Akira stepped out of the dressing room wearing a bright red Hawaiian shirt, covered in loud floral patterns, paired with casual shorts and flip-flops. He waved energetically and cheered, "Aloha!"
Erika, who had been waiting outside, froze mid-step. Her eyes widened, her mouth agape. "What the hell?" she whispered, completely dumbfounded.
"So, what do you think?" Akira asked cheerfully, tilting his head with innocent enthusiasm.
"No," Erika snapped, recovering from the initial shock.
"Why not?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Just… no. Change." Her tone brooked no argument.
Selena's voice echoed in their minds. "Brother, you look like you're about to scam people on the beach".
Akira grinned. "Fine, but I'm just getting started," he said, disappearing back into the dressing room. Erika muttered under her breath, sighing heavily, "I have a very bad feeling about this…"
A few minutes later, he came back dressed exactly like Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. He wore Ash's signature cap, a blue jacket, fingerless gloves, jeans, and sneakers. He struck a confident pose. "Erika, I choose this!"
"I… don't," Erika said flatly, arms crossed. "Change."
Selena added in their minds, "That's a gangerous line you're walking, brother. Remember what happened to Palworld".
"I see, alright," Akira said with mock solemnity as he went back inside.
Some time later, he emerged wearing Jotaro Kujo's iconic outfit: a long, dark coat with a dangling chain at the collar, a matching hat that clashed with his white hair, and an aura of sheer stoic confidence. He pointed dramatically and shouted, "Star Platinum! Za Warudo!"
Erika blinked. "Honestly… it doesn't suit you."
Selena commented, "Brother, you need muscles for that one. It doesn't fit you".
Akira muttered, "Yare yare daze," and retreated back to the dressing room.
Next, he returned wearing Jedi robes: a beige tunic, belt, boots, and a small lightsaber dangling from his side. Standing atop a small stool to emphasize his height, he declared, "It's over, Erika. I have the high ground."
"You underestimate my patience," Erika replied, unimpressed.
Selena added, "Go fast and change it, brother, or the Force won't be with you".
"No, that's not true! That's impossible!" Akira protested dramatically before disappearing back inside.
Moments later, he appeared in a Michael Jackson outfit: black sequined jacket, white socks, black loafers, fedora perched perfectly, moonwalking and singing, "Annie, are you okay? So, Annie, are you okay? Are you okay, Annie?"
Erika could only manage a small smile. "I'm not sure if Annie is okay… but you certainly won't be."
Selena warned, "Be careful, brother. This girl is dangerous".
Akira grinned and said, "Hee hee!" and moonwalked back to the dressing room.
Erika, who watched him moonwalk his way back, suddenly asked, "Wait, when did he learn dance moves?"
Selena replied, "Well, in the Netherworld."
Erika asked in confusion, "Huh? Netherworld?"
"Sigh, it's a long story," Selena said with a sigh.
But before Erika could ask more, Akira came back this time with a butler outfit: black tailcoat, crisp white shirt, gloves, and bowtie. Akira bowed elegantly. "How may I serve you, Ojou-sama?"
Erika blushed faintly, surprised. "Actually… that's good."
"Brother, we are getting this. We are definitely getting this," Selena confirmed.
Akira bowed again. "As you wish, it's a pleasure serving you, Ojou-sama," and returned inside.
Selena teased Erika in her mind. "Too bad he went back so soon, right?"
"Yes—no!" Erika immediately contradicted herself, causing Selena to giggle.
Next, he came out in Dio Brando's golden outfit, striking a dramatic pose. "I reject my humanity! JoJo!"
Erika looked at him with a deadpan expression. For just a few moments, she thought he looked cool, but then she sighed and said, "You don't need to. No one will mistake you for one."
Selena sighed. "Brother, just go change before someone kicks you out".
Akira replied, "I will approach you later," and went back inside the dressing room.
Then came Jack Sparrow, pirate costume fully complete, Akira brandishing an imaginary sword. "Where's the bloody rum? Why is the rum gone?!"
"This is either madness or brilliance," Selena mused.
"Definitely madness," Erika muttered.
Akira dashed back inside, returning dramatically. "This is the day you will always remember as the day you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow!"
Next, he came back wearing a Hogwarts uniform. Erika groaned. "Wait… how are you changing so fast?"
"I'm a wizard, Erika," Akira replied proudly.
"I know, I know. Just go change," Erika sighed.
Selena asked, "WhyHufflepuff, brother?"
"Hufflepuff are so underrated," he said and returned inside.
A little later, he emerged wearing Tuxedo Mask's outfit, holding a single red rose. He struck a dramatic pose and declared, "I won't disguise my intellect!"
Erika shook her head. "Don't worry, I think you already lost it."
Selena, surprisingly, admitted, "Honestly, it's not that bad".
Akira sighed dramatically. "I'll remember this night." He disappeared back into the dressing room.
Erika glanced at the clock. "It's the middle of the day, though…"
Finally, he emerged in a Gundam pilot suit, helmet in hand. "I am Gundam."
"Wait… where are you even getting these? I didn't even know this store had them!" Erika exclaimed.
Selena replied, "Oh, I think that's in the cosplay section… in that corner."
Erika gave a resigned sigh. "Cosplay… Ah, Akira, you've already tried a lot of the clothes you selected, right? Why not try the ones I chose?"
Akira protested, "But there's still more!"
Erika smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Do it."
"Yes, Sir," Akira said in attention, thinking to himself that he must have played around a lot, and went back inside.
He returned inside and emerged shortly. This time, he came out wearing normal clothes: black jeans, a clean white T-shirt, and a sleek black jacket.
Both Erika and Selena nodded in approval.
"Yes! This is perfect," Erika exclaimed.
"Wow, it suits you well, brother," Selena added.
"Does it make me look like an anime protagonist?" Akira asked hopefully.
"Yes," Selena confirmed. "I'm pretty sure you've surpassed most of them already. Most are just normal-looking guys anyway".
Akira nodded in satisfaction. In the end, he bought most of the outfits he had tried on, and a lot more of the ones Erika had selected.
Carrying large bags of clothes, Akira and Erika left the store. Erika asked, "Well, we still have a lot of time before we go meet Iori. What do you think we should do?"
"We need to eat. I'm hungry," Akira replied promptly.
"Sure, but where?" Erika asked, raising an eyebrow.
"To the usual place," he said confidently, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Erika shook her head, muttering under her breath, "This is going to be a very long day…"