– The Next Morning –

“Mm… Finn… Finn…” Iris murmured in her sleep as she tossed and turned in her bed, eventually wrapping her arms around Finn and holding him closely. She didn’t even realize what she was doing, but when her arms closed around him, her murmuring stopped, as if falling into relaxation.

Finn, who was already awake by now, didn’t move in bed and let Iris cling onto him, breathing softly like a cat. For whatever reason, she loved to do this subconsciously whenever they slept in the same bed, and Finn felt a strange urge not to push her away. It was complicated, but when they were touching, Finn could feel a warm connection between their bodies, somehow. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that they were both part-Ghost, but…

“Ah…!” When Iris finally woke up, she saw that she had been hugging Finn’s body so tightly, and hurriedly pushed herself away. “U-Um, this is… I’m sorry!”

“Nothing to be sorry for,” Finn said calmly, slowly rising from the bed. “I’m heading out. Stay safe.”

“E-Eh? Ah, okay…” Iris blinked at him as he headed into the bathroom to prepare, and thought to herself. ‘What does he mean, nothing to be sorry for…? Did he… like it, perhaps…? N-No, that can’t be… ugh…!’

Shaking her head and clapping herself lightly on the cheeks, Iris refreshed herself and stood up from the bed, getting ready for another day of practice training with her new legs.

“Oh, yeah, come to think of it… Finn’s eyes are closed again… was yesterday just a dream…?”

For the next two days, Finn spent more time with Evelyn and learned more about her, while Iris continued training with her armor’s legs. It wasn’t easy, so this much time to practice was necessary.

By the time it was finally time for the prom, Iris was able to walk around like a perfectly normal person—though the power stored in the legs wasn’t unlimited—and Finn was ready to Shapeshift into Evelyn. All that was left was to actually execute the plan.

That time was now. The sun had set, and the dance party hosted at the hotel was about to begin.

Evelyn, Finn, and Iris were now grouped together in Evelyn’s private quarters, making some final preparations right before the party began.

“Okay… go ahead,” Evelyn said with a smile, and Finn gave a brisk nod, then activated his Angelica.

A white shroud of light surrounded his body, and slowly, his figure became nothing more than a silhouette of bright light.

Then, it shifted.

Morphed.

Finn’s body became changing into Evelyn’s, growing female features and ridding male ones. His figure became slightly taller to match Evelyn’s height, and within a few seconds, the transformation was complete.

“Mm… just as expected, you look quite the part,” Evelyn complimented with a warm smile. “It’s as if I’m looking at my own reflection… minus that glum expression, of course.”

“Wow…” Iris murmured in surprise. “You really look just like her…”

“Smile, Finn,” Evelyn said, and Finn did his best to smile, but his mouth muscles felt very unfamiliar. It has been a long time since he had last smiled, after all. Too long to count.

“Hm… a bit forced, but it will do,” Evelyn said thoughtfully as she observed Finn’s facial expression. “Now then… as for her…”

She turned to Iris, then shut one eye wistfully. “Why don’t we have you play the part of his maid?”

“E-Eh? M-Maid…?” Iris’s eyes widened a bit.

“Mhm. I have an outfit prepared, just for you…”

– At the Prom –

“Wow…”

“She’s beautiful…”

“No wonder she’s called Carmen…”

As Finn (Evelyn) entered the crowd, the audience gasped. All eyes turned to him, unable to look away, and he stepped up to the microphone confidently, smiling lightly just as he had been told.

“Welcome, everyone, to my humble party to celebrate the 10-year-anniversary of this hotel. I hope all of you enjoy yourselves thoroughly here tonight, and indulge in whatever you wish. Cheers.”

“Cheers!” The crowd roared in response, holding up their glasses of wine and clapping their hands.

Finn, having finished with his speech, stepped down from the platform and joined the crowd himself, searching for someone without making it look like he was searching for them—his target.

And as it turns out, he didn’t need to look for long, as apparently his target was looking for him too.

“Well, well… don’t you look fine tonight, my Carmen,” a round and chubby man wearing a diamond pig mask said, walking over with a glass of fine red wine in his hand. “That red dress suits you.”

“Is that so?” Finn asked on instinct, raising his eyebrow, but quickly corrected himself and laughed softly like Evelyn usually does. “Why, thank you, Lorenzo. You look quite sharp tonight yourself.”

“Oho? What’s this?” Lorenzo gave a spirity chuckle. “You, praising me? Why if this isn’t rare.”

“I am merely speaking the truth,” Finn replied, then suddenly leaned in by Lorenzo’s ear just as he had been instructed to, and whispered seductively. With Evelyn’s voice, that was easy.

“Hey… I’ve been thinking… it’s been a long time since I’ve last had a man, and I’m just craving for some… if you catch my meaning?”

“…!” This caught Lorenzo off-guard just as it was intended to, and the man was silent for a good while after Finn backed away with an alluring smile.

“Carmen, you…” He narrowed his eyes, and for a second, Finn thought he may have gone overboard.

‘Shit… did I overdo it?’

But in the next instant, Lorenzo suddenly stepped forward and leaned in close to his face as if trying to kiss him, but Finn quickly stepped back as well to avoid it.

“…? I thought you wanted it,” Lorenzo said, tilting his head slightly in confusion at Finn’s contradictory movements.

Quickly recomposing himself, Finn smiled and gave a wink.

“I do… but not out here, you bozo. Let’s take this to the room, shall we? Follow me…”

Saying this, Finn turned around and began brushing past the crowd. Lorenzo, with a lustful sneer on his face, laughed in excitement at what was to come, and followed.

Little did he know, that would be the last laugh he would ever have.