Chapter 11
After we managed to check out the Last Destiny booth, which was our first goal, we set off on a serious exploration of AGP.
My older sister didn’t seem too interested in this kind of thing, maybe just following my opinions out of kindness, as she hurriedly trailed after any place I was eyeing.
Once she even asked if there was anywhere I wanted to go, but every time I mentioned something, she’d just say, “Whatever Mr. Cosmo wants to see.” It was quite awkward.
While we were looking around, one booth caught my eye.
“Oh, that game is being showcased too. I heard it’s really popular these days.”
“What kind of game is that?”
My older sister seemed completely clueless about this stuff, just tilting her head in confusion. One look at her, and it was obvious she was far from someone like me—definitely a ‘Kingfan.’
“It’s a collectible RPG like Last Destiny we saw earlier. It’s known for being a bit… intense in terms of its content.”
“When you say intense… does that mean it’s brutal?”
“Umm, not exactly…”
How should I explain this?
Of course, in terms of in-game portrayals, there are graphic representations like decapitations and visceral explosions, but that’s all just text, so it’s not really brutal in a serious way.
When we say the content level is high, it really means…
“…”
“… Yeah, that’s the kind of meaning.”
As I hesitated to explain, my sister, perhaps wanting to see it for herself, arrived at the booth and checked out the character standee in front of her, sealing her lips.
And it was no surprise, since the character displayed was so scantily clad that there was more exposed skin than covered areas.
That’s right. In truth, this game is so openly risqué that it’s impressive it didn’t receive a mature rating.
“…Do you play that game, Mr. Cosmo?”
“Ah, no. I’ve never played it.”
With a voice that seemed to carry a chill, I waved my hands frantically to declare my innocence.
Of course, it’s true that it’s a game that stirs the fantasy of being a man, but it’s just not my style, so I gave it a shot for a brief moment before quitting in less than a week.
I felt a bit guilty for saying I hadn’t tried it, but as long as I don’t say it out loud, there’s no way I’ll get caught.
“Hmm…”
“…”
My older sister looked at me with eagle eyes, as if asking, “Really?”
The intensity of her gaze made me involuntarily look away. Is this what a small animal feels like when it’s facing its predator?
“Pfft, I’m just kidding. Why are you taking it so seriously?”
“…Huh?”
As our silent battle of nerves continued, when my older sister burst into laughter, I found my consciousness slipping away.
What? So the cold atmosphere from earlier was all an act?
“That sort of thing is just a game. It’s not like we’re gambling or anything; people enjoy their favorite games. Who would look at that strangely?”
“Y-Yeah, that’s true?”
Facing my sister, who spouted such a reasonable argument, I couldn’t bring myself to say, “Some people totally would,” so I awkwardly laughed and glanced away.
I couldn’t tell if she was just being courteous or if she genuinely believed that, but either way, I was relieved that the atmosphere didn’t seem too tense.
“By the way, the character is really pretty. I haven’t tried the game, but it seems the developers put a lot of effort into the characters.”
As the atmosphere relaxed again, my sister and I started checking out the character stands and various goods around the booth.
Despite the high exposure levels, she seemed to agree that the character designs themselves weren’t bad at all, as she muttered while examining each one closely.
Yeah, they did manage to design some good characters.
“That’s true. Even though I wasn’t too satisfied with the gameplay, the characters were cute enough that I pulled a few…”
Oh.
I had started to chime in, trying to show agreement, but I realized my mistake too late and let out a sigh.
Sensing a crisis, I awkwardly turned my head, creaking like an insufficiently oiled machine. Just as I did so, my eyes met those of my sister, who was looking at me with a skeptical expression.
“…You’ve played it, haven’t you, liar.”
Damn, so this was a trap card.
*
In the end, as a guilty sinner, I found myself being dragged around by my sister, checking out various booths until we decided to take a break at a café inside the building.
As a penance for my lies and to repay the debt I owed for dragging her into that earlier mess, I decided I’d buy the coffee and stood in front of the counter when—
“Mr. Cosmo, what do you want to drink? I’ll get it!”
“Huh? No, I was going to buy it…”
My sister pulled out a luxurious-looking black card from her wallet, making it clear she was determined to pay.
Flustered, I stumbled over my words, pulling my own card out to approach, but she firmly pushed my card away with the kind of face older sisters make when scolding their younger brothers.
“In these situations, older siblings are supposed to treat you. It’s fine, so go find a seat.”
“Uh…”
This isn’t how it’s supposed to go.
I just wanted to show appreciation to someone who claimed to be my fan by at least buying them a coffee, and now I was going to end up being treated instead. It felt rude to stubbornly insist on paying.
“Fine. Then I’ll come to get the coffee later.”
