"Hum...hum...hum," Sarah sang, bubbling with excitent and anticipation, her mouth full of biscuits in the taxi...Then Leo Lean’s over with his handkerchief in his right hand, gently wiping the crumbs from her face...
"Eat properly," he exclaid softly. "You’re going to ruin your makeup."
Sarah nodded cutely, swallowing the remaining bite of the biscuits.
Then it ca into view... the Ani Convention Center.
The convention center lood like a massive ocean, swallowing streams of people... Even from the parking lot where their taxi had stopped, the crowd’s voices were still audible, a low thrum that vibrated through the parking lot... Leo tugged at his backpack strap, feeling a familiar emotion of being slightly overwheld... Sarah, however, was practically vibrating with excitent beside him... Her Nami costu was vibrant and just a little exposed, hugged her body curves perfectly...
"Too cute," Leo thought to himself while looking at her.
"Oh my god, babe, look at all the people!" she squealed, her voice a pitch higher than usual... "This is amazing! I can already see a bunch of really good cosplays from my favorite ani, manhwa, and novel!"
Leo managed a small smile. "Yeah, it’s pretty packed." He took her hand, weaving through the line snaking towards the entrance. The line itself was a spectacle... people dressed as superheroes, magical girls, knights, and creatures from TV shows he couldn’t even na... The air buzzed with chatter, laughter, and the occasional excited shout from cosplayers...
Once inside, the noise level jumped, hitting them like a wall. The main exhibition hall was a museum of color and posters. Booths cramd with rchandise stretched as far as their eyes could see... ani figures, manga, art prints, plushies, and an endless array of fan-made crafts. Music, announcents, and the collective murmur of thousands of conversations created a vibrant and slightly chaotic vibe...
"Okay, first mission, babe... explore everything!" Sarah declared, pulling Leo forward. Her eyes were wide, darting from one exciting display to another. Her enthusiasm was infectious... even Leo, usually more reserved, found himself grinning as he was swept along with her flow...
It didn’t take long for her Nami costu to start drawing attention... Almost imdiately, a young girl with her parents pointed and whispered. Then, a few steps later, a group of teenagers approached, timidly asking, "Excuse , Mrs., we love your Nami cosplay, it’s so realistic! Can we get a photo?"
Sarah lit up, her eyes widened. "Of course!" she said, striking a cheerful pose, one hand on her hip, the other waving. Leo stepped back, pulling out his phone to take the picture. This beca a recurring the... Every few minutes, soone would stop them, complint her costu, and ask for a picture. Sarah handled it like a natural, always smiling, always graciously waving. She was perfect, born for the lilight...
While for him, he was more like a background character. But as soon as the thoughts ca, he slapped his cheeks...
"You’re a rockstar," Leo comnted as they moved away from another photo opportunity, Sarah beaming with energy.
"Babe, it’s so much fun!" she replied, fanning herself lightly. "Everyone is so nice." She leaned in, her voice dropping a little. "Be a good boy... and I’ll reward you when we get ho, okay?" She kissed his cheek, then turned away, blushing.
Leo felt flustered, holding his cheek, feeling a warmth spread through him. Seeing her this happy, this vibrant, made the slight discomfort of the crowds fade into the background. He realized he enjoyed watching her shine, even if it ant being a supportive background character...
Then they wandered through the artist alley first...
Rows upon rows of tables displayed incredible artwork, fan art, prints of beloved characters, unique designs, and custom commissions. Sarah stopped at almost every other booth, admiring the intricate details of her favorite characters. She even bought a small, adorable charm of a cat-eared character and insisted on buying a hand-drawn postcard of a scenic ani landscape for Leo...
"Babe, for your gaming setup," she explained, holding it up. "So you have sothing pretty to look at besides explosions from that usual shooting ga... hmm... what’s it called... Call of Duty... Warzone!" Sarah shouted, smiling.
He smiled and hugged her, accepting the gift. "Thanks, babe. It’s really cool. I love it."
They moved on to the rchandise booths, a dizzying array of official and unofficial products from different ani and manhwa. Sarah, turning to the right, spotted a limited-edition plushie of a character from her favorite shojo ani. Her eyes widened, and before Leo could even check the price tag, she was already pulling it off the shelf.
"Oh my god, babe, it’s the last one! I need it!" she exclaid, blushing cutely, clutching it to her breast...
Leo sighed good-naturedly, holding his head. "How much is it?" he asked, already knowing the answer would make his wallet dry...
The price was indeed hefty, but Sarah’s pleading eyes and her undeniably cute, teary face quickly wore him down. "Fine," he conceded, pulling out his card. "But this is definitely coming out of your ’repaynt’ fund... rember?"
"Deal!" she chirped, kissing his cheek. "You’re the best bank account a girl could ask for."
"Huh... okay, now return it," Leo exclaid, narrowing his eyebrows.
Sarah quickly ran, laughing, to the other section with the plushie in her hands...
They spent the next few hours exploring, taking in the sights and sounds. They watched a cosplay skit competition for a while, cheering loudly for a particularly impressive performance. Sarah even dragged Leo into a rhythm music ga arcade booth, where she, surprisingly, showed a natural talent for hitting notes on ti, much to Leo’s amused frustration...
As the afternoon wore on, Leo noticed Sarah starting to slow down. The initial burst of energy that had propelled her through the morning was beginning to fade. Her steps were less bouncy, and she leaned on his arm more often than usual... He subtly watched her, rembering the hidden drugs in the black bag. A knot of worry tightened in his stomach. Was she just tired from the excitent and the running around, or was it sothing more? He wanted to ask again about it, to push, but the vibrant, happy atmosphere of the convention felt wrong for such a heavy conversation...
"Babe, want to take a break?" he suggested, pointing towards a less crowded food court area. "Maybe grab a water bottle and sit down for a bit?"
Sarah nodded, a little too quickly. "Yeah, that sounds good. My feet are starting to ache a little in these shoes." She managed a small smile, but he could see a faint sign of fatigue etched around her eyes...
They found a table in a quieter corner of the food court, away from the main thoroughfare of the convention. Leo went to get them so cold drinks and a couple of quick snacks. When he returned, Sarah was already leaning back in her chair, eyes closed for a mont...
"Here," he said softly, handing her a bottle of water.
She opened her eyes, taking a long sip. "Thanks, babe. This is amazing. I didn’t realize how thirsty I was." She gave him a bright smile. "Still having fun, though, right?"
"Yeah," Leo said, watching her carefully. "It’s a lot. But it’s cool. I like seeing you happy."
She reached across the table, taking his hand and squeezing it gently. "I am happy. So happy." Her thumb rubbed circles on his skin. "Thanks for coming with . I know it’s not exactly your usual scene."
"It’s fine," he replied, giving her hand a squeeze back. "Anywhere with you is an adventure." He blushes...
Leo ant it. Even with the underlying worries, monts like these, seeing her pure joy, were worth it. He decided to let the deeper questions wait. For now, the convention was about them, about her happiness, and about making mories with her...
"Babe, should we get going?" she asked...
Reviews
All reviews (0)