Chapter 41: Playing Games Somewhere New

Part One

The observation deck has free desks open to everyone.
Some adults are coaxing kids to peer out the windows; others have laptops, treating the place like a café to type away; a few are napping on the desks, looking worn out from sightseeing.

Seeing the world through a magic paper crane was fun, but after a few tries, it got old.
So Cola and Liuli return to the deck, settling at a desk by the edge.
It’s still early, the sun high outside, giving the illusion of endless time to waste.

Liuli slowly pulls a summer diary notebook from her bag, along with a pretty red translucent pen, studying it carefully in her hands.
Cola, just tagging along, shamelessly plays FGO on her phone. Despite the many cute female characters, the only one she’s maxed out is a constantly smiling, muscular dude.
After burning through her stamina, she glances at Liuli.

The notebook’s open, the pen resting on it, but Liuli’s staring out the window, zoned out.
Cola peeks—only a title’s written: A Day Trip to the Gunma Prefectural Office.

“Still haven’t started?”
Cola teases.
“I’ve burned through three stamina bars.”

“Eh? Um… don’t know what to write.”

“Aren’t you supposed to write how you feel here?”

“Feelings… I was excited leaving the house, thrilled in the elevator, but without you, I probably wouldn’t have come alone. Felt like everyone would stare at me walking in…”

“Mm, write that down.”

“But it’s just one paragraph…”

“What about now?”

“Mm… controlling the paper crane was scary, like a rollercoaster, but after a bit, it wasn’t that exciting anymore.”

“You get bored fast.”

“S-Sorry… Am I one of those people who chase new things and ditch the old?”

“Didn’t mean it like that.”

“Then… now I feel calm, kinda bored. Looking down from this height was shocking at first, but now it’s just okay—the houses below are hard to make out.”

“Write that too.”

“Ugh… still not enough words.”

“Try expanding it?”

“I’ll just jot down what we talked about~”

Liuli picks up her pen, writing the date and weather, then pauses for nearly two minutes before continuing.
She’s basically transcribing their chat.

“So dry,” Cola remarks.

“It’s a diary… isn’t that how it’s supposed to be?”

“Use some figurative language, maybe? Like, compare your mood, the sky, or the sun to something.”

“Eh—feels like elementary school essays.”

“Yours isn’t much better. It’s just a log.”
Cola rolls her eyes dramatically.

“There’s still time. I’ll get it done slowly…”
Liuli pulls her gaming console from her bag, setting it on the notebook.
“Cola, wanna play Mario Kart?”

“Hey, weren’t you writing your diary?”

“J-Just a break—!”

“Tired after a few words?”

“No inspiration… I’m terrible at summer diaries. My summer days feel the same, nothing to write about. I have to visit somewhere unusual to have material…”

“Someone usually go with you?”

“Always alone…”
Liuli blinks.
“I go to quiet places.”

“Then write about how it feels going out with someone versus alone.”

“Hm, that’s a good angle…”

“And yet you’re starting the game?”
Cola shakes her head helplessly.

“Just a bit! A tiny bit!”

“I don’t mind.”
Cola shrugs.
“Free AC here’s nice, honestly.”

“You were playing a mobile game earlier?”

“Yeah, handhelds are convenient—no need to lug a bag for a console.”

“I prefer consoles. You can sink into your own world… no internet needed.”

“That’s the charm of single-player games, but social games are fun too.”

“Talking to a bunch of strangers… that’s the scariest.”

“So you’re the type who enjoys solitude?”

“Eh, n-not really!”
Liuli presses the ‘A’ button, puffing her cheeks.
“I’m happy with friends, but just one or two is enough… If I’m totally alone, I get lonely too!”

“True, sometimes when something exciting happens, it feels sad if there’s no one to share it with.”

“…Yeah.”
Liuli blinks.
“Cola, that was kinda poetic.”

“What poetry?”

“Like… something from a textbook quote.”

“Pfft, just normal life thoughts.”

“But it feels nice.”

“What’s nice? My words?”

“No, I mean playing games here. The game’s the same anywhere, but the vibe’s different… Playing somewhere new feels relaxing, freeing.”

“If that’s the case, today wasn’t a waste.”

“Yeah…”

Part Two

It’s evening now.
The observation deck’s nearly empty, the few remaining people packing up to leave.
Cola’s drained her power bank, yawning and rubbing her eyes, feeling like the day passed without doing much.
In truth, she’s been here since morning, glued to her phone—probably too much time arguing online, to the point that heated forum insults don’t faze her anymore.

“These guys’ attacks are so weak.”
Cola mutters, setting her phone down and nudging Liuli.

The console’s battery died long ago, and Liuli’s been napping on the desk since noon.
Drool glistens from her lips, wetting her arm.

“Liuli, Liuli?”

“Mmm… I do…”

“What? Sleep-talking?”
Cola taps her forehead.
“Get up, the staff’s about to close.”

“Ugh—!!”
Liuli jolts awake, frantically looking around, wiping her mouth.
“I-It’s this late? So fast…!”

“You slept from noon till now. Hungry?”

Her earlier energy gone, Liuli shakes her head groggily, leaning it on Cola’s shoulder.
“So sleepy…”

“Still sleepy after all that?”

“Maybe I slept too much…”

“So you didn’t finish the diary?”

“Oh, right! Not done…”

“It’s late. Write it at home?”

“Eh—feels like I’ll lose motivation at home.”

“Then start now? Got time?”

“Mm…! I’ll write now!”

With her phone nearly dead, Cola stands and walks to the window, gazing at the city bathed in golden sunset.
Once the novelty of a new place fades, Maebashi feels like an ordinary, unremarkable city.
Sometimes, seeing kanji on billboards makes her feel like she’s back in %@.
The biggest difference? The buildings here are shorter, the crowds thinner, so even narrow streets don’t feel cramped.
It’s more livable than Tokyo in that sense—but way hotter.

“Such a hot summer city, but it kinda feels like home…”
Cola crosses her arms, yawning.
The summer evening reminds her of life in %@: summer break ended in August with “voluntary” tutoring classes. Skip them, and teachers would call your parents with heartfelt persuasion—everyone had to go, no exceptions.
But classes ended earlier than regular school—just no evening study sessions—making those memories feel oddly sweet.
After school, kids lingered at the gates: some bought snacks, some chatted, others played basketball on the school court before heading home.

Cola never imagined she’d relive high school.
“Japanese high school’s probably way different from %%, huh? Never went…”

“Cola—I’m done!”

“Whoa, that was fast.”

“Dunno why, the words just flowed, and I zoomed through it.”

“So, walk back now? Or grab dinner and head to work?”

“If only we had a car…”

“Haha, tired of walking?”

“A… little bit…”

“It’s not far from home.”
Cola squints.
“Oh, how about flying back?”

“Eh? F-Fly back?”

“Yeah, find an open window, jump out, and fly home.”

“Can we? Can I fly too?”

“Your magic’s too weak… You’d drop after a few seconds.”

“Ehh—”

“No worries, I can carry you.”

“Really?!”

“Yup. First, we need a good spot… Stairwell, maybe? Might have a fully open window.”

“If we can’t find one, can we phase through the wall?”

“Vampires don’t have that kind of magic!!”