Chapter 5 – Karen Tendou and Exclusive Contract
“You’re saying that…you wanted to decide your stance at the Game Hobby Club?”
I grabbed a piece of my favourite fried chicken nugget with the front of my chopsticks as I asked. Then, Tendou-san answered while staring me face-to-face, straight into my eyes. “Yes.” I was so shocked to the point that I forgot to eat my nugget.
Game Club Room, lunchtime, sometime after the end of the summer holiday.
I’m currently experiencing one of the normiest activity possible, enjoying bento with my girlfriend alone in a closed room…That was supposed to be the case. The regretful thing is that my girlfriend doesn’t seem to want to play sweetly with me at all. The atmosphere in the room is literally a lunchtime conference.
Tendou-san set aside her silky blonde hair next to her ears as she continued.
“Even though I immediately accepted your second invitation to the Game Hobby Club during the summer holiday.”
“Y-You’re right, that’s really the case. I was a bit surprised even when I’m the one who invited you.”
Since Tendou-san hesitated to join in the past, I was honestly prepared to spend some time to convince her. I feel like I just wasted my energy there. Uh, even though I really appreciated it.
Tendou-san elegantly picked up a clump of rice from her bento before saying “Of course” without even taking a glance at me.
“When you said that you wanted to always be together, how can I, Karen Tendou reject-“
She suddenly snapped out of her calmness after saying that, the clump of rice fell back into the bento.
I tilted my head as I looked at Tendou-san’s face. She cleared her throat while blushing before continuing.
“It’s the chief’s responsibility to supervise, I don’t want you to go out of bounds with other girl members.”
“Go out of bounds…Tendou-san, who do you think I am? It’s hurtful if you believe that I’m a player or something like that.
“I didn’t say that, but I believe that you are the type of guy that pulls a girl’s heartstring unconsciously before leaving chicly. A disastrous being.”
“I feel like that’s worse than a player! Am…am I really like that!”
“Yep.”
Tendou-san nodded her head calmly as if she’s describing a fact while chewing the rice…I can’t accept that. When did I mess with a girl’s heart? I feel like I was the one that is being messed with. Whether it’s Tendou-san, Chiaki, or Aguri-san…
Tendou-san enjoying her meal for a while before continuing.
“Back to the topic. Whenever we’re in the Game Hobby Club, what attitude should I, Karen Tendou use? I’m bringing you here because I wanted to discuss this matter, it’s definitely not because I suddenly wanted to go on a lunch with you.”
“Oh, actually, I felt like something was going on when you suddenly invited me to this alone.”
So, I’m definitely not complacent…I meant that while I’m trying to smooth things over. But then, Tendou-san immediately curled up her lips like she’s pissed off.
“…I can’t invite you to eat bento together without reason?”
“Eh? No, it’s not like that…But I can’t really imagine you to do that without any reasons…”
“W-What do you know about me! How complacent!”
“I still ended up getting called a complacent person!”
What should I do? There’s got to be a way to get out of this situation.
I freaked out because I still have no idea how to deal with my girlfriend. So, Tendou-san brought me back to the topic with a cough.
“A-Anyway, we’re talking my stance at the Hobby Club. Amano-kun, what do you think? Should I more or less cater myself in the atmosphere of the Game Hobby Club?”
“Any examples?”
“To put it simply, that means that should I pace myself with the casual players instead of expressing my opinion as a hardcore gamer. People often say that do in Rome as Romans do, right?”
A serious discussion that matches Tendou-san style perfectly. I gave her an “Ahh” before mumbling for a while…Then, I gave a standard and moderate suggestion that fits my style.
“I think you just need to act accordingly to the situation.”
“Sigh, the useless opinion in this circle, act accordingly to the situation finally appeared.”
“Which circle? Well, I do understand what you mean.”
As a suggestion, act accordingly to the situation is basically meaningless. Nobody will be bothered if they can do that. However, this is really the best advice I can give.
“I think you just need to be yourself and express your opinion truthfully…But, on the other hand, when everyone is chatting about casual gaming styles, I hope that you don’t go out of your way and yell “I really hate that!” to everyone.”
“Amano-kun, who do you think I am?”
Tendou-san said that a bit angrily. I gave her a bitter smile in response.
“No, those words aren’t really for you…Instead, it’s more for a fanatic gamer that I know, so I have to advise that beforehand.
“Who’s that?”
“Your boyfriend.”
“…Oh…”
Tendou-san seems to have understood. I bet she remembered the scene where I just said “Oh, I don’t really want to play games that much” in the Game Club full of hardcore gamers…Hmm.
“Just like my example, people will really forget to observe the situation when they’re talking about the things that they love, so I guess you’ll have to pay attention to that…”
“T-Thank you for such a personal suggestion.”
“That’s fine…”
We lowered our heads as we apologized to each other…While you should treasure a person that you can share all things with, sometimes it’ll be more depressing…right.
