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Keisuke’s glasses fogged up with every shaky breath he exhaled. Despite the cold, Shibuya crossing was packed with people as usual. As he watched business people, students and young couples mill about and form an ever moving and changing crowd he started to regret picking this as their meeting point.
“Midori… Where are you?”
This was solely his mistake. Knowing Midori’s last stop would be Shibuya Station he had thought Shibuya crossing to be their ideal meeting point. And it might have been geographically, maybe, but one look at this crowd told him finding each other would be near impossible.
Giving Midori a call seemed like his only hope of finding her in this crowd. He probably would have given her a call already if it wasn’t for the fact the cold wasn’t the only reason he was shaking. He had little to be nervous about, but his heart hammering in his chest begged to differ.
How long had it been since they had met up? His fingers helped him count the months as he dug through his memory. “Seven months,” Keisuke mumbled to himself, staring thoughtfully at his gloved hands.
It was funny how such a long period of time without seeing each other could feel like no time at all. Their occasional chats through LINE probably had a big part to play in that. It always surprised Keisuke just how much of Midori’s personality shone through her messages. If anyone would be deserving of a ‘Found the most inventive ways to use LINE-stickers’-award, it would be her.
“Keisuukeeee! Over here~!”
Keisuke dropped his hands. He would recognize that voice anywhere. In response to Midori’s call, Keisuke turned his head and met her gaze all the way over at the other side of the crossing.
Would you look at that. Midori had made the impossible possible and had found him in this crowd. Now that they had spotted each other, she was hastily making her way over to him. She was… so sparkly, as always.
Watching Midori come closer, Keisuke swallowed down a lump in his throat. The moment that had been making him a nervous wreck was drawing closer. He had made up his mind about this a long time ago, but now that it was time to do what he had promised himself to do he was experiencing great difficulty. Taking one final deep breath, he screamed on the top of his lungs:
“There you are, Midori, Defender of Justice!”
Ahh... aahhh…… Somehow these words had actually passed his lips. If his ears hadn’t been red because of the cold already, they certainly would be now. That had been such an uncharacteristic thing for him to say, but he was a man of his word. Now that he said what he had to, he would never be making a bet with Atsuro ever again.
Midori, now only a few steps away, was clearly baffled by all this. Pushing his glasses up his nose with his index finger, Keisuke sheepishly avoided her gaze. God, he was going to die. That had been at least ten times more embarrassing than he had imagined it to be. The laughs and sniggers of the people around them who had happened to overhear their little exchange weren’t helping either.
“I heard your call, fellow Defender of Justice,” Midori greeted Keisuke as she came to a stop before him. “Let’s do our best to help all those who seem to be in need of our help today, together.”
Despite Keisuke’s embarrassment he couldn’t help but be drawn in by Midori’s smile. She wasn’t in cosplay today. Or at least, Keisuke didn’t think she was? She was wearing a light pink wool coat with a fur collar, large buttons and an even large bow on her chest to top it off. Underneath her coat she was probably wearing a cute skirt or dress, but her coat was too long to be able to tell. To stay warm she was also wearing thick, white cotton stockings with a heart-shaped pattern to them and light pink lace up boots.
It was surprising how she had been the one to spot him in the crowd and not the other way around, really. Keisuke had little to no fashion sense or otherwise fashion knowledge, but even so he was fairly certain the outfit Midori was wearing today would be ‘lolita’. She wouldn’t be hearing it from him, but he thought she looked especially cute today.
“Yes, we should. It’s good to see you.” It really was good to see her. Although seven months might not have felt like a long time, it was. Sadly, they were both unable to meet up more often. Midori wasn’t from Tokyo, and even if she would have been, they both had been incredible busy. Keisuke was busy with school and Midori had her fame as an internet cosplay celebrity to uphold. “I’m glad you could make it on such a short notice.”
“Of course! We Defenders of Justice have to stick together. I couldn’t simply not make time for you when you said you would like to meet up. You should have seen my face when you messaged me, though. You surprised me! Heheh.”
She had had every reason to be surprised. It had always been her to initiate making plans. Usually she would be the one to suggest picking a date to meet up in the group chat they shared with their friends. Kazuya, Atsuro and Yuzuru were always eager to do something fun together, but everyone who has ever been in a group chat doesn’t need to be told how much of a brain cracking struggle it is to pick a date everyone is happy with. Picking a date became much easier if only two people needed to voice their preference, however.
“Sooooo, did you have some place you wanted to take me? Something to show me?” Midori asked, her eyes even more sparkly than usual.
“Ah, well… I hadn’t thought ahead that much, to be honest,” Keisuke mumbled, grinning sheepishly. “I just thought it would be good to see you .”
“In that case, is it alright if I make a suggestion?”
“Yes, of course. We can go anywhere you want to go.”
Midori tilted her head to one side as she seemed to consider something. “Hmmmm…. There is one place I would like to go, but it’s kind of far from here.”
