Though I hit some snags on the way to the comic con, I didn’t stand them up. But where’s Cute Teacher?

“You guys are so slow! Leaving a girl alone here—isn’t that rude?”

“Sorry, Xia Bing. We ran into stuff on the way. Wow~ This outfit is… amazing!”

True to her sketch, Xia Bing appeared as League of Legends’ Nine-Tailed Fox, tweaked slightly—though she only had six tails.

“Really that good? Your eyes are glued to me, just like those photo hounds.” Xia Bing frowned, clearly annoyed by my staring. Yet she was hands-down the best Ahri cosplayer I’d ever seen.

“Cute Teacher called. She’s meeting her bestie first, so start without her. But your ‘best bro’ is him… eh, you two are always glued together anyway.”

Whoa, you can eat recklessly but not speak recklessly! “Glued together”? I only called him ’cause no one else was free. (Ugh, thinking about it just makes me sadder.)

“Bro, you haven’t changed yet. I’ll hit the restroom with you—before it gets crowded and messy.”

You old pervert! “Messy”? Saying that in public’ll cause rumors!

“Get lost! I don’t need your company.”

“Aw, don’t be shy. My hair’s messy too—I need to fix it.”

“You old pervert, where’re you going?! That’s the women’s side! Over here!”

“Sorry, sorry. I got confused.”

Inside the stall, I pulled a shabby black cloak from my tote bag. Just a cover. The real show began now.

A slight pain flared as black, scaly wings sprouted from my back, dragon horns from my head… Clang! Hell’s dummy… ahem! Satan from Hell appears!

I could’ve grown full scales and a tail, but no Godzilla cosplay for me (okay, I feared the pain). A horned, winged demon it was—the cloak hid everything neatly. I rushed to the mirror… Perfect.

“Whoa! Bro, you went all out. Who’re you cosplaying? Demon Lord Chonglou? (The Chinese Paladin 3 boss?)”

Whatever. Call it what you want—I was winging it anyway.

“These wings look so real. Feels genuine.”

“Feels real”? They *are* real! But to stop Shen Yufeng from noticing, I faked worry about the wings falling off if he touched them.

Just as I’d hoped, the outfit drew crowds post-restroom. Especially with Xia Bing—one winged, one tailed—we oddly matched.

“Sorry! I’m late!”

A golden-wigged beauty in a purple-blue cloak, staff in hand, dashed up to us.

We three exchanged glances, each thinking she was someone else’s friend.

“What’s with the stares? It’s me—your Cute Teacher.”

What?! This elf mage is Cute Teacher? Whoa, that revealing outfit’s heating things up. That busty, low-cut dress—kids shouldn’t see this!

Sure enough, her entrance stole the con’s spotlight. Photographers swarmed. Xia Bing shone too; bold fans tried touching her ears and tails but got flat refusals.

“Our cosplays aren’t bad. Why no girls asking for photos?”

I eyed us: one Demon King, one charlatan Taoist Priest. Not exactly likable. Mostly, we just looked mismatched together.

“Um, can I take a photo of you two?”

“Sure, no problem!” x2

A glasses-wearing girl—the first female besides guys to approach us. Fat or thin, she’s still a girl.

Shen Yufeng and I parted, leaving space for her.

“You misunderstood. I’m not in it—I’ll shoot *you*. Can you pose like this?”

She grabbed Shen Yufeng’s Peachwood Sword and mimed stabbing my chest.

“Yes, exactly.”

A sworn-enemy showdown? We brawl daily—this pose was easy.

“No! Lock eyes, Taoist Priest—hug his waist! Tender gaze… show that ‘forced to kill him’ pain. Yes! That love-hate tension! Hold it—I’m taking more!”

Oh god, I wanted to cry. Why this gross hug? She’s a fujoshi! Next, ketchup on our mouths for BL drama? Fine, BL—but why am I the uke? Unfair!

“Stop squirming. Your wings are heavy.”

“Hug tighter! Loosen up and I’ll throw my back out!”

Our awkward pose drew fujoshi like moths. I prayed these pics wouldn’t leak to my class—or I’d jump off a building.

“Oh!! Faces closer! Closer! Pretend to kiss!”

Cheers swelled. Ten minutes hugging… My back’s breaking. Can we switch poses?

“It’s you! That fake-ritual charlatan Taoist!”