Tendou-san ate her lunch silently for a while. After that, she seemed to have made up her mind and mumbled “Alright” before looking at me.
“I understand. I’ll just be the true Karen Tendou when I’m in the Hobby Club. Of course, I won’t immerse myself too much into it.”
Tendou-san’s determination…made me really excited. I can’t help but lean my body forward.
“Yes! I think that will be okay! After all, you’re already so attractive when you’re yourself! I’m in love with your serious side! Honestly, I really admire you, and also think that this side of you is adorable! That’s why I wanted everyone in the Game Hobby Club to know- Eh, Tendou-san?”
Once I snapped out of it, I found out that Tendou-san plopped her head down while trembling, her ears are as red as a tomato…Just as I’m thinking, her elegant dining etiquette had a 180-degree turn. She held her bento and start digging all the rice like a boy in a sports club that eats his lunch in the morning. Her cheeks are stuffed like a chipmunk, then she chugged all the tea down her throat along with everything in her mouth. After that…
“T-Thanks for the food!”
“Eh?”
She completely ignored her boyfriend, who was just halfway through his lunch. She stood up abruptly from the chair after she hastily packed everything up.
I can’t follow the rapidly evolving situation, so I just froze there…Then, Tendou-san fiercely glared at me with tears in her eyes.
“Y-Y-Y-Y-You! Saying stuff like that in a closed room, w-w-what are you trying to pull off!”
“Eh! W-Wait a minute, this whole luncheon operation was your idea…”
“Yes! Exactly! Then I’ll obviously be the one that pushes you over onto the bed, am I right!”
“WHAT!”
What was that? What did Tendou-san just say to me? All I know is that now’s probably not the time to enjoy my chicken nuggets peacefully, but my brain can’t catch up at all.
“I can’t take it anymore, Amano-kun, I was nearly caught by your ingenuity. Compared to your tactics…even the military adviser protagonist from the recently popular war-oriented light novel looks like a toddler!”
“What the hell are you talking about!”
“What I am talking about…Ho, ho ho, I can’t believe you’re still putting up an act by now, you’re indeed a scary person.”
Tendou-san’s shivering out of her sheer fear…Crap, I don’t understand in the least bit. Although I heard what she just said, I don’t get the meaning. What is this? Am I getting praised? Or am I getting despised? A-Anyway, Tendou-san seemed to be mad, so I should…
“Um…s-sorry?”
I tried to apologize. However…Tendou-san’s face suddenly flared up again!
“You admitted? Amano-kun, that was an admission right! W-Woah…I’m just half-joking…! I can’t believe you’re actually such a powerful little devil boyfriend…! No, this isn’t a little devil anymore! You’re a big devil! Satan Amano!”
“That was the lamest nickname in the century!”
“Hiya…how fearsome…My boyfriend doesn’t resemble those beastly and demanding boys in the least bit...But, in reality, he’s an archdemon that turns the girl into a beast instead…! Moreover, he can still keep his innocent, pure young boy look plastered on his face in a situation like this…! Ah, how terrible!”
“………….”
…Uh…how should I say this, I wanted to be a clam right now. I feel like everything’s going negatively, no matter what I do. Why my communication skills are always stuck before I even have an option?
Tendou-san is somehow making a “Phew…phew..” noise, she glared at me while all of her blonde hair is raised as if she’s a cat trying to intimidate me. At last, she yelled something shocking while still having a blush on her face.
“But how regretful! It’s going to be a while before I can get you!”
“A NOTICE OF CRIME!?”
This time it was me that started trembling…Eh? What’s wrong? When did I piss my girlfriend off that much? She didn’t hit me or scold at me right here. Instead, she gave me a heads up that she’ll get me in the future, this hatred is undoubtedly unusual, right? Relishing in my fear, this is where her move comes from!
My face turns pale. Then, Tendou-san cleared her attitude and said, “A-Anyway!”
“We’ll disband for today. Thank you for joining this discussion. Please return the key to the office after you locked the door. Well, see you at the Hobby Club.”
She said that with a suspiciously calm tone before hastily preparing to leave the club room with the finished bento in her hands.
I froze while watching a Tendou-san like this for a while…However, at the moment of when she’s in the corridor and was about to salute me before closing the door, I immediately spewed out the words that I wanted to tell her no matter what.
“Ah, Tendou-san! Even though a lot of things have happened, but I’m thrilled that I get to join you at your lunch! Well…I have always finished my bento alone when I’m in high school. So, this meal is especially awesome for me! Uh, I really appreciated that!”
Tendou-san blushed instantly after she heard that, but then she calmed down right away.
In comparison, this time she’s much more gentle…before giving me a flirtatious smile.
“Ho ho, I’m the one that should appreciate your hospitality…I love you, Amano-kun.”
Tendou-san immediately closed the door and walked away after she said that.
