Boku to Kanojo no Game Sensou - Volume 1 - Chapter 3

Part 1

The following morning.

‘I think I should also use the bus to commute.’

While thinking these sorts of things, Kishimine was climbing his way up on the long road.

As he didn’t wanted to bother the Academy as there were already so many students using their own private vehicles drived by their chauffeur, as expected his body which was lacking physical strength, the distance on this slope felt killingly far. Though, as it was spring it was still fine, but with the soon approaching summer, it will start becoming dreadful by day by day.

On the other hand, if it’s inside the bus then he will be able to read books as well. ‘But, from home it takes me 15 minutes, if I am gonna use that amount for the bus fees anyways, then I should just walk and use the money to buy new books’, he contradicted himself. Quite right, as he didn’t had any more space to store new books in his room, maybe it was because of that he was feeling like he was drifting away from the book stores recently.

“Yo Kishimine, what a coincidence”

The one, who suddenly called him out, was his sole male class mate, Kusakabe.

“A, Aah, Morning”

Getting to meet up with your classmate, while going to the school. That’s a scene that could be seen anywhere in the morning on this slot of time in particular.

But as Kishimine didn’t know what to talk at a moment like this, he was greatly perplexed in his mind.

But, as staying quiet for long would be awkward; plus “You don’t have anything to talk to me about?” he didn’t wanted to get an impression from Kusakabe such like that as well. But having said that, he didn’t have a slightest clue about which he should start the conversation.

While in the midst of thinking, he suddenly realized something. Kusakabe strangely was in a very good mood today.

“You sure look cheerful.”

“Aah, it’s because today is a day where various events will take place after all!”

Was there something today to make Kusakabe that delightful, he thought at once.

‘Aah, that’s right. He will be able to tour various clubs today.”

Whether it’s swimming club or the rhythmic sports gymnastic club, if he gets the chance to get close to the girls he will join any club happily, or so Kishimine thought.

“Come to think of it, Kishimine so you were the one to go by foot as well, huh? Is your house nearby or something?”

“Eh? Ah, Yeah. It’s the same with you as well right?”

“Well yeah. But, I usually use bicycle.”

“Eh? Isn’t that against the school regulations?”

“That’s why I always leave it midway at a store nearby managed by one of my relative.”

“Heh…”

As the conversation there ended like that, Kishimine again started cold sweating thinking on what he should talk about next.

With that he again realised, that how bad he was at socialising with people

“Still, no matter how many times I look at it; it sure is big isn’t it? Our school that is”

Fortunately, this time Kusakabe took the initiative to start the conversation.

“A, Aah, it sure is”

Kishimine too while agreeing, started watching the school premises and the huge wall surrounding it.

The total number of students in this school, including both middle school division and high school division are around eight hundred, which is not a large number. But, aside being separate buildings for both middle school and high school, Facilities such as Indoor Pool and Gymnasium are also set up separately for each other. Additionally, as ultra-violets rays are not good for the skin of Ojou-samas, the play grounds are somewhat small, however, the other Indoor Facilities such as Tennis Court and Basketball Court and others are as expected well established separately for both middle school division and high school division. If one compares the total floor space, then obviously there could be no school bigger than this.

“Well for me……it’s that thing which I can’t help but getting bothered of”

He saw the muscular security guards, who interrogated him on his first day after the transfer.

When female students pass, they always greet them with the broad smile but, when the male students pass they always glare at them.

Today too without that being changed, Kishimine and Kusakabe got pierced by the glares of those numerous security guards.

“I wonder why we boys are always glared at like that…….?”

“Aah that you see. Is for the exclusion of the trespassers or so it seems to be the case.”

“That sure is not something to be said that calmly. So what is it about?”

“There seems to be the case where people try to trespass using this uniform. That’s why those black suit bunch trying to remember us boys face, and seeing whether there is any suspicious person mixed in or not.”

“……Ah, I see. So that’s why they checked us thoroughly like that……”

Well it’s a school where so many Ojou-sama go to after all. Maybe it’s because of that reason this school student were always the target of ‘peeping photographic’ incidents which was even well known to Kishimine. He also heard of the rumours which says that the entrance check at the time of Athletic Meet and School Festival are ton times thorough than this.

It can’t be helped as it’s to protect the female students and all but, he still thought that it’s maybe a bit over doing things.

“Well it’s not that really a bad thing for us as well you know. It’s thanks to that Excessive Security outside, that we’re blessed by the god of luck himself.”

“…….What do you mean? What’s with such exaggeration?”

“Want to hear? Do you really want to hear? Alright then let me tell you, you are also a boy after all!”

Kusakabe with a smile on his face approached near Kishimine’s ear.

“Do you know? There is a certain rumour in this school, which states that during this school’s P.E. period–”

By giving a short break, like emphasising on the importance of the context, he said.

“They still seem to be using bloomers as a uniform.”

“……I see?”

To Kishimine, that was the best reaction he could’ve given at that moment.

As if Kusakabe didn’t like his reaction, he increased his voice.

“What the hell is with that reaction? That is the part at which you should’ve gotten more surprised to.”

“Eh? J-Just what part of this conversation should I’ve gotten surprised to?”

“It’s Bloomers you know, BLOOMERS! Bloomers which were said to be already extinct as a legend are still alive, living in this Heisei Era  [3-A] Moreover, in this school which is filled with beautiful girls!”

“B-But Bloomers are just a piece of cloth worn during P.E. right?”

“W-What the hell are you saying? Don’t tell me……”

For some reason Kishimine, was looked down by the eyes of pity.

“Don’t tell me…… that you don’t know the greatness of the bloomers? No, wait, I see, well it true that it got extinct when we were still in the elementary school. If I think like that, then its sure can’t be helped if you don’t know about it.”

“Yeah, My bad. I am ignorant about such things……”

He lied.

Well obviously he was well aware about bloomers. As he seen them plentiful of times on the late night T.V. In context, Long time ago it was used as a P.E. uniform or so it seems but, as the exposure in legs was great, the girls started getting reluctant in wearing it, and gradually it got abolished and extinct. Right now it seems that the girls wear them to cover their underwear or something of the sort.

‘I see’, if he imagined the Ojou-sama’s wearing that in this academy then, definitely he could reason with the Kusakabe’s excitement. But, as a boy, to say that sort of thing with such frankness looked kinda uncool in the eyes of Kishimine.

“Well, you too if get to see the real thing, will for sure give your thanks to those guards. Because of the fact of existence of such a high defence which guarantees the restriction of any suspicious person, great culture such as bloomers is still growing here. As fellow students of this Academy, we should pay our respect to that you know? Getting stared to death by the guards every morning is a very cheap deal if one get to see the sight of those.”

“……for now, I very well understood the reason, of why those bloomers got out of date.”

Like that, Kishimine while feeling disgusted realised the degraded reality.

“Come to think of it, you sure are in a very good mood today……by any chance is it because of today’s P.E. period?”

“Yup, that’s right!”

Kusakabe said happily with his teeth sparkling and thumb pointing upwards.

Part 2

Though he said that earlier, it didn’t took that much time to change Kusakabe’s face which was overflowing with hope, to be painted with despair.

After school. Kishimine as per routine was troubled with the complaints of Kusakabe.

“To think, that they will separate the period itself for the boys…….!”

Kusakabe was absentmindedly looking outside the window, with his eyes looking like that of a rotten fish.

“You are still at it? Just give up already, as it was the all-girls school till a while ago, it’s can’t be helped.”

Physical Education Period which was conducted in the 5th Period today.

“We are not in the elementary school for fuck sake, so there was no way that the both genders will be paired together in same period. But still, wouldn’t they gather all of us together, in the gymnasium or in the ground for the P.E.?” It seems that Kusakabe and the others were thinking of something like that. In other words, they thought that they will atleast be able to see the bloomer figure of beautiful girls during that time.

But, the one which gathered in the ground during the 5th period were just guys. Moreover all the 3rd year boys were made to be gathered there together—- Kishimine and the rest – count (5), together with other (5) who were there in this school from the start and somehow still surviving—-in total (10).

In that period of time just what were girls doing, we decided individually on what we hoped to be the answer to that question.

In short, the guys were all completely quarantined.

“At this rate, even if the swimming class starts it will be separated just like this isn’t it……? Hah……. Can someone tell me why I have come to this school again……?”

Seriously, just for what reason you came to this school geez…, he wanted to Tsukkomi [3-B] so bad.

“How about switching your mood for a start? Look, you will be able to do the club activities from today onwards, right?”

“Somehow that too feels dubious at this moment. Who knows maybe in the clubs as well it will be separated like this? In this godamn fucking School there’s no telling what they will do.”

It felt quite plausible to Kishimine.

“Even if that being the case, you will atleast be able to tour before right?”

“Well that’s true. Alright then! Let’s switch the gears, and go on a tour to Swimming Club shall we? Right now, anything is fine to me if I got to see girls.”

After being in contact for few days with this classmate, Kusakabe, He was atleast able to know that how fast this guy was in changing the gears.

