Max kept his eyes locked on his phone, pretending to be deeply absorbed in something. He wasn't even sure what was on his screen. His thumb scrolled automatically while his brain tried very hard not to replay what he had just accidentally seen.
She's your mother. That was an accident. You weren't trying to look. It just happened. Stop being weird about it.
But his face still felt warm.
He took a slow breath, trying to reset. It was fine. Just an accident. Nothing weird. He was calm now.
Then the curtain opened.
Yuki stepped out, and every ounce of control in Max's head evaporated.
The dress was unlike anything she had tried on before.
It was black, smooth, and form-fitting in a way that left absolutely nothing to the imagination about her figure. A cocktail dress that stopped mid-thigh, showing off the full length of her legs—those thick, shapely thighs that he'd only just registered existed an hour ago.
But it was the top that made his eyes stop first.
The fabric around her chest was see-through—not completely transparent, but a fine, delicate enough to reveal the outline of her bra underneath. He could see the lace pattern, the shape of it, the way it supported the full weight of her breasts.
His gaze traveled down almost involuntarily.
Then it stopped at mid-thigh, leaving her legs completely exposed. Legs he'd never really looked at before.
Yuki stood uncertainly in front of the mirror, her hands hovering near her sides like she didn't know quite what to do with them.
"This is... this is too much," she said, her voice small. "Right? This is too much."
Akari circled her appraisingly, a satisfied smile on her face. "This is perfect. Seriously, this dress was made for your figure."
Yuki turned slightly, catching her own reflection, and her eyes widened. "You can see... through the top."
"That's the design," Akari explained. "Very trendy right now. It's suggestive without being inappropriate. And with your figure, it's absolutely stunning."
Yuki's eyes found Max in the mirror. She caught him staring—his gaze had been traveling down her body, taking in the dress, the way it fit her. For a moment their eyes met in the reflection, and Max startled.
Her cheeks colored slightly. "Max? Is this... I mean, what do you think?"
Max realized he'd been caught. He blinked, forcing himself to meet her eyes instead of letting his gaze wander over the dress again.
"It's..." His voice came out rougher than intended. He cleared his throat. "It's really nice, Mom. You look... really good."
Really good felt like the understatement of the century, but what else was he supposed to say?
Yuki held his gaze in the mirror for a moment longer. Then she turned back to study herself, her hands smoothing down the fabric over her hips.
"Go on, turn around," Akari encouraged, her enthusiasm undimmed. "Show him what it looks like from the back. The cut is gorgeous."
Yuki hesitated, then slowly turned.
Max swallowed.
The back of the dress was cut lower than he had expected—a deep V that showed the smooth skin of her back down to just above her waist.
But it was below that where his eyes stopped.
The fabric clung to her backside like it had been painted on. When she shifted her weight slightly, there was movement—a subtle jiggle that the tight fabric couldn't quite contain.
"See?" Akari said, walking around Yuki to gesture at the overall effect. "It's perfect. It's elegant but bold. Classic but modern."
Yuki looked over her shoulder, trying to see herself from behind in the mirror, and caught Max staring again. This time she definitely noticed.
Her face flushed deeper. "Max, stop staring."
"Sorry," he said quickly, looking away, feeling his own face heat. "It's just... it's a very different look."
"Different good or different bad?" Yuki asked, still uncertain.
"Good," Max managed. "Definitely good. You look... you look amazing, Mom."
Yuki studied him for a moment longer, then nodded slowly. "Okay. I think... I think I've had enough of playing dress-up for one day. Let me change back."
She disappeared behind the curtain, and Max heard the rustle of fabric. He focused very intently on his phone again, not allowing himself to think about anything happening behind that curtain.
A few minutes later, Yuki emerged in her original clothes. After seeing her in all those elegant outfits, the difference was jarring. She looked tired again, ordinary.
But her expression was different. There was something lighter in her eyes, a small smile that hadn't been there before.
Akari gathered all the clothes they had tried and guided them to the counter, where she began organizing everything.
"Alright," she said brightly. "So what would you like me to pack up for you today?"
Yuki hesitated, looking at the mountain of beautiful clothes spread across the counter. Her hand reached out, touching the cashmere sweater, then pulling back. "I think... maybe just the sweater and jeans? And perhaps the burgundy dress? That seems reasonable—"
"Everything," Max said firmly.
Both women looked at him.
"Everything she tried on," Max continued, pulling out his card. "All of it."
"Max, that's insane," Yuki protested. "That's—there must be at least fifteen pieces here. The cost—"
"Doesn't matter," Max interrupted.
"Max—"
"All of them," he repeated, handing his card to Akari. "Please."
Akari's smile was enormous. "I love this. This is exactly what shopping should be." She began scanning items, her fingers moving on her tablet. "You know what? Because you two are genuinely the sweetest customers I've had all month, I'm applying our loyalty discount. It's supposed to be for returning customers, but I'm making an exception."