“So this is... Yuria’s otaku room.”
The room was furnished in a chic, unified style, but the shelves lining the walls were packed so tightly with Beautiful Girl Figures that there was hardly an inch of spare space. Manga and light novels were neatly organized on the bookshelves, and tapestries fluttered against the walls.
“Well? Pretty impressive, right?”
“‘Impressive’ doesn’t even cover it! I’m losing my mind here!”
Since she was an otaku from the same generation as me, the genres she favored hit home so perfectly that it was exhilarating.
(Since Yuria was a girl otaku like Tanaka, I’d half-expected her to dabble in things like BL... but it seemed she was strictly an NL fan.)
The manga on her shelves were almost entirely romantic comedies or erotic comedies. While it wasn't Yuri, there was a definite trend toward series featuring girls battling it out with their massive, pride-and-joy breasts.
Then again, considering she was a die-hard fan of Breast-Kyun, I suppose that was only natural.
“Still, no one at school would ever believe that Yuria—the number one gyaru in the building—has mastered the exact same genres I have.”
“I’m proud of it, though. If it means I can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with a high-level otaku like Ryouta, that is.”
“I-Is that so?”
I wasn't really sure what constituted ‘high-level,’ but Yuria’s ability to take pride in her status as an otaku made me feel like we truly were kindred spirits.
Further back in the room, hooked up to a massive television that looked to be at least sixty inches, was an array of consoles ranging from the latest hardware to nostalgic retro machines. Most of them still had ‘Tested/Working’ stickers attached, likely because they’d been bought secondhand.
(Heh, she even collects retro games... Seeing this really shows how wide Yuria’s range is. Wait. Hang on a second! Is that a DD down there?!)
“H-Hey, Yuria! Look at this!”
“Ah, that? Apparently, it’s something my papa used to have. I don't have any software for it, though, so it’s just a decoration now. You want it, Ryouta?”
“There’s no way I could just take something like that! You need to store it with more care!”
“Oh... Okay.”
From the looks of things, when it came to the retro stuff, she was just displaying her father’s old collection.
“Anyway, never mind that. We have cosplaying to do. I’m pretty sure the maid outfit I bought for last year’s Cultural Festival is in this closet... Ah, found it.”
Yuria pulled a single maid outfit from the wardrobe.
It was a simple, modern design.
It definitely looked a size too small for Yuria, and the skirt length seemed... dangerously short.
“Well, Ryouta? What do you think?”
“If you wear that, won’t your thighs be completely exposed?”
“That’s why I told you, isn't it? I’m only going to show this to Ryouta.”
“O-Oh. Right.”
Dammit, hearing her say that made me feel way too happy.
“By the way, Ryouta... haven't you figured out yet why I’m so weirdly enthusiastic about this whole cosplay thing?”
“Eh? Isn't it just because you wanted to show me? Or maybe because you wanted to do something super lewd while dressed as a maid?”
“Why do you make it sound like I’m hopelessly obsessed with you?! I’m not doing anything erotic! And that’s not it at all!”
“Huh? Then why are you so gung-ho about it?”
“Good grief, I guess I have no choice.”
Exasperated by my question, Yuria boldly tore open the bag that had been delivered earlier.
“Eh...?”
Inside was... a maid outfit with the exact same design as hers...?!
“Wh-What is that? Oh! Don't tell me you got embarrassed and bought a larger size for yourself after all?”
“Wrong. I bought this one... for you, Ryouta.”
“What? No, wait, what are you—”
“Listen, Ryouta. Only those with the resolve to be seen in cosplay have the right to look at it.”
Yuria declared this with a triumphant, smug look on her face.
Hearing those words, a chill ran down my spine.
Could it be... that somewhere along the line, I had stopped being the hunter and become the one being hunted?!
“Now then, Ryouta~. Let’s get you out of those clothes~.”
“S-Stop! No! Aaaaaaaagh!!”
By the time I realized the truth, it was already too late. Without a prayer of escape, I was hunted down by Yuria.