“──── I think I’ll try swapping the uniforms for boys and girls in June.”

The tumultuous May ended, and June arrived. The manager, who had come to the shop after a long time, declared something unbelievable with a serious expression.

“……… Huh?”

“Pi, pya~…?”

“Hoh.”

Our reactions varied. I couldn’t accept the reality, Kobayashi-san seemed not to understand the meaning of the words yet, and Tachibana-san had already accepted everything.

“Actually, I’ve already prepared the uniforms. We’re starting from today.”

The manager took out a maid outfit from a bag and handed it to me with a satisfied look.

“Eh, no, you’re joking, right? Am I supposed to wear a maid outfit!?”

“As I said earlier. Here, this is Ririmu’s suit.”

“Wa, it looks cool! Can I have it!?”

Kobayashi-san jumped up happily. The skirt of the maid outfit fluttered as she moved.

…Wait, am I really supposed to wear that?

In front of customers?

“No way…”

While I was in despair, the manager handed Tachibana-san her uniform. Speaking of which, I wondered what would happen to Tachibana-san.

“A maid outfit… I’ve always wanted to try one. This might be a perfect opportunity.”

As expected, Tachibana-san’s uniform was a maid outfit. Because we had chosen the reverse earlier, we ended up returning to the original uniforms now.

“Onee-sama in a maid outfit… That could work too…”

Kobayashi-san was lost in thought, cupping her cheek. Since Tachibana-san would be in a maid outfit, that meant I’d be wearing one too, but it seemed like she hadn’t realized that yet. Once she did, she’d probably start insulting me.

“I’m most excited for Natsuki. Just imagining it makes me smile.”

Tachibana-san didn’t even try to hide her sadistic grin and turned her gaze toward the maid outfit in my hands. Don’t look at me like that.

“As for the panty-flash, don’t worry. I won’t let the customers see a man’s underwear while they’re eating. I’ve also prepared spats.”

“You’re the type who says, ‘It’s not panties, so it’s not embarrassing.’”

Tachibana-san muttered like it was someone else’s problem. How does she know that phrase?

“Eh… Am I really doing this? I don’t think anyone benefits from it.”

“It was decided at the general meeting. Unfortunately, it can’t be changed now.”

“A general meeting? Isn’t that just when the manager talks freely?”

Given that Cyberia only has a few stores, it doesn’t seem like there’s much of a company-wide decision to make. The manager seemed determined to get me into the maid outfit, and I was half-forced into the changing room. I’m pretty sure I could win a lawsuit now.

“Hehe, if you don’t know how to put it on, should I help you?”

While reluctantly changing, I could hear Tachibana-san laughing from the changing room next door. Why do I have to be the one who gets laughed at? I was planning to laugh at Tachibana-san’s maid outfit and Kobayashi-san’s suit, but that idea disappeared in a flash.

“…Cute.”

When I saw Tachibana-san in the maid outfit, I couldn’t help but blurt it out. I was planning to point and laugh, but those thoughts were immediately blown away.

Is this what they call gap moe? The combination of the dignified Tachibana-san and the cute maid outfit was surprisingly harmonious. Her refreshing short black hair, sharp eyes, and her snow-white legs peeking out from the skirt—all of it matched perfectly.

“…I see. Thank you, Natsuki, you look good too.”

As I involuntarily looked her up and down, Tachibana-san blushed and hid her mouth. Even though she normally wears a uniform skirt, it seemed like the maid outfit made her a little embarrassed.

Also, I definitely don’t think I look good in it.

“Onee-sama, you look so cute!!! Ririmu, I feel like a weird switch is going to turn on…! Senpai is… wow.”

Kobayashi-san looked at me with a contemptuous expression. For some, it might be a reward, but for me, it was just shocking. If it weren’t for Kobayashi-san usually being so hard on me, I would have been crushed by now.

When Kobayashi-san came out of the changing room after changing into her suit, the manager muttered with satisfaction.

“…Hmph, as expected, my judgment was not wrong. Everyone looks good.”

“Really, manager?”

Before I could respond, the manager averted her eyes and nodded with a quivering motion. If it was that painful, she shouldn’t have done it.

“Sometimes, this is nice. I can move more easily this way.”

“Yeah. It feels refreshing to work this way.”

Tachibana-san seemed to have gotten used to the maid outfit, and the two of them started chatting casually with confident attitudes. I sneaked a glance at Tachibana-san and, of course, she looked incredibly cute, so I quickly looked away.

When I turned my gaze back to the manager, he gave me a subtle smile, as if he were signaling something to me.

…It’s the worst that I have to wear a maid outfit, but the fact that I can look at Tachibana-san in a maid outfit for a month is the best. I have to admit that much.

And soon—the rumor about Tachibana-san’s maid outfit spread through both Aotaka and Suzakura High Schools.