You want me to join the Gamers Meet-up?
Yes.
But I don't play games at all.
That doesn't matter.
As long as you have a love for gaming.
Nah, I have zero love for gaming.
As long as you have love for someone who has a love for gaming!
That's it?
That's the condition for joining?
It does sound fun being in a meet-up with Tasuku...
But I don't want to be that big a pain in the ass.
Actually, I've invited Tendou-san, too.
Tendou-san's joining?
I-I guess that's fine.
Tendou-san's always been a gamer.
That seems perfectly normal.
This is so good, though, Amanocchi.
Have this one, if you'd like.
Really?
Yay!
If you'll join the meet-up, I'll give you this one.
I'll join!
I'll join the meet-up!
You will?
Thank you!
Eat up, dear.
If that's all it takes to make you happy.
I mean, your boyfriend was confessing to another girl behind your back.
I feel way too sorry for you!
A Few Days Ago
So setting aside all the questions I have, first of all, congratulations, Chiaki.
I mean, your crush confessed to you.
That's great news.
Is it not?
I guess it is.
I think I'm happy.
For someone I'm interested in to say they like me... Really...
Personally, I'd turn him down without a second thought.
Doesn't this Uehara-san have a girlfriend named Aguri-san?
And now he's going after Onee-chan?
He's nothing but trouble.
She's right!
What am I supposed to say to Aguri-san if Chiaki and Uehara-kun start dating?
All right, let's call him and turn him down immediately.
I don't know if I can do that.
I can't think of a good excuse for turning him down.
In that case, let's ask the professional rejector.
Y-Yes? Hello?
Tendou-san, sorry this is out of the blue,
but could you please teach me how to turn someone down?
What?
I really need to know how to reject someone, right now.
I-Is that something you need to know for your own use?
Yes, I'm using it.
No!
What?!
Please! I don't know who else to turn to!
Your opinion's the most effective!
Yeah, I'm sure!
Of course my opinion would be the most useful to you!
So you mean you're going to teach me?
Of course not!
Why don't you... Why don't you figure it out for yourself?!
Tendou-san?!
What's wrong?!
Did a passing boxer punch you in the gut?
I'm rarely in that much mortal peril, but I might as well have been!
Huh? Hang on! I'll come help you!
You'll come help me?
Me?
Of course I will!
What boyfriend wouldn't help his beloved girlfriend?
Beloved?
Tendou-san?!
Received.
Received what?!
I'm sorry for causing you trouble.
Tendou Karen is okay now!
You don't sound okay at all!
Amano-kun...
Y-Yes?
I love you.
Why is my girlfriend so adorable?
What are you even talking about?!
Ow...
Um...
Then what about you, Konoha-san?
What the heck do you mean?
How do you turn people down when they confess to you?
You're really cute, so you must get it a lot.
W-Well, in my case,
I say something like, "I have no interest in that kind of thing right now."
That's totally an adult gamer thing to—
Senpai.
If you ask an adult gamer like me,
chicks are always looking for a man to squeeze them.
I-I can tell people I'm too busy for that stuff because I'm a student council president.
But Onee-chan...
Um...
I do make games and stuff, but...
Oh, yeah. You sisters both make freeware games, right?
Yo, Nobe here.
Kapow!
Whoo, you go, Konoha!
Um, could you two sit down?
You're embarrassing me.
About this situation with Chiaki and Uehara-kun,
and all the other women involved...
I think there's only one solution.
I think we should bring
Tendou-san and Aguri-san into the meet-up, and talk things through together.
Booyah!
Hey, Amano—
Everyone,
thank you for making time to gather here.
I brought you here today to discuss something of grave importance.
Amano-kun, what exactly are you...
Are you about to say something incredibly important?
Yes.
I really need to talk to you all about this.
To talk to you about...
About...
T-Tomorrow, I'm...
going to go run full-speed to buy Space Ocean 5!
Talk about what?!
Keita!
What the heck are you talking about?!
I can't!
There's no way I can bring it up right now!
So what exactly is this Space... whatever?
Oh, well, tomorrow's the release date for the new game in the Space Ocean series,
my all-time favorite series.
