Chapter 15: Banned for the First Time as a Teenager

After an intense gambling match, we passed the time chatting while waiting for the game store to open.

Apparently, she—Kurokawa Miyabi, if I’m guessing right—was the only one who bets money against money.

The other three seem to operate differently. They wager their own money, while the challenger stakes penalty games instead.

From what I gathered, the usual pattern involves her squeezing challengers dry until they’re broke and then setting up matches with the other three.

It seems I narrowly avoided a horrible fate.

I never imagined they’d plan to parade me around in a diaper. Talk about awful taste.

The sister-like girl—Hiiragi Kaede—favors embarrassing penalty games. The club president prefers insane, off-the-wall punishments. And the sporty one—Kumanokyo—opts for penalties that involve actual pain.

A flick to the groin for a thousand yen? That’s dirt cheap, but there’s no way I’d survive that.

Still, I got to hear some other interesting stories.

Apparently, they’ve put a lot of effort into legitimizing their club activities.

For instance, when they play Mahjong, they meticulously record all their matches and results, analyzing tile patterns and tile efficiency for better strategies.

Their efforts go far beyond just playing existing board games—they even invent their own. It’s way beyond the level of a typical hobby club.

Honestly, the tennis club that doesn’t even do morning practice and the baseball club that bullies girls could learn a thing or two from them.

Anyway, I heard plenty of interesting things, but I never did catch their names. Not that it matters—I have no intention of going back there.

“Games are really expensive, huh.”

I felt like I’d earned a small fortune, but when it comes to buying new games, my wallet feels pretty light.

Should I look at second-hand stores? Nah, even used games for current consoles are pricey. Might as well go for new ones. What should I do?

“You know, about thirty years ago, a single game cost around 10,000 yen.”

“Haha, yeah right.”

Thirty years ago means pixel art games, right? I can’t believe those were that expensive.

“Kumanokyo!?”

“Yo, what a coincidence.”

Kumanokyo greeted me with a cheerful wave of her hand.

Why is she here? When did she even sneak up behind me?

And there’s no way this is a coincidence. She didn’t plant a GPS on me or something, did she?

“You buying games too?”

She looks like she’d be into games. Maybe fighting games?

And, uh, those jeans look about ready to burst on her thighs. Is she okay in those?

“Nah, my dad usually buys games, so I don’t buy many myself.”

Must be nice.

My dad isn’t into games, and since my sibling is a sister, we never really shared much growing up.

Sometimes, I wish I had an older brother.

But wait—then why are you here? Don’t tell me you’re here to buy toys or something.

“Must be nice. By the way, ‘dad’ isn’t some code for sugar daddy, right?”

“Say that lame joke one more time, and I’ll kick you.”

Gals are scary…

Even if it’s just a no-contact threat, it’s terrifying. Don’t do that—I nearly jumped out of my skin.

“Haha, you totally flinched. That’s so lame.”

“It’s reflex! A survival instinct!”

Seriously, knock it off. One day you’re going to mess up and actually land a hit.

It’ll be too late once you get hurt.

“I’m not a kid, I know what I’m doing. Unless it’s Sasaki.”

Hey, Sasaki’s a person too, you know. He feels pain.

Not that I’ll stop her. It’s Sasaki, after all. I’m sure even being kicked around by a gal makes him happy.

As a fellow introvert, I totally get wanting some connection with girls.

“Don’t worry. I wouldn’t do anything too bad to you. I want kids someday, you know?”

Uh, what does that have to do with me?

How are your parenting dreams connected to my reproductive organs?

“So… why are you at a game store? Buying models or something?”

She seems like the type to like tanks.

Or maybe not. She’s probably more the “They all look the same to me” type.

“Nah, well… I was thinking of dealing out some punishment to a shameless womanizer who’s gone a step too far.”

A woman-what now?

I already suspected she followed me here, but…

Did she see me gambling earlier?

“So, who’s that freckled glasses girl? Huh? Is she your side chick?”

That’s not it, you idiot.

Even if it were, just leave me alone.

“She’s from the Board Game Club.”

“Oh, so there’s a club like that, huh? So? What’s your relationship with her?”

Give me a break. I just came here to buy a game.

…What is our relationship, anyway? I’d like to know that myself.

“We gambled together. Keep it a secret, okay?”

I should just be honest here.

I doubt she’d blab about something that could get me expelled.

“A secret?”