I heard her footsteps when I’m still in the club room alone as I mumbled.
“I’m sorry, Tendou-san. Although I almost wanted to tell you that I wish my gaming friends to know how attractive you really are…”
During this time, I thought of her seductive lips before she left.
I can’t help but to cover my eyes with my hand and mumbled.
“…I guess those words aren’t all truthful.”
…I shoved all the chicken nugget in my mouth as if I’m afraid that someone will rob them away.
Then, to vent out some kind of emotion in my heart, I started digging in all the white rice.
Intermission: Gamers and DLC Talk
“Honestly, don’t you think games are too expensive?”
Aguri-san’s still playing on her phone while humpbacked today as she lazily asked us this question.
The Game Hobby Club members immediately stopped their exciting discussion – The crappy game that I accidentally bought online. Elder Hunts. I can’t even get a refund. Then, after Aguri-san’s question, we can’t help but stare at each other.
2F classroom, afterschool, early autumn that’s still a bit too warm. 5 boys and girls are still sitting around the table today.
The classroom is painted with shades of the sunset, music from the orchestra practicing session is echoing throughout the corridor.
When the Hobby Club’s holding its meeting in such a quiet environment, Aguri, who’s still unfamiliar with the gaming industry, asked the question. The first one to answer is the normie boy dating with her, Tasuku Uehara-kun.
Uehara-kun scratched his head as he’s serving the bridge between us loner tribe and the normie tribe. Then, he gave us a reasonable opinion that fits his style.
“6,000 yen sounds expensive, but isn’t there a bunch of T-shirts that have way higher prices…”
“No, no, no, it’s okay when you spend money on fashion since it’s a daily necessity. However, games are basically useless, yet they charge 6,000 yen. Don’t you think it’s weird?”
“No, no, no, no, no!”
We, the three gamers that have remained silent until now, responded loudly.
Here’s a quick explanation. After a bunch of back and forth, the Game Hobby Club currently has 5 members.
First, the couple of Uehara-kun and Aguri-san who just talked.
Then, there’s me, an awkward loner, Keita Amano.
Also, there’s my rival, seaweed otaku Chiaki Hoshinomori.
Then, there’s the perfect female that stands at the top of the school that’s also a hardcore gamer – Karen Tendou. This is just a side note, due to various reasons, she’s actually dating me (allow me to skip the details). With this relationship, she naturally belonged to both the Game Club and the Game Hobby Club.
Alright, back to the topic. Within these members, me, Chiaki, and Tendou-san loved gaming from the bottom of our hearts…Although our stances are a bit different, you can definitely call us gamers.
Of course, we three can never stay silent when we heard that games are useless.
Just as Aguri-san was a bit scared with our manners, Tendou-san got triggered and started retorting.
“Basically, it’s ridiculous to comment on games based on whether its useful or not. Otherwise, activities like watching a movie during a date, bowling, and finely frolicking with my beloved Amano-kun, will you consider all of them to be useless?”
“Uh, let’s forget whether there’s a disgusting and useless scene in the latter half…However, watching a movie or bowling is really fun, right?”
“G-Games are fun as well!”
Tendou-san retorted at the top of her voice with her blonde hair raised as she descended into a rare hysteria. I immediately tried to appease her down. Even so, I began to confront Aguri-san since I basically agreed with all of Tendou-san’s opinion.
“Forget about Aguri-san’s hobbies for a second, gaming is the same as movies and bowling. They are all entertainment. So, I think we shouldn’t focus on their usefulness. Also, I sometimes hoped that I could finely frolic with Tendou-san for a few hours as well.”
“You two can curse each other with Izanami forever. Forget about that, the difference between movies and gaming is that the former will end in around 2 hours. Moreover, bowling is a kind of sport, right? As for gaming…how should I put it? Isn’t that wasting your life away in front of a screen with sounds?”
“What wasting! What do you mean by that!”
Even though that’s really the case! She’s right if she has to put it this way! But why am I getting so restless right now! Is it because my opponent just hit where it hurts the most, which made me really pissed off!?
So, just as my emotions are entirely boiling, the seaweed girl Chiaki can’t stay silent anymore. So, she gave a hand sign for Tendou-san and me to stop them as she stood onto the frontline.
Aguri-san and Chiaki, which have different personalities and experiences for love, started staring at each other fiercely. In terms of appearance, it’s like a dragon versus a tiger…or I guess it’s easier to imagine as a hamster versus a chipmunk. It’s a small scale and a surreal fight between girls.
Chiaki sprung her curly bangs with her finger.
“As a modern person seeking for salvation, I think the time where we get to enjoy gaming with all of our hearts is definitely not useless.”
“Chiaki!” “Hoshinomori-san!”
Tendou-san and I, who’re gamers, were throbbed with what Chiaki just said. Although Chiaki gave us a “Hmph hmph” before putting on a smug look, Aguri-san’s followed immediately with a razor-sharp counterattack.
