Cosplay Elf from Another World

The rain stopped at four in the morning, and we don't have any supply of eggs in the fridge. I planned to go to the nearby convenience store since it is the only open infrastructure at this moment. But as I passed the nearby park, an intersection away from our house, I noticed that the cat sat at the bench and expected me to pass through.

It's still not the day where she should appear. This sometimes happens, hence I always bring a pack of cat food with me. The ground was damp after the midnight rain that lasted for an hour. I sat on the unique bench, my own territory. As I open the first pack…

"You know, Sphynx-san, I might be in a pinch… But I'm not blaming you, you know! I'm just thinking about how karma was accurate. When Mom knew that the figurine's clothes were removable, she scolded me like what she always did with my father. I suddenly lost my will to live. I did save someone so they shouldn't experience what I went through, but I think it didn't feel worth it. I couldn't even focus on the Mangas and Animes I binged yesterday."

I named her Sphinx, representing the cat's breed, yet she wasn't very talkative. She only half-meowed when seeing the pink-colored packaging I always bought for her. She already knew what's inside it. I would be a demon if I replaced the food inside and opened the pack in her eyes.

After giving her the second cat food, I continued, "Why would Mom care for that stranger with no name? That girl just left Mom paying her million yen ruckus without any thanks. She's driving me nuts. Even if she's a Shizu-sama lookalike, she's still a thief. It's a fact that she benefited from us without anything in exchange, literally a win-win."

Meow. Meow. Meow. My eyes widened after the cat responded to my rants. Usually, she would climb up the tree and hide. It was the first time for me to witness this.

"What meow meow? Are you still hungry? You're really a cunning one. I didn't expect you to be so talkative– Wait, where are you going?"

The cat stepped down the bench and walked towards the nearby playground. She entered the bottom end of the enclosed spiral tube slide. I felt that she was nudging towards a hint, hence I followed her. When another set of meows caught my attention, I peeked into the hole in anticipation of getting a treasure from a hidden side quest. Yet, what I witnessed instead was a disastrous sleeping woman whose clothes were partially wet.

Her see-through dress showed the bright glow of her chest's skin color, indicating that she didn't have any underwear on her top. She unconsciously shivered, wrapping herself with only her arms. Even with her mouth closed, her chattering teeth made repeated sounds.

"M–M–Masochistic Shizu-sama thief!" My face blushing, I shrieked. My loud squeak called the girl out of her sleep.

She groaned and scratched her red-appearing eyes after waking up. When she sat straight, her head bumped into the roof of the slide. "Aw!" Covering her head, she hissed to ease the pain on her forehead.

"W–What are you doing here!? Don't you have a home?" Kou asked, still gazing at her bright melons.

"You… YOU!?" When Sera noticed his gaze, her arms flew before her chest, her cheeks appearing red out of embarrassment. "W–W–Where are you looking at!?"

Pouting and averting my eyes, I replied, "N-Nothing? Literally nothing in there. Weren't you cold? It must be a pain sleeping in wet clothes throughout the night."

"That's none of your business!" She exclaimed. The loud growling of her stomach accompanied it, making her blush more.

I sighed, "Without food, clothing, and shelter, you're so pitiful. You haven't even said any hints of thankfulness yesterday. I thought you're going back home?"

"I…" Lost in thought, she pressed her lips and averted her gaze. I didn't know that she lost her way home. However, I couldn't let go of how she's currently suffering. Why am I such an empathetic guy?

"Wait here, don't leave. Also, don't eat the cat."

"Are you… bringing those scary guys again?"

"Heck, no. Other than scary, they would be best to help you go back home. Those guys won't bother you unless you're found guilty. However, I still don't trust you."

I left her to buy an egg meal, a meat-flavored bun, a hot chocolate, and a bottle of water at the nearby convenience store. When I came back, I saw the woman and the cat sitting beside each other at the end of the slide. While she caressed the cat, they both stared into nothingness.

I waved the bottle of water before her eyes and said, "Here, take this. Don't worry about the price. I have a personal PWD discount."

