"Wow, so this is what the Terra region looks like?"

"Gosh darn you Akkin! At least wait for me until my game's done updating, my internet's such a dagnabbit!"

I'm not in Tomo's house right this very afternoon, we were actually having a voice chat with each other through our computers.

Have I lied or still have it unsaid? Anyway, it's not that often for me to visit Tomo's house. For one, it's really far away despite the convenience of bullet trains—you still have to walk a kilometer or two to get there, double that on the way back. Second, my train card is really running low on balance, like it's good for two or three trips depending on the stop because I manage my money too well.

Third, I'm lazy.

Anyway, we have ourselves occupied the afternoon witnessing a big update of HeroTom. It's usually a boom when they're going to introduce a new region rather than minor updates with just new events. As I said, it is the new Terra region.

Oh, and with a new region comes new characters down the lottery hole.

"Gah! It's still at fifty percent downloaded, come on—let me in already! I want my Rocheux! You're such a cheater Akkin!"

"Uh, you can wait—I mean the update's just getting started. You have a whole month to get her. By the way, are you building a colossal army of physical ranged characters?"

I forgot to mention, I have acquired another nickname of some sorts, Akkin. Tomo is irky about our labels they call them—yeah I have no idea what's going on with people nowadays. Tomo insisted on calling me Akkin, saying that it's cute and has a Japanese vibe to it. While I have absolutely no idea what's her label for me, we ultimately agreed on me calling her Dachi (fun fact, Tomo is derived from tomodachi meaning friend).

While it's frequent for her to call me Akkin except when Ala-chan and Miko are around (probably just too shy to expose our relationship?), it's rare for me to call her Dachi. It doesn't sound like a derived name to me—it's totally spelt differently.

"By the way Tomo, have you done your assignments and what not in school? Just sayin' since HeroTom's going to be a huge haul..."

"Hah, what are you a middle-schooler?" Tomo chuckled for a moment, "Ehe... sorry... um, I finished them all earlier, no worries Akkin~"

"Right... tell me when you have stuff to do or some meetings for your research or what.. spring break's around the corner—deadlines are around the corner."

"... Okie." She replied somewhat lowly. "W-wait, I keep you calling Akkin, but you never call me Dachi!"

"Yeah—I'm weirdened out by the fact that it sounds totally different from your name."

"Awwie... come on Akkin~" She said with a persuading tone. Heck I'd imagine her eyes are pleading in front of the monitor now.

Part of me thinks that a succubus is hypnotizing me.

Didn't know Tomo was this manipulative.

I sighed. "What do you mean, Dachi?"

"IIIIEEEEE!!!" Screamed the heck out of Tomo, it was more than just butterflies in her stomach—more like a bajillion sardines flapping in harmony.

"Heh."

"Whaaa-did I hear Akkin giddy up? Oh wow! That's a rare occurrence, Yatta!" I did it, she said, brightfully exclaiming of her. "Oh wait, my game's finally done updating, let's play together Akkin!"

"Uh-huh, Dachi."

Or did we? Tomo actually had to do some prerequisites before even having a chance for me to join her world. She decided to share her screen on the call for me to watch—of course that meant I can't play at the same time, so it's like I'm a co-host of a content creator's Let's Play series. Yeah, I have to settle for the new update's storyline all over again.

Cheesy, but I figured: let's just enjoy it together.

"Oh my god, it's Rocheux! Look at her-look at her! She's so cool!" she fangirled over the cool-looking archer as we went through the progressing storyline.

"Heh I know."

Honestly, I'm just glad to see her happy as well, perhaps knowing the things that she likes as well.

But things went in reverse; if she helped me a lot in the game for the past month, well today it seems like I'm the one guiding her most of the time, especially when it comes to puzzles and understanding of the gameplay.

I guess the saying goes: the student becomes the teacher and the teacher becomes the student.

After half an hour, she progressed much of the storyline to the point where I can finally play with her in her world. It's just a matter of me guiding her various hidden treasures and complicated puzzles. Though she has her own fair share of secrets to share with me that I haven't known about the new update.

"Ugh, you still use your A-class Hangin character?" She asked.

"Yeah, is there a problem with that? He's plenty useful in the field and a mastermind of combos."

