Losing Game • Lee Felix

{one}

Monday
The coins clinked gently as they fell inside the machine, whirring it to life.
Pac-Man began sliding, as I moved him away from the ghosts, in an effort to beat the new high score.
But alas, it wasn't enough, as Pinky ambushed him from behind, making me groan.
I heard a laugh from behind me, as I turned.

A boy was standing there, and I could see his eyes crinkle as he smiled.
He seemed to be around my age, but I couldn't really tell, as he had his mask pulled up above his nose, his hair covering the majority of his eyes.
"Sorry, you've just been playing that game for half an hour now, and your expression is priceless. Let me show you how it's done." He said, pushing his own coin down the chute, as I stepped back, watching him intently.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Go for it." He hummed in concentration, as he fiddled with the joystick, avoiding every ghost in quick pushes and pulls.

"Do you come here often? I swear I've seen you here before." I asked.
"Well that depends how often you come here." He hummed.
"A few times a week. It's the biggest arcade in Suwon, since the arcade and real estate in Seoul is too expensive, I come here." I responded, watching as his eyes lit up when his score rolled onto the screen.
He clapped in excitement. "New high score, let's go!"

"You need to put in your name." I said. He shook his head.
"You put yours in. Then you can always feel like you're trying to beat yourself. It'll be a lot better than you trying to beat me, because that's impossible."
I swore I could almost see him grin from beneath his mask.
"A little self absorbed aren't you?" I scoffed lightly, grabbing my coffee from the floor beside the machine, pulling my mask down to take a drink.

The boy just looked at me, before he shook his head and laughed.
"No, not at all. It's good to be confident about yourself."
"That's true."

With that I walked up to the machine, clicking my name in, poking my tongue out at him, earning a laugh in response.

That was the first day I spoke to you.

I sensed it wouldn't be the last.

Tuesday
I sat in the virtual reality machine, as it rocked back and forth, as it pretended to drag me on a roller coaster through what I assumed was Jurassic park.
I just used it as an opportunity to spend some time alone, as no one could ask me to hop off whilst the machine was still whirring.

It slowed down almost to a stop, as I got ready to place another coin in the slot.
But then I felt the curtains part beside me, so I turned my head, ready to scowl at the newcomer.
But it was him.
"Oh. Hello again." He said.
"I told you I came here often. Sit down." I offered.
He glanced around, before letting out a sigh and sitting beside me.

"Are you going to give me a name?" He asked.
"Did you not see me type it into the Pac-Man machine yesterday?" I asked.
He facepalmed himself.
"No, like did you want to be called something other than your name." He asked innocently.
"What's wrong with the name Y/N?" I questioned, raising my eyebrow at him.
"Nothing, nothing. Just usually people like nicknames, you know- Ah never mind." He said, glancing away at the screen.

He dropped his own coin in, as he browsed through the movies, before ending it on a horror house one.
"This one's creepy." He said, laying back.
"Do you like horror stuff then?" I asked.
He shook his head, making me frown.
"So you chose a horror virtual thing, even though you don't like it?"

He just nodded sheepishly, as I pushed him gently.
"You're an idiot."

"Why thank you." He grinned.
Well, I couldn't see his smile, but I could tell by the way his eyes crinkled that he was smiling.
"What can I call you then? I just realised I don't have your name." I commented.
His expression dropped. "My name is irrelevant."

I snorted. "Do you want me to just call you 'boy' then?"

"Call me sunshine, if anything." He said, as his eyes crinkled slightly.
I rolled my eyes.
"Sure thing, sunshine."