Gamers, p.98
Gamers!, page 98
“…………” “…Amano…”
Oiso-senpai and Uehara-kun are staring at me with an expression that’s either despise or sympathy.
So, the silence lasted for around 10 seconds.
Oiso-senpai mumbled and tried to bring on a conclusion.
“…The weakest and worst character, Keita Amano, is trying to find a shortcut to beat Karen Tendou, a super genius with terrifying stats…”
“…………”
“…Raise your head, Keita Amano.”
After Oiso-senpai urged me, I tremblingly…raised my face with my heart prepared for the most severe despise of my life.
So, in front of my eyes-
“That sounds fun, please let me join.”
-Oiso-senpai is smiling innocently like a boy planning for his pranks.
*
A week later, on Tendou-san’s birthday.
“You really want to do it…? Amano-kun.”
In Tendou-san’s room, she’s still sitting on the bed like she was a week ago, but she’s staring up to me with a bit of anxiety.
In response, I answered her with an entirely determined look and nodded.
“Of course. That’s why I never learned my lesson and came to your house to bother you again.”
“It’s fine for you to come to my home…but…”
Tendou-san said that as she glanced the thing on her table. That’s a brilliant letter opener designed after swords in fantasy RPGs.
“Look, you already gave me such a fantastic birthday present, there’s no need for you to…”
“No, please let me do this. Please, Tendou-san.”
“W-Why are you bowing down to me…! I-I understand!”
After Tendou-san answered that, she immediately grabbed the controller once again. I smiled at her, then she replied to me with the same but a bit perplexing smile.
“Sigh, well, …when the birthday ended peacefully, of course, she doesn’t want to go out of her way and crush her boyfriend with a game…”
I deeply understand the reason why Tendou-san doesn’t want to play fighting games right now.
However, …I can’t back down either. After all, in this one week, …I concealed the fact that I tried my absolute best to walk the shortcut!
“Right now, this battle is dedicated to Uehara-kun and Oiso-senpai as well…! If I prioritized this normie couple atmosphere and forget about the match, I can’t bring myself to face them!”
To be honest, I know that Tendou-san is emitting a strong “why is my boyfriend still pressing on for a match in situations like this” aura…B-But I don’t mind! We’re fighting if I said we’re fighting! Although if Aguri-san, my mentor in relationships, is here, she would probably look me down. “Amanocchi, that’s your bad habit!” Even so, I’m still fighting!
Just as I’m waiting for the game to load, I yelled out quite excitedly.
“Tendou-san. On this memorable occasion, I’m definitely going to smash with you!”
“Words! Amano-kun, are you saying that on purpose!”
“Eh, on what purpose?”
“Hiya, I can’t believe you’re saying that naturally. This just makes it even more disgusting! Let me tell you, my mom is home today as well!”
“It’s okay. I’m going to smash with you even if we’re in front of your mom.”
“Why are you saying that with a manly look!”
“I’m just talking about fighting games.”
“You should be! Even though I deeply understand that as well!”
Tendou-san seems to be tired of complaining, she’s running out of her breaths…Good.
“I feel like she’s getting less concentrated!”
Master Uehara proposed an external tactic – “The Shocking Words” is working. According to Uehara-kun, “Your words have an unusually high chance of making Tendou freak out. It should be able to weaken her performance.” …Honestly, I don’t understand how does this works, but I think it’s working.
“…Sigh, I can’t take this…”
Tendou-san complained as she looked at the TV. Right now, it’s displaying the character selection screen.
I observed silently. Tendou-san then “uhh” and acted like she’s hesitating. Usually, she would pick a character that she has “trained” before. However, when she’s up against me, she’ll use different ones as practice and to go easy on me.
So, today, she picked the protagonist-like fighter for no particular reason. Then, during this time, I acted naturally, while actually meaning to “pressure” her and suggested.
“Why don’t you just pick E. Hongo.”
“Eh?”
Tendou-san turned and gave me a confused look. She’s so cute. I beamed her a gentle smile before telling her once again.
“I think you should choose E. Hongo. Look, this sumo player is handsome.”
“Eh? No, i-instead of a sumo player, I want to use a faster character…”
“E. Hongo is so fast that I’m feeling terrible for him to only be a sumo player!”
“Amano-kun? Why are you recommending E. Hongo to me! What are you trying to pull off!”
“What am I trying to pull off? I-I’m not trying to do anything. It’s just that, Tendou-san…Look, I think a sumo player matches you well.”
“How could you say that to a girl!”
“I want to ask, how could you say that to Mr. E. Hongo?”
“What kind of weird comeback is that! …Honestly, I’m getting a bit pissed off. I decided to remain firm and pick a fighter to combat you!”
Tendou-san relentlessly clicked the confirmed button on the fighter character. However, I still haven’t decided mine yet. So, it’s not over…I smiled at her once again.
“…A-Are you going to switch?”
“Am I going to switch? No, no, no. I’m really picking this character-“
“…………”
“Ugh, m-my boyfriend’s stare is too watery and moving. More importantly, it looks so miserable! I-I got it, I got it! I’m picking E. Hongo.”