The bun heat emitted the fragrance so plain she couldn't believe it was food. When she took it, its warmth stopped her hands from shivering. Her teary hollowed-out eyes looked at the bun with doubt, but judging from her whispery voice couldn't hide the hunger that lasted for a day.

"T… Thank you."

"See? It's better to say thanks when you're grateful."

At her first bite, the hidden flavor from the bun's core savored the sweetness of meat onto her mouth. Her once-dead emerald eyes softened, filling itself with an inner glow and outside with tears. All of her limbs sensed a tingling warmth, like it's her first time eating a bun. From her second bite, she rapidly munched the bun which soon vanished after a few seconds. She coughed after.

"H–Hey! Eat slowly. You don't want to see those white guys in hospitals, a place filled with trauma as per my experience," I advised while rubbing her back and giving her the opened bottle of water.

She gulped the water to cleanse her throat. After drinking, she exhaled and said with a cracking voice, "T… Thank you very much… I have never tasted something like this before… It's delicious…"

"Here's a choco to warm yourself."

She took the hot chocolate and blew it before sipping. Its warmth radiated throughout the plastic cup. After her first taste, her widened eyes glimmered and her cheeks reddened. The sweetness soon made her shiver and eliminated the cold she felt.

"This… This must have been expensive. How can I repay you for your kindness?"

I shook my head. "You don't need to pay me back. It's the cheapest one out there. Since we're always collided by fate, may I know what your name is? Mom wanted to know your name before you leave."

After a sip, she pressed her lips. "... Sera."

I thought it was Shizu… "Sera, hmm…. By the way, I'm Kou–" Wait… I seem to be forgetting something! "Aha! That's your pity strategy, eh? You plotting woman! Your unnatural charm benefits you from others… like a vampire! Everything's all in your favor! You're not even considering how much you take advantage of others–"

Sera stood up, covered her chest with her one arm, and her other hand… she slapped me with it. Tears accompanied her protruding eyes in her reddened face. Her noisy breathing was the only thing I could hear, her teeth baring. Her shaking hand stayed up. That's when I realized… I overstepped the line.

"ALL IN MY FAVOR!? YOU SAY THAT LIKE I WANTED THIS TO HAPPEN! Do you ever feel lost? You had a satisfying life, and your family is still there. You don't have a say with what I'm feeling or what I should feel! Your needs are all within reach. But I…" Slowly, she lowered her head as her fists clenched. "I don't even know where I am… I don't know what to do…"

Sera… I shouldn't have said that. I wanted to say that, but her crossed arms signalled me not to approach her. I'm such an idiot. It's my blindness to reality that made me think that she's pranking me. When she asked me the feeling of being lost, I didn't have an answer either. But her situation made me realize that I'm also lost within myself. I'm still struggling to find my path, but hating the stray idea made me ignore it. I'm always an incomplete man, and will never be complete.

I left without any hints, leaving her sobbing in the middle of the park.

I went home with the egg meal, and Mom immediately applied a cold compress on my face. When I lied that I only slipped, she laughed hard realizing that there would be no hand-shaped rock where I would fall onto. I prepared to set off to school after eating.

On my walk, countless people still crowded the place. Though our place is in the middle of Tokyo, this part wasn't popular. Yet the crowd density makes the sidewalks narrow. However, the crowd's attention was switched to a certain scene of a beautiful girl asking for directions. Her partly-torn dress marks the recognition of the public. That was Sera.

Hastily with her feverish emerald eyes, she asked hundreds of pedestrians that passed through her for hours, emphasizing 'Pencyne' kingdom to be specific. However, most of them ignored her inquiry. Although some replied, they provided the same negative response.

"Pencyne? I've never heard such a complex name before. And kingdoms don't exist in the modern world."

"Are you a foreigner? You look like you're not from here."

"You stink of improperly dried cloth and lack of bath! Get away from me!"

"Are you Vlogging? I'm sure you're doing this for your roleplay content. There are hidden cameras out there, aren't they?"

"What a creep! Wearing revealing clothes in public… hide yourself in your shell so kids won't see you! What an improper woman!"

While hearing these comments, I'm the one who was hit by knives toward my heart. If I'm in her situation, I would give up immediately, just like what happened when I was a kid. But unlike me, she didn't give up. After being hurt by the public's words, she didn't bother.

