Chapter 119
In front of Enoden Enoshima Station.
‘We finally made it here.’
Thinking that, she glanced to the side. Three companions wearing anime cosplay outfits and red, blue, and yellow wigs, much like her, were there.
“
There really won't be any today, right?
”
“
Um, I checked Twitter and ran some web searches first, and there weren't any teams coming among the cosplayer groups. Unless some truly weird people show up, there shouldn't be anyone here today.
”
A worried conversation was taking place beside her. She thought it was understandable.
‘Visiting an anime pilgrimage site while dressed in anime cosplay’ was one of the things cosplayers dreamed of doing. In particular, Bocchi the Rock, the dominant hit of 2022, was hugely popular, easy to cosplay, and its pilgrimage sites were in or near Tokyo and not far away, so there was a high chance others would have the same idea.
‘After going to all this trouble to cosplay, it would be kind of awkward if we ran into people cosplaying the exact same thing…’
Strictly speaking, there was nothing to feel awkward about.
But human psychology didn't run on logic alone. They had come looking for ‘something special that belonged only to us,’ and it would ruin their mood to find people who had thought of the same thing. And what would other people think? They would compare the outfits, compare the accuracy of the recreations… It was obvious how that would go.
Since they were sure to be compared at every turn, they had decided it would be better not to run into anyone and chosen today—the one day that fit after they had checked all the schedules of cosplay teams they knew.
…But their expectations were betrayed from the very beginning. The moment they started walking toward Enoshima Shrine, a four-person group wearing the exact same ‘Bocchi the Rock’ cosplay appeared right beside them.
On the sidewalk crowded with passing people, eight people froze as though they had encountered their doppelgängers.
“
…Huh? Why?
”
One of the group let the words slip out absentmindedly, bringing her back to her senses. After choosing and rechoosing the date so carefully, there was actually a cosplay team showing up today of all days, with exactly the same concept.
What should they do? It wasn't too late even now—should they just call off the shoot and go home? Or delay it a little? They could push ahead, but if the other side didn't give up, they might end up in the embarrassing situation of ‘lining up to take pilgrimage-site photos’ in front of tourists.
‘…No, wait.’
Cutting off the train of thought that had reached that point, she quickly scanned the other four.
‘Generic wigs. Rental costumes made from cheap fabric…’
There was no superiority or inferiority in cosplay. What mattered was recreating the character.
But even if there was no superiority or inferiority in ‘recreating’ a character through cosplay… there was definitely a hierarchy among ‘cosplay outfits.’ A twenty-thousand-won wig bought haphazardly from some online site versus a hundred-thousand-won custom-made wig. Which one would have more value?
Thinking that, she subtly signaled her companions with her eyes.
That in this ‘cosplay showdown,’ they could win.
…And at that moment, Iseo had a similar thought.
‘They do look like they have higher-quality stuff, but…!’
The wigs and costumes Iseo and the others had rented, as one would expect from something borrowed from whatever shop near a tourist attraction… were visibly low quality. Even without drawing on Iseo’s ‘past experience,’ it was obvious they were outclassed.
But even so, Iseo could smile. Because…
‘Our side looks better!’
It was cruel, and embarrassing, to think that way. In the end, looks were something people were born with and could not change through their own efforts.
But that was precisely why, even in cheap costumes and cheap wigs… Iseo and the others could have higher character accuracy than the people in expensive outfits and expensive wigs.
And Iseo’s confidence, founded on that fact, drove her into an invisible contest with the other group. Sparks flew from the looks they exchanged, followed by slight nods.
The contest had begun.
Of course, she had not received the slightest consent from her companions.
* * *
Myeongjeon had experienced all sorts of things in his life. He had spent several years stuck in the military, been to prison, gone on overseas tours, and even tried drugs. Recently, he had even tried dying—and had gone so far as to be resurrected as a woman. People said the world was full of eccentrics and strange happenings, but there were probably few people who had experienced more than Myeongjeon.
But even he was now experiencing something he could never have imagined. Right here, right now.
‘What on earth is going on?’
Suppose he went to the ‘Seo Myeongjeon’ from before his death and told him, “Next year, you’ll travel to Japan, put on an outfit imitating a cartoon character, run into someone wearing an outfit imitating the exact same cartoon character, and then head toward the same destination in an awkward atmosphere.”
Would he believe it? Absolutely not. But reality came crashing down whether you believed it or not. Just as it was now.
Myeongjeon looked at his companions. Hyuna was moving along somehow despite her expression saying she had no idea what was going on, while Seoha wore a grin that said she understood perfectly well.
In front of them were Iseo and the other four, obviously engaged in a battle of wills.
The five walked while pretending not to be aware of each other, yet every time they passed pedestrians, their eyes darted around to check where the others were looking. Judging by the alternating looks of triumph and disappointment each time, Myeongjeon did not know how they were deciding the verdict, but… it certainly looked like a contest was underway.
And the atmosphere continued. While crossing the bridge, while climbing the shopping street. Iseo and the other four kept checking each other, making frustrated faces or looking excited.
“Um…”
“Yeah?”
The quiet voice of Hyuna reached Myeongjeon as he nibbled at a strangely shaped slab of snack called ‘tako senbei,’ which one absolutely had to try.
“Are we… having some kind of contest with those people right now?”
“Who knows… I’m not really sure.”
