My girlfriend is from the future!

Jiang Xixi is the first friend the "young man" meets after he awakens.

This might be the best arrangement that fate has given him in the dark. If we put it in a more dramatic way, then all of this is the choice of Steins;Gate.

Because at that time, no matter who the "young man" met, they probably couldn't understand his confusion and desire to escape. Only Jiang Xixi, who also chose to run away between the future and her hobbies, could empathize with him and accompany him through a series of childish scenes.

However, now the girl has to return to reality. Before getting her life back on track, she decided to do one last cosplay. She didn't tell her fans in the live stream about this. The organizers originally intended to invite her, and if she agreed, they would officially arrange a business deal, such as a handshake event or autograph session, to expand the influence of this carnival. After all, Jiang Xixi still has a certain degree of fame in this niche circle.

The girl agreed and said she would go, but this time she had no commercial purpose. She was going purely out of hobby and hoped to do what she did when she first got into cosplay: wear her favorite costume, visit the convention, buy some merchandise, take some photos, and publish some pictures. She had no other intentions.

She said that she should end her love for this industry in the same way she came up with it, so that it would be a proper way to say goodbye.

He Tianran fell silent upon hearing this, a faint sorrow welling up in his heart.

……

……

Jiangbei Convention and Exhibition Center, Hall 8, Saturday morning at 10:00 AM.

The winter sun streamed through the high glass dome, but it couldn't match the heat emanating from the surging crowd inside. This place was temporarily transformed into a sanctuary of the two-dimensional world, at least for today, becoming a temporary utopia for those escaping reality...

He Tianran stood at the entrance, looking at the bizarre and wonderful scene before him, and was momentarily dazed.

He was wearing a plain gray sweatshirt and jeans, a black face mask, and a camera hanging around his neck. Only his eyes and hair tied in a bun were visible. Now, "He Tianran" has gained a high level of fame both online and in real life, so he no longer shows his true face in public unless absolutely necessary.

Although his outfit was out of place with the other cosplayers, whether they were dressed up or dressed in an extravagant or exaggerated way, no one thought he was weirder than anyone else in this kind of place. In fact, there were many people dressed like him who were socially awkward. When he actually stepped into this area, the familiar atmosphere made him feel inexplicably at ease.

It turns out that some things never truly left.

"How are you feeling? Aren't you relaxed?"

Jiang Xixi's voice rang in her ears. She had already finished her cosplay makeup for the day. However, it was cold outside in winter, so when the girl came, she was wearing a long white down jacket with the zipper pulled up to her chin, only revealing a pair of eyes with exquisite eye makeup.

He Tianran turned his head to look at her, a strand of silver-white wig peeking out from the edge of her down jacket hood, and asked curiously:

"Which white-haired character are you trying to cosplay?"

Jiang Xixi blinked, looking particularly playful with her eye makeup. "You'll find out soon enough. Let's go inside first."

The two entered the venue, weaving through the crowded throngs of people. Everywhere they looked, there were flashes of cameras and cheerful laughter. The Pillars from "Demon Slayer" stood in a row, exuding an imposing aura; a group of Gojo Satoru from "Jujutsu Kaisen" were also striking poses with their fingers bent; and on some of the crowded stages, there were plenty of otaku dance performances that were sure to please the fans...

The air in the venue was filled with a mixture of smells: hairspray, perfume, plastic, fried chicken, and milk tea.

These smells weren't pleasant, and some of the cosplays weren't exactly high-quality, but it was precisely what he saw and heard—the things he once loved and still loves—that, like layers of smoothly applied overlays, slowly reappeared in the "boy's" lonely world, causing the corners of his mouth to unconsciously turn up in a smile...

"That's great," he thought.

This small corner, considered "childish" by the mainstream world, holds the genuine love and joy of so many people.

Here, you can temporarily forget about tomorrow's work or studies, forget about complicated interpersonal relationships, forget about those troubles that can never be resolved, and simply immerse yourself in this world built of fantasy, becoming a purely happy version of yourself.

As they walked, the two stopped in front of a stage. On stage was a girl band cosplaying as "Lonely Rock". The drums were beating on their own, the guitar was occasionally out of tune, and the lead singer sang the lyrics in Japanese. Even people who know a little Cantonese could feel a strange familiar accent.

However, they performed very seriously, and the small audience did not cast mocking glances at them.

"I've always wanted to ask, why don't you invite some of your friends from the industry to go shopping with you?"

He Tianran watched the performance on stage and asked a question softly.

"Didn't this drag you into this?"

Jiang Xixi looked up at him, and the "young man" He Tianran scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly:
"Your decision to retire from the entertainment industry must be a very significant event for you. The main problem is that I'm not very good at talking, so I don't know if I can keep you company today."

"It's good that you can't speak properly."

