Have fun

"This is unexpected, it turns out that Inui-san likes to go to the Game Center."

Akira didn't ask where Shinju was taking him, and finally he arrived at a Game Center after walking for 15 minutes.

"Sometimes I play with Onee-chan, Nakano-kun doesn't like it?" Shinju asked.

"Not really, I just rarely come to this kind of place." Ren said.

The two walked into the Game Center. Then, noisy sounds and colorful lights filled the room.

"There's even Pachinko here."

Akira glanced at the Pachinko machines, which were mainly played by grown men.

Gambling in Japan is illegal. However, Pachinko is an exception, because it uses a system of exchanging points for money, so it does not include gambling. Of course, this is just a lie, no matter from which angle you look at it, Pachinko is gambling.

However, the Japanese government turns a blind eye, because society needs such a relationship.

"Nakano-kun, it's not nice to play Pachinko, it's gambling."

Shinju finds Akira watching Pachinko, she is worried that her friend wants to gamble.

"You misunderstood Inui-san, I have no interest in playing Pachinko. I'm just watching."

"We play there."

Not believing it, Shinju subconsciously pulled Akira's hand, and went towards the arcade machine area.

"Ah, I'm sorry, I didn't do it on purpose."

Realizing her daring act, she withdrew her hand, and her face turned red.

"Ahem, Inui-san likes fighting genre games. I thought you didn't like this kind of violent game."

Akira spoke to ease Shinju's embarrassed mood.

"What's weird?" Shinju asked nervously.

"No, no, no, everyone has a hobby they like. As long as it doesn't deviate from social norms, no one has the right to judge that hobby."

"Inui-san, you know that otaku are looked down upon and disgusted by most people in Japan, right?"

"I know most people would stay away from an otaku."

Not knowing why Akira suddenly asked that, Shinju still answered.

"That's a stupid thought. If there were no otaku, then Japan's economy would be as good as it is now. ACG culture has spread throughout the world, and many otaku spend money on action figures, games, etc., which are sold at a high price."

"I don't know why most people have a bad stigma about otaku, even after ACG's culture helps this country's economy. Ahem... Simply put, what I'm trying to convey is, don't care about what others think of your hobby, you don't harm others, why should you care what they think?"

Realizing that he had gotten off topic, Akira cleared his throat, and expressed his opinion.

"Thank you, Nakano-kun... No one ever said that to me..."

Shinju was moved by those words. All this time, she hid her otaku hobby for fear of being ostracized by her friends. However, after listening to Akira, she feels that people who stay away from her just because she is an otaku, they are not worthy to be friends.

"Cough... I'm talking exaggeratedly, let's start playing, isn't that what we came here for?"

Akira coughed, sat down on a chair in front of an arcade machine, and then inserted the coins that had been exchanged earlier.

Shinju smiled faintly, sat across from Akira, and inserted a coin.

"I often play Tekken here, I will hold back against Nakano-kun."

Her mood became better than before, and Shinju was no longer nervous.

"There's no need to give me convenience, I'm not a clueless rookie."

Akira refuses Shinju's offer, he doesn't like being looked down upon.

"Nakano-kun himself said it, don't be angry when you lose later."

Shinju chose the character Nina Williams.

"Say that when you have won."

Akira didn't care what character he used, he let the system choose randomly, and Devil Kazuya's character was chosen.

After the countdown reached zero, the two of them didn't speak, eyes concentrated on the screen, and hand gestures while pressing buttons rapidly.

Although Akira rarely plays Tekken, that doesn't mean his skills are bad. In arcade machines, hand speed is one of the determining factors for victory. She who has [Gift: Last Future Embryo], is undoubtedly superior to Shinju, who is just an ordinary high school girl.

"K.O!"

Arcade machine announces victory.

"Didn't Nakano-kun lie by saying he didn't play Tekken often?" Shinju asked suspiciously.

"I'm not lying, it's just that my hand speed is too fast, I can use combos in no time."

Akira chose the next character, namely Jin Kazama.

"In the next round, I won't lose."

Shinju's competitive nature comes out.

"Just try it." answered Akira.

...

10 minutes later.

"I give up, Nakano-kun is so great, I admit defeat."

After playing 20 rounds, Shinju no longer wanted to play. She lost all the rounds, which made her frown.

"What do you want to play next?" Akira asked while squeezing his finger.

"Nakano-kun's turn is decisive."

Shinju did not forget her initial intention to go to the game center to return the favor to Akira.

"Let's have a look first."

The two of them circled around the game center, and tried out the many available games.

Taiko, FPS, Dance Dance Revolution, Air Hockey, etc.

Currently Akira is playing Street Basketball, and Shinju is watching beside him.

*👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻*

Shinju clapped, and exclaimed in admiration.

"As expected of the main member of the basketball club, Nakano-kun set the highest record."

On the Street Basketball machine, the number 999 is the limit of that machine.

"Let's exchange the tickets we got."

"En."

Shinju helps Akira collect tickets that won't stop coming out of the machine. Then, the two of them went to the prize exchange place.

The clerk counts the number of tickets with the help of a machine.

"The number of tickets is 5321, please choose what prize you want to exchange." Ask the officer with a friendly smile.

"What are you, Inui-san?"

"Most of these tickets were obtained by Nakano-kun, you are the one who has the right to determine the prize."

"I've had enough fun with you, I don't need the prize."

"Nakano-kun is cheating..."

Akira's words made Shinju's heart beat faster than usual. Looking at the rows of objects on display, she chose an action figure of Souma.

"I choose it."

"What else, customer."

"Remaining tickets change into snacks."

"Understood."

The clerk worked quickly, and handed Shinju a prize.

"It's 5:21 p.m., time flies unnoticed when you're having fun, let's go home, Inui-san."

"En."

Shinju agreed to Akira's suggestion.

While walking towards the exit, Shinju suddenly grabbed Akira's clothes.

"What is it?"

"Before heading home, let's try that."

With a blushing face, Shinju pointed to the right.

Akira saw where she was pointing, and understood why she was embarrassed.

Purikura, this one game is a photo booth. Usually, this game is played by young girls, they take photos of their faces and edit them to be cute and attractive.

"Sure, why not? Photos are great keepsakes, I've always wanted to try a photo booth."

"Nakano-kun has never been to a photo booth?"

Shinju was surprised to know this fact, didn't that mean she became his first partner?

"Yes, this is my first time, I may be inexperienced, please treat me gently."

"Nakano-kun's choice of words caused others to misunderstand."

The blush on Shinju's face grew thicker.

"I'm just kidding." Akira smiled faintly.

The two enter the photo booth, because Akira is inexperienced, Shinju edits the photo effect settings.

"Oho, so it's like using it."

Watching from behind, Akira watched Shinju.

Then, the countdown starts.

"Don't stand too far, Inui-san, come closer."

Akira put his hand on Shinju's shoulder, and pulled her next to him.

"Ehhhhh,..."

This was the first time Shinju made physical contact with a boy, her cheeks were dyed red.

The camera at the photo booth started taking pictures of the two without caring about Shinju's feelings.

...

Beyond the flashlight game.

"Today was fun, thank you for inviting me, Inui-san. Let's come here next time.."

"En, next time… See you tomorrow at school, Nakano-kun."

"Yeah, see you soon, Inui-san."

Akira waved his hand at Shinju, and turned to leave.

After seeing Akira lost in the crowd, Shinju looked at the small photo in her hand.

"This is embarrassing... I hope Nakano-kun doesn't think I'm a bad woman." Shinju muttered under her breath.

Feeling the gazes of male passersby on her chest, she hurriedly left towards the train station.