GAMERS! (ゲーマーズ！)

Ack!

Morning

Yo, Amano.

M-Morning, Uehara-kun.

That free game by that Nobe person was boring as hell.

I thought you said it was good.

No way! You actually played it?

How was it?

In the beginning, yeah, it was a horror exploration game,

and it had me excited about all the mysteries and foreshadowing.

I wasn't sure what to think about it becoming a fishing game halfway through,

but since you were the one who recommended it to me,

I figured it was worth powering through.

And yet...

And yet...

The ending was just some dude who caught a black bass,

Black bass

posing proudly in front of a fish print!

What the hell is that?!

I know! Nobe-san's games are all great, aren't they?

In what way?

Your tastes are way too sophisticated.

That game's a total flop.

Sorry.

I actually think Nobe-san's games suck, too.

But they have, like, this inexplicable charm about them.

I really don't get it.

For example... I know.

It's like falling in love.

It's not rational.

You're a virgin, and you're saying that to a guy with a girlfriend.

That's not the point!

Sure, you have a girlfriend, but...

What, now?

N-Never mind that. What about you and Tendou?

What about Tendou-san?

Don't you see her often, after what happened?

I'm actually a little bummed by how little contact we have.

Uh, dude, are serious when you say that?

Yeah.

I mean, I see her in the corner of my eye sometimes.

Never mind.

That's kind of amusing, too.

Just be careful not to pass each other by so much that you completely lose touch.

Yeah.

Pass each other by?

You mean the 3DS thing?

Yeah, StreetPass...

No, damn it!

Mono-san is requesting assistance.

Accept

Decline

Sorry, Uehara-kun, do you mind if I play for a bit?

Fine.

Tsucchie

Why is your nickname "Tsucchie"?

I like using a name that isn't like my own when I'm online.

My mom's maiden name is Tsuchiyama, so I'm Tsucchie.

I use Yama-san sometimes, too.

Lame. I was expecting a cooler reason.

Shut up!

What about that "MONO" there?

Oh, Mono-san?

We've been friends since I started playing this game.

I feel strangely close to this person.

It's kind of exciting communicating with someone whose face you've never seen, isn't it?

Looks like you're going to need some rehab before I can enjoy your rom-com.

Huh?

Rom-com?

Me and who?

With Tendou.

You're not going to get anywhere at this rate.

Th-That's true. I'm not even a tick compared to Tendou-san.

Oh, no, I'm not trying to make you sad.

By rehab, I mean I want to help you level up from being in loner mode.

Uehara-kun!

You care about me that much?

All right.

So why don't we start talking to some chicks who like the same kinds of games you do?

Yeah?

Travel to school Morning Homeroom Period 1 Period 2 Period 3 Period 4 Lunch break Period 5 Period 6 Homeroom

After School

All right. She's your target.

Her name is Hoshinomori Chiaki.

She's supposed to be a gaming otaku loner, just like you.

N-No way.

Why should I have to quasi-hit on someone?

Just do it!

Get straight to brass tacks!

Brass tacks?!

Just go!

Tasuku!

Weren't you going to hang out with me today?

Oh, right.

Sorry.

All right, Amano. I'll be waiting to hear how it went.

You'd better go talk to Hoshinomori!

Did I do something to deserve this?

They're totally staring at me!

I wonder what's wrong with Tendou-san.

Huh? Amano-kun?

What's up?

Are you here to see Tendou-san?

N-No, I'm not.

I'm not interested in Tendou-san, nor do I have any business with her.

Oh, yeah?

So what brings you to Class A?

I'm here to see another girl today, not Tendou-san.

Whoosh...

All right.

Um, pardon me...

She's completely focused.

Huh?

This game...

Ahem.

T-Tendou-san!

L-Long time no see, Amano-kun.

L-Long time no see.

What brings you to Class A?

Um...

I'm here to, well... see a girl.

I-I see.

Oh, I know! knowing you, it's probably something managerial,

like class representative stuff.

Huh? Oh, no, that's not it.

Just do it! Get straight to brass tacks!

Brass tacks...

Brass tacks...

Brass tacks...

Oh, right!

I worked up the courage to come to Class A so I could become friends with this lady.

What's wrong, Tendou-san?

No, no, now's not the time for that!

S... S...

S?

S... S... S...

Sleazeball!

Tendou-san!

Sorry, Amano-kun.

S-Sleazeball?

Oh, right, Hoshinomori-san...

Wh-Who are you?

I... e-er...

Th-That...

That game... It's Aegis VIII, isn't it? It came out last week.

This is a little late, but I'm Amano Keita, from Class F.

Amano-san, huh?

Do you like games, too, Hoshinomori-san?

Yes.

The conversation's dead.

Um...

You're from the game club, aren't you?

I'm sorry, I still have no interest in joining the game club.

W-Wait a second.

I'm not in the game club.

I've been invited, but...

Wait, you were invited, too?

Yes.

Tendou-san invited me, so I went to watch, but...

But the club's activities weren't really what you had in mind as a gamer?

Yes, yes!

The game club is definitely awesome, but they're way too glamorous for us.

Yes, yes!

I like gaming with people, and I compete, too,

but it's not like I want to be the best at a game or anything.

I get that!

But the game club is definitely a proper club.

So I felt bad for Tendou-san, but...

But...

Games are our lifeline, and we can't make any compromises!

Right!

Before we knew it, Hoshinomori-san and I

were a little more comfortable with each other.

Message from Hoshinomori Chiaki

It turns out that the two of us were more alike than Uehara-kun had expected.

So, what kind of games do you like, Amano-san?

You can call me Keita

You can call me Chiaki too, Keita

The more we talked to each other,

I'm not too picky I also like really chill games that feel more like productivity apps

the more I realized that our tastes and sensibilities were the same.

Me too It's important to be able to just zone out and enjoy it.

Especially when it comes to games,

the games we've played in the past, our ideals, our gaming styles...

Aye, but that doesn't necessarily mean I like only easy games I like hard games, too

Like RTS games, foreign hack-and-slash games, FPS games...

We were practically mirror images of each other.

I know Even though I'm pretty bad at them

I'm not good, either

Oh, yeah, you like the Aegis series, right?

Yes!

Yeah, they're all masterpieces, huh?

Yes, yes!

The best thing about it is...

Especially...

...the characters!

...the music!

Except for one thing.

You got in a huge fight?

We had a difference in philosophies.