My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

Page 174

The neckline is unusually low. It practically exposes the upper part of her chest...

"Hey, let me tell you, this kind of dress is called an Alpine country girl dress, it's a traditional German folk dress."

"I see..."

"That's right. People in Germany still wear them during festivals, like a kimono. So it's not lewd at all. Even if your cleavage is as clearly visible as if you were wearing a swimsuit, it's not lewd at all."

"So you mean you also think it's erotic? You keep emphasizing it like that!"

"Why don't you try it on? Okay? Since it's a cultural festival, why not take this opportunity to learn about German culture?"

My cousin Yuanxiang's eyes were practically glued to me; she was really trying to shove this "Alpine country girl" dress into my hands. No way! She was clearly trying to take advantage of me!

"No."

Suddenly I heard a somewhat stiff voice, and then Shuidou quickly stretched out his arm and stepped between me and my cousin Yuanxiang.

"Whether it's traditional clothing or ethnic attire, clothes that are too revealing will be rejected by the organizing committee. Therefore, this outfit cannot be used."

Hearing that Shuidou spoke clearly, as if he wanted to make himself clear, Cousin Yuanxiang blinked a few times.

"...Oh~?"

Then she smiled knowingly and took the country girl skirt back.

"Okay, okay, then forget it. You wouldn't want Yui dressed like this, exposed to a bunch of strangers, would you?"

"...Please choose clothing that will not hinder weathering."

After saying that, Shuidou continued to dismantle the boxes on his side.

Was he a little angry just now?

Is it because I don't want to see... others forcing me to wear revealing clothes?

Oh dear, I'm about to burst out laughing...! Could it be that his decision to reject the overly revealing outfit first also implied this? Was he trying to protect me? Oh dear. Oh dear~!

"Hehehe. Then let's find some clothes that won't make my cousin Mizuto angry, shall we, Yui?"

"Okay, okay... Ah, please wait a moment."

I stopped my cousin Yuanxiang, who was about to put away her country girl skirt.

Then examine the design of the clothes closely.

"What's wrong? Do you still want to try it on?"

"No... compared to me..."

This looks perfect for Dongtou. She would look amazing in it.

"...By the way, could you ask?"

"Um?"

"Can I borrow it for personal use?"

Cousin Yuanxiang tilted her head blankly and said:

"It can't be used for lewd things."

"I...I can't!"

Making Dongtou wear clothes with a low neckline shouldn't be considered indecent! I think so!

I unbuttoned the small buttons on my shirt.

Taking off my clothes in the room for the first time today made me a little uneasy. The thought that the sink was in the next room made me even more anxious.

"Yui, you're still the same, not an ounce of fat on you. Your skin is so smooth, this is what a high school girl is like..."

My cousin, Yuanxiang, who was giving my figure a critique like a critic, had long since stripped down to her underwear. In stark contrast to her innocent attire, her bra and panties were both red lace, incredibly sexy. This wasn't just adult underwear; it looked like what's known as "decisive lingerie"...

"...Cousin Yuanxiang, do you usually wear this kind of thing...?"

When I timidly asked her, my cousin Yuanxiang laughed heartily and said:

"How could that be! I never complain when the colors of my top and bottom are different... It's because I'm showing this off to someone today."

"What I mean is..."

Does it refer to this very moment? ...Or is there another scheduled activity later...?

Cousin Yuanxiang smiled meaningfully and said:

"I won't tell you, guess which one it is~?"

Without hesitation, she unhooked the small front clasp of her bra.

We are now getting ready to try on the clothes we've chosen.

This isn't something we can decide on our own, so we plan to try them on, take photos, and then discuss them in class before making a final decision.

I am the role model for girls, while Shuidou is the role model for boys.

There was another room next to the club office, so my cousin Yuanxiang and I went there, while Shuidou stayed in the club office to change his clothes.

At this point, you might ask why even Cousin Yuanxiang had to change her clothes. But it was because she said, "I want to wear them too!" So there was no other way.

Moreover, the clothes that my cousin Yuanxiang was holding were the kind of clothes that I had told Shuidou were too revealing. There was too little fabric; she couldn't even wear a bra.

"Hmm──..."

In short, the first thing I tried on was the most traditional maid outfit.

This dress is longer than the type you see in anime; it almost reaches my ankles.

So I didn't feel too shy wearing it. But this headband with wrinkles is a bit...

"Not bad! So cute! Go and pair her up with my cousin Mizuto!"

"What does 'pairing' mean—ah!"

My cousin Yuanxiang pushed me along so I could meet up with Shuidou.

Mizuto donned his butler's uniform. His slender, long figure looked stunning in the black outfit, which gave him an air of elegance.

