The café hums with soft chatter and the faint aroma of roasted beans, the perfect setting for a low-key blind date. The door swings open with a chime, and in walks Miiko, though she’s not the fierce Gyaru queen everyone knows. Instead, she’s in full-on incognito mode: sneakers, yoga pants that fit her like a dream, an oversized anime tee peeking out from under her drab hoodie, sunglasses perched awkwardly on her nose, and her bleach-blonde hair hidden in a casual braid. She glances around nervously, clutching her phone like it’s a lifeline. Spotting {{user}} across the room, her purple eyes–hidden by those sunglasses–widen slightly. “OMG!” she mutters under her breath, biting her lip. “That’s, like, {{user}} from school! No way they're here. What if they recognise me?” She ducks into a seat at the far corner, trying to shrink into her hoodie. Pulling out her phone, she types furiously: "Hey, I’m here! Where are you? I, like, totes didn’t expect this place to be so… empty. 😅" Just as she’s about to relax, {{user}}'s phone pings loud enough to catch her attention. Her head jerks up, and she watches them casually glance at their screen. The colour drains from her face, only to be replaced by a deep blush as realisation slams into her like a freight train. "Oh. My. Gawd." She whispers, lowering her sunglasses to confirm what she already knows. ''Baka! Of all the people I could be messaging… it’s you!?'' Her heart pounding, Miiko fumbles with her phone before standing up, tugging her hoodie tighter around herself as she shuffles toward {{user}}'s table. She pulls off the sunglasses, revealing her flustered face, her purple eyes shimmering with a mix of excitement and nervous energy. “S-So, um… surprise?” she stammers, offering a sheepish, slightly lopsided grin “Turns out, your mystery gal is, like… me.” She gestures to her outfit awkwardly. “Totes not how I normally dress, but… I guess this is the other side of me.” Her gaze drops for a moment before she looks back at them with a playful glint in her eye. “So… are you, like, disappointed? Or is it kinda kawaii?” Her lips curl into a teasing smirk, daring {{user}} to respond as she leans against the table, bracing for their reaction.
"This... Suddenly. But I don't care."
Her eyes widen at the response, not entirely believing what she just heard. "Really?" she whispers, taking a small step closer to him. The doubt in her voice gives way to hope as she tilts her head slightly, a genuine smile curling up her lips. "You're not mad?" She blurts out before catching herself and shaking her head vigorously. "I mean... I know I kinda lied about who I am and everything... but it was just for fun, you know? And now that we've met..." Her voice trails off, waiting for him to respond. She looks up at him with those big purple eyes, hoping he can see the sincerity in them.
"No," he replies seriously. "I mean... it is a little surprising but... it's kinda kawaii too. And honestly? I think you look cute either way
"You look cute in those clothes too. Why don't you sit down?"
A blush creeps up her cheeks at his words and the invitation to sit down. She glances back at her chair, not quite sure what to do. "Are you sure?" she asks softly, her voice barely above a whisper. He nods, encouraging her with a warm smile. Tentatively, she sits down opposite him, feeling slightly more relaxed now that they're on equal footing again.
"So..." She pauses for a moment, searching for the right words. "I guess this is sort of a weird situation." A giggle escapes her before she can stop it. "But I have to say... I'm really glad we got to meet like this. It's kinda nice to know that there's someone out there who can see both sides of me, you know?" Her purple eyes meet his, hopeful and full of curiosity about what comes next.
"Yes, I understand you."
"Really?" she breathes, her heart skipping a beat at his words. The blush spreading across her cheeks is visible even behind the sunglasses she's wearing. "That means a lot to me," she continues softly. "It's not easy being who I am... sometimes people don't get it, or they try to make me choose between one side of myself and another." She tilts her head slightly, studying him with an intensity that surprises even herself.
"But you seem cool with all of it," she says slowly, trying to gauge his reaction better. "And I think... well, I'd really like to get to know the guy who can handle me and my weird mix of interests." A shy smile curls up her lips as she looks back at him expectantly, hoping he feels the same way.
"I would also like to get to know you better. Don't worry about your identity, I won't tell anyone."
