Gamers, p.199
Gamers!, page 199
“Didn’t I say this before? That’s why Tendou-san and I can’t back down on this.”
“Even though I don’t want to admit this, I think I slowly understand you guys! I-Indeed, forget about normal families. Amanocchi and Tendou-san’s child is guaranteed to be a gamer. The first game really does matter here!”
“Right!?”
Tendou-san and I immediately leaned forward to ask for agreement. Aguri-san nodded, but she quickly followed with a question.
“So, what are the differences between you two’s opinions?”
“…Like I said before, we’re having an argument because our feelings for games are different.”
“Ah, in other words, both of you are pushing for your own recommendations? A normal RPG vs. a hardcore FPS?”
“Ah, nope. It’s the opposite.”
“Eh? The opposite?”
After hearing my answer, Aguri-san, Uehara-kun, and Chiaki blinked in confusion.
Tendou-san and I pointed at each other.
Both of us said the crux of this argument at the same time.
“Our child has to be like Tendou-san (Amano-kun)!”
“You unimaginably idiot couples!”
The three dropped their jaws after hearing the reason. Uehara-kun yelled.
“What the hell are you two doing!? All that just for a stupid couple argument!?”
I answered a bit angrily.
“Uehara-kun understands this too, right? How pathetic must it be for our child, who’ll inherit Tendou-san’s elite genes, to have my lonely passerby mindset?”
“Ugh, …w-well, I think what Amano said makes sense…”
“No, it’s not! Uehara-kun, as his dearest friend, you must get it, right? No one in this world has a better soul than he does! Compared to that, how dirty must Karen Tendou’s soul be!?”
“What’s with your pathetic confidence? Well, I do understand Tendou’s reason as well.”
Uehara-kun fell silent after hearing our reasons. Tendou-san and I started asking even more viciously.
“No, Tendou-san is the best girl!”
“No, Amano-kun is the ultimate lifeform!”
“What the hell?”
The other three are already looking at us with a dead fish’s eyes. After seeing their faces, even Tendou-san and I got quieter. We cleared our throats.
“Anyway, that’s why we started fighting. However, that’s at most the initial cause. Our argument isn’t that related to that.”
“Hmm? In other words?”
I smiled bitterly.
“Just like what you saw in the morning, at this point, Tendou-san and I are just having a normal fight. It’s already not really related to our child. Right now, we’re just venting out our dissatisfaction for each other in the past…”
“Although I love Amano-kun, your indecisiveness really pisses me off.”
“That’s my line, Tendou-san. Although I love Tendou-san, you always overthink things. Honestly, I’m having a hard time following up.”
“Ara ara, filthy casuals. You can’t be helped…”
“Tck, you and your attitude are why tryhards are hated in this world!”
The fuse was ignited again during our conversation.
Then, …finally-
Uehara-kun and the others understood something and smiled gently.
“…Sheesh, in the end, you two are just a stupid couple.”
“Yeah, Tasuku. But, it feels refreshing for Amanocchi and Tendou-san to be fighting. …Hmm, perhaps this isn’t too bad.”
“…Maybe. Hmm, what’s happening? I’m getting even more jealous with their argument than with them acting all lovey-dovey.”
It looks like they understood too. I think an argument counts as us having “progress” as well.
This makes me feel slightly relieved. …However, I immediately started an eye-staring contest with the damn blonde girl in front of me.
The spirited and vicious debate that dragged the entire Game Hobby Club started again.
*
“It’s finally getting warmer.”
“Yeah.”
Tendou-san and I looked at the snow on the side as our conversation grew.
It’s 5 PM. Both of us are going home together after the club is over.
We’re on the way to Tendou-san’s house. The snow was rustling as we stepped on it.
Initially, Uehara-kun’s house is here too. We could’ve gone home together. Yet, he said something along the lines of, “I'll tease my friends at the sports clubs before going home.” He even left Aguri-san behind before disappearing inside the school. …He still really loves taking care of others, unlike a certain demon king-sama. Ah, right, perhaps that’s the reason why Aguri-san loves him-
“Hmm? Amano-kun? What’s wrong?”
I was lost in thoughts. Tendou-san looked at me with a slightly worried expression.
I smiled bitterly and said what I was thinking out loud. “Ah, it’s nothing.”
“I’m just thinking about Aguri-san.”
“Hmph!”
Tendou-san immediately frowned. It’s already too late when I realized I messed up. She turned around angrily and dashed away from me.
“It looks like Amano-kun cares about another girl more than his girlfriend next to him!”
“N-No! It’s not like that! Tendou-san understands it too, right? I’m just overthinking due to worrying about her.”
“Hmm, …I-I guess so. Well, what would Amano-kun think if you heard me say, ‘I was thinking about Uehara-kun?’ after a while of silence?”
“I’ll cry, of course!”
“How can you say something so unmanly in such a manly way!?”
Tendou-san shrugged helplessly and continued.
“Anyway, you get it now, right? When I hear you say another girl’s name, I…just, …well, …how should I put it?”