Tendou-san finally backed down and chose E. Hongo before pressing the confirm button.
At this moment, …I can’t help but clenched my fist excitedly!
“YES!”
“Yes? Eh, Amano-kun, you’re clearly baiting me-“
“Hm-mmm-mm-hmm! ♪”
“Wait, Amano-kun? You sang that out loud while picking a character that’s basically an ‘E. Hongo killer’ and started the game right away!”
“Tendou-san…Let us fight legitimately today!”
“I can’t believe you said that!”
Tendou-san was shocked. But, …now’s not the time for that! I have to do this if I have to beat you within a week!
I remembered what I’ve heard from Oiso-senpai around a week ago.
“To be fair, in fighting games, the abilities of the character and mutual counters play a substantial role. Of course, it’s basically a dream for you to be able to overcome this. If the player is already the weakest, you’ll have to use this to its full strength. In other words, …you’ll have to make Tendou use a character that she didn’t train for, and also one that was classified on the weaker side based on the game balance. Moreover, you must pick a character that’s designed to counter her while having decent stats at the same time!”
Yes, this is the shortcut directly passed onto me by Master Oiso. I call this the Cheater’s Counter!
…Eh? I mean, this is legal, completely legal. Where're my manners? W-Well, …I’m a beginner and a noob at fighting games, so there’s a lot for me to learn…
Anyway, the match started right away.
My character, …the American soldier, Keanu, quickly maintained the distance and activated his ranged attack repeatedly. Tendou-san’s sumo player is better at melee, so naturally, she was forced to remain in a defensive position. Even so, there’s a way for her to counter this.
“Ugh, …then I’ll use this!”
E. Hongo jumped up high towards the enemy and used the move to crush the opponent with his massive body. This is a ranged attack for him based on the balance of previous games in the series. This move can dodge the attacks while rapidly closing the distance in the air.
However, my response to this is…
“Hiya!”
“Wha-“
I countered this with Keanu’s overpowered anti-air move and kicked Hongo back.
Tendou-san asked me in shock.
“W-What was that? That expert input skill and the ability to act according to the situation. It doesn’t look like you!”
“Ho, ho, ho…Of course, Tendou-san. After all, I, during this one week…”
I kept on unleashing my ranged attacks on the screen…as I laughed devilishly!
“During this one week, I’ve ‘only’ been practicing on how to screw E. Hongo over with Keanu!”
“YOU’RE REALLY GUILTY OF THIS AFTER ALLLLL!”
Tendou-san yelled. I fondled my bangs as I countered Hongo with Keanu’s anti-air attacks and mumbled.
“Tendou-san…It’s a mistake for you to use the word ‘guilty’ right now.”
“My boyfriend is so annoying right now!”
She was really pissed off, and that affected her performance during the match…It looks like the external tactics proposed by Uehara-kun is working again. I calmly responded, so…
“2P WIN!”
After the result is announced, a short silence fell onto us.
So, when we’re waiting for the next round to start, Tendou-san glared at me fiercely.
“Amano-kun…You used to hate impolite behaviors like cutting the connection from the bottom of your heart when you’re gaming, where did that nice concept of yours go?”
“How impolite, Tendou-san. That side of mine is still in my heart.”
“A-Amano-kun…R-Right, I’m really sorry-“
“-That side of mine will be forever treasured like all the beautiful memories I had in my heart.”
“He’s a complete goner, right!”
So, the second round began when Tendou-san is complaining. All that conversation pissed Tendou-san off once again. Her movements are still just as easy to predict, Hongo’s HP bar is slowly decreasing from my ranged and anti-air attacks.
Tendou-san is getting increasingly frustrated. Even so, I still didn’t slack off.
So, once I snapped out of it, I can’t believe it…
“FINISH!”
“Ah.”
Tendou-san’s and my shocked voice overlapped each other. It’s because the result is…
“2P WIN!”
…Of course, I won. Also…
“PERFECT!”
-I can’t believe I didn’t get hit for even once, a total win is achieved.
“…………”
An overwhelming silence soon descended onto the room.
When I looked, Tendou-san lowered her head, and her shoulders are shivering.
As for me, …I gently put my hand on her shoulder and spoke up.
“Tendou-san, …what do you think? This birthday surprise where I beat you, …does it…make you…happy?”
“Amano-kun…”
She slowly raised her head and looked at me with tears in her eyes.
We looked at each other passionately and lovely, a flood of emotions swept through us.
So, after a few seconds.
Tendou-san wiped her tears and glanced straight at me…Then, she said it with a bright smile.
“Honestly, that’s not what I wanted.”
“I guess so.”
In reality, I’ve subtly noticed this during the training stage! But I can’t say it out loud when my two masters are ethnically teaching me!
“…Sigh.”
The two of us sighed loudly on the bed
*
“But Amano-kun, I really hated what you did there. That wasn’t you at all, it freaked me out.”
Just as I’m about to go home depressingly, Tendou-san, who’s still on the bed, chuckled.
I shrugged and answered her.
“Of course. I didn’t even sleep for this week just to practice that…Phew.”
