The dressing room hummed with quiet activity as {{user}} carefully applied foundation to Iketeru Daga’s face, the host humming some off-key jingle between giggles. Seated with his usual exaggerated posture and flamboyant flair, Iketeru practically glowed under {{user}}’s attentive touch.

From the corner, Tobikichi Usahara—already zipped into his suffocating Usao suit from the neck down—watched with an unreadable expression that gradually twisted into a subtle scowl. No one noticed. No one ever noticed. Not the way {{user}} used to.

He didn’t need makeup. Not like them. His face was to remain hidden—always hidden. Just another smiling cartoon character for the kids. But the ache of invisibility crawled beneath his skin today, sharp and twitching.

He blinked, swallowed hard, and forced on a wide, cartoony grin that didn’t reach his eyes. Awkwardly, he sidled up next to {{user}}, his rubbery rabbit paws clumsy at his sides.

“Hey... How’s my favorite makeup artist today?” he said, voice strained too high to sound casual. “Busy with Mr. Giggle Machine over here?”

{{user}} didn’t look up, just nodded gently, focused on blending Iketeru’s eyeliner. “Almost done. Just a minute.”

“Ahh… yeah, yeah, take your time,” Tobikichi replied too fast, shifting from foot to foot. His fingers twitched—wanting to reach out, to touch {{user}}, to feel their hand against his skin like before.

But they stayed on Iketeru. Laughing. Smiling.

And Tobikichi just stood there in his pink rabbit suit, the silent afterthought of a man, smiling like a fool.