I guess she’s embarrassed in the middle. Tendou-san started stuttering as she rolled the tip of her hair with her fingers. …What’s with this adorable creature? Did I sleep while playing a hentai game?
Well, anyway, I should stop my girlfriend from worrying about me.
I made up my mind and walked up to her. Then, I gently put my hand on hers.
After that, she stopped with a surprised look. I blushed and stared at her determinedly.
“You’re always in my heart even when I’m talking about someone else.”
“…Amano-kun.”
Tendou-san’s eyes look watery. Her cheeks flared up as well.
Then, she buried her face into her scarf…and answered.
“That line is still quite embarrassing in a daily scene…”
“I-I guess so!”
My cheeks are unusually hot from embarrassment and regret. Ah, how can I say something so disgusting even when it’s just a normal after-school time…!? There’s a limit to excitement…!
“Ugh, please forget it…!”
I moaned and let go of her hand. Then, I wrapped my hands around my head. After that-
“Ah…”
“?”
-Tendou-san seems to feel a bit lonely. …Then, at the next moment, she twisted her body with her mouth still buried inside the scarf.
“But, uh, …it’s not like you can’t stop doing that…”
“Eh?”
I didn’t understand for a moment. However, she’s secretly glancing at my hand. I quickly answered.
“Ah, ...sure. I-I see.”
“Y-Yes…”
“W-Well, uh, s-so, let’s…”
“S-Sure…”
We started holding each other’s hands stiffly. Honestly, it feels like we’re just shaking hands.
“…………”
However, after we started moving forward, …we finally understood how we should respond. Our fingers crossed as we held each other even tighter.
“…………”
…Well, there’s actually no need to describe the feeling.
Right now, both of us are blushing really hard. No one said anything.
Well, if we’re couples already, going back to our home while hand holding should be a piece of cake. …But, honestly, this isn’t a slice-of-life. Come to think of it, 90% of my brain power is focused on her hand. We can’t even chat anymore. Perhaps we don’t even know where we are going as well. This is super unusual.
“…………”
After a long while, the garden scene turned into a lively downtown street with trees.
We stopped by the traffic lights and sighed in relief before looking at each other.
“…Hoho.”
Strangely, we’re relieved with each other’s nervousness. There’s finally a break. Then, Tendou-san seemed to have noticed something and looked in the opposite direction. She smiled.
“Come to think of it, everything started over there, right?”
“Hmm? …Ah, yeah.”
I followed her look and understood what she meant. That’s a game store. It’s just a normal and worn-out rural game store. However-
“Come to think of it, that’s where Tendou-san called me for the first time.”
“Yes, so, everything between you and me started there.”
“Yeah. Well, but I already knew about you at the time.”
“Ara, I’ve actually seen you many times if you say that? Even though I don’t know your name yet…”
Tendou-san looks a bit ashamed. I quickly comforted her.
“It’s okay, it’s okay! That’s guaranteed! By the way, I’m honored for Tendou-san to know me as ‘Otobuki High School Boy C’ already! …Well, by the way, Tendou-san should know my name by now, right? …Uh, my name’s Keita.”
“You’re the first one to introduce yourself like that in front of your girlfriend!”
Tendou-san sighed and continued.
“Amano-kun, this part of you never changed ever since we met.”
“Well, that’s because a passerby will always be a passerby, even after he started going out with a princess-sama.”
I answered fluently. Tendou-san’s lips curled up as she comforted me.
“I-I don’t think a passerby that can go out with a princess is a side character…”
“Nope, I am. People only know a guy like me from the epilogue where we happily lived ever after. The princess solved all of the important events on her own.”
“It’s kind of sad to see how low you’re seeing yourself.”
“At least I’m not a tachie.” [It’s similar to concept art. You draw the character without any background. A conversation bubble is sometimes included.]
“What tachie?”
Tendou-san sighed helplessly. I feel a bit regretful after seeing her reaction.
(Hmm, am I too self-abased…?)
Maybe it’s because I’ve been alone for too long. I’m still not good with these kinds of things. Thoughts like “seeing yourself too lowly only make people that care about you sad” didn’t appear in my heart until now.
However, I actually feel sad when my favorite game developers say that their game is meaningless. Well, even though I also hate people that give themselves too much credit.
The traffic light turned green, and we crossed the road. However, we didn’t talk during this period.
…Honestly, this is also why we got into a fight yesterday.
I really love Tendou-san, and I respect her from the bottom of my heart. …That’s why I’m despising myself more than usual. Tendou-san’s unwillingness to back down is definitely not just over stupid topics like the first game for our child. Instead, it’s something much, much deeper.
I, Keita Amano, am still unwilling to acknowledge how much I am worth.
She’s mad because of this.
Actually, I also know that this is a bad part of me. So, naturally, I wanted to improve.
(However, even so, I can’t change my personality on a whim…)
Not being confident in myself is one of my core personality structures. I need strong determination if I want to improve, just like if I have to stop being humpbacked.
