Gamers!

Volume 6, Chapter 3 – Keita Amano and Karen Tendou and Complete Victory

Translator: your_pingas

A day in autumn, when the time of sunset got earlier, and people are starting to miss the warmth on their skin.

Right now, …rough moaning of a couple are echoing throughout a dim high school girl’s room.

“…Ah, …ah, …Amano-kun, …you should be on top…sometimes…”

“Ugh, …Tendou-san, …b-but I’m satisfied as long as you feel good…”

“No, …Amano-kun, …I…I want to see how strong you are…”

Her cheeks are blushing with a faint sakura color from the heat, and her watery eyes look as if she’s begging me.

“T-Tendou-san!”

If the girl acted like this, the guy can’t stay silent!

I stood up from the bed and changed my pose, then I stared at Tendou-san’s crystal-clear blue eyes once again.

“Tendou-san, …h-here I go.”

“Yes, come, Amano-kun, …make me…make me even more excited!”

“Tendou-san!”

“A-Amano-kun! I-If you go that fast right away, I-I will…!”

“N-No, Tendou-san! I can’t hold myself back anymore…!”

“Ah, Amano-kun! Amano-kun! If this continues…if this continues, I will…!”

Tendou-san’s rapid breathing is starting to signal a sense of excitement and anxiety.

So, at the next moment, her moaning echoed throughout the gloomy room!

“If this continues, I-I will…! Ugh, just like every time before…AHH!”

“U-Uwah, Tendou-san, what the-, you’re amazing, A-AHHHHHH!”

The screams of the couple blasted through the room.

So, just as our vigorous emotions are reaching high-tide-

“FINISH!”

The screen played the sound of an unrelenting game over screen of a fighting game. Also…

“1P WIN!” “PERFECT!”

From the 2P perspective, the screen is only displaying even more miserable details…Why does this fighting game have to specify this? My character is lying at the corner of the screen sadly, and Tendou-san’s character is putting her victory pose. Also, her HP is still full. I guess you knew the result just from this alone, right?

“Phew…phew…”

I’m in my uniform, …sitting on the bed in her room. My hand is holding the wireless controller as I stared at the unfamiliar ceiling with a burnout face.

A day in autumn, after school. I, Keita Amano, came to my girlfriend’s room for the first time…Just like what you saw, we’re “combating” each other with fighting games in school uniforms…No, it’s actually “defeat” instead of “combat.”

Tendou-san, who’s next to me, sat on the bed as she let out a huge sigh and glared at me with the corner of her eyes.

“…I’m so disappointed at you, Amano-kun.”

“Ouch…!”

Usually, she would forgive the “Keita Amano that loves gaming but is a noob at the same time.” Still, she’s acting way harsher when I lost multiple times today.

I put my sweaty hands on the controller, and the game went back to the character selection screen. At the same time, I tried to find an excuse without looking at Tendou-san.

“N-No, think about it, even the e-sports players don’t have a consistent victory rate in fighting games…”

“Nope, you just lost 20 rounds in a role incredibly, in a sense, your victory rate is quite consistent.”

“…Sigh, even the pros will lose if they’re up against someone who trained beforehand-“

“I’ve said this before. This is the first time that I’ve played this…”

“…………”

“Moreover, you should be way more familiar than I do since you’re the one that brought this game over-“

“Uh, b-but, I’m the type that grows in battle, let’s just play a couple more rounds…”

“Nope, we were equal at the start, and now it’s already a total competition. From this miserable state, I’m gaining experience a lot quicker than you do, to put it simply, I’m better than you now…”

“…………”

“…………”

Silence fell onto us. The joyful BGM of the character selection screen is making this even worse somehow.

After I deeply sighed, I secretly looked at the corner of the room…before curling my lips and mumbling.

“…Tendou-san baka…”

“Are you 12 years old!”

Tendou-san stood up abruptly. I followed her son and directly start arguing with her.

“T-This is the first time that I’m at my girlfriend’s house. Yet, you just electrocuted your excited and nervous boyfriend 20 times in a row. You’re the last person that I want to hear that from!”

“You know that I’m this type of player, right! I’ll go all-out even if I’m up against a newbie!”

“I know! I know you. If that’s the case, …then please don’t give me requests like ‘I hope Amano-kun (‘s ranking) can be on top sometimes’ when I can’t even do it!”

She probably didn’t know that kind of request is kind of erotic.

This time, Tendou-san’s cheeks are blushing like sakura again as she requested me once more.

“I-It’s because I’m on top (of the ranking) every time…I’m the only one that feels good (when I’m playing the game)…Amano-kun, that’s why I hope that sometimes, you can fondle with my (character’s) body…”

I answered her in a similar tone since she dragged me down into this.

“While that’s true, Tendou-san, you’re always going all-out to toy me!”