‘Like that it will quite helpful if he gets cheerful by tomorrow though.’

As it was quite pain in the ass to deal with him when he is all depressed, he couldn’t help but pray that, for the sake of his wellbeing of course.

While heading back towards the Library, he was thinking of what happened during the 5th Period.

If one has to see it on a practical scale then, each and every boys who were in their 3rd year assembled together at one place for the first time but, the students who joined the school 2 year ago, “The Survivors” were, just like the small puppy who found their new master, joined this school on a whim looked quite impressive. And all 5 of them gave the impression of being someone from the wealthy family and, it seemed that due to being in this sort of situation for continuous 2 years they were very tired of this entire all-girls environment.

On the other hand, Leaving Kishimine aside, the other 3 who joined just recently were just like Kusakabe, had their eyes just like that of a rotten fish. It seems that they were also looking forward to watch those bloomers.

After watching Kusakabe and the rest getting serious over just a piece of cloth used for the P.E. Class, he definitely felt a little bit of jealous. The ones you can say the High Schoolers are maybe from the start are someone like that. Being non theoretical and having no common sense, just crazy about girls in their brain.

But, Kishimine just couldn’t able to become assertive like Kusakabe. It’s because he didn’t had any self-confidence in him.

He somewhat understood the reason of Kusakabe’s assertiveness towards girls. They pay attention towards their attire and even their hairstyle; they are even good at talking with others. And he thought that if they got approached by some girls, even the girls will also be able to enjoy themselves.

Comparing with that, he was quite confident that he is not at all anywhere near good. His appearance was quite mediocre, and even in studies he was never able to come up in the top rank once, in the regards of exercise he already lost all hope. Maybe it’s because of him always being alone; he was also bad at socialising, if one to ask his hobby then that will be just reading books. And his only special skill was to get too accustomed in the concentration while reading but, to people that too will just appear as disgusting.

So he just couldn’t think of a girl to be delightfully approaching someone like him.

It’s not like he is not interested in any lewd things. But, if someone like him excitingly talks about the bloomers and Swimsuits then anyone who will see that for sure will feel disgusted.

‘Well it’s all fine, as for me I still have these books’

Till now, when he always succumbed to trouble, Kishimine always cleared his mind by saying the same thing. And even the club touring and joining of those who transferred here and new students which was going to happen today, didn’t particularly going to change his daily life.

And like usual he entered inside the library. But after proceeding towards his reading seat which was on the second floor, he noticed that there was one preceding visitor before him. And even though it was Kishimine, he too quickly recognized that person. It was that Glasses girl he saw yesterday—- if one had to add one more feature about that girl then that will be those huge breast which stood out quite a lot—to that sophomore girl.

“…………”

She was reading the book very quietly sitting on the reading seat but, it’s maybe she heard the footsteps of someone on the stairs, her eyes met with Kishimine’s.

Although, there is nothing happened except that, she got all flustered and averted her gaze.

As that was the quite normal reaction of this school’s girls, he didn’t get bothered by it. It’s just, that girl, as she is coming every day in this library means, that she is also a fellow book lover, which made him a little happy.

“……now that I think of it”

Suddenly, he got reminded of the only bond he had with someone from the opposite sex.

“Miyabi-chan, I wonder what she is doing right now?”

During Kindergarten, she was his childhood friend with whom he spent a short time of one year.

He still remembers the promise he made with her at that time. That when they will grow up, they will read books again together like before.

But, it’s already been more than 10 years since then. 10 years. That is almost the two-third of a time for an 18 years old person like him, a very and considerate amount of time. Maybe it’s because of that reason, from quite a while; he couldn’t even able to even remember her face. By any chance even if they were able to pass-by each other in this town, he was quite sure that he will not be able tell. It is kinda unfortunate but, that parting with her in that kindergarten maybe will become the last memory of her in his mind.

The thing called life is that sort of thing or so it seems, Kishimine remembered reading something like that in one of the story he read before. In that story, he lived the life of the protagonist like usual. And the story made on the composition of several encounters and separation. A loved one, a trusting friend and a possible arch-enemy,—the meeting with those peoples and in the end separation. That was all of it.

Certainly this book was like that as well isn’t it? Like that he took out “The Count of Monte Cristo” from the shelf again. During the marriage with his lover Mercédès, getting arrested and thrown into the prison, Edmond Dantès. After that, what kind of encounter or farewell awaited him? If he thinks of something like that, then the troubles that were bothering him for a while back became something trivial and soon he forgot about that.

And thus, the consciousness of Kishimine who now returned back to his seat, like usual got engulfed into the story of the book, and he once again turned into the protagonist Edmond Dantès.

……My Jail breaking plan, which was digging the hole and escaping through it failed.

But, my efforts in the end didn’t end up being in vain. It’s because I was able to meet the Priest Faria, who was also got captured here on false charges just like me.

After coming in this good for nothing prison, I was able to meet an existence who was here with similar circumstances such as me.

I and Father Faria ended up conversing about a lot of things soon. As he possessed magnificent intelligence, he even told me about his conjecture of why I was captured here. Soon enough he became like a second father to me, and I ended up learning various things from him such as Mathematics, Science, History and Linguistics. To me who only knew how to manipulate the ship, Father Faria gave me various kinds of knowledge. Those Lessons took place inside a dark prison but to me, that time never felt unfortunate.

But, those kind of days didn’t lasted for long. And in the end, Father Faria fell under sickness.

But just before his death, he shared an unbelievable secret with me. It was about an existence of a treasure which was hidden by a person who was once a former noble.

And eventually, together with sadness, I lost Father Faria. And once again became all alone.

I was once again was about to fall in despair due to that but, then soon enough I came up with a scary plan to escape from this prison.

“I will just have to switch myself with the dead body of Priest Faria which was in the bag brought by the jailer.”

And the plan itself went pretty well. Without realising I got casted off in the sea as a dead body, and was able to finally escape that gloomy prison.

And then getting success in jail breaking I, as per Father Faria’s words, found the treasure which was hidden by the former noble.

And thus able to get my grasp on an unbelievable amount of wealth and power.

And finally, pledged to take revenge against the people who made me and Priest Faria go through such terrible experience.

But at that moment, something like revelation from the heavens fell upon me.

“Hey, you”

“……Huh?  Eh?”

“I am sorry, but listen! I have some business with you!”

The voice that came from the heaven was an unexpectedly loud and young male voice.

I unintentionally went into mayhem. Don’t tell me, now of all times it’s my time to go to the heaven, No, it’s just the voice for now, or so I came to the conclusion.

“Hmm, he definitely doesn’t look like he’s sleeping but, he is definitely not noticing me as well. Just what the hell is going on here?”

Just too much of an incomprehensible development

That at last broke my concentration, and made me wake up from the world of books.

Kishimine, after returning his consciousness from the book, first gets his self-awareness back.

“u-uwaah-!?”

He reflexively raised his voice. It’s because in front him was the face of an unknown man who was wearing glasses.

“Oh, so you finally noticed, huh!?”

With an unusually high voice, that man said.

It doesn’t seemed like he was the student. A bit tall, with a bit mature atmosphere, and above all what he was wearing was not a school uniform but a white lab coat.

“Ah……”

He finally remembered him.

It was that teacher who spouted nonsense during the yesterday’s event about his club and later made to leave with the drop kick of Tendou President.

“It appears that you possess some incredible concentration power there with you! You won’t notice if one taps your shoulder or if one calls out to you, but there is no sign of you sleeping as well! It was……yes, just like you were possessed by the book or something!”

“……well it somewhat fits. Once I start reading a book, I just couldn’t bring myself to stop in middle. Leaving that aside, what business do you have with me?”

As he was also bothered by the disturbance he caused in his reading, he asked that with a bit intense expression.

“Oh! That was rude of me. I am Physics Teacher, Sena-sensei Akio. I am ashamed to be a bit ill-mannered about such things but, you, what’s your name?”

“Haa?”

Why I have to introduce my name to him. He first thought that. But, as that teacher has an atmosphere where you just couldn’t defy him, he couldn’t able to refuse.

“……3-B’s, Kishimine Kengo.”

“Heh, Kishimine-kun, huh?! It’s an unfamiliar face considering you are a senior, are you perhaps one of the rumoured Transferred Student?”

“Yes… that’s right”

“Well then, Kishimine-kun. I want to ask you a question here; say……don’t you want to try marrying a Seiyuu?”

“Huh?”

“Ah, my bad, it certainly was a silly question right, as there is not a single male exist in the world who doesn’t want to marry a Seiyuu! Alright, let’s change the question then. You are a transfer student, and right now in library. So in short, you still haven’t joined any club, am I correct?”

“Well, Yeah.”

‘Just why is he asking me such a thing? In the first place, wouldn’t he cause problem to other people who are using the library by talking in such a loud voice.’

At that time, when he was thinking of such things, it happened.

Kishimine definitely saw it. As if some sort of luminant device was attached to it, Sena-sensei’s glasses [Kiran] sparkled with a suspicious light.

And then,

“Secureeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed!”

“Eh?  What?”

