Sorry for Being a Closet Otaku

Sakura Fleur Miyuku

At last, my due cosplay debut. Time to live out my teenage life to its limits. I'd been dreaming of this for months, but what was waiting for me made it seem as if the Universe just had to prove my carelessness and rub it in my shattered face.

At the time, it was my duty to find the best places for fishing in attention.

"Look this way, please!"

I turned, my emerald strands of hair-which of, at the time, was styled just like Suzumiya Haruhi's-fluttered freely in front of my unsuspecting face. I gasped as if Hell had opened its gates, unleashing into the world as we knew it. That, at least, was how it felt at the time.

"...Kagamine...san...?"

"M-Megumi?" His face dropped and rose, sweat blooming on his tensed forehead. "W-what are you doing in a place like this?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you the same thing?" I laugh, attempting to hide my petrified emotions. The wind flutters my azure skirt, creasing the design. "If I recall, you said you were meeting someone at the beach this weekend in class," I continue.

"Well, sorry for the shock...I-I should be going..." He began to gather himself, the camera almost slipping from his grasp as he led it back to its case.

"Wait- Kagamine-san...I want this to be kept secret from the rest of the class, okay...?" I stutter, glad I could get the message across.

"I-In fact...I'd prefer that too. Thank you, Megumi," he stifled a smile, from my observations.

"Ah-...you're welcome. Thank you, too."

He walked away, picking up the pace at a glance to his wrist-watch.

'I-I can't let anyone else see me!' I mused, bowing to other cosplayers and photographers before dashing off in the other direction.

'I'm sorry for being a closet otaku. So much so that I must hide it from others for my own reputation.'

It seemed to be a warning, life changing day to the both of us. We had really let our guards down. I would have to work extra hard not to get caught by one I knew at my friend's Akiba maid café.

I pull myself together. I would change at the public toilets, and wear my hoody to the café just to be on the safe side.

The side that seemed to be my mortal enemy.

After changing, in desperate hopes not to be punished for my tardiness, I sprinted up the stairs to the entry and yanked the door open. I removed my extra clothing, dusting off my dress and greeting the other employees.

Turns out I had arrived early, and it was quite a wait until the first few customers showed up.

I turned the knob and guided it back with grace. "Welcome home, Master!"

The world seemed to freeze, and not for the first time. My face paled.

So did my Dad's.

"Gumi?" He smacked a damp palm onto his lips in a vague attempt to suppress the sounds that refused to be contained. "What are you doing in a place like this?"

"That's what I should be asking you!" I shoved him briskly out the way in order for another customer to pass by. "'I've got a meeting tonight, I'll be back late,' isn't that what you told Mother this morning?"

He laughs. He was showing his obsessiveness openly, in my opinion. After discussing not telling our house company about the incident, I served him tea like some VIP and when he left continued to work my bones out on the little piglets.

'I'd rather not give Mother even more to worry about. This is a secret between you and me,' my eyes told him as he pulled the wooden door towards him. 'I'm sorry for being a closet otaku.' Little did I know, those were his exact same thoughts.

I literally all but collapsed onto my comforting bed when I arrived home that night. Some pervert attacked my colleague and we almost called the police. It was exhausting.

'Might as well take a quick look at Nico Nico...' I flick on my abused and worn out laptop, humming along to the Windows opening tune. 'My favourites, Nico Nico Douga, Most Popular Videos...' it was all routine by now. Hang on-

'If we can map out all of our planets mysteries...we can go where-ever we want..'

'No. Way.'

'Boon...'

My mind was spinning. My room around me disappeared as I struggled to focus on-let alone believe the site before my eyes.

My eyelid twitched uncontrollably.

'On a certain sunny day...

When we meet again tomorrow, we'll be smiling and humming...'

"...Mom...?"

"You called, Honey?" I heard something heavy drop behind me. That's when I became aware she could see perfectly well what was on my screen-her dancing to 'Hare Hare Yukai' from the ever popular 'The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya'.. "I...I can explain!"

"It's okay Mom...I understand. Secret?" I was starting to get used to saying that now.

"You mean...you won't tell Dad?" Mom whimpered.

"Until you give the word," I hold out my pinkie finger.

She sighs and slowly chants the rhyme with me.

"Sorry about your school uniform. It was the closest I could find to the Haruhi Suzumiya cosplay," her eyes dropped down eerily.

'Tsk. She didn't even see my cosplay in my wardrobe. Maybe I should be Witch Yuki next time.' I laugh, then ask when dinner would be ready. And at that exact moment, as if on cue, the fire alarm sounded in our ears piercingly.

Turns out, Mom left the sausages on and they had burnt over...the smoke had set off the alarm. The neighbours were freaked.

What a week.