“…It’s because…my heart really wanted it…and my body is feeling good…”

“If you want me to fondle with you (your character), you should give me something in return!”

“Amano-kun, …don’t tell me…you want me to use my mouth (to praise your skills)…?”

“Ay, I’m not going to force you, but you, as a girlfriend, should at least contribute something, right?”

“Ugh…!”

I smiled mischievously, the girl with blonde hair and blue eyes then gave me a humiliating look as if she’s a knight that was captured by an orc.

To be honest, …both of us realized that this conversation is a bit weird, but we went along with it because it’s quite funny.

“Clang!”

…Then, we can hear that someone broke something outside the door.

*

“…Tendou-san, honestly, …this is the most depressed I’ve got in a couple years.”

“What a coincedience, Amano-kun, me too…”

The two of us walked dispiritingly on the streets at night. 6:30 PM. The sunset is earlier in the northern part during autumn, it’s already dark everywhere. But because of the time, there’s still a lot of people around.

Tendou-san and I walked shoulders to shoulders as we sighed deeply. We can see the white breaths radiating, even in the darkness.

“Although…after our explanation, Tendou-san’s mother seems to have understood the situation…Sigh.”

Even if the misunderstanding is solved, the fact that her daughter’s boyfriend messed up at the first meeting will never disappear.

Tendou-san let out a white breath that’s similar to mine in size.

“Well, …it’s fine if this is just the usual misunderstandings…But we wanted to prank for a bit, and it just feels even more depressing.”

“Yes, …we shouldn’t try something that we’re not familiar with. We really need to reflect on that one. Ah, I’ll pay for the broken cups-“

“Ah, no need. After all, my mom and I should be responsible as well. It’ll only make my mom feel bad if you paid for it.”

“Really…?”

I’m glad that I heard her say that. I pressed my chest in relief as I mumbled.

“But uncle wasn’t home today, perhaps this is the fortune of the misfortune.”

“Yeah. While my father wasn’t aggressive, …but he’s an irritable person in every way.”

“R-Really, an irritable person in every way…?”

W-What does that mean? My body was shivering when I imagined the day that I need to meet my girlfriend’s father.

So, Tendou-san tried to be considerate and changed the topic.

“Right, I’m sorry, Amano-kun. I’m acting so wilfully for accompanying you to the bus station.”

“Eh? Ah, r-right. When I thought about my adorable girlfriend has to go home alone at night after you sent me there, I, as your boyfriend, meant to reject that…”

I stopped for a second here before smiling at her.

“However, there’s something that you want me to hear, right?”

“…Correct.”

Tendou-san answered with a bright smile. After I looked around, I continued.

“Hmm, …if that’s the case, I’ll allow you to do this for once…”

“Just for today? Then I can’t go out at night?”

“Well…Hmm, I can reluctantly accept if there’re that many people and lights around. B-But, after 8 PM, …no, you can’t go out alone after 7:30PM! Please ask me to come with you when you want to walk around! I’ll be there right away!”

After I tried my best to explain to her, Tendou-san chuckled. Then, she answered me with a slightly embarrassed yet mischievous face.

“Yes. I got it…My. Love.”

“------“

…Holy crap, that was close. I almost ascended to the heavens just then.

“I feel like I’m already satisfied with my life, but it’s going to be troublesome if I died here….”

To keep my soul inside my body, I slapped my own cheeks. As for Tendou-san, she seems a bit embarrassed after saying that as well, so she coughed to clear her throat.

Then, she changed the topic as if she’s trying to cover something up.

“Uh, w-well, about the thing that I wanted to say to you…”

“R-Right, you wanted to talk about something! W-What is it?”

The two of us are still a bit excited, but we moved on nonetheless.

“Uh, next week is my birthday…Amano-kun, didn’t you ask me before about what present do I want? Well, I’ve been thinking recently…”

“Ah, yes! P-Please say it! I’ll prepare with everything I got!”

I straightened my back as I announced that out…It’s already nervous when an indoor loner has to give his girlfriend a present. Moreover, recently, I felt awful about missing out on one of my friend’s birthday. So, right now, I’m unusually worked up about Tendou-san’s birthday.

Tendou-san smiled at my energetic look as she continued.

“Amano-kun, …if it’s possible, I hope you can bang me.”

“-Huh?”

I seemed to have heard something incredible, so I can’t help but stop walking. Then, Tendou-san…chuckled slightly mischievously.

“Sorry, I’m just saying that on purpose.”

“…I thought my heart was stopping.”

At that moment, I’m so freaked out that my mind just beamed me a screen of a Japanese curry rice advertisement for no reason.

Tendou-san continued.

“To be correct, it should be…I want you to ‘beat’ me.”

“…Ah, …you mean in video games?”

