Before opening the streaming site, Ren spun in his chair and pointed to the corner where there was an extra chair with a box on top.
"Hold on," he said, standing up. "If we're gonna watch something together, you can't just be sitting there on the bed like it's a movie theater."
He grabbed the box, set it down on the floor, and dragged the chair over to place it next to his own in front of the desk. Momo watched him through the whole operation with an expression somewhere between curious and amused before getting up from the edge of the bed and taking a seat.
Momo leaned slightly forward from her chair, her gray eyes shining with curiosity as she took in the absurd amount of titles on display.
"They have... a lot of options," she commented, trying to keep her tone neutral, though her voice gave away her surprise.
"Yeah, I found this site while browsing online. It's the cheap version with ads, but the catalog is huge," Ren answered with pride. "The world of anime is vast and glorious, Momo. There are literally thousands of series, movies, and OVAs out there waiting to be watched."
Momo blinked a few times.
"OVAs?"
"Original Video Animation," Ren explained without taking his eyes off the screen. "Special episodes that don't air on TV. They usually have better animation or more... specific content for certain audiences."
Specific content for certain audiences, Momo repeated mentally. That sounds suspiciously vague.
Ren settled into his chair and adjusted the laptop on his crossed legs.
"Before we start looking for something you might like, I need to walk you through the basic genres," he said, turning slightly to face her. "Anime is varied. There are very specific categories, and what one person loves can be completely boring to someone else."
"That makes sense," Momo nodded, slipping into her attentive student posture. "Like Western literary genres."
"Exactly, just way more specific," Ren began, counting off on his fingers. "Personally, I'm into four main genres: Fantasy, Harem, Isekai, and Comedy."
Momo processed the information.
"Fantasy I get perfectly," she said after a moment. "Beings or creatures that don't exist in our real world. Dragons, magic, that kind of thing."
"Correct."
"And Comedy is self explanatory," she continued. "Something designed to be funny or entertaining in a humorous way."
"Two out of four," Ren smiled. "What about the other two?"
Momo frowned slightly, her expression shifting into deep concentration.
"Isekai," she repeated slowly. "Even though I can vaguely guess from the word... I have no idea what it's about."
Ren's eyes lit up. He turned fully toward her, the laptop almost forgotten on his lap.
"Isekai is one of the most popular genres right now," he started, his enthusiasm obvious. "The basic concept is that the protagonist dies or gets transported somehow from our normal world to a completely different one, usually a fantasy world with magic and monsters."
Momo leaned forward without realizing it, completely captured by the explanation.
"The protagonist dies?"
"In a lot of cases, yeah," Ren nodded. "It can be from an accident, a murder, or even something ridiculous like getting hit by a truck. Then they get reborn in this new world, usually with some kind of special advantage like prior knowledge, unique abilities, or some power that makes them stand out."
That sounds... incredibly specific, Momo thought, fascinated despite the strangeness of the concept.
"It's basically a second chance at life," Ren continued, his voice taking on a more thoughtful tone. "The protagonist gets to live the way they actually want, without the restrictions or expectations of their previous life. They can become a hero, a merchant, an adventurer, whatever they want."
The idea of living without restrictions or external expectations was something she'd been considering since that first conversation with Ren a while back.
"That's... fascinating," she admitted quietly. "A narrative of personal reinvention presented through fantastical elements."
"Exactly," Ren grinned widely. "I knew you'd get it."
There was a comfortable moment of silence while Momo processed this new information.
"You mentioned another genre," she said, looking at him directly. "Harem?"
Ren scratched his cheek with one finger, his earlier confidence wavering slightly.
"Ah, right... that one."
"Is there something wrong with that genre in particular?" Momo asked, picking up on his reaction.
"Not exactly wrong," Ren answered slowly, choosing his words carefully. "It's just that... well, it's a genre that can be... tricky to explain without sounding weird."
