Chapter 40: If I Have to Say, I Still Prefer the Heavenly Arrival Archetype
Although she said "duel," they certainly wouldn't be playing Yu-Gi-Oh!
Although Yu-Gi-Oh! always maintained popularity, whether the physical cards or the digital game, Kaede and Eriri weren't very interested in playing. The main reason was that there were simply too many cards, different deck types, and countermeasures; it was too hardcore. At most, they would watch the anime.
Half an hour later, facing another defeat on the NS screen, Eriri weakly closed Super Smash Bros. and looked at the still relaxed Kaede across from her, asking, "You really don't hold back, do you?"
"I've already gone easy on you a lot."
Kaede put down his NS and said with a laugh, "Besides, haven't you played this for dozens of hours? How are you still so bad?"
"Don't you know that Smash Bros. is easy to learn but hard to master? I've only played for a few dozen hours; doing this well is decent! If you have the guts, let's play Mario Kart!"
"Forget it, forget it. We've been playing for half an hour. Let's take a break and order something else to eat."
Kaede waved his hand. Today wasn't about meeting up just to play video games.
They called over a waitress, ordered two cakes and two drinks, and started chatting.
Watching Eriri happily eat dessert again, completely disregarding the calories, Kaede smiled and asked, "Speaking of which, you've always hidden your hobbies. Have you never thought about finding some good friends?"
"Hmm? How would I find them?"
This time, Eriri ordered the lemon iced tea. After taking a sip of the cold drink, she said, "Should I look for online friends? Who can trust online friends these days? What if we arrange an offline meeting from a group, and it turns out I'm the only girl, and everyone else is a greasy old man? Wouldn't that be miserable for me?"
"Miserable?"
Looking at Eriri, and recalling her identity as an artist, Kaede couldn't help but laugh. "You really jump to conclusions easily. How likely is it for something like that to happen?"
"Hmph, who says I shouldn't be prepared?"
Eriri whispered, "Actually, I did join some fan groups online before, but it wasn't interesting. The topics were all over the place, so I left after a short while. Novels really do lie."
"Oreimo?"
Nodding, Eriri said, "I read that novel and thought I might be able to find like-minded friends, but it turned out things weren't that simple at all!"
"Novels are naturally idealized. How often in reality do you coincidentally meet several girls who are all otaku?" Kaede said with a smile. "Actually, as long as you hide your identity well and join a few groups to check them out, you should be able to find online friends you can talk to, right?"
"Anyway, I don't have the patience for that anymore. After that time, I just played by myself. It's actually fine; I can still chat with a few teachers and older girls in the club, so it's not truly boring. I just don't have any otaku friends my age."
After speaking, Eriri glanced at Kaede, thinking that she had actually met one now.
Emmm... Actually, if he were female, it might be even better, and she wouldn't have so many worries.
Kaede didn't notice Eriri's gaze. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Someone your age? Isn't Utaha-senpai one? When I chatted with her at the Bunko before, I learned that she is actually a hidden otaku, too. I think you two should be able to get along."
"Her?"
It was fine until he mentioned her, but as soon as Utaha was brought up, Eriri got worked up. She cut a piece of cake, ate it fiercely, and said, "The difference in our attributes is simply too great! Even if we have some overlapping hobbies, it would be hard for us to talk. That's right, that's how it is!"
I see. Is this the war between the flat-chested and the busty? This is indeed a factional dispute that has existed since ancient times.
"Mmm, I see. Well, there's nothing we can do about that." Leaning forward slightly, Kaede looked at Eriri and said, "Then I guess you'll just have to settle for only having me as a peer to talk to."
"Hmph, I think *you're* the one who can't find anyone your age, and *I* should pity you and talk to you," Eriri retorted stubbornly, her face slightly flushed.
Kaede didn't argue back, because he had just heard something interesting.
At the table diagonally behind him, two male customers who had just sat down were talking to the Maid Lady, and they had asked the maid to change the way she addressed them, switching from "Master" to "Onii-chan."
After thinking about it, Kaede asked, "Eriri, did you ever think about asking the maids here to use a different title when addressing you?"
"That? I don't really care much about that. Since we came to a Maid Cafe, it feels more appropriate to have the maid call you 'Master,' doesn't it? Why bring that up suddenly?"
Kaede glanced toward the table diagonally behind him and chuckled, saying, "I just think everyone's preferences are different. Some people like the 'little sister' persona."
"Mmm..."
Eriri also noticed what was happening over there. She shrugged indifferently and pouted, saying, "These days, although the 'little sister' faction is still somewhat competitive, only Izumi Sagiri has any real influence, right? I don't know why there are still so many siscon fans around. Isn't childhood friend much better?"
"But it seems like the childhood friend archetype suffers more, doesn't it?"
"No way!" Eriri energetically slapped the table and said seriously, "Childhood friends have a natural advantage! Isn't that feeling of innocent familiarity and mutual understanding wonderful? For example, Kirino in Oreimo, didn't she still end up tearing up the book in the end?"
"That was a biological sister; it's different," Kaede shrugged. "But as for me, I still prefer the heavenly arrival archetype."
"Huh! You're a heretic too!"
"Tch, according to you, wouldn't everyone who likes characters other than the childhood friend archetype you prefer be a heretic?"
"Exactly!"
She really is persistent.
Recalling the games, anime, and manga he had consumed in recent years, Kaede said, "If I had to say, the only thing that might satisfy you is probably Conan, right? Everyone in there is a childhood friend, and Aoyama-sensei is a staunch supporter of the childhood friend faction."
"Exactly, exactly!" Eriri immediately puffed out her chest upon hearing this and said proudly, "Childhood friends are the best! Teacher Aoyama is definitely the pillar of us childhood friend faction! Asakura, it's not too late to join us now!"
"No, no, no."
Kaede smiled and shook his head: "I've never had a childhood friend, so I don't have any personal obsession with that. In my opinion, the 'fated encounter' type is the best. The feeling of someone suddenly appearing before you, and through interacting, becoming your own unique heroine—that, to me, is even better."
"Emmm~~~ That's hard to argue with."
Eriri found herself unable to contend with Kaede, so she could only fill her dissatisfaction with cake. "Awoo... In any case, these light novel authors and manga artists nowadays are just too weak. What's wrong with letting childhood friends win more often?"
Kaede smiled without speaking, looking at Eriri and realizing that the girl hadn't truly grasped the meaning of his words.
Hmm... was what I said too subtle?