It Will Be Alright!

Tani has broken down the entire weekend of Festival activities into five Phases.

Phase 1 started with getting their items to their booth and setting things up. Although not without the drama of almost vomiting all over himself and his friends, that whole process went by without a hitch.

It doesn’t end there though, this Phase also includes getting everyone ready before the gates of Tokyo U open up and the influx of people start flooding in. To his surprise, this is also going well, every member of his club made it to their booth on time, and are currently putting the final touches of their outfits together underneath the large white four corner tent that serves as their home for today and tomorrow.

Initially, getting them dressed up was like herding cats due to the outfit choices he made for them, but thankfully things have more or less settled on what he was hoping for.

Mariko is dressed in a chic short sleeved French Breton striped shirt tucked into a high rise flowing black skirt that is held up by a red belt, and underneath that are laced tights and red high heels. She looks like she jumped right out of an eccentric French magazine from the 50’s, she even has a thin red scarf wrapped around her neck and a black bonnet atop her head.

Charl is wearing a wild west cowboy outfit complete with a ten gallon hat. A little leather vest serves as the finishing touch to his buttoned down white collared shirt, blue jeans and western boots. At first he insisted on wearing assless chaps as though that were an entirely normal thing to do, Tani had to spend minutes of his time talking him down off that cliff. Charl had even brought his own pair to show off how good it looked on him before Tani managed to pry them out of his hands and bury them in some bushes where no one would find them.

Ume is kitted with a Tarantella dress adorned in green, red, black and white. She has her hair in a tight bun, bound by a colorful ribbon that makes her look like a pristine doll that has just been shipped here from the heart of Sicily.

Sticking with the theme, Anita is of course, wearing a dazzling white, blue and yellow flower patterned Yukata. With her hair tied up by a series of colorful pins, she gleams in the morning sun from the top of her head to the bottom of her wooden sandal wearing feet. Her appearance makes her seem as though she were a blooming flower of her own.

They are dressed in the stereotypical fashions of the countries they are supposed to represent. Each of them were very enthusiastic to dress this way, having chose the color combinations and accessories to wear. 

The time it took to settle on the finished product dragged on a bit. Not to mention how long it took for everyone to apply their makeup. The whole thing was hectic, but seeing them all here now and ready to go was well worth the delays.

Everyone seems to be keen on their appearance. Everyone that is, except Emilia Mazzoli...

But before we get to her, let’s talk about Tani and Shirai-sensei’s cultural outfits.

They are wearing Kokusai’s summer uniforms.

This lack of creativity is due to their position as technical leaders of this club, and as representatives of Kokusai. It was decided that they wouldn’t partake in the gestures of what they’re trying to present to onlookers, instead they are to serve as proud billboards to the school. Shirai had to borrow Anita’s clothes to do so, and although a little bit smaller of a fit than she’d like, the uniform extenuates her feminine features to the point that Tani hopes it isn’t too obvious that an adult is cosplaying as a high school student.

He's reminded of a meme he saw on the internet of an old man trying to blend in with a group of students by wearing his hat backward and holding a skateboard while saying, 'How do you do, fellow kids?'. 

However, Shirai's usual mature style of makeup has been replaced with a more youthful style courtesy of Ume, so he's likely fretting over a problem that won't pop up in regards to how she looks.

Now then, back to Emilia.

She isn’t a part of any Language assignment but still must play a role in their booth, so Tani decided that she has to do it in a way that will also benefit her growth. 

It was a tough choice, and it was a choice Emilia didn’t have much input on, she simply sat there in silence as the others fought over what kind of role would best suit her. In the end the loudest voice won the battle, and that voice was Shirai who suggested she dress up in a sexy maid outfit.

Shirai is a sucker for sexy maids, apparently.

Tani only agreed to it because he plans on having her hold the advertisement sign pointing to the Language club’s booth and shouting out invites. This way she can force herself to be more extroverted and put the many weeks of festival training to good use. If she can get through this trial and learn to raise her little voice high enough for passersby to hear her, her arduous journey towards becoming a normal high schooler will have taken a colossal leap forward.

It’s a win-win for both her and the club if she can pull it off.

A potential lose-lose for Tani if she can’t.

A terrifying prospect for Emilia either way.

Thus she has been dreading the end of the countdown that her antsy club president has been pointing out every ten minutes of the last hour, knowing full well that what is to come might actually cause her to fall apart into so many pieces she may never be able to put them all back together. 

