Curse of Forced Youth Choices

Chapter 25

Chapter 25: A date with Shino (Practice)

　Himari started ranting, “My brain is burning!” and the study time is over.

“I’m off then!　I don’t need dinner tonight!”

　As soon as I saw Himari go outside, I called Tsumugi.

“Colonel, we’re off to war!”

“Let’s go, Commander Tsumugi!”

　Tsumugi and I took our seats to play “The Black Iron Warrior”.

　I’m grateful to the old man Zama. I didn’t expect him to give us another one.

“Tsumugi Yagami, take your seat in the cockpit!　Activate the generator!”

　Tsumugi and I fastened our seatbelts and turned on the switch located diagonally in front of us on the right.

　The cockpit was completely recreated.

　The controls are not joysticks, but levers and buttons, just like in a robot animation. It’s awesome!

　The self-destruct switch and escape switch are also included, and can only be pressed after smashing a special transparent plastic plate (sold separately).

　The vibrations and generator sounds are also reproduced, and you can’t play without wearing a seatbelt. SO COOL!

　There are six monitors on the front, allowing you to monitor all directions, front, back, left, right, up and down.

　However, if a camera is destroyed, the view from that camera will be lost.

　Therefore, aiming at the camera or jamming is effective.

“We’re going to win today!”

“Yes!　I’ll make up for the other day!

　Two days ago, the God Eight Breath team, consisting of the three of us, siblings and Taro Breath, was defeated once again by the world’s number one ranked team, the Cookie Magicians.

　We were competing reasonably well in the beginning, but from the middle of the game onward, the difference in ground power began to show, and in the end our team was wiped out without being able to shoot down a single plane. It was a devastating defeat.

“Hmm?　There’s a mail on my account. Hold on a moment, Tsumugi.”

“Yes, sir!”

　I operated the touch panel and opened the mail.

“……What the hell!?　 Taro Breath retired….!”

“Pien!　What should we do?　We need to recruit members as soon as possible!”

　Yes, but there are not many ace pilots who can compete with us. I’ve got a problem with this, …….

“Brother, do you want to post on the board?”

　It’s frustrating to just wait around for applications.

“…… No, I’m going to go directly to the battlefield to look for good stray players!”

“Ha!”

　Rankings and scores alone do not reveal true strength. The best way to find out the true strength of a player is to meet him in person.

“We’ll head to the front lines as soon as we finish refitting our equipment. Arrange for a transport plane.”

“Yes, sir!”

　I switched from a light, highly maneuverable aircraft with only a large-caliber sniper rifle and an anti-ship sword as peaky equipment to a medium-weight aircraft with a battle rifle, multiple rockets, and a one-handed sword as standard equipment.

　This equipment is more suitable for assessing the strength of the opponent.

　And just as I was getting ready to launch, someone poked me in the shoulder.

“—–Ah?　What the hell, Shino?”

“You’re not busy right now, right?　Would you mind hanging out with me for a bit?”

　What’s wrong with this girl’s eyes?　How the hell do I look like I have time on my hands?

“What do you say to a warrior who is about to go to his death!”

“Wait, no, no, no!　What’s that? It’s really gross!　…… Uhm, you should come with me to the Galaxy World.”

　What?　Galaxy World?　It’s an amusement park in Yokohama, right?

　Why would anyone go to a place where people like that, it’s like a swarm—–

{1 (Go to Galaxy World with Shino.) }

{2 (Show her a storyboard of what you and Sakurako did last night.) }

“Miss Shino! Brother is playing with Tsumugi!　If you understand, go away—–“

“Understood. Let’s go.”

“Pien!　You’re terrible!”

“Are you sure you want to do this?

“Yes, I’m sure. …… Tsumugi, you can use this to buy whatever you want.”

　It’s going to be troublesome, so I let Tsumugi hold the thousand yen.

“Yes!　Thank you, I’m so happy!”

　Tsumugi was so happy that she ran outside.

“But I don’t understand what you’re talking about. Why do you and I need to go to an amusement park?”

“Well, it’s because I want to practice my …… dating skills.”