There was no room for resistance and such.

Because before he even realised, Kishimine got covered in a black cloth like thing from bottom to head—

And got abducted.

That was, the moment from where Kishimine’s daily life started deviating.

He didn’t able to understand what happened just now.

Just a few minutes ago, he as a mediocre student, was spending his mediocre daily life. And then, inside the Japan’s topmost safe school, he suddenly got covered inside the black cloth and got abducted, and at the moment getting carried away some sort of a wrapped caterpillar.

“Wait— what the hell are you doing? Release me please!”

Even at a moment like this he was using honorifics as he knew the other person is a sensei.

“Shut up! Stay quiet! And don’t struggle, I guarantee your safety!”

As his body was shaking quiet violently, he guessed that he was being moved from one place to another.

“Just what type of crap are you saying?! P-Please put me down.”

“Just wait for a while, we’ll be there soon! I suggest that you won’t talk too much though, as you may bite your tongue like that!”

Just whose fault do you think it will be then—?

He wanted to protest like that, but as the shaking was very violent due to being on the staircase or something, he was not in a situation to do so.

Eventually, he heard the sound of the door being opened.

“Alright, we’re here. Okay, I am gonna drop you down now!”

“Eh”

He getting prepared for the throw readied his body but, luckily the strong impact he imagined didn’t occurred. He was put down on the floor quite easily, and then the knot also got loosened and he came out of the bag.

The first thing that entered his vision was the face of the culprit who kidnapped him.

“J—just what the hell is this?! What is this place? Why did I get kidnapped and brought here?!”

“Quiet down, I am not a time traveller who kidnapped you for fucks sake; a man shouldn’t make a fuss over little things like a little girl! And there is no need to be surprised is it? This is our Modern Game Club’s clubroom, audio-visual prep-room.”

“Huh?! Modern Game Club!?  Audio-Visual Prep-Room!?”

Even Kishimine knew that this suspicious teacher is acting as an advisor of the infamous Modern Game Club. In that case, it makes this small room, the clubroom. If I remember it correct, on the second floor there were two audio-visual rooms numbered No.1 and No.2 and, the audio-visual prep-room was near to them.

He surveyed the room again. As per its name, it was supposed to be used as a storeroom for both of the rooms. The size of the room was around half of the normal classroom. Plus, the other half of that was filled with the racks on which various types of club equipment’s were piled up. Due to all those racks it cannot be seen, but there should be a door which connects the interior of this room with the No.2 Audio-Visual Room.

It was small, but it was definitely not giving any impression of untidiness. It does giving the impression to that of a storeroom but it definitely could be seen that it was sorted out quite efficiently considering the small space.

Plus what was surprising was, on the left and right of the room was 2 set of total 4 T.V.’s, including some several other expensive looking video player kinda thing lying here and there.

Suddenly, Sena-sensei after seeing Kishimine’s eyes proudly started bragging with his chest puffed up.

“Fuffuffufu, your eyes went there, huh?! Very well then, do look at it to your heart content! These are our clubs’ prideful 4 Plasma T.V.’s after all.”

“I-I didn’t really need for any sort of permission to see things though. But, still even if it’s the private academy of rich people, I am surprised that you were able bring such expensive looking things inside the clubroom……”

“Well aside from the new type big LCD TV’s, the old versioned Plasma TV’s are not that expensive you know?! Well in summers it gets extremely hot but no matter what we needed to have this HD Environment!”

He couldn’t keep up with what he was saying. ‘In the first place, why the hell there was a need of 4 TV’s in a high school’s club?’ he thought.

“Well leaving those things aside! As you are here already, you probably have guessed of what you’ll be made to do right?”

“Ha!? What do you mean!?”

“Well just listen and quietly sign these papers here.”

“Eh!? EHH!?”

Sena-sensei took out 1 thin paper out from his pocket and pushed that on Kishimine.

Without any place to run, he was forced this piece of paper.

Just what the hell was it, as Kishimine looked down to confirm, he just couldn’t able to believe on his eyes.

“W—what the fuck is tttttthhhhhhiiiiiiiissssssssss?”

It was been a while since he shrieked like that.

What were written on top of that thin paper were basically three words namely, “Marriage Registration Form”.

‘Just pure crap.’

After kidnapping from the library, he was brought inside the secret room. And now was forced this marriage registration form. And what’s more terrifying was, that on the place of Husband name column “Sena-sensei Akio” was written.

“W—what the hell is this? Giving this marriage registration form to me suddenly, are you for real!? N—No being suddenly is not the point here, in the first place, I am still a high school……NO, that’s also not it, to begin with it’s impossible between two males….. Ah FUCK this shit; basically, I just can’t get it!”

Lately, in the publishing environment, BL genre is getting a bit of an influence among the people; don’t tell me this club’s name, “Modern Game Club” basically means that.

“Hm? Just what are you saying? Marriage registration?”

In a very strange way Sena-sensei said that, and then looked down at the paper he pushed at Kishimine.

“Aah, my bad, the papers got a little bit mixed-up! This is the marriage registration I prepared to be able to marry up with seiyuu anytime! The one I want your sign is this!”

As usual saying hard to understand things, he now passed the separate piece of paper than that Marriage Registration Form to Kishimine.

On that document as well, as expected 3 words were written.

“Club……Registration Form?”

And then suddenly door slammed opened from behind.

“It was hopeless, Sena-sensei. There are no new students to be seen anywhere……?”

As he turned around reflexively on the familiar voice, there he saw the figure of a familiar female student.

“Hm?    You are……I’ve seen you before didn’t I?”

“I-If I remember it right, you are from the Student Council’s……”

His thinking process got more disordered. It’s because the one standing there in front of him was everyone’s ideal Tendou Student Council President.

In an instant, his heart-rate unusually spiked up. And he unintentionally got fascinated by her. No matter how many times he came in contact with her, he just didn’t saw anyone more beautiful than she was, not even in the T.V.

On the other hand, he thought what a person such as her is doing at a place like this.

But, that question too was soon cleared up, as he recalled the other day’s club introduction. It appears that she, the Student Council President is a sole member of the Modern Game Club and what’s more she is its Club President.

“Ooh. You sure came back at a nice timing! Look at this Tendou-kun! I’ve secured us a new club member! He’s Kishimine Kengo-kun from the senior year, same as you.”

Tendou’s face, got overflowed with delight.

“So you’ve finally found it? That sure is a very good news! Welcome to our Club then. And now that I think back you’re the guy who I met in the library yesterday aren’t you? There seems to a somewhat of a fate meeting you here again like this, isn’t it?”

“Y—Yeah”

Fate among us—just those words, getting to hear from a beautiful person such as Tendou Student Council President, started to make him blush.

“……Wai—, No, No, Just hold a second there! Just what’s with this new member thing? Why it’s suddenly turn out to be me joining the club?!”

“Is there really a need of an explanation there?! Today is the start of a club hunt, and you being an independent student came to our club because of that, and that aside aren’t you the one who said that you want to marry a seiyuu?”

“I-Is that true!?”

Before even Kishimine could protest, Tendou started seeing him with somewhat of a pitiful eyes.

“That sure surprised me. To think there was another one who shared same interest such as Sena-sensei…… Well yes……everyone has their own preferences but…”

“Wai— just wait a second there! I never said something like that! In the first place, I don’t remember coming here on my accord, and aren’t sensei you are the one who gone as far to kidnap me to bring me here?!”

“W—what was that?”

President Tendou started glaring at Sena-sensei with scornful eyes.

“Sena-sensei, Is it really true? Did you really bring him here with that method?”

The use of words was definitely polite but, the expression was stabbing.

As if he knew that he couldn’t escape, Sena-sensei averted his eyes and started correcting his glasses,

“No, well, just calm down now! And I also want Kishimine-kun to listen to this first, there was a reason behind my action! As you also know today is the start of club recruit right? But, for some unfathomable reason, there was not even a single person who came here for a tour! Plus there is not even a single male member in this club yet, which is quite fatal in its own. So there, I took a round around the school, and found a free looking you sitting doing nothing in the library, and thus ended up inviting you to the club!”

“That doesn’t even count as an explanation! It’s totally absurd plus, it’s not like I was doing nothing at all……”

“Quiet down and just honestly admit it. Even you knew very well that it will turn out to be something like this in the end! And If you come here nonchalantly without making any kind of fuss then, you possessed some sort of interest from before as well, didn’t you!?”

“Just what kind of host-like crap you are saying to deceive a student?! From the start, I didn’t have any interest in the clubs!”

“You sure don’t know when to give up do you!? Well fine then, in any case this room is soundproof, so no matter if you cry or shout, no one will come for help! And you don’t have a place to run as well now or do you?!”

“Wai— Just what do you think on doing! Ah——”

For some reason exit was blocked by the Sena-sensei, and he was driven into the corner of the room.

“Sensei, stop doing things that will cause misunderstandings!”

At that moment when Kishimine finally started feeling danger, Tendou mercilessly hit Sena-sensei’s head.

“Shit, it hurts! Damn I’ve never seen any student who hits a teacher like that!”

