Bab 31: Inside the Arcade Basket
The loud sounds of voices and machine noises clouded Arata's ears. The arcade had never been so crowded, or that he had never seen the arcade a lot. In-game, the Arcade Basket was an unpopular DS, and all the player could buy was coins to play the crane game. The prize were stuffed date-ables, and he had completed all of them after using up almost a million in trials. He did have good RNG when it came to being able to get one, but it was normally duplicates so getting everyone was a hard task. Getting here made him want to play it again- even though it had no merits but bragging rights.
"Alright! Let's buy some coins! You'll treat me, right?" Tohru grinned at him, expecting more than just his company.
"Sure. Let's find the booth." The king was ready, checking his cash which still amounted to 30, 000 JPY.
[You just pulled off a stunt! Your destination choice gave a boost of 50 to Affectionate Jerk Hamada Tohru's Date Meter! It is now at 50/100! Keep on going!]
Arata purchased a coin package that gave them 10, 000 worth of JPY. Even though coins were not really needed in arcade, this system was developed in the game so the player could gift and receive arcade coins as rewards. JPY was an important currency so the developers refused to shower them with it, only with arcade coins and gift coupons.
Tohru took half of the coins, and decided to play by her herself. The Date did not treat it as a gift; but since Arata wanted to see if he could get a stuffed Tohru Mini to give her, he just agreed to meet her later. He went to the crane game and started playing. Like before, he had a high chance to get mini date-ables. However, he kept on getting Keiko and Seri Minis.
He brought the newest Seri Mini he got to his face, frowning at it. He had not seen Seri being reintroduced into the game. He did realize that Seri was like Momoka and Tohru, a date-able whose starting location needed to be unlocked first before being attained. He whispered as he dropped the Seri Mini into his bag, "I wonder when she'll be available again in a non-routed playthrough."
The next stuffed mini he got shone in a light only he could see. He picked it up from the chute, and his invisible ears perked up in joy. He just got a Yukari Mini! Afterwards, he kept on playing like a mad man. He did get three Tohru Minis as he hunted for an Usagi Mini. Then again, most of what he got were Keiko and Seri Minis, with a few of the others, and a single Attori Mini.
Arata noticed the updated item roster at the side and saw the twelve available items, but three of them were blackened. He sighed at the fact that he could not get Usagi just yet. He scratched his head and stared at the pouch containing the remaining of his coins. It was time to look for Tohru.
He walked around to find the girl, but what he saw was a crowd nearby the punch game. It was nearby the entrance of the Player-kun Complex mini-game, which was like a restroom if left unlabeled. Arata stood nearby, seeing that these men were watching Tohru go through a tough level. Then again, she failed and tried again, only to realize she used up her coins. She sighed so loud before she spotted Arata in the crowd.
"Acchan! Help me out!" She wore a foxy smile and beckoned the guy to come closer, arm up high and hand wiggling up and down.
"You used everything on that game?" Arata laughed out as he came to put a coin for her.
"Well, I did say I want to punch something." Tohru shrugged with a smile as she tried the stage again.
It was a stage where she had to beat up an enemy who could dodge and block. The enemy speed was also high, and so he could hit Tohru's character more than she could hit him. The silence of the men around her meant that they had no rights to judge her losing at that level. It must be very high, or so Arata thought.
"Argh, I can't hit him enough." Tohru frowned, removing the game boxing gloves from her hands. "I'm just getting more pissed..."
"Let me try!" Arata volunteered as he quickly placed the coin for a retry. He wore both gloves as the stage loaded. All he had to do was to hit the paddle that acted as the enemy's face, enough to deplete the enemy's life before the enemy depletes his.
Since he was using his ever wonderful Speed shoes, and his Items that reinforced Strength, he could pull off quick and successive punches. It seemed that a quick punch was weaker, but had more chances of not getting evaded or blocked. Tohru did pull her arm a lot in rage after all. Even though he was left with ten percent of his character's health, he managed to beat the stage.
Tohru whistled as he completed it. The game. End credits rolled, leaving the energized player frozen in disappointment. The men around them clapped while some hollered for seconds; their noise made the attendants disperse them.
"That was awesome!" She laughed at the pouting male, who was also pulling on the gloves as he sulked. "I was at the last stage. Never thought you're even stronger than me now!"
[You have fulfilled the secret request: beat the last stage! Each request will give you a chance to get a second event scene! You have 30% of the required secret requests! Good luck!]
"I wanted to play more!" Arata grumbled as he led Tohru to another part of the arcade. He found a seat and sat down, inviting Tohru to take the seat next to him. The player sighed, looking around. "I still have coins. Where should we spend it on?"
Instead of an answer, what he received from her was a touch. He turned to her and saw her musing over his hand that was on his side. She was tracing the veins that had showed themselves due to the quick strong punches he just threw earlier. He lifted his hand so she could take a closer look.
Tohru chuckled as she slapped the hand down. "I was just playing. Where are we going now?" She looked at him as if she had gone bored already.
Arata took out one of the Tohru Minis he had and gave it to her. "I got that from the crane game. Do you like it?"
"Eh, don't they have you instead?" She pouted.
[You just pulled off a stunt! Your gift: Stuffed Tohru Mini, only gave a boost of 5 to Affectionate Jerk Hamada Tohru's Date Meter! It is now at 55/100! Try harder!]
"I don't have a lot. I- am not available there." The player ravaged through the minis he had. "Oh yeah, I heard her call you a rascal." He picked out Ruby and dangled the mini in front of the athlete. "Is there anything going on between you two?"
"Isn't Keiko too much trouble? Why get another?" Tohru's eyes glinted as she snatched the doll from his hand. She dangled it on her face, with a rather disgusted look she once gave Keiko. "It doesn't have anything to do with you, but I'm taking this one if you don't mind."
