The game Miku liked was a new, large arcade fighting game set in the Warring States period.
The story in it probably picks up from the old version, a true sequel that keeps the old spirit alive, which is why Miku came to this arcade.
Because it's a new game, it looks like there are a lot of people in line.
"As expected of a new game, you can never find an open machine, and even if one opens up, someone else immediately comes to play."
Miku scratched her head shyly while waiting in line.
"You could just buy it and play at home if you don't want to wait in line,"
Natsuhiko joked.
"Hmph..."
Miku resisted his words with a negative attitude.
"I want to play too. I guess I'll have to buy it for my house."
"Huh? You're going to buy it?"
"..."
Miku looked at Natsuhiko, who suddenly stopped talking, and realized she'd been tricked again.
Seriously, the more time Miku spends with Natsuhiko, the more she feels there's a huge gap between his appearance and inner self, as well as a mix of familiarity and strangeness.
"Well, you can come to my place to play when I buy it, Miku."
"That's true... um, but is it really okay to play games instead of studying?"
Miku spoke hesitantly. She didn't expect that was what she really thought. She really wants to be spoiled.
"Oh, Miku, two machines right next to each other just opened up. Let's go play!"
"Huh... oh, okay!"
Just then, two machines opened up, and Natsuhiko noticed it first.
Anyway, first, let's let Miku have a blast.
At a quick glance, besides the two of them, no one else was waiting for this game.
After Miku had her fill of looking at the demo screens and character introductions, Natsuhiko put in 100 yen for game coins.
"I'm going to watch the story mode first!"
Miku said this casually from across the machine.
After all, it's based on the stories of Warring States generals, so it's understandable that Miku likes it.
It has famous characters like Date Masamune, Sanada Yukimura, and Tokugawa Ieyasu.
"When the home version comes out, I'll buy it, and you'll definitely find it even more interesting,"
Natsuhiko said in a louder voice.
However, he got no response from Miku.
"Let's fight, Hiko!"
"Go easy on me, Miku!"
"Heh."
Natsuhiko focused on the screen. Miku had already picked her character.
She picked Sanada Yukimura, a power-type character that looks difficult to control just from his appearance. Miku had a reaction that seemed surprised.
"Huh, Hiko, you know this game?"
"Not at all. I just picked Sanada Yukimura because he's cool and has a lot of wives."
"Oh... Oh, really! Do you know how many wives he has?"
Miku asked the question as if she were stunned... and even looked happy!
This was a piece of cake for Natsuhiko. Then "Date Masamune"...
Finally, after the history quiz, the two finally focused on the fight.
Fighting games are tricky to play against people who just shake the stick randomly. Miku relies on a lot of random button presses to try to land hits.
San Jiu would always try out different moves to figure them out, remember a move, and then keep using it, and then would lose to some small moves in a normal fight.
"Hiko, you're amazing!"
It's just that you're too weak, Miku. After all, even when she plays games about generals, she always plays alone. Doesn't she have any friends to play with?
Natsuhiko also gave her a slight handicap, using other flashy but impractical characters. Even so, Natsuhiko could still beat Miku without using special moves.
Then Natsuhiko started to make it even harder for himself.
Like closing one eye, closing both eyes, so that Miku could have a chance to use her special moves... This guy usually looks quiet, but when he plays these kinds of games, he becomes very energetic.
The match ended.
Natsuhiko, of course, was the big winner.
"Let's keep playing!"
Miku excitedly put in more coins.
Then they switched characters and continued fighting. Neither of them continued using the characters they used before.
"No one's waiting behind us. Let's play for a bit longer!"
There was a bit of excitement in Miku's voice.
So, Natsuhiko started the second match.
Miku isn't an expert at every game, or even good at all. She keeps trying out all kinds of moves.
"I didn't think playing games like this would be so fun..."
Not counting the situation with Miku at home, it's probably rare for her to come to the arcade and fight seriously. Playing with Miku like this, fooling around like this, and seeing how cute Miku is, is really worth it.
Natsuhiko also fooled around with her. During the match, Miku was able to win.
In the end, Miku controlled her character and knocked him to the ground again.
Miku left her seat and hurried over, her face slightly red, and looked at him.
"That was so fun, Hiko!"
"Yeah, haha~"
Natsuhiko wasn't as excited as Miku, of course, but just looking at Miku's smiling, happy face, he also felt like he had fun.
Not her usual expression, but a more lively one.
Just looking at her from the front, you can understand Miku's small happiness.
Natsuhiko looked around and said,
"So, what should we play next?"
"Ah?"
Hearing Miku's answer, Natsuhiko knew that she had fully accomplished her goal today.
"Then let's go play 'Basara' or 'Sengoku Blade'!"
Natsuhiko suggested.
"Even though they are shooting games, they are also set in the Warring States period."
"Ah ha, then let's play together."
...
"Ah, Miku, actually, those games aren't related to the Warring States period, but racing games are also fun."
"And basketball."
"And..."
That's how Natsuhiko half-forced Miku to play a lot of single-player and two-player games that he was interested in, and his hands were constantly filling up with stickers.
In reality, Natsuhiko had a lot of fun playing games with Miku. Her skills weren't good at all; she was even clueless when it came to games not related to generals. However, she always gave off a feeling of enjoying the game, and Natsuhiko was infected by that feeling.
In the end, Miku even took the initiative to tug on his sleeve and run.
It can be said that within a few hours, the two of them had left their footprints all over the arcade.
The people around them looked stunned.
He put the stickers in the box.
The game coins they exchanged were also almost used up.
Miku finally realized that it was almost time to go home, since Natsuhiko had his tutoring session today.
"How about this, Miku? We haven't done the one thing you have to do when you come to the arcade!"
"Is there such a thing?"
Miku looked slightly puzzled.
"Of course!"
Natsuhiko pointed his finger at a place where a group of men and women were gathered.
That was—the claw machine!
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