odorekijin

Released on November 3rd, 2023. (source)

An event drafted and produced by COLORATION has been in the works to promote this year’s “Tokyo Color Sonic.” Iori and Haruhi had been called to try on their personal outfits for the occasion.

Haruhi picked his outfit off the rack, adjusting it to his frame by the mirror, before turning to Iori standing next to him.

“What do you think?”

“Very stylish! You really pull it off.”

“Doesn’t white look weird on me though? I don’t usually go for that palette, so…”

“Not at all. You’ve got your looks and a fantastic fashion sense to pair, anything looks good on you.”

“Aww, you! You’re too nice~”

“I don’t know about my outfit though…”

Iori held his ensemble against his body, giving himself a once-over in the mirror. The white heart printed at the centre of his otherwise black outerwear seemed to bother the singer.

“Why? I think it looks great, and it’s a nice change of pace from your usual style!”

“Mhm…”

“Not convinced, are you?”

“Not really… Cutesy clothes would definitely suit Sebumi or Kirishima better, not me…”

A disappointed shadow flitted across Haruhi’s face: “You don’t get it…”

“What?”

“It’s sooo frustrating! You’re completely oblivious to your own assets!”

“Care to elaborate?”

“You have exceptional face proportions, but I’m sure you know that already, yes?”

“Um, sure…?”

“See, you have features meant to suit nearly anything, which isn’t the case for everybody. Take me, for example: I reckon I look better in simple but crisp outfits rather than sporting pastels and soft textures—same applies to Takatsuki-kun.”

“True. You both have a very similar aura.”

“Then take Sebumi-kun or Kirishima-kun—heck, you could even add Zaizen-kun to their bunch—they all fit popping colours and a somewhat sweeter image, don’t they?”

“Totally.”

“Whereas Kurahashi-kun, Komiyama-kun and Sakaki-kun are more on the loud-alternative end of the spectrum. Finally, we have you, Iori: you can fit any style without even trying! Though I think that’d apply to Miyazono-kun too, now that I think about it…”

“Uh, uh-huh?”

“Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that you can wear many styles, but none can walk in your shoes. It’s a rare talent—you can trust me on that. I think the stylists wanted to highlight your personality and took your qualities into great consideration… No, I’m sure that was their intention, and you should honour their hard work. Don’t let your apprehensions bother you too much, okay?”

Iori’s guts bubbled with unease at Haruhi’s imperious smug. : “He can’t have gone that far for his own gain… Wait, what am I saying, he totally would.”

Slowly regaining his composure, Iori suspiciously eyed his childhood friend.

“Are you even listening? I’m basically giving you an express masterclass here! Can’t you see this matters to me?”

“Actually no, I don’t. Care to tell me why you’re going through all these painstaking details?”

“Come on, isn’t it obvious? I just really want you to wear that outfit. No stones were left unturned, from the colour of the lining to the shoes… Each detail was deliberately picked just for you―”

“Oh really? Well, aren't you well-informed about my outfit.”

“Who do you take me for!? I was the one who put in a special request to the Headquarters for it!”

“Ah-hah! I knew it…!”

“…Shoot.”

“You have some explaining to do. Go on.”

Haruhi knew he had made a grave mistake the instant he caught sight of Iori’s reaction, though his remorse only lasted for a fraction of a second.

“Hrm, weeell… I sooort of used backchannel connections to reach the Headquarters a little, or a lot… Okay, I may have threatened some of the PR department staff just so they could read my request, but look at you! They came up with something that was pretty good so all ends well, no harm done!”

“Threats? What did you do to them!? Speak!”

“I’d rather not. You might go off the rails from anger, frothing at the mouth and all, and I’d like to spare myself from the sight.”

“You little…! I’ve told you multiple times not to do that ever again!”

“But I really, really wanted new pictures of you for my new album… It means the world to me…”

“You’ve got to be kidding…!”

Iori had built a certain mental fortitude to the wicked ideas his devout childhood friend would have—but he had crossed the line.

Iori threw the costume bag on the floor, shaking with rage.

“What on Earth are you doing!?”

“I’ve had enough, I’m not wearing this abomination!”

“Why!?”

“I don’t want to be complicit with the sickening albums you want to bring upon this world! Stop it!”

“Take that back, they’re not sickening! I won’t stop taking pictures of you, never! It's one of my only pleasures in life; it’s my raison d’être!”

“You’ve got too much free time on your hands. Go back to your studio, write music, but please do something else!!”

“I wrote plenty of songs already, and I can totally do both! I’m a prodigy, multitasking is like breathing to me!”

“Shut it, you’ve pissed me off!” Iori stormed off the dressing room. Haruhi was on the singer’s tail.

“No, no, no, please, I’m sorry! I really am! Look, I’ll zip it, you won’t hear a single word from me ever again!”

“Quiet, you already said too much. I’m going to the Headquarters to request an outfit change right now. Don’t you dare follow me.”

“Ahah… ...Wait, that wasn’t a joke!? You can’t do this to me! Please, I’m begging, don’t go!”

“I don’t care about what you think, I’m going!”

In chasing Iori, Haruhi was walking down his death row, holding out hope to stop the singer in his rage until his very last moments. On his hands and knees, the composer was forced to promise not to make any more albums, in exchange for Iori to keep the outfit. But Haruhi had been quick to forget his end of the deal and Iori was no fool to his tricks; he knew his friend all too well.

―The inexorable habits they built together, to this day, are their safe place to return to.

THE END

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