[You just pulled off a stunt! Your gift: Stuffed Ruby Mini, only gave a boost of 20 to Affectionate Jerk Hamada Tohru's Date Meter! It is now at 75/100! Keep on going!]
"I have a lot of dupes, don't worry. But I still want to know." Arata chuckled lightly as he watched her stare at the Ruby Mini with contradicting gazes of disgust and soon adoration. "I just want to know if it's something serious."
Tohru grew silent. Her fascinated eyes then went away as she put the two minis inside her bag. She then tilted her head to the side and hummed as if she was trying to answer a difficult question. After a couple of seconds, she only grinned at the man. "Nope, not telling you. Probably when we're closer..."
'A route hint?' Arata only stared at her before smiling. "Okay. Maybe when we're closer." He tried to take out a chocolate bar, but a prompt kept on showing.
[You cannot consume Stamina Items during a Date!]
He sighed and gave his pouch filled with arcade coins to Tohru. "Do you still want to play, or do you want to go home?"
"There's still a lot! Maybe we can just buy something from the vending machine over there!" Tohru got up and went to the machine nearby.
They were in the resting area after all: the only area food and drinks were allowed. Those two were not allowed upon entry, but the arcade goers can use their arcade coins to buy food and drinks from the vending machines. These food and drinks were also available outside of the arcade, and so it was easier to buy from there.
After teasing Arata and the passers-by with her butt almost sticking up as she collected the goods she bought, Tohru walked back to the seat and asked him to feast on her choices. She grabbed a canned soda and flicked the sides to keep the drink from spurting. She then opened it and drank almost half of it, just by the length of her drinking time. For some reasons, Arata watched her intently, feeling rather satisfied seeing how the glands in her throat move when she drinks.
She finished her first gulp, and huffed out the feel inside her neck. Tohru turned to Arata with a devious look on her face. "That's a weird fetish you've got there..."
"I'm not. I'm not... looking at you because of that." The player started chuckling, covering his face all of a sudden. He was just watching her because she was an athlete; he thought athletes do have this enticing way to drink compared to other people. He then minded his own business by flicking the can as well before opening. He went to drink some of his soda.
[You just pulled off a stunt! Your pep talk gave a boost of 10 to Affectionate Jerk Hamada Tohru's Date Meter! It is now at 85/100! Keep on going!]
Arata twitched as he remembered, gambling his stunt at an issue she might not even talk about with him. "What made you angry today? You even almost completed a punching game because of it."
"Ah, I don't think you should hear it from me." Tohru hummed, snacking on the packaged air fried potato cuttings she got from the machine. "Haven't Yuka-chan say anything yet?"
"Yukari?" He blinked once and thought about her for a while. If it was about her, then something must have happened in the Basketball Club. Did she get kicked out because of her absences? Maybe it was the turnaround for her route, just like how Cora left in the non-route playthrough at the first half. He could only shake his head.
"Even though I could take them to regionals, I'm still a newbie to the team." Tohru sighed as she waved her hand holding the pack. "I have no say what happens to other members as long as they have grounds to cast them out." She took a piece and bit into it hardly. "Those other girls had a strong hold because they are popular girls. Yukari, however, is just a face that stands next to you."
The player who was trying to open a small pack of chips stopped. He looked at her and saw the sadness in her eyes. He just shoved the unopened food into his bag. "We should go home now, Tohru. I want to go see Yukari as soon as possible."
"Ah, you're right. She would probably talk to you instead." Tohru only gave a bitter smile as she kept the arcade coins.
The athlete got up and watched Arata tidy their spot, separating trash from untouched food. She drank the rest of her soda before throwing it out after Arata dealt with their trash. She followed him out of the arcade, noticing that the sky had gone dark.
"Should I get you a cab home?" The player chuckled, staring at his half-depleted cash on hand. He took a thousand and kept his wallet. He then looked around to see any cab passing by the arcade.
"Ah, yeah, thanks," she whispered as she stared at him. The athlete then sighed and tapped his shoulder. She waited for him to turn before smiling and reaching out her hand. "I'll just get a cab at another place. You go get a bus back to your house."
Arata babbled in futile protest, soon handling her the bill. "Make sure you're not going anywhere dangerous." He just let her have it her way despite the worry.
"Geez, this is a tough chick." She laughed out, receiving the fare.
[You just pulled off a stunt! Your pep talk gave a boost of 15 to Affectionate Jerk Hamada Tohru's Date Meter! Congratulations! It is now at 100/100! Why don't you go for a Kiss?]
Like what happened earlier, instead of initiating it himself, he rather received a kiss from Tohru. However, it was short due to the fact that they were standing by the streets. She had a faint blush and waved at him without another word. The athlete then spun on her heel and walked away. He could only scratch his head.
[You have initiated a Kiss! Congratulations! You have earned 1 Cosmos Kiss as a reward from the event The Autumn Flowers have Risen! You can give it to any date-able of your liking. Please be reminded that all Cosmos Crowns are only usable during the event.]
[You have successfully finished a Date with Affectionate Jerk Hamada Tohru! Her Affection Rate is now 38%! Congratulations!]
Arata was about to go to another direction when he noticed the drops that fell on his face. He looked up and saw the dark clouds that he knew would be coming. Soon, the people in the streets cried as another strong rain poured down on them. The player could only get a ride home in his wet clothes.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
droopyghost
droopyghost Hi, everyone. I'm sorry to cut the double chapters short (just missing one for this Sunday). I've grown really tired over the past few days (not only from writing), and I did hear the quality of the chapters began to suffer. Don't worry, I'll be back with a chapter tomorrow. T^T Thank you for all the support you're giving me!