Chapter 62: Breasts

Eris’s whispered words were still echoing in my mind as I stood motionless in front of the costume and special-effects store.

"Come on. Let’s pick you out a nice pair of breasts."

I had never imagined anyone would say that to me at any point in my life. Even worse, the person saying it was my childhood friend Eris, and the excitement on her face showed that she knew exactly how embarrassing entering this store would be for me.

"Do we really have to go in there?"

"Yes, if we want to finish the measurements for the wedding dress."

"Let’s order them online."

"You said the same thing about the wedding dress. Do you want me to explain it again?"

"No, but this is completely different."

Eris linked her arm through mine and pulled me inside without paying any attention to my protests.

The store was far more colorful and cluttered than the bridal shop. Wigs of different colors and lengths lined the walls, while pointed ears, horns, fake wounds, and silicone pieces resembling real human skin were displayed inside glass cabinets.

Farther inside were muscular torsos fitted onto mannequins, creature arms, and prosthetics designed to create different body shapes.

It wasn’t difficult to find what we were looking for among them.

An entire wall was dedicated to breast forms in different shapes, skin tones, and sizes.

I immediately looked away.

"We could start with the wigs."

"Stop trying to escape."

"I’m not escaping. I’m arranging our shopping in a more logical order."

As Eris dragged me toward the section containing the prosthetics, a young saleswoman approached us.

"Can I help you?"

"We’re looking for a realistic breastplate for cosplay," Eris said as casually as if she were asking for milk at a grocery store. "It will be worn for a long time and underneath a wedding dress."

The saleswoman looked at me.

She must have noticed the embarrassment on my face, but she maintained her professional expression and gestured toward a shelf containing several different products.

"We have three basic options. These are lightweight foam pads. They’re cheap and comfortable, but they don’t look natural when you move. These are silicone forms that attach directly to the skin or to a special undergarment. They look more realistic, but they can become uncomfortable when worn for extended periods."

Finally, she pointed toward a skin-colored piece fitted onto one of the mannequins.

"We also have one-piece silicone breastplates. You pull them over your shoulders, and they completely cover your upper torso. They’re slightly heavier, but they give the most natural appearance under stage lighting and while moving."

Eris headed straight for the last option without hesitation.

"We’ll take this one."

"You haven’t even asked how much it costs."

"If you want to win the competition, you can’t go onstage wearing cheap pieces of foam."

"No one will notice whether they move under the wedding dress."

Eris looked at me with an extremely serious expression.

"I’ll notice."

"Why does it matter whether you notice?"

"Because I’m the one helping you."

I wanted to point out that this wasn’t a reasonable answer, but the saleswoman had already begun showing us the different models.

The one-piece breastplates were made from thin, flexible silicone. Some covered only the front of the chest, while the more expensive models extended from the collarbones to beneath the ribs, creating the appearance of a real upper torso.

Since Evelyn’s wedding dress would cover the neck and shoulders, the edges showing wouldn’t be a major concern. However, the prosthetic still needed to stay in place while I turned or bent down onstage.

The saleswoman brought out several color samples close to my skin tone and held the small silicone pieces against the inside of my wrist. Eris began comparing the colors with complete seriousness.

"This one is a little too dark," she said.

"One shade lighter might be more suitable," the saleswoman replied. "Makeup can be used to blend the edges around the neck and face."

Eris held the lighter sample against my collarbone.

"This one is closer."

"Could you both stop examining me as if I’m a wall you’re planning to paint?"

Neither of them paid any attention to me.

Once the color had been chosen, it was time to decide on the size. When the saleswoman presented several models in small, medium, and large sizes, Eris immediately reached for one of the largest.

My eyes widened.

"Put that back."

"I’m only looking."

"We’re not turning Evelyn’s character design into some kind of cow-milking game."

The saleswoman tried to disguise her laughter with a cough as Eris lifted the prosthetic with both hands.

"The large one would attract more attention onstage."

"I’d fall flat on my face from the weight. People wouldn’t remember the cosplay. They’d remember that my breasts killed me."

"At least it would be an unforgettable performance."

"Eris."

Laughing, she returned the large model and picked up one of the medium-sized ones instead. When she held the breastplate in front of my torso, I leaned my head back and stared at her.

"We can choose one without trying it on."