　Oh …… I’m starting to get it.

“You mean you want to practice before your date with Ichijo?”

“That’s the right answer!　As expected of a Senpai!　That’s some seriously creepy insight!”

　That sucks. I’m going to have to waste my time for something like that?

　I sighed and stood up.

“……, I’m going to get ready, so wait for me.”

“Yes!”

　　Shino laughs, “Ufun.”

　So I got on the train with Shino and headed for Yokohama.

　Now I’m riding the merry-go-round with a blank expression on my face.

　I’m feeling a tremendous emptiness.

“Uhm, senpai ……, can you please make it more fun ……?”

“I’ve never had the kind of humanity to smile gratuitously at someone who knows they’re being used as a training ground——-“

{1 (Give Shino a smile.) }

{2 (Do a finger puppet show about what you did with Sakurako last night.) }

　I flashed a fake smile at Shino.

“Ufufu! Smile, gross!”

“…… Hey, are you sure I’m the right person to practice with?　I think you’d prefer a type more akin to Ichijo, don’t you?”

“If I’m with you, no matter how much I fail, I won’t feel guilty.”

“I see, that makes sense…….”

　The merry-go-round comes to an end with zero romantic feelings.

“Senpai, let’s ride that next!”

“Geez, ……, seriously, …….”

　The direction that Shino pointed to was a roller coaster.

　I am not good with that kind of thing.

　At Urayasu Black Mouse Land, there is a little waterfall attraction called “Pirates of South Africa,” and I’m crying on that level.

　It’s not that bad, but I can’t stand that kind of thing.

{1 (Ride the roller coaster.) }

{2 (Act out what you did with Sakurako last night in a rakugo style.) }

“Guuuh ……!　It’s just one time, ……!”

“Ufufun!　Then let’s go!”

　The roller coaster ascends with a crunching sound.

“Nameless Amitabha……!　” Nameless Amitabha……!　Nameless Amitabha……!”

“Hahaha!　Wait, no, no!　Buddhist prayer!　It’s too creepy, Senpai!”

　Shino is laughing at me, but I don’t have time to worry about that.

　I have to lose my mind to overcome my fear.

　The car reached its peak. It was the beginning of hell.

“Nameless Amitabha!”

“Ahahaha!　Kyaaa!　Seriously creepy!”

　I meditated and chanted the Nembutsu 85 times, feeling the G-force in my stomach. Finally, I was released from hell. I was almost in tears that I made it back alive.

　I was so exhausted that I was sitting on a bench, white as a sheet.

“Yes, Senpai, soft serve ice cream. Would you like chocolate or vanilla?”

“T-thank you. Then vanilla.”

　I was lightly touched by Shino’s thoughtfulness, and slurped up the soft-serve ice cream.

“I’ve laughed enough for a year. You’re really too creepy, Senpai.”

　Shino smiled and carefully licked up the soft ice cream from the bottom.

“Whatever. If I hadn’t been chanting the Buddhist scriptures, my pants and underwear would be soaked to the bone right now, okay?”

“You don’t have to say it like that. –Please let me have some vanilla.”

“S-sure”

　Shino took a bite of my vanilla soft drink.

　　This girl has been calling me gross and disgusting for a long time, but she has no qualms about kissing me indirectly?

　…… No, I don’t. Maybe she doesn’t have the concept of indirect kissing to begin with. Because the brazen type of person would not care about such things.

“Do you want some chocolate too, senpai?”

{1 [“Yeah, I’ll take it.”] }

{2 [“I’d rather eat Shino-chan than chocolate.”] }

It’s been a while since I’ve had a creepy choice.

　I feel like I could end this fake date by choosing 2, but the price is too high, no matter what.

“Yeah, I’ll take it.”

　I took a bite of Shino’s chocolate ice cream

“Ufufun, It’s an indirect kiss.”

　What, you knew that? Does that mean that you are not really creeped out?　No, is that too optimistic?

“I’m an adult. It doesn’t matter.”

　It is a lie. She is quite aware of it.

　Shino looked into my eyes.