Age reveal! - 14

Somehow, I ended up going to the Kivotos Game Expo...

 

 

 

I'm getting ready to go out now.

 

 

 

I quickly got dressed and headed outside.

 

 

 

The morning sun shines on me.

 

 

 

I don't know much about what a Game Expo is like, but it sounds fun.

After all, it's about games.

 

 

 

Momoi and Midori said they'd be waiting in front of the subway station, so I need to hurry.

 

 

 

I ran as fast as I could to the subway station.

 

 

 

My blue hair fluttered behind me.

The air resistance must be terrible.

 

 

 

"Huff... huff..."

 

 

 

"Here! Nito!"

 

 

 

"Yeah...!"

 

 

 

When I arrived at the subway station, the two cats greeted me.

 

 

 

Hearing the announcement that the subway was about to arrive, I was glad I hurried.

 

 

 

"Let's go right away."

 

 

 

"Yeah."

 

 

 

So, we headed towards a building in Millennium, where the Kivotos Game Expo was being held.

 

 

 

It seems like both Momoi and Midori have been here before.

 

 

 

Did they come together since they're sisters?

 

 

 

"Nito, you're excited, right? This is-"

 

 

 

Momoi, excited and switching gears, started explaining,

 

 

 

"Sis, more importantly, this time-"

 

 

 

Midori, trying to plan how to enjoy the Game Expo,

 

 

 

Nom nom-

 

 

 

I ate the rice ball I just bought.

 

 

 

I don't usually care much about breakfast, but I felt like today would be tough, so I made sure to eat.

 

 

 

Look at these two, having a heated debate between me.

 

 

 

If they're going to do this, they should sit next to each other, I don't know why they're sitting like this.

 

 

 

It's awkward to interrupt them and suggest switching seats.

 

 

 

In the end, stuck between two nerd gamers, I arrived at the expo venue without being able to do anything.

 

 

 

"No, here, we should do this first-"

 

 

 

"No, this is more important-"

 

 

 

The fighting chibi sisters.

 

 

 

"Stop it, let's just go in..."

 

 

 

I finally had to step in and mediate.

Only then did they stop and look at me.

 

 

 

They know they did something wrong, I guess.

 

 

 

"R-right! Let's go in!"

 

 

 

The building, which looked magnificent from the outside, was just as impressive inside.

 

 

 

"Wow..."

 

 

 

"Ohh..."

 

 

 

Seeing them admire it made me wonder if I should react too, but even looking at all the game consoles here, I don't feel anything special.

 

 

 

Why is it all just old console games?

 

 

 

"Come on, let's hurry! There's a lot to see!"

 

 

 

"L-let's take it a bit slower..."

 

 

 

My opinion was casually ignored.

 

 

 

What's Midori doing?

She's already left us to look at game illustrations.

 

 

 

So, Momoi and I started wandering around the expo.

 

 

 

Midori joined us later after seeing everything she wanted to see.

 

 

 

The excited twins had a heated debate, but I couldn't understand a word they were saying.

 

 

 

Still, it seems fun.

 

 

 

Even though these kids are talking about things only they understand, looking at various game consoles and trying out a few games was a good experience.

 

 

 

After looking around thoroughly, we came outside.

 

 

 

"Whew! That was really fun!"

 

 

 

"Yeah, it was a very fulfilling time."

 

 

 

"I don't know what was going on, but it was fun."

 

 

 

"Ah." "Ah."

 

 

 

"Hehe... Just kidding. I really enjoyed it too."

 

 

 

It wasn't fun listening to you two ramble on.

 

 

 

"Phew, that's good. Nito, want to do something before we leave?"

 

 

 

"Hmm..."

 

 

 

What is there to do...?

 

 

 

Food?

 

 

 

"Come to think of it, did we eat lunch?"

 

 

 

"No?"

 

 

 

"Then let's go eat."

 

 

 

"Yeah!"

 

 

 

Then, what should we eat this time?

 

 

 

As expected, sushi sounds good.

 

 

 

"Let's go eat sushi."

 

 

 

"Yeah, okay!"

 

 

 

I'm really looking forward to it.

Sushi after hard work will taste even better than usual.

 

 

 

"But, do either of you... know where a sushi place is...?"

 

 

 

"Ah." "Ah."

 

 

 

Midori, sighing deeply at our reactions, led us to a sushi restaurant.

 

 

 

Surprisingly, she's being helpful.

 

 

 

Unlike Momoi.

 

 

 

Anyway, we arrived at the sushi restaurant.

 

 

 

"Nito-chan, you're drooling..."

 

 

 

Slurp...

 

 

 

"Yeah, let's eat quickly..."

 

 

 

We sat down.

 

 

 

A waiter came to take our order.

 

 

 

"May I take your order~?"

 

 

 

Since we had decided what to eat beforehand, I just ordered everything.

 

 

 

So... one assorted set, udon, katsudon, and...

 

 

 

"Sake too please-"

 

 

 

"Nito?!"

