Firefly || Mezo Shoji

24. Angels in Blue

It was by far the most lavish shop I had ever stepped into. The fact that the name had the word 'Boutique' incorporated into it made it transparently clear that I did not belong. However, I was not allowed a say in the matter.

Shoji thought it would be best if I went with someone that knew what they were doing, which is why he asked Hagakure to go with me after I finished work that Friday.

My fashion sense wasn't necessarily bad. I would say that it leaned more towards comfort over style on a day-to-day basis, but this was my first time attending a ball and I needed someone that had more experience with events like this one. This is why I entrusted Hagakure with the responsibility of helping me find something to wear and that meant I was to follow her every instruction—as she had so clearly stated.

Hagakure had also taken it upon herself to invite her friend, another one of Shoji's UA classmates—the Pro Hero, Pinky, or Mina Ashido. We had only met a few times in the past, mainly through my visits to Shoji's dorm, however, they were never interactions in which we got to speak for long. This didn't seem to matter to her though. She was welcoming and nice enough to make me feel like another one of her friends without any encouragement. And I had to admit, I needed all the help I could get if I was going to have any hope of finding an outfit.

The shop was small but sumptuously decorated. Keeping with a clean and simple theme of white—the addition of crystal chandeliers and ornaments gave it that expensive touch.

Hesitantly, I walked further in, stepping over the boundary of my comfort zone and reluctantly leaving it by the front door. I was sure the shop assistant knew it too. She had watched me with a confused eye the moment we came in, but that was quickly wiped away when she noticed the two girls accompanying me. Replacing it with the fakest smile that could be easily mistaken as being polite and eyes that practically turned into money signs the moment she realised that they were Pro Heroes—celebrities in the eyes of the public.

"Good afternoon ladies. Welcome to Ever After Boutique. May I be of any assistance today?" The shop assistant asked, her voice chime-like but undoubtedly insincere.

"Thank you but we've got this under control," Ashido smiled. The woman bowed her head but I could tell she was disappointed. "Come on, girlies. Gowns are this way."

I followed Hagakure and Ashido towards the far side of the store, where a long rack of gowns lined the wall. Dresses of all colours and styles hung on the stainless steel pole, too many for me to even know where to start. My attention was drawn away from the clothes when a hand touched my shoulder.

"Why don't you take a seat, we can pick out a few dresses and you can tell us which ones you like. How does that sound?" Hagakure kindly suggested.

"Okay," I smiled—relieved that I wasn't the one that had to hunt through the vast selection.

I took a seat in one of the cream leather armchairs that overlooked the gown section, giving me the perfect view of the two girls perusing through the wall of fabric. Ashido peered over her shoulder at me. "Stand up for me babe. Let me see what I'm working with."

"Oh, y-yeah of course," I said, quickly lifting myself back up from the chair and standing awkwardly as she scanned her gaze over me. The golden-brown pupils stood out amongst the black of her eyes, giving her this piercing stare that would put most people on edge, but she was almost always smiling so it was near enough impossible to be intimidated by her.