After I answered in relief, Tendou-san gave me a slightly apologetic look.

“I’m sorry. Of course, I understand your attitude towards gaming and the difference in skill levels between you and me. However, …this is unbelievable, I’m so focused on victory usually when I’m playing video games…But, when I’m facing you, sometimes, I really wish that I could lose.”

“…Really.”

“Even so, I don’t want to purposely go easy on you…How should I put it? I hope that I can acknowledge your victory in a serious situation…Perhaps it’s because I purely wanted to see how strong you can be, that’s why I thought about this…Ay, what was I going on about? Uh, sorry, I feel like I’m so capricious.”

“…No, …it’s totally fine…”

Just as I plopped my head over my inability, Tendou-san seems to have freaked out as she quickly tried to smooth things over.

“Uh, ah, right, Amano-kun. I think it’s better for you to just pick stationary as a present for me, yes! T-Think about it. This way, I can smile idiotically at it during lessons. Yep, what a great idea! It really only has to be something cheap, Amano-kun, please?”

“Tendou-san…”

I want to say something to hear, but I can’t think of anything. So, just as I’m struggling, we arrived at the bus stop.

At the same time, the bus arrived and opened the door in the middle. I’m the only one that’s getting on here, so I can’t drag things out.

“Bye, Amano-kun.”

“Eh? A-Alright, see you later, Tendou-san…”

Although I’m uncomfortable in my heart, I still got on the bus. The door closed instantly. After I sat down near the door, I quickly waved at Tendou-san from the window. Tendou-san waved back at me with a smile…However, after the bus started moving, she immediately disappeared from my sight.

“…Sigh.”

I sat tight depressingly before letting out a sigh.

Then, …I stared at my hands that just held the wireless controller in her home for a good 10 seconds.

“…Let’s do it.”

I, Keita Amano, decided to train hard on gaming for the first time in my life.

*

“So, Uehara-kun, please teach me the basics of fighting games once more.”

“Huh?”

Two days later, after school. I quickly asked one of my few friends, Tasuku Uehara-kun, to teach me. He then gave me an explicate wondering look.

He left me down for a moment and bid farewell to everyone in the class like a normie. After that, he quickly grabbed his bag and gave me a polite smile.

“Bye, Amano. I’ll see you tomorrow!”

“Don’t just escape like nothing has happened, Uehara-kun! What are you trying to pull off!”

“That’s my line! You know how much you suck, yet you’re begging me with that kind of extremely troublesome and stressful chores!”

“I-I’ll pay you something! I’ll give you the invitation code of the mobile game as thanks!”

“Who needs it! Also, you’re acting like you’re giving me a reward, but you’re the only one that ended up profiting!”

“H-How about I’ll give you 10 coupons that you can use to play video games with me!”

“I told you I don’t need it! Why are you giving me this kind of weird ‘massage coupons’ suggestions! Also, you’re still the only one who’s benefiting in the end!”

“I’ll give you a paulownia chest of drawers if you accept it right now!”

“Don’t need it! But I’m kind of curious about where you can find that!”

“Ugh, …I can’t believe you’re still trying to exploit me…Uehara-kun, you’re brutal!”

“What do you mean by exploiting, I didn’t even take anything from you! You’re the one that’s trying to pay tribute!”

“…I feel like that’s what a mugger would say, Uehara-kun…”

“What kind of threat is that! Uh…”

Once we took a look around, everyone in the class is staring at us as they’re whispering.

Uehara-kun gasped. “Ugh…” Then, he let out a huge sigh…After that, he finally backed down.

“…I got it. Anyway, …I’ll train with you at the arcade today.”

“Wow, thanks, Uehara-kun! You’re reliable, after all, yes!”

“…Recently, I can’t help but view you as a demon that pretends to be innocent…”

Uehara-kun seems to be complaining about something, but I readily ignored all that. I grabbed his arms and headed toward the arcade immediately.

“I surrender. Really, please forgive me, Amano-sama.”

“Jeez…Uehara-kun, you’re useless.”

It’s been around 30 minutes since I started playing that 50-yen-per-try, unpopular fighting game with him at the arcade.

Uehara-kun plopped his head down at the machine in front of me, helplessly. Then, I puffed up my chest and crossed my arms as I yelled at him.

“I can’t believe you admitted defeat after you crushed me with a mere 10 overwhelming victories in a row, how useless!”

“I don’t feel like it, THIS IS SUPER BORING!!!”

Uehara-kun peeked at me from the opposite side as if he’s dropping blood tears and told me that.

I ignored my defeated character on the screen and shook my head helplessly.

“When can I get stronger, Master Uehara?”

“Why are you still acting all smug right now! Please, learn for a bit. How could someone be weaker as they played more rounds…”

“I’m afraid it’s because my passion for fighting games has already reached its peak. After that, I’ll start to get bored with it and don’t want to play anymore. Honestly, I’m a bit tired right now.”