"Oh! Not bad! Great!"

Cousin Yuanxiang got excited and took out her smartphone to take pictures.

Meanwhile, I kept stealing glances at Shuidou. Although he frowned in repulsion, it really suited him. All he needed to do was make his hairstyle more formal—

Ah!

Now... isn't this the perfect opportunity to launch an offensive? If I praise him now, won't that make him feel that way about me?

Okay, watch this...!

“I, I’m telling you…”

"Um?"

"You...you look...very good in that."

I said it!

Although I stuttered a bit, at least I managed to say it! I think that's pretty good!

Shuidou paused for a moment to make sure I understood, and then said:

Thanks.

that's it?

Someone mustered up the courage to compliment you, and this is your reaction? Can't you compliment me in return? Even if it's just a polite response, you should at least say, "You look great in this too!"

Ugh...! I'm clearly a shut-in, but I'm not even reacting to a maid outfit...!

"Cousin Yuanxiang! Let's try on the next one!"

"Oh! Yui's getting into it too?"

"coming!"

Next, she wore a Chinese cheongsam.

Of course, because the lower body has a slit, the legs are boldly exposed, but Yuanxiang's cousin's opinion is: "Wouldn't it be okay if you wore skin-colored pantyhose?" So for now, it's considered acceptable.

The problem is that……

There are practically no skin-colored pantyhose available now. You can only wear bare legs.

I thought to myself, "How about this one!" and dressed like a suspicious Chinese sorcerer, I approached the water tank...

"oh."

that's it!

That's enough! This guy! I'm usually shy about showing my legs, and I even wear pantyhose with my uniform, but I showed my whole leg! And all he said was "Oh!"

Later, I tried on various outfits such as a Vietnamese ao gao or a little witch costume, but Mizuto's reactions were all just "oh," "oh," or "um."

Wow—you look cute in everything you wear!

The one with the most satisfied expression was Cousin Yuanxiang.

Cousin Yuanxiang was wearing a dress that looked like a swimsuit (or dress?) with a sheer fabric that made her look like a dancer.

Someone with such a curvaceous figure as Cousin Yuanxiang dressed like that, it felt like she might break the law if she stepped out of the room. But Mizuto remained unmoved.

Cousin Yuanxiang wasn't much better off; she casually crossed her exposed, snow-white thighs and looked at the photos she had taken with her phone again.

"Speaking of clothes, the yukata you wore at the summer festival was adorable too—long black hair paired with a kimono is definitely the way to go!"

"Let's put aside whether it's just or not... a Japanese-style outfit might be a good choice. It's also less revealing."

"Indeed~ PTA would probably love it too. Japanese style, huh~ I forgot if they have shrine maiden outfits or something --..."

Cousin Yuanxiang, on all fours, rummaged through the cardboard box. "Buttocks! Watch your buttocks! Your clothes barely cover anything!"

"ah."

Just as I was intentionally or unintentionally blocking Shuidou's view, my cousin Yuanxiang pulled something out of the box.

"I'd completely forgotten about this! Look, look, what do you think of this?"

"This is……?"

It looks...like a kimono, but only the upper body. Or should I say it's just a kimono-like top with that kind of shape? My cousin, Madoka, brought over this piece of clothing that looked like hakama pants.

"Hmm—this is it—...Ah, I've got it. I have photos from last year's school festival."

My cousin Yuanxiang scrolled through her phone and showed me the screen, exclaiming, "This, this!"

The image shows a girl standing on a stage. She wears a gorgeous red kimono on her upper body and dark brown hakama pants on her lower body—are her shoes boots?

"So cute...!"

"Right? It should be called Taisho Romance. I like it a lot too!"

The style is a blend of East and West, both cute and cool. Despite its very low level of exposure, it's eye-catching at first glance.

This is probably the best outfit I've tried on so far... I feel like it would win over the organizing committee without sacrificing cosplay. The concept is also very clear... Most importantly, I doubt other classes will be able to get their hands on this kind of costume.

"But then, what should the boys wear?"

"This is the type for boys."

My cousin Yuanxiang swiped the screen to show me another photo. The screen showed—

"Scholar!"

A kimono and hakama trousers, paired with a school cap and cloak! This is the quintessential scholar's look...!

"Isn't it great?"

"great!"

I nodded vigorously. This outfit, which seemed to exude sophistication, appealed to me even more than the butler's uniform I'd worn before. Fantastic! Absolutely fantastic!

...However, the problem is that another executive committee won't allow it...

I quietly turned to the sink and timidly asked:

"……How about it?"

"Well... that does meet the requirements..."