People in Tokyo, the world is clear

Get up, say goodbye, and leave.

Go to the streets and wander aimlessly.

I admit that there are a lot of strange and guilty feelings that disturb my mood. So much so that I didn't notice the passage of time while walking for half a day.

As a result, lunch didn’t taste good.

Of course, he was thinking of a certain woman.

She liked him—she'd said it herself. She'd even confessed her feelings passionately and boldly yesterday, spurred by the fact that she was no longer single.

I'd expected something drastic—but today, it seemed like I'd calmed down considerably. Beyond the usual interactions I'd grown accustomed to, I only dared to change my voice, pretending to be speaking from the heart, and speak the truth to myself.

This is of course an acceptable or even good situation.

But strangely, I felt an inexplicable sense of regret and entanglement.

Is he really that outstanding? He knows he has a girlfriend, but he still loves her regardless of everything.

I can't bear it. I'm sorry.

In fact, she probably has few friends. Since she is the only one, she cherishes them so much that when she feels like losing them, she is reluctant to let go.

It was a somewhat disrespectful speculation, but I couldn't help but think about it.

Perhaps, after being truly liberated and finally free, a better life will come?

Guess what kind of life she wants?

She seemed to rarely smile. Most of the time, her face was stern. She only cried once.

But some clues can be detected from some behavioral tendencies.

In addition to reading, birds and animals are trying to develop new hobbies.

For example, cooking.

For example, housework, flower arranging, and housekeeping.

Also, find like-minded people to discuss literature and talk about life philosophies that might not normally be the subject of conversation.

"..."

As a result, thinking about it, it all points to one thing -

Be a good wife.

For a certain person who understands some literary philosophy.

"..."

My mood became more complicated.

Luckily, there was an arcade nearby. The faint crackling of electronic sounds was probably enough to drive away my chaotic thoughts.

It was natural for me to hide in there, buy a lot of coins, and start looking for the machine while whistling.

But soon he stood still beside a row of machines.

Then, he suddenly woke up, and somehow he shrank back. He subconsciously took a quick step back and used a large coin pusher to shield his body.

Only through the glass on the machine can you glimpse the image after the light is refracted.

because--

A man sat in front of an arcade machine in the corner. On the screen before him was the classic, original Street Fighter, which had appeared a bit earlier in this parallel world.

After inserting the coin, push the joystick in front of you, press the buttons, and choose the character.

The movements were almost familiar.

He was so skilled that it was obvious that he had been here more than once or twice.

Subsequent operations also proved this - facing Daiba's single-player mode enemies, he skillfully used his special moves and fatal blows to defeat them in no time.

Lin Sen could actually accept meeting such a skilled fighting player.

It is also generally acceptable that this person is actually an adult woman.

But I just can't face her appearance——

He was wearing a work suit and had his hair cut short. He looked like he was relaxing from the editorial office during his lunch break.

After easily completing the level, just do a simple stretch.

Holding his chin, he stared at the victorious character on the screen.

At this moment, Lin Sen actually hated his excellent brain power.

Because the memory palace clearly reflected that once, when he first took this woman to an arcade, the character she chose to play against was the one in the victory pose on the screen.

At this time, due to the angle, you can probably see her profile clearly.

She could clearly see her chin propped up by her hand, staring blankly at the screen. Then, with a detached expression, seemingly lost in thought, the corners of her mouth curled up slightly, even without her realizing it.

That's right. This woman, who I had just described as serious, was now smiling because of a certain memory.

Is it the same memory that was triggered by me?

——So, after that time, you’ve been coming here secretly?

why?

Didn’t you say at the beginning that you didn’t like arcade games but were just trying it out reluctantly?

Suddenly, I felt an indescribable emotion.

For the first time, I felt afraid to face it - so I turned around and was about to leave quietly.

Unfortunately, just as he was about to take a step, his plan was interrupted by a hand pulling at the corner of his clothes.

"Damn, bro!"

"!"

"!"

Turning around, I saw a familiar figure in front of me.