"Ren-kun," Momo looked at him directly. "You already explained a genre where people die and get reincarnated in fantasy worlds. I really don't think this one can be any stranger than that."
Touché, Ren thought.
"Okay," he sighed. "Harem is a genre where the protagonist, usually male, is surrounded by multiple female characters who are romantically or sexually interested in him. They all compete for his attention in different ways."
Momo was looking at him with eyes wide open, her mouth slightly parted in an expression of total surprise.
"Wait," she finally said. "Several girls... sharing the same guy?... And they're all okay with this situation?"
"Well, okay might be a strong word," Ren admitted. "There's usually a lot of conflict and competition between them. That's the main source of comedy and drama in those anime."
Momo considered this for several seconds.
"That's... completely absurd from a social and emotional standpoint," she finally declared. "The power dynamics would be inherently unbalanced, and emotionally managing multiple romantic relationships at once would be psychologically unsustainable for most people."
"That's why it's fiction," Ren pointed out with a smile. "It's not designed to be realistic."
"Evidently," Momo muttered.
Ren decided to change the subject before she launched into a full sociological analysis of the harem genre. He turned his attention back to the laptop and reopened the anime streaming page.
"Why don't we look for something together?" he suggested. "That way you can see what catches your eye."
Momo nodded, clearly grateful for the change of topic. She scooted closer to him to get a better look at the screen.
They started browsing through the lists of available anime. The colorful thumbnails scrolled by one after another while Ren briefly explained what each series that caught her attention was about. Momo asked the occasional question, her natural curiosity coming through completely.
"Wait, go back," she said suddenly, pointing at the screen.
Ren scrolled back through the list until Momo signaled for him to stop on a specific anime. The thumbnail showed a blonde girl in a revealing military outfit piloting what looked like a giant mecha.
"This one," Momo pointed with her finger. "What's it about?"
Ren read the description quickly.
"It's a mecha anime," he explained. "Basically giant robots piloted by humans to fight against invading aliens. This one in particular has a mostly female cast of pilots."
"Giant robots versus aliens," Momo repeated, her interest clearly piqued. "That sounds... fascinating."
"You wanna watch it?"
"Yes, please."
Ren smiled and clicked on the first episode. The loading screen appeared briefly before the intro started up with epic music and explosive action scenes.
The first few minutes set up the basic premise: Earth under attack, humanity developing mecha technology to defend itself, and the introduction of the protagonist as a rookie but talented pilot.
The protagonist's outfit was basically underwear. A tight bodysuit that left her thighs, shoulders, and a generous amount of cleavage exposed. The anime presented it as the "interface suit necessary to connect with the mecha."
"That's..." Momo began, her voice trembling slightly with indignation. "That's absolutely ridiculous."
Ren glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, holding back a smile.
"Ridiculous?"
"Yes!" Momo gestured at the screen. "Why would she need so little clothing to pilot a giant robot? The unnecessary skin exposure has no practical function in a combat environment. Actually, it would be counterproductive for safety reasons and..."
Ren magically appeared with a giant bowl full of popcorn, interrupting her technical analysis. Momo blinked, clearly confused about where he'd pulled that from.
"Hey," Ren looked at her with an ironic smile as he grabbed a handful of popcorn. "Doesn't your Quirk also work with very little clothing?"
Momo's face went from her usual pale tone to bright red in less than two seconds. Her hands waved defensively in front of her.
"P-please don't compare us, Ren-kun!" she exclaimed in a flustered voice. "M-mine is a real biological necessity for my Quirk to function. I need skin exposure so the lipids can leave my body and materialize as objects. It's completely different from... from... from this!"
She pointed accusingly at the screen, where the protagonist was posing dramatically in her revealing outfit.
"Besides," Momo continued, clearly in defensive explanation mode, "my hero costume is specifically designed to maximize functionality while keeping decency within reasonable limits. It's not for... for... pointless fanservice!"
Ren couldn't hold it in anymore and burst out laughing. Momo glared at him, her blush intensifying.
