Chapter 16: How to Choose Clothes That Suit You

After a reset of sorts, we were back to looking at clothes for Mikoto Hikari.

"What do you think of this one, Yousuke?"

How many times had she asked me that in the past half hour?

"...Dunno?"

"Muu, that was a half-hearted answer!"

As for me, I gave the same vague response every time.
Apparently unsatisfied, she puffed out her cheeks in frustration and then yanked the curtain of the fitting room shut with a sharp swish.

...What was unfolding before my eyes now was essentially a one-person fashion show.
And as the sole audience member, I sat alone, awkward and quiet.

Originally, Mom was supposed to be here too.
But she got a phone call and stepped away—hasn’t come back since.

Which left me stuck dealing with all of this one-on-one.

"Okay, how about this one!"

This time, Hikari emerged in a black tank top and ultramarine hot pants, the color reminiscent of a summer sky.
Over that, she wore a light blue zip-up hoodie, a distinctly boyish ensemble.

"...If you like it, I think it’s fine."

"Geez! You could at least look properly!"

"You say that, but..."

Honestly, why was she even asking for my opinion?

I told her from the start not to expect anything from my sense of fashion, and she’d agreed to that.

Maybe she was treating me as a stand-in for Mom, but if that’s the case, I really want to shout that it’s an impossible task.

"Next one!"

"You’re still trying on more...?"

Seeing her grab another outfit made me let out an exasperated sigh.

We’ve gone shopping together before, a few times.
Back then, my childhood friend always made quick decisions—on the spot.

I don’t remember a single occasion dragging on like this.

At this rate, it felt like she was planning to try on every single outfit in the store.

I appreciated her enthusiasm, but being the one stuck with her was emotionally draining.
Physically speaking, handing out flyers all day was less exhausting than this.

Just as I was thinking that, salvation arrived.

"Oh dear, looks like you’re having a hard time?"

"...Mom, finally. You came back."

Apparently, her errand was done.
I briefly summarized what had happened while she was away.

She gave a knowing nod and said:

"I see."

"Even if you say that, I don’t get it at all."

"Hmm... Yousuke, after watching Hikari-kun try on all those outfits, didn’t you notice anything?"

"Not really."

At my flat answer, Mom furrowed her brows, looking disappointed.

She seemed to expect more from me, but if I didn’t know, I didn’t know. What else could I say?

"Then why don’t you try recalling what outfits she wore from the beginning?"

"Uh, let’s see..."

Prompted, I started trying to piece together my memories, though I couldn’t recall that many.

Just the very first one she came out in.
And a few recent ones.

...To defend myself, it’s not that my memory is that bad.
It was just so many that I gave up trying to keep track.

Even so, if I had to force something out of those vague recollections, then I’d say the outfits had no consistent theme—they were all over the place.

A calm-toned tunic.

Then, a sudden shift to a frilly and overly warm-looking gothic lolita getup.

As if searching for something, Hikari had been trying on a wide variety of styles.

"...I see. Then Yousuke, next time Hikari-kun comes out, why don’t you just say what you honestly think?"

"Wait, what do you mean...?"

I didn’t quite get what she was aiming at, but unfortunately, I wasn’t given a chance to ask.

At some point, the rustling of clothes had stopped—Hikari had already finished changing.

"Okay, how about this one!?"

I turned around on instinct—

"Cough, hack...!"

When she stepped out of the fitting room, I choked violently on nothing.

Hikari was wearing an ultra-mini pleated skirt and a tube top so small it was shocking.

Her flawless, porcelain-white skin was on full display, completely unreserved.

Sure, I’ve seen girls dressed like that around the mall from time to time, but…

Just the slightest movement and things looked like they’d spill out — I had no idea where to rest my eyes.

"That outfit is an absolute no. Forget it. I won’t allow it."

If she went out dressed like that, she’d definitely attract stares from all sorts of random guys.

I desperately tried to shut it down, but Hikari just looked at me blankly.

"...You’re kind of like a dad right now, Yousuke."

"...Just go get changed, now!"

"Muuu, then what about the other outfits?"

When I turned my gaze away, Hikari seemed satisfied and jabbed me playfully in the stomach with her elbow.

...And in that moment, my mother’s advice floated back into my mind.

Just be honest, huh?

"...I think everything you tried on looked good on you. Probably because you’ve got the figure to pull it off."

Because the truth is, at least on the outside, Hikari was now a stunningly beautiful girl.

Her looks elevated everything she wore—no matter the style, it all looked like it was made for her.

That’s why I didn’t have much to say about any of it.

Unless there was a problem with an outfit, the only thing I could say was, "Wear what you like."

"Okay, then out of all of them—which one did you like best, Yousuke?"

"That would be... the first one you tried on."

—The outfit she picked right after we entered the store.

It was a light brown one-piece dress with a navy sailor-style collar and a small white dandelion embroidered near the chest.

The skirt reached down to around her knees.

Maybe it was because of the darker tone, but the way it contrasted with her shining silver hair and those slender, pale legs left a strong impression on me.

"...I see. So that’s the kind of look you’re into, Yousuke."

"...Y-Yeah, I guess."

It was true that I tended to prefer more subdued, refined styles…

"Hehehe..."

Suddenly, Hikari gave me a smile so soft it looked like she’d melted.

Feeling a little embarrassed, I scratched my cheek awkwardly.

...Honestly, she’s the one wearing the clothes, so she could’ve just ignored my opinion entirely.

But before I could even say that—

"Yoko-san! I want this one!"

She happily presented the dress I’d picked.

"Sounds good—let’s go with that one, then."

"Yaaay! Thank you, Yoko-san!"

And just like that, the decision was made in record time, leaving me with no room to protest.

So... this finally marked the end of the Hikari fashion marathon, huh?

Feeling vaguely unsatisfied but still relieved, I let out a breath and dropped my shoulders—

"...What are you talking about, Yousuke? That’s just one outfit. We still have to pick out everyday clothes and more. Alright—let’s get to work!"

"Y-You’ve got to be kidding me..."

Apparently, Mom was just getting started—and all I could do was mutter with dead eyes.