“I’ll give you a winning strategy”

Translated by Raze
Edited by Lieer

 

“Here we are! The arcade!”

 

“An arcade…”

 

Dazzling light and colorful background, flashy machines, loud music, and electronic sounds.

 

It’s a holiday so there are a lot of people here.

 

“When you think of ‘fun’, you think of an arcade!”

 

“That’s right, it’s common sense.”

 

“That may be so…but…”

 

This atmosphere and environment are hard to cope with for a person like me.

 

Rather, they are just plain noisy. And obviously, I’m not interested in crane games or photo booths.

 

Looking over to Tachibana, she was also covering her ears and eyes.

 

“Satsuki, you know I’m not good with arcades…”

 

“Are~? Did you say that?”

 

“Well well, for today it’s gonna be alright!”

 

This idiotic couple is shouting as if they are trying to cover up something.

 

They are probably up to something…

 

“Alright! Let’s do that first!”

 

“Sounds good! Let’s go!”

 

We slowly chased after the 2 who quickly ran away. Tachibana and I looked at each other.

 

It seems like Tachibana was feeling the same way I was.

 

I made a gesture with my hand and tilted my head while Tachibana nodded to that.

 

She agreed to go with them for now.

 

We joined the 2 of them and the 4 of us went around the arcade.

 

We played air hockey, rhythm games, racing, and shooting ones too.

 

This way, I could clearly see everyone’s interests, or rather their areas of expertise which were also quite interesting.

 

Like, Hinata was good at everything except racing, while Kyoya was just good at everything.

I had no sense of rhythm while Tachibana was strangely good at shooting.

 

“A little more to the right! There!”

 

“No, look at it from here. You’re in the middle”

 

Shouldn’t I grab the middle? I think I can get it that way.”

 

“Wouldn’t it be better to hook the legs instead of trying to grab the body?”

 

“For God’s sake, pick one you want me to do, stop confusing me!”

 

“Ah, Kusuba, we’re running out of time!”

 

‘Eh?”

 

The four of us crowded together in front of the machine and watched the crane descend, biting down.

 

The 2 claws went down to the stuffed animal.

 

The stuffed animal just sat there without making any movement while the crane returned to its stationary position without accomplishing anything.

 

“Ahhh!”

 

“Shut up!”

 

“Let’s do it again!”

 

“Let’s plan our strategy first before we put the money in.”

 

A stuffed puppy with a weird face.

 

Tachibana was looking at it, seemingly wanting, hence the scene. But I’m not very good at crane games.

 

“I’ll give you a winning strategy that I heard from my seniors, Ren.”

 

“No, if you had such a thing then you should’ve told me sooner”

 

“Fufufu, it’s the same thing.”

 

Kyoya raised his index finger in a confident manner.

 

I don’t know what “winning strategy” is supposed to mean… aren’t crane games supposed to be about skill?

 

“ ‘I’m not stopping it until I get it’, no?”

 

“…No, well, yes, but…”

 

“Then, go for it! For Tachibana’s sake!”

 

“That just went to some whole other topic!”

 

“Well bye!”

 

Kyoya and Hinata ran away like the wind and disappeared from sight.

 

You bastards…

 

“Kusuba-san…”

 

“Hmm…?”

 

“…It’s alright. You won’t be able to get it no matter how many times you try.”

 

I’m not a fan of these games.

 

I’ve never liked these kinds of games, so it may be natural for me not to be able to get it.

 

However, if I was asked, I would like to win in it.

 

I can’t say that I don’t have the intention of showing off in front of Tachibana.

 

But more important, I want to give something to Tachibana that would remind her and make her feel glad about today’s outing, even if it was just one small thing.

 

“No, I’m going to do it until I get it. Because that’s how you win, according to the strategy.”

 

“No…that’s…”

 

“And if I stop now, the 100 yen I put in earlier would be wasted, no? Besides, I’m having a good feeling that I can get it.”

 

“…if you say so, Kusuba-san.”

 

“Ah, please support me.”

 

I stood beside Tachibana, who was willing to help me out, and observed the stuffed animal.

 

I glanced at Tachibana. She looked excited and happy.

 

Good.

 

If I can get the stuffed animal, I’ll have no complaints.

 

“When the claws open, shouldn’t it be hooked there?”

 

“Will that be enough to lift it? Shouldn’t we move it a little closer to us?”

 

“That won’t make it easier to grab, so I think it’s better to just go forward with it.”

 

“Well, that’s true. Let’s go with Tachibana’s strategy, 100 yen.”

 

“Y-yes…!”

 

“…here?”

 

“…a little more to the right, I think.”

 

“Right, ah, too far now.”

 

“It’s difficult to do it so precisely.”

 

“Tilt the lever a little bit. Just a tiny bit!”

 

“Ah, too far”

 

“Oh God, I’ll just do it here.”

 

“Please…”

 

“Ah, it went too far…”

 

“See? I told you it was hard! See?”

 

“I’m sorry…”

 

We had a lot of fun.

 

We had a good time, got excited, and laughed.

 

We had fun, or at least, I did.

 

I wonder about her.

 

I wonder if she was enjoying it as well.

 

I wonder if she’s laughing from the bottom of her heart as well.

 

I can’t help but think about such things.

 

“I got it! I got it! Kusuba-san!”

 

“EHH? For real?! That’s amazing!”

 

When I handed her the stuffed animal which I picked up from the prize slot, she hugged it tightly.

 

She seems to have teared up a bit.

 

“…Thank you, Kusuba-san”

 

“…Yeah…it’s nothing. You’ve always taken care of me.”

 

“…It’s mutual…so thank you…”

(TL- Basically she’s saying that he also takes care of her while she does too, i.e. Mutual )

 

“A-ah…”

 

It’s mutual.

 

I was happy that she thought so, but I was embarrassed so I looked away.

 

“By the way, where are those 2?”

 

“…I can’t seem to find them”

 

“…No way”

 

I opened my phone in a hurry.

 

As I had thought, there was a message from Kyoya.

 

[Satsuki and I are going to watch a movie and then go home, the rest of the day is for you to enjoy!]

 

…That bastard.

 

Ahhhhhh!….This is why I hate normies.