"You saw how much empty space there was in the wedding dress. The size needs to fit."

When the saleswoman agreed with Eris, my last route of escape disappeared.

The medium-sized breastplate was balanced enough not to look exaggerated. The silicone contained soft filling that gave it more natural weight and movement, while the thin support beneath it rested against the torso to prevent it from slipping.

The saleswoman explained that my skin needed to be cleaned before use, that skin-safe adhesive could be applied around the edges if necessary, and that it should be removed at regular intervals when worn for a long time. The package also included cleaner, powder, and a special storage cloth.

As I listened to her explanation, I briefly felt as though I were actually buying myself a new body part.

"Our fitting rooms are at the back," the saleswoman said. "I’ll give you a thin liner for hygiene. You can try the breastplate on over it."

The moment I saw the smile on Eris’s face, I pointed at her.

"You’re staying outside."

"If you can’t put it on by yourself, you can call me."

"I won’t make the same mistake I made with the wedding dress."

I took the thin liner and silicone breastplate from the saleswoman and entered the fitting room. After closing the curtain, I picked up the product and realized it was heavier than I had expected.

The silicone surface was cool and soft. It stretched easily when I pulled it but returned to its original shape the moment I released it. Gripping it from the bottom, I tried to pull it over my head.

Everything went well for the first few seconds.

Then the upper part of the breastplate became stuck around my head.

My face was trapped inside the silicone, one arm was only halfway through, and the other was caught behind my shoulder. The more I tried to pull myself free, the more the breastplate twisted and completely blocked my vision.

I struggled silently for several moments.

Eris’s voice came from outside.

"Are you alive?"

"Yes."

"Then why does it sound like there’s a suffocating animal in there?"

"Everything is under control."

As I tried to free my trapped arm, my elbow struck the fitting room wall. After hearing the impact, Eris opened the curtain slightly.

"I’m coming in."

"Don’t—"

She entered before I could finish. When she saw me with my head trapped inside the silicone and one arm stuck in the air, she remained silent for several seconds.

Then she burst out laughing.

"Stop laughing and get me out of this!"

"You said you could put it on by yourself."

"I changed my mind!"

Eris grabbed the bottom of the breastplate and pulled it down. Once I managed to get my arms through the correct openings, the silicone finally slid over my shoulders and settled around my torso.

The moment my head was free, I took a deep breath.

"This thing tried to kill me."

"Did you lose your battle against a silicone breastplate too?"

"The battle isn’t over. I can tear it apart if I want."

"If you tear it apart before paying for it, I’ll leave you here."

After adjusting the shoulders of the breastplate, Eris stepped back. When I looked into the mirror, I had no idea what to say for several seconds.

The silicone breastplate I wore over the thin liner was surprisingly close to my skin tone. It began beneath my collarbones and extended over my ribs, while the medium-sized curves were prominent enough to fill the empty chest of the wedding dress.

I could feel its weight on my shoulders and against the front of my chest. The silicone moved slightly with my body as I breathed, and when I took a step, it shifted naturally enough not to look artificial.

I found its realism unsettling.

Eris tilted her head as she examined me.

"Turn a little to the right."

"No."

"I need to check whether the edges show."

"It’ll be under the wedding dress."

She grabbed my shoulder and turned me in front of the mirror. Then she smoothed out a folded section along the side of the breastplate and pulled the bottom down so it rested more securely against my ribs.

"The medium size was the right choice," she said. "The large one wouldn’t have suited your body."

"That’s what I was saying from the beginning."

Eris lightly pressed one finger against the silicone surface.

"It’s really soft."

I immediately pushed her hand away.

"Oiii, don’t touch me, you pervert!"

"I was checking its durability."

"I don’t believe you!"

Eris smiled, but this time she didn’t reach for it again. When she called the saleswoman over and told her the breastplate fit me, I remembered that I needed to remove it before leaving the fitting room.

I didn’t want to get it stuck around my head again while trying to take it off by myself.

Eris must have understood what I was thinking from the look on my face.

"Want me to help?"

I had to struggle with my pride for a moment.

"Promise you won’t laugh."

"I can’t promise that."

"Then at least laugh quietly."

As we pulled the breastplate over my shoulders together, Eris mostly kept her word. She made only a few muffled sounds and didn’t even try to hide the smile on her face.