"Don't laugh at me," she muttered, crossing her arms.
"Sorry, sorry," Ren recovered. "You're right. Your Quirk has a real logical justification. This anime is just looking for excuses to put pretty girls in tight outfits."
"Exactly," Momo nodded with dignity, although her blush still hadn't completely faded.
They kept watching the episode in relative silence, sharing the popcorn while the plot developed. Despite her initial complaints about the costume design, Momo seemed hooked on the story. Her eyes followed every scene with attention, and she occasionally made comments about the tactical logic of the mecha battles.
The screen abruptly switched from the anime action to a bright, colorful ad. Energetic pop music started playing as images of people dressed in elaborate costumes appeared one after another.
"The Great Musutafu Cosplay Convention!" announced an enthusiastic voice. "Celebrating otaku culture with the best cosplayers from all over Japan! Contests, panels, and more!"
Momo leaned forward, her eyes glued to the screen with curiosity.
The images showed dozens of people of all ages dressed up as characters from anime, video games, and manga. Some costumes were incredibly elaborate, with detailed armor and shiny accessories. Others were simpler but just as effective.
"What's that?" Momo asked once the commercial ended and the anime resumed.
"It's when people dress up as their favorite characters from anime, manga, video games, or any entertainment medium. Some do it as a hobby, others compete professionally," Ren explained, turning slightly toward her.
"They compete," Momo repeated. "In what exactly?"
"In how accurate their costume is compared to the original character," Ren answered. "They also judge construction quality, accessories, makeup, and how well they portray the character. The best cosplayers are basically professional artists and craftsmen."
Momo processed this information with obvious interest.
"I'd never heard of this," she admitted. "Although I guess it's not the kind of information that would come up in my regular academic studies."
"It's pop culture," Ren nodded. "Not exactly part of the curriculum at a prestigious school."
They kept watching the anime, but Ren could tell Momo's mind was partially somewhere else. Probably still processing the concept of cosplay and all its creative implications.
And then the idea hit Ren.
Wait, he thought, his brain connecting the dots at record speed. Cosplay. Momo has the Quirk to create things from her lipids. She can literally materialize clothing out of nothing. If only...
A slow smile spread across his face.
Momo was completely focused on the anime, eating popcorn distractedly while the mechas on screen fought against hordes of aliens.
"Hey, Momo," Ren said casually after a few minutes.
"Mm?" she answered without taking her eyes off the screen.
"You interested in cosplay?"
That caught her attention completely. Momo turned toward him, blinking in confusion.
"What do you mean?"
Ren pointed at the screen, where the anime's protagonist was posing heroically in her revealing outfit after defeating an alien boss.
"Why don't you try cosplaying as one of the girls from the anime?" he asked in a completely innocent tone. "Technically you could create the perfect outfit with your Quirk."
Momo looked at him in surprise.
Use my Quirk to create an anime costume, she thought, her face taking on a conflicted expression. That would be... indecent. Completely frivolous and without any real heroic purpose.
But another part of her had been emerging since that night with the massager and the provocative photos. She was honestly excited by the idea.
It would be a new experience, her internal debate continued. And technically I'd be practicing the use of my Quirk to create complex garments. That has training value...
Ren could see the conflict playing out on her face. Her teeth clenched, her hands closed into fists on her lap, the way her eyes moved between him and the screen.
"I..." she began, her voice hesitant.
What am I considering? This is ridiculous. Completely inappropriate for someone of my social position and...
"I accept," the words came out of her mouth before she could stop them.
Ren blinked, surprised despite being the one who made the suggestion.
"Seriously?"
"Yes," Momo nodded. "But I have one condition."
Since when does Momo set conditions? Ren thought.
"You also have to dress up as one of the characters from the anime," Momo declared firmly, pointing at the screen, where a military commander was giving orders to the mecha pilots.
Ren blinked a few times, processing this unexpected counteroffer.
