Episode 18: Boyfriend Bait Outfit
Even just saying “fashion center” covers a lot of ground.
Fast fashion brands, with their own unique brands, incorporating the latest trends while keeping prices low, are popular among young people. But there are also companies that don’t have their own brands, instead purchasing from various apparel manufacturers for retail.
A little while ago, buying clothes there was considered uncool—or so it was said. But recently, there are many stylish designs, not inferior to other brand-name items.
Ichinose Ayano brought Kamijou Yuuto into such a store in the shopping mall.
“…It’s kind of surprising. I had the image that girls buy brand-name clothes.”
“The ones I’m wearing now, I bought there, but it was just on the recommendation of Mizuhara-san and the others. Honestly, I don’t really get fashion. And this place is surprisingly cheaper.”
“That’s a little surprising too, maybe. But the ones you have on now look very mature and suit you well.”
Looking at her again in a light blue frilled shirt and a loose beige long skirt, he thought so.
“Thanks. I thought I’d pick out clothes I want to wear today. So, would you mind coming with me?”
“Of course, take your time choosing.”
Yuuto took the bag Ayano had slung over her shoulder and picked up a shopping basket as Ayano clasped her hands together.
◇
“…Hey, this one and this one. Which one do you think is better?”
“…Eh?”
Kamijou Yuuto was suddenly faced with the ultimate either-or choice.
Ichinose Ayano looked somewhat restless as she alternately held up the clothes in both hands against herself.
On the right was a black camisole to be worn as outerwear. On the left was a light pink three-quarter sleeve blouse.
Two completely different choices.
“Ah, ah… both look really good on you, Ayano. Let’s see…”
Yuuto plastered on a gentle smile, his brain working at full speed.
—Which one is it…!? Which pattern is this!?
Kamijou Yuuto has had very little contact with the opposite sex until now.
But he knows from variety show information.
“When women ask their boyfriends this, in most cases, the answer is already decided.”
If he makes the wrong choice, he’ll lower her tension with things like, “Ehh, I wanted this one more,” or “Oh, is that so… I see.”
In the show he saw before, they said, “The one shown first is the real choice,” but you never know for sure.
Or, there’s the possibility that he’s being tested.
—Don’t you know my tastes? Can’t you tell since they’re such extremely different designs?
(What should I do… I don’t know!?)
If this was the case, I should have read more women’s magazines or books on dating! Damn it!!
Perhaps his inner voice leaked out, as Ayano let out a small “Ah.”
“Sorry, sorry. It’s not a troublesome girl question. It’s simply a matter of ‘Which one do you want me to wear?'”
“…Huh?”
“So, which one do you like better?”
Ayano held up the clothes on the left and right against herself again, saying, “Come on, choose.”
“Well… then, the one on the right.”
“The camisole, huh? Is black okay?”
“Yeah.”
With that, Ayano put back the blouse on the left and moved slightly to the side.
While holding onto the camisole she was keeping, she rummaged around again, picking out items.
“Then, how about this?”
This time, it was a bright yellow pleated skirt above the knee and short gray denim hot pants.
She’s probably asking for Yuuto’s preference again.
He thought for a moment,
“Then, the hot pants.”
“As expected, a leg fetishist.”
Hmm, Ayano nodded in agreement.
“No, I’m not particularly a leg fetishist… Or rather, is it okay for me to choose? You’re supposed to be picking out the clothes you want to wear, right?”
“Bare legs, stockings, or knee socks, which one?”
Yuuto’s eyes darted around.
“Black… knee socks, please…!”
“Ahaha, how honest.”
Following after Ayano, who had a grin on her face, they moved through the store.
At the women’s socks corner, Ayano picked up something that fit her size, and then, suddenly,
“The ‘Zettai Ryouiki’ thing, huh!”
“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t look like you just ‘realized’ it.”
“Should I wear them with my uniform next week?”
“Th-thank you very much.”
“You really are a fetishist. How lewd.”
Yuuto thought, with that devilish smile, what kind of torture is this?
But for some reason… his heart was pounding.
His expression slightly stimulated a sadistic side of her, but Ayano calmed herself down and put the items in the basket.
“Now… with this, I definitely want a jacket. Which one would be good…”
Hmm, she pondered while looking at the mannequins and in-store advertisements.
The colors from top to bottom are black, gray, and black. She thought she wanted something simple in white or a bright color.
Then,
“…Ayano, a sec.”
Yuuto beckoned her over.
“Hmm, what is it? Eh, where are you trying to drag me off to?”
They reached a corner of the store, in the men’s section, with larger sizes, and Yuuto picked up one item.
“A black hoodie? Whoa, 5S is huge.”
Yuuto scratched his head at Ayano’s expression, which seemed to say, “What’s going on?”
“If you’re asking for my preference, I’d like to see a girl… or rather, Ayano, wearing something like this.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
Hearing that, Ayano nonchalantly took it off the hanger and put it on.
“Ooh… this is a men’s 5S. The sleeves are baggy.”
“…It’s definitely too big. 3S would be just right.”
Ayano is on the taller side for a girl, but even so, the hem reached her thighs, making it too oversized.
But Ayano understood why he dared to hand her this size.
“No, this is what you want, right? Okay, decided.”
She snatched the shopping basket with the hoodie in it from Yuuto.
“Okay, I’m going to go buy these.”
“Hey, wait. So, is it really okay with what I picked out!? What about ‘the clothes you want to wear’?”
She turned to him as he called out to her.
With a mischievous, somewhat embarrassed smile,
“That’s right. That’s why it’s this.”
◇
“…Hey, should I pay for some of this? It’s quite an expense.”
After paying, Yuuto, waiting for Ayano to change in front of the fitting rooms lined up next to the register, spoke, feeling strangely flustered by the slight sound of fabric rubbing.
Even at a store that prides itself on being cheap, putting together a whole outfit can be a big hit to the wallet, even for a working adult.
And she just casually pulled it off.
“It’s fine. I don’t usually spend much money, so I’ll splurge sometimes. …More importantly—”
The fitting room door opened.
A black camisole, gray hot pants, and black knee socks.
And, an obviously oversized men’s thin black hoodie.
Combined with her long, glossy black hair, it seemed to accentuate the whiteness of her skin.
If you were to ask about pure fashion sense, it would probably be “uncool.”
All black. Yuuto also knew that it wasn’t making the most of Ichinose Ayano’s charm as a beautiful girl.
But, “the person you like is matching your preferences.”
“How is it? —’My Boyfriend Bait Outfit’.”
She put on the hood, raised the zipper to just below her chest, pushed the cuffs up to her elbows to make baggy three-quarter sleeves, and put her hands in the hoodie pockets.
She also lifted the hem a little, giving a glimpse of her hot pants.
“Ugh…!”
Yuuto clutched his chest and crouched down on the spot.
“Eh, what!? What’s wrong!?”
“Someone, please call an ambulance…”
She was taken aback by his sudden distress.
She seriously thought she should call, when.
“My girlfriend is too precious, I think I’m going to die from admiration…”
Ayano grabbed his hand and ran out of the store, trying to escape the eyes of those around them, as Yuuto blushed and trembled as he muttered.
(—Yes!)
She thought, while doing so.