Under Yuqi’s scanning eyes, Soyeon feels utterly stripped bare. Even though she has donned a long black coat. Complete with golden ts, tassels, and ebony fur trims. A clean white t-shirt underneath. 

 

Yuqi snaps her fingers. “I’ve got it. It’s those black leather pants. They’re y, I know, but you need to take them off.” 

 

Soyeon looks down. Without context, Yuqi’s suggestion can be taken out of the ballpark to the heaven of misunderstandings. Soyeon knows better though. And she doesn’t like where this is going. “What’s wrong with my pants?” 

 

“And those gloves too! You’re not new to this.” Throwing her hands in the air, Yuqi paces back and forth. Turning sharply, pausing to glare at Soyeon, then resuming her incessant pacing. “Look. Your gloves are stylish. Very good. They give off a nice black and red fashion statement.” 

 

“But they offer no utility?” 

 

“Exactly!” Yuqi pulls at her own shirt (featuring a pink hawaiian print with flamingos and blue tropical flowers), gestures to her own pants (jeans ripped from the thighs to the ankles) and the chocolate sprinkled donut floatie around her waist. 

 

She also flaps her neon green raincoat. Which is way too bright for Soyeon’s eyes. “Take my clothes for example. The shirt? Minus 60 perception for enemies. The jeans? Even better. Minus 600 perception for everyone who sees them.”

 

“And what about the floatie and the raincoat?” asks Soyeon. 

 

“We’re going on a raid against the water dragon queen. She’s not drowning me any time soon, I’m perfectly equipped to deal with her attacks.” Chest puffed in pride, Yuqi makes a very convincing, logical argument. 

 

It all checks out. Seemingly. 

 

Frankly, Yuqi is dressed like she’s about to go on a mission to raise Louis Vuitton from his grave and kill him again. But if someone were to ask Soyeon her innermost thoughts on Yuqi’s state of dress, she’d say it’s cute (under her breath). Kind of. 

 

Clothes aside, Yuqi was already an endearing and adorable individual. The personification of the first gift one would open on Christmas, an escape from this cruel world, everything she wanted–

 

“Soyeon, we can’t beat the dragon queen with you looking like this. Sure, you have plus 50 in charisma and style, but you have no armor or magic resist!” In two steps, Yuqi is right in front of her face. Gripping both of Soyeon’s arms.

 

Dread fills her system, climbing up only to be stuck in . Soyeon is speechless as Yuqi continues to hold onto her arms, shaking, swinging them side to side. 

 

“You’re supposed to pick clothes based on maxing stats, you shouldn’t care about whether they match or not!”

 

Letting go, Yuqi huffs. Turning around. “I’ve calculated this. One energy blast from the final boss and you’re dead. You think that plus 10 agility from your outfit gives you the ability to dodge perfectly?”

 

“Uh, no?”

 

“There’s the answer.” Pinching the bridge of her nose, Yuqi faces her. “We’re broke, we can’t afford to respawn during the fight if we get knocked out.” 

 

And who’s fault was it that they’re two broke girls? Soyeon recalls Yuqi spending all of their gold at the auction market. Bidding their coins away for the best claymore known to mankind. 

 

A Wolf’s Gravestone. 

 

Only to find out later on that she had in fact been conned. The claymore had shed its illusion after a day.  

 

Yuqi had won a Waster Greatsword. The blandest, most common, and unremarkable greatsword in the universe. 

 

Soyeon wouldn’t open to tell Yuqi all of this. It’s sometimes better to allow the other girl to vent. 

 

Or maybe it’s just that Soyeon has developed a small, inconceivable hint of infatuation with the girl. The kind that an onlooker would have to squint until their eyes are practically closed to make out. 

 

The emphasis is on ‘small.’

 

Actually. Who is she kidding. Infatuation has morphed and transcended the borders, but not by much. She only harbors an intense feeling of deep affection. 

 

Simple. 

 

“We’re going to have to get you out of that coat. Those pants,” announces Yuqi. “Lucky for you, I’ve got spare clothes and they’re just your size.”

 

ping her backpack, an identical matching outfit is produced. The key difference is the pink frosting sprinkled donut floatie. Yuqi shoves it all in her hands and smiles diabolically, her grin threatening to tear the corners of . “Now run along and change!”

 

And as expected, Soyeon walks to the nearest bush without complaints.

 

 

AN: Did I reference red velvet’s dumb dumb jeans? Yes, I did. I am a monster.