So I'm thinking of running full-speed to buy it as soon as classes end.
It's true that the game comes out tomorrow, and in fact, I plan to buy it, too.
But, Keita, did you reserve it?
Normally, I'd never forget to reserve it, but this summer's been...
Y'know, a lot happened.
It sure did.
Buying it after school might be tough without a reservation.
There might be one copy left if you're really lucky, at best.
Right.
So I intend to run full-speed tomorrow.
I simply wanted to express my determination to you all.
I see.
So you want us to stay out of your way tomorrow.
Yeah. That's the idea.
You must really like that game, Amanocchi.
Yes.
This really is incredibly important to me.
I've played it before, of course, but is it really worth getting that obsessed about?
This game is kind of a first for me.
It wasn't the first game I ever played or anything,
but you could say it was the first game that really touched my heart.
Touched your heart?
The second game in the series was especially my kind of game.
Of course, I'd played many more famous RPGs by then,
but that one really hit the spot for me.
It's silly, but I actually felt like I was born to play this game.
So there's something seriously wrong with me for forgetting
to reserve a copy of this game...
But I really can't be content with the download version.
So I'm determined to go buy it, even if it kills me!
That's some spirit.
I guess I'll have to wish you the best.
Yeah, thanks.
I'm going to do my best tomorrow so I don't let you all down.
Go, Amanocchi!
Break a leg!
Applause!
Onee-chan?
Yes?
At least turn on the lights.
What the heck?
Sorry.
I was looking for an old game.
What's that?
The second Space Ocean game.
It's really good.
Do you want to play it, Konoha?
I'll pass.
Also, how did the meeting go today?
You cleared things up enough that you feel good enough to game, huh?
Nothing's been cleared up.
Keita chickened out, and nothing got solved at all.
I figured that'd happen.
Half of that mess is your fault, though.
You even dragged me into it.
I'm sorry.
I'm really grateful to you.
So, what did you want?
I don't know.
I figured I'd find out how my sister really feels.
How I feel? About what?
What else?
Um...
Keita has a girlfriend named Tendou-san.
Could you at least make up your mind about what you want?
Otherwise, my position as Nobe and Mono is going to get shaky.
You're right.
So do you want to get close to Senpai?
Or do you want to keep fighting with him like always?
Or do you want to just put some distance between you?
I mean, I'm not telling you to make a decision here and now.
Okay, with that said, goodnight, Onee-chan.
And sorry for springing that on you.
No, it's okay.
Goodnight.
What do I...
What do I want to have happen with Keita?
All right, here I go, Uehara-kun.
Good luck, man.
He does have an amazing passion for video games.
I'm going to go out to eat with my middle school friends, so walk home without me
Well, I should get going, too.
So long as Amano and Tendou are dating,
I'm the only one who can look out for Hoshinomori.
I need to at least make that clear.
This is my chance, now that neither Aguri nor Amano are here!
Well, then...
U-Uehara-san.
Hey, Hoshinomori.
Can we talk?
W-Well.. About that...
I-I still don't have an answer.
I'm not prepared to cause heartbreak.
I see.
She's not entirely sure about her feelings for Amano yet.
She's not ready to hurt Tendou by taking Amano away from her.
Is that it?
Got it.
Sorry, Hoshinomori.
I didn't want to rush you.
I-It's fine.
It's understandable that you want to know how I feel, yes.
Um...
I'm not sure what's going on, but may I assume you're done talking?
S-Sure, it kind of ended before I knew it.
Um...
There's actually something I'd like to run by the two of you.
The girls from middle school are getting together. Want to join, Aguri?
Crap, it was a trap.
Check this out.
Aguri from middle school.
Isn't that crazy?
See?
H-Hey!
You totally changed your look, Aguri-chan.
Your drab look wasn't bad, either.
Who even are these guys?
I have a boyfriend right now, you know.
So?
I have a boyfriend. What's your point?
S-Seriously?
What are you talking about?
Nothing.
Come on.
I really don't like Sarina.
Hey, hey, Aguri-chan.
Is it true that you're in a Gamers Meet-up or something?
It's true.
What if I am?
Not bad, Aguri-chan.
