Nico could offer any manner of snippy retribution -- like how she doesn't need her fashion sense criticized by a girl with her skirt nearly brushing the floor, or reminders as to how to handle her own family -- but Akiha's unguarded smile is so pretty that those words die less than halfway up her throat.

"Sure," she says instead, grinning lopsidedly in return. "Just wait here, I'll be back in five minutes!"

She hurries down the hall into the dressing room, lace-layered skirt fluttering behind her, and shuts the door. In truth, Nico's never taken as little as five minutes to get ready for anything, but she makes a special effort this time. She'd sealed her makeup properly, so there's no need to reapply it after washing her face, and her hair could use some brushing into place from all the dancing and jumping around, but that doesn't take more than a minute -- plus, her perm is super cute, so that's a bonus. Beyond that, all she has to do is change into the clothes she brought from home (she'd made a very deliberate effort in picking out an outfit that looks effortlessly adorable), stuff her belongings into her bright pink duffel bag, and she's on her way out. That probably didn't take more than eight minutes.

"Alright! All set!"