Chapter 165 - 165: Guaranteed Win

"I came out with Furukawa and the others today. Originally, we planned to head home after stopping by the game shop. But on the way, we saw this arcade, and everyone thought it'd be boring to go home so early, so we decided to drop by instead…" Haru led Megumi into the lively arcade. School had long since ended, and the place was buzzing with students — though most of them were boys. As he spoke, he glanced at the quiet girl following him. "Is there anything you'd like to try?" Megumi shook her head. This place was unfamiliar territory for her. "In that case, I'll pick something for us." Haru brought her over to a Taiko drum machine first. Two little kids had already taken up the machine on the left — one drumming away with practiced ease while the other watched intently. "You know how to play this?" Megumi asked, noticing his eager expression. "I do. But why don't you give it a try first?" "I'm fine just watching you." With Megumi watching, Haru rolled up his sleeves and easily matched the rhythm, clearly comfortable with the game. Megumi thought for a moment, then pulled out her phone to start recording. Haru noticed but didn't mind. The two kids finished their game but didn't leave. Instead, they stuck around to watch. Just as Haru was about to say something to Megumi after finishing his round, one of the boys eagerly spoke up, "Hey, brother! Want to play a match with me?" Megumi, who'd been watching quietly, blinked in surprise. A curious glint flickered in her eyes like she was watching some juicy drama unfold. Haru turned and smiled. "Are you challenging me?" "Not exactly. I'm just really good at this game. No one at my school can beat me," the kid said proudly, puffing out his chest. His friend chimed in too, just as confidently. "I'm usually the one who practices with Yohei. My dad says you improve faster by playing with strong opponents. You looked really good, so…" Haru exaggerated a surprised expression. "Wow, you kids sure know a lot already!" The boys grinned, slightly embarrassed by the praise. "Well, I admire your courage," Haru said warmly. "How about this — I'll treat you both to a round, but no match today. I'm here to hang out with my friend." "Really? Thanks, big bro!" Hearing they were getting a free game, the kid instantly upgraded Haru's title. "Big bro" it was. Once Haru nodded, the boys immediately bowed in thanks, then turned to Megumi with playful smiles. "Sorry to interrupt your date, big sis! Have fun!" Haru's expression remained calm as he turned to the girl who had just put her phone away. "Let's go. Want to try something else?" Megumi followed beside him, seeming to stifle a laugh. "Were you afraid of losing to them?" "Come on, no way I'd lose." "Did Yukinoshita ever tell you you're a terrible liar?" "Nope. Yukino never says that about me." "…There you go again, making things up." Haru could tell Megumi wasn't exactly enthusiastic about the arcade in general — but she was still open to trying out some two-player co-op games. So, he chose some retro arcade titles. These were easy to pick up and fun to play together. "Haru, what's that shooting game?" "Oh, that's Metal Slug. It's super tough — no health bar, and one hit kills. When I was a kid, I used to call it the 'token thief.'" With Haru's commentary, Megumi gradually got a better understanding of the games. At one point, Furukawa and the others stopped by. But as soon as they saw Haru guiding Megumi through a game, they hit the brakes and turned away. "Let's bounce. He's clearly on a date — we shouldn't interrupt." "Damn it, why does Haru always have a girl with him wherever he goes?" "Right? A girl who's willing to play games with you — that's like, my ultimate life goal!" The group shared an unspoken agreement to give Haru some space — because that's what good bros do when one of them is clearly on a date. But as they walked away, someone remembered something. "Wait... isn't Haru dating Yukinoshita?" "And that girl just now... wasn't that Megumi Kato? We saw her before, right? She seemed kind of... normal." "Looking at it this way, they probably aren't on a date… Whatever, let's not worry about them and just focus on ourselves." Furukawa had some impression of Megumi Kato, but not much. Besides, in their eyes, Yukinoshita Yukino was the school's undisputed most beautiful girl. In terms of looks, Kasumigaoka Utaha was slightly less striking, but with her signature black stockings and senior status, her popularity had never waned. Haru spent some time playing games with Megumi, then went to buy two bottles of water. Returning, he asked, "What do you want to play next?" "Can I choose?" The girl held the water bottle, her bright eyes sparkling with a hint of cuteness. Haru feigned grandiosity: "We're all close now, so you pick. Even if you want to go play pachinko next door, I can figure something out." Megumi, of course, didn't like pachinko. She glanced around and finally fixated on the claw machine. "There seems to be a promotion over there," she said. "Yeah, I saw it when I came in earlier." The two walked over. Megumi wasn't looking at the claw machine itself but at a special counter next to it. Several staff members stood behind it — men and women. The men wore tank tops, their muscular builds suggesting they worked out regularly. The women wore catgirl outfits, their