“…But from my impression, gaming isn’t always making people happy…”
“Ouch!”
“After all, don’t you think leveling up is a frustrating process?”
“W-Well, including leveling up, gaming can make people happy…!”
“Really? I heard from Amanocchi before, people will sometimes doze off when they are gaming. If everyone is indeed thrilled when they’re leveling up, stuff like that shouldn’t happen, right?”
“She’s smart!”
Perhaps it’s because Aguri-san is really uninterested with gaming, sometimes her opinions hit straight to the core.
Chiaki’s forehead is full of sweat as she looked away. Then, Aguri-san continued to follow up on her innocent attacks.
“Uh, if people are dozing off when they are leveling up boringly, why don’t they just spend the time watching movies or TV, I feel like it’s more beneficial that way…”
“Ugh…! B-But, there are also multitasking in gaming where you can do other things while you’re leveling up…”
“Eh, that skill really exists? I didn’t expect gamers to be this smart.”
“Ho…ho ho, I’ll get embarrassed when you praise-“
“But, doesn’t that mean you guys admit that leveling up is boring?”
“Ouch!”
The faces of us three turned stiff because we can’t retort back. Also, Uehara-kun wasn’t a worshipper of “Gamer Suprematism” anyway. So, he just carried a moderate “I guess that’s true” look while observing the development of our discussion.
Aguri-san is seemingly checking an online shopping website with her phone. She asked us this while reviewing the prices from the gaming software ranking.
“Mm-hmm, the new releases are indeed around 6,000 yen…Hmm, what’s this game, it’s over 10,000 yen! First limited edition? Uh, it contains a setting manual and an in-game DLC? …Tasuku, what’s DLC? I heard that from you before, but I forgot.”
“Ah, that’s the abbreviation of downloadable content. To put it simply, you can acquire new content for the game via the internet. From this example…uh, it seems that it allows you to purchase the character’s costumes…”
“Eh? This means that you’re spending real money to buy clothing of the character in-game? For real?”
“Ugh…!”
Aguri-san gave us three gamers a contempt look. Tendou-san and Chiaki immediately started looking for an excuse after they received that.
“I-I’m t-totally uninterested in that kind of DLCs.”
“M-Me too! I’m not buying a clothing DLC either!”
“You two sound like you’re going to buy them if the content isn’t clothing…”
“Ugh!”
The two girls plopped their heads down as their faces turned pale. Just as the price tag argument is leaning more and more to the opposite side…the boys camp – Uehara-kun and I looked to the side as we mumbling quietly.
“…We would usually buy swimsuits or something like that…”
“Huh?”
“Nothing.”
Uehara-kun and I received a wave of despising look from the three girls as we straightened our back…Hmm, perhaps we shouldn’t bring that up in front of our girlfriends. As for Chiaki, she’s a player that vehemently disagrees on moe elements. Swimsuits DLC can’t survive in this environment.
Uehara-kun and I looked away as we whistled. Then, Aguri-san let out a sigh.
“…You guys mentioned that it’s weird to compare games to T-shirts. But, if you have the money to buy clothing for your in-game character, shouldn’t you just dress up for yourself…”
“………….”
This time, including Uehara-kun, all the Game Hobby Club members sweatdropped.
…Crap! It’s hard to argue back! “Entertainment is priceless” can’t be used here anymore! But then, I still managed to spew words out of my mouth!
“Y-Your in-game character is like your clone in a sense! I think spending money on in-game fashion is the same as buying clothes in real-life!”
“Really? I still feel like spending money on things without practicality is too…”
“T-There is practicality! Uh…h-how about this! What will you feel if Uehara-kun bought a ring for you?”
“Eh, why are you asking this suddenly? O-Of course, I will feel happy!”
Aguri-san leaned forward with an excited expression after hearing my question. I nodded my head a couple times before continuing.
“Then, after you got the ring, will you equip it or not?”
“Eh? E-Equip? You mean wearing it? Well, I guess I will…”
“So, will you love Uehara-kun even more?”
“Y-Yeah. It’s quite happy to get a present after all…”
“Alright, at this point, you’ve accepted the concept of DLC.”
“Oh, okay…Wait, this isn’t right, there’s definitely a difference!”
Aguri retorted as she stood up abruptly. However, I did the same thing and joined in the argument!
“Where’s the difference! This is what you pay for in mobile games! To put it this way, Uehara-kun used his real money to buy an item that will raise the affection meter of the gal game character Augir-san. They have the same meaning!”
“Eh, Amano! Watch your words! I really don’t like what you said there!”
Uehara-kun interrupted from the side, but I’ll ignore it for now. Aguri-san is the main problem here.
She pondered in for a while before mumbling…
“…That’s why…So in reverse, if Tasuku accidentally turned into in-game data, perhaps I’ll gift him a bunch of paid items…”
“Hey, wait, that’s a weird premise. By the way, what kind of accidents will turn me into a bunch of in-game data?”
