"Why did she want to meet me...?"
Yet, even so, Mayuri didn't reject the meeting, especially when Eri told her that there was someone she wanted to meet.
"Did she get a boyfriend...?"
When she thought of that, all of a sudden, she felt frustrated, annoyed, and even angry, yet what right did she have to get angry at Eri?
After all, wasn't she the one who betrayed her?
"Why... am I so poor?"
Mayuri looked at her apartment, which was small, old, and dingy. If she were an oil tycoon or had gained a system that could give her a lot of money, she would do everything that she wished to do, yet, as she had none of that, except for waking up and accepting everything, what could she do?
She still had the student loan that she had to pay, and naturally, while she didn't hate her job as a teacher, she had to sacrifice her dream, as she knew well that chasing her dream wouldn't give her stability, nor an ability to pay her loan.
The reality was this, after all, and even as the most popular cosplayer in the country, she had to bow down in front of the bill, loan, rent, and tax that she had to pay.
Yet, it didn't mean that she hated her job; the job that she had chosen was something that she dreamed of, and she also felt happy with it, as it gave her stability and a nice, comfortable life.
Still, sometimes, she just couldn't help but think about the past, when it was so much fun that she could be someone that she loved, and chase after the dream that she had always loved.
Cosplay.
It was just an activity to wear a costume and play a certain role, but while the others thought so, she felt that it was more than that; it was her way of life.
Yes, she saw this activity as something further.
She wasn't sure how to describe this feeling, but she felt like she was a martial artist who sought their way as a martial artist, trying to grow stronger and become stronger.
In her mind, cosplay was like that; it was her way of life, but even if it was her way of life, she still needed money!
Even if she loved her cosplay, if she stuck to it, who would pay her bills, loans, rent, and taxes?
Probably, if she wanted to, there were a lot of people who would take care of her, becoming her sugar papa due to her beauty, her large boobs, and her "big" talent in cosplay, but like any otakus, her heart was pure and she wanted her virginity to be taken by her beloved, the one, who took her heart instead of a big belly uncle with a bald head.
Yes, those people had a lot of money, but... but...
"Damn!"
As she felt depressed, she grabbed several cans of beer from her fridge, trying to wash away all of her frustrations with alcohol.
"Eri..."
As she kept drinking, she couldn't help but think about that wonderful, gentle girl who had approached her during their school days.
Cosplay, while she might say that it was her way of life, she knew well that in most cases, in the eyes of the majority, it wasn't seen in a good light, so she had always kept everything a secret, including her parents.
The only people who knew about her love for cosplay were Eri, the first girl, who approached her and shared their hobby, yet she knew well that Eri just wanted to do a cosplay because she wanted to accompany her.
Still, even so, because of that, Eri had become such a precious existence for her.
As for the other, it was her teacher, who guided her and told her how to sew her costume, and also the first adult, who could accept her, to wear a skimpy costume outfit.
"She is such a good teacher..."
Unlike when she was young, Mayuri had grown into an adult, so she knew well how wrong it was for women to wear such a sexy, lewd cosplay, but her teacher kindly guided her, and it was also because of this, she wanted to become a teacher, thinking that she wished to do the same with her students, so they could be who they wanted to be.
Yet, this answer betrayed her friend, who had accompanied her to be a cosplayer, working together toward their dream, as she chose a stable job over their love.
So, this was the right punishment for her, this was something that she could accept, yet she had to say, it hurt her!
When Mayuri thought of Eri's slender, beautiful body being held tightly as she was pounded from behind like a beast by her boyfriend, it gave her a sense of powerlessness, frustration, yet also a strange feeling that she didn't want to accept!
"Dammit, Eri, don't leave me!"
Yet, she knew that she could do nothing, as she could only swallow everything with alcohol, thinking that Eri was robbed away from her, as it was already impossible for Eri to leave her boyfriend, after being conquered by that huge, immense object that could turn any woman into his object!
"...if he is a scumbag, I won't let him go!"
As she thought so, she continued to consume her beers, hoping to gain power from it since she knew if she didn't do this, she would be too cowardly to face everything, and probably would only lower her head, as she could only show a forced smile as she accepted everything, so to get all of her power, she had to drink all of this, letting all of her emotions go out... in that way, she hoped that she could retain Eri!
Still, even though she should be happy that she had gone home early, the time moved so slowly, and she couldn't even enjoy it. It was she who was trapped inside a building with a bomb, and every time that passed, her death was closer; after all, there was no famous detective who became a child due to a drug that was forcefully poured inside his mouth by a mysterious terrorist organization.
She hoped that time would stop, so she didn't have to meet her end, but she knew that it was impossible since the sound of Eri and the bell of her apartment was heard from outside.
"Mayuri, I am here. Have you gone home yet?"
"Wait, there! I am coming!"
Her head was dizzy, as she had consumed too much beer, yet her emotions were blazing as she wanted to see the one who had taken Eri's heart!
I will definitely say a word or two!
Her emotions couldn't be controlled, as she kept stepping forward before she opened the door, and—
"BWEERGGHHHHHHHHH!"
"..." 2x
As Mayuri puked with all of her might, Eri was too shocked to say anything, yet Nifuji fell in silence as his suit was in a mess due to this drunk woman.