Vol. 1 Chapter 16 – First Date? (1)

The night passed, and the day finally arrived.

I got into bed before 1 AM last night, but I was so nervous I couldn’t fall asleep easily.

I finally lost consciousness around 3 AM and woke up just before 8 AM, meaning I hadn’t even gotten five hours of sleep.

Our meeting time was 3 PM, so I tried to get a little more sleep, but even though I wasn’t physically recovered, my eyes were wide awake, making it impossible.

In the end, I spent the time until noon playing games randomly, facing the appointed time in the worst possible condition.

Near the entrance of the commercial facility, our exploration spot for today, I waited in front of the designated monument for her arrival.

I checked the time for what must have been the tenth time since I got here.

The smartphone screen displayed 14:55.

‘She should be here soon,’ I thought, lifting my gaze and looking around.

Although it was a Monday, the world was in the middle of the Large Holiday Weekend, and the place was overflowing with crowds of people.

‘Surely I won’t bump into any classmates, right?’ The worry hit me now, belatedly.

We were a little outside the main sphere of activity for Shuei students, but there was still a good chance someone might be here.

Setting me aside, Asahi-san was famous beyond just our grade level.

Almost every one of the nearly thousand students knew her face.

If someone like that was seen alone with a guy, that concern of mine would become reality.

Just as my worry peaked, thinking maybe I should have called this off after all—

“Sorry to keep you waiting~” (Hikaru)

A light, pleasant voice came from right in front of me, as if to dispel my anxiety.

Lifting my gaze, which had been drifting towards the ground, I saw Asahi-san had come right up beside me.

“Sorry, have you maybe been waiting long?” (Hikaru)
“No, not at all… I just got here myself.” (Reiya)
“Okay, good. Shall we get going then?” (Hikaru)

With those words as the signal, our date-like something began.

First, with me leading the way, we entered the commercial facility through the nearby automatic doors.

“It’s been quite a while since I last came here~” (Hikaru)
“Oh, really?” (Reiya)
“Yeah, my dad used to bring me sometimes when I was a kid, but this might be the first time since starting high school.” (Hikaru)
“Well, if you’re just doing other shopping, there’s not much need to come all the way out here.” (Reiya)

We walked side-by-side, making such idle conversation.

Seeing her casual clothes outside had a different kind of freshness compared to seeing them indoors.

Is this where a guy is supposed to compliment her, saying it looks good on her or something…?

‘No, it’s not like we’re dating or anything, so I don’t need to go that far…’

“By the way, what do you think of this outfit?” (Hikaru)

Whoa, she was asking me?!

“I bought it yesterday while I was out shopping with my brother. Does it suit me? I can’t really tell myself, so I wanted to get someone else’s opinion if possible.” (Hikaru)

And she wore a new outfit just to go shopping with me? That’s too much.

“Uhm… I think it looks really good on you…” (Reiya)

I couldn’t verbalize what aspects or how, so I just conveyed my simple impression.

“Ehehe, I see. Okay, good then~” (Hikaru)

Asahi-san smiled, looking both relieved and embarrassed.

‘Was that the right answer…? I have no idea unless a choice menu pops up with a sound effect.’

“Sorry it wasn’t a very specific comment…” (Reiya)
“No, no. That kind of thing ultimately comes down to personal taste, right? And today, isn’t it best if Kageyama-kun, who’s right next to me, just intuitively thinks it looks good?” (Hikaru)
“I-Is that how it works…?” (Reiya)
“At least, that’s what I think. By the way, how about you, Kageyama-kun~…?” (Hikaru)

As we got on the escalator, Asahi-san, who had stepped onto the stair ahead of me, carefully observed my clothes.

It was just a light grey shirt paired with a thin, short-cut jacket.

‘It’s nothing more than an amateur vibe build, thrown together without knowing which base items are good or which mods are strong.’

However, this was the only full-power stylishness I was capable of.

“I see~… You’re slim, so skinny jeans really suit you.” (Hikaru)
“R-Really…? I don’t really know myself…” (Reiya)

‘So these are called skinny jeans…!’

“Yeah, overall it makes you look sharp, and the darker colors match your mature and calm vibe, Kageyama-kun.” (Hikaru)

Mature and calm…

‘Does that just sound like the most inoffensive way to describe a gloomy type because of my own inferiority complex?’

I was gradually getting used to her, but it was still hard to change this fundamental nature.

“…So, my overall assessment is that it suits you just as much as my outfit suits me!” (Hikaru)
“Th-Thanks…” (Reiya)

Still, I felt relieved that I seemed to have received a passing grade.

While all this was happening, we arrived on the third floor—our destination for today, the specialty store.

“So this is the rumored specialty store…!” (Hikaru)

Asahi-san’s eyes sparkled at the stylish storefront.

