I, who advocate giving up, feel like a disqualified person

"Hmm? Is there some secret you can't tell?"

"Calling it a secret is a bit of an exaggeration." I sighed, but still expressed my thoughts. "The fact that you showed trust in me... maybe it was just because you had no choice."

"Um...?"

"In other words, they appear to trust me, but in reality, they're just pretending to trust me, using me to resolve their senior's dilemma. After all, since I can't do it myself, I'll naturally give it a try when someone who might be able to help appears."

...Actually, I would rather believe that it was my sincerity that touched them...but how is that possible?

"So, you knew you were being used, but you still accepted it? Why?"

"...Being used means you have value. And for someone who isn't even worth being used... isn't that just too tragic?"

So, I'm not a miserable person after all. Besides, rather than being used, it's enough that they trust me.

"You are such a weird person." She couldn't help but sigh.

"For me, as long as it can help him resolve his emotional issues, false exploitation is acceptable."

This is the ability to face the facts.

"The knot in the heart...can it be untied just by verbal communication?" She seemed to be questioning my ability.

"You might not believe it, but words are quite useful in some ways." I took a sip of my drink. "But they don't work for everyone... Well, I'm just taking shortcuts."

Words aren't omnipotent, but they are useful in most situations. However, most people don't know how to use them, which is why they get fooled.

"You're really amazing...Shaji-kun."

...classmate? This title is really a bit subtle, so subtle that it makes me feel a little chilly.

"It's...it's okay."

"Ever since I met you, I've realized that you can really bring about great changes in the people around you... Look, for example, my sister, who I was most worried about, has become more cheerful than before. This is all thanks to you..."

"..."

Why did the atmosphere suddenly feel tense? And since a while ago, I've felt that Rin Hanekawa's conversation this time was out of character.

"So... please do your best to make her happy."

This sentence... seems to have been heard somewhere.

"...Why are you saying that again?"

I'd been told this before, back at the beach. Was it a momentary omission, or a double emphasis, that he was saying it again?

"This isn't just a repetition... it's a similar request."

"well?"

What was this vague explanation? And it so easily overturned my previous guess.

"Could you explain in detail..."

"Ah, it's already served. Okay, okay, let's eat first, okay~"

While serving the food, she ignored...or rather avoided the topic I was about to ask.

"..."

I hope it's all my illusion.

After all, the guy in front of him is the highly-regarded president.

..................

It seems that I saw a special move list

Come to think of it, the guy in front of me is the president.

When we first met, I thought she was a gentle girl...but after getting to know her better, I realized how she looked in the eyes of others.

But, in the end... which one is the real her?

Is she the gentle and slightly sinister young lady when we first met, or is she the president who often shows his domineering side and is admired by most students?

...I feel like I care about this...

"Oh, why are you making that expression? Is the food not to your liking?"

Rin Hanekawa in front of me suddenly smiled at me and asked me something while I was thinking.

What kind of attribute is this...I really can't figure it out.

"No...actually, it's okay." After a moment's pause, I began to respond. Speaking of which, I actually felt a little curious about her...incredible.

However, I still didn't start eating the food in front of me.

"That won't do. If we don't solve this quickly, how are we going to play together later?" She said this nonchalantly, which shocked me for a long time, and continued to eat as if nothing had happened.

"Hey, what's that... I didn't hear you were going to play..."

There was no mention of whether it was good or not at the beginning!

"Well, now you know~ Well, even though it was a last-minute decision on my part."

"It was a last-minute decision..."

"Because you just mentioned it, didn't you? You need to think about my sister. Although I seem to have said that you don't need to care about it, it seems...it's better to show some concern."

"Hmm... Um..." I can't complain about how quickly the topic changes. And this isn't even caring, is it?

"So, let's go and try out the activities we plan to do at Rinquan River that day!"

"No, you just want to go out and have fun..."

"No, that's not the case. Think about it...I'll be the one shopping with my sister then, right?"

"Well... in theory, that's the case..."

"So, let me familiarize myself with the process first so that nothing goes wrong. After all, I'm not very familiar with entertainment projects."

"...Oh, I see."

Although it may just be an excuse for fun, the actual effect it brings is still acceptable.

"Well, that makes sense, doesn't it?"

"Uh...uh..."

Well, let's just go along with her for now.

"Well, let me think about where I want to go for a moment."

"Well, I'll leave it to you from now on."

She's back to her usual energy again... In the end, I still can't tell whether the feeling she just gave me was an illusion or not.

"call..."

I don’t know if it’s an illusion or not, but what is certain is that the girl in front of me might just be an ordinary girl.

Chapter 13: It seems like I saw a special move list

"How does it taste?"

"Uh...just average...ah, no...very good."

I didn't actually order anything because I hadn't decided what to order. What was served to me was a dish that Rin Hanekawa had ordered for me without my permission, and one of them was oysters, which I don't even like... If that weren't the case, I probably would have enjoyed the meal.

"That's good, I was worried you wouldn't like it."

"Ah ha ha..."

If you're worried, just let me order it myself!

"Since you looked like you didn't know what to choose, I took it upon myself to order for you. But judging by the fact that you ate it all, it seems you didn't make a wrong choice~"

"...Ahahaha, you figured that out..."

Now it seems that it would be better to order food in advance next time.

"So, where are we going to play next?"

"...How about the arcade?"

"Huh? It's the kind of place where bad boys gather, and the environment is very dirty and messy..."

"Stop, stop, stop... This is just a prejudice from the last century." Although that was how arcades felt to me as a child, it's completely different now. "Besides, your sister loves games."

“I know this…”

"She and I even went to the arcade together..."

"Oh, when did it happen? Wow~ isn't that amazing! You two secretly went out on a date without telling me~" As he said that, he was patted hard on the shoulder twice.

"We just went shopping together, by the way..."

"No need to explain, I understand, I understand~"

Looking at her smiling face, I always felt that she still didn't believe what I said... After all, she probably didn't understand at all.

"So... you don't mind going there?"

"Well, since it's something she likes, I'll try to learn more about it."

"...oh..."

Something she likes...?

....................

“There aren’t many people here…”

"Because the number of people who like these retro games is gradually decreasing... and many games have given up on developing for arcade platforms, so... I think quite a few people will choose computers instead."

Will Internet cafes truly replace game halls one day?

"So, whoever managed to keep this store going must have a lot of courage."

“…”

An unexpected smile of appreciation appeared on her face.

"I don't quite understand it, but opening a shop like this doesn't meet market demand anymore. So, whoever's managed to keep it open until now must be quite impressive... right?"

"...That's right."

And arcade games are constantly introducing new ways to play...so it will continue.

"Well, let's start playing."

"Ok."

"Well, let's start with the fighting game... Well, generally speaking, this is what I'm better at." I sat down next to a machine and started inserting coins.

"Oh..." She seemed to be attracted by this kind of game even though she had never seen it before.

Come to think of it, I'm currently playing the same game that I played during the last competition at Rinsenchuan... Come to think of it, I'm not very familiar with the operating system.

Well, let's practice with the human machine first...

However...

"Oh...Oh no..." Something was wrong, because this scene seemed very familiar to me.

"What's wrong?" Rin Hanekawa, who was watching the game, asked me puzzledly.

"...I feel like I've been challenged."

"What? You scared me... Then accept the challenge." She responded with a little dissatisfaction.

"The key is..." I don't even know how to use the skills!

Oh my god, who is this guy... coming here to cause trouble now?

"Ready...Fight!"

.....................

"Oh, I got beaten so badly."