asked An Shiyu, who stood beside him, hands in pockets and visibly uninterested.
"Meh."
She turned to him. "If you’re keen, I’ve got cosplay props too."
"Really?" He was surprised—wasn’t she indifferent?
"Yeah." An Shiyu pulled a single leaf from her pocket. "Here."
Ye Shuang took it, puzzled. "That’s it? Just… a leaf?"
"Yep. Strip naked, cover yourself with this, and boom—you’re a caveman." She delivered this with utter seriousness.
Ye Shuang: "..."
He karate-chopped her head. "Why don’t you try that?"
"Wouldn’t pass censorship," she deadpanned.
"..."
"If I did that, I’d be having a chat with security."
"Fine. I’ve also got band-aids. Strip, stick them on strategic spots, and you can cosplay as a flasher." She produced a handful.
Ye Shuang: "..."
"Tch. So picky, old man." An Shiyu clicked her tongue, side-eyeing him with disdain.
"Since when are those actual cosplays?!"
"Then how about a school doctor?"
"I am the school doctor."
"So just wear your lab coat and add the leaf. Easy."
"That’s even more degenerate?!"