Part 1
HAMA House – Dining Room
Do you know what you will dress up as for the Halloween Party, Tao-kun?
The truth is, I haven’t decided on anything yet. I plan to go shopping with Raito-san on our next day off, so maybe I’ll find something then?
Wow! I wonder what kind of costume Raito-san will wear… I can’t wait~!
(Looks like everyone’s started preparing for the Halloween party Kafka organized.)
(I guess people are worried about their costumes since it’s mandatory… But just like Toi-kun said, I can’t wait to see who’s going to wear what.)
……
Oh, Muneuji-kun. Have you already decided on your costume?
No, I am unable to decide.
To start, I am unsure about what to go with exactly—
My my my, do my ears deceiving me, or did I hear a cry for the one and only cosplay designer specialist Sir Saku?
Sakujiro-san!
(He’s as elusive as ever…)
In order for everyone, including those unfamiliar with the event, to enjoy this costume party to the fullest, I, Sakujiro, have prepared an arrangement of costumes for sampling purposes!
I see, in other words, we should try on the costumes first-hand in order to decide. What a brilliant idea, Mr. Karigane.
Oh my, you are quick on the uptake, Kaguya-kun. As presumptuous as it may be, please allow me to recommend some choices to you for the perfect costume.
To start… Ah yes, a Halloween staple, the Jiangshi.1
Jiangshi are a truly profound being.
There are those who assume that jiangshi are dried-up corpses, similar to mummies, however! They could not be more wrong! Ah, but please, rest assured, for I will provide a proper explanation.
A dried-up corpse is actually called a kanshi,2 which is a subclassification of yokai3 and are usually considered a different species, separate from the jiangshi.
However, as we know, jiangshi themselves are not dried-up. Rather, their bodies are as plump and moist as their former alive selves without a hint of decay seen in them, whilst inside, they are imbued with divine power—
T-The point being…?
Ahem. I seemed to have gotten a bit ahead of myself there. This is a bad habit of mine, I apologize for my outburst.
The point being that their long bell sleeves are absolutely adorable. One can even go so far as to call it “moe-sleeves!”4 These sleeves sport a perfect balance of cute and scary, making this a truly exquisite costume, if I do say so myself.
Whoa…! It’s also really cute how the hem spreads out like a skirt. I think this would really suit you, Muneuji-kun!
Thank you, Chief. I also think this is a perfect choice.
However, I would like to take this chance to hear more about the other options.
*move closer* Why splendid! There is more where that came from. What do you think of this Yami-Kawa5 Nurse costume?
The detailing in this lacework relied not on sewing machines, but was rather painstakingly hand-sewn so as to give the final look a light and airy feeling.
*moves even closer* Ahh, but we also must consider the vividly-sporty Violent Gal look. The highlight of this costume is the practical functionality of the high-absorbance fiber in the jersey.
Haaa Haaa …But of course, we mustn’t forget about the Witch Girl costume either!
The intricate design of this button, which was imported from the United Kingdom, adds an elegant sweetness to the overall piece, making this one of my proudest works yet!
*backs away* …Ahem, my apologies. In any case, I think any one of these choices would be perfect for Kaguya-kun.
(All of these costumes, like the witch girl, look like they were made for girls to wear…)
(But I kind of have a feeling Muneuji-kun would suit them all just from his face alone.)
Do any of these costumes tickle your fancy?
I will remind you that as of this moment, these are only for sampling.
If you decide on one of these costumes for the actual party, rest assured I will tailor the outfit to your size.
I am grateful for your solicitude, Mr. Karigane. Not only have you offered me costumes to choose from, but to go as far as to provide tailoring services.
However…
Oya? Is there anything unsatisfactory?
No, not at all.
Rather, I do believe I am almost past the age where I suit the genre of so-called “cute” costumes.
Huh…?
I mean, for example—
Would it be weird if I wore something that Raito-san would wear? A costume that would normally be considered “cool”?
Muneuji-kun… wants to wear something cool…!
Moe = charm point; charming, cute, oversized, baggy sleeves -> cute like sweater paws (this is the moe point).
Yami-kawaii or yamikawa (sickly cute) is a derivation of the Japanese aesthetic genre called yume-kawaii (girl’s dream; very pastel, frilly vibes) with a focus on darker colours. In other words, dark and cute aesthetic.