Today is Saturday, a half-day at school, so I asked the other three if they wanted to finish the tour from yesterday and hang out somewhere afterward. To my surprise, Sanae had almost completely forgotten about it—despite being the one who asked me for the tour in the first place.
I guess she can be clumsy too. Anyway, all three of them agreed, and after finishing the school tour—during which Misaki, once again bored, tried to pull another trick—I was already prepared. Before she could even say anything, I swiftly delivered a well-placed chop to her head.
"Ouch," she let out a pained groan, holding her head as she shot me a glare with teary eyes. "You can't just hit a girl like that!" she protested.
"Really? Want to see me do it again?" I teased, raising my hand as if to strike once more.
Her eyes widened in mock fear before she let out a dramatic shout and bolted. "You brute idiot!"
"Who are you calling an idiot?" I shot back, immediately chasing after her.
Laughter echoed around us as the playful chase turned into a lighthearted moment shared between all of us.
After that, we decided to head to an arcade. It wasn't my first time visiting one, but I couldn't exactly call myself a regular either. As for Yuka and Sanae, they seemed completely lost—this was probably their first time in a place like this. On the other hand, Misaki was practically in her element. Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she took in the sight of anime-themed games and shelves lined with merchandise.
Compared to her, my enthusiasm was definitely lacking. It wasn't that I disliked the place—I just couldn't match her energy.
"Hey, Hayato, check it out!" Misaki called out from a distance, waving her hand eagerly. Her voice was brimming with excitement and a hint of disbelief.
Curious, the three of us made our way over to her. But the moment my eyes landed on what she was pointing at, I, too, was struck with astonishment.
"T-This is... Mega Morph Unit S5CW? And they're giving it away in a crane gacha?" I muttered in shock.
It was a robotic action figure from a classic anime—something only true veterans could appreciate. Newer fans wouldn't understand its charm, which was probably why it had been left untouched for so long. No one had even bothered to claim it.
Yuka and Sanae stared at the figure with puzzled expressions. It was understandable—they weren't anime fans, so they had no reason to recognize it.
But after seeing our enthusiasm over a mere action figure, their curiosity was piqued.
The moment they asked, Misaki's eyes sparkled with excitement. Without missing a beat, she took over, launching into a passionate explanation about the anime, the lore behind the unit, and why it was such a rare find.
I couldn't help but smile. She was probably overjoyed that both Yuka and Sanae were showing interest in her hobby, even if it was just out of curiosity.
"Wait, wait, Hayato, you watch anime too?" Yuka asked, her voices laced with surprise.
I blinked. Come to think of it, she didn't know. Now that it was out in the open, I felt a bit embarrassed. Scratching the back of my neck, I admitted, "Yeah."
The moment I admitted it, Misaki immediately chimed in, "Really, you guys should've seen his collection in his bedro—"
Mid-sentence, she froze, her eyes widening as she realized she had just let something slip. In a desperate attempt to undo the damage, she clamped both hands over her mouth, but it was too late.
"Now that you mention it, I also noticed plenty of figures and manga in his room when I woke up in the morning," Sanae added with a faint smirk, sneaking a glance at Yuka.
Wait… why does it feel like she's taking a jab at her? No, forget that—more importantly, why is she adding fuel to the fire?!
Yuka's gaze dropped as she muttered in defeat, "Am I the only one left behind…?"
Seeing her like that, I let out a sigh. It's not like I'd be bothered if any of them visited my place—it's not a big deal or anything. I just never had a reason to invite them, and I don't want to randomly ask someone over without a proper reason.
But if they want to…
"Do any of you want to come over to my place tomorrow?"
Tomorrow is Sunday, a perfect day to just relax and hang out at my place—*if* they're up for it.
The moment I made the offer, Yuka's head shot up, and she eagerly agreed. Misaki followed suit, her usual grin plastered on her face. As for Sanae, she hesitated before shaking her head with a reluctant sigh.
"As you know, we just moved here, and there are still some things left to unpack. Tomorrow is my mom's day off, so we're planning to finish the rest."
"Call me if you need any help," I offered with a smile.
Sanae shook her head lightly. "Don't worry about it. There isn't much left, and the two of us can handle it." Then, as if realizing something, she glanced away, a faint hint of pink dusting her cheeks. "But next time... I want to visit your place again. And also... invite you to mine."
Her voice grew quieter toward the end, but I caught every word.
"Sure." I gave her another smile, making a mental note of her words.
Now that everything was settled, it was time to focus on the real mission—the Mega Morph Unit S5CW. What? Did you really think I was just going to leave it here, forgetting the treasure? Not a chance.