The taller arcade boy was still wearing his glasses. Perhaps because of another chance encounter, his face was filled with surprise and a certain urgency.

But that’s not where the focus should be.

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Lin Sen raised his eyes slightly.

The startled woman turned her head and looked over.

The eyes met at this moment.

Her mouth was slightly open.

Chapter 77: Mixed Mood

The hostile arcade character on the machine screen flew backwards in slow motion—

at the same time.

The young man breathed a sigh of relief and released the joystick.

"I'm sweating all over. That's quite impressive, Sasakawa."

"I haven't fought many people since then. I've been bitten by many tricky moves from Insidious-kun."

The woman analyzed and summarized it seriously.

Then, in exchange for a glance:

"That is, if you fight well, what else do you have to win, bro?"

As the saying goes, diligence brings perfection.

The first generation of arcade video games didn't have many moves. Once you got used to them, you could quickly master them.

Lin Sen was surprised at the woman's progress.

I still remember that when I first brought her to the arcade, she was a rookie who was played around with unilaterally. Now, she is like a vicious veteran.

Once she finds the rhythm, it's a fixed process that is only a matter of time before she suppresses you to death.

If I hadn't known some tricks of cheating and sneak attacks that allowed me to maintain a tie in the overall win-loss situation, today would definitely be a day of losing everything.

I don't know how long this woman spent on this behind the scenes -

Thinking of this, the complex emotions that had been suppressed came up again.

So I couldn't help but speak again:

"Do you come here often?"

"It's probably just a way to pass the time when I'm bored. Usually, in the afternoons when I have nothing to do, I'll play a few games of single-player mode."

Sasagawa Rio spoke calmly, as if she was just chatting about something trivial:

"At first, I couldn't even get past the first level. Then, I figured it out on my own, or stood back and watched others play. Gradually, I began to understand how to win."

It sounds like a difficult process.

"But..." Lin Sen still asked about the squeezing issue, "Didn't you say before that you weren't interested in this kind of thing? Why are you so excited now?"

In fact, I vaguely know the answer.

I just don't want to be a confused coward.

But the direct response always results in an obvious answer.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the woman looking over.

Sometimes, adults' directness is expressed in an implicit way.

"Just like at the beginning, I still don't really like so-called arcade games."

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After this, she didn't speak again.

The meaning expressed does not lose its clarity due to the ambiguity of the language.

Then Lin Sen sighed:

"You are a person who values ​​memories."

"Not really. I just always wanted to punch someone into the floor. Unfortunately, I didn't achieve my goal today."

"Does that make you win?"

The young man suddenly laughed, a rare occurrence.

"Go watch the top players compete?"

Novel No.9

Taking the initiative to propose, he pointed to the side and said, "Maybe, after mastering the fighting style of the masters, one day I can fulfill your wish."

"Is the strange gene in your blood that enjoys abuse acting up? Are you enjoying the process of being slowly defeated by the hero?"

"This is really messed up. You don't think that my brothers don't know how to make progress, do you?"

But no matter what, they still joined the circle of spectators gathered not far away.

Compared to the other life, the card bitches in this life are not as stingy and disgusting.

Not only did they put a lot of effort into promoting their own games, they even spent a lot of money to organize a number of competitions.

The first Street Fighter Cup in Tokyo had a very complete competition system.

The comprehensive selection mechanism of open auditions, open pre-selections and closed pre-selections has greatly enriched the enthusiasm of players of all levels.

It is said that the final elimination tournament, which will be held in a new arcade in Ginza, will not only have a generous prize pool, but the champion will also receive a gold-inlaid trophy and the right to have his name or nickname included in the next game.

The lure of money and honor nearly ignited the enthusiasm of the player community. There were even instances of players from other places rushing to the tournament, staying in hotels, or even buying up spots in the preliminary rounds that had already qualified.

It really opened my eyes. I vaguely remember that in such a barbaric era in my previous life, there was no such thing.

Perhaps, some events will accelerate slightly, just like the development of fighting game esports?