"Is that so? How much elemental damage does he do?"

"At most, twenty thousand."

"Shucks, Hingii only does nineteen thousand, how'd you build your character there?!"

"Heh, it's a mix and match, trial-and-error of enhancing accessories."

Who would've thought math would be plenty useful in games? But enough said, it's indicative that rank or rarity doesn't matter when it comes to capability, it's how you leverage the capability and resources that you have; the comparison between the A and S-ranked characters that she just did for example.

Yeah I know, this has been all in my mind, but I kind of noticed that Tomo doesn't like brain candy, philosophy, what-if's stuff which I'm plenty used to talking with Ala-chan like that.

"Akkin, do you have any S-ranked character right? Can you walk around me while I roll for Rocheux?"

"Right..."

With just one S-ranked character that I obtained around the past month of playing with her, I walked around her while she rolls for that archer character that she's heads over heels for.

Yeah, we do that ritual everytime we want to roll for a limited S-rank character.

...

"OH MY GOSH! I GOT HER! YAY!" She boastfully exclaimed.

"Hey, congratulations."

"Ehe, it's all thanks to you Akkin, I love you!"

And what do you know, she immediately switched to her newly-obtained S-ranked character.

I sighed. "Oh boy, when do I ever get one?"

"Don't worry Akko, if I got one, I'll just pray for you to get one as well! Ehehe..."

As usual, we finally went to do our daily quests together, and we shifted our grinding and bosses for the character she just got. Fortunately, the materials for her new character just so happens to be available today.

⁂

Of course, we spent almost the entire afternoon playing—especially if it's something like a bombastic update, there's no reason to underwhelm our play time. I'd say we roughly spent three or four hours playing.

Despite me having a headstart on the new region, she still managed to surpass my exploration progress, which caught me off guard.

Games aside (which can be tiring overtime for me), we stopped for a while... mainly because there's not much to do after we used up all of our dungeon attempts.

"Akkin, would you mind if we turned on our cams?"

Not at all. After hours on just voice chat, we finally went to a video call environment similar to how Ala-chan and I do it almost all the time.

Well, we do video calls frequently—Tomo's usually the one who'd turn on her camera first-sometimes without even asking, then I'd follow (because why wouldn't I?). I could still vividly remember the day when we first did it. She's kind of shocked of how my room looked—again just like how Ala reacted at first. That time, I literally had to roam around my room with my laptop facing opposite of me like a bonafide caveman touring his brethren.

But there's a catch today. Seeing her video feed, she's actually laying down on her bed with her keyboard and mouse partly visible on the bed.

"Woah woah Tomo, are you okay laying down while you were playing earlier? How the heck did you do that?"

"O-oh..." She presented her keyboard and mouse on-screen, "Well these are wireless and I rotated my monitor facing here, ehe."

Even after a couple of home visits there, I can't believe I haven't noticed her peripherals didn't have wires at all!

"Even so, I'm surprised you're not even a tad sleepy in that position—even I would sleep in like a minute."

"I'm used to it Akkin, plus I love to sleep so it's no big deal, ehe~!"

While I sound problematic and realistic (like being too conscious of playing a PC game on the bed or strict on manners not to use your phone during meals), Tomo is the exact opposite of problematic. She's happy in her own eccentricity and her grin never goes into shambles. Perhaps she's the epitome of an ideal girlfriend for most: kind, happy, and to an extent: accepting your self-discord.

In a perfectly mundane and bustling world, I could fully accept and commit to her.

But no, our chemistry is totally different: a sociable, lovable, joyful, and eccentric girlfriend, and a reserved, introverted, and problematic boyfriend who might be too serious at times.

And no, there's just something in me that makes me think "it's hollow."

It always winds me back at the question: Why does Tomo love me?

...

"A-Akko?"

"..."

I should be calling back her attention, but something inside me is so overly selfish, I wanted her to really give me her full attention.

I hope I won't be labeled a bad person, that's not me who's doing that.

It's just a scar in me that hates society.

"U-um.." Tomo awkwardly sat up on her bed and readjusted her peripherals and camera so that it'll be level, "Akkochii, something's on your mind?" She asked with a lowly tone vastly different from moments ago.