"Ok?"

"Because, I can finally stop just looking up at you."

Just as Jiang Xixi uttered those words, the lead singer on stage hit a high note, masking Jiang Xixi's already somewhat sweet and soft voice. He Tianran didn't hear her clearly at first, so he leaned down close to her ear, raised his voice, and asked again:
"What did you say?"

This time, Jiang Xixi simply smiled and shook her head, turning her gaze from the front to the band on stage, and changed her response:

"I said, having you with me is enough. Nothing is more unforgettable than going to a comic convention with my idol!"

"Idol? Oh...oh, Natural, Natural..."

The "young man" came to his senses and muttered to himself with emotion. When he had stayed at Jiang Xixi's house for a few days after he woke up, she had mentioned that the reason she approached him was because of this "idol filter." Now that she was still talking about this, the "young man" felt pressured, but he also wanted to do his best to complete his "task" today.

But just as he was secretly encouraging himself, he heard Jiang Xixi say again:
"However, I haven't practiced the piano for a long time. Sometimes I don't even know if the fingerstyle guitar master NL that I admired is the same person I idolized in my student days, or the person who shares my interests..."

After the song ended on stage, the band gave their thanks, and the audience applauded. The "young man" stood in the crowd, somewhat at a loss.

As the audience gradually dispersed, Jiang Xixi followed the flow of people forward. The "young man" unconsciously followed behind. Perhaps influenced by the song, the girl hummed a familiar tune as she walked. Her voice was soft, but He Tianran, walking behind her, could still clearly hear a few lines:
"I'll play the broken string again, but you're not in my world. My fingertips are calloused, yet I still can't keep you by my side."

Looking at Jiang Xixi's petite figure walking away, the "young man" suddenly realized that after today, perhaps such pure moments belonging to the "young man" would become fewer and fewer.

Jiang Xixi, who loves this industry so much, is also saying goodbye...

And what about himself?
How long can the "youthful" part of He Tianran's body remain?

"We're here." Jiang Xixi stopped in front of a row of lockers and put away any unnecessary items. "I'm going to the changing room, it'll take about ten minutes. You can look around by yourself first?"

"it is good."

The "young man" nodded, watched Jiang Xixi leave, and then began to stroll around the venue at his leisure.

As we passed a car decorated with "EVA" themes, several girls cosplaying Asuka and Rei Ayanami were taking pictures. They noticed the camera hanging around his neck and asked him to take a picture for them.

He Tianran hesitated for a moment, then agreed. In the viewfinder, the three girls struck their own poses, their smiles radiant.

The girls crowded around, took the photos, and praised He Tianran's photography skills. They chattered and wanted to add him as a friend, but the shy "boy" suggested that he could send the photos remotely to their phones instead.

He continued walking and stopped when he passed a fan-made comics stall.

The stall was filled with handmade badges, shikishi (art paper), and some vintage anime merchandise. These items had no fixed theme; they were all niche but well-made pieces. The stall owner was a girl wearing round-framed glasses, who was engrossed in drawing something.

He Tianran picked up a medal with a sun pattern and examined it closely. The small object was orange-yellow all over, with a metallic texture, deep patterns, and exquisite workmanship.

Guess the origin and meaning of the pattern, and you can get a 40% discount!

The stall owner looked up and adjusted his glasses. "Hehe~"

He Tianran chuckled, looking at the familiar pattern in front of him. This question was like asking him how many fingers he had.

"This design comes from Digimon and symbolizes the 'courage' that Taiichi Yagami possesses."

"Looks like another chosen one!"

"Haha~"

"However, I can only give you a 20% discount."

He Tianran's smile froze in mid-air before lasting even two seconds: "Why?"

"Because it's not just Taichi Yagami who can symbolize 'courage,' it's the 'courage' that all the chosen children possess."

The stall owner explained meticulously that the little gadget wasn't expensive, and whether it was 20% or 40% off made little difference to He Tianran. But it was precisely this earnestness, which wasn't profitable but full of meaning, that made him feel a pure passion.

Just as he was about to scan the code to pay, the stall owner suddenly spoke up again: "However, if you can name another badge that impressed you and represents a certain spirit, I can still consider giving you a 40% discount."

He Tianran thought for a moment, then his gaze fell on a yellow badge with a tower pattern in the corner of the stall.

“That is… ‘hope’, isn’t it? The children’s ‘hope’.”

The stall owner's eyes lit up: "You got it right! Looks like you're a true fan. These are actually quite hard to guess."

He Tianran paid the money, looked down at the two medals in his hand, and finally put the "Courage" medal on his chest.

"natural!"

A familiar voice came from behind him. He Tianran turned around and froze on the spot.