After the main show is over, tiredness soon swept towards me. To alleviate this sleepiness, I let out an “ugh” before stretching my arms. “Ah.” Tendou-san let out a noise like she noticed something.
“Amano-kun, your hands…”
“Eh? Ah, …sorry about that.”
I looked at the slightly swelling callus on my left thumb and smiled bitterly.
“Considering the environment and my own skills, I kept practicing with the cross buttons…Then, I finally grew the first gaming callus of my entire life.”
“Really, …that’s why…”
Just as Tendou-san is giving me a dumbfounded look, I continued scratching my brain once again.
“I feel like…I really suck when I got a callus from practicing a cheap shortcut. I feel terrible for you. Yeah, come to think of it, you said you wanted me to beat you…It’s out of ‘wanting me to show my manly side’ instead of acting like a jerk…I…completely…got it all wrong…”
I sighed loudly before becoming depressed quickly…Ugh, where did it go wrong? Everything should be going according to plan up until the moment when I swore that I have to defeat her…
“Ah, the reason has to do with I forgetting to explain to Uehara-kun and Oiso-senpai ‘why I want to win’ her right!”
After this self-reflection, it seems to be my misunderstanding and slow of speech…In other words, this is all my fault.
Just as I’m getting more and more deflated, …Tendou-san is staring at me blankly and even mumbling to herself.
“…The Amano-kun that I know…I can’t believe you didn’t sleep…and even managed to get a gaming callus…”
“Ugh…”
F-From Tendou-san’s words, …I think she’s really dumbfounded at my idiotic actions!
I can’t stay here anymore. So, I quickly grabbed my bag and say, “W-Well, I’ll be leaving!” Then, I promptly put my right hand on the door handle and plan to leave-
“Wait.”
-At this moment, my left hand is wrapped by something very soft.
I turned back with a surprised look, …then I found out Tendou-san is wrapping her hands lovingly around my callous left hand for some reason.
Just as I’m feeling the warmth of Tendou-san’s hands, and while I utterly don’t understand what is the meaning of that. So, I freaked around and looked around-
Then, …Tendou-san raised my hand in front of her as she spoke quietly with her goddess-like face.
“I really witnessed it …your manly side.”
“T-Tendou-san?”
“…Hoho!”
“!”
She’s suddenly giving me a throbbing and embarrassed smile…My heart is pounding so fast.
So, even though I don’t understand the situation, …I’m not dense enough to unable to feel her overwhelming love towards me.
“Tendou-san…”
I was stunned as I can’t help but put my hands on hers. Tendou-san is slightly embarrassed, …but she didn’t look away from me entirely, and she even spoke up determined.
“I think…I want to see…the strong side of you…more often.”
“Tendou-san, …you mean…”
A loving atmosphere appeared between us. We’re slowly closing our distance, then…
“Clang!”
We can hear that someone broke something outside the door.
“…Sigh.”
Tendou-san and I sighed deeply at the same time, and then we smiled bitterly at each other.
After that, I immediately opened the door and helped Tendou-san’s mom, who’s freaking out, to sweep the floor as we explained like usual.
“W-Well, auntie, this is just a usual misunderstanding between us. When she said she wanted to see how manly I am, it’s still only limited to gaming …Right, Tendou-san?”
To ask for my girlfriend’s acknowledgment, I turned around.
In the end, …Tendou-san blushed for some reason…She even looked away from us and cleared her throat, then she mumbled quietly.
“…Please allow me to remain silent.”
Chapter 4 – Tasuku Uehara and Weakened Restart
* * *
“You want me to meet with another girl today after school?”
“Yes.”
I questioned him with a face full of distrust. Then, Masaya gave me that usual suspicious and nasty smile and put his hand on my shoulders like we’re whispering. I can’t help but sigh loudly and stare at the sky from the window of the dirty toilet of the old school building.
“The lesson will end in 10 minutes. When Masaya explicitly asked me to go to a toilet like this with him, I can already tell that something’s going on…”
This is the third worst terrible development that I’ve imagined when we’re on the way. Also, in my mind, the worst would be that he’s inviting me to smoke, and the best is that he’s going to give me concert tickets.
“Nah, I need to meet someone important today.”
I grabbed my phone out of the pocket to check how long until the lesson finishes, but Masaya didn’t back down from my apparent lack of interest. He even pulled me over forcefully and continued.
“Ay, listen to me, the girl’s called Tsuji Otonashi…She’s a junior that I’ve met during a gathering.”
“Gathering, …that’s not an abbreviation for a friendly concert, right?” [Note: The word “gathering” in Japanese can either mean an actual meeting or friendship.]
“Of course not, it’s just a typical gathering. A meeting for boys and girls to fool around.”
“Oh, is it a joined concert of Johnny and AKB?”
“That can really bring boys and girls together if a concert like that actually exists! Eh, please.”
“Sorry. Even if that’s true, you’re in high school only, and you have a girlfriend already. Why would you go to a gathering like that…”
I looked at Masaya dumbfoundedly. He’s still answering me with a warm smile.
“Ay, to be honest, I’m just dragged by my brother in university to make up the numbers. I will be lying if I say I’m definitely not going to mess around. However, I’m going to treat 90% of it as a social study.”