"Uh sorry, emotions got the best of me-I'm sad."

"Didn't know Akko can get really sad! Ahahahah... hah... ... no, just kidding..."

Ignoring her compliment, "I don't know Tomo—I'm just wondering what made you see in me that made you fall in love with me... And you know, if I'm ever enough or selfish or something..." I trembled on almost every syllable.

"..." Tomo looked down, pondering about what I just said.

"Well Akko, I see you as a gentleman for one." She said.

"W-what? How?" the hell? is what I wanted to say further.

"Like uh... you know... you're kind and all-that's all I have to say, ehe~"

"I don't know Tomo, I'm still confused as to how you see me as a gentleman like that."

Yeah I'm totally puzzled to be honest.

"W-wh.." Her eyes suddenly puffed, concealed her face with both of her hands waving on the camera like she just realized her embarrassment, "O-oh, n-n-nothing, forget what I just said..." She said with her face beet red.

"Thanks nonetheless..." Somewhat replied upliftingly.

"Hehee that's more like it, Akkin~! Akko's gonna be happy right now, ayieee~"

I can't help but look up at the ceiling and avoid absolute eye contact with her.

"Mmnhh, I guess I like you anyways."

"E-eh? Eh? Ehhhhhh?! What did you say Akkin~? Come on, at least do it not-so half-heartedly and look so lousy! What did you say again~?"

I sighed. "Nothing."

"What's that nothing when it's something?"

"It's nothing."

"Arghh, come on!"

We spent quite a while quarreling about what I just said. It's a quarrel reminisce of how Ala-chan and I also do. For pete's sake, are girls this invasive and advantageous these days? I mean if I get mad and ultimately decline to say it, I'm pretty sure Tomo's going to cry and sue me for some sort of harassment charge-at least that's how conscious I am. Well I hope Miko isn't this black-and-white.

After a bajillion times of answering that it's nothing, Tomo finally grew tired of it and moved on (thank god).

But boy, that clingy yet lovely attitude of hers eerily reminds me of a certain someone.

Nonetheless, despite her half-hearted answers earlier to my stumbling question, I was somewhat relieved, no longer bearing some unwanted weight on my heart. I'll give her a plus in that she tried her best to impress and leave a smile on her boyfriend per se.

After that, Tomo and I tried one of her weird fanatics and eccentric goals, or what I would call Tomonomics. For this challenge, we literally went the extra mile of talking to each other while we're laying down; Tomo laid back down, while I had to go and carry my laptop beside my futon, and lay down.

"Uh Tomo, I don't feel like using my laptop while I'm completely laying down—it's weird."

"Ah shut it Akko, at least we're like a lovely couple laying down and facing each other on the bed, ehe~"

God she knows how to trigger my butterflies in my stomach.

Without a thought, I sighed, shifting myself on the futon to look up at the ceiling and hands on the back of my head, "If I were to ask, how are you then Tomo?"

"Hm?" I can imagine her grinning more than ever before, "I'm happy that I have you—Ak-ko!" she chuckled. "Say, if we really are in a household as a couple, Akko, what'chu will do if I can't sleep and you're already sleeping? I'm quite guilty of being insomniac..."

"You can wake me up, or if I'm somewhere busy in the house, just hit me up."

"Wouldn't you get mad at me for interrupting your sleep or work?" she questioned with a pleading tone.

"Nah, if it's you."

"Awwiee, Akkin..!" Looking at the screen, Tomo was already hiding her face with the teddy bear that we redeemed together at the arcade—like she's really hugging it.

If you're not curious enough, this is our usual conversation that has been slowly growing over the past month. While it's us just heavily talking about HeroTom, we also have our fair share of real, casual, and romantic talk here and there. There are occasions where we'd compliment each other and have butterflies in our stomachs, but it's mostly Tomo who'd succeed in doing that tease to me. Of course, Tomo calling me out on her difficulty in her Accounting and Calculus classes aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

Heck, I'd say we talk and play almost every day after classes.

Hm, something occurred to me...

We haven't went out and dated together as a couple a month into a relationship.

Sure, if you guessed the time where Miko was with us on having an Italian lunch back in Merumeru a month back, it's an obvious elimination: we weren't that friendly towards each other to begin with at the time.

