Chapter 17: The Unveiling of Ayanami Rei

Beep—

Lin Yu pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Their eyes met, a sudden, unexpected collision.

Zhong Tian froze in place, and Lin Yu, equally stunned, mirrored his stillness.

“Wait!!” Zhong Tian cried out, his voice laced with panic as he scrambled onto the bed, swiftly burrowing himself beneath the covers. “Why are you back so suddenly!?”

“Ah… is this the cosplay for tomorrow?” Zhong Tian’s frantic reaction left Lin Yu feeling a touch awkward. “It’s Ayanami Rei, then.”

“Ah—someone, anyone, save me—”

Shrunk entirely into the depths of his duvet, Zhong Tian let out a sound that was a mix of mortification and utter despair.

“I think it looks quite good, actually; there’s no need to hide yourself away like this…”

Indeed, the sight of Zhong Tian dressed as Ayanami Rei upon her entry had delivered a considerable shock to Lin Yu.

The reason was simple: he looked absolutely stunning.

Zhong Tian’s slender frame, clad in the form-fitting suit, exuded a tender innocence, reminiscent of a young girl just blossoming into womanhood. His waist-length hair only accentuated this youthful charm, rendering Zhong Tian—already more beautiful than many women—even more utterly captivating.

Even his bashful retreat into the covers was, in its own way, endearing.

Lin Yu averted her gaze, discreetly pinching the bridge of her nose.

‘Oh no, my ‘XP’ (TL Note: Internet slang for ‘experience points’ or ‘fetish’) has been thoroughly triggered.’

‘Lin Chu, you truly are a connoisseur, aren’t you…’

“Ah—how could I possibly wear this out in public!”

Still squirming beneath the duvet, Zhong Tian seemed utterly overcome with mortification.

“Alright, alright, it’s only for an afternoon,” Lin Yu said, settling onto the edge of Zhong Tian’s bed. “It’ll be over in the blink of an eye.”

“I can’t possibly—” Zhong Tian’s head emerged from the covers, his voice strained. “It’s mortifying enough just standing before people in this outfit, but what if someone approaches me? What if they ask for a photo?”

“Hmm… just try your best to overcome it,” Lin Yu replied, offering only a sympathetic smile.

“Ah, I’m utterly doomed.”

Zhong Tian retreated back into the covers, seemingly abandoning all hope of survival.

“Lin Yu, could you call your sister for me…? Just tell her I might not be able to endure this…”

“Hmm… do you really think my sister would agree?” Lin Yu asked, a hint of amusement in her tone. “After all, she’s the one who signed you up.”

“I knew it!”

‘Though I’m quite supportive of it myself,’ Lin Yu mused inwardly, a faint blush rising as she nervously brushed a strand of hair from her face.

“Don’t let down everyone’s expectations for you.”

“…”

A heavy silence settled over Zhong Tian, still buried beneath the covers.

Slowly, he lowered the duvet and sat up, his expression still etched with profound regret.

‘Forget it. I’ll just leave it to fate. There’s no escaping this anyway, and tomorrow’s problems can wait until tomorrow.’

‘Time to ‘lie flat’!’ (TL Note: A Chinese slang term, ‘kāi bǎi,’ referring to a state of passive resignation or giving up on striving.)

As Zhong Tian stared blankly at the ceiling, lost in thought, a sudden pressure registered on his chest.

‘Huh?’

“Xiao Zhong, these prosthetic breasts actually feel quite nice,” Lin Yu remarked, gently poking the A-cup prosthetics Zhong Tian wore.

Zhong Tian instinctively recoiled from Lin Yu, his hands flying to protect his chest.

“What’s gotten into you?”

“I just wanted to touch them, that’s all,” Lin Yu chuckled, “It’s not like they’re actually growing on you.”

Logically, her words held true.

“But you still can’t touch them,” Zhong Tian insisted, making a firm ‘no’ gesture. “This isn’t proper.”

“This level of interaction isn’t proper?”