Him being so high strung about it all, and the other’s lack of concern for her is like a twin bullet hitting her in the head and heart simultaneously.

“....”

She looks down at what she’s wearing and grabs at her frilly skirt. She’s wearing tights underneath at least, but her shoulders and much of her chest are showing, which she’s reminded of every time a gentle morning breeze slides through their booth and makes contact with her bare skin. She wonders if the frilly maid bonnet on her head looks as silly as it feels, or if the makeup that she has never worn before makes her look like a clown that is bound to be gawked at by the older college students.

“...Ermm…”

She bites her lip and her eyebrows slightly shrink towards each other as she investigates her surroundings.

The overall spectacle of work being put in by the hundreds of other students getting their booths ready is all encompassing. The row of white tents stretch the entirety of Tokyo U’s Hongo pathway on each side from the entrance all the way to the Yasuda Auditorium, where a huge stage has been erected for a series of bands to play throughout the day.

The entire campus is abuzz with activity, people are merrily scurrying around in every which direction and the sounds of competing voices echo from within the green trees that overhang them.

The excitement and desire to explore the sights and smells of food starting to waft through the branches is a hard hurdle to overcome even while standing here as anxious as ever. She can't wait until her job is done so she can walk around and have fun. 

She slaps her cheeks with both palms of her hands.

There's a prize at the end of today's work. She just has to get through this somehow.

(It will be alright.) she thinks to herself, but even her inner monologue meant to inspire confidence carries a tone so heavy with doubt that it capszizes her remaining spirit.

"..Uguuh..." she grumbles, looking to Tani for help.

He is peering at his phone and tapping his foot in borderline panic, and this makes it all the more torturous for her. 

“We only have five minutes until go time. Does everyone know what they need to do? Any questions or suggestions?” he asks, twisting his head towards everyone present and investigating them like he's a string on the verge of snapping.

“I think we’re good. Ya seem to be the one tripping out the most.” Mariko says with a chuckle.

Tani fires a haughty scowl at her. "I'm not tripping, checking in is not tripping!"

He's definitely tripping.

Ume is standing behind a podium with an Italian flag draped over the front, and she taps on her gooseneck microphone before pointing out, "All four of the TV's behind our podiums work, our phones are fully charged for cashless payments via QR code. The display bar is clean and full of all the sweets you made to serve as prizes, our queue set up for the patron's smooth walk throughout the booth is both efficient and spacious. We have it all under control." 

Ume sends him a thumbs up gesture and a wink.

Tani receives it with a deep breath through his nose. "Okay, this is good. Our booth definitely looks the most inviting out of everything nearby, and since all of you are so attractive I'm sure that people will be drawn in right away."

Everyone perks up.

"Wait, did ya just say I'm attractive?" Mariko asks.

"Well yeah, you are."

"Nggyaah!?" she shrinks against her French flag adorned podium and feigns horror. "I don't know how I'm s'posed to exist around you now that I know this information!"

"It's nothing to be surprised about, you all are very good looking people, I'm not going to pretend you aren't."

"Including me?" Shirai asks, leaning in close and sending him a teasing glare.

He squints at her and remains silent.

"...."

"A-Actually, d-don't answer that!" Shirai back pedals and squirms in her tight fitting school outfit.

Believe it or not, Tani finds her very attractive, but he can't afford to be throwing out bold declarations willy nilly to someone like her. He needs to keep her on her toes lest he add more weapons to an already well equipped arsenal she has at her disposal to attack him with.

He clears his throat and turns back towards Mariko. "Anyways, there's a reason why I've chosen to dress you up this way. You see, there's a cognitive bias called the 'cheerleader effect' that increases an onlooker's attraction to people if they're in a group."

"Oh?" Charl leans against his podium draped in a US flag and says, "I know all about that."

"I'm sure you do." Tani says curtly before continuing. "The point is, each of you by yourselves could draw people in, but all of you together adds a significant percentage to your attractiveness level. Dressing you up in unfamiliar styles to the standard Japanese gaze will serve as an added curiosity that people will be dying to find out about. I mean, Anita is in a Yukata for god's sake, just look at her."

The group looks towards Anita, who is suddenly adorned in a gold light while standing behind her  podium that is draped over with a Japanese flag. She returns a smile and it's as though the land of the rising sun that the nation's flag represents decided to shine specifically for her right then and there.

