Chapter 9
Game Center
“Taiyo-san, over here.”
On the way back from the library, I walked with Tsukiyo Kaminagi through the shopping district.
It feels like we’ve been seeing each other almost every day lately. Her chestnut hair swayed, drawing glances from everyone passing by. Being with this “little sister” makes me happy, but I can’t help wondering how she feels about it.
The shopping street was holding one of those “garagara” prize lotteries. Since she had gotten a ticket, we stopped by to draw on our way home.
“The lowest prize is tissues. Classic.”
“But the first prize is a pair of tickets to a hot-spring town! If we win, let’s go!”
“That sounds nice. Exploring a hot-spring town…”
“Then after we’ve worked up a sweat, we’ll hop into an open-air bath.”
“And enjoy the ryokan dinner at night.”
“And at night, we’ll be in the same room and… ah.”
Both of us had imagined spending the night together, and our eyes darted away from each other. We’re not even in that kind of relationship—why would we even think that?
“I shouldn’t just blurt things out when I’m excited.”
“Yeah, my big brother probably wouldn’t allow it anyway.”
Pulling ourselves together, we gave the lottery a spin…
We ended up at the game center.
The prize was a bit better than tissues—five plays at the arcade. We collected our coins at the counter.
“Do you come to arcades often?”
“I do~. But I don’t have much money, so I mostly just watch. Oh, but I do take a lot of purikura (photo booth pictures).”
Purikura, huh. The one time I took it with a guy friend, it was just depressing.
But since she won five plays, I’d better go along with it properly.
“Then let’s take a purikura.”
My heart almost broke right there.
We stepped into the cramped booth. This is what couples do, right? Make funny faces and pose together. Does she really want to take one with me? What’s in it for her?
“Taiyo-san, come closer.”
“I get it, stop pulling!”
We ended up pressed against each other. On the screen, she looked so cute that I didn’t know what expression to make.
“We don’t get opportunities like this, so come on—closer, closer!”
She was being unusually forward. Her face looked a little embarrassed though—was she forcing herself?
Maybe she likes me…?
No, that’s just me being conceited. But still, she was even linking her arm with mine. My heart couldn’t take it. Ah, she smells nice… and she’s soft too!
The purikura was over quickly, and the photo came out.
My smile was stiff. No way I could act normal.
“A photo with Taiyo-san!”
She held it up, eyes sparkling with joy. I tried not to think about it.
If I expect too much, it’ll only hurt later. Better not to hope.
We used the remaining four plays on a UFO catcher, a gun-shooting game, a racing game, and finally… this:
“Taiyo-san, I’m not going to lose!”
“Hmph, silly girl. Don’t think you can beat me.”
The arcade classic: air hockey.
We took our mallets and faced each other.
“How about the winner gets to make the loser do something?”
“Sounds good. Don’t complain when you’re stripped of your pride!”
(Not that I’d actually do that.)
Besides, I’m guaranteed to win. No way I’d lose to a girl who’s not used to arcades. What should I make her do when I win…
We crouched slightly, reading each other’s movements.
She served first—I’d counter.
“Mm!”
Wait a sec—when she crouched down, her pink cutsew revealed a deep cleavage. My eyes were glued to it.
So soft-looking, so bouncy-looking…
“Ha!”
She scored while I was distracted.
What?! Was that… a seductive tactic?
First to ten points. No problem. I’ll get serious from here. I slammed the puck back hard. But she reacted instantly, moving her mallet to return it.
Meanwhile, my eyes just kept drifting back to her swaying chest.
Result: 10–1. I barely got a single point. Total defeat.
Whether it was the “sexy tactic” or not, she was actually strong. Her reaction speed was crazy. On top of that, her athletic ability was off the charts.
“Were you off your game?”
“No, I was… perfectly fine.”
Thanks to you, I’m actually more than fine!
We sat on a bench inside the arcade, lightly sweating.
“Then, I’ll have you do what I say.”
She stood up and bent forward to look into my face.
Hey, hey—don’t lean like that, your clothes loosen. Her face was too cute to look at, her chest too exposed to look at. Where should I look? At those soft-looking thighs?!
She’s so defenseless. She once told me that aside from her brother, I’m the only male acquaintance she has—maybe she just doesn’t realize.
“Call me properly by my name—Tsukiyo.”
“Eh.”
I call her “little sister” because calling her by name feels awkward, especially since I call her brother by his name.
And for a guy with no experience with women like me, saying a girl’s name outright is embarrassing.
“I’ve decided. You will call me that.”
She’s so stubborn about things like this.
There’s no benefit to her having me call her name.
But she’s younger, and she’s my friend’s sister—practically my little sister too.
Maybe it’s pathetic for me, as the older one, to be embarrassed.
“Then… Tsukiyo-san?”
“Tsukiyo.”
“Tsukiyo-chan…?”
“Tsukiyo.”
So I have no choice!
If I hesitate, she wins. I stood up, looked her in the eyes.
“Tsukiyo.”
“—!”
She snapped her gaze away, covering her mouth with both hands.
Her cheeks, peeking out from between her fingers, flushed faintly pink.
“Say it again.”
Still hiding her mouth, she looked up at me with pleading eyes.
Oh no. She’s too cute. My whole body felt hot.
Before my mouth could freeze, I managed to get it out.
“Ah… Tsukiyo.”
“—! —!”
She turned away and started hopping up and down.
I was so embarrassed I couldn’t take it anymore.
Even though she asked me again later, I couldn’t bring myself to say it anymore.
I felt like the distance between me and Tsukiyo had shrunk just a little.
Ah… what is this feeling?
This kind of feeling isn’t supposed to arise. It shouldn’t.
