“Okay, how’s this one?”

  “It looks good!”

  “Hmm, just good? Hold on—give me a sec… how about this one?”

  “Yeah, I like it!”

  “But you’ve said that about every other outfit already~”

  Tama lets out an exaggerated sigh and pulls the curtains shut around her booth.

  “Wait here,” she calls. “I want to try one more outfit before I decide. You can go ahead and change!”

  “S-sure thing!” I answer quicky, turning away before she can peak out again.

  The moment I’m out of earshot, I let out a long breath.

  “Phew~”

  I’ve been holding myself back every time she steps out. She looks cute in everything she tries on. If I’m not careful, something embarrassing is going to slip out.

  Clutching my clothes to my chest, I cross the dressing room toward an open booth.

  That’s when I notice someone entering from the corner of my eye.

  A taller girl with long violet hair flowing down her back.

  I turn fully and her bright silver eyes meet mine.

  “…Ari?”

  “Buni~!” She charges at me and wraps me in a crushing hug. “It’s been so long~!”

  She sways me side to side, my face smushed into her chest. My clothes tumble from my arms as I try to push her away, but she squeezes even tighter.

  “Buni?” Another voice sighs from behind her. “Oh. It’s Rika! Ari, let her go—you’re suffocating her!”

  “Oop. Sorry~”

  Ari finally releases me, and I drop straight onto the floor, landing hard on my butt.

  When I look up, the other girl is standing over me with an amused smile, one hand extended.

  Maika.

  Jet-black hair streaked with neon green highlights frames her face, and her sharp eyes gleam beneath the dressing room lights.

  “Hehe, you good down there?” Maika asks.

  I flush, a bit embarrassed, but I take her hand. She lifts me back to my feet with ease.

  “Wow, it feels like forever since we last saw you!” Ari beams, already scooping up a stack of clothes from a nearby rack. “What are you doing here?”

  “Well, uh…” I brush at my sleeves. “I’m here with Tama for the Heartbeat Festival.”

  Ari tilts her head. “But the Heartbeat Festival is for couples. Are you—” she gasps dramatically. “Are you and Tama dat—oomph!”

  Maika elbows her sharply in the ribs, but it’s too late—my face burns up instantly.

  “N-n-n-no!” I squeak, hands flailing. “W-we’re just going as friends!”

  Maika sighs and kneels to gather the clothes I dropped.

  “It’s okay,” she says calmly. “You don’t have to rush to label anything.” She hands the clothes back to me. “Some people think the festival is about couples—but really, it’s about two people choosing to grow closer.”

  I lower my hands and accept the bundle, instinctively lifting it to hide the lower half of my face.

  “I—I guess…” I mumble. “I’ve only ever celebrated with my brother, so this whole day feels a little… overwhelming.”

  “Oh! Older or younger brother?!” Ari butts in.

  Maika laughs despite herself, then nudges Ari again. “Sorry, ignore that.” She looks back at me, her expression softening. “Trying something new is scary. But it’s worth it—especially when you trust the person you’re trying it with.”

  Ari smiles and slips her hand into Maika’s. Maika leans in, resting her head lightly against Ari’s shoulder.

  My breath catches. “Wait… does that mean you two are…”

  “Yup!” Ari loops her arm around Maika’s neck. “Maika is my sweetheart!”

  She presses a quick kiss to Maika’s cheek.

  “Eeep!” I squeak, snapping my gaze away.

  My stomach flips, and I suddenly become very aware of my own hands. I don’t even know where to look. But when I look back, their expressions have shifted.

  They look… worried.

  “Ah—no!” I blurt out, waving my hands frantically. “I-I’m just being weird! I’m happy for you two. Really!”

  Their shoulders relax.

  Maika smiles gently. “Thank you, Rika.”

  Ari giggles. “It’s okay. We used to react like that too.”

  “But with time,” Maika adds, picking up smoothly where Ari leaves off, “we learned to feel more comfortable with each other.”

  I smile back, then look down at the jacket in my arms.

  “That’s… nice.”

  This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

  “Bunny-chan~!”

  Tama’s voice rings out behind me, but the second I turn around, I freeze.

