Because the design sheets were so detailed and clear, and came with a sewing instruction manual personally created by Chihaya Tetsuya, the factory sent over the first batch of samples in just three days. The moment they arrived, Tetsuya and Nagasaki Soyo headed to the exhibition hall, planning to do a simple rehearsal with the mannequins and sample garments.
However, as soon as he arrived, he immediately ran into another designer whose plans had coincided with his.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Chihaya."
Jean greeted him with familiar ease. Tetsuya, in turn, bowed politely.
"Good afternoon, Jean-san... Are you also here to rehearse?"
"That I am. My clothes were just finished, and as a designer, I wanted to see how they look when actually worn as soon as possible!" Jean replied cheerfully. "As a fellow designer, I'm sure you understand the feeling, Mr. Chihaya."
"...Yes."
Tetsuya nodded.
"I just received the sample garments from the factory as well... I came here right away to make sure I'd have enough time for adjustments."
"And you've brought a rather cute companion with you."
Jean stroked his chin as he looked at Soyo, who was standing beside Tetsuya.
"And who might this lovely young lady be...?"
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Jean-san. My name is Nagasaki Soyo. I am Mr. Chihaya's exclusive consultant."
Soyo also introduced herself politely to the great designer before her.
Hearing her name, however, a flicker of surprise crossed Jean's face.
"Oh my, not Miss Sakiko, but another new girl?"
At this, he shot Tetsuya a meaningful look.
"And if we add those two young ladies who are idols... I see. Given your personality, Mr. Chihaya, it's certainly possible for a situation like this to develop~"
"???"
Unable to comprehend Jean's comment, Tetsuya could only respond with a polite but confused expression.
Jean had no intention of explaining further. He just chuckled, shook his head, and walked over to Soyo, gallantly taking the several paper bags from her hands.
"Well then, please allow me to trouble you at your booth for a little while."
"...Eh? P-please, wait!"
Soyo quickly reached out and grabbed onto the bags Jean was about to take.
"Um, these are the first unreleased new products from [Starry Sky]. We can't let outsiders see them before the exhibition begins—"
Ever since she'd heard about someone plagiarizing Tetsuya's designs, Soyo had been extremely vigilant. And since they would be dealing with that very plagiarist at this exhibition, her guard was up one hundred percent.
To prevent the same incident from happening again, she had to protect these bags, which held the crystallization of all of Tetsuya's heart, soul, and ambition.
"It's alright, Soyo."
Tetsuya shook his head and said in an incredibly calm voice.
"As a top designer, Jean has no need to plagiarize my designs. Besides..."
He looked up, meeting Jean's intrigued eyes.
"This time, my designs aren't so simple that they can be learned just by looking at them."
"...Alright."
Soyo had no choice but to let go. She bowed her head to Jean.
"I'm sorry, I just said something very rude..."
"Not at all, not at all. In fact, Miss Nagasaki's reaction was the correct one. It was I who was too forward," Jean said with an understanding smile. "More importantly, you seem quite confident in your work this time, Mr. Chihaya. That makes me all the more curious to see what interesting pieces you've come up with!"
"I can't guarantee they will meet your standards, but these clothes... are the best I can produce at this moment to showcase the brand philosophy of [Starry Sky] and my own design ability," Tetsuya stated. "I hope you will not hesitate to offer your guidance."
"..."
Watching Tetsuya's neither humble nor arrogant demeanor, Soyo felt both proud of him and amused by the competitive spirit that had clearly been stirred within him.
I wonder if this Jean-san can sense that little unresolved vexation in his heart...
At the same time, taking in Tetsuya's entire reaction, the slightly frivolous smile on Jean's face receded.
"Very well. In that case, I will look forward to seeing your work, Mr. Chihaya."
With that, he readjusted his grip on the bags and followed Tetsuya to his booth.
...
With less than a month left until the exhibition, other brands besides [Starry Sky] had also begun setting up their booths. Some had even put out a few display items early to catch people's eyes.
As they walked past these booths, Soyo got a firsthand look at the cutting edge of fashion.
(These are all clothes I've never seen before...)
This was completely different from the select shops. Because every brand participating wanted to garner as much attention as possible, each one was showcasing their most innovative designs and accessories to the fullest.
The strong visual impact and novelty of it all made her feel like she was truly in the fashion industry...
Soon, after seeing the many other brand booths, the three of them finally arrived at the empty space designated for [Starry Sky]. Since they hadn't officially started decorating, the only things there were the mannequins Tetsuya had requested from the organizers beforehand. Following his instructions, he and Soyo took the clothes out of the bags and dressed the mannequins one by one. This was the first time Soyo was seeing the exhibition clothes with her own eyes.
After scanning all of them, she naturally let out a sound of utter astonishment.
"...W-wait a second, Tetsuya?"
Soyo couldn't help but tug on his sleeve and ask in a low voice.
"These... are the clothes you prepared?"
"Mhm, that's right."
He nodded in confirmation.
"It's only a portion, but these are indeed the clothes I'm exhibiting."
"Eh..."
A dazed look appeared on Soyo's face.