"Hey, what about me??" Ume asks, stepping out and lifting the edges of her red mesh skirt to show off the design.

"You always look good." 

Tani's reply is so smooth that his words hit her with the force of a cannon.

"T-Thank you."

"Plus, you're already pretty famous. I'm sure you'll be bringing in the most people today." It seems that something has dawned on him while looking at her, he puts his hands on his hips and sticks his chest out. "Now that I think about it, our booth will be unstoppable! Muahaha!"

But when Emilia speaks up from behind him, he shifts his attention her way and is confronted by a peculiar dark cloud.

“I don’t know, Tani-senpai…”

“What’s there not to know?”

“Everything.” she answers.

She’s staring at him with a blank gaze, yet still managing to broadcast severe discomfort.

Tani smiles and shuts his eyes, telling himself that there's no need to panic. 

This is actually something he had planned for. 

“Emilia, I have a question for you.”

“..?”

“Have you noticed that I’m not wearing my glasses today?”

“I do now, I guess.”

Tani winces. “You guess?? I’m obviously not wearing my glasses.”

“Okay.”

“Anyways, I have my own reason for why I’m operating in mole rat mode today. And I think it could benefit you too.”

Emilia tilts her head skeptically, “I don’t want to be a mole rat, though.”

“No one wants to actually be a mole rat, but some of us don’t want to feel like we’re being perceived, and the best way to avoid that is to not perceive others. You see, my tiny shy student, I can hardly see more than a few feet in front of my face without my glasses.”

“And?”

“I’m only doing this because it’s a trick for an introvert to become a temporary extrovert. I can’t see the faces of the people I’ll be talking to, which in turn tricks my mind into feeling like they can’t see me either.”

“Heh, I see…”

Now Emilia is beginning to nod her head, impressed by the thought he's put into such a strategy.

“So what if we gave you something that would keep people from really seeing you?”

“Tani-senpai, please don’t put a paper bag with eye holes over my head.”

“Fear not, this is no bag!” Tani reaches his hand out to his side and snaps his fingers. “Ume! Bring Emilia the 'concealer'.”

“Yes sir!”

Ume does a series of Tarantella twirls and spins her way in between the two. She pulls a pair of sunglasses from the bosom of her dress and holds it out to Emilia before saying, “Depending on what part of Tokyo I’m in, I run the risk of someone recognizing me. So the trick I use when I don't want to be noticed are these, I’ve yet to be stopped by anyone while wearing them. Better yet, I feel completely invisible!”

Taking the stylish but very dark tinted glasses into her hands, they seem to gleam as if it were something pulled out of a dungeon's treasure chest in an adventure video game. Emilia can’t be sure if the ensuing ‘Item Get’ jingle is real or imagined, but she hears it as clear as day nonetheless.

Putting it on her face, her posture stiffens up as though she were injected with a super power.

“Looks great on you!” Ume points out before twirling herself back to her station behind the podium.

“Wow... Thanks..!”

Emilia manages a half smile.

Tani puts his hand on her shoulder and says, “While wearing these glasses, all you need to do is go through the motions and follow the script. You've worked so hard these last couple months, you're more than strong enough to handle something as trivial as some attention from strangers. And if it ever feels like a bit too much, remind yourself that they can’t really see you and just direct them our way. We’ll take care of the rest.”

“I think I can do that.”

“I know you can.”

“Tani-senpai?”

“Hm?”

“You using this trick to get by... does that mean you’re the same as me?”

Tani finds it hard not to scoff at that suggestion, but he softens his bite when he replies with a smile, “Not the same, but similar.”

Emilia takes a deep determinative breath. Knowing that she’s not alone in her angst relieves a bit of the tension, and knowing that this magical item given to her by Ume is protecting her from her worst fears instills an energy that she's never felt before.

“Hey,” Tani says, he taps her shoulder and finishes, “you’re going to do great. I'm the one who trained you, after all.”

Emilia lets a full smile take over her face underneath the dark glasses, and she finds it within herself to turn towards to front gate a hundred or so meters down the tree lined pathway. She can already see the crowd forming outside, and when the remaining students putting the finishing touches on their booths settle into their job sites, the toll of the Hongo clocktower bellows out the tune signifying the beginning of festivities.

The gates open, and the Gogatsusai Festival is officially underway.

Phase 1 is complete.

To Be Continued!!