“Let’s head inside for now. Oh, watch out, there’s a step there.” (Reiya)
“Oh, you’re right. Whoops, careful…” (Hikaru)

Being considerate about the small step from the entrance renovation work, I earned a point and entered the store.

“Oooh…! There really are so many things lined up…!” (Hikaru)

Once inside, the sparkle in her eyes intensified another level.

‘Will her eyes eventually start glowing in seven colors like a gaming device?’

“Is there anything specific you want to see? I’ve already decided what I’m buying, so I can do that later…” (Reiya)
“Hmm… I don’t really have anything specific either, so maybe let’s just look around in order.” (Hikaru)
“Got it. Okay, let’s start this way…” (Reiya)

I suggested a route starting clockwise from the entrance.

The store wasn’t as large as a typical mass retailer, but for a specialty store, it was reasonably spacious.

Devices were crammed onto every single shelf, creating an almost overwhelming presence.

“There are all sorts of keyboards, huh~” (Hikaru)
“Yeah, like mechanical keyboards with various switch types, or conversely, keyboards with a non-contact structure that don’t have physical switches. Preferences vary quite a bit depending on whether you prioritize light touch, quietness, or the keypress feel.” (Reiya)
“I see~… By the way, which type do you like, Kageyama-kun?” (Hikaru)
“Hmm… Let’s see…” (Reiya)

I pondered while lightly tapping the keyboards lined up for display.

“I guess the standard Red switches are my go-to. I do like the clicky sound and solid keypress feel of Blue switches, but the mic picking up the sound is…” (Reiya)
“True, those are pretty loud. You might get complaints from neighbors if you used them late at night.” (Hikaru)
“I’d like to try the non-contact type sometime too, but the price on those…” (Reiya)
“Hmm hmm… Whoa, you’re right! This one costs forty thousand yen! But wow, it’s super light and easy to press…” (Hikaru)

Asahi-san expressed surprise, looking at the price tag of a keyboard right in front of her.

Many gaming-type devices easily exceed tens of thousands of yen if you go for the high-end models.

Eventually, I’d like to build an environment meticulously tailored to my preferences, but that’s obviously difficult as a student.

Passing the keyboard section, we headed to the next area.

“Whoa… The sound pressure is intense… That heavy bass resonates right to the core of my head~…” (Hikaru)
“It’s not quite that extreme for me, but apparently, audio equipment is quite the swamp once you start getting particular about it.” (Reiya)

Audio equipment like headsets, microphones, and speakers.

“Wow… Amazing… Is this really not live-action footage?” (Hikaru)
“For people who think that… look, you can see the parts where human input interacts with the objects properly.” (Reiya)
“It’s the future… The future is here…” (Hikaru)

The monitor corner, displaying a demo from a next-generation game engine.

“F-Four thousand ninety… How can this alone cost over 300,000 yen…?” (Hikaru)
“It’s admittedly a bit overkill for just playing games normally, but it’s something to aspire to, right?” (Reiya)
“Yeah, if I were building my own, I wouldn’t want to compromise… Aiming for silky smooth 4K!!” (Hikaru)

PC components like CPUs and graphics boards.

This shopping trip felt like exploring every path in an RPG dungeon instead of making a beeline for the boss.

Enjoying the seemingly unnecessary steps, different from coming alone, was a first-time experience.

After spending a long time that felt wasteful yet wasn’t, we finally reached our destination: the mouse section.

“There are so many!” (Hikaru)

Looking at the display area, Asahi-san exclaimed.

The shelf size was the same as the others, but due to the smaller size of the items, the number of products was the largest.

“When you use a computer, it’s the device most people spend the longest time using,” (Reiya)
“True, now that you mention it. Have you already decided which one you’re buying, Kageyama-kun?” (Hikaru)
“Yeah, the one I’m used to. The wheel on the one I have at home is getting pretty worn out.” (Reiya)

Saying that, I took one of the boxes hanging on the display.

All that was left was to take this to the register, and my objective for the day would be complete.

“Hmm… Since we’re here, maybe I should buy something too~… Looking at all this is making me want something…” (Hikaru)
“Don’t you think it’s better to wait until after you actually get a computer to buy a mouse…? Something that suits you better might come out later.” (Reiya)
“That’s true… Hmm… Oh, I know! In that case…” (Hikaru)

Just when I thought she was staring intently at the shelves lined with mice, Asahi-san suddenly turned as if remembering something and started walking back the way we came.

I followed her, and around the corner—

“Ta-da! A gaming cushion!!” (Hikaru)

She was holding a large cushion decorated with a pattern resembling an energy drink logo.

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• Keyboard Switches: Reiya mentions Red and Blue switches, common types of mechanical keyboard switches known for their distinct feel and sound (Red is linear and quieter, Blue is tactile and clicky). Non-contact (capacitive) switches are another type, often prized for durability and smooth feel but typically more expensive.