"A hoodie, a cardigan, a shirt, a pleated skirt..."
She recited the names of the garments before her, muttering in a daze.
"They're... all [RealClothes] (everyday wear)?"
"Mhm, all everyday wear," Tetsuya confirmed again. "The ones we haven't displayed yet are all everyday wear, too."
"Huh..."
Soyo was completely bewildered.
It wasn't that the clothes were poorly made, nor that they were unattractive. In fact, it was quite the opposite. If she saw clothes like these in a department store, she would definitely walk over to take a closer look and consider buying them.
The problem was, this wasn't a department store. This was a joint exhibition meant to showcase brands. Her anxiety deepened, especially after having seen the other brands' offerings.
She knew the main purpose of this exhibition was as a warm-up for the upcoming [TGC], and the [TGC] wasn't an overly high-end fashion show. But even so, with all the other fashion brands putting out unconventional new styles, wouldn't these common, everyday clothes one could see anywhere on the street seem a little too plain and out of place?
"...Mr. Chihaya."
Just as Soyo was worrying, Jean suddenly spoke, his expression serious.
"If I'm not mistaken, besides the mannequins and live models, you've also prepared a special apparatus to display these clothes, haven't you?"
"..."
Hearing his question, Tetsuya was stunned for a moment before nodding.
"That's right, but... how did you know?"
"...The cut."
Jean walked over and gently felt the material of a cardigan, then moved to a nearby skirt and measured it with his fingers...
"This is no longer simply 'standard'; it's reached the level of 'impeccable.' Not only that, you've even considered the matte and reflective finishes of the different fabrics."
Then, under Soyo's clueless gaze, Jean spoke again.
"It seems you truly intend to win against me at this exhibition."
"I am simply presenting the best work I possibly can," Tetsuya replied. "As for winning or losing, I cannot predict it. But I believe that at this exhibition, all the guests and models who come to my booth... will be the ones who enjoy themselves the most."
"I see. You're more focused on enjoyment than on victory?"
The seriousness on Jean's face gradually morphed into genuine happiness.
"Although I had already raised my expectations to the highest level... the result still managed to surprise me."
He pulled his gaze away from the clothes and shook his head, somewhat reluctant.
"No, no, to preserve the surprise, I shouldn't look any further... In any case, I will be eagerly awaiting the day of the exhibition."
He patted Tetsuya's shoulder, then turned to leave. As he passed by Soyo, he suddenly stopped and turned back to her, who was still looking completely lost.
"By the way, Miss Nagasaki, you should think about how to make your boss happy now."
He pointed at Tetsuya with a mischievous grin.
"This gentle and considerate-looking gentleman seems to possess a possessive streak quite contrary to his demeanor. Your doubt just now might have made him 'jealous,' you know."
And with that, ignoring Soyo's shock and Tetsuya's agitation, he strode away, leaving the scene with incredible flair...
...
"...For the record, I was not jealous this time!"
After Jean left, before Soyo could even speak, Tetsuya immediately declared.
"The clothes we used for the rehearsal were incomplete to begin with, and the display apparatus and background haven't been set up. It's only natural that you wouldn't be able to tell, Soyo. And the other brands' designers have certainly put a lot of effort into their clothes for this event. It's not impossible that I might lose to them..."
"...Pfft."
Listening to his rapid-fire speech, which was even faster than usual, Soyo couldn't help but let out a small laugh before immediately hugging his arm.
"I'm sorry, Tetsuya... My eye as your consultant is just too amateur. I couldn't grasp your concept, and I didn't understand what Jean was talking about just now."
"It's not your fault. If anything, it's Jean who's a little too amazing for seeing through my entire display strategy from just a few samples."
Feeling the softness he was now buried in, Tetsuya felt a wave of agitation and explained, quite flustered.
"And I'm not as petty as Jean-san made me out to be! Everyone has different tastes. Even if you really preferred another brand, I absolutely wouldn't get angry—"
"That's absolutely impossible!"
Before he could finish, Soyo immediately cut him off.
"Both [Starry Sky] and you, Tetsuya... are the unshakable number one in my heart, forever. It's the same even if our opponent is a world-class designer."
As she spoke, she pressed his arm even more forcefully into her bosom.
"I am willing to prove my feelings in any way necessary."
"I-I get it!"
Feeling the increasingly dangerous softness, the heat that had been troubling him recently flared up once more.
To avoid exposing himself, Tetsuya quickly nodded.
"So, it's okay even if you don't hug me so tight!"
"...Really?"
Soyo tilted her head.
"If you still feel uneasy, you can tell me anytime. I will definitely prove my feelings for you with my actions."
"..."
What "actions" was she referring to?
Though he was a tiny bit curious, his intuition told him he absolutely could not ask that question right now. But faced with her overly earnest declaration, the little spark of unease in his heart—not even big enough to be called a spark—was properly extinguished...
..Sigh
Ever since meeting Jean, he had become more and more unconfident. With his current state of mind, he was probably still not enough to give these girls a sense of security, was he...
"I'm still so far from where I need to be."
Under Soyo's ever-deepening gaze, Tetsuya couldn't help but murmur this softly...