Story of a Rhythm Game Couple

Chapter 16. The double-date (?)

Asahi and Sana were each occupied with their own things on the couch in the rhythm game's zone when they suddenly heard a voice calling out their names. The moment they looked up, they instantly recognized the familiar face.

"Hi, Sajou-kun. We are just taking a break... Are you not with Imai-san today?"

It was Sousuke. He was walking around the arcade when he spotted Asahi and Sana lounging idly on the couch in front of these loud music game machines.

Seeing the same person twice by chance in one day was really a bizarre experience for them. Now that Sousuke was here, they had expected to see Kaori as well, but she apparently wasn't by his side like usual.

"Kao-chan is grinding BDS over there. I'm simply here to accompany her."

"BDS? Is that the OG, long-ago fighting game?"

"That would be correct. To think it still receives updates to this day is crazy."

Sousuke walked up to the couch and took a seat beside them.

"That's a surprise. I never thought a girl I know would be into fighting games." Sana giggled. "How good is she?"

"I may not be qualified to assess her skills." Sousuke scratched his head. "But she did sign up for some sort of tournament here, so I guess she's pretty good? I mean, she might have spent a bit too much on BDS after all, haha..."

It was an uneasy laugh from Sousuke.

"I guess that's part of GCC as well? I heard there are a lot of people interested in these fighting game tournaments." Sana exclaimed. "I have seen quite a bit of them on my video feed, and they were really cranking up in views. It's been a thing since forever."

Sana had never played BDS or any of these fighting games herself before, but she knew that the player base was large enough that even the smallest tournaments could gain a lot of traction.

"That's true. You see, I have been accompanying Kao-chan since way before the first GCC iteration, which was, what, 6 years ago now? ..."

Asahi was beginning to wonder why he had been seated between Sana and Sousuke when he had nothing to contribute to the conversation.

"Oh yeah, Noguchi-kun, Katou-san, is today the first time you've been to the arcade? I haven't seen you both at all until today."

"Well, no..." Asahi promptly denied it. "We usually camp at the one near our homes; it's more convenient for us."

"I see!"

Sousuke looked surprised. Out of everyone he could have imagined visiting Megami, he never expected to see Asahi, who was very serious and diligent in his studies, come and find entertainment in the arcade.

"By the way, what game have you been playing in here?" Sousuke continued. "Those punching booths over there?"

Sana and Asahi were still visibly sweating from their qualifier's session, so Sousuke assumed they must have engaged in some sort of physical game. Quickly shaking their heads, they pointed at the MaiDan machines and told him that it was the only game they played here.

"Wow! MaiDan?" Sousuke exclaimed in astonishment. "I could never play that game. Unless Kao-chan wants to..."

"Sou-chan! I finally found you... I need you to... Huh, is that Katou-chan? And Noguchi-kun?"

Most likely, Kaori had completed her BDS credit and was looking for Sousuke. Incidentally, she discovered that Sana and Asahi were accompanying him, so she excitedly called out their names and approached the couch they were all sitting on.