The Night is Over

Yumei’s message was just the start. Before long, the number of comments and reposts of his cosplay climbed even higher. Yumei, Hiyori and Ririka even started using a hashtag, #CosplayerR, to raise the hype around my mysterious persona.

It was flattering, sure, but also a little overwhelming. The idea of being recognized beyond the circle of complex relationships we built, even as the enigmatic “R,” felt like a double-edged sword.

I’d have to be careful not to let the mask slip, especially with people like Mei-chan who could sniff out my identity with a single glance.

I handed Ririka’s phone back to her and watched as she gleefully scrolled through the flood of notifications.

“I don’t think I can manage this account if this keeps blowing up faster than I can keep up with, Ririka.”