“Oh, I don’t mind. If we can’t walk there we can always take a metro. Where would you like to go?”
“Heaven!”
“…… Huh?”
And Heaven it was. Or at the very least, Keisuke would assume it would be for any cosplayer. Just one look into Yuzawaya Shinjuku told him the store was paradise for lovers of fabrics, sewing, and crafts.
It was incredible. Never before had Keisuke seen such a huge variety of colors and materials for the arts in one place. Although he was anything but artistic himself, he felt an incredible desire to own everything the craft store had to offer. The sensation was familiar to him as he always felt it when entering a bookstore.
Keisuke loved books. He felt he could express himself best when writing his thoughts down, and could also come to understanding others most while reading their carefully worded phrases on paper. Not once had he left a bookstore without at least one book to add to his personal collection. The closest thing to the pleasure of smelling a new book would probably be seeing Midori smiling like she was at that very moment.
“Can you find what you are looking for? If there is anything specific you need, I could help you look for it.”
“Still looking, still looking. And thanks, but I’ve got this.”
Midori was thoughtfully comparing a wide range of purple fabrics with each other. She rubbed them between her fingers, placed them over each other and held them against and in the light as her mind worked wonders. As Keisuke watched her, he felt like he was seeing a whole different side of Midori. He couldn’t say he remembered a time she had been more calm and attentive than this. She was piecing together a cosplay in her head as they spoke.
“Who are you thinking of cosplaying?” Keisuke asked just to be polite. Of course he was curious, but it wasn’t like any name of a character or series was going to mean anything to him.
“It’s a long list. I’m going to be cosplaying all my heroes!”
“What, really? You’re making more than one costume?”
“Yes! I’m always working on multiple, new costumes. Nothing feels as great as putting on a costume you’ve been working on for forever and becoming the hero you want to be.”
Keisuke couldn’t say he knew that feeling, but because he didn’t want to discourage her he nodded silently. He wondered if wearing the costumes of the heroes she loved was her secret behind becoming so positive and fearless. It had been years since the lockdown had ended and yet he still remembered how passionate Midori had been in helping those in need, no matter the consequences.
“Are there any heroes you would like to cosplay as one day, Keisuke?”
‘You’ was the first thought to cross Keisuke’s mind. It went without saying he would be keeping that thought to himself. He had already embarrassed himself enough around Midori today, thank you.
“Not really. There aren’t many heroes I’m familiar with. I did watch Evangelion once, but…”
The speed at which Midori’s expression went sour was almost comical. The smile she had been showing off since they had met up at Shibuya crossing was replaced with a deep frown and an intense pout. Why?! Evangelion was one of the classics from Keisuke’s understanding.
“Y-You’re not a fan?”
“Hmph! Shinji just had to get in the robot! A real Defender of Justice never hesitates to protect the people!"
‘Not everyone is as fearless as you!’
"Really? I, uhh... actually thought Shinji was relatable."
Ikari Shinji certainly wasn’t the happiest character to ever make it on television. While watching Evangelion, Keisuke had found himself relating to Shinji more than he was comfortable admitting. Their struggles weren’t one and the same, but there were similarities for sure.
…Or at the very least, there had been. As much as it pained him to remember the lock down, it had changed him and it had changed him for the better. His life still knew its struggles, but he was happier with himself as a person and had found better ways to deal with his desire for justice. Doing volunteer work was rewarding in its own way.
“Let’s talk about something else!” Midori forcefully changed the subject. Keisuke wouldn’t forget Evangelion was the biggest no-no for her.
“Ah, uhh, sure… Which is your favorite? Your favorite anime, I mean.”
“I thought you would never ask.”
Keisuke blinked as Midori suddenly pushed the purple fabrics she had been comparing into his arms. He could swear the lights in the craft store turned dimmer and a spotlight fall onto Midori as she struck a pose.
“I'm the pretty sailor soldier of love and justice, Sailor Moon!” Midori beamed, her arms and hands changing poses so fluently it almost seemed like she had been doing this all her life (which, on second thought, she probably had). “In the name of the moon, I will punish you!”
In Midori’s final pose she was pointing at Keisuke with her right hand, shooting straight through his heart. A critical hit if Keisuke’s face was anything to go by. How come she was being an idiot in public, but he felt embarrassed?!
“S-Sailor Moon, right?”
“Well, of course silly. I gave it all away. The name of the show is in her catchphrase. The full title is Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon.”
“Right… I assume your favorite is one of the older seasons? I think I read somewhere that the quality of the most reason one left a lot to be desired.”
Keisuke seemed to be stepping on many landmines today. This time Midori’s expression didn’t turn sour. Instead she was smiling from ear to ear, but Keisuke could tell by the way her eyes were narrowed the smile was anything but serene. He was seeing more sides of her today than he ever could have hoped or wished to see.
“……………. It was fine.”
OUCH. OK, that definitely was a sensitive topic. Moving on.