Though I said that, these crane gachas were never easy to win. I swear there's something rigged about them. It's not like I'm an expert either—sometimes I mistime the drop, other times the hook slips, and worst of all, on rare yet infuriating occasions, the hook loses its grip just before dropping the prize into the hole. Each failed attempt only fueled my frustration further.
The three girls stood behind me patiently, occasionally chuckling at my childish determination while also offering words of encouragement. Time blurred as I lost count of my attempts, my frustration mounting with each near miss. But then—finally—the claw, after what felt like an eternity, released the figure, and it dropped cleanly into the hole.
"Hell yeah! Finally!" I shouted in triumph, my voice carrying through the arcade.
Several nearby customers turned to look, and realizing the scene I'd caused, I immediately fell silent. But even as I tried to play it cool, the sheer joy on my face was impossible to hide.
All three of them congratulated me in unison, but to their surprise, I handed the *Mega Morph Unit S5CW* figure to Misaki. She blinked in confusion, staring at the figure in her hands as if struggling to process what had just happened.
"Eh?! Why are you giving this to me?!" she blurted out, her voice laced with disbelief.
Even Yuka and Sanae looked at me with wide eyes, their expressions mirroring her shock. Considering how much effort and money I had poured into winning it, they had probably assumed I wanted it for myself.
Truth be told, while I did enjoy anime, I was never a collector. The figures and manga in my current room weren't even mine but belonged to the previous "Hayato". Of course, I couldn't explain that to them, so I gave the most honest answer I could.
"I think Misaki can treasure it better than me," I said with a small smile.
Was that a satisfactory response? I wasn't entirely sure. But before I could dwell on it, Misaki let out a squeal of joy and practically launched herself at me, wrapping her arms around me in an excited hug.
"Thank you!" she exclaimed, her voice brimming with happiness.
Seeing her that ecstatic, I couldn't help but think—I probably made the right choice.
But then, my eyes fell on Yuka and Sanae. They stood in silence, their expressions slightly downcast, their gazes fixed on the figure I had just handed to Misaki.
I immediately understood the meaning behind it. It wasn't that they wanted the figure for themselves—rather, it was the fact that I had only given a gift to Misaki. Even though they wouldn't voice it out loud, I could tell they felt left out. And honestly, they weren't wrong.
I sighed inwardly. Yeah… that wasn't fair of me.
Making sure they didn't suspect anything, I casually excused myself. "You guys go ahead and play some games, I need to use the washroom."
In reality, I had no such intention. Instead, I made my way up to the second floor, where I began scanning the area for something suitable. A little surprise wouldn't hurt, right?
Unlike Misaki, Yuka and Sanae weren't into anime, so getting them a figure wouldn't be the right choice. I needed something they'd actually like. That's when my eyes landed on a section filled with cute plushies.
Perfect.
The only problem? They were also inside a crane gacha.
I sighed, already feeling the headache creeping in. Still, I clasped my hands together and prayed inwardly. 'Goddess of Luck, please look upon me just this once.'
Ten minutes had passed when my phone vibrated. Checking the screen, I saw a message from Sanae:
"Are you okay? It's been some time, why are you still not returning?"
I glanced at the plushie beside me—a round, adorable bear. At least I managed to win one. The problem was the other one—the equally adorable panda plushie—was still eluding my grasp.
I needed more time.
Swallowing my pride, I quickly typed out a response.
"My stomach is hurting a little, I need some time."
The moment I hit send, regret washed over me. That was the best excuse I could come up with?
Whatever. They'll find out the truth sooner or later anyway.
Some might wonder why I'm even doing this. Why not just buy something similar and give it to them? Wouldn't that be easier?
But for me, it's not just about giving a gift. It's about equality. If I won something for Misaki, then I have to win something for Yuka and Sanae the same way. It wouldn't feel right otherwise.
I let out a deep sigh.
I don't even fully understand why I'm so determined to do this… I just know that I have to.
More messages kept pouring in, each one filled with concern.
Meanwhile, I was still stuck here, unable to win that damn panda.
I clenched my fists. I knew I was making them worry, and I had to head back soon.
With that thought, I pressed the button one more time—this time, shutting my eyes tightly as if praying to whatever force controlled my fate.
Please… just this once.
A few seconds passed, and I hesitantly opened my eyes.
The claw—
It was holding the panda.
Firmly.
A wave of relief washed over me, and I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.
Finally.
Grabbing both plushies, I dashed back, a wide smile spreading across my face. I didn't care if I looked foolish—I just wanted to return to their side as soon as possible.