Vol. 1 Chapter 3 – Would You Kindly…

BioShocking—an FPS-style adventure RPG set in an underwater city.

It’s a masterpiece among masterpieces, proving that games truly deserve the title of king of comprehensive entertainment. It delivers a high-quality experience to players through its RPG shooter gameplay using guns and superpowers, its clever game-unique scenario unfolding in a retrofuture world, and the distinctive setting of an underwater city designed with graphics that were high-level for their time.

While it’s a popular series worldwide, having sold over thirty million copies cumulatively, within Japan specifically, its recognition is probably around the level of ‘Naturally known if you like games.’

At the very least, the awareness among Shibuya’s high school girls is undoubtedly less than 0.1%.

“Ah, yeah… BioShocking… I see…” (Reiya)

“Yep, I just finished clearing all three games in the series recently.” (Hikaru)

“It’s a good game… The way it uses dialogue as a story mechanic is brilliant…” (Reiya)

“Uh-huh, uh-huh! The story’s great, but I also really loved the atmosphere of the underwater city—creepy yet somehow mystical and retro. The gameplay part was good too, with lots of skill customization options and plenty of room for creativity in combat—” (Hikaru)

Asahi-san spoke rapidly, like an otaku, detailing the contents of the work she clearly understood well.

It didn’t seem like she’d just thrown out some random title she’d prepared beforehand to deceive me.

Could it be that she really just wanted to talk about games with me…?

It’s true that games have now transcended subculture to become one of the main cultures.

Game streamers are popular like idols, and there are even TV shows where celebrities play games.

Maybe it wouldn’t be strange for a Popular Type like Asahi-san to be a gamer.

For all I know, maybe one in three girls in my class can tell the difference between a Big Daddy and a Nautilus.

“So, here’s the main point… Kageyama-kun, you have a lot of games, right?” (Hikaru)

“Well… I have most of the current major consoles…” (Reiya)

“Then… maybe you also have a high-spec gaming PC?” (Hikaru)

“Well, of course…” (Reiya)

“Really!? What about the graphics card!? What graphics card do you have!?” (Hikaru)

“G-Graphics card!?” (Reiya)

I was surprised by her asking with the most excitement she’d shown so far.

Graphics card, or GPU.

It’s one of the most crucial parts for running games on a computer.

Does this girl even know what she’s asking about?

It’s not some new Starbucks product, you know?

“Yeah, graphics card! The graphics board! Oh, but maybe it’s better to say GPU, strictly speaking?” (Hikaru)

Sh-She knows…?

In that case, listen and tremble in fear.

“The GPU is a 4070…” (Reiya)

“A f-four thousand seventy!? Fwaah~…” (Hikaru)

“Ti.” (Reiya)

“Fwaaahhh~…!! Amaaazing~~…!!” (Hikaru)

She wore an ecstatic expression, like a typical high school girl presented with a 120% Instagrammable pancake.

It signified the real-world existence of the exceedingly rare high school girl who gets excited hearing a GPU model number.

“S-So the latest AAA games run silky smooth with max settings + ray tracing ON!?” (Hikaru)

“Well… that’s why I saved up my part-time job money and everything else to buy it…” (Reiya)

“Amazing… I’m so jealous…” (Hikaru)

Her reaction showed she wasn’t joking at all; she was envious from the bottom of her heart.

I’d held back on getting a high school entrance gift, saved up my monthly allowance and part-time earnings, weathered the bad times caused by mining demand, and finally obtained a high-spec gaming PC that could last me five years.

And the fact that the first person outside of my gaming buddies to understand its value was the Asahi Hikaru…

The lack of reality made me suspect I was dreaming, but she delivered yet another blow.

“Then, then! Can I come over to play sometime!? Like, this weekend!!” (Hikaru)

“Come over… you mean, to my place!?” (Reiya)

“Uh-huh! To Kageyama-kun’s place! It’s okay, right!?” (Hikaru)

I wanna go, I wanna go, I wanna go.

She pleaded with innocent eyes, like a dog wanting someone to play ball with it.

“No, that’s really…” (Reiya)

“Come on, somehow! Please! For the sake of our friendship as classmates!” (Hikaru)

That sparkling gaze was undoubtedly a Light Attribute attack, a critical weakness for a Gloomy Type like me.

However, I couldn’t agree to this so easily.

“But I live alone…” (Reiya)

After all, I’m currently in the state of a Galge Protagonist, living alone despite being a high school student.

Bringing a girl there carries quite unhealthy implications.

And not just any girl, but one who boasts immense popularity both inside and outside of school and stands at the pinnacle of the School Hierarchy.

If anyone else were to find out, by some chance, it could escalate into a major incident involving the whole school.

“Eh!? Really!?” (Hikaru)

“Yeah, so—” (Reiya)

“Then that means it’s okay if I stay over a little late, right!?” (Hikaru)

Sh-She took it that way…?

I shuddered at the super aggressive interpretation typical of a Popular Type.

She’s completely set on coming now, but I still can’t easily nod yes.

A high school boy living alone with absolutely no plans to bring girls over.

Naturally, the room is messy, and there are also certain items related to my dignity present.

As I was thinking about how to refuse, or at least postpone it—

“Ah, right… This is where…” (Hikaru)

She clapped her hands as if struck by an idea.

“Would you kindly let me come over to your house this weekend? Right?” (Hikaru)

As Asahi-san said that with a mischievous smile—

“If you say it like that, I can’t refuse…” (Reiya)

Having been outplayed as a gamer, I had no choice but to raise the white flag.