“…”

Sensing the conversation veering into uncomfortable territory, Zhong Tian glanced at Lin Yu’s faintly flushed cheeks and opted for decisive silence.

Zhong Tian’s sudden silence left Lin Yu feeling somewhat flustered herself. She cleared her throat delicately, then rose from the edge of his bed. “Um… I’ll go take a shower now…”

“Alright, I’ll change out of these clothes then.”

Once inside the bathroom, Lin Yu leaned her forehead against the cool surface of the door.

‘What was I even trying to say just now!’

The more she replayed the moment, the deeper her blush grew, prompting her to lightly thump the door in exasperation.

****

Zhong Tian rose and swung his legs off the bed.

His bed was situated against the frosted glass panel, so Zhong Tian decided it would be prudent to keep his distance. He wouldn’t want to accidentally catch a full glimpse of someone… even if it were only a silhouette.

Zhong Tian cast a glance back at the full-length mirror, then walked over to stand before it.

Indeed, just as Lin Yu had observed, his current appearance was undeniably beautiful from every angle. It was absolutely impossible for anyone to discern that he was, in fact, a boy.

Moreover, his entire body was thoroughly encased, leaving nothing for others to see beyond his physical contours… and even some of those contours weren’t naturally his own.

‘Since there was nothing exposed, then what exactly was he feeling ashamed of…?’

Zhong Tian found himself at a loss to understand his own feelings.

Zhong Tian reached out to touch the mirror, gazing into the eyes of his reflection, and attempted to activate his mind-reading ability on himself.

It failed.

While he sensed the ability activating, no images manifested for Zhong Tian.

Zhong Tian let out a sigh.

‘Forget it. For now, I’ll just take it off. Perhaps tomorrow I’ll find a little more courage…’

Whoosh—

The sound of running water suddenly echoed from behind him.

From the corner of his eye, Zhong Tian caught sight of a faint silhouette behind the frosted glass.

He quickly shut his eyes, turning his back squarely to the shower stall, and peeled off both his wig and the cosplay outfit. Then, retreating to his bed, he changed into his own pajamas.

Perhaps due to the day’s exhaustion, the moment Zhong Tian lay down and closed his eyes, sleepiness washed over him in a sudden wave.

‘No, I haven’t showered yet… I can’t just sleep…’

“Hmph…”

****

Zhong Tian was roused from his slumber by the insistent ringing of his phone.

Still groggy, Zhong Tian fumbled for his phone, answering with a voice thick with sleep.

“Hello…?”

“Hello, good morning, Teacher Kezhong.”

“Hmm…” Zhong Tian mumbled, pushing himself up from the bed. He blinked several times, then stretched languidly. “What is it, Editor?”

“Well, while the event itself is in the afternoon, we recommend you arrive early since you’ll need to have your makeup done.”

Upon hearing the Editor’s words, Zhong Tian’s grogginess vanished instantly, replaced by a surge of anxiety.

“Um…”

“What’s wrong? Are you thinking of abandoning us at the last minute, Teacher Kezhong?”

‘There’s no escaping this, after all…’

‘I’ll just take it one step at a time. What if, by some miracle, an unexpected situation arises—the event gets canceled, or they decide I don’t need to cosplay after all!’

“…I—I’ll just take a shower and then head over.”

“Okay, no rush at all. It’s only eight-thirty, so we can take our time.”

Zhong Tian hung up the phone and glanced at Lin Yu on the adjacent bed, who, predictably, was still fast asleep.

Zhong Tian carefully slipped out of bed, making every effort not to make a sound, and quietly entered the shower stall.

‘I fell asleep last night without showering… Why was I suddenly so incredibly tired then?’

To avoid disturbing Lin Yu, Zhong Tian took a quick shower but opted not to wash his hair. After all, drying it would require a hairdryer, which would be far too noisy. Besides, he would likely be wearing a wig later anyway…

‘It’s a bit uncomfortable now, but I’ll just have to bear with it.’