What?
It's full of nasty, porky nerds, right?
Dude, that's mean, oink.
Um...
They're totally jerking off to Aguri-chan.
Dude, that's gross.
Hey, it's better than pulling their pork over 2D chicks.
Aguri-chan's totally the otaku princess.
I could never deal with it.
What if I ended up with their stench?
Sorry, but I have way more fun talking to those nasty, porky nerds,
so I'm leaving now.
Hey, Aguri.
What do you think you're doing?
I'm just leaving.
Your boyfriend isn't one of those nasty otakus, is he?
No.
Then what was that back there?
What was what?
If the guy's not even your boyfriend,
why are you so angry that we dissed him a bit?
Unbelievable.
How could you ruin the vibe just for that?
Just for that?
Amanocchi might be a nasty, porky nerd, but that's not the point.
What are you talking about? You're not making sense.
He isn't your boyfriend, right?
So what?
"What"?
If you have nothing else to say, I'm going.
You haven't changed at all!
You're still a wallflower inside.
That makes me super happy.
Thanks, Sarina.
Tasuku...
Aguri
So what is it that you wanted to run by us?
Yeah, I'm curious, too.
I know it's weird for me to ask you two about this...
The thing is, I've been kind of weird lately.
I mean... Ever since I started dating Amano-kun, my skin's been really supple.
Things I eat all the time suddenly taste so good.
The whole world is so beautiful!
Wow, she's borked.
Personally, I want to be with Amano-kun all the time.
But like today, it seems like games are more important to him.
But then again, apparently he goes to eat with Aguri-san all the time.
You've got it rough, too.
Well, I don't think it's a problem that he's meeting up with Aguri.
Aguri even said she only thinks of him as a high-maintenance kid brother.
R-Really?
That's... a relief.
But man, if you took video games away from Amano, that would be...
I don't think that can be helped, Tendou-san.
That's how Keita is, you know?
Even though he's a wuss, he can be stubborn in weird ways.
Sometimes, he puts his gaming ahead of finding happiness in real life.
He's a nerd through and through.
That's exactly why you're...
You're right.
Yeah.
You're absolutely right.
Choosing games over me or his friends is just who he is.
Man, Tendou must really like Amano.
Still, I really can't stop thinking about Amano-kun these days—
Uehara-kun?
That's enough bragging about your relationship for now.
T-Tasuku...
Th...
Th?
This just proves you're cheating on me!
I remember that scream!
Aguri!
Wait, Aguri-san, it's okay!
I just see Uehara-kun as a bug that buzzes around Amano-kun!
She's right!
I'm way past the point where I was honored that Uehara-kun liked me!
Thanks for having my back, guys!
But for some reason, I'm kind of hurt right now!
Shut up, cheater!
Hurgle!
My boyfriend's being called a cheater by the girls he's cheating on me with!
Help me, Amanocchi!
Sorry.
I kind of got carried away.
It's okay.
It's not your fault, Aguri-san.
She's right.
You say that like there's another source of evil somewhere.
Oh, that's right! I called Amanocchi over.
I have to take it back.
I'm sure you won't need to.
He's probably running around looking for that game.
Yeah, considering how gung-ho he was.
Oh, yeah.
Aguri-san!
Oh, Amanocchi.
Huh?
Aguri-san?
I thought you broke up with Uehara-kun and were depressed as hell.
Oh, um...
Well...
How should I put it...
Er...
Don't tell me...
I-It was a misunderstanding!
Tee-hee.
I knew it!
Jeez! I shouldn't have bothered worrying!
I-I'm sorry.
I really am.
A-Amano-kun, why are you here?
Huh?
Why?
Aguri-san called me over. It seemed really serious.
B-But weren't you out to buy Space Ocean?
Huh? I put that on hold.
This was more important than the game.
You're all sweaty, Amanocchi.
Eww, maybe you are a nasty, porky nerd!
What's with the verbal abuse?
It's all because this selfish, gun-jumping chick called me over!
You're so stupid, Amanocchi.
You're not helping me at all.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm? Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm? Mmmmmmmmmmmmm mmmmmmm?
Excuse me?!