“Then at least do something worthy to be called as a teacher first. In any case, as long as you get involve with the situation it gets more puzzled, so stay out for a bit.”

Saying that severely to him, she turned around and looked at Kishimine.

“It was Kishimine-kun, right?”

“Y—Yes.”

As usual as she looked at him, he lost his calmness from before.

“I was really sorry about that. I somewhat understand the whole situation. Not only he brought you here suddenly, you’re also forced to fill the club membership form, thinking like that, it’s natural to be perplexed.”

“No, well, as long you understand…….”

Involuntarily Kishimine sighed in relief, as expected, though she was attached to a club like this; she is a decent human being by nature. This moment she appeared as some goddess to him.

“But, as you are already here, if it’s good with you, how about continuing the tour for a little bit more? As it’s also true that we are in a severe need of a new member.”

“……Yes”

Kishimine, was bad at socialising. Maybe it’s because of that, he has a character where he just couldn’t able to quick reply if he was asked for a request upfront. He was just afraid to make the person sad by refusing honestly. You are a type who will never be able to escape, if caught in a Catch Sale—were the words of the previous homeroom teacher Yamashiro-sensei.

So of course, he just couldn’t able to decline the upfront request of a beautiful lady such as Tendou.

“If it’s along the lines of observation…… But, seriously what do you do in this club? As Modern Game Club is a name I’ve never heard of before.”

“Very well, let me explain then!”

The one who started speaking in a meaningless loud voice was none other than Sena-sensei.

‘I asked to the President Tendou though’—he thought but, it was something he just couldn’t say it aloud.

“If one has to explain about what our Modern Game Club in few words then that will be, it’s a club where we play games.”

“G—Games!?”

It felt a bit surprising but, after thinking for a while he somehow understood.

Those 4 huge T.V.’s in this club together with these other scattered equipment’s. These would be probably Gaming Consoles. Kishimine was unaware of Games, but he at least saw it in News and T.V. Commercials.

“There’s no need to guess as everything is quite clear but still confirming, by Games you mean Video Games right?”

“Oh! Well Of course.”

“I am sorry, as expected I will allow myself to head back.”

As he hurriedly stood up to head back, in that moment the figure of 2 blocked his path

“Wait there! Just explain me the reason to leave, after hearing that! Speaking of games, they are one of the key industries of japan, and it also considered as a No.1 amusement in the whole world as well you know?!”

“That’s right. And you’ll be able to play those games in the school club that too together with the school authorization. It doesn’t sound like a bad deal for you as well, right?”

Well excluding Sena-sensei, even Tendou too unanimously started to stop him.

“No, well….it’s because I, hate games.”

““Wa—whaattt!?””

The two of them together released a surprise looking voice.

“You hate amusing things you say?! Why the hell!? Explain the reason to me!”

“It’s hard to even believe, but it’s not that you are basing it on some weird information right? Like if you play games, you’ll become violent and such, or become game-addict or so on, because I think you are atleast not one of those heretics who believe such sham like things whose motive is to just confuse the mind of people.”

As Tendou’s face who asked the question was relatively serious, Kishimine had no other choice but to answer it honestly.

“No, not at all. It’s not because of something like that. Even in books there are sometimes numerous amount of violent scenes but, I don’t remember being violent after reading them, and I never heard or seen something like a Game-addict before. It’s just, I love reading. That’s why I don’t want to do anything which will decrease my time of reading.”

That was definitely not a lie. ‘It’s because everyone started ignoring books because of games’——a childish reason was also included in there, but he just couldn’t say it aloud.

“I see……. Well now that I think of it, you sure were engrossed in the book yesterday in the library.”

“Well, certainly, I agree and admit that books too are a very magnificent media to learn and experience things! But, having said that, there is no need to see the other culture with the cruel eyes is it?! Just so you know right now in Japan, NO, in the whole world record breaking Game Boom is taking place! So one must have no choice left but to ride on this Big Wave!”

Tendou somehow seemed to consent with Kishimine, but there was no sign of Sena-sensei to be giving up.

“……I don’t understand it quite well but, is it really that amazing? Well, I do know that everyone plays it but still……it’s just a game isn’t it?”

“It’s just a game, even so it’s a game! I see. It seems you really don’t know much about it? Well then let me explain it to you in detail. Everything started 10 years ago with a certain policy!”

“I haven’t particularly asked for any explanation though……”

Kishimine got fed up with the Sena-sensei forceful explanations in the middle but, Tendou tapped his shoulder.

“You maybe should’ve realised it by now but, Sena-sensei loves to explain about things. So if you could would you mind listening to him? Because that too will connect with the reason of why this club was built.”

“O—okay……”

Well certainly, when Sena-sensei starts explaining things with such liveliness then, the atmosphere sure becomes something in which one just couldn’t say “No, I don’t want to listen anymore.”

And thus Sena-sensei just like a professional storyteller while mixing in the gestures of his hands and arms in exaggeration, and spreading his white lab coat started the explanation.

“Year 1999! At that time’s coalition of both Liberal Party and Komeito [3-C], 

putting ‘excitation of the personal consumption’ as an aim, and using children and old people as a base target tried distributing Region Promotion tickets as a propaganda! But, after wasting the money meaninglessly, and in the end getting affected by the purchase cost of living necessities got surrounded by the rumours of them being the connection with the continuous excitation of the consumption. The concerns and rumours like that were firmly rooted thoroughly, and then that policy itself got abolished and driven away. But having said that, the financial stimulation factor was very much needed in the economy, and there as a stand in what used as propaganda then was— “Culture Promotion ticket”!”

“I see”

Kishimine too somewhat knew about that state of affairs.

Culture Promotion ticket. In short, the gift tickets used in Stationary ● Sports ● Goods ● Toys ● Books ● Audio and Video Media, Art Museum and Movie Theatre. The one’s which are even in the purse of Kishimine at the moment. In the country, the unused gift tickets which are not used in the daily necessities are used as provisions and, then with that the cultural industries promotion value is measured within the country.

“From the start, the Japanese culture, is receiving different type of value in the world! In that cultural industry, injecting the funds named culture promotion tickets, and then sending them under development, which then increases the export rate, In other words it improved the business conditions drastically! The thing which profited the most due to that policy was that times Gaming Industry or so they say. Imagine a large sum of gift tickets, if one had to consider about the high priced children goods, then it should be something around the Games right?!”

“Well, Yeah.”

To Kishimine those vague answers were the best he could’ve given.

On the other hand, Sena-sensei’s verbal tone started to get more and more enthusiastic and started becoming more like that of a politician giving its speech.

“And thus the enthusiastic Game Makers started supplying the superior quality games to both inside and outside of the country and, earned large amount of foreign exchange! Automobile or electrical appliances export no matter what, invited the rivalry with the foreign country, and sometime also ended up as a reason of dispute, but there were no such things as obstacles in bringing joy to the worldwide people! “From the next time just focus in exporting those games!!” Even the politicians, to say something that appeared, and the thing called games were no longer considered as a mere toy, and became something like an existence which was an important factor for living!”

Parents are weak on the country’s authorised context. It was also at that time, when Kids suddenly started playing Games, near Kishimine.

“And thus the government which noticed the effectiveness of the Culture Promotion tickets, changed the name of the policy’s to the “Children’s Allowance”, and even now is under work! Giving the allowance of 5,000円 worth of Culture Promotion tickets to the children below 18 years per month, and given the chance to get them into contact with the Culture, and furthermore activating the Cultural industry! It’s because, the user just won’t buy an uninteresting good after all, and if the funds got invested after it gets passed in the eyes of a user then, the superior quality content will go to the superior corporation, which will even allow the growth of that corporation!”

“I see”

Even Kishimine was getting the allowance every month as a Culture Promotion tickets a.k.a Children’s Allowance.

If the simple money was given as an allowance, insolent parents wasting the money in the Pachinko [3-D] etc. will also appear, and it’s also easy to become a hot ground for criminal like activities to also take place. But if it’s distributed in a way where only Children can personally use them, it will be nearly impossible to use them for such Activities. Additionally, there will be no cases such as illegally sending money to foreign as well.

As per usual it has a major drawback where it couldn’t have used for the student necessities, but even having said that, at least, because of the economic conditions, there was a loophole made where it could be used in the Sports, fine arts, and cultural activity goods because the children benefit greatly from these. If one saved all of his tickets for 1 year, the amount will become 60,000円, with which a cheap PC could’ve easily been purchased.

Kishimine too thanks to that was able to buy the books he loved to his heart content. Though, because of that, there was no room for more books to enter in his room, and lately because of that he started using the Library exclusively because of that.

“As a result, right now a record-breaking Game-Boom is going on, and because of that Japanese Game Battle Championship—nickname JGBC named official Gaming tournament has been organised every week, in which day and night furious battles unfold! Okay, from here I will move the conversation on the details about the foundation of our Modern Game Club.”

“……I am not quite getting the connection between the conversations. Just how are they relevant?”

“From there I will explain.”

