French Cup: A Neighborhood Story

Chapter 54: -Gyeong-Wan- Drag Storybook Hour

"You came as a literal monster. Nice job, Nikki." Nikki's sister was pressed in the blue doorway of a small preschool. "What is that, the Slenderman? That's why the parents got mad last time. A vampire, and now this."

"The kids like it. And no, I'm not Slenderman." He leaned in to her.

She side-eyed him as he grinned. "Then, what are you?" She sighed, obviously used to these kinds of antics. It was endearing both of them to me.

"I'm Slenderina."

"You're-Slender-ina-you-little-piece-of-goddamn-" She hit him in the chest with each syllable as he laughed at her. 

"Teacher's hitting Slenderman! Get him!"

All of us got out of the way as a massive torrent of sound enveloped our ears. Screaming, laughing, many, many feet. Nikki saw what was coming and took off in the other direction, letting out a howling fake scream of terror, grinning hugely. His sister put two fingers between her eyes. "I'm going to need a migraine pill after-" she started as children flooded out of the building and into the yard we'd just made our way across. There were toys littered everywhere in the grass from cars for tykes to tricycles and sports balls. 

"How is he running in those platform heels?" Kazuya asked next to me, and Nikki's sister just shook her head, smiling despite her sour words. Before our eyes, the kids bowled him over and he hit the ground on his back, fending off little hands. 

"Ow, not my crotch! Shit!" Nikki yelled at them as they swarmed him.

"Clown said a bad word!" A little girl shouted over them. One little boy went to get plastic bat with a yellow foam covering on it.

"Ahhh," his sister sighed, one hand on her cheek as she laughed. "This is really my favorite part of being a teacher."

"What, watching them beat up your brother?" Kazuya asked, grinning at them, too.

"Yeah. Absolutely. Every time. He's kind of an asshole. He deserves it." She swiped a happy tear from her eye as Nikki laughed so loud that it must have hurt. 

"Wait, but. They said 'Slenderman'. Do they know that's Nikki?" Kazuya asked, looking at her now in confusion.

"Probably. I don't know. It's like a sixth sense. They go into attack mode when he's around. Ahh, I'm not going to call them in yet. Let them have fun and get their energy out. Did you bring the cookies? I found the book you wanted." 

Kazuya clapped his gloved hands together in excitement. "Yay! Yes, I brought the cookies. They're in boxes in the trunk of the car. They're all ready to go. I made enough for the parents, too. There's plenty."

"That's so great. Let's bring them inside." She stepped into the yard, and we followed her. As we passed Nikki, I lingered on him. He appeared to be having the time of his life. It struck me as a strange, but wonderful thing to get used to. 

As we started to bring the boxes in, chants went up in the yard and the kids forgot all about Nikki. What came with us were many excited children chanting, "COOKIES, COOKIES, COOKIES." Nervous excitement went up in me, too, as I tripped over my dress for the millionth time. 

Kazuya had loved the final product when Hanako had revealed me. We'd come out of his hotel room's bathroom together. 

"Ta da!" He'd said, his arm outstretched. "Now presenting Miss Gyeong-Wan! It is her debut, who will take her for a first dance?" He asked as if this were a debutante ball.

"Ohhhh," Kazuya had gasped, his hands clasped together and pressed to his chest. 

My hair was long and raspberry candy blue, tight waves. A golden garland of leaves was my crown. A matching, soft blue Grecian dress was on me in a conservative cut, everything covered that needed to be. The sleeves were long, loose, and cuffed, but had peekaboo-like slits that let the air in. The skirt of it was against the floor, meant to trail behind as a slit went up the leg, revealing a second skirt that ended at my mid-calf since I was too tall. There was elaborate draping in the material, like one would see on a classical statute from ancient times. One such drape across the bust made me look like I had boobs. Every time I stared down at it, it made me blush.