  She steps toward me in a cropped long-sleeved jacket, left fully unzipped. Underneath, a fitted bodysuit hugs her curves tightly, made from small LuminWeave panels that shimmer faintly under the dressing room’s fluorescent lights even while dormant. The suit stops just above her thighs leaving her legs bare and impossibly long.

  My brain short-circuits.

  I try to say something, but nothing comes out.

  “Hahahahahaha!” Tama doubles over, clutching her stomach. “Speechless! That’s exactly what I was hoping for!”

  I cheeks burn. “Y-you look—I mean, y-your outfits is—”

  “Amazing?” She cuts in, leaning closer with a sharp grin. “I knew you’d like this one~!”

  “Ah—well…”

  “Heya! We’re still here, ya know~”

  Tama blinks and turns to Ari and Maika. Her grin stretches even wider.

  “Ari! Maika!” she calls. “You two here for the festival too?”

  They nod, still standing close together.

  Tama pauses then her eyes slowly widen.

  “Wait—are you two a thing?!”

  “We are,” Maika answers happily. “Actually, you two are the first people we’ve come out to about this.”

  “No way! That’s huge!” Tama gasps. “Awe~! You two are adorable!”

  But I don’t react right away.

  “You’ve… never told anyone else?” I ask carefully.

  Ari shakes her head slowly. “There aren’t many people we can trust with this little secret of ours.”

  Maika nods. “But we decided if we wanted to tell anyone, it was gonna be you two.”

  Silence settles over me.

  Idol aren’t allowed to be in relationships. Fans hate it. Whenever an Idol gets exposed for dating, it turns into a full-blown controversy. That’s why the Arcadian Idol Institute banned it all together.

  If anyone else found out about this, Ari and Maika could get into serious trouble—maybe even get kicked out of the Idol Development Program.

  Everything they’d worked so hard for… would be gone.

  “Wow,” I say softly. “Thank you… for trusting us.”

  Maika smiles fainty. “It’s the least we could do after you two saved us.” She glances at Ari before straightening. “Anyway, we should get changed. The festival will be starting soon, and the shopping center has a lot planned.”

  “Yeah!” Tama cheers, snapping right back into excited mode. Then she points at me dramatically. “And I need to see you in that jacket I got you!”

  “Mhm,” I nod. “You will.”

  ?

  I step into the changing booth and pull the curtains shut behind me. The noise from the dressing room dulls instantly. Placing my clothes on the small shelf, I turn toward the standing mirror.

  For a moment, I just look at myself.

  Slowly, I unbuckle my belt, rolling it neatly before setting it aside. I unbutton my coat and loosen my tie, laying both down carefully. Then I reach behind me for the zipper of my bodysuit, drawing it down before stretching the neckline over my head.

  The top half slips down my torso, and I instinctively cross my arms over my chest as I step out of the legs, wiggling free until the fabric pools at my feet.

  Now I’m left in nothing but my plain pink underwear.

  I blush a bit, looking at myself like this. I’m skinny. Not unusually for an Idol—but still. Tama’s thighs are thicker than mine.

  Without meaning to, I twist and glance over my shoulder. The underwear hugs my rear comfortably, a faint softness pressing against the elastic hem.

  My face burns hotter. Why am I even thinking about this?

  And then I remember the video. The one of Tama I looked up—

  I squeeze my eyes shut and shake.

  Focus.

  I reach for the top I picked out—a simple tank fully threaded with LuminWeave. It’s dormant right now, but once I sync with it, the threads will glow in rhythm with my heartbeat.

  I hold it up against my chest in the mirror. It’s simple, but that’s fine. It’s only meant to accent the jacket.

  I slip it on.

  Next are the stockings. I kick off my slippers and sit on the narrow bench, lifting one leg to rest on the ledge before guiding the stocking upward.

  The synthetic skin of my augments tingles faintly as the fabric glides over it. A soft shiver runs through me.

  I haven’t worn stockings in so long that they feel unfamiliar.

  Once both are in place, I stand and turn slightly in the mirror. The circuit patterns trace clean lines from the tops of my thighs down toward my heels.

  A quiet squeal slips out of me.

  I quickly grab the dark shorts and pull them on, then step into the shoes with reactive material embedded in their soles.

  Finally—the jacket.