Uehara-kun is interrupting our discussion but forget about him. I continued nonetheless.
“Right, Aguri-san. Let me ask you this. If you can use your in-game clothing…the in-game wardrobe to make Uehara-kun, who was accidentally turned into in-game data, to feel embarrassed or blush, what would you do?”
“Amanocchi, please give me all the pay-to-download equipment! H-How much does it cost? Is 10,000 yen enough?”
“Hey, wait, you two are really sick by coming up with such a premise! Also, Aguri!”
Uehara-kun coughed as he said that. Then, he looked away with a blush and told Aguri-san as his girlfriend.
“You don’t need to do that…I-I’m already in love with…”
“Tasuku…”
A sweet and loving aura radiated from the couple. Just as Tendou-san and Chiaki stared at them with the look of a Buddhist statue, I grabbed the chance and mumbled.
“-Now for 300 yen, you can spin the roulette with the chance of getting that awkward plot as a prize.”
“Amanocchi, I’m spinning for a hundred times!”
“Thank you.”
“Stop! Don’t use me to scam my girlfriend! Hey, Aguri, it’s time for you to wake…”
However, next to Uehara-kun, who just warned her, Agur-san is already grabbing her purse from her bag. Her eyes are rolling around full of affection.
“Ho ho ho…3-30,000 yen for Tasuku to say a bunch of loving words to me, that’s cheap…ho ho…”
“That scared me! You’re scaring me! Hey…A-Aguri! Wake up! You don’t need to pay to enjoy my time with you! It’s because I’m really in love with you…”
“Tasuku…”
Aguri-san’s eyes became clear again. I slipped in and mumbled from the side.
“-That’s how the gaming industry gets players into their trap recently.”
“No wonder. Amanocchi, I understand.”
“It’s my pleasure, don’t mind it.”
Just as I’m feeling smug for myself after my successful explanation for gaming, Aguri nodded her head a couple times before making a conclusion.
“Yep, after the discussion, I understood completely…Games are real shit!”
“Oh, crap!”
“You idiot!”
Uehara-kun, Chiaki, and even Tendou-san yelled at me. Hmm…once I snapped out of it, I realized that I got too immersed and mentioned the scary part of luring gamers to pay! The unique ability of lonely otaku – can’t shut up once the topic is exciting, was accidentally activated!
After Aguri-san understood the concept of payment, she expressed her disappointment towards gaming from the bottom of her heart.
“Uh, so, this means that all the recent games are already expensive. They first need you to pay 6,000 yen, and then the games won’t even let you enjoy the complete entertainment?”
“Ugh…!”
“Ah, there’s a debate about a game in the forum. Hmm…”Premium players are too advantageous in online combat” “A classic pay-2-win game” “The plot for single player wasn’t even finished. You need to wait for DLCs, but I feel like I just bought something incomplete“ What the hell, these players have the same questions as I do, right? About the price of the game.”
“…………”
I, Tendou-san, and Chiaki lowered our heads as we began to sweat. Then, Uehara-kun started comforting his girlfriend, seemingly out of compassion for us.
“Ay, n-not every title is like this in the gaming industry…”
“But this is a famous title. If a renowned title is like this, the gaming industry is about to fall, right? Even though I don’t totally understand.”
Why is this gal’s argument so sharp? Is she a natural enemy for gamers?
Uehara-kun probably thought that it’s not good for the gamer's faction if this continues. So, he tried to change the topic with a smile.
“D-DLC itself wasn’t a bad thing. Think about it, if your favorite manga series ended a while ago, you’d be happy if you got an OVA or a new story, right?”
“Y-Yeah, I guess I can understand that…”
“Also, you would want to see your favorite character in a swimsuit, right?”
“Sorry, I can’t understand that in the least bit.”
There’s a man who’s trying his hardest to get everyone to accept swimsuits but ultimately failed…Uehara-kun!
“…A-Anyway, it’s okay if the DLC is what the players asked for.”
“Mm-hmm…really? Well, what kind of DLCs will make people happy?”
“Eh? I’ve said this already, like swimsuits-“
“Please only answer if you’re not Tasuku.”
“…………”
Just as Uehara-kun fell into depression, we three looked at each other upon Aguri-san’s question.
After a moment of thinking, we decided to answer based on our own’s preference.
Tendou-san’s first. She rose up confidently and puffed up before speaking.
“Of course, as a gamer, I’ll only hope for greater difficulty.”
“…A greater difficulty…that means that the game turns tougher to beat, right? Uh, sorry, I don’t understand the meaning of it at all…”
Aguri-san asked like she’s unable to comprehend the concept. However, Tendou-san, as a hardcore gamer, told her excitedly.
“All fields can make you feel refreshed when you conquer the high barriers that came with it, right?”
