Heartbeats and Illusions

"Want to play a game?"

Natsukawa Kanade held up a game controller, his tone casual yet inviting as he glanced over at Shiina Mahiru.

After finishing dinner, thoughts naturally drifted toward how to spend the rest of the weekend. Lately, Kanade had found himself reconnecting with the little joys he had set aside, games being one of them. In a burst of nostalgia mixed with curiosity, he had splurged on the latest console along with some two-player games. Among them was Overcooked, a game renowned for testing friendships and coordination—or, in this case, tacit understanding.

Originally, Kanade had planned to rope in Hachiman or Shirogane for some lighthearted competition, but somehow, the angelic Shiina Mahiru had claimed the spot beside him.

"What kind of game is it?" Shiina asked, settling gracefully onto the mat with an elegance that seemed almost out of place for gaming.

"It's a two-player game where you cook meals and serve them to customers. Kind of like running a tiny restaurant," Kanade explained as he scooted to the side, making space for her. "All we have to do is meet the level requirements. Sounds fun, right? Want to give it a try?"

Shiina tilted her head slightly before nodding. "Okay."

To her, the premise felt oddly cozy. Cooking together, making a living—it was like a glimpse into an ideal domestic life. If it were with Kanade, she thought, even something as simple as opening a restaurant could be perfect.

With that thought warming her heart, the two dove into the game.

"Why is the food burnt already?! It's only been a few seconds!"

Shiina puffed up her cheeks in frustration, her eyes narrowing as she glared at the screen as though it had personally insulted her. Her voice carried an uncharacteristic poutiness that was almost too adorable.

"And these customers!" she huffed. "They're so picky! The food is perfectly fine, but they barely pay anything! Hmph, they're banned from my restaurant!"

"It's... just a game," Kanade said, holding back a laugh as he tried to comfort her.

Despite his initial explanations of the controls and mechanics, Shiina's gameplay was, to put it kindly, chaotic. Still, Kanade didn't dare criticize her—partly because he wasn't much better himself. The truth was, his skills barely surpassed hers, though he clung to that tiny margin of superiority for dear life.

"If you're not enjoying it, we can try another game," Kanade offered, already reaching for a different cartridge.

Shiina nodded enthusiastically, her mood brightening in an instant. "Okay! What's this one?"

"It's called It Takes Two. It's another two-player game, but this one has a story."

However, barely minutes after the prologue began, Shiina let out an indignant protest.

"This isn't fun! Let's switch again!"

Kanade blinked, confused. "But... we haven't even started the main part yet."

Shiina crossed her arms, her expression a mix of determination and disdain. "I can tell. It's just a hunch, but this game isn't worth it."

What she didn't say aloud was the real reason for her disdain. The story's opening involved a couple in conflict, heading toward divorce. The very idea filled her with unease. Divorce? With Kanade? Unthinkable. She would love him forever.

"Alright, alright," Kanade sighed, defeated by her conviction. He wasn't about to argue over a game.

But now he faced a dilemma. Those were the only two-player games he had that were both popular and co-op friendly. The rest were single-player adventures. What could he do? Running out to buy another game wasn't practical, and downloading something would take forever.

As if sensing his struggle, Shiina spoke up. "Don't worry about me. You can play by yourself, and I'll watch."

Her words were simple, yet her tone carried a warmth that eased Kanade's tension. Her purpose for coming over wasn't to play games or try something new. She just wanted to spend time with him, no matter what they did.

"Well... alright then," Kanade agreed, though he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

Every guy dreamed of playing games with a cute girl, right? But if she didn't enjoy it, he wouldn't force her. Still, having her watch was nice in its own way.

Kanade rummaged through his collection and pulled out a favorite: Madame Maker 2.

"This one's a classic," he said, slotting the cartridge in.

As a loyal Nintendo fan, Kanade was convinced their exclusives were the gold standard of gaming. While sprawling adventures like the Zelda series were best savored solo, multiplayer modes in games like Pokemon Go or Madame Maker offered the perfect chance to showcase his skills—especially in front of an audience.

With a sly grin, Kanade imagined himself racking up victories while Shiina watched in admiration. A little ego boost never hurt anyone, right?

In the first round, he played cautiously, managing to take out two opponents before being blindsided by a reckless player.

In the second round, he tried being aggressive, only to be outmaneuvered by someone who exploited a shortcut he hadn't noticed.

By the third round, his confidence had crumbled entirely. A streak of bad luck and poor decision-making left him losing to even the most inexperienced players.

Frustrated, Kanade dropped the controller and slumped back.

"Don't you want to play anymore?" Shiina Mahiru asked, tilting her head in curiosity. To her, the game was more entertaining than she had expected.

"I'm done," Natsukawa Kanade sighed, shaking his head as if carrying the weight of the universe's unfairness. "The more I play, the worse I feel. I can't even look you in the eye after that performance…"

When he played alone, he could annihilate everyone with ease, but as soon as a girl was watching, his skills mysteriously vanished. It was as if the gaming gods themselves had cursed him, ensuring he'd trip over his own fingers.

"I'd better stop before my blood pressure gets any higher."

After a moment of silence, Kanade's gaze flickered toward Shiina. "Hey, Shiina, do you want to give it a try? It's okay if you're new—I can teach you."

"Eh? M-me?" Shiina flinched slightly, her cheeks dusting pink. "No, no… I think I'll pass!"

In truth, she wasn't entirely uninterested. The thought of Kanade patiently guiding her, his hands perhaps lingering over hers to demonstrate the controls, sent her heart racing. If she could just sit in his lap and lean against him while he taught her step by step…

Shiina's face burned bright red. What am I even thinking?!

"N-no way! Absolutely not!" she stammered, shaking her head furiously as if to banish the thoughts from existence.

Kanade blinked, baffled by her overreaction. "Okay, okay. No pressure."

With gaming off the table, he tried to think of something else to do. But what? He couldn't very well ask her to marathon anime with him—no matter how much he wanted to.

"How about… we go out for a walk?" he suggested, his tone light and casual.

Shiina perked up at the idea, her heart skipping a beat. A walk? Outside? With Kanade? It sounded just like a date!

"That sounds nice," she said softly, nodding. In truth, she'd been perfectly content to spend the day indoors, but the thought of strolling around together made her giddy.

"I'll go change first!" Shiina announced suddenly, her voice tinged with nervous energy. Her cheeks flushed a deeper pink as she fidgeted with the hem of her sweater. "D-don't peek, okay?"

"Why would I peek?" Kanade frowned, clearly exasperated. "You're so weird sometimes. One minute you're totally relaxed, and the next you're acting like I'm some kind of sneaky pervert."

Shiina ignored his complaint, her mind racing. She needed to find the perfect outfit, maybe add a touch of makeup… After all, she couldn't just walk around looking plain, not when she was with him!

Kanade watched her retreat, shaking his head. "She's like a shapeshifter with 32 different personalities," he muttered to himself. "I'll never figure her out."