Weak Body, Strong Heart

Gema? u sus

Flustered, I mumbled another apology and darted to sidestep the stranger, my gaze glued to the floor in hopes of a quick escape. "Hold up," his voice rumbled, tinged with amusement that sent a fresh jolt of panic through me. Had I just offended a giant?

Slowly, I peeked back up, heart hammering against my ribs. He wasn't glaring, though. Instead, a hint of a smile played on his lips, hidden beneath the ridiculous duck mask. "Can I take a look at that console?" he asked, gesturing towards the console clutched in my sweaty hands.

Hesitantly, I extended the console, fear warring with a flicker of curiosity. He took it gently, his fingers surprisingly light for such a large build. My gaze followed the movement, taking in the way his brow furrowed in concentration as he examined the thing.

"This thing's gotta be at least fifteen years old," he finally declared, his voice low but not unkind. "Not exactly top-of-the-line for adding new games, and the cartridge slots look a little...off-brand. See the logo there? Kinda wonky, right? You probably grabbed it from that back aisle – the one marked for donations or recycling?"

Shame burned in my cheeks as he put the console inside the box and handed the box back. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why hadn't I done my research online? Now I stood exposed, the victim of a cheap, knock-off scam or worse why did I choose from the recycling aisle!!!

The stranger studied me for a moment, a thoughtful glint in his eye that seemed to pierce right through the silly duck mask. "Don't worry," he said finally, his voice surprisingly gentle for such a large man. "I can help you find a good quality console, one with great reviews for adding games and at a decent price."

My head bobbed up and down so quickly I feared it might detach. "Yes, please! I don't even know what to choose," I blurted out, embarrassment flooding my cheeks. Tears welled up at the corners of my eyes, threatening to spill over. "They're all so expensive, and there are just... so many!" I whimpered, feeling utterly defeated.

A soft chuckle rumbled from his chest, a sound that was surprisingly comforting. "Alright, alright," he soothed, "no need to panic. Let's head over to the electronics section near the cashier. That's usually where they have the latest consoles. First things first, what kind of games are you usually into? Action-adventure? Role-playing? Maybe something a little more relaxing?"

"Oh, it's not actually for me," I stammered, a touch of disappointment flickering in the stranger's eyes (or at least, what I imagined his eyes looked like under the mask). "It's for my brother. He, uh, usually likes action games, fighting games... maybe everything except, uh, romance novels? I think he'd be okay with games with a lot of lore or plot, but..." My voice trailed off into a defeated sigh. "Honestly, I have no clue! All these options are making my head spin, and I don't even know his favorite genre for sure." Frustration gnawed at me, and my earlier optimism started to dwindle. "Ugh, I give up. I'm no help at all, and now I'm just as gloomy as him."

The stranger paused in his browsing, a thoughtful frown creasing his brow. "Huh, I didn't realize it was for your brother," he said, his voice surprisingly gentle. "Is it his birthday coming up?"

"No, no birthday," I mumbled, shaking my head. "He's just been feeling really down lately, and I wanted to surprise him with something to cheer him up."(I will not explain to the stranger that my brother just got bald) I trailed after him as he weaved through the aisles with surprising agility for his size. His hands seemed to be everywhere at once, pulling out various game cartridges and a sleek black console from hidden corners.

"Here" The stranger emerged from a particularly dense section of shelves, a triumphant grin peeking out from under the edge of his mask. In his hand, he held a sleek black console. "This beauty right here," he declared, holding it up for your inspection. "Released just a few years back, perfect for adding game cartridges and even transferring them online. You can store a whole arsenal of games – forty, fifty, maybe even more. Price-wise, it hits that sweet spot – not too expensive, not dirt cheap, but built to last. Wouldn't break a sweat if you dropped it on your foot."

A wave of relief washed over you. This was exactly what you were hoping for – a durable console that wouldn't break the bank. He then proceeded to unleash a veritable treasure trove of game cartridges, each one meticulously chosen based on your earlier (albeit flustered) descriptions. "Fist Fighter," he announced, holding up the first one. "Lord of War: Ghost of Sparta... Metallica Gear Solid... Super Wario... Last Fantasy..." (Da heck the name of the names just changed bruh) The list went on, a veritable smorgasbord of action, adventure, and even a couple of classics for good measure. He rattled off twenty titles in total, each one accompanied by a quick price check. "See? Not too bad on the wallet, right?"

"Thank you, thank you, THANK YOUUUU!" Relief and gratitude bubbled over as you clutched the chosen console and game cartridges. A quick trip to the cashier later, and you were officially the proud owner of a potential mood-booster for your brother.

Beaming at the stranger, you realized you didn't even know his name. "Wait, this is terrible!" you exclaimed, a touch of embarrassment creeping in. "I can't keep calling you 'stranger' all day, can I? Unless you, uh, tell your name? I mean, we just met today, and we're not exactly friends..."

The stranger chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound that sent a surprising shiver down your spine. He rubbed a hand – a surprisingly large hand, you noticed – over the back of his head, seemingly sheepish. "Yeah, 'stranger' might get old after a while," he admitted. "The name's Ki – uh, I mean Gema. What about you, miss…?"

You cut him off with a laugh. "Oh, please, lose the 'miss'! Call me (Y/N)."

Stepping out of the game store, you waited by the entrance for Gema. Maybe he was picking up a game or two for himself? Curiosity gnawed at you as you watched him emerge, a plastic bag clutched in his hand. But your curiosity took a backseat to surprise – the bag's contents seemed to be... shoujo games? Titles with magical girls and fantastical themes plastered across the covers. A small laugh escaped your lips. Different strokes for different folks, you thought, silently vowing not to judge.

Just as you were about to strike up a conversation, a loud rumble erupted from your stomach. Heat flooded your cheeks as you realized you hadn't eaten breakfast in your pre-shopping frenzy. "Ugh, sorry," you mumbled, clutching your stomach sheepishly. "Looks like I forgot breakfast entirely."

Gema glanced at his watch, a surprised look crossing his features. "Huh, it's already past noon,Hey," he continued, a hint of a smile playing on his lips hidden beneath the mask, "there's a food stall park nearby. How about we grab some lunch? We can chat there if you'd like."

A/N:
•Gema means gamer in Japanese

I haven't been able to post in the past days bruh just like my schedule of every 2 days up to 4. Been busy from the club of journalism, but I got free time till next week cuz of course it's holiday!!!. Though I'd like to improvise some of the previous chapters, there's not enough taste or memes for me so I'll try heavy editing!!!! Though I don't have knowledge about the game store I put so I kinda gibberish about sum knowledge I put ⁄(⁄ ⁄•⁄-⁄•⁄ ⁄)⁄