“R-Right. I guess I can understand that…”
“Also, doesn’t it feel great when you’re tortured by an unreasonable difficulty in the game?”
“Sorry, Tendou-san. I apologize for interrupting when you’re acting like this is common sense, but I don’t know what you are saying at all.”
“Uh, I’m saying it’s a pleasure to be tortured.”
“Strange. I thought I was talking about gaming, why did I just hear a girl revealing her hentai fetishes?”
“How rude. It’s not just me, all gamers in the world are like this. Right?”
Tendou-san looked at us. Chiaki and I…immediately turned our heads away.”
“…Tendou-san? It seems that no one can understand your point…”
“A-Ahem! A-Anyway, I wish to gradually increase my tolerance!”
“…So you’re a masochist?”
“No! I, Karen Tendou, is just excited when I’m in pain!”
“If that’s not a masochist, I don’t know what is.”
“At least the hardcore gamers in the Game Club will understand!”
“I’m getting the impression that the Game Club is actually a Masochist’s Club. My brain is giving me the image of a bunch of eyes flashing with hentai thoughts when they’re staring at an unreasonable game over screen.”
“…Sigh, i-it’s not wrong when you put it that way…”
“Really? S-So, all gamers are weirdos with masochistic fetishes?”
“Yeah, in a way, you’re-“ “No.”
Chiaki and I responded calmly to try and overlap Tendou-san’s answer. Uh, it’s not like I can’t comprehend Tendou-san’s opinion at all, but there’s certainly a bias.
Tendou-san gave Chiaki and me an unsatisfied look before backing down. “Anyway, I’ve said what I wanted to.”
Uehara-kun moved his chin to urge us to continue defending. Chiaki and I looked at each other’s faces…Then, Chiaki decided to talk about her opinion of DLC.
Tendou-san sat back down. Chiaki cleared her throat before standing up before sheepishly telling Aguri-san her thoughts.
“W-Well, I still feel like it’s great to see the aftermath of the main story in RPGs…”
“Yeah, I can understand that-“
“If there’s an after story where the human protagonists suddenly turned into fishes and cause mass hysteria, that would be awesome!”
“Uh, sorry, what kind of disgusting plot is that?”
“Really? Ah, I apologize first if there’s any misunderstanding. In my hypothetical situation, the main story is still the typical RPG with fantastical elements.”
“Um, sorry, I don’t have any misunderstandings for that. Instead, I think it made more sense if the main characters are already animals in the main story!”
“Ahaha, what are you talking about. It’s because the main story goes for the standard human models, doesn’t turning them into fishes in the OVA makes the plot more fun?”
“I feel like this is the first time that I’ve grasped the true insanity of humanity!”
“How rude. All gamers will look forward to an after story plot where the humans turn into fishes. Right?”
Chiaki smiled as she looked back at us, and Tendou-san and my responses are-
“Shake our heads furiously!”
-We immediately shook our heads in disapproval, not to mention nodding…However, Chiaki pretended she never saw that and turned back towards Aguri-san.
“…Uh, I guess it’s based on personal preferences, perhaps some people prefer shells than fishes.”
“No, the problem isn’t about that kind of small details! The two gamers behind don’t resonate with you in the slightest!”
“B-But, the purpose of DLCs is to provide an after story or affiliated plot. Of course, I will look forward to a bizarre story that can’t be done in the main one!”
“W-Well, if you put it that way, I guess I can understand your point…”
“Right? If there’s a fish version of your favorite manga, you would want to see it, right?”
“Sorry, I don’t understand what you’re saying at all!”
“If there’s a manga where the stage is based on Mars, and the fish powered protagonists are fighting with evolved cockroaches called the Martian Fingerling. Wouldn’t you want to see it?”
“Wow, you’re making me wanting to see it.”
“Even though none of the protagonists could survive without water.”
“Martian Fingerling’s too fatal on Mars!”
“Anyway! DLC in the gaming industry shouldn’t make sense in the least bit. It should be absolutely irreverent to the main story! No one will complain this way!”
“I-I feel like that kinda made sense…! But…!”
Chiaki doesn’t care that Aguri-san has fallen in confusion. She sat back down with a happy face after she finished what she had to say.
Just as the situation is beginning to spiral into chaos…I, Keita Amano, was urged by Uehara-kun to express my opinion for DLCs.
I stood up slowly and faced Aguri-san.
“Uh…I do wish for a DLC with OVAs…the normal ones.”
Ï gave Chiaki a glance before saying my opinion. Chiaki’s the only one sulking, the other members were like, “Right…”
I continued.
“Also, about the game difficulty, I’m actually not against a “strongest game mode” where the player can beat easily.”
“Amanocchi, your viewpoint is still the complete reverse than that of Tendou-san’s.”
Aguri-san smiled mischievously. However, this isn’t the first time that the difference between Tendou-san and me showed up. At this point, Tendou-san isn’t going to be hurt because our opinions are different.
