The Shimizu Sisters and the Game Center 5

“Now, how should we take the next one?”

“Can we just do whatever pose we like?”

“Geez, Kei is so indifferent. Onē-chan is so sad. Daiki-kun, do you have any pose you want to do?”

“I don’t have any particular pose either.”

I don’t have many opportunities to take pictures, so I can’t think of any poses.

“Hmm, young people these days, aren’t they a little cold towards me? Well, never mind. Next, let’s go freestyle. Leave it to each person’s senses! I’m looking forward to what kind of funny picture it will be!”

“Don’t raise the bar unnecessarily.”

[The camera will begin. Counting down to the second shot…]

Once again, a mechanical voice began to announce the countdown.

“Come on, it’s about to start. Have you both decided on your poses?”

Not at all. After much deliberation, I decided to strike a fighting pose, at least not the same one as before. The flash went off again.

“How about this time… Kei, at least strike some pose!”

Shimizu-san in the image was just standing without posing, as Ai-san had said. But upon closer inspection, it seemed like Shimizu-san had moved half a step closer to me compared to when we took the previous picture.

“I couldn’t think of a pose.”

“If you had said so earlier, I would have taught you my super funny pose.”

“I would rather not pose than do that.”

Ai-san’s pose in the second picture was unique and hard to describe. I can understand why Shimizu-san refused.

“Well, there is one more time, so it’s fine. What pose should we do for the last one…”

Suddenly, a ringing sound was heard. It wasn’t my ringtone, so it must be from either Shimizu’s sister’s phone. Ai-san hurriedly took out her phone from her bag.

“Hello, it’s me… Yeah, can you wait a moment?”

Ai-san turns to us.

“Sorry. I have to take this call, but I’ll be right back. I don’t think I’ll make it in time for the last picture, so you two should take it together.”

With that said, Ai-san went outside the photo booth.

“What should we do?”

“What do you mean? We just need to take the picture.”

“Is Shimizu-san okay with that? “

Unlike Ai-san, Shimizu-san wasn’t that enthusiastic about taking pictures.

“If you told me we have to take several more, I would refuse, but one picture is fine. Besides…”

“Besides?”

“…It’s nothing. Let’s just take it. I don’t want to bother with posing.”

[The camera will begin. Counting down to the third shot…]

The final countdown begins.

It seems strange for me to be the only one posing, so I decide to be natural for the last shot.

As the countdown reached single digits and I looked toward the camera, I felt something touch my shoulder.

Before I could react to the sensation, the flash went off.

“Suddenly leaving like that, sorry about that. Did the last shot turn out well?”

Ai-san walked into the photo booth with an apologetic look on her face.

“Well maybe… “

“I wonder how the last photo turned out… Oh?”

I also leaned in from behind Ai-san to check the image. There, it captured Shimizu-san and me leaning our shoulders against each other.

“Oh my, Kei, you’ve become bold.”

“No! That is… my legs just got tangled up a bit! “

Since I didn’t see it directly, I didn’t realize that Shimizu-san’s leg was tangled. I’m glad she didn’t fall.

“Well, let’s just leave it at that.”

“It’s not about leaving it at that. That’s how it is. Are you going to edit the photo?”

“Don’t say ‘edit.’ Enhance! Do you both want enhancements?”

The meaning doesn’t seem to differ much, but Ai-san seems to be very particular about it.

“I’m fine.”

“I’ll pass too.”

“Huh? It’s so much fun to enhance it together! Well, forcing someone is not good, I guess. Then, I’ll enhance the photo to the fullest, you two can keep each other entertained nearby.”

“Okay.”

“Sure, but don’t take too long.”

While Ai-san enhanced the photo, Shimizu-san and I had to find a way to pass the time together.

“Shimizu-san, do you usually come to the game center?”

“No, I’m not really interested, so it’s rare for me to go here. How about you?”

“Teruno likes to play games, so I sometimes accompany her.”

After leaving the photo booth for a few minutes, we wandered around the game center without any specific destination.

“What do you do when you come with your sister?”

“I usually play versus games with her. I’m not very good at games, so Teruno always tells me to get better.”

“I guess it’s not easy being an older brother (Aniki).”

“Well, I’m having fun too, so it’s okay.”

As we walked and talked, Shimizu-san suddenly stopped.

“What’s wrong, Shimizu-san?”

When I followed Shimizu-san’s gaze, there was a crane game machine.

Inside, there were several teddy bear plushies.

Looking closely at the teddy bears, they had droopy eyes and gave an impression of looking sleepy.

“Shimizu-san, do you want that? “

“N-no, of course not.”

“But Shimizu-san, didn’t you just stare at that plushie?”

“It just happened to catch my eye, that’s all.”

Shimizu-san emphasized that it was a coincidence. Perhaps it was just my imagination that she seemed concerned about it.

“Well, since we have time, why don’t we give it a try?”

Shimizu-san’s expression briefly brightened, then she shook her head and returned to her original expression. It was as if something was fighting inside Shimizu-san.

“I guess I can’t help it. I’m not interested, but I’m free, so I can give it a try once.”

“That’s good. Then, let’s give it a try.”

Great, it seems like she is willing to give it a try. And so, the teddy bear capture operation between Shimizu-san and me began.

The claw catches the stuffed bear and pulls it into the air. However, the claw was not strong enough and the plushie fell back to its original position.