Just as Keisuke was about to change to subject, two girls stepped into view. His eyes were immediately drawn to the shoulder bags the they were proudly carrying with them. Colorful buttons, keychains and even plushies of handsome looking anime men were covering almost the entirety of the bags. ‘OTAKU!’ was the only thought to cross Keisuke’s mind as he instinctively took a few steps back.
“Sorry to be a bother, but would you happen to be Dolly?” the shorter one of the two girls asked Midori.
At being asked that question, Midori started sparkling so intensely Keisuke had to shield his eyes. “Yes, it’s me, Dolly!”
“See, I told you!” the shorter girl beamed as she tugged at the other girl’s sleeve. “It’s her. It’s Dolly!”
“We didn’t recognize you at first, because you’re not in cosplay today. Your outfit is totes cute, though.”
“We? You didn’t. I did! I would recognize you anywhere, Dolly. I’m a huge fan!”
Before long Midori and the two girls were throwing around names of series and characters unfamiliar to Keisuke. The three off them filled the normally peaceful crafts store with bubbling energy. Their chatter sounded harsh to Keisuke’s ears. It was… suffocating.
Having decided it would be better for everyone involved if he waited outside the store for this conversation to wrap up, Keisuke carefully put the purple fabrics he was still carrying in his arms back where Midori had found them. However, just as he was about to make his great escape, Midori called him.
“Keisukeee, would you take a picture of us? Pretty please?”
If there was one thing Keisuke did not feel like it would have to be fumbling around with someone else’s smartphone to take a picture. Of course it wouldn’t be just any picture either. It would be a picture of the scene that was giving him a headache no less! Still, there was no way he could tell Midori no when she was giving him puppy eyes like that.
“…OK. I’ll try.”
“Thanks! You’re a big help.”
The tallest of the two girls approached him and handed him her smartphone. Keisuke grimaced slightly as the big keychains and DIY cabochons on the smartphone’s case made it incredible difficult to hold. The otaku-life wasn’t for him, but he had to admire their devotion at least.
After some trial and error, Keisuke had taken a decent picture of the girls. He could tell Midori was used to getting her picture taken. She looked cute in all of them, even the blurry ones. There was no doubt in his mind the bad pictures would be deleted before the shorter girl could even think of stealing her friend’s phone and uploading them to the internet for laughs.
Keisuke was sure that as soon as he would have given the girl’s phone back, their conversation would pick up again at full force. Fortunately enough for him, Midori did something unexpected.
“Thank you for being my fans and supporting me. It was a lot of fun talking with you, but I have to go.”
“Aww, already?” the shorter girl pouted, “Won’t you join us for some cake and tea instead? There’s a cute café nearby. Our treat!”
“Thank you so much, but sorry, I can’t. I have to get going now. If you see me at an event come say hi!”
Midori hooked her arm through Keisuke’s and pulled him with her out of the store before either of the girls could get another word in. Keisuke didn’t resist it, but his brain couldn’t make sense of what was happening.
“We’re leaving? What about–”
“It’s fine. I can come back here for materials any time.”
“But why–”
“You didn’t look happy in there, so it was time to leave.”
An angel. Keisuke didn’t think he deserved to be Midori’s friend, but he was grateful for every day he got to spend with her nevertheless.
“Ah… Thanks, you’re a real life saver.”
Midori didn’t unhook her arm from Keisuke’s after they had exited the craft store. She said something about wanting to check out a nearby store, but Keisuke didn’t catch the name of the store. His attention was elsewhere.
They were close… Close enough for Keisuke to catch a whiff of Midori's perfume. He hadn’t noticed until now that she was wearing any. The perfume was mild, sweet. He thought he detected a hint of jasmine and vanilla in the scent. It calmed him down and made him forget the unfortunate series of events which had plagued him in the craft store.
Keisuke couldn’t make out the words Midori was saying over his loud heartbeat. This came as no surprise to him. He had realized he was head over heels for Midori soon after the lockdown had ended. Even so, knowing he was in love with her and actually having his body react so intensely to her presences were two different things.
Somewhere deep inside him, Keisuke found the courage to take her hand in his. Midori fell silent and turned her head to look at him. Rather than disgust or surprise, Keisuke saw sparkles in her eyes.
“…Is this alright?” Keisuke asked softly.
“Yes, of course! It’s easy to lose each other when so many people are out and about.”
“Right…”
Despite the fact that his actual intentions behind taking her hand had been shot down, Keisuke found himself smiling. He was happy to be able to spend time like Midori like this. He wanted to get to know her better. By being around her, he felt like it was possible for him to become the kind of person he had always wanted to be. A hero. Someone who could bring joy to other’s lives and protect those dear to him. She truly brought out the best in him.
“Soooo, as I was saying,” Midori hummed, “I get to keep you to myself for the rest of the day, right? There are so many things I want to show you!”
Keisuke squeezed her hand gently in his. “Yes, I would be glad to.”