“Sigh, even with that. Instead of paying for those game modes, I still honestly wish to be able to play them after I completed a certain quest in the game.”
“Hmph hmph. I agree with your requirements of DLCs as well…even though it’s boring when the plot is too reasonable.”
“Was the last sentence necessary!?”
“How should I put this, Amanocchi, you’re not suited to act funny when you’re answering a question.”
“It’s because I’m not trying to act funny when I’m answering a question!”
“Even so, you need a pair of glasses if you wanted to be the complaining character.”
“That’s the first time that I’ve heard you can’t become a complaining character if you don’t have a pair of glasses!”
“We don’t have another way, Amanocchi…Take it as a nickname, should everyone call you “Four-eyed” from now on?”
“There’s nothing in me that makes me a Four-eyed!”
“Ah, Four-eyed, go buy me a cup of tea.”
“Why I am suddenly mistreated when my nickname got turned into Four-eyed!”
“…It’s because of the pair of glasses?”
“Apologize to all the glasses in the country!”
“Hmm, including all those reasons, I feel like you’ll look in when you equip a pair of glasses. I’m willing to buy that DLC for 30 yen.”
“That subtle price is pissing me off.”
“Alright, Amanocchi. By the way, do you know how to act funny when you’re answering a question now?”
“All that just for giving me the time to think about how to act funny with a DLC?”
I lost my words as Aguri-san smiled devilishly. In a way, this kind of arguing is born from our interaction during the family restaurant meetings. This is how she and I act like usual.
However, it seems that Aguri-san and I are the only two thinking it this way. Once we snapped out of it, we realized that the other members…
“Ah.”
…The people that we’re dating with, Uehara-kun and Tendou-san, gave us an unhappy look, naturally. But for some reason, even Chiaki is not contented as well.
Aguri-san and I cleared our throats and brought us back to the topic.
“Uh, w-we were talking about the DLC I wanted, right.”
“Y-Yeah. A-Amanocchi, even if there’s an OVA. What’s the exact content that you’re looking for?”
“W-Well…at least not a plot with people turning into fishes…”
To be fair, I feel like I’ve seen a game with a similar idea…Sigh, but let’s forget that for now and move back to my DLC wishlist.
“…Hmm…for example, a scene where the male and female protagonist are happily enjoying their life…?”
I crossed my arms and tilted my head as I said that. Then, Uehara-kun let out a laugh before commenting.
“Hey, hey, hey, that doesn’t make it a game anymore.”
“Ah, right. However, the grand finale is already included in the main story. I think it’s miserable for the protagonists if they need to go through a bunch more weird events just because I wanted to keep playing…”
Chiaki was baffled with my opinion as Tendou-san chuckled.
“Keita, what kind of opinion is that…”
“Haha, Amano-kun is still a kind-hearted and gentle person in every way.”
“…Hmm.”
She’s right. What do I want? Even I feel like I don’t have the right idea, they’re right to be dumbfounded.
Just as we’re discussing, Aguri summarized the topic.
“Ay, about the part where the customers can get what they want by paying extra, I guess I can understand this part. To put it this way, DLCs are basically extra side dishes or dim sums, right?”
“Ah, yes, that’s it. That’s a nice metaphor.”
“Then, there’re players arguing in the forums because the main dish wasn’t salty enough in the first place. But then, they were asked to pay X yen to get extra salt. I guess that’s how it goes, right? Even though you need to pay extra in both situations, the latter is quite unacceptable, right?”
The high school gal’s view of the gaming industry is accurate. It’s agitating the gamers. While Aguri-san was slightly freaked out by that, she continued to make the conclusion.
“Hey, that’s my conclusion after I’ve heard everyone’s opinion…In the end, the games are still too expensive, right?”
“…………”
“I know that all entertainment has its own values. However, even so, I still don’t understand the meaning of paying several thousand yen to spend 40 hours on a bunch of work with vibrating numbers and a bit of storyline. If you’re looking for a touching story, isn’t watching movies, TVs, or reading enough? As for a sense of achievement, won’t it be better for you to just get a job in real life and earn an income?”
“…………”
“Ah, s-sorry. I didn’t mean to criticize gaming…”
Aguri-san quickly tried to smooth things over when she saw all of us fell silent. However, I beamed a smile before responding.
“Ah, no, we’re not in a bad mood. Instead…I guess a person who has played games for a long time to probably feel like you’re right in a sense.”
“Hmm? R-Really? Uh…s-so, all gamers are masochists like Tendou-san?”
“Not at all. Tendou-san’s the only extremity here.”
“Amano-kun, Amano-kun, that’s a weird way to smooth things over! It’s no joke when a boyfriend agrees that his girlfriend is a masochist!”
Tendou-san protested with a blush on her face. However, that’s not the point of what we’re discussing. So, I smiled and ignored her before continuing.