Honestly never thought she'd accept, he admitted mentally. But for the sake of seeing Momo in a sexy cosplay...
"Deal," he said out loud, extending his hand.
Momo shook it with a firm grip, sealing the agreement.
She immediately stood up. Her expression had completely shifted into analytical concentration mode, studying the screen with critical eyes as the military commander appeared again.
"I'll need detailed visual references," she murmured. "The uniform design appears to have multiple layers and specific accessories..."
Her skin began to glow softly as she activated her Quirk. From her right arm, the black fabric of the military uniform started materializing: first the base shirt in deep black with a texture similar to synthetic silk, then the matching pants with seams and functional pockets. The silver trim came next, small badges and embroidery representing fictional military decorations, and finally the cape and the officer's headpiece, a hat with a shiny silver edge and a golden insignia in the center.
Momo held the complete outfit in her arms, examining it critically.
"The construction quality is adequate," she murmured, touching the seams. "The proportions should fit correctly based on the measurements I observed..."
She blushed slightly when she realized what she'd just implicitly admitted.
"That is to say," she quickly corrected herself, "based on general estimates of standard male sizing."
Ren smiled but didn't comment on the slip.
Momo looked at the uniform in her hands and then toward the bathroom, her expression turning shy again.
"I'm... going to change in the bathroom," she announced, her voice slightly high pitched. "While I create my outfit and put it on, you should get dressed too. I'll let you know when I'm about to come out."
Without waiting for an answer, she practically ran toward the bathroom. The door closed with a decisive click behind her.
Ren was left alone in the room, looking at the military uniform Momo had carefully folded on the desk. He picked it up with curiosity, admiring the quality of the work. The seams were perfect, the details flawless. Momo really didn't do anything halfway.
He stood up and started undressing, leaving his casual clothes in a tidy pile. First he put on the black shirt, sliding his arms through the sleeves.
Fits me exactly, he noted with appreciation. Not too tight, not too loose.
The pants came next. They slid up his legs without any resistance and fit his waist perfectly. Then came the cape, which he draped over his shoulders.
Finally, he placed the military headpiece on, adjusting it until it sat at the right angle.
Ren grabbed his phone and opened the front facing camera, using it as an improvised mirror.
I look like a sexy high ranking mecha military officer, he thought with approval. Everything's perfect except for...
DAMN BALDNESS!
Even the most impressive uniform couldn't change the fact that his head was completely bald and shiny. He sighed, accepting his fate.
"Ren-kun?" came Momo's shy voice from behind the bathroom door. "Have you changed already?"
"Yeah, I'm ready," Ren answered, putting his phone away.
There was a pause that lasted too long.
"Momo, you okay in there?"
"I... yes," her voice came out strangled. "Just... give me a second."
Ren could hear deep breaths from the other side of the door. Momo was clearly trying to gather the courage to come out.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the doorknob slowly began to turn.
The door opened, and Ren completely stopped breathing.
Momo was standing in the bathroom doorway, and she looked absolutely spectacular.
The cosplay was a perfect recreation of the military uniform from the anime's protagonist. A tight black bodysuit that hugged every curve of her body. The neckline was generous without being obscene, showing the upper part of her breasts but staying within technically decent limits. The sleeves reached down to her wrists, made of a semitransparent material that revealed the pale skin underneath.
The tactical belt around her waist accentuated her hips, with decorative holsters hanging from each side. The high boots reached up to mid thigh, leaving a strip of pale skin exposed between them and the edge of the bodysuit.
But what really captured Ren's attention was the cape. It was just like the one in the reference image: white and fluffy like feathers, falling dramatically from her shoulders all the way to the floor. The contrast between the black of the uniform and the white of the cape was striking.
And to complete the look, Momo had created the identical military headpiece: an officer's cap with a golden insignia and silver trim.
"What... what do you think?" Momo asked in a small voice, her cheeks dyed a bright pink.