Like that, President Tendou took the control. Rather, she interrupted. Maybe perhaps she too was getting bored with the long explanation of Sena-sensei.

“Maybe you’ve also heard of it, about the reason of accepting the enrolment of the boys in this Izunomiya Academy which was supposed to be an all-girls school was, to counter the decrease in the all year students enrolment which was due to the low-child birth rate. But, in this impregnable iron fortress of girls, it was just not that easy to accept boys like that.”

“Well, certainly. From the girl’s side, there should’ve been a considerable amount of resistance, isn’t it?”

But still, even after that question Tendou-san seemed fine and in fact—embraced his question.

“Well, it was quite natural to have reluctance, anyhow as there will be sometime in their life where they will get into touch with an opposite gender anyways. So you can say that it was a great change for the girls. In this situation, the one which was under concern was the boy’s side.”

“Ha? You mean, by us?”

“That’s right. For example, at the moment new male students in each class are limited to 2. It’s seems to be quite an intense situation for the boys right? And there were those among the boys who enrolled in this school, there seems to be quite a few ones who were without even getting able to get familiar with the school, requested the transfer.”

“……I can quite understand that.”

He got reminded of his only male classmate, Kusakabe. At first after changing the schools he was quite ragged because of the terms with his ex-girlfriend but recently, he is, just sighing like it was nothing at all.

Plus, the surviving boys from the 2 years ago, he saw at yesterday’s P.E. class. They too if were given just a chance, would’ve quit this school long time ago for sure.

To begin with Kishimine himself got to transfer in a form of a school exchange with the student of this school. And he was quite certain that the one he got exchanged with was a guy who just couldn’t able to bear the pressure of this school.

“In short you see, Kishimine-kun!” said Sena-sensei. “This is not a place where boys belong to!  Cause something even like a toilet is limited for them.”

“Well, true indeed.”

In this school which was an all-girls school from the start, there is no way that there would be facilities such as men’s toilet installed from the beginning, and right now one has no other choice but to use the 1st Floor’s Staff Toilet as a last minute rush. And obviously as it was constantly in use by the teachers, they couldn’t’ve used it for a long period of time as well.

“And there around half year ago, I suggested a proposal to this school! That to make this place school more for boys, and to increase more applicants of boys as well, I want to create a club with the most well-known media on this world—Modern Games, in other words a club in which one can play games you see! If one get to play the games with the official recognition of the school then, that will connect to the enrolment of the new male students and, more than that it will be able to create a place for the boys as well.  And practically, there are a lot of schools with these kinds of clubs! And the problems regarding the club budgets are resolved with the help of the people who hold the same interests as well!”

“I too as a Student Council President, fully supported on this idea. And there last year, I together with Sena-sensei helped in the foundation of this Modern Game Club.”

“Haa, I see……”

As the reason of the club establishment was quite decent, he couldn’t help but feel surprised.

It’s been 2 years since this school has started excepting the boys. And if there are also students started coming as a transfer student, then definitely there will occur a need for a place for boys.

It’s just, there gush forth a question.

“Then why even Tendou-san joined the club? You are also working as a Student Council president right? As you will be quite busy with just that, there really wasn’t any particular need for you to be directly attached to the club right……?”

President Tendou’s name was famous even among the newly enrolled 1st years. Why that kind of girl is associating herself with this weird teacher and why she is in this strange club? That was the question he had in his mind for quite some time.

However, as that kind of question naturally gushed from his mouth, it induced a change which he himself couldn’t have predicted. Tendou’s, cheeks got flushed red as if she was embarrassed.

“T-There is not really any great reason behind it. If there will be no members in the club, Sena-sensei took such Hardships to create then it will look quite inappropriate right? That’s why to match the numbers I just decided to temporarily join the club. Right Sena-sensei, that’s the reason isn’t it?!”

“A—Aah, Yeah, indeed it is!”

What she said was quite logical and made sense but, frankly it was quite suspicious. And it just looked as if they were hiding something.

Above all, that usual composed Tendou Student President had her cheeks dyed red.

“D—don’t tell me……”

A certain possibility came into his mind.

A unique club where there is only a student and it’s advisor. And a blushing Tendou. It derives a possibility. ‘Maybe Student Council President Tendou-san, Likes Sena-sensei……’ or something. If he thinks like that, then everything connected. An Ojou-sama school’s student council president to be in this club when she had nothing to do with the games and stuff, plus the face of her blushing when asked for the reason of that. Tendou’s attitude towards Sena-sensei looked relatively strict but, ‘Isn’t that also her way of showing affection?’ He thought.

For Kishimine who held somewhat of an admiration kinda thing towards Tendou, it was quite shocking.

“Well basically that’s that! And thus our Modern Game Club got established but, after staying for a while new sort of problem started developing!”

As if trying to switch the conversation forcibly, Sena-sensei raised his voice.

Kishimine who still wasn’t quite recovered from the shock thinking that a beautiful girl like Tendou was out his reach anyways, he cut loose those feelings forcibly. That’s why the change of topic was in fact quite convenient for him.

“So, what’s that problem? Ah about, no new club members are coming, huh?”

“Exactly! I don’t know the reason but the one who submitted the club recruitment form is just Tendou-kun alone in the past half an year! And to sum up all on that, even though today supposed to be the club recruition day for all 1st years and transferred students, it’s already been 1 hour but not a single person with an interest to join our came! It is extremely bad. Though this club was created to grant a piece of place for the boys and yet there are basically 0 male members here, well leaving the principal aside, I don’t even know what that chairman will say regarding this now!”

“…………”

In this past half year, the reason for not even a single interested member to come, the reason was somewhat quite clear to Kishimine.

If one had to consider the surviving boys in this school, as they too also were from the rich families so without exception they too were quite scared of the surroundings like a puppy. So he just couldn’t think of them voluntarily joining this club who had such a pushy, uncool teacher who’d go as far as to kidnap a student. And even this School’s Ojou-samas don’t seem to have that much interest towards the games, and above all, they too for sure just can’t get the idea of getting close to the Sena-sensei.

“Isn’t it that the reason? Look, at the time of Introduction seminar, didn’t you put various types of conditions there? Without doing that you should’ve just normally invited the male students or so I think.”

“Well of course as a last resort we will try that! But, as you can see our club is small and there is a limit to how much equipment we can put in here. We are not in a situation to really say it, but we are also not in a situation where we can just endlessly recruit the students! We had to for the time being recruit a few people and then operate the club with them!”

“Well as long as we don’t have anyone interested in joining the club, that kind of worry is meaningless though.”

“…………”

With that merciless Tsukkomi of Tendou, he tried to pull himself up and corrected his glasses.

“So that’s how it is. Since situation was at its worst, I decided that it would be fine as long we get to have only 1 male student inside the club!”

“……that’s why you kidnapped the lonely looking guy like me right?”

The tone of Kishimine was shrouded with sarcasm but, it doesn’t seem that it even touch the teacher called Sena-sensei.

“Exactly, Kishimine-kun! So just like that, you are a member of our club now! And while you are at it why not together just welcome a Seiyuu in your life as well?! You heard me right?, you understood right?, if you understood then nod a bit you fool!”

Sena-sensei’s hands stretched forward and grabbed Kishimine’s head and just like that forcibly made him to nod.

“Y—es— done! Alright! The agreement has been made! And one comrade secured!”

“Wai—, No way, geez how coercive! In the first place, from your talks, you guys want someone who will be an immediate fire power for the club right? Then it’s not a place for someone like me who not even touched a game before!”

“Even I was thinking like that recently but, but we are not in a position right now to have demands like that! In any case, if our club achieves at getting just a single male member then, we’ll be able to shut-up the chairman!”

“Well just calm down a bit, Sensei.”

Just as usual Tendou stopped Sena-sensei.

“We just can’t make him join the club without his own intentions can we? And even if we do, we don’t know what the chairman will say if he found out about it.”

“I understand that but……so what do you plan on doing then!? Having Zero new members is out of the question just so you may know!”

“I know, so…Kishimine-kun. How about we try playing a game there?”

“Eh?”

To this unexpected proposal, he couldn’t able to give an instant reply.

“I don’t have a tendency to speak about someone’s way of thinking. If you say you like books, then that is good in it itself and I don’t have any problem with that but, there is also a saying in this world that goes ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover. Just suppose that there exists a book which is quite infamous for being bad, but as long you have a little bit of interest towards it, you’ll read it right? And quite unexpectedly, you may find it interesting as well. The same thing goes for me. I want to see your skills with these eyes. So I’m making a selfish request here so won’t you just give a little bit of your time and try it?”

“…………”

If someone told you that as you looked free and then kidnaps you, surely you’ll get angry and leave immediately right?

But, if someone politely requested him, he just couldn’t flat out refuse them.

Plus leaving Tendou aside, Sena-sensei doesn’t look like a person who will bulge when he decide on something. And so even if he refused right now, he just couldn’t think of him giving up soon.

“……I understand, but only for a little while okay? But, if there you get to know how bad I am, please give up on me.”

“Ah, that would be enough. Thank You, Kishimine.”

