Hmm... Ah- this one looks cute.

Double tapping her screen, Sumi liked the online post of someone's puppy before scrolling to the next post. Liking a picture of a boysenberry ice cream sundae, her soft red eyes widened when receiving a message from her boyfriend.

Asking if she was busy.

Sumi-kun... Sumi-kun!?

Sumi sat up, a wide blush spread across her face as she internally thought about the sudden yet unexpected text.

He's asking... If I'm busy?

Sumi hummed softly to herself, tilting her head to the left slightly. Her lips curved in an angle as she struggled to craft a response.

No, I was just minding my own business till you suddenly texted me? No- that sounds too mean...

Ah... I'm free now? Why did that sound like I was demanding something!?

Feeling her blush intensify, Sumi brought both her phone and knees close to her chest, muffling her groan of sheer embarrassment before eventually sending a brief reply.

"No, I'm not busy at all."

Her message sent, she waited with bated breath. When he immediately began typing a response, her anxiety spiked.

Did I come off too strong? Is he annoyed with me- I came off too strong didn't I...? I should've just─

Ding!

"Hm?"

Lifting her head to stare at the message, Sumi felt her heart swell in her chest, an overjoyed smile plastered on her face. He had asked her out to a date at the arcade, explaining he no longer had training at the gym and was free for the day.

The simple suggestion of spending time together was enough to make her happy. Without wasting a second, she sent a quick reply before hopping off her bed and heading to her closet, searching for something nice to wear that balanced modesty, warmth, and modern fashion. With her handbag around her arm, she stepped out of her dorm room and made her way to the designated location....

. . .

Jellie's Arcade.

Waiting outside the arcade, Sumi spotted her boyfriend standing near the entrance and lightly jogged toward him. Her delicate hand reached out shyly as she gazed at the ground, her voice soft and gentle.

"Did I... Keep you waiting for long?"

When he replied that he hadn't been waiting long and had only just arrived, Sumi sighed in relief and offered her small hand.

"Then... Shall we?"

Though a part of her knew she might feel out of place, she shoved aside her discomfort and prepared for the chaos inside.

"Eh? It's... Empty?" Sumi voiced her confusion at the lack of people. "Did we come here too early?"

He explained that since the arcade was located a few blocks from the main plaza in a corner location, it was often overlooked with minimal customers daily. Despite its lack of popularity, it still made enough money to stay in business. He admitted he wouldn't bring her to an overwhelming place like the more popular arcades.

This thoughtful gesture made Sumi blush deeper as she asked quietly, "So... That's why you suggested we come here?"

She adopted an awkward expression, scratching her cheek. "Is this... a bad time to admit that I... never been to an arcade before? Actually... This is my first time being in this kind of setting."

Though nervous about disappointing him, she joined in trying various games, inevitably losing repeatedly. "Aha... I told you I wasn't good at these kinds of things..." she admitted after her twelfth loss at Street Fighter.

As they wandered looking for other games, they stumbled upon a punching bag machine near the more mature games area. He suggested she try it since it seemed simpler than the video games.

"Eh-?" Standing before the machine behind the yellow line, she turned back to him. "So... I just- hit it? As hard as I can?"

Shutting her eyes tightly, she swung clumsily, missing the bag entirely and losing her footing. Hitting the ground with a yelp, she slowly rose, rubbing her forehead before trying again. Mimicking his fighting stance from earlier demonstrations, she shifted her foot slightly and struck the bag with a blow that echoed through the empty arcade. Watching the numbers climb drastically to triple digits, she turned to him uncertainly.

"Did I... Did I do it?"

Her overall score was 978.