makeup and expressions giving off an adorable vibe. Behind the counter were various plush toys, of all sizes. From Haru's experience, they were cheap prizes. Noticing Megumi's eyes fixed on an orange cat doll on the right, Haru smiled, "You like that cat?" Megumi was honest: "It looks a lot like your jelly at home — both are a little chubby." "My fat cat is probably even fatter." Haru asked the staff, learning that the plush toys behind the counter were not for direct sale. To win one, you had to pay 1000 yen to participate in an event. The event was straightforward: face off in an arm wrestling match against a man or woman staff member. Win, and you could pick any plush toy you wanted. "Think you can win?" Megumi looked at Haru with anticipation. "To be honest, this event feels made for me," Haru said seriously. Their conversation was loud enough for the staff to hear, who politely chuckled. To them, the young couple was just playfully flirting — no need to discourage or tease. Haru paid the fee and sat opposite the muscular man. The man smiled kindly, "Want me to go easy? According to our rules, if you pay another 1000 yen, I'll let you win." Haru instinctively quipped, "Are you an NPC from a pay-to-win game? This setup feels a bit too realistic." "Ha! That's the boss's rule. We're just following orders to create a fun gimmick." "I see." "So, little bro, want me to go easy on you?" "No thanks." More customers gathered to watch. Megumi stood behind Haru, full of anticipation. Suddenly, a staff member teased with a smile, "You could cheer your boyfriend on — maybe that'll give him more motivation." "We're not a couple," Megumi said calmly. The staff exchanged a knowing smile. "Got it. You're still getting to know each other, right?" This wasn't the first time Megumi had heard this, and she was experienced enough to just take it as a playful assumption. Getting to know each other stage? Megumi paused, finding the phrase oddly fitting. She already knew him well — but he didn't quite know her yet. After a brief hesitation, Megumi gently said, "Good luck, Amamiya-kun." "Guaranteed win," Haru replied confidently. The muscular man was happy to humor the couple. Once the match started, he held Haru's hand but deliberately restrained his strength. But in the next second, he felt a powerful force surge through his arm. He barely had time to react before hearing a thud — his wrist was pinned firmly to the stool. "Thanks for the lesson." With a dazed look, the man watched as Haru politely said, then turned to the surprised staff, "Who's next?" "That's me~" The girl in the catgirl outfit stepped forward with a smile. The muscular man still looked confused as he got up and made way. His coworker joked, "You went too easy this time — couldn't even hold on for two seconds!" He blinked, bewildered: "Did I go easy?" The match was so quick it was over in a flash, leaving him unsure if he actually held back. The second challenger, the girl, shook Haru's hand and said in a cute voice, "Can you go easy on me? I'm a girl." "Definitely going easy," Haru answered flatly. Megumi, standing behind, smirked. Knowing Haru as well as she did, if he answered so simply and informally, he was definitely bluffing. The girl thought her "beauty trick" had worked and smiled happily. Men often go easy on women in strength contests — she assumed this would be no different. But as the match started, snap — her wrist was pressed down. "Nani?" (What?) Her eyes were even more confused than the muscular man's. Haru looked sincere: "I really did go easy, honestly." If I hadn't, your arm would've broken. The girl laughed helplessly and nodded, "You win. You two can pick your prizes now." Haru glanced at Megumi, who didn't hesitate and grabbed the chubby orange cat plush. The toy was large enough she had to hold it with both hands, almost hiding half her blushing face behind it. "Thank you." Megumi's cheeks were pink, her eyes shining with happiness. Just as Haru was about to speak, a couple nearby came over. "Hey, bro, is that strong guy really that strong?" "His strength's no match for mine," Haru answered honestly. The man in the couple eyed Haru's arms and smiled in relief. "Well then, I'm confident. Thanks!" The man clearly worked out regularly too — his arms and calves were thick and sturdy. Hearing Haru's words and seeing his normal young physique, he was reassured. "I want to join the event too. Thanks in advance!" The couple happily ran off to pay. Haru whispered urgently to Megumi, "Let's get out of here!" Megumi followed, asking, "Why?" Before he could answer, the man's shocked voice rang out behind them: "No way! I lost so fast!" Haru quickened his pace. Megumi suddenly understood, "You totally tricked him." "Nope, I was telling the truth," Haru insisted. Megumi smiled softly, "Amamiya-kun, you're such a bad person." They regrouped with Furukawa and the others, who were stunned when they saw the plush toy in Megumi's arms. After Haru explained it was won by arm wrestling, they all expressed eagerness to try. After much persuasion, Haru managed to talk his friends out of it, saving their dwindling allowance. "So, where next? Want to check out the underground idols? I know a super cute idol group," Furukawa suggested. The others laughed, "Kato-san's carrying such a big plushie — moving around might be tough. Maybe we split up?"