“Self-motivation! You want to be better at gaming, right! If you want it, then please act like you want to learn!”

“How impolite. I’m learning in my own ways, as well! Look, this time…I learned that resistance is futile, and not fighting back will make me feel better!”

“That’s the worst thing you can take away from fighting games! The most important thing to do everything is to never give up and stay high-spirited! Most manga and anime mentioned that time and time again, right!”

“But don’t those pawns from Kingdom die in an instant before they can talk about that kind of philosophy? I, Keita Amano, is even worse than those pawns, please acknowledge that! It’s basically impossible for me to kill legends like you or Tendou-san!” [Note: Kingdom, a Japanese seinen manga based on the Warring States period in China.]

“Then there’s nothing left for me to teach you! You will never get stronger!”

“P-Please, Master Uehara…There’s a cheat called ‘protagonist hack’ in this world, right? Can you think of a method…to share some of that to me?”

“How despicable! By the way, I don’t have that at all!”

“Really? What the hell, I shouldn’t find you if I knew it. I should’ve asked the real protagonist Mizumi-kun instead…What a failure.”

“You mean asking your friend to waste 30 minutes with you is a failure!”

“Ah, well, Master Uehara, thanks.”

“You’re literally forcing me to end our friendship! You know that!”

Just as Uehara-kun is screaming, I suddenly sensed that someone is behind.

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

No matter how unpopular a game is, someone ought to try it after we wasted 30 minutes. I initially decided to give my seat as soon as anyone showed up, so I hastily stood up and gave it to that person. However, I guess he or she doesn’t want to sit down yet. Moreover, I think I’m getting stared.

“?”

It wasn’t until this moment that I turned and looked at that person…Then, I realized it was a familiar face.

“O-Oiso-senpai?”

The beautiful gamer girl with a bit of lazy temperament is standing there just as usual. She put her hands in the pockets of her sloppy uniform as she chewed bubble gum emotionlessly.

“It’s really you, Keita Amano. Thanks for the work.”

“T-The same goes for you, senpai…”

I still greeted at Oiso-senpai despite a bit of hesitation. So, Uehara-kun, who was on the opposite seat, noticed her as well. So, he greeted her as he fought against the CPU character.

“Ah, Nina-senpai, thanks for the work.”

“Fake Umehara, thanks.”

The two said hi to each other simply…I’ve heard that they knew each other without me realizing it. However, I feel like these two are much closer than I thought…Hmm…

But now’s not the time for that. I gulped and begged sincerely to this relatively unfamiliar senpai.

“W-Well, Oiso-senpai! There’s a favor I would like to ask you as a fighting game pro!”

“Ask me? You? Keita Amano?”

Senpai bulged her eyes in shock. Honestly, the relationship between her and me is just “we knew each other,” and that’s it. The distance between us is never close enough to ask for a favor.

Uehara-kun, who’s still busy fighting the CPU, managed to interrupt. “You idiot, how can a noob like you drag Nina-senpai down into this mess…!”

But, even so, I mustered up my courage and spoke up.

“Uh, I hope senpai can teach me how to be better at fighting games!”

“Teach? The only way to be better is to practice.”

Senpai said it directly. However, that’s why this is so convincing. Just as Uehara-kun is mumbling dumbfoundedly, “Didn’t I tell you…” I…I abandoned everything and plopped my head down to beg senpai.

“Please, senpai! It’s fine for me to use cheats or shortcuts, just please teach me how to win!”

After I said such an embarrassing wish, a tense atmosphere suddenly appeared among us. It’s not just Nina-senpai, who’s a fighting game pro…Now, even Uehara-kun is getting annoyed with me.

I gulped since I’m already such a coward, then senpai warned me with a slightly thorny attitude.

“The one thing that I hate the most is that kind of ‘shortcut’ attitude, you should know-“

“I know!”

However, I cut her off and shouted. Just as the two are a bit surprised, …I clenched my fist tightly and stared at the floor of the arcade, stuck full of bubble gum…Although I’m about to give in to my own embarrassment, I still said my arrogant and capricious wish.

“Even so, this time, no matter what…I’ll have to beat Tendou-san within a week no matter what! Also, I understand that it’s not going to work even if I put it the effort normally for a week…!”

“…………”

I clenched my fist tightly. This attitude is so terrible that I’m about to cry. However…!

“Even a guy like me knows that the worst attitude you can have is to rely on cheats or shortcuts when you want to be better at gaming! So, the two of you can despise as much as you like! But, …even so, I’m still trying to hold my embarrassment back and beg you two! Please, teach me a shortcut! I beg you!”

“…………” “…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 combat 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 Agur0san, 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 meant 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 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.”