Myeongjeon pretended not to know. He was afraid that if he answered for no reason, she would ask something like, “Why are they doing that?”
And while Seoha was answering that question, the contest continued.
At the shrine in front of them after climbing the low shopping street, the four on each side posed and took photos (the other side took the pictures). They took photos in front of the escalator where they could ride up for a fee instead of using the stairs (same as before). They took photos at the observatory at the end of the path (same as before), and took photos after going up to the observatory too (likewise).
The strange contest that had continued like this reached its final act in front of an ice cream shop. The pink-haired member on the other side set the ‘guitar case’ they had been carrying on their back down onto the ground.
“
It’s a close match. I can tell you’re not an opponent we can beat easily. Let’s stop here… and have the final showdown.
”
“What is she talking about?”
“A contest… a contest? She says they should have a showdown.”
“
Were they Korean?
”
“
Huh? Korean?
”
“Is she saying we’re Korean?”
“No… Isn’t it stranger that they didn’t realize we were Korean until now? We’ve been speaking Korean the whole time.”
The woman who had taken out the guitar muttered, and Hyuna translated her words. A brief commotion followed, then the atmosphere settled down again. For some reason, the mood had turned solemn.
“
Our side knows how to play guitar.
”
“What did she say?”
“She says they know how to play guitar.”
“Tell them our side can play guitar too.”
“
Our side can play guitar too.
”
“
We’re good at playing guitar!
”
“What did she say?”
“She says they’re good at playing guitar.”
“Tell them we have a Guitar Hero.”
“
We have a Guitar Hero.
”
“
We do too!
”
Iseo and the other group exchanged questions and answers through a Japanese interpreter (not really one). Thinking it looked like a scene from a family game show as they stubbornly insisted they were better, like elementary schoolchildren, Myeongjeon simply mimed that they should play the guitar. At that, the pink-haired member took a Martin acoustic guitar out of the case.
“
Here we go!
”
The performance that followed was surprisingly listenable. The performer had clearly practiced and worked hard at the guitar, steadily reaching an ‘amateur level’ of skill.
“
She’s good~
”
The short, two-minute performance succeeded in attracting the attention of the people already drawn there by the cosplay. After repeatedly bowing their head awkwardly at the exclamations and applause coming from the passersby… the group on the other side looked at them with self-assured expressions.
“
How about it? Even now, you could admit you’ve lost…
”
Instead of answering, Myeongjeon trudged over and held out his hand. The other member hesitated slightly, then held out the guitar with a smile that seemed to ask, ‘Can you do it?’
“What should I play?”
“Um… Distortion? The very last part?”
At Iseo’s words, Myeongjeon casually played the final part. A barrage of sixteenth notes that was little more than a warm-up for him. Since simply ending there would be boring, he added a solo with a suitable burst of speed.
But at that performance, the group on the other side opened their eyes wide and stared at Myeongjeon. Their expressions looked as if they had been hit by a truck.
* * *
“They were interesting people.”
“You were the only one who had fun.”
Iseo responded to Myeongjeon’s teasing with laughter. The snickering sound was somehow irritating, so he scooped up seawater around his knees and splashed it at Iseo.
“It’s cold!”
“Of course the water’s cold. What, did you expect it to be warm?”
‘After the “Enoshima Island Cosplay Showdown” (a name Iseo had given it) ended, they returned the cosplay outfits, soaked through with sweat, and woke Hyein, who had been sleeping at the hotel. The place they reached was Katase Higashihama, a beach on Enoshima.
‘This trip is really giving me nothing but experiences I’ve never had in my life before…’
The glittering sea and Mount Fuji visible in the distance. Myeongjeon gazed at the scenery, then looked up at the sky. It was clear, with only one or two clouds.
It was a view he had watched for decades, but now it was a little different. No matter how long he had lived, and even if he had lived several more decades as the person he was now, could he ever have had an experience like this?
It would have been absolutely impossible. If he had not been given a ‘new life.’
“What are you thinking so hard about?”
His train of thought was broken by a soft thump. Iseo had thrown a colorful beach ball. Myeongjeon picked it up and looked at Iseo.
“Who knows.”
‘Why did she pick something so indecent…’
A black sleeveless swimsuit top that seemed to cover her down to just below her chest, but was actually sheer. And bottoms that barely reached the ends of her crotch.
The outfit, combined with Iseo’s figure, was putting on a truly devastating display. Men swarmed around her looks, which were believable even for a model.
“
Hey, you. Want to hang out together…?
”
“I don’t speak Japanese~ I’m not interested.”
Despite seeing Iseo repeatedly turn them down, whether they thought they would be different or were simply possessed of baseless confidence… ‘shipwrecked men’ kept sprouting up like weeds the day after rain.
Thinking there was no chance of having fun like this, Myeongjeon bounced the beach ball lightly with his hand. Hyein, Seoha, and Hyuna needed to come soon; then at least they would have enough people to make these guys stop coming over. Maybe they kept looking down on Iseo and coming to ask for her number because they could only see one person.
“
Hey, you over there.
”
“…Yes?”
As Myeongjeon was thinking that, he heard a thin man’s voice.
“
Do you want to hang out with us? We’re one person short right now…
”
“Hey, fuck off.”
What he heard was Japanese. But Myeongjeon could understand what it meant without bothering to translate. So this was another thing he got to experience in his life. He had not particularly wanted to experience even this.