He felt pity at himself to get unintentionally flurried over that bright smile of Tendou. Even though he knew that this person might be in love with Sena-sensei.

Part 2

Kishimine was made to sit on a chair prepared infront of the large Plasma T.V.

And in front of him, Sena-sensei getting extremely happily was doing some preparations on some kind of big black machine.

“That’s the gaming console, right?”

Suddenly he asked the question.

Sena-sensei then, as if talking about himself, puffed his chest out and said.

“You’ve at least heard of one before right? This is a Play Station 3, in short PS3. It’s Japan’s proudest high-performance machine and, it’s also the human histories finest gaming console you know!”

“I see”

Even though he said the finest, just what and which part is the finest he just didn’t get it.

“So Sensei, have you decided on the game yet?”

“Ah, well of course! It’s “Uncharted – The Golden Dagger and the Lost Fleet”[3-E]!”

“Uncharted, huh……? Well it’s definitely not a bad choice to pick that as to introduce someone with new-gen games.”

“I don’t understand a bit what you guys are talking about…… so basically it’s a famous game right?”

“Well indeed it is. At any rate, it’s a super-epic game which sold more than four million copies in the world after all.”

“F—four million copies?!”

As one would expect he was speechless. Four million. It was not a numeric value one could just say easily like that.

“So now do you understand, its greatness?! Best seller novel, or possibly a Super Hit Movie can probably do the same thing. But, the price of their one copy is around 1000円 when sold. One the other hand, if we talk about a game, then a copy is sold at around 5000円. Just imagine the value when 4 million copies are sold!”

“……I can quite understand why country is supporting it as an occupation now.”

“That’s right. At any rate, the amount of sales equates to how interesting it is, that rule is quite similar in the gaming industry as well! Not to mention this game is Game Obs—…… in other words has won various Game Industries Academy Award kind of things and is quite famous, I am sure that you will enjoy it as well! We for now, just leave those things aside and enjoy yourself.“

“As from here on forward you will become a Professional Treasure Hunter, Nathan Drake!”

“I see…”

Able to become a Professional Treasure Hunter, if he was told something like that, then instinctively he will start developing expectations, due to his nature of a book lover.

Sena-sensei pressed a button on the controller. [Pii] after making a small sound, the Game Console started, and something came up on the screen. However, it didn’t looked something like that of a game. It was something sort of a menu screen or something.

“Here, take it.”

Like that, Sena-sensei passed him the controller.

“No uhm, even if you pass this to me suddenly like that, I don’t know anything about controls and stuff.”

“Be at ease! While playing games these days you don’t even have to read the instruction manuals and such, they will be taught to you during the gameplay itself. Once you try it, you’ll soon enough get it!”

“I see……”

He observed the controller in his hands.

The size was just big enough to settle in his palms. Plus it seemed like it was working wirelessly, as there was no sign of any cables.

But, what surprised him the most was,

“There are……5-6, 7……8 buttons, what the hell is this?! On top of it, there’s this cross-shaped button……and what are these, two stick-like things?

“Ah, those are analog sticks.” said Tendou. “With the left stick you can move the character, and with the right one you can change your view point.”

“I see. Well basic movement aside, view point……huh?”

As it’s inside the game, he somehow understood the concept of the character movement but, he just couldn’t get the grasp on the concept of moving your view point.

“By the way, those analog stick can act as a button as well! Try pressing a bit hard on them!”

“Okay”

According to Sena-sensei, he pressed on the analog sticks. And certainly it felt like some button being pressed.

“That’s a standard controller used in these day games! Including those cross-shaped button, there are in in total 16 buttons in it you know?!”

“—16 buttons!? And you have to use them all? I am just a starter you know? I will not be able to remember each button functions!”

“Hahahaha, a year ago I sure had a similar opinion about that! But that too is called narrow mindedness you know?! This Uncharted and other games certainly can be called as a representative of the games which uses a lot of buttons but still of that, it sold more than 4 million copies in the world. A game which is difficult to play can’t possibly bring that amount of numeric value.”

“……Is it really something like that?”

“It’s exactly like that! Well then, leaving all that aside, just go and try Pressing the ‘O’ Button.”

“’O’ Button……?”

As he looked into the controller, certainly there were △○×□ painted on the buttons.

“Umm……this?”

As he pushed the button, after waiting for some time, the screen changed.

It seems that the game has finally started. At first on the screen a profound message appeared.

I did not tell half of what I saw.

For I knew I would not be believed……

Marco ●  Polo  Year – 1324  At his Deathbed

“Whoa……”

It was a letter which suddenly spiked his interest. Speaking of Marco Polo, he was the writer of the Book “The Book of Marco Polo” and a famous person who told the Europe about the existence of Asia.

Judging from the letter basically, he held some facts which were untold to the world, huh? Just like the best-seller “Da Vinci Code”, Kishimine doesn’t hate the stories which start with a cut-end line like that.

And just like that, the screen changed.

Is this inside of the train? The interior design of the train felt kinda modern, and quite a number of solid looking seats were lined up. As if some kind of accident happened. The surroundings were all smashed and everything lying here and there in pieces and even the windows were broken, and the air coming through them was even fluttering the curtains.

Then the next thing which came in the view was the figure of a young man in his late twenties. Is this is Nathan Drake, Sena-sensei was talking about? He was big enough to make people doubt that he instead of being a Treasure Hunter, doing Pro-Wrestling or stuff. But, as he thought he got involved in the accident, huh? It’s because his face was covered with the blood.

“Where is this, place……?”

Maybe it was the impact of the accident. His memories were indefinite. Nathan murmured painfully.

“Aa—, uu……”

Maybe it was because of pain, he had a very wry face.

It appeared that his left side of the back was injured. There was even sign of severe bleeding which does not seemed quite the usual one.

“Blood…… That’s my Blood…… That’s a lot of my blood……”

“……This is certainly quite good.”

At that moment Kishimine was already overwhelmed by it. He heard about the amazingness of these days games but, the beautifulness of graphics was definitely not ordinary.

The inside of the train was finely described to every nook and corner, and was not at all inferior to the real deal. Especially the depiction of the character was just too incredible. Nathan Drake, who had his face bend down due to pain, was made up by the program but, it really looked like a real person, and it could’ve easily be told that he was suffering quite a lot.

Like that, Nathan looked outside of the window.

The first thing which came into his view, reminded of him of the Himalayan Mountain range as what was in front him were huge mountains and piles         of snow stretching everywhere. But, he felt somewhat of a bad feeling.

The mountain which was covered with snow…… from right and left rose steeply infront of him.

It was right after that moment. In front of the direction of Nathan, a vessel like came leapt.

“Woah!?”

Nathan just barely dodged that.

But, right after that some another thing leapt on him.

“B—Barrels!?”

Just why those sort of big things are coming right up aiming at him. On top of that, those barrels ignoring all sorts of Physics law and gravity jumping right at him—and splattered the back door of the train.

“Oi, you are kidding me right……?!”

“Oi, you are kidding me right……?!”

Kishimine on the moment of heat ended up saying Nathan’s lines aloud.

And then something jumped from ahead, saying something like that will sure will the error in the explanation.

As what lied far front of the back door was the…… ground at the bottom. Well obviously it could’ve felt like a joke to him. It was not like that the barrels just came flying at him out of nowhere. They just fell from above. Probably some kind of derailment accident happened. And because of that reason the train—or the coach he was in hanging in the mid-air. That’s why because of all the continuous shaking made by the train looked like as if the mountains were moving and that was also the case for barrels to fall and broke the back door.

 “Woah!?”

Right after that maybe it was due to the impact of accident the screw on the seat got loose, and the seat on which Nathan was sitting crumbled and fell to the bottom. But, with just hair breadth, Nathan jumped on the different seat.

But, the seat he jumped on also crumbled and— Nathan’s body fell out of the door.

“Aaaaaaah!?”

Maybe it was to prevent the falling of the passenger from the train by accident; there was a pipe like structure outside of the door.

Nathan’s body fell right on top of that pipe. But as the impact was quite large, the structure broke in pieces. And once again made him fell into the abyss—

But at that moment, with an amazing reflexive reaction Nathan caught the handrail. And like that exhibiting his amazing physical strength, he continued hanging on it.

“Ahahaha! Aah, Oh crap……!!”

And there just like a movie the camera pulled back, and showed the situation surrounding Nathan.

He was indeed in a position which was quite a laugh. The train in which Nathan was, in the scenery of this pure White Mountain, was swinging from the cliff. And on the bottommost part of this unstable shaking train, was Nathan just barely holding on the handrail covered in the blood. To explain this situation more, he was in a position which was just a thread step away from falling into the ravine.

‘I don’t think they do to this much even in Hollywood Movies’, he thought for once in his mind.

“Okay now go, you could freely move the Nathan according to your will now! And Hurry up as you have to escape from here fast.”

Tendou said something like that.

“Eh!?   Eh!?   I have to move him!?  S—so exactly what should I do?”

“It’s the left stick. Use that to move Nathan.”