“Yeah. I’m only telling you because I trust you, Kumanokyo.”

“Really? Heh heh, just the two of us, huh? A secret.”

Oh, that worked. She looks really happy.

“Cute…”

Crap, I let my true thoughts slip.

“Sakamoto, you’re pretty honest when Hiiragi and the others aren’t around.”

She happily puts her arm around my shoulder.

Normally, my heart would be pounding at a time like this, but after going through that diaper-changing event, it hardly fazes me.

Just remembering that makes me want to cry. To think I showed that side of myself to three female classmates…

“So? Why’d you get a look at your gambling partner’s underwear and even kiss her? One second it looked like you were just playing rock-paper-scissors, then the next you were kissing out of nowhere. It took me over a year to get to my first kiss, and yet that scrawny girl gave you a kiss right there on the street, just like that? Is that the kind of girl you like? Should I wear glasses too? Maybe I should do some arc welding without protection and ruin my eyesight, yeah?”

Would that really just ruin your eyesight? Seriously, don’t do that. Just wear fake glasses or something. It’s not like I’m particularly into girls with glasses anyway.

“Since when have you been watching?”

This all happened about two hours ago. Are you telling me she’s been tailing me the whole time? That’s scary.

“Since you left your house, obviously. I didn’t want to wake you up too early, so I waited until after eight to start following. Pretty thoughtful, right? I got pissed thinking Hiiragi might beat me to it, so I’d actually been on standby since around five. Then you went out a little after seven, and I thought, ‘No way…’ so I tailed you. My hunch was right on the money—you went and had a little rendezvous with some random nobody. Meanwhile, I was waiting there like faithful Hachiko, not even using the restroom. Hilarious, right? What’s wrong? Laugh, Sakamoto. Go on, laugh at me—the one who witnessed her crush cheating while her bladder was bursting, and ended up leaking a bit from the shock! Don’t just laugh inside your head! What is this? You think you’re being considerate? Showing mercy? Don’t act like you’re some good guy now, you unfaithful jerk! You think confessing after committing mass murder will get you into heaven or something? You made a girl wet herself, and now you’re trying to play the saint?! Even now, I’m leaking a little bit at a time! I can feel something warm running down my thigh!”

Every single word coming out of her mouth is terrifying.

I don’t even know how she figured out where I live, but whatever. At this point, something like that doesn’t even surprise me anymore.

But seriously, staking out my place since 5 AM? If she were an old man, she’d be arrested on the spot.

If you’re going to tail me, at least call out to me. Stealth-stalking me for twenty minutes without a trace of your presence—what the hell kind of skills are those? Use that somewhere else, please. I can’t think of any practical application, but still.

It’s not like I’m cheating—we aren’t even dating! And that girl isn’t anything close to what you’re implying. Besides, chanting sutras in a store? That’s next-level embarrassing.

And wait—are you seriously leaking!? Go to the bathroom already! If it’s reaching your legs, that’s not just a little. Your underwear must be soaked… Oh man, now that I look closely, her jeans are wet, too.

“Kumanokyo! Just get to the bathroom—”

“Huh? What? You want me to go into a multi-purpose bathroom to have se—”

“Just go deal with it already!”

At this rate, we’re going to get banned. For the absolute worst reason imaginable.

And I’m definitely going to get caught up in it. Everyone’s already staring because of her loud chanting.

“Look, there’s a bathroom right there. Go!”

“You want me to walk to the bathroom? Seriously?”

“Of course I do! The damage is just spreading—”

“And that’s why you’re an idiot!”

What the hell!?

Being called an idiot by a high schooler who’s currently wetting herself is definitely unfair.

Also, lower your voice! Nothing good comes from drawing this much attention.

“I can’t take a single step, you dumb husband. I told you—I’m already at my limit.”

“…”

“Come on, let’s do a countdown together, huh? I can’t stop it now.”

“Get on!”

“You…!”

This shirt… I’ll have to throw it out…

And it was brand new, too…

“Sakamoto…”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“If you’d made that decision a minute earlier…”

“What are you—oh…”

My body, already chilled from the air conditioning, was suddenly warmed… in a very specific spot.

…Guess I’ll have to throw out these pants… and my socks… and probably my shoes… Oh, right. My underwear, too.

I’ll never forget the look of emptiness on the face of the store clerk as they cleaned the floor.

Where am I supposed to buy games and models now…?