A week had passed since their last shoot, and Celeste had almost convinced herself to forget about it. But then, her phone buzzed late one afternoon. Her thumb hesitated over the screen when she saw his name. She’d been busy with her cosplay projects, but part of her knew she’d be thinking about it soon.

"Hey Celeste, hope you're doing well. I’ve got something in mind for our next shoot. What do you think about trying a Japanese schoolgirl outfit? It’s a bit more revealing than the last one, but it’s the kind of cosplay I’ve always wanted to see in person."

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She frowned slightly, reading his words again. More revealing? That caught her attention.

​

She wasn’t naïve. She knew exactly what he meant.

​

He’d mentioned before how much he liked cosplay, but this felt… different. It was a new level of risk, or at least that’s what it seemed like to her.

"I’ll pay double for this one—$200, and I'll also cover transport costs, $50. If you’re okay with it, I’ll go ahead and order it for you."

​

Celeste stared at the message for a while, her thoughts racing. The money was tempting—more than tempting.

​

She had a whole list of things she could use it for. She could buy some new materials for her cosplay, maybe even treat herself to a proper meal instead of the usual instant noodles. She wouldn’t have to scrape together every cent for the next few weeks.

​

But the outfit? It was way more revealing than anything she’d worn before.

It wasn’t like the cosplay she did for conventions, where she was surrounded by crowds. This was personal. Private. And something about that felt both exciting and unnerving.

​

She sighed, pacing around her room, staring at her half-finished cosplay projects. She had the materials for them, but no real money to make them happen. T

he truth was, she didn’t even have enough for basic things right now.

Her mind wandered back to the promise of $250. That would keep her going for a while.

The idea of new cosplay ideas, better meals, and even the freedom to experiment with her craft again was too good to pass up.

​

She read the message once more.

"It’ll be shipped to my house, and I’ll let you know when it arrives. No rush, just let me know if you’re okay with it."

 

She pressed her lips together, thinking about it. It wasn’t as if she’d never seen outfits like this before at conventions. But this felt different. It wasn’t just a costume to wear for a few hours among strangers. This would be her and him, alone in his space.

​

“Could be worse,” she muttered to herself, still unsure whether she was convincing herself or actually accepting the offer. She’d seen similar outfits at conventions, some worn by people she didn’t know at all. And some of them were much more revealing than what he was suggesting.

​

She liked the idea of cosplay—the creativity, the escape into different characters. And if this outfit worked, maybe it would be a step toward the things she’d been dreaming of. Maybe she’d even finally be able to finish that one cosplay she’d been putting off.

​

Her fingers hovered over the phone screen, and for a moment, she almost typed back “No.”

But then she thought about the money again. She could make this work. And it wasn’t like she’d be forced into something too extreme.

​

She paused, then typed:

"Okay, I’m in. Just let me know when it’s ready."

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The second she hit “send,” she felt a mix of relief and doubt settle into her chest.

She was committing, but to what? It wasn’t just about the money—though that was a huge factor. It was about the opportunity to do something new, something different, something that could break her out of the routine she was stuck in.

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Her phone vibrated almost immediately.

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"Awesome! I’ll order the outfit right now. Once it’s here, I’ll reach out to you. Can’t wait to see how you look in it."

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Celeste leaned back in her chair, biting her lip as she stared at the phone. Her mind raced. It wasn’t just the money that had her stomach doing somersaults—it was the thought of stepping into something that felt a little... off the beaten path. Sure, she’d worn a schoolgirl costume before, but this? This was different. There was no crowd, no loud music, just a guy, his camera, and her in an outfit she wasn’t sure she was ready for.

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But hey, it was just one shoot. One shoot that could pay for groceries, maybe even a nice meal, and most importantly, help her feel a little less stressed about the future.

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She rubbed her temples, trying to ignore the little voice that kept whispering "this is weird, don’t do it."

But then another voice piped up—one that sounded a lot like her bank account. It was hard to argue with that one.

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"Okay," she muttered, half to herself, half to the phone. "It’s just a cosplay shoot. Nothing else."

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To be continued ...