“Um— Th—This one?”

He tried pushing the left stick on the controller on the left side. Doing that, the Nathan inside the game, started crawling slowly on the left side of the handrail.

“A—amazing”

The shock that Kishimine felt was very strong. ‘Inside the game, you can move the character this much freely, huh?’

If one had to give an example to explain that, it was like moving the protagonist of the movie as a spectator mode with your own will.

“A—at any rate, if you don’t escape fast, then……!”

As here was no telling that, when the handrail he was hanging will also collapse. Kishimine getting absorbed-in started operating Nathan carefully.

By no means could those movements be said appropriate but, as it seemed quite impossible to go back inside the train so then he searched for the good way to go up, and then he noticed that he can continue moving on the sides of the overhead ladder.

And thus like that before him knowing he revolved at the backside of the train.

And there were various types of parts and gaps installed which used to move the train wheels. And those gaps were just perfect to be grabbed by hands. Kishimine then used them to climb upwards.

But, it was at that moment. The derailed train shook heavily and, a huge stone fell from the top.

“Woah!?”

Luckily it didn’t hit Nathan but still having said that, because of the shock his hands got separated from the train.

He was quite close to the death but, he instantly clinged back to the train and fooled the death by a narrow margin.

“Fu……”

He naturally released a sigh of relief. I doubt that even “Indiana Jones” had such a dangerous scene in it.

And once again he determinedly started crawling his way up on the back of the train.  But eventually the place he was grabbing broke, and he gets in a position where it impossible to climb up.

However at that moment, “Press ×Button to jump” indication appeared on the screen.

Kishimine’s thumb quite naturally went to the ×button and, pressed it.

And quite simultaneously the character jumped forward and caught the gap ahead.

“I see. So that’s how the explanation will come, huh?”

“Heh. Despite being this your first game, I am quite surprised that you memorized the positions of the buttons. Normally anyone would’ve felt perplexed about it.”

Tendou said as like he was admiring him.

However, Kishimine had no scope to even feel happy about that.

I have to escape from here fast—or else. Just thinking about that, he continued climbing the train.

And eventually the place he was holding on broke again. But quite luckily, there stretched something like a metal pole on the side of the train—some sort of pipe—his hand reached to that.

“A—alright, I can use this.”

So this time he used the outline of the pole which used to board the train to climb upwards.

But, even now the accidents didn’t stop happening. Maybe it was because it was not able to support the large body of Nathan’s or just it just got weaken due to the impact of accident, the pipe got broke few metres above him.

But luckily, maybe the pipe held somewhat of strength, it maintained its position there for a while, and because of that he was able to still continue his way up. However, there is no mistaking it that it will bend and break the next time it will came under even a slightest bit of pressure.

“I—it’s fine. It’s still fine,    You can do it……!”

Having concerns about the bending back and forth pipe and while cheering for Nathan, Kishimine muttered that to himself.

He himself had no knowledge about it, but at that moment he was already started merging together with Nathan. And now Kishimine, no longer had the controller of the PS3 in his hand. But what exist there was just the feeling of him holding the cold pipe. Obviously he had no injury in real but, he was still sensing huge pain in his left side of the waist, on top of that even though it was supposed to be warm spring right now, he was quivering because of the chilly wind blowing heavily on the snowy mountain.

It was exactly the similar phenomenon which occurred to Kishimine while he read all those books.

And thus finally,

Without even noticing, he himself turned into the Nathan Drake.

I, quite nervously was climbing on the broken pipe. Cause If I just climb a little bit more, my hands will reach on the section of the pipe which is still intact.

But, everything didn’t went according to the plan.

“Woah! Aaa—aaaah!”

As expected it wasn’t able to handle my weight, and started bending around where my legs were. I, without doing anything just remained stationed, clinged on the pipe, and fortunately enough the pipe stopped bending when reached around 90 degrees.

It somehow stopped from the point it bent.

But it was clear given from the situation that it was quite drastic.

“J—Just what should I do?”

As the situation was quite hopeless, I involuntarily became quite confused.

The pipe I was using to climb up, was now horizontally bent and, plus, was on the point where it was not strange for it to crumble at any given moment.

And as usual I am bleeding heavily from my back, and at my feet literally hell stretched out.

It was quite a hopeless situation. As I was in a hurry, I didn’t knew what exactly should I do.

“……That’s right.”

As the pipe I was using to climb up got broken, but as it bent down at a 90 degree angle, what laid in front of me right now was sides of the train.

Just like that if I swing my body with force like a pendulum and jump on a window or something, I might be able to go back inside the train.

But, as the glasses in the windows are broken they were in a situation quite similar to the glass spread wall used as the security in the houses, so if I jumped quite badly, I will for sure hurt myself.

“Shit!”

Reluctantly, I jumped on the damaged side-part of the train. Maybe due to the impact of the accident, the walls of the train came out a bit, which made it looked that you can grab them somehow.

The attempt itself went well, and I successfully made past on the side of the train.

And at the same time, maybe as if it reached its limit, the pipe I was on just a while ago, broke and vanished in the bottom of the ravine. If I was just one second late, there is no mistaking that I too, maybe have faced the same fate as the pipe.

“That was close”

Just like that as I followed the trails of the broken sides of the train, I eventually made it to the ceiling. Geez, it makes me laugh by thinking of how much distance I covered in total till here. I, from the bottom most rear of the train, to the sides and now finally reached the ceiling. Even though if walked normally inside the train, it was a distance which could’ve been covered in a couple of seconds, it almost took me an eternity to reach here. Maybe it was designed to let the sunlight come inside from the ceiling of the train, there was a big hole there which couldn’t be seen in the trains of Japan, by using that I once again was able to get inside the train.

Even though I say inside of the train, it was the inside of the train which was vertically 90 degrees from the surface. It was the situation where one had to use the seats rather than the floor, to go upward. If I missed even a bit of my steps, it was hell waiting for me below.

I jumped from one seat to another, aiming to just get upwards. With each jump, maybe it was because of not able to support my weight, the seats bent a bit, and made me almost fall at often times.

But I still frantically clinged to them.

However, at the moment when I made my 3rd jump to go upward, it happened.

The moment I jumped on the back of the seat, it greatly inclined and made it like a sliding pit, and because of that I tumbled down and almost fell outside of the train from the window in front of me.

It was a type of crisis which happened to me quite many times in these past moments. But, somehow reflexively I was able to grasp frame of the window.

“C—Crap, I thought I am done for sure this time!”

Humans are relatively strongly built aren’t they? I succumbed to various emotions such as those.

I then after finding another pipe on the side of train, decided to use it to climb upwards.

And eventually the front side of the coach—the peak started to appear in my eyes. And even more above than that, on the edge of the cliff, laid the other coach which was also on the edge of falling. The thing which was holding these 2 coaches together was, just a small coupling and that’s all. And the condition was quite unstable in its own, the coach above and the coach I was in at the moment both, were in a situation where it won’t be strange for them to fall at any given moment.

On top of that at that moment, maybe it got brittle due to the impact of the accident, the cliff slightly crumbled. It was a small impact but, to the train which was sliding in mid-air unstably, it was enough to create a huge impact.

The pipe on which I was holding once again broke a little, furthermore the door like thing which was holding the luggage inside the train got opened from the impact, and the big load of cargo started falling outside of the train.

“D—do you plan on killing me?!”

Coming all the way to here makes me wonder that someone out there purposely trying to kill me again and again!

But, the Luck still continued to support me. First, the cargo didn’t hit me at all. Plus, the door of the opened luggage room luckily could be used as a foothold. I jumped from the pipe to that door, and from there finally able reach the front most— no the top most section of the coach.

“Fuu……”

I took a short breath. But, I can’t stay here for long. As the front coach too was also halfway down the mid-air, and was in a situation where it won’t be strange for it to fall as well. I somehow with my worn-out injured body jumped on the entrance door of that coach.

But, you can say that small amount of weight backfired, and made the coach to start slinting down.

“C—Crap!”

As if the coach was just barely hanging itself on a bare line of fall, I with my whole body power, somehow managed to enter inside of the coach. But, Once again the train shook heavily, due to which I lost my balance and stumbled on my knees.

“Don’t tell me……!”

This time it couldn’t able to settle the sway. And what’s more……the train started to move. Without mistake, it was the sign of it showing that it started to fall down the cliff!

 I on that moment grabbed the nearby seat. Like what I did so far, as long as I grabbed something nearby eventually the shaking off will stop, I end up thinking like that.

“Shit, why at a time like this?!”

I am already at my wit’s end at that time.

The fear of having near-death experience so many times in this short amount of time and, this time too fear of an unknown thing happening to me. Those 2 were, stealing my willpower. I can’t do more dangerous things from now on, in fact I don’t want do, is what I started thinking.

And so……I end up picking up the wrong decision.

As the coach I just escaped from, didn’t fell quickly. Then this 2nd coach will too, despite of this hell of a slanting, won’t just quickly fell in the ravine—I end up assuming that. By clinging to the nearby seat and using that as a means of evasion from all this shaking, and ‘why don’t I just wait for it to stop like before?’ I ended up thinking foolishly like that.

