(Chapter 13) Things in the Dressing Room
She opened the gift box in her hands and, rather than walking away, it felt more like she fled into the dressing room. Looking at the gown, Anna's face instantly flushed red with embarrassment.
“No… shameless!”
The obviously revealing back design, the front barely covering her two round mounds, looked exactly like the gowns she had seen at academy banquets before.
Although Anna had always envied those who could wear such beautiful dresses, actually putting one on herself now...
“So… exposed. And I have to wear this in front of Louise… Ugh…”
The fitting room was spacious enough. Anna slowly removed her armor, stacking it neatly to one side. After taking off her underlayer and cloth trousers, now stripped down to nothing, she suddenly realized a serious problem.
This dress exposed both the back and shoulders, with only the chest covered. If she wore a bra, wouldn’t it ruin the look?
But… not wearing a bra…
Anna’s trembling hands reached for her bra, hesitated for a moment, then instantly clasped it back on.
“No way, no way! I can’t do it!”
Wearing clothes but not a bra? Even though some of her academy roommates sometimes got lazy and skipped wearing one, that didn’t mean she would! Ever since she learned she needed to wear a bra, she had worn one every single day, okay?
As she struggled with this dilemma, a thought struck her, wasn’t there a special kind of strapless bra people wore with backless dresses?
Louise had planned everything so thoroughly, she must have considered this too, right?
Anna looked toward the gift box, but aside from the dress, there was nothing else inside.
Ughhh!
Damn it! I won’t give in so easily! I’ll just change back into my armor and walk out of here with confidence—
“Anna-senpai, are you still not done changing?”
Perhaps because too much time had passed, or maybe for another reason, Louise’s soft, adorable voice came from outside the fitting room. But to Anna, that gentle voice felt like a death curse, instantly shattering the determination she had just mustered.
“I… I’ve never worn this kind of dress before, so I’m not sure how to put it on…”
“Oh, I see. Then, Anna-senpai, do you want me to come in and help?” Louise seemed to ponder something before suggesting, “We’re both girls, so it’s perfectly normal to help each other change, right?”
“I…”
‘Like hell I believe you! Other people might not know you like girls, but as someone who also likes girls, how could I not tell?’
‘Do you have any idea how much I suffered living in the girls' dorm, watching my three cute roommates play around without a care?’
‘And I don’t even have to guess, this garbage simulator has already outright told me that you like me!’
“I… don’t need your help. I’m almost done changing.”
“I see…”
It wasn’t easy to detect, but Anna could hear a trace of disappointment in Louise’s voice.
‘See? She’s definitely up to something! I bet she deliberately picked a dress like this and left out the strapless bra on purpose! Fine! I’ll just wear a bra with this dress!’
Anna steeled herself and began changing.
—A few minutes later—
The fitting room door opened. Louise, who had been absentmindedly playing with the fabric of her dress, immediately turned to look.
Anna stepped out cautiously, wearing the deep-red evening gown, her movements slow and hesitant.
Their eyes met in midair. Anna’s face turned red, while Louise’s lips curled into a mischievous, knowing smile.
Wait… Louise can make expressions like that too?
No, no! This isn’t the time to think about how cute she looks!
Gathering her resolve, Anna suddenly straightened up and, instead of walking with the grace expected of a lady, strode forward with her usual boldness, closing the distance between them in just a few steps. With hands on her hips, she demanded: “Well? How does it look?”
Louise blinked playfully, finding Anna’s stance rather amusing. “I knew my taste wouldn’t be wrong, Anna-senpai’s aura suits this dress perfectly.”
“Even with the way you just walked, it didn’t ruin the elegance at all. Instead, it added a touch of charm. Anna-senpai, you really are beautiful…”
“R-really?”
Anna hadn’t expected such praise. The confident posture she had just struck instantly collapsed, and she reverted to a shy, flustered girl.
“It’s true… Also, Anna-senpai.”
Louise slowly leaned in, her gaze drifting toward Anna’s smooth, exposed back.
“I remember that gift box didn’t include a bra, right?”
The words struck Anna like a bolt of lightning. Her entire face froze.
“How strange… Why don’t I see any sign of you wearing one, Anna-senpai?” Louise’s devilish smirk deepened, making an even greater contrast with her usual delicate and innocent demeanor. “Or could it be… that you’re actually not wearing one?”
“How—h-how could that be?!”
Flustered, Anna reflexively denied it. But when she tried to follow up with a reason, her lips moved, yet she couldn’t come up with anything.
“That’s true.” Louise suddenly pulled back, returning to her usual sweet smile.
“After all, there’s no way Anna-senpai wouldn’t wear a bra, right?”
This woman! She’s absolutely messing with me!
Overcome by impulse, Anna blurted out:
“Then… compared to how I looked before, which do you like better?”
Anna, what are you doing??? What the hell are you saying?!
The moment the words left her mouth, Anna regretted them. She almost wanted to deny they had come from her at all, wasn’t this the kind of thing characters in those late-night romance novels said before getting pushed onto the bed?!
But this time, Anna misjudged Louise.
“I… um…” Louise’s face suddenly turned red, and like Anna earlier, she started stammering. “I think… I think…”
She hesitated for a long moment, and when she noticed Anna’s gaze, her face grew even redder.
An awkward silence fell between them.
“…Anna-senpai, should we go grab something to eat?” In the end, it was Louise who broke the tension.
“I’ll let you decide. I’m not really sure what to get… Let me go change back first.”
As Anna escaped back into the fitting room, Louise hesitated for a moment but still didn’t say what was truly on her mind.
“…We could’ve just gone together while you were still wearing it. Oh well, I don’t really want anyone else to see Anna-senpai like that anyway…”