Vol. 1 Chapter 11 – Hesitation is Defeat

Today marked exactly two weeks since Asahi-san started coming over to my room on weekends.

On this, her third visit, we were playing SEKIHYO again at her eager request.

The crisp sounds of swordplay echoed through the eight-mat studio apartment.

Today, she showed no large reactions; her gaze was glued to the screen.

I could feel her strong determination to absolutely conquer the remaining half of the story, which she had cleared halfway during her first visit, within the day.

Fueled by that fervor, Asahi-san defeated bosses one after another at tremendous speed.

I could easily imagine she must concentrate just as intensely during her tennis matches.

While I thought she might actually manage to clear it today, there was also something I needed to tackle soon.

Was it really okay for her to come to my house like this, week after week?

The time had come when I had to ask her that.

This current situation was just a bug in the world; she and I originally lived in different worlds.

That confession, and the reactions of the two who watched it, had made me realize that deep down.

A rising star in the tennis world, a famous high school girl steadily building a successful modeling career and gaining popularity.

Even if the reality was just playing games, for someone like that to be frequenting a guy’s room… especially that of a Gloomy Type otaku like me… couldn’t possibly be good for her reputation.

If it were exposed, she would undoubtedly be subjected to intense, curious stares from those around her.

If that affected her tennis performance or modeling career…

Moreover, it was a time bomb that would only grow larger as time passed and she became even more successful.

…Alright, I’ll say it.

Someone from the lower strata like me shouldn’t be the cause of damage to her brilliant future.

However, I couldn’t just state it head-on and leave lingering resentment either.

I’ll gently guide her towards backing off herself and put an end to this association.

Oblivious to my resolve, Asahi-san remained glued to the screen.

Alright, when should I bring it up…?

I certainly couldn’t do it during a boss fight.

As a gamer, that would be an act worthy of ten thousand deaths.

Okay, I’ll do it the next time she dies.

Having decided, I watched her play, but—

…She doesn’t look like she’s going to die at all.

Two hours had passed since my decision, yet she still hadn’t died even once.

She had good natural sense to begin with, but now that familiarity was added, she looked invincible.

However, awaiting her ahead was a formidable enemy said to be the strongest after the final boss.

Moreover, it required a completely different fighting style from the bosses so far.

Even for the great Asahi-san, breaking through on the first try should be tough.

And just as expected, Asahi-san began to struggle against that powerful foe.

She’s good… she’s good, but that’s not how you fight this one…

Normally, I should be rooting for the enemy here, but—

Ah, yes, yes! When fighting that one… yes, that’s the best way!

Watching her brilliant play, looking like she might overcome this boss on her first try, feelings of support unintentionally overflowed.

But, her healing items are almost… Ah… Aaah…

However, my inner cheering was in vain; she succumbed to the boss.

“Aah… I was so close…” (Hikaru)

Asahi-san placed the controller on her lap, dejected.

I thought now might be the time to bring it up, but—

“I need to focus more on dodging than parrying… During that attack, I should step in instead and attack… Yeah, that might work!” (Hikaru)

She’s probably thinking things over after her first defeat, so I’ll tell her next time.

She’ll surely die two or three more times, so there’ll be plenty of chances—

‘You… thank… you…’

Don’t just die satisfied on your own!!!

On her second attempt, Asahi-san easily defeated the formidable late-game enemy.

Now only the final boss remained.

At this point, maybe it really would be better to wait until she cleared it before saying anything.

Interrupting someone while they’re playing isn’t good, anyway.

Yes. Let’s do that.

Renewing my resolve, I watched her play.

And so, Asahi-san finally reached the final boss.

A long battle, including the preliminary fight, totaling four consecutive rounds on a scenic battlefield covered in pampas grass.

It was undoubtedly the strongest enemy in the game, both in name and reality.

Even she shouldn’t be able to handle this easily.

Just as predicted, she defeated the preliminary stage easily but fell before the enemy’s fierce onslaught in the main fight that followed.

