Measurements
“Alright, next in line please~! Come on, hurry it up. I get that it’s embarrassing, but I’m just doing my job here!”
It was after school and, as usual, we were making preparations for our café during the school festival. Today specifically, we set up partitions in the corner of the classroom and took turns having our measurements taken.
“Next. Oh! Alea François. How lucky, these are measurements worth taking.”
“Thank you for doing this.”
“No problem at all. Now, go on and take off your blouse and your skirt, you can put them in the basket there. Once you’re ready, stand straight and raise both of your hands high into the air for me, ‘kay?”
“Certainly.”
The sewing club’s president gave quick and concise instructions. Our class decided to request that the sewing club make our waitress uniforms. Taking a look around, I noticed that a number of my classmates were taking others’ measurements as well. It seemed that they were part of the sewing club themselves. They were the ones to suggest the idea, and discuss it with their club president on our behalf. It really does help to have friends. Whether it was a result of how busy things were, her passion for sewing, or a personal interest in measuring me, the club president’s eyes possessed a bright glimmer. Frankly, I found it a little scary.
“Ooh, as I’d expect from someone holding the title of God of the Sword. You’re beautifully toned, and there’s absolutely no excess bulk.”
As she watched me strip, the club president whistled.
“Thank you, you’re too kind.”
“But hm, there’s something to be said about being too composed. You’re showing no signs of embarrassment. God of the Sword or not, you’re still a lady, aren’t you?”
“I am confident in my body image, I have no reason to feel embarrassed being seen.”
“Could you say the same in front of the person you love?”
“Of course?”
“… That so.”
When the club president let out a huge sigh and shrugged her shoulders, all I could respond with was a huge question mark plastered all over my face.
“Well, whatever, let’s just get this over with. Alright, come this way.”
“Alright.”
Standing right in front of the club president, I stood with my back straight and raised my hands into the air.
“Honestly, you have a very balanced build that could charm just about anyone. Slender, tall, the ideal curves, your proportions work together in harmony. Just beautiful.”
“Thank you very much.”
“Hey, do you have any interest in participating as a model during the fashion show our club hosts at the Harvest Festival?”
“I’ll have to politely decline.”
“Why not?”
“As stated, I don’t see any reason to feel embarrassed or ashamed of my body, but at the same time, I don’t feel the need to proactively put myself on display either.”
“What a waste…”
Even while we chatted, the club president efficiently took my measurements.
“Compared to your own recorded measurements, your measurements for your height and hips have increased. Your bust has remained the same, and your waist seems a little slimmer.”
“Oh really? That’s a little disappointing.”
“What is?”
“Well, personally, I was hoping that my chest would grow.”
While I didn’t think bigger was necessarily better, I was aware that compared to my peers my chest was on the smaller side.
“Really? I think your proportions now are ideal though? If they grow too large, you’ll end up with stiff shoulders and have trouble finding bras of the right size. There’s nothing good that comes from it.”
“…”
She could say whatever she wanted, but the club president herself was quite well endowed. I suppose this is what people mean when they say the grass is always greener on the other side. On that note, the club president herself had a tall build with short hair. I’d describe her as a cool, handsome beauty.
“Alright, and we’re done. Please call the next girl for me.”
“I will, thanks again.”
“No problem.”
I put my uniform back on and bid farewell to the club president who was waving at me, before leaving the area that we sectioned off for measurements.
“Hey, hey, how’d it go?”
“I think I might’ve put on some weight…”
“Me too~”
“Oh come on, neither of you have put on that much weight.”
Other girls who had finished their measurements gathered together to discuss their sizes. While they were all young ladies talented enough to enroll at our academy, they were still of course in their teens. These kinds of concerns were common.
“Oh, Alea, are you all done too?”
“S-Seems like it went well…”
“Yeah. Simone, Lily-sama, are you both done with your measurements as well?”
“Yup.”
“Y-Yes.”
When I returned to my desk, Simone and Lily-sama were already there waiting for me. For some reason, my desk had become something like our default meeting spot.
“It looks like Mei’s still having her measurements taken. Not like there’s really much to measure though.”