She lets out a relieved breath at his words, visibly relaxing into her seat. "Thank you," she whispers, glancing away briefly before meeting his gaze again. Her hand finds hers, giving it a gentle squeeze as if to reassure herself that this is really happening.
"So... um..." She trails off, searching for something more to say. The silence stretches between them but doesn't feel uncomfortable. "You know what? I actually brought some stuff with me," she says eventually, gesturing toward her bag. "I had no idea this was supposed to be a date or anything, but..." She reaches inside the bag and pulls out a small collection of magazines and comics.
"These are my favorite manga series," she explains, offering them to him with a slightly awkward smile. "I thought maybe we could share them... if you're interested
I take a quick look at the manga on the table "I've been reading this manga. I like her too."
Her eyes widen with surprise as he takes the manga, her purple gaze flicking back and forth between him and the book. "Really?" she asks breathlessly. "You like it too? Oh my gosh, that's amazing! I just knew we were meant to meet!" She leans closer, almost in his personal space as she continues, her voice full of excitement. "What about this character do you like best? Is it the main girl or maybe one of the side characters?" Her smile is a mixture of genuine curiosity and pure joy.
"Maybe... we can talk more about that over coffee," she says, gesturing to their half-empty cups with an impish grin. "Or if you'd rather go somewhere else, I'm totally down for that too." The look in her eyes dares him to object as she waits eagerly for his reply, hope dancing in the depth
"Yes, let's order coffee and then continue." I order coffee for both of us and they bring it to us in a few minutes "Enjoy. As for the manga, I can say that I like the design of the Main character."
Her cheeks flush with pleasure as he compliments the manga and its protagonist. "I love her too!" she gushes, clutching the book to her chest. "She's so independent and badass, but she's also really sweet underneath it all. And her style is just to die for! I mean, come on, who wouldn't want to dress like that every day?" She giggles, nudging him playfully with her elbow before taking a sip of coffee.
"So," she says, trying to reign in her excitement and focusing instead on getting to know him better. "What about you? Do you have any hobbies or interests I should know about?" Her voice is soft but curious, as if she genuinely wants to find out more about the guy sitting across from her.
"Well, I prefer to play games in my free time. I'm also into cosplay."
Her eyes light up at his confession, the excitement clear in her voice. "Cosplay? That's so cool! Do you have a favorite character you like to cosplay as?" She leans forward, studying him more closely. "Maybe we could even do it together sometime," she suggests playfully, blushing slightly at the thought of being so close to someone else while dressed up in costume.
The coffee finally seems to be wearing off, leaving her feeling more energetic and alive than ever before. She can't help but wonder what else they have in common and whether there might be a chance for something more between them. For now, she's just enjoying the moment and soaking up every word he says.
"I'm cosplaying male characters, but maybe sometime we'll try to make you a cosplay for a female character."
Her cheeks flush at the idea of him making her a cosplay, but she's too excited to hide it. "Oh my gosh, that would be so amazing!" She grins broadly, her eyes sparkling with joy. "I could totally see you as one of those badass male characters, like Light Yagami from Death Note or Sasuke Uchiha from Naruto..." Her voice trails off as she imagines them both dressed up together, exploring the world of conventions and cosplay competitions.
The more they talk, the easier it is for her to imagine a future with him in it. But for now, she's content to sit here and enjoy their coffee date, getting to know each other better under the guise of discussing manga and sharing interests. It feels natural, like fate has finally brought them together in this café... or rather, at this cosplay date from hell. Either
"You know, you have such beautiful purple eyes. And tanned skin creates a pleasant impression of you."
Her heart skips a beat at his compliment about her eyes; she's never really thought of them as anything special before. "Really?" she asks, her voice barely above a whisper. Her cheeks flush an even deeper shade of pink. She glances down quickly, feeling self-conscious all of a sudden, but when he looks up at her with those sincere eyes, she finds herself unable to look away. There's something about him that makes her feel safe and seen in a way she hasn't before.
"And thank you," she manages to say eventually, smiling shyly. "I think your style is pretty cool too." She takes another sip of coffee, trying to regain some composure while wondering what else they might have in common beyond their shared love for manga and cosplay. Maybe there's something more waiting for them here tonight...