Volume 1 - CH 4.4

Seeing Shu’s back, I looked at Ayana with a wry smile on her face.

I was wondering what Ayana was going to do now that she had lied to Shu.

“What are you going to do now?”

“To tell you the truth, I haven’t thought about it♪”

“….Don’t say it with such glee.”

I was a little disappointed to see Ayana so quickly pull up next to me, but it didn’t change the fact that I felt a little uncomfortable seeing Shu like that.

It’s weird that I know the truth and feel bad about it, but I suggested to Ayana that I wanted to stop somewhere and change my mind.

“Ayana, if you don’t mind, I’d like to hang out with you a little longer…”

“Yes. I will stay with Towa-kun♪”

“…..Ahaha, got it”

So it was decided that I would spend some more time with Ayana.

But it was already past five o’clock. I was thinking of killing some time appropriately because I don’t intend to stay that late,……, but I wonder why I came here.

“Uwaa,……, it’s as lively as usual here”

“As usual?”

Despite tilting my head at Ayana’s words, the place we were headed for was an arcade.

I know this is not the best place to take a girl, but strangely enough, this place caught my eye as I passed by.

“Towa-kun, let’s have some fun.”

“O-ou.”

Ayana was more enthusiastic than I expected and took me by the hand. We looked around for something we could both enjoy and found a field hockey game.

“Let’s try this, okay?”

“Let’s play.”

The battle began with both of us on the other side of the table, but ……uhm it was my overwhelming victory.

Ayana was weak to the extent that I thought I would have to force her to win on purpose, but rather than being weak, I had the impression that she would not be good at this kind of thing.

“I lost. ……”

She looked downcast, but she was not in any way unfaithful. She seemed to really enjoy being with me, and immediately smiled.

Looking at that smile, my own cheeks naturally relax and I feel like I should be enjoying the moment to the fullest.

“Ah, Towa-kun, how about that one?”

“Let’s do it!”

Ayana pointed her finger at a game where you beat a drum rhythmically to see how high you can get a score.

Ayana’s confidence with the stick in her hands made me think I needed to get into the game as well,……, and I won again by a huge margin over Ayana.

“I lost this one too. ……”

“……………”

Sadly, Ayana was found to be quite weak in games like this.

Although she was again sullen, she still immediately smiled and looked for the next game.

(…It’s like this place is very important, or rather, it seems like a memorable place.)

That’s what I thought when I saw Ayana after she came here.

I thought I was here with Shu, but apparently not. …… I wonder what it is, I feel myself feeling something in this place.

“Let’s do that next one, Towa!”

“Ou…Hmm?”

“? What’s wrong?”

“…… Nothing.”

Didn’t the honorifics slip out of Ayana’s mouth for a moment just now?

It is not a big deal to lose honorifics for a moment, but for some reason I felt very nostalgic about it.

There should be no clear old memories for me now, …… so why did I feel such a strong sense of nostalgia for this one moment?

“Towa-kun?”

[Towa?]

“?!”

I thought I saw another girl right next to Ayana who was staring at me.

It was as if the Ayana of today had been made smaller than she is now. …… That is exactly how I felt when I saw a line of girls who looked exactly like the old Ayana I had seen in the pictures.

“……?”

But of course, it was just an optical illusion.

In the next instant, the girl disappeared, and all I could see was Ayana tilting her head to the side, wondering what was wrong.

“…..No, it’s nothing. Hey, Ayana”

“Yes.”

“This….This is fun, isn’t it?”

“Yes!!”

It’s not every day that I come to an arcade with a girl …… and that’s exactly why I never had this experience in my previous life.

I don’t think I’ll simply take this as an opportunity to come back again and repeatedly, but even so, it goes without saying that having Ayana by my side makes these moments more enjoyable.

After that, we continued to enjoy various games with Ayana, and the time approached six o’clock.

I was so bored that I saw a crane game in the corner of my eye.

“I knew there was such a thing.”

There were various prizes hanging on the display, but the one that caught my eye was a keychain of a frog with an indescribably ugly face.

“….Kuku”

It looked as if it was asking me to help it and get it out of here, so I pulled some coins out of my wallet.

“Wait for me. I’ll help you out of there in a minute.”

It is not easy to get a prize in a crane game, but surprisingly, I was able to get it easily in one hit.

But what am I supposed to do with it now that I’ve taken it? I’m not going to put it on my bag or baggage,……. I was just thinking about this when Ayana came back and I offered her the keychain to see how she would react.