I failed to recognize her strength in pursuing going back to her home. She didn't even shed a tear now. I would like to help her, but I'm assured that she didn't forget what happened earlier. Her hate in me was uncanny. If I approach, I would only bother her.

I sat in the back row of my literature class, concentratedly reading a book that had the same cover as the other students were reading. No one knew from all the books the class had, I had a different one. What was that book? That's the For Dummies book accompanying the limited-edition figurine from Akiba. Kou printed a copy of their literature book's cover and wrapped it as a disguise. Though the size doesn't exactly match, it was enough to fool everyone.

However, Kou's facade didn't last. Their teacher discussed a certain folk story's plot point and planned to ask for the class's participation. When I gazed at the board, I found that the topic was about Tsuru no Ongaeshi (The Crane's Gratitude).

"Based on the readings, when the lost woman appeared on the poor old man's door, what did she offer? Kou, stand up. It's the first time that I've seen you studying hard."

Oh sheesh! Did he notice? I slowly stood up and wandered around to look for answers, but the board only wrote the title of the book. Also, everyone doesn't have their notes open, only their book. I blinked rapidly as I fiddled my fingers. Even though the room is air-conditioned, I could feel my sweat bursting out my pores. I don't know the answer!

I chattered my teeth uncontrollably before I planned to speak random nonsense. But before I did, the girl beside me raised her hand and shouted, "Sir!"

"Hase again? Was anybody listening in my class? You may answer the question, Hase."

When I looked to my left, my once childhood friend, Izumi Hase, stood up in her seat beside the window. She stood 5'4" tall, and had sunken hazel-brown eyes, round acne-less face, and twin-tailed crimson-red hair. She was one of the cutest in the whole school, and every man hated me by sitting beside her.

No one knew we're childhood friends, and I even wanted to forget what happened. However, she was also my neighbor, hence I can't escape her sight. I used to call her Izumi before, but that was in the past. I admit that she was beautiful, but I don't feel anything when I look at her, unlike other men. Maybe God doesn't want us to go to a different class since grade school.

She answered, "The woman assured the old man that she'll support him with a sack of rice that never goes empty, his need. Even though he's poor, the woman provided his needs, even his wealth, without him knowing that she's the crane the man saved."

Her tone of voice made every student clap their hands, even I who only joined the conformity. Our teacher even praised her, "Very good, Hase! I'm glad that there are people who are willing to take my lessons. Sugiyama and Hase, please sit down."

The moment we sat down, she clenched her fist and smiled at me like she was telling me You got this! Was she paying attention to me? Does she think that I'm trying hard to catch up to my lessons? It's already a habit of mine to ignore her. I'm the only shadow where her brightest light won't shine.

Since I'm safe in the recitation trap, I continued to research my self-development. It didn't take long until the bell rang and the class dismissed. As usual, I eat alone in my seat, while a group surrounds Izumi. They include men who plan on courting her and women who treat her as their best friend.

I don't belong to any groups. There is one for Otakus, but they only exist for clouts. They're not diehards. There are also the group of gyarus, lolitas, and even Salon boys. The only one I noticed being left out was the sleepy student, Hina Amamiya. She had lots of freckles and acne in her face, a reason why no one wanted to approach her. To hide her face, she took the sleepy girl role in class.

I always overhear the conversations in the group beside me. Everyday, it was only cycling on praising, teasing, and even courting Izumi. I'm surprised that she wasn't annoyed by it… Because I was. Even though I don't want it, fate decides that I'm always seated beside her. I went back to my own world not until a commotion caught my attention.

"What is that girl doing?" Izumi asked, staring outside the window. The group also shifted their gaze towards the grounds of the school.

"What are those clothes? That's too torn and revealing."

"Are those elf ears? Is she cosplaying?"

"Maybe she's doing a vlog to go viral. That's what influencers are nowadays."

That is certainly someone I know! I rushed at the window and looked at the clueless girl exploring the personless school grounds out of innocence. I gasped, my mouth falling apart, my eyes widening. Sera…

What is she doing here!?