“S-Simone-chan, you shouldn’t say it like that…”
“Huh? Why not? I mean you’ve seen her. She’s basically a plank.”
Simone illustrated by drawing a very simple silhouette through the air with her hands. I couldn’t deny that Mei’s figure wasn’t particularly endowed. She didn’t have defined curves, and she herself was bothered by that. I decided it’d be best if we didn’t dwell too much on Mei and forcefully steered the conversation away.
“That aside, Simone, you’re doing pretty well for yourself, aren’t you.”
“Hmph, and you’re the one saying that Alea? With your figure, you could easily pass as a fashion model.”
“Why thank you, hearing that makes me happy.”
“… Not even going to try and show some humility?”
“Mm? But you’re complimenting me, aren’t you?”
“Well, I am, but!”
I wasn’t quite sure why, but Simone seemed rather upset about something.
“Hic… Urk… Y-You’re all so lucky… Having hit your g-growth spurts…”
While I tilted my head in confusion, Lily-sama’s words mixed with her whimpers.
“Lily-sama?”
“L-Lily’s just a midget, and she’s always been this way… Basically just a cylinder with no features…”
After taking glances at both Simone and myself, Lily-sama looked down at her own body and let out a large sigh.
“Why? Lily, you’re plenty cute.”
“That’s exactly right, Lily-sama. You’re the cutest as you are.”
It seemed that Simone and I were in agreement.
“B-But, L-Lily wanted to grow taller… And… She wanted to be curvaceous!”
Lily-sama spoke amidst her sobs, but I couldn’t help but tilt my head in confusion. Lily-sama was, without a doubt, short and didn’t particularly have any defined curves to speak of. In that regard, she was rather similar to Mei. However, her very youthful almost pearl-like complexion and lustrous silver hair made her seem almost ageless. These qualities weren’t ones that could simply be obtained if one desired.
“Mother Rei once told me that she was jealous of just how well you retained your youthfulness, Lily-sama.”
“B-But, R-Rei-san herself has retained her beauty very well through the years, hasn’t she? I mean, C-Claire-sama has too…”
Well, I couldn’t exactly deny that. While Mother Rei and Mother Claire had both of course aged, they had, without a doubt, retained their beauty. I sincerely hoped that when I grew older, I could retain my beauty like they had.
“Oh! Welcome back Mei, how was it?”
“… Nothing changed.”
“Isn’t that a good thing? That means you didn’t put on any weight.”
“… I think it’d be nice if my chest and my hips filled out a bit.”
“Y-Yeah, Lily feels the exact same!”
While looking at Mei who made her displeasure clear, Lily-sama aggressively nodded in agreement. I guess Mei’s sentiments hit close to home for Lily-sama as well.
“From my perspective, you’ve all got it good. You’re all beautiful after all.”
Simone’s discontent was clear as she continued.
“Alea’s practically a model and Mei and Lily both have that petite charm to them―I’m the only average one here.”
“… That doesn’t make me happy.”
“P-Petite…”
In response to Simone’s callous words, Lily-sama began tearing up.
“Simone, you’re plenty cute yourself. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that you’re dazzling, but you possess a unique charm to yourself that makes you very approachable.”
“… Simone is a friendly kind of beauty, a category of her own.”
“Ah, yes, Lily feels that way too. Just looking at her and being with her makes Lily feel at ease.”
“W-What… Stop that, you’ll make me blush.”
When we all piled on and praised Simone, she suddenly seemed to be out of her element.
“In any case, Simone, I don’t think that you have anything to worry about.”
“Urgh… I feel like you’re all just saying whatever comes to mind.”
“… No, not at all. Like they say, the grass seems greener on the other side.”
“P-People just can’t help but yearn and feel jealous for the things they don’t possess.”
As teenage girls, we couldn’t help but be concerned about our body image. On that day, we continued our compliment parade and grew closer as a result.
Translator Note: I feel like this scene is something that we see fairly regularly in media featuring girls. Perhaps because I’m already uncomfortable about my own body image, it kinda makes me uncomfortable seeing it discussed. To the very least I’m glad the scene ended with the girls complimenting one another and raising one another up!
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