And I'm pretty sure from plain hindsight, Tomo wouldn't count that either, especially if something like a bad memory for her.

"Say Tomo, you wanna have a date or something tomorrow?"

"W-whaa... a d-date?"

"Yeah, how about it?"

"Hmm... I'll ask mother about it if she'll give it a go."

Oh right, Ala-chan did tell me that she has to ask her mother about going out.

"Hold on, where though?" She asked.

"I was thinking of having some time there in Merumeru, you know—change things up a bit."

"Okie Akkin~! Also, can we have it this Saturday? Mother's kind of keen about getting me to hang out immediately tomorrow—maybe giving her a bit of time would get her to approve."

"Alrighty."

Well, I didn't know it was that easy to get someone to ask on a date, I wonder why romcoms have to go through a variety of indirect mishaps just to get both parties at the same wavelength.

"A-Akko I-" Her speech was suddenly interrupted by a loud and great yawn.

"By the looks of it, you're going to take a siesta aren't you?"

"Awhh, b-but is it okay for you? You might want to play HeroTom again after recharging our butts off..." She pleadingly asked.

"It's fine for me, plus you really need to look after your health and stuff, I can't risk getting my girlfriend sick over some game you know..." I replied, tapping on my cheek.

"Oi Akko, ehehe... you sure are good at rebutting some butterflies eh? Alright alright, see 'ya when I see 'ya~"

"Sleep well." I said as we waved at each other, ending the call.

I slowly stood up from my futon, stretched the heck out of my arms, then carried my laptop over to my table and turned it off for now.

It's around late afternoon, so I scrambled across my run-down kitchen and looked through the cabinets and refrigerator.

"Oh shoot, I'm running out of rations."

Hold on, I'm not in the middle of the war, I meant food.

Sighed of my laziness, I lousily went out of my room and locked it, walked down the stairs until I entered Aka's mochi store, of course the glass door's newly installed chimes and bells suddenly caught Aka off guard in front of the counter, seemingly dozing off from the sheer decline of customers.

"Aye something good happened to 'ya kid?" She slowly stood up from laying down her head on the counter, dusting off her apron.

"I'm going to buy some goods, plus what do you call those readymade lunchboxes in those small marts?"

"Ah, you mean bento boxes? I'll write the directions on the piece of paper on the mart that I frequent to. Oh and kid, mind if you also get me some bakery goods along the way?"

"Sure, I don't mind."

Aka went away from the counter for a second then went back with a piece of paper and her debit card.

"Here's the direction to the mart that I've been saying, plus I listed the things I needed here just below."

"Yeah, about the debit card... the hell's your PIN?"

She stylishingly slid the paper and debit card towards me.

"1234, savings." Aka clicked her tongue with a wink.

"Sheesh, you better change your PIN—it's too common!" I grabbed them and placed them in my wallet.

I left the store. Glancing at the directions, it's actually quite an easy-peasy, I'd just have to go to the same route as going to the City Square.

"Take Autumn Street, then continue straight. When encountering the City Square, still continue to go straight until you see a blue-colored mart named MinnaMart" I mumbled the directions. Hey, it sounds like an adventure since I really have no idea what's past the City Square if I keep going straight-well except that little detour that Tomo and I made on White Day.

Minutes and minutes into walking (and admiring those huge windy trees in Autumn Street) and going past the railway crossing, I arrived at the City Square. As much as muscle memory's tempting me to walk to the right, I continued walking straight until I went past the building facing the City Square, so technically I'm not in the City Square area anymore. The road becomes pretty haywire as it gradually goes downward and slightly curves whatever it wants to.

"Oh, there it is."

MinnaMart, a small blue-accented store that's cozy but okay. I can tell it's one of those Japanese mini-marts not only because it's Aka that told me about this place, but because it's exactly like what you would see in anime and what not; some place to park your bike, a gumball machine-look alike but inside has capsules of toys of what you'd call a gachapon, some benches outside, and a wall-mounted table in the inside attached to the glass where you can settle in and eat some instant noodles.

All of what I said, you could theoretically picture some high school girls slacking some afterschool time in a FamilyMart or something like that.

Despite knowing all of that, it's apparently my first time going inside such a store.