“Aah!! I died!!” (Hikaru)

She looked up at the ceiling, looking frustated.

‘Hesitation is defeat.’

On the screen displaying the character for death, the final boss’s famous line played.

“But I’ll definitely win next time!” (Hikaru)

Asahi-san retried without a moment’s delay.

There was no trace of hesitation on her face; instead, she wore the most joyful smile I’d seen yet.

It’ll be trouble if weird rumors start, so maybe you should stop coming here?

If I gently told her that, would this smile cloud over?

Thinking that, I felt a pain like a small thorn pricking my heart.

It even felt like an incredibly sinful thing to do.

In that case, maybe it would be better if she just accepted it lightly, without much internal conflict.

Besides, is it really something I have to say?

Thinking it’s for her sake… isn’t that just self-righteousness stemming from my own inferiority complex?

My thoughts swirled, and I couldn’t even tell what I was thinking anymore.

‘Hesitation is defeat.’ ‘Hesitation is defeat.’ ‘Hesitation is defeat.’

The line that played every time Asahi-san fell to the boss felt as if it were directed at me.

“Secret Technique… Lightning Reversal!! And then~… the finishing blow!!” (Hikaru)

On her tenth attempt, she finally defeated the final boss.

‘Well done…’

The finishing blow animation played, followed by the ending movie.

“Yay! Total victory!” (Hikaru)
“C-Congratulations… That was incredibly fast.” (Reiya)
“I told you I was pretty good at this genre, right? Here, yay!” (Hikaru)

She held out her hand for a high five, and I lightly obliged.

“Ah~, that was fun… The games from here are really all god-tier, aren’t they~.” (Hikaru)

Asahi-san watched the story’s conclusion with a satisfied expression.

The title logo appeared, and the end credits began to roll.

While impressed by her skill in finishing a game that takes even experienced players twenty hours on a first playthrough in just over ten, I was still hesitating.

“Hey, hey, does this game have other endings?” (Hikaru)
“Eh? Ah… It does, but…” (Reiya)
“I knew it. Then maybe it’s at that choice point~… Starting from a save is fine, but since we’re at it, maybe from the beginning… Ack, but making you play through the whole thing alone is probably bad for you, Kageyama-kun.” (Hikaru)

Just as I thought this might be my chance to say something—

“Hm? What’s wrong?” (Hikaru)

Using her preemptive strike advantage, she noticed something was off with me first.

“Maybe you’re not feeling well? Should I go buy you Pocari?” (Hikaru)

She shifted her seating position, closing the distance between us in one go.

About the same distance as when she sat next to me on the bus.

In the room, brighter than back then, our faces were now close together.

“No, I feel perfectly fine, but…” (Reiya)
“Then… Are you hungry…?” (Hikaru)

Seeing her up close like this again, her well-proportioned features stood out even more.

Long eyelashes adorning large, wide-open eyes.

A high, small nose, and moist, pink lips.

She possessed weapon after weapon, each with instant-kill attack power.

“That’s, not it…” (Reiya)
“Then, what is it…?” (Hikaru)

Asahi-san tilted her head.

Her face is too perfect.

Her personality is good too.

It’s fun being with her.

That’s exactly why it’s no good.

In the same situation, if the other person were any other classmate, I surely could have accepted it normally.

I probably would have thrown my hands up in joy, thinking real youth had finally arrived for me.

But Asahi Hikaru and I live in worlds that are too different.

Top and bottom, popular and gloomy, light and dark.

Even as just game buddies, I’m sure I’ll end up causing her trouble someday.

I have to resolve this bug and return the world to normal.

“Asahi-san…” (Reiya)
“What?” (Hikaru)

…Is that really true?

‘Hesitation is defeat.’

Amidst my scrambled thoughts, those words repeated in my head.

“During the long holiday weekend, do you still have any days free…?” (Reiya)

I don’t know why, but before I knew it, those words had left my mouth.