 

 

 

"No alcohol!"

 

 

 

Ah, slip of the tongue.

 

 

 

"Ahaha..."

 

 

 

The waiter laughed nervously.

 

 

 

Even I think I was being a real pain.

 

 

 

"I'm sorry..."

 

 

 

Feeling ashamed, my voice became as small as an ant.

 

 

 

"It's okay~. So, one assorted set, one udon, and one katsudon, right?"

 

 

 

"Yes..."

 

 

 

"I'll bring it right away~."

 

 

 

With that, the waiter left.

 

 

 

"Nito, your face is bright red."

 

 

 

"Ugh..."

 

 

 

I mumbled something incomprehensible.

 

 

 

"Hehe, are you okay?"

 

 

 

Momoi couldn't hold back her laughter.

 

 

 

Ah, I really want a drink now.

 

 

 

I couldn't lift my head for a while.

 

 

 

Momoi started teasing me relentlessly.

It's another story of how Midori tried hard to stop me from getting revenge on her later.

 

 

 

While we were eating the food that finally arrived,

 

 

 

"Eating sushi after working hard on entrance ceremony preparations~♤ This is quite special~."

 

 

 

"Uhehe~ Shiroko-chan, where did you find a place like this~?"

 

 

 

"I stumbled upon it while riding..."

 

 

 

Hearing familiar voices, I instinctively looked towards the door,

 

 

 

"Huh...?"

 

 

 

"Ah."

 

 

 

My eyes met Shiroko's.

 

 

 

Shiroko's group noticed me and started walking towards us.

 

 

 

Please just walk by... Please just walk by... Please...

 

 

 

"Hey, we met back then..."

 

 

 

What the f-

 

 

 

"Huh? Nito, do you know them?"

 

 

 

"Heh~? Shiroko-chan~ Who are they~?"

 

 

 

Shiroko and I ended up explaining everything.

 

 

 

"Hmm... So, you suddenly disappeared while preparing for the entrance ceremony..."

 

 

 

"Shiroko-chan~ You shouldn't rob ordinary houses~."

 

 

 

So does that mean robbing a bank is okay?

 

 

 

"Um... That happened..."

 

 

 

"This is even more unbelievable than my game scenario...?"

 

 

 

You're aware of it, huh?

 

 

 

Somehow, we ended up sharing a table.

 

 

 

Getting involved with the Abydos Foreclosure Task Force trio isn't exactly something to celebrate, but seeing Hoshino and Nonomi in person is still exciting.

 

 

 

"Oh, come to think of it, we haven't introduced ourselves, have we?"

 

 

 

True.

 

 

 

Momoi's sudden remark made everyone realize that.

 

 

 

"I'm Takanashi Hoshino, the president of the Abydos Foreclosure Task Force, and I'll be a third-year this year~. Is anyone here interested in our high school~?"

 

 

 

A cold silence.

 

 

 

Hoshino seems disappointed.

 

 

 

"Abydos Foreclosure Task Force, Sunaookami Shiroko. Second-year."

 

 

 

The atmosphere became even colder.

 

 

 

Shiroko seems unfazed.

 

 

 

"Okay~ Next is me~☆ I'm Izayoi Nonomi, from the same group as these two~♧"

 

 

 

The atmosphere lightened a bit, but no one could keep up with Nonomi's energy.

 

 

 

"Next is me! I'm Saiba Momoi, who will be attending Millennium Science School this year! I'll create the best game in Kivotos someday!"

 

 

 

"Wow~♤"

 

 

 

"Uhehe~ Millennium, huh~."

 

 

 

"..."

 

 

 

The atmosphere improved.

Thank goodness.

 

 

 

"I'm Saiba Midori, her twin sister."

 

 

 

Just kidding, it dropped again.

 

 

 

Why do I care so much about the atmosphere?

Because it'll be awkward to introduce myself if the mood is dark.

 

 

 

"Aoiro Nito, um... my age is..."

 

 

 

Do I really have to say my age?

I want to skip it.

 

 

 

I don't want to accept the fact that I'm the youngest here, or rather, that there isn't a single playable character who is the same age or younger than me...

 

 

 

"How old are you?"

 

 

 

"Um... this year... fourteen..."

 

 

 

A deep silence fell.

And then...

 

 

 

"She's a year younger than us?!"

 

 

 

"No way...!"

 

 

 

The two cats reacted strongly.

 

 

 

"Wow~♤ You're a cute child~♧"

 

 

 

"Uhehe~ You haven't even graduated middle school yet~ So young~ This old lady is jealous~."

 

 

 

"..."

 

 

 

Abydos also reacted strongly to my age.

 

 

 

Shiroko's reaction was the same, but her eyes widened, so she must have been a little surprised.

 

 

 

"Huuuuh..."

 

 

 

Unable to bear the embarrassment and shame, I crawled under the table to a corner.

 

 

 

I think I heard laughter from above, but I gritted my teeth and ignored it.

 

 

 

Ah, I really need a drink.