“That would be great.”
After considering, I decided to yield for the time being and ordered a caramel frappuccino, heading toward an empty spot by the window.
As a homebody who doesn’t particularly favor sunlight, I thought my sister might not like sitting in a corner, so I chose this spot.
“It seems there are a lot of customers, so it might take a while.”
“It seems so. Oh, please hand me the vibrating bell when it arrives.”
“Sure, here you go.”
Returning quickly, my sister handed me the vibrating bell and gently took her seat.
“Here, the sunlight is really nice, and it feels good. You can see the outdoor scenery well…”
“That’s a relief. I was worried you might prefer corner seats like I do.”
Once she sat down and stretched while gazing outside, she casually mentioned she liked the sunlight, and I let out a sigh of relief.
I thought my pointless consideration might have been unwelcome, but thankfully that wasn’t the case.
“Oh, did you sit here on purpose because of me? You didn’t have to…”
“N-No, it’s nothing like that, so don’t worry. I like sunlight too.”
The problem was that I should’ve kept that thought to myself, but I ended up saying it out loud.
As a result, my sister looked at me with an apologetic expression, so I frantically waved my hands, denying it. I’m not a vampire or anything; I can handle a bit of sunlight.
“Pfft, you’re lying.”
“I-I’m not lying…?”
As I fumbled for words under her scrutinizing gaze, my sister sliced through my excuses with her firm statement, and I desperately tried to defend myself, but her response was unwavering.
“It’s obvious. Just like earlier, Mr. Cosmo tends to reveal himself when he’s lying.”
“You make it sound like you’ve known me for a long time.”
“Chuckling, I guess so. Was that rude?”
“It’s not that… ”
It’s not rude. It’s just… a bit embarrassing to have my innermost thoughts exposed so precisely.
Moreover, on the flip side, it felt slightly embarrassing to realize how interested she was in me. Still, since she claims to be a fan, it’s only natural, I suppose.
“No wonder the real Mr. Cosmo feels a bit more clumsy than on broadcast.”
“I-Is that a compliment?”
“It is. No fan would dare speak negatively in front of a celebrity, would they?”
Hmm, I feel like that’s kind of backhanded…
But looking at my sister’s bright smile, I couldn’t bring myself to say that. No matter how it’s interpreted, she’s clearly giving me genuine compliments.
“Anyway, thanks to you, I really enjoyed today. It felt like a dream for a fan.”
“I had fun too. Honestly, if I had wandered around alone, it would have been a bit lonely, but thanks to you, I was able to wait in line without getting bored…”
I couldn’t bring myself to say, “It’s an honor to be out with such a pretty person,” and I just awkwardly scratched my cheek.
That alone seemed to satisfy my sister, and she flashed a smile filled with joy.
In moments like this, my lack of verbal prowess felt quite unfortunate.
“Still, I feel like I’ve caused you a lot of trouble today. From the Chae-ah incident to having you pay for coffee…”
“I told you, you don’t have to apologize. Plus, I originally intended to pay for coffee when I invited you.”
Though she wore a feigned stern expression, as if to say, “Keep this up, and I’ll get mad,” she just looked cute to me. But I couldn’t say that out loud.
“But that leaves me feeling like I owe you something. I wish I could think of some way to repay you…”
There’s something called “reverse tribute.”
It’s a term used when idols or celebrities do something in return for their fans who appreciate them. While I’m not that grand of a person, I wish I could do something for the fan right in front of me.
What could I possibly do for her…
“…Do you really want to repay me for the coffee?”
As I pondered that, my sister’s eyes suddenly changed, and she looked at me intently, asking in a somewhat dreamy voice.
“It’s not just about the coffee; I just want to repay you for all the things you did for me today.”
As I chuckled lightly, somewhat taken aback, I suddenly noticed her eyes widen as if she had caught a huge opportunity.
And then,
“Then… could I ask you for a favor?”
With a shy expression, she pointed one finger up, making a number one shape and mentioning the word ‘favor.’
A favor? Sure, that’s nice. It didn’t seem like she would ask for anything outrageous, so I was open to anything as long as I could lessen this debt even a little.
“Of course, anything you want.”
“R-Really…!?”
As I raised my thumb in agreement, suggesting I would accept any request, my sister looked at me with disbelief.
Wait, did I misstep here?
That thought crossed my mind in an instant.
“Then… could you give me your contact information?”
“…Huh?”
What did you just ask for?
Hearing a request I’d never encountered from a woman in my life hit me like a hammer, and for a moment, I thought I must have misheard.
Buzz.
But the vibrating bell soon rang, confirming that my ears hadn’t malfunctioned.
So right now, is my sister asking for my number?