Yuria asked why the first volume of Lucky & H was missing from the shelf, but I honestly couldn't remember.
"What’s with the sudden question? I don't really remember stuff from that far back."
"…R-Right. I guess it’s a series from when we were in elementary school," Yuria said with a strained smile.
(I thought the same thing when I was looking for that Snow White book the other day. I bought Lucky & H so long ago that I've completely blanked on what happened to it…)
Maybe I threw it away because it got ruined, or maybe Tanaka borrowed it and we both forgot. That would make it a "borrow-steal," but…
(Tanaka is so polite that she always returns things with a little gift, like some snacks. The odds of her keeping it are basically zero.)
If it wasn't Tanaka, then it had to be my shitty sister… but she’s a fujoshi. She wouldn't touch a straight romance manga.
"Anyway, did you want to read it, Yuria? If you're looking for something similar, I’ve got the Inago 1000% set I just bought."
"Ah, no, it’s fine! It just caught my eye, is all."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Besides, if I don't jump in soon, Airi’s going to start sulking."
"Sulking?"
Prompted by Yuria, I looked over at the two playing the game. Next to a smiling Kuroki, Miyama was puffing out her cheeks and glaring.
"T-Twenty losses in a row… No fair! Rui-chan, at least try to go easy on me!"
"Hehe."
What a perfectionist… She might look kind most of the time, but apparently, she refuses to lose under any circumstances.
"Don't get so worked up over a game, Airi. Honestly, Rui, you're being a bit immature."
"Hey! If Rui-chan is being immature, does that make me a kid!?"
"Well…"
As Yuria trailed off, I couldn't help but agree. Well, yeah. There weren't many people out there as childish as this busty girl.
"Why don't we play something with four people? A party game or something. Come on, Ryouta, you join in too."
"I mean, I don't mind… but are you guys seriously not going to read the script?"
"No."
The three of them answered in perfect unison.
Sigh… figures. They didn't have a single ounce of stress about the Cultural Festival. Or was I just being too serious? Since they were extroverts, a festival was probably just a party to them—no nerves required.
"Hey, Ryouta-Ryouta! I want to toss some snack wrappers. Bring the trash can over!"
"The trash can? Oh, sure."
I fetched the bin from the corner of the room as requested.
"Thanks, Ryouta… Huh? What's with the bag inside?"
"The bag? Oh, I always line it so the bin doesn't get dirty."
"……"
"What is it, Miyama?"
"No, nothing! I just thought this blue bag looked… unusual. I don't see it around much."
Is that so? I was so used to seeing them in the local otaku haven, Anumate, that I didn't think twice about it.
"…Hehe."
"W-What are you laughing at, Kuroki?"
"Oh, nothing at all, Ryouta-kun. Shall we get to the game?"
"Uh, sure."
As usual, I didn't get Kuroki. Sometimes she’d tease me or say something cryptic, and then she’d turn around and save me like she did earlier.
"So, what are we playing?"
"Airi wants to play this 'The Game of Life'! It says it’s for four people."
"Oh? I'm surprised you actually own a party game, Ryouta-kun."
"Guh…"
Dammit, Kuroki. She was making it sound like a loner like me wouldn't have any reason to own one. Well, to be fair, the only reason I had it was because I’d played it with my family last New Year's, so she wasn't entirely wrong.
"It looks fun, though. I'm pretty sure this game even lets the players get married to each other."
"…O-Oh. I see."
"Heh, they have that, huh…?"
Kuroki just had to go and say something unnecessary. Now Miyama and Yuria were acting all awkward.
What was with this vibe?
And with that, our Game of Life began.