“Hey Ayana, I just got it from the crane game, do you want it?”

“Eh? A key chain?”

Ayana’s cheeks relaxed with happiness when she saw the key chain.

“It’s sooooo cute! Is it okay?””

“Eh? Y-yeah….”

This thing is cute? Ayana took the keychain from my hand that had such a question.

“….. Fufu♪ It has an ugly face, and so is this one. But it’s cute. Thank you, Towa-kun.”

I was surprised to see Ayana holding the keychain to her chest, but at the same time, for some reason, I also felt nostalgic about her appearance.

“…… Ah.”

In that moment of nostalgia, I thought I saw little Ayana right next to Ayana again.

In the end, it soon disappeared as if it were an optical illusion, but it was a fact that I felt something special in this place where I played with Ayana. I don’t think I’ll bring Ayana with me so often, but if I have time, it doesn’t seem bad to visit here alone and feel this atmosphere again.

“……Oh, that’s…”

What I saw was a photo booth.

Basically, it’s something that’s always placed in these types of arcades, but it’s something that I’ve never really been a part of, including in my previous life.

“Let’s take a picture, Towa-kun.”

I was sure that if I stared at her, I would be noticed, and Ayana was pulling my hand before I could even respond.

Ayana was able to operate the device as if she was familiar with it.

“You’re good at this, huh?”

“I often come here with my friends. I like to make her eyes extremely large, but I always end up making a monster.”

“Heh”

Ayana seemed to be enjoying herself as she recalled that time.

It’s true that these things come with processing, but I’m not sure if even a beautiful girl like Ayana would end up looking like a youkai …… that’s what I’m wondering.

“Does it bother you? I’ll show you.”

Ayana reached into her bag and pulled out a small notepad.

As soon as the cover was rolled up, I was greeted by the photo, which was indeed a face that would convince me if it were called a monster.

It was a bit peculiar to look at, and it would naturally bring a smile to one’s face if one saw it when one was feeling down.

“Okay, I’m ready to go. Towa-kun, please stand next to me.”

“Sure.”

I took some pictures of Ayana and I as we were, without any kind of processing.

Now you have one more memory to add to your collection, right?”

“Yes. These are the pictures from the photo booth”

Each photo may be small, but it is a memory that will remain there as a form.

I laughed at the thought that she would probably not put them up anywhere, but keep them.

“……It’s getting pretty late”

“Ah, you’re right….”

I had checked earlier and it was six o’clock, but of course the time had advanced even further, so Ayana and I left the arcade right away.

“…… I wondered if that uncle is gone.” [TL: Remember this sentence]

“What’s wrong?”

“No, nothing.”

Ayana looked at the arcade for a bit, but soon lined up next to me.

I think this gave her enough time to do the shopping she told Shu, but at the same time I felt sorry for Shu and my heart was somewhat buoyant as I felt like I was sharing a secret time with Ayana.

I held her hand as if it was only natural, but I was walking home while holding her hand…

The phone in my pocket trembled, and once I asked Ayana to let go of my hand and pick up the phone, it was a call from my mom.

“Mom?”

[Hello, Towa? I’m afraid my work is going to take a little longer. I’m sorry, but can you go somewhere for dinner or make it yourself?]

“Eh? Yeah, okay.”

[I’m sorry, okay? But I’ll be home by the end of the day, so don’t worry if I’m late.]

“All right. Good luck, Mom.”

[Ah….fufu, there is no mother who can’t do her best when her son says that to her. See you later♪]

I knew my mom was a powerful woman in many ways, but then I would have to think about what I was going to do for dinner.

“By the way, Ayana, did you hear me on the phone just now?”

“Yes, I could hear it perfectly.

“Of course”

Does the sound leak out if we are so close?

Perhaps that’s why Ayana made this suggestion as she puffed out her chest.

“Towa-kun, may I go over with you? If Akemi-san is not coming home, I will cook dinner for you. I can also make leftovers for Akemi-san.”

“Eh?”

That was a very nice offer.

I thought about it for a while and decided to nod my head at Ayana’s suggestion.

“Then let’s get going, Towa-kun♪”

“O-ou …….”

I had the strange experience of being led by Ayana, who was the most excited of the day, to be taken to my own house, but… I thought it was a little premature, but I was still impressed by her smile. I just seemed weak.