Zhong Tian dressed in his casual clothes, gathered the bag containing his cosplay outfit and props, and departed.

According to the schedule, makeup and costume changes were set to begin around nine in the morning.

The convention had only hired two makeup artists, and with seven comic artists—himself included—requiring cosplay transformations, Zhong Tian knew he would have to wait in line.

Already feeling a degree of reluctance, Zhong Tian deliberately took his time with breakfast, then ambled at a leisurely pace toward the venue.

Upon entering the lounge, Zhong Tian observed both makeup artists diligently at work, with three other comic artists patiently waiting their turn. A wave of relief washed over him, and he promptly settled onto a sofa.

‘Excellent. This is precisely how the queue should be. Ideally, I’ll never even reach the front.’

“Teacher Kezhong is here~” Lin Chu chirped with a smile. “Don’t just sit there; go change your clothes quickly.”

“Hmm… no rush, right? Let’s wait until the others are done with their makeup first…”

“Teacher Kezhong, you’re already so adorable without makeup, there’s no need for it at all.”

Zhong Tian froze, utterly taken aback.

“Huh??” Zhong Tian lifted his gaze to Lin Chu’s smiling face, his voice trembling slightly. “Wouldn’t that be… inappropriate? I think I really should…”

“It’s perfectly fine! Just go change quickly. Once you’re done, I’ll simply apply some lipstick and put in your colored contacts.”

“No, but this…”

Without allowing Zhong Tian another word, Lin Chu pulled him to his feet and gently but firmly ushered him into the changing room.

“Change quickly, Teacher Kezhong!” Lin Chu called out, her voice deliberately loud. “Someone else needs to use this changing room, you know!”

Alone in the cramped changing room, Zhong Tian stood disoriented, clutching the cosplay outfit.

“Teacher Kezhong, some things simply cannot be avoided.”

Hearing this, Zhong Tian lowered his head and sank into a half-crouch within the changing room.

“逃げちゃダメだ！逃げちゃダメだ！逃げちゃダメだ！” (TL Note: Japanese for ‘You mustn’t run away! You mustn’t run away! You mustn’t run away!’, a famous line from the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion.)

As if steeling himself for an inevitable fate, Zhong Tian drew a deep breath and pulled out the cosplay outfit.

“逃げちゃダメだ!!”

Five minutes later, Zhong Tian, now clad in the battle suit, pushed the door open and emerged. His expression was one of absolute resolve, as if he were about to pilot an Evangelion into battle against an Angel.

“Wow, you look amazing!” Lin Chu’s eyes sparkled with delight. “Why be scared when you look this good? Come, come, sit down, and I’ll put in your colored contacts.”

Still wearing an expression of grim determination, Zhong Tian sat down, widening his eyes and allowing Lin Chu to proceed.

With the colored contacts in place, the wig secured, and a simple layer of lipstick applied, the transformation was complete.

Ayanami Rei (in Zhong Tian’s form), entering the fray!

Lin Chu swiftly pulled out her phone and snapped a quick photo with Zhong Tian.

“Teacher Kezhong, do you know why I chose Ayanami Rei for your character?”

“…Why?” Zhong Tian murmured, his voice barely a whisper.

“Because I guessed that you, Teacher Kezhong, would definitely be very nervous cosplaying, so I picked a character with a ‘silent’ attribute for you! Even if your nervousness makes you speechless and you keep a stiff expression, no one will find you strange, and it’ll also reduce the frequency of talking to others~” Lin Chu snapped her fingers. “How’s that? Isn’t it incredibly thoughtful? Don’t you think I’m looking out for you?”

“…”

Zhong Tian almost believed her.

‘There are so many silent characters, yet you specifically picked Ayanami Rei in her battle suit! And! Ayanami Rei also has a school uniform, right? Couldn’t we have done a school uniform version? You save money, and I save my peace of mind and effort—isn’t that a win-win?!!’

‘I bet this is all just your conspiracy, Lin Chu!’

Hmph—

‘Forget it. Since things have come to this, I can only face it…’