Is It Really a Date?

However, the more she was like this, the more he wanted to dye this uncarved pansy in his own colors.

Mei had certainly been excellent in the past.

However, excellence did not mean correctness, and correctness did not necessarily mean suitability.

The gentle and virtuous, Yamato Nadeshiko-like Mei from before had always been intoxicating, but in this vast world, if all one could see was dull gray and white, that would be rather boring.

At least, before everything arrived, adding a color of his own to this girl's world seemed like a good choice.

"Come on, I'll teach you. First, click on this game, then choose a character, and operate it like this..."

Looking at the somewhat bewildered girl beside him, Dong Moxuan enthusiastically began teaching her how to operate the game.

Mei herself was exceptionally clever. After learning for only a few minutes, she was already handling it decently.

Seeing that Mei had gained a basic understanding of how to operate the arcade machine, Dong Moxuan returned to his own seat, picked a fighting game similar to X Emperor, and began competing against Mei.

Although Mei's learning ability was impressive, this was still her first time playing an arcade game. How could she possibly beat Dong Moxuan, an old hand?

Naturally, she was defeated by Dong Moxuan with ease.

"Mr. Xuan..."

After losing to Dong Moxuan for the eighth time, Mei puffed out her cheeks angrily.

"Mei is still just a beginner, but Mr. Xuan doesn't even know to go easy on her."

"Hmph..."

Faced with Mei's coquettish complaint, Dong Moxuan, destined to die alone, replied in an over-the-top tone, "Giving it your all every time is the greatest respect you can show your opponent!"

Mei: "..."

He rubbed his head, troubled.

Rubbing her head in slight distress, Mei sighed softly to herself.

He doesn't even know how to comfort a girl. Isn't the boy beside me a little too dense?

At this rate, he'll never find a girlfriend!

However, Mei was not the kind of girl with an especially strong desire to win.

Even though Dong Moxuan mercilessly crushed her in the fighting game, it was not enough to make her angry.

Moreover, seeing Dong Moxuan's utterly clueless, straight-laced appearance when it came to pleasing girls, Mei felt inexplicably a little happy.

On the other hand, Dong Moxuan perhaps also realized that constantly crushing Mei was going a little too far.

He wanted Mei to experience the fun of gaming, after all. If he crushed her too thoroughly and made her give up on herself, that would be bad.

Therefore, after finishing the ninth round, Dong Moxuan sensibly switched to a two-player cooperative game.

Without the frustration of being completely crushed, Mei gradually got into the game.

"...Finally took it down..."

After defeating who knew how many final bosses, Dong Moxuan seemed to feel a little tired. He released the joystick and buttons and stretched.

"Mr. Xuan..."

Unlike Dong Moxuan, Mei, who sat beside her, looked full of energy.

"Which game should we play next?"

Seeing Mei like this, Dong Moxuan felt a little speechless.

Could this girl have gotten completely hooked?

Still, a serious and obedient young lady encountering video games for the first time would indeed be prone to getting hooked.

Of course, Dong Moxuan was not worried that Mei would become addicted and lose herself in games.

After all, Mei was a member of one of the Three Great Families. Was anyone going to joke about her self-control? If it had been Paramecium, that might have been another story.

"Ahem."

After clearing his throat twice, Dong Moxuan stood up from his chair.

"We finally made it to the arcade, so we can't just play one machine. Let's call it a day with this one and switch to another..."

"Mm..."

Although Mei was still reluctant to stop, she obediently nodded.

After that, Dong Moxuan and Mei played nearly every game in the arcade.

Both of them were completely absorbed in playing, and before they knew it, they seemed to have forgotten all about the date.

After playing for about two or three hours, Dong Moxuan suddenly felt that his throat was dry. He told Mei to play by herself for a while and went to buy two drinks.

"Hey, is this your first time playing this game?"

Dong Moxuan had not gone far before someone came over and struck up a conversation with Mei.

She was a petite girl with long, straight black hair, wearing a black Lolita dress and a beauty mark beside her cheek.

"With movements like that... are you sure you're playing a game and not pounding dough?"

Mei was playing a rhythm game that used a baton to strike a virtual keyboard. Since it was her first time, her movements were extremely clumsy. It was no wonder the Black-haired Girl had mocked her for pounding dough.

"Huh?"

The Black-haired Girl's sudden remark made Mei's movements pause slightly.

She did not mind the girl's sharp tongue. Instead, she touched her head and replied with a smile, "It's because this is my first time playing this game, so I'm not very familiar with it..."

"Hmph. Even for a first-timer, being this bad is a little excessive!"

The Black-haired Girl folded her arms with an air of arrogance. After criticizing her sharply, she changed her tone, her gaze drifting uncertainly as she said, "So, do... do you want me to teach you? I'm very good at this kind of game!"

By the end, the Black-haired Girl's cheeks were already slightly flushed.

"Huh?"

Covering her mouth in surprise, Mei suddenly realized that the girl before her seemed to be cold on the outside but warm on the inside.

In Mr. Xuan's words... she was probably a tsundere, right?

"Sure. I was just worried because I didn't know what to do!"

Mei smiled and accepted the girl's kindness.

"You agreed? Ahem..."

At Mei's reply, delight immediately appeared on the Black-haired Girl's face.

However, she quickly recovered. After clearing her throat twice, she said seriously, her cheeks flushed, "Since you asked me so sincerely, I'll reluctantly teach you for a while..."

She really is a tsundere!

Mei secretly laughed to herself but did not show it. Instead, she earnestly asked the Black-haired Girl for guidance.

The Black-haired Girl did not hold anything back, seriously teaching Mei the techniques for playing the game.

"Mm... So I just have to do this, right?"

"Th-that's right. You actually learned it so quickly..."

Seeing Mei skillfully striking the virtual keyboard before her, the Black-haired Girl's pupils contracted in surprise.

With learning speed like this, perhaps...

As she looked at Mei, the Black-haired Girl's gaze grew increasingly fervent.

Her lips parted slightly...

"Mei!"

Before the Black-haired Girl could say anything, Dong Moxuan arrived beside Mei with the drinks and handed her a bottle of juice.

"Are you getting used to this game?"

"Mm..."

Accepting the juice Dong Moxuan handed her, Mei wore a troubled expression.

"I always feel like I can't quite get the hang of this game. Mr. Xuan, could you teach Mei?"

Can't get the hang of it?

You're obviously very good already, aren't you?

The Black-haired Girl standing nearby complained inwardly.

However, before she could say anything, Dong Moxuan set down the drinks in his hand and stood behind Mei.

"Looks like even Mei has things she isn't good at. Then let me teach you..."

As he spoke, Dong Moxuan reached around from behind and held Mei's hands.

"Do this, and then this..."

"Like this?"

"Huh? Wrong again. Mei, you're so clumsy!"

"Mr. Xuan, you need to be more patient with girls!"

"Is this right?"

"Mm, not bad. This time, you got it..."

The Black-haired Girl: "..."

Watching Mei instantly transform into a gaming idiot, her cheeks flushed as she played the game alongside Dong Moxuan, the light gradually faded from the Black-haired Girl's eyes.