"Because some of the upperclassmen from before suddenly got really interested in making their own clothes, they suggested to the teacher that we create a Handicraft Club and turned the sewing room into the club's activity space!"
Umaru explained while stepping on the sewing machine pedal for Saiki.
[You came to this place because you joined the Handicraft Club? You can actually use a sewing machine too?]
"Hehe, surprised, right? Actually, I'm pretty good at handicrafts. The main reason is that the teacher kept telling me to join some club, and the Handicraft Club seemed nice and relaxed. Plus, I just happened to want to make some things."
(She's good at handicrafts? We haven't had any teacher instruction on that yet, have we?)
Saiki walked to the side and saw the orange-yellow garment Umaru was sewing. The clothes seemed to have a hamster head on them.
[What are you making?]
"This!"
Umaru stopped, took out the hamster head part of the clothes, and showed it off in front of Saiki.
"It's the hamster outfit pajamas I started making first."
[Didn't you already have one? Did the previous one break? But you don't seem like the type who would bring back something broken to repair.]
"What kind of thing to say!"
Umaru puffed out her chest and declared righteously, " Umaru takes very good care of her clothes! Are you saying that in Saiki-shishou's mind, Umaru is the kind of person who messes up everything at home and just throws away clothes when they break?!"
[Yeah.]
"Ugh… (/"≡ _ ≡)="
A trace of helplessness flashed across Umaru's face. "I never thought Saiki-shishou would see me that way… uuu~"
[Stop pretending already. You called me here just to show me this, right? I've seen it, so I'm going home now.]
By now Saiki already understood this person's true nature. The act she was putting on was really...
"Wait a second!"
Umaru quickly blocked the door, cautiously opened it a crack to peek outside, then pulled her head back after a moment.
[What? Is there something else? If not, I'm leaving.]
A hint of impatience flashed in Saiki's eyes. Although he had nothing to do, he still didn't want to stay at school after classes ended.
Umaru had a smile on her face as she slowly stepped toward him.
"Hehe."
A faint blush appeared on her pretty face, giving off the innocent feeling of a youthful girl — like a confused little lamb ready to be taken advantage of.
Finally, under Saiki's emotionless stare, she still spoke up with her request.
"Saiki-shishou, help me out, please!"
Saiki raised an eyebrow.
[You're not going to ask me to help you make clothes, are you?]
"Congratulations, correct answer! You win Umaru's hug~"
Umaru snapped her fingers, then spread her arms and lunged toward Saiki for a hug.
Saiki reached out and pressed down on the approaching "dog head," not letting her get any closer.
[What kind of reward is this? I don't want it at all. And I never said I'd help you make it.]
"Please help me, Saiki-shishou, I'm begging you! This is Umaru's one and only request in this lifetime. Have I ever troubled or bothered Saiki-shishou before? Haven't I…?"
[Hold on. First, forget about that "one and only" nonsense — the second half is pure bullshit! Also, how do you know I can even make clothes?]
Saiki removed the hand pressing on Umaru's head and flicked her forehead with a finger.
"Owie~"
Umaru clutched her head, opened her big eyes wide, and looked at Saiki with sparkling, expectant eyes.
[Besides, since this is the Handicraft Club, you should be able to use this anytime and come here every day to work on it. Why suddenly ask me for help today? Looking at the progress, you could finish it yourself in another day or two.]
"That's because I made a bet with my brother! We agreed the time limit is today. Umaru has other things to do later and won't have time to finish. Please help me just a bit — I'll be right back soon anyway. It won't take more than an hour at most."
[An hour is already way too long. That's enough time to watch two episodes of a 30-minute anime. Or read 70 chapters of a novel.]
"Aaah~ Saiki-shishou, please help me! I'm begging you! Next time I'll treat you to food!"
[Trying to tempt me with food again? You think that works on me?]
Saiki looked at the person in front of him with her hands clasped together, eyes swirling with dramatic tears.
(Even though I know a good portion of this is fake, if someone who didn't know better saw this scene, they might curse me out loud. Then I'd end up the victim again. Good thing no one's around.)
Seeing Saiki stay silent for so long, Umaru thought she had failed. She lowered her head in slight disappointment. Actually, she hadn't had very high hopes that Saiki would agree today — maybe only 60-70% at best!
[Fine, just this once. No repeats.]
"You're going to help me!"
Umaru instantly perked up when she heard Saiki agree.
[I said just this once. No more after this.]
Saiki walked over to the sewing machine, set his bag down, sat, and checked — all the tools were complete.
[What are you standing there for? Hand me the clothes. Get things done early — if it goes over an hour, I'm leaving.]
Saiki waved at Umaru. She was still dawdling instead of giving him the garment.
"Okay! Thank you, Saiki-shishou!"
Umaru hopped over cheerfully, handed the clothes to Saiki, picked up her bag, and headed for the door.
"Mwah~"
Right before closing the door, she blew him a flying kiss.
[Ew.]
Saiki looked at the garment. It was already about two-thirds done — even better quality than the cheap ones sold outside. It could probably be sold on the street.
[This girl put quite a bit of effort in. She's probably been researching it for a while.]
Saiki noticed several magazines on the table about making pajama mascot costumes.
[Still, even though it's not bad, there are issues. The thread ends aren't finished properly. At this level, it'd probably need re-stitching after a year or two. I'll fix it up so it lasts two and a half years at least!]
Saiki started working on the sewing machine.
[You ask if I can use a sewing machine? Of course I can. This thing just needs hands. I haven't really studied it, but after watching a few times, I got it.]
After using it for a bit, Saiki felt occasional slight hitches.
[Yare yare, the sewing machines at this school are pretty mediocre. Not as good as the one Mom bought at home.]
Saiki thought of his mother, Saiki Kurumi. There was a sewing machine at home — hers.
His mom loved cosplay a lot. Apparently she had been doing it even before he was born, and after he was born — especially when he was little — she made him tons of outfits: little dinosaur suits, Pikachu, monkeys, elephants.
During middle school she made him a huge pile of cosplay outfits — all kinds of anime characters. He himself rarely cosplayed, but she made plenty for her child.
That period left Saiki completely exasperated. If she liked it so much, why didn't she cosplay herself? Later, as he grew older, she toned it down a bit. Now she mostly only asked him to cosplay together for photos during holidays or festivals. Those weird childhood photos are still kept.
While skillfully operating the sewing machine, Saiki thought:
(Yare yare, I remember Mom saying she'd come visit during New Year's. She won't throw some kind of party at home, will she? Or show up in a mascot costume to see me?)
Saiki couldn't help but imagine it — his mom was totally capable of something like that.
Just thinking about his parents showing up in those bizarre outfits made his head hurt.