It just had to be now, of all moments.
Uika watched as the door was pushed open slightly, and a familiar head, crowned with pretty pearl-gray hair and clear, water-like eyes, peeked in through the gap.
But Uika didn't believe for a second that the owner of those clear eyes was as innocent as she appeared. On the contrary, the very clarity of those eyes occasionally struck her as unnerving—as though she were gazing into something lifeless, like polished glass.
What did they call that again? The…uncanny valley effect?
Unlike her impressive musical talent, Uika often found herself lacking in common knowledge or academic references.
"We were just talking about bands," Anon answered cheerfully, having already relaxed under Uika's gentle questioning. With Kyo's return, she seemed even more at ease.
"Bands, huh?"
Kyo's tone gave nothing away. She wore her usual faint smile, impossible to read.
To Uika, people like Kyo were the hardest to handle precisely because she never quite knew what Kyo was thinking. It forced her to always act conservatively around her.
Fortunately, Uika herself was skilled at this game, easily maintaining a façade of calm regardless of her inner turmoil.
She offered Kyo a seemingly sincere smile. "Why are you still hiding behind the door, Kyo-chan? I'm surprised Mana didn't just drag you straight in."
"Actually…"
The pearl-gray head suddenly vanished—but only because Kyo had turned around, her hands still gripping the doorframe.
A moment later, the gray-haired head returned, now joined by a smaller brown-haired head peeking out from just below.
Unlike Kyo's full reveal, Mana timidly showed only half her face, shyly glancing away. Even from what little was visible, her blush was obvious.
"See? Mana's right here," Kyo said teasingly.
The sight of two heads stacked vertically in the doorway felt straight out of a comedy sketch. Clearly, neither had any intention of properly entering the room to speak.
Kyo glanced downward with an amused smile. Mana tried to lift her gaze but instantly dropped it again after meeting Kyo's eyes, her embarrassment unmistakable.
It inevitably raised the question of just what exactly had happened while Kyo was changing clothes.
"Actually," Kyo continued, "Mana insisted that showing myself all at once would be a waste of a perfectly good opportunity."
"Because Kyo-chan looks way too good in this outfit! We have to unveil her slowly!" Mana insisted earnestly. "Like…like savoring a doughnut bite by bite to fully enjoy it!"
That certainly piqued the curiosity of the other two girls—especially Anon, who had always privately disapproved of Kyo's typically plain style.
"Hehe, thanks for the compliment," Kyo graciously accepted Mana's praise. "So, what should I do now? Am I supposed to do a runway walk? I've never learned professional modeling."
"Maybe just slowly reveal yourself from behind the door, bit by bit?"
Thus began an impromptu fashion showcase.
"Alright, here goes."
The two heads vanished again. Following some whispered discussion—presumably deciding which part to reveal first—a single foot clad in black Doc Martens emerged into view.
The polished boots, featuring thick heels, immediately projected a different aura compared to Kyo's usual sneakers.
The boots extended high enough to cover her ankles completely, rendering any socks invisible.
A masterclass in socks—completely wasted.
Above the tightly fitted boots stretched smooth, bare legs, revealing a generous amount of skin. Her legs extended upward, past the knees, continuing without any hint of fabric.
Anon's eyes widened dramatically.
Wait, wait—could it actually be a short skirt like Mana's performance outfit?!
She had to admit, the thick-soled Doc Martens combined with a skirt truly enhanced the length of the legs. Although Kyo wasn't particularly tall, she had excellent proportions. While her legs never seemed short before, this look undeniably made her feel more…huggable?
Up to this point, boots paired with skirts had become a staple of sumimi's outfits. Both Mana and Uika's stage costumes followed a similar theme.
The real difference, however, would be in the skirt itself. Currently, Uika and Mana's outfits mirrored each other using black-and-white symmetry. Anon had wondered how they'd accommodate a third member without redesigning everything.
Slowly, almost tantalizingly, Kyo stepped forward, fully revealing the skirt and finally answering that curiosity:
Asymmetry.
Kyo wore an irregularly cut skirt, short on one side, revealing most of her right leg, and long on the other, covering nearly all of the left. This unusual, strikingly fresh design immediately grabbed attention.
Not only did it resolve Anon's earlier concern, but it also seamlessly blended with sumimi's established aesthetic.
Another continued element was the broad belt fastened just below her chest, accentuating curves that had previously gone unnoticed…
The colors offered another twist. Rather than large blocks of black and white, Kyo's outfit featured carefully arranged black-and-white checkered patterns scattered strategically. The irregular design risked looking chaotic, so larger sections were balanced with neutral, elegant gray fabric.
And, rather fittingly, it perfectly matched Kyo's pearl-gray hair, harmonizing beautifully.
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T/N: heres ur updates :3 meeting the 4 chaps a week quota :3 posting earlier so bonus chaps will be a longer waitttt >:)
bonus chaps
100 stones -> 1 chapter
200 stones -> 2 chapters
300 stones -> 3 chapters
and so on
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