Her long white hair was tied into two ponytails that hung down to her chest on both sides. It was clear that the owner of the wig had taken special care of it, and the strands of hair shone with a soft luster under the exhibition hall lights.

The other person's light green contact lenses held a hint of anticipation and playfulness completely different from the original character. Jiang Xixi was wearing a white magician's robe, the fabric thick and crisp, with delicate gold patterns embroidered on the edges. She wore long elf ears, with dark red earrings hanging from her earlobes. At her waist hung an antique leather magic book and several small bags. Every detail was remarkably accurate.

She was cosplaying the same anime character she had used as an example to comfort the "young man" on the school playground last time: the elven mage Frilian.

"You..." He opened his mouth, his throat a little dry, "You're so thoughtful."

The "young man" blankly praised the other party for the details of the cosplay. In fact, the visual impact he received this time was not as strong as the last time Wen Liang and Cao Aiqing cosplayed, but the shock and even a little bit of emotion in his heart were no less.

"Aren't you disappointed? I didn't give you as many perks as last time."

Jiang Xixi straightened her dress, and it seemed that she had become much calmer as she got into character.

The "boy" shook his head, watching the tiny elf, who only reached his shoulders, walk up to him, and commented:

"Last time with Wen Liang and Ai Qing, the level of nudity in their clothing, their sexy figures and provocative movements, and... and the lewd thoughts I already had in my mind, you didn't have any of that. They... must be beautiful..."

"Hmph, I know, don't try to discourage me."

"...But you are real."

"..."

They are beautiful, and you are real.

Nowadays, cosplay is largely associated with soft and erotic themes. Whether it's the cosplayer or the audience, everyone knows exactly what they're watching.

Therefore, in this trend that deviates somewhat from the original intention of cosplay culture and is closer to human desires, as long as the cosplayer is good-looking, whether she has truly loved this culture or understood the character has become less important.

But what exactly did the original cosplay culture want to express?

It's simply that the children want a chance to play and become the hero in their own hearts.

Jiang Xixi tilted her head slightly. The boy's words were awkward yet sincere. The girl understood that the word "truth" he used at this moment was a higher compliment than "beauty".

She saw the badge of courage "wearing" on He Tianran's chest and smiled.

“Let’s go, hero,” she said, her words carrying a double meaning, “accompany me on this final journey.”

The young man was startled. He knew that this was the tone Jiang Xixi used when she got into character, so he followed her.

The convention center was bustling with people. A dazzling animated PV was playing on a huge LED screen, and the deep bass from the speakers resonated in people's chests. Because there was no prior publicity, Jiang Xixi, who was wearing makeup, and He Tianran, who was wearing a mask, had not yet been recognized by anyone. The two of them looked like two leisurely fish in the huge venue, sometimes walking and sometimes stopping.

"Why... do you want to cosplay Freeland this time?"

As Jiang Xixi walked, her long, elven ears swayed gently with her steps. Her gaze drifted to a group of young cosplayers excitedly exchanging free items in the distance, her eyes somewhat vacant.

After a long while, she spoke softly:
"Because Frilian is an elf who has lived for thousands of years, her emotions are very detached, and she doesn't quite understand human joys and sorrows. It wasn't until the hero died and her companions grew old that she began to spend more time understanding the complex emotions of humans. Therefore, she is always saying goodbye..."

Jiang Xixi looked at He Tianran. In order to play this role, she tried her best to remain calm, but she was not that emotionless elf after all.

"Brother Tianran, we've all had times when we wanted to escape."

I dropped out of school and ran back to Hong Kong. You split yourself into different personalities. We both felt that reality was too hard, that 'growing up' was too tiring. We both wanted to hide in a safe shell, in a relationship where we wouldn't get hurt, in a world... where we could temporarily forget our troubles.

He Tianran listened quietly, his lips pressed tightly together beneath his mask.

"But simply hiding won't help. Hiding in a comfortable corner might make you feel relaxed, but some things will still happen. If we can't bear to say goodbye to the past, then let's change our perspective. For example, let's start a new adventure..."

The girl reached out and gently grasped He Tianran's wrist.

The boy could feel the slight coolness of her fingertips, and also the power contained in her soft, trembling words.

"So, Brother Tianran, don't feel bad about your current situation. In fact, everyone faces the same problems."

Shocked, the boy gradually understood that Jiang Xixi's choice to attend the comic convention and cosplay this character was not only to comfort him. This girl, who, like the "boy," had chosen to escape, was also trying her best to play the role she liked and attempting to use her most proficient method to complete a life lesson that was both a farewell and a new beginning.

Isn't this also a kind of "personality transformation"?

"Come on, I'll take you somewhere. I saw a nice place when I was changing clothes."

"...Where?"

"Let's go."

Before He Tianran could react, Jiang Xixi grabbed his hand and started walking in one direction. (End of Chapter)