the riding little red.

final.

october came with the intensified breaths of winter, along with them was the festive atmosphere smoldering within every soul, especially the youngsters, thus the weather isn't glacial just yet. here and there, you can easily spot plastic pumpkins hung or displayed to decorate the shops, but they all still don't seem to gain as much attention as boutiques that sell cosplay costumes and creepy-looking tools. "the scarier, the better" is seulgi's motto this year, which is why wendy is inadvertently accompanying her down an old street, namely a clothing store with a fine reputation for quality and creativity.

"you know what makes them scarier?" seulgi picked up a voodoo doll and studied it carefully, thumb smoothening over the straw threads forming its body. "not the design. but the flaws. wrinkles and stains."

wendy got what the girl meant. not only did the dust and the ruins present the age and the sufferance these toys have been through but they also evoked an inquiry, such as why no one bothers buying them? do they really have a haunting history like most items in horror movies? no one knows. they are

"let's find something else, seul. i honestly don't want to bring something like this home." with pleading eyes, wendy removed the doll from those beautiful fingers and returned it to the original position, purposely ignoring the way it somehow looked even more enigmatic than before with a good number of copies surrounding it.

seulgi's eyes remained on the said shelf longingly, and she only reluctantly followed wendy to another section. truth be told, it's what she should be in need of; witch's hats, brooms, capes, wigs, wands and numerous accessories; toads, snakes, lizards (made of rubber). they are just not satisfying enough. "how am i supposed to win the contest with these? like, we see witches dressed up like this every year. they won't even remember which one is me."

the pout on the friend's lips caused wendy to sigh while she examines an intricately adorned mirror (the price is undoubtedly out of their budget). "why are you participating again? it's quite lame. i thought we have already grown over them. and we still think the old outfits are adorable, no?" a shiny, sparkling tiara from the next shelf caught her eyes, and she couldn't help but wonder how many rich kids will be attracted and end up wasting money on this.

"you asked me once, and i already gave you the envelope. it has an invitation card and a guidance on the program." the sullenness etched on the latter's visage becomes more and more evident, as if she has just been insulted. "it's not just any party! it's /the/ party of our grade. the last halloween of our high-school time!"

"i did know that. so?" wendy took a witch's "dress" from the hanger and scanned it in great judgement. the low cut on the chest and the impossibly shorter skirt just have nothing to do with halloween at all, let alone witches.

"so?! it marked our maturity! means we are not children anymore. we can't put on like... innocent costumes. it has to be on point, classy and captivating." seulgi yanked the ridiculous dress from her friend's hands and discreetly put it somewhere more private for purchase later before chasing after the bored wendy and mentally predicting the girl's choice.

"classy and captivating." wendy either hid the snort perfectly well, or seulgi was too engrossed in a cluster of necklaces to notice. "are you sure it's not extravagant and sexual? i meant, i have never seen any popular cosplayer focusing so much on exhibiting their body. unless the character has that look, but it's another story."

she also wishes to point out that they all are simply letting their imagination run wild and creating random fictional (literally) figures no one ever knew of. earlier today, wendy has eavesdropped a group of girls dressing up as bunnies, with tight single-pieces and stockings, as though club strippers were considered characters to cosplay. those belong to the new arrivals section of the store are likely to be sold out within a few days, if there are more high-school girls who attempt to impress college boys.