“…………”
In the end, we didn’t say anything meaningful. Both of us walked into the game store.
After that, Tendou-san passed through the new release area without taking a glance. Just as I’m wondering where she’s going, …she stopped at an unexpected place.
“Tendou-san? This is…the dating sim area.”
“Yes, …this is where we first talked to each other.”
“Oh, yeah.”
“Amano-kun was super nervous at that time.”
“Ugh, …y-yeah. Well, I’m still nervous when facing Tendou-san now.”
I was a bit nostalgic as I looked at the shelf. However, that game isn’t there already. Time moves forward, and it shifts everything.
However, I…still haven’t changed.
I’m still not confident in myself. I still love games. I’m still really clumsy.
…Of course, even so, I’m not planning to run away with an excuse like “I can’t match her.” It’s more like it’s the exact opposite. If I can’t match her right now, I have to work hard to stand next to her.
Yes.
I have to be more confident to stay with my beloved Tendou-san-
At the moment that I made up my mind-
“Well, I’m fine with however you see yourself, Amano-kun.”
“Eh?”
I let out a surprised sound. Then, she said-
“It’s because-“
-She’s not pausing to see my reaction. Instead, she continued as if she’s saying an undeniable fact.
“The fact that you’re the best person to me in the world will never change.”
“…………”
After hearing that, my chest just took a dazzlingly heavy blow.
She acknowledged everything that makes me, including my hopeless side.
I can’t believe someone like this exists in the world. Is this love? In this case, I can understand why those couples always do stupid things in public.
I…I’ll be useless if this continues! I’ll be a worthless person! So, I can’t be spoiled here!
Although I don’t want to be spoiled, …what should I do? I’m so happy that it hurts. I’m about to cry. Sorry, I lied. I already cried a little, but I wiped my tears right away.
Just as I’m twisting my body disgustingly, Tendou-san observed me. She looks sincerely confused.
“Hmm? Eh? What’s wrong, Amano-kun? Your face looks really red?”
It looks like this girl doesn’t know how destructive what she just said is. I’m regretting over me being the only one embarrassed. I can’t help but hide my face behind my arms and answer rudely.
“Tck…! T-That’s why I don’t like natural tryhards! Do you even know how to spell ‘embarrassment’ correctly!? I can’t believe you can say something so embarrassing…!”
“Wha-“
Then, after hearing that, Tendou-san retorted angrily as usual.
“What was that!? Tryhards!? You want a fight? Are we fighting now!?”
“No, we aren’t. By the way, Tendou-san immediately switched to your combat stance.”
I can’t help but say what I sincerely think after seeing her childish reaction. However, I think this pissed her off even more. Tendou-san asked furiously.
“Ha!? You picked a fight, and yet you say things like that!? Ah, sheesh, that’s why filthy casuals that pretend to be mature while misunderstanding things are-“
“I can’t just pretend I didn’t hear that. We’re much better than people that immediately fight after eye contact. You aren’t a Pokemon trainer, right?”
“What did you just say!?”
“What?”
So, even if it’s just a day after we started going out, we entered our second argument.
This is the future that I never thought about when we met a year ago.
However-
This is the reality we’ve achieved after a year.
“In the end, Amano-kun has always-“
“No, no, Tendou-san has always been like-“
We bickered with each other quietly as we left to avoid causing troubles for others.
During this time, suddenly, I glanced at the new release area.
Even though time moves forward, I can still find something that connects both of us. The disc of
Chapter 2 – Aguri and Family Restaurant Meeting Extra
* * *
“Let’s find a time and visit an open hot spring hotel in secret? Amanocchi.”
During the after-school family restaurant meeting, a high school girl sent out an erotic and immoral invitation despite having a boyfriend.
To this request, I, Keita Amano-
“Ah, sure, why not?”
-I took a sip of my hot green tea and smiled. Then, the couple, which I should say is dressed weirdly, is eavesdropping on us. I think they want to say, “What’s with that reaction?” They are looking at us in shock. However, I ignored them and continued calmly.
“Indeed, I guess I’m kind of bored with family restaurants sometimes. Instead, let’s relax while talking about each other’s lovers in a room with beautiful scenery.”
After hearing that, the neighboring couple shot us despising looks. “Oi, oi, you two have lovers!?”
But, Aguri-san doesn’t seem to care about their reactions too. She took a small sip of her hot lemon tea and continued.
“No, if we’re going to say it anyway, why don’t we just talk to each other in the hot spring, Amanocchi.”
“I mean, boys and girls are separated in hot springs- ah, but I guess an independent open-air hot spring will be good.”
(It’s anything but good!)
The couple next to us is complaining quietly. But, our chatter won’t stop because of them.
“Ah, but, Aguri-san, ..is it bad for the two of us to go on a hot spring trip alone?”
(You only noticed it now!?)
“Ah, I guess so. I think the mood got weird after I said we can take a bath together. Our partners.”
(Of course!)
“Yeah, it’s like cheating from the looks of it.”
(It’s not from the looks of it. Taking a bath together is totally cheating, right!?)
