CH 54

Posted byGod KingJuly 2, 2021Posted inMegami-sama

“So this is what they call a video game.”

Rin, who had been cleaning my room, muttered to herself while holding a game console in her hand that was lying in the back of the closet.

She looked at the game console as if she were observing it carefully.

The game console was a generation old and was released when I was in elementary school.

It is a hybrid of the old card cartridge type and CD type.

Well, it has become a sad product that has been ridiculed as “unfortunate hardware” because of its excessive features, which have caused constant breakdowns and problems…

But I miss it.

However, when I see this, I feel nostalgic and lost at the same time.

“Does Rin play games?”

“No, I’ve never done it.”

“Hmm. I see.”

I lie down and watch Rin as I lay there.

She pressed the open/close button on the game and was startled by the sudden opening of the game console.

Then, fearfully, she pressed the other buttons, and when nothing happened, she let out a small “phew” and seemed relieved.

…What is that cute little creature?

What did she think of next? She started fishing through the box from earlier.

From there, she found some game cartridges and started reading the instruction manual that came with it excitedly.

Hmm?

…This is.

“Perhaps you’d like to give it a go?”

“How’d you know…?”

“Your eyes are sparkling.”

“Uh… I’m actually interested.”

Perhaps he was embarrassed to have been caught, but she admitted it honestly in a shy voice.

“Well, let’s do it. Though I don’t know if it’ll work.”

“Yes! Let’s do it!”

Rin smiles at me with a big smile on her face.

She watched me get the console ready and waited expectantly for the moment.

Perhaps this occasional innocent side of her is one of her charms.

It’s completely different from her usual mature and elegant look, and that’s probably why the gap looks so cute.

But I didn’t expect her to want to do it so badly…

I turned on the game console.

The game company’s logo played and I wait at the first start screen.

Huh.

Everything seems to be doing well.

“We here, Towa-kun! What are you going to do from here!?”

Rin, looking more excited than before, puts her hand on my shoulder and leans forward to look at the TV screen.

She’s close, smells good, and is… extra soft…

And my head is spinning.

I pretend to be calm and say, “Well, calm down.”

Actually, I’m the one who needs to calm down…

“What would you like to try?”

“I’ll take your recommendation, Towa-kun!”

“Even if I recommend it, the game is nothing but a ‘shitty game’.”

“Well, what’s this ‘shitty game’ thing you’re talking about?”

“Oh, that’s right…”

I lay out the cartridges in front of Rin.

These are games that were in the category of ‘shitty games’ at the time.

“These ‘shitty games’ have various flaws in the game, or the gameplay is terrible… Well, that’s it in a nutshell.”

“Is that what you meant? Then is all the software lined up here what you call ‘shitty game’?”

“Well, something like that.”

She tilted her head and observed the game cartridge.

And–

“By any chance, did you buy it after you found out that…was a ‘shitty game’?”

“Oh, you understand!”

“It says ‘Takashi’ on the software, and I don’t think Towa won’t return it after borrowing it.”

Yes, all of this software was purchased second-hand.

Well, it was a long time ago.

Even so, Rin is sharp…

She’s dead on.

“There was a time when I was addicted to ‘shity games’. That’s when I bought it.”

“What’s so interesting about it that people call it ‘crap’?”

“Oh, it’s fun. This imperfection, unreasonableness, and imbalance is a joy to watch. It’s like a microcosm of society, isn’t it?”

“Um… Towa-kun. Are you okay?”

Rin, who still has her hand on my shoulder, peers at me from the side of her face.

Oops, I guess she’s worried.

Maybe she thought I was sick…

“It’s okay. Well, I’m not addicted at the moment.”

“Really? But you mean there was a time when that was the case…?”

“Well, yeah… but it was a long time ago! You know, the kind of thing that made you go crazy at the time! It’s just that it was a ‘shitty game’.”

I gesture to show how energetic I am.

But Rin was watching me intently, without averting her gaze.

And one word.

“I’m here now.”

She smiled at me.

I was at a loss for words when she said something that made me feel as if he could see into the depths of my heart.

Rin gently stroked my head.

“Don’t treat me like a child…”

I’m angry at myself for only being able to behave in such an unfaithful manner.

I should have just said ‘Thank you’ honestly.

I couldn’t bring myself to say so, though.

Part of me was embarrassed, but I couldn’t admit that she was on my side.

Because people are going to leave one day…

I didn’t say that out loud.

But Rin’s eyes looked at me gently, as if to say, “I know you.”

“…I’ve been playing this game for a while now. It’s a racing game…”

“Okay!”

I blew on the cartridge, plugged it in, and loaded it.

“By the way, this in this racing game, if you hit something, it explodes and you’re out of the race. Moreover, it takes at least five minutes to complete one lap of the course, and there are many obstacles that get in the way.”

“Isn’t it too hard for a beginner? Is there a beginner’s course?”

“That’s the beginner’s course you’re talking about.”

“I just know it’s going to be difficult.”

Rin and I play while watching the screen.

It goes without saying that Rin, who screams a little “Kya!?” every time she crashes, was cute.

Nevertheless… her body bends toward the way the car turns, and the body moves with the controller…

She’s not very good at games.

I sighed, but felt something warm and enjoyed savoring on it.