  I slide one arm through, then the other. The fabric settles across my shoulders with a comforting weight. I pull the zipper up, stopping just low enough to let the LuminWeave tank peek through.

  I shake my hair loose from under the collar and lift my gaze to the mirror.

  This jacket…

  It reminds me of being younger. Watching Reina’s broadcast. Seeing her fight. Saving up whatever money I could just to buy her merchandise. Back then, posters were all I could afford.

  This is the first time I’ve ever owned something like this.

  My fingers curl into the collar, pulling it closer to my face. I inhale deeply.

  The scent of fresh cotton fills my lungs.

  “Thank you, Tama…” I murmur.

  ?

  The four of us step out of the store together.

  The moment I see Ari and Maika’s outfits, I stop in awe.

  Maika wears a high-waisted leotard layered beneath a fitted bolero jacket, paired with a flowing skirt and thigh-high boots that elongate her frame. Ari, on the other hand, has on a tube top and loose, baggy pants accented with fishnet sleeves and a choker.

  Their silhouettes contrast completely—but the LuminWeave patterns woven through each piece match perfectly. The glow-lines mirror one another, making them look like two halves of the same design.

  “Wow!” I squeal. “Did you two plan these outfits?!”

  “We did,” Maika laughs softly. “This is our third year celebrating the Heartbeat Festival together, so we ordered them ahead of time.”

  “That’s awesome!” Tama beams. Then she bumps her shoulder lightly against mine. “Hey, Bunny-chan: maybe next year we can plan matching outfits too.”

  My heart flutters. “Yeah… that sounds like fun!”

  Before I can think about it any further, music swells through the shopping center.

  The overhead lights dim—then shut off completely, leaving only soft lanterns drifting through the air like floating stars.

  A spotlight snaps on at the center of the lobby, illuminating a small stage where a woman stands poised at the mic.

  “Welcome staff and students to this year’s celebration of the Heartbeat Festival!” she announces. “We’re so happy you’ve joined us for this most wonderful occasion!”

  A crowd gathers quickly around the stage—mostly Idols, with a few faculty members scattered among them.

  Tama nudges me and whispers, “Come on.”

  Her fingers lace through mine, and she guides me forward. Ari and Maika fall in behind us.

  “We’ve prepared several activities for you to enjoy,” the woman continues, her voice bright with excitement. “So, take your time exploring the shops and discovering the best way to be in sync with your partner. But first—our opening event!”

  Tama guides us through the crowd, weaving with confidence. If she wasn’t holding my hand, I’d definitely get lost.

  We stop near the middle of the crowd. It’s darker here with the spotlight focused on the stage.

  Tama turns toward me, but I can barely see her.

  Instead, I feel her hands take both of mine.

  “You ready?” she whispers.

  “Mhm.” I nod and close my eyes.

  I focus on the fabric brushing against my skin. On the LuminWeave threaded through every layer.

  I take a slow breath—and sync.

  The spotlight clicks off, then the woman’s voice echoes through the speakers.

  “Alright everyone… let your heartbeats shine!”

  I open my eyes slowly.

  Tama’s smile is the first thing I see—bright even in the dark.

  Behind her, the entire room transforms.

  Streams of color ripple outward in every direction—hundreds of heartbeats pulsing in luminous waves through the space. Lanterns catch the glow and scatter it, turning the air itself into something alive.

  My gaze drifts down to Tama’s bodysuit.

  Her LuminWeave panels glow pale blue at first, radiating softly from her chest in steady pulses—like water disturbed by a single drop.

  She giggles. The blue shifts to green, brightening with each laugh.

  “You nervous?” she teases.

  “Huh?”

  I glance down at myself.

  Soft pink light blooms across my clothes, spreading outward in gentle pulses that match the rhythm in my chest.

  I blush.

  “U-um… a little,” I admit, letting out a small nervous laugh.

  Tama laughs with me, the green in her outfit flaring brighter for a moment.

  “So,” she says, giving my hands a light squeeze, “where should we go first? We’ve got the whole day just for us.”

  The words settle somewhere deep inside me.

  I glance toward the glowing food stalls at the edge of the lobby.

  “Well… I am kind of hungry. Did you want to grab something to eat?”

  Her smile softens.

  “I’d love to.”