However, the train didn’t showed any signs of stopping and the body started sliding towards the bottom and that force was not something which could be easily stopped like that.

“I—I’m Falling……!?”

Maybe it was because of the violent shaking, I couldn’t able to hold the seat anymore.

This was not the time to hesitating like that. And now the train was proceeding down in the ravines. If I stay here like this, then it will be same as committing a suicide.

“Fuckkk!”

I while holding my body which was covered with blood and fear desperately ran ahead with all my might!

And eventually find the sign of the front most exit.

From there I finally, noticed the reason why the train was going down with such high speed.

As what lied on the other side of the exit was—basically nothing. Maybe because it was due to the accident, but the body which should be there attached with a coupling was not there.

With time the floor started to slant gradually. And now was in a state in which the only thing seen in front of the door was just the sky.

“Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!”

At the moment when the train started to fall freely due to gravity, I tried to jump from the exit door.

But I was too late.

Just a moment of hesitation in judgement and due to fear, stole every chances from me to live.

And now I, without even able to jump from the train, fell together with it in the bottom of the ravine.

“Kishimine-kun!   Open up your eyes! Kishimine-kun!”

“Sensei, he stopped breathing for real! You should perform a CPR or something……”

“You are joking right……? Are you saying that a death in game can cause a real death?! No, it’s actually quite possible but……in any case it can’t be helped, as I can’t possibly see anyone dying here in my club!”

“……Eh?”

When he regained his consciousness, he was no longer on the fierce cold wind brewing snowy mountain, but was inside the small audio-visual prep-room which was the clubroom. The injury on the left side of the back too, and the quivering coldness altogether vanished in a moment but, in return— Sena-sensei’s big mouth was approaching at him.

“K—kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?”

He panickly shrieked like a girl and got up immediately, and decided to never approach near Sena-sensei again.

“Ooh, so you’ve regained consciousness, huh? We’re quite panicked here as you suddenly collapsed on the floor like that!”

With Sena-sensei’s words, he realised his current situation. He played his first game in his life, and the phenomenon like when he reads a book occurred while he was playing the game.

“H—Huh? What about a game……what happened to Nathan Drake?”

“You really don’t remember!? He fell together with the train in the ravine. In short, it was Game Over!”

“Is, that so……?”

Game Over. The reverberation of that word, felt heavier than he thought it would.

He somehow knew it from before that, he had no such thing as a Gaming talent in himself. Above all, what made him more depressed was that he will not be able to see the rest of the story involving the Nathan Drake.

“More than that, is your body really fine? You were unconscious till a second ago, you know?!”

Tendou showed consideration.

“Eh? A—Yeah, its fine now”

“Is that so? Then its fine……”

“But still, when both of the coaches started to move, why you suddenly stopped there?! If you haven’t hesitated there and just chose the option to escape then, then you would’ve cleared it you know?!”

“Eh? A—aah”

He remembered the event that happened just a while ago. At the 2nd coach he somehow managed to reach. And there he fell together with the train in the ravine.

“……umm……It’s because I was afraid.”

“Afraid? What do you mean?!”

“E—even if you ask me that……. Look, wasn’t Nathan like seriously injured? And he was bleeding all over his body as well, and on top of that, in the unknown snowy mountain, there was not even a single sign person he could’ve asked for help…… Plus, consequently occurring dangers were happening right after another you know? That’s why I……got afraid, and couldn’t able to make the decision on what to do anymore.”

He felt somewhat embarrassed giving an explaining like that.

It’s because, it was just a game. To be getting afraid of dying in that, he thought that he will be laughed at for being a small kid.

However, Tendou didn’t laughed and quite on the contrary, she said with the serious face.

“I see, it sure sounds quite interesting. Certainly you from just a while ago, even from our eyes too was looking at the game, which cannot be considered as normal. It was as if you were captured inside the Game World or something!”

“……well basically you are quite correct. I, from quite a while ago, when reads a book can become the protagonist himself or something like that you see”

Kishimine said in a joking way.

His conscious get unified with the protagonist from the book. If one has to think it normally, that kind of thing is impossible to happen. And even if he blurts out that kind of bullshit in words, he will just be laughed at, or so he thought.

But, these 2 remained serious till the bitter end.

“I see. So that’s why at that moment when Drake died, you lost consciousness as well, huh?”

“Isn’t that really a magnificent phenomenon you possess there?! Quite unexpectedly you just might have the talent for gaming!”

“Eh……?”

Unexpectedly he got taken back.

“D—Do you really able to believe that?! I mean this kind of bullshit?!”

“There’s nothing like believing you or not, as in the game, anyone can have similar type of experiences! While cornering in the Race Game the body reflexively moves in that direction and something like a free fall feeling when you take a dive in a Flight Simulation game!”

“And quite practically, if one made to see your figure while reading and play games, then they can’t say that it’s a joke after all.”

The reaction of both was quite unbelievable to him.

But simultaneously he was quite happy as well. Because it was the first time in his life that he was appreciated of his only special skill he had which he considered as useless for quite some time.

“But……it means nothing as I will be of no use after all right? As it got Game Over so soon after all……”

“No, not at all.”

Tendou strongly declared.

“Well certainly no result came out today but, you only had just one Game Over right? Plus, I now know very well that you have a very high concentration power. And that is very highly needed element in the Gaming as well you know?”

“Indeed! And especially Uncharted is a type of game that as long as you don’t give up you can able to clear it without any particular problems. It’s a good chance, how about trying it for a little while more?! If you do that, then you will also be able to know the enjoyment of playing Games and, your Gaming Skills might also be able to bud out as well!”

“It’s just……I’m afraid to inform this but it seems it’s time-out for today.”

While watching the clock, she muttered.

At that moment, it already crossed 4:30.

“Hmm, It’s already time, huh?! However, the curfew is 5:00 you know, I think we still have a little bit of time though!”

“Even if he plays Uncharted for 25 minutes more, I don’t think he will able to understand the charm of the games. Just leaving it for now and have him try the next day is the best idea.”

“Hmm…, if you say it like that, then I surely can’t object to that. We can’t defy the school regulations in these early days of the new term as well.”

“So that’s how it is, Kishimine-kun. I can’t quite force you on this but, how about coming here again tomorrow after school? If you do that, then I think for sure, it will give positive results for the both of us……”

The reason to refuse didn’t came up in his mind at all.

The special skill of him which was useless other than just reading books might just prove useful in some other thing. Plus above all, he might just prove to be a necessary existence for someone.

Besides, the game he played today was also interesting.

The train which was swaying in the mid-air. And he from there, sometimes while grabbing the railing and sometimes climbing on the windows, overcoming various dangerous situations and while risking his life tried to escape. If he now thinks about it, he just can’t believe that, that was the thing called game. If he will be able to experience a movie like experience like that again, then he didn’t really mind on an idea of continuing getting along with them for a little while more.

“……I understood. I will think about that.”

But still in the end, he answered like that.

Leaving both of them alone in the club there as they have tidying up the gaming consoles and switching the windows and lights off and school work to do, he started to head back alone.

He started to walk alone, in the school building which now started to look gloomy.

“……Now that I think of it, I wonder how many years it has been since the last time I spent after school with someone.”

As it was quite miserable of him, he just wryly smiled over it.

And, at that moment, he heard the enthusiastic voices of the girls.

Probably, it’s from the girls of some Sports Club. While thinking like that when he looked towards the ground, he saw the figure of club members wearing the uniform and running around the ground. The girls who were normally quite docile and quiet, doesn’t seem like they were quite bad at sports and such.

From here on forward, the girls will together as a team will spend their youth while competing. As if couldn’t able to bear to see the bright scene anymore, he averted his eyes reflexively.

He was like that since middle school. His previous classmates and even the girls from this school were able to devote themselves like that in this small period of school lifestyle. And he couldn’t even possibly compare himself with them.

Well certainly he enjoyed reading. And he enjoyed staying alone as well. But, the feeling of accomplishing something together with someone doesn’t exist there.

The memories of Kindergarten led astray Kishimine. Miyabi-chan. A sole friend with whom he relished the same enjoyment together. Being alone had fun in itself but, but to share the same hobby together with someone, had different kind of fun in it.

Suddenly Tendou’s beautiful face and voice popped up in his mind.

How about coming here again tomorrow after school——she said.

Even though she might be in love with Sena-sensei. On top of it, he himself didn’t know whether he had capabilities of what it takes to be a club member of the Modern Game Club or not. ‘If unexpectedly, it got proved that I don’t have the talent for gaming, then those 2 will surely end up in despair because of that aren’t they?’, he thought.

He got scared in just thinking like that. ‘As expected I think I should just stay and seclude myself inside the Library tomorrow as well’, he thought.

‘However, even so’

He got reminded of the words of his previous Homeroom teacher, Yamashiro-sensei.

Even if it’s in a bad way, if my existence is needed by someone only a bit—then I can atleast change my way of the last year of the high school, There was this deep thought in his mind as well.

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