“How should I put this…I believe that only gaming can bring you the joy of fruitless labor.”
“…Amanocchi, you’re willing to buy for a fruitless labor experience?”
“Well, I guess so…”
I thought about it for a while. Then, I answered Aguri-san.
“…Well, for example, there’s an RPG that my parents bought for me when I’m in elementary. Ay, that’s actually just a counterfeit of a big-brand RPG. There’s no balance, it sucked all the way down to the mantle as a game. Also, after some browsing, I realized its price is even higher than the real one.”
“Uwah, what a waste!”
“Yeah, I was depressed when my parents got me the wrong game as well…But, think about it, I’ve always been like this. So, I’m scared to tell my parents that this isn’t what I wanted…”
“Amanocchi, I feel like that’s a bitter story. I don’t want to hear it…”
I looked up, and everyone’s giving me a depressed look. I hastily continued to lighten up the mood.
“H-However, my parents went through a lot to get me that game, after all. So, I decided to give it a try with my little brother. Sigh…that was such a bad experience. Even so, it’s not like I’ve any other ways to entertain myself…”
“Amanocchi, big sister’s getting you a game right now!”
“I’m not trying to earn your sympathy! Uh, I’ll continue then? About that game…I played that all day with my little brother and more or less realized the fun part of it. However, the design of the recording system and quest conditions are crappy, and there’s no walkthrough on the internet. So, we replayed for a few tries and was a bit tired with it from time to time…In the end, even if we did complain a lot, we still enjoyed it for like 3 years. Also, sometimes when we managed to beat a level which we’ve stuck on for a whole year, my little brother and I felt very good for it.”
Aguri-san gave me a dubious smile.
“Like you’ve said…it is indeed a warm story. But even so, that still doesn’t improve my impression of gaming. After all, you can take the game out and change it to a book or a movie, and the story will still make sense. It just means that you two are a pair of true brothers that can find enjoyment from all things.”
“Mm-hmm…I’m not sure if I can take what you’ve said at face value…But, I think the only reason that brought us together is that it’s a game.”
“…What do you mean?”
Aguri tilted her head dumbfoundedly. Then, I proceed to tell her my view of gaming.
“It’s because gaming allows the user to intervene from both positive and negative sides. That’s why, in a relationship like this, there should be some elements that significantly reduced its value. However, on the other hand…”
I continued with as I feel a tinge of embarrassment flushing up my face.
“I feel like it’s a resilient form of media that allows you to inject whatever emotion you want into it.”
“…………”
Aguri-san listened silently. As for the gamers, they seem to have different thoughts on their heads while accepting my opinion with a warm expression…I appreciated it.
“So…compared to other forms of entertainment, I can’t make up a single conclusion to whether the price of games is high or low. Instead, even when I found out that it’s a crappy title after I bought it, I’ll feel “whatever” sometimes.”
“Hey, that can be applied anywhere.”
“Yes. However, that’s why…the only thing that we gamers can do is…is to try and find enjoyment in the game in our own ways. From this perspective, leaving down a harsh comment and complain along with those who agree with you could be a kind of entertainment. In the end, a lot of titles left down their irreplaceable memories in this way.”
Chiaki smiled as she added.
“Ah, there’s a ranking for the worst games on the internet. I guess the very existence of it is from what you’ve mentioned.”
I nodded at her as I continued with a smile.
“At least, to my little brother and me, the crappy game isn’t calculated in terms of its price.”
“…………”
“Uh, so…can you find the price of the games acceptable now?”
I trembled as I asked Aguri-san. Although she pondered over it for a while…she still gave me a bitter smile before nodding at me.
“Understood. If that’s the case, I won’t careless complain of expensive games.”
“Thank you.”
Tendou-san, Chiaki, and Uehara-kun smiled at our interaction…a warm and gentle atmosphere radiated in the Game Hobby Club.
Chatting happily with everyone about gaming and achieving mutual understanding at last…Is there another place where I can join in such a blessing event like this?
…Times like this can’t be expressed with any words other than a blessing to a loner like me.
Although I’m deeply throbbed by the situation…on the other hand, I suddenly realized now’s the only time to tell everyone my idea. So, I stood up abruptly.
“So, everyone, we arrived at the conclusion that all games can be fun. Then, how about we play this 5-player, infamously crappy Elder Hunt together-“
“Alright, thanks for today, everyone.”
All members of the Hobby Club stood up as they prepare to leave.
Just as I’m hesitating, even Tendou-san, who’s supposedly my girlfriend, left without bothering to say anything to me.
“…………”
I was left in the classroom alone as I stared at the sunset outside the window. Then, I mumbled to myself.
“…I knew it.”
No matter how you put it, a bad game is a bad game. A wrong purchase is a wrong purchase. Most importantly…
“…Sigh, I really wanted a refund…!”
In the end, I have deeply realized that I’ve wasted my money.
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