After restlessly winning many games, the boys were now on the verge of winning the game.
---
Girls:27
Boys:29
---
Everyone stared at Riku's phone, seeing their victory in front of them.
"We are going to win this!" Daichi shouted in excitement.
Takumi gently patted his shoulder. "Don't be too loud son."
"Huh!? Who are you call-" Just as Daichi was about to snap back, A man approached him from behind.
He turned to look at the culprit. The man was tall, broad, dark-skinned and hella scary! His gaze was piercing through their souls.
But he wasn't actually like that.
"... Can you students tell me the way to the bathroom?"
'English?' Everyone thought the same thing, that man was speaking English. Now this was very bad.
These kids were NOT good at english.
"Uh.. Sorry, sir. I don't knew the way" Takumi stepped up and replied.
"Knew? You idiot! That's not how it's said!" Daichi argued with him, as if he was any smarter.
"What is it then?" Takumi asked.
"It's I don't Knowing." He replied.
Riku headpatted and stepped in.
"It's not I don't knew nor I don't Knowing."
"What is it then? Genius" Takumi turned his head towards him and squinted.
"I don't know". He replied.
They both stared at each other for a second—then Takumi grew angry.
"If you don't know, then shut your mouth up. Genius level intellect my foot, Am I right?" Takumi said and then said for Daichi's opinion, like that would be any good.
"Damn right!." Daichi agreed.
Meanwhile, Yuto had already talked it out with the man and sent him on his way.
Shun suddenly raised a question. "Uh.. Where are the teddies?"
Kaito turned, stared and started sweating.
Everyone turned their eyes on him.
"No way.... You lost them!?" Shun grabbed Kaito's collar.
"I was going to give it to my sister!"
"Calm down, i gave them to the staff, they would only hinder our progress. You can get them after everything's over.". Haruto stopped their fight, and consulted Shun like a child.
---
Meanwhile, the girls were huddled around Mei's phone, their eyes darting between the screen and each other.
"Come on, just one more point!" Hikari muttered, furiously tapping away.
"You're tapping too fast!" Sora yelled, trying to hold Mei's shoulder steady. "You're gonna miss the timing!"
"I am the timing!" Hana shot back, dramatically swiping again.
"Well, your timing sucks!" Mei snapped.
A moment of silence passed.
"...Sorry, that was the stress talking."
"It's okay. Just—don't mess up," Noa whispered, her voice trembling like they were defusing a bomb.
Mei inhaled. Exhaled. And then—tap.
The screen blinked.
Girls: 28
Boys: 29
The score updated.
The girls screamed.
"A ONE POINT DIFFERENCE!?" Aika shouted.
"This is war!" Arisa declared.
---
Back on the boys' side, Riku's phone pinged. The score updated.
"Oh no." He gulped.
"What is it?" Takumi asked, leaning in.
"They're catching up."
"...They WHAT!?" Daichi shrieked. "No! This can't be happening!"
Kaito suddenly came up with a idea and spoke. "Hey, what if we challenge them to the questionnaire?"
"Do you think we are smarter than them?" Haruto asked, raising an eyebrow.
Everyone fell silent.
"...No," Riku admitted.
"Nope" Taiga and Daiki immediately answered.
"Not a chance," Daichi added.
"I barely passed English last term," Takumi muttered.
"I only passed because I copied from Shun," Kaito said bluntly.
Haruto shook his head.
"I am not that good either." Shun sighed.
They all turned to look at Yuto—their last hope.
He held his chin, deep in thought. "If it's general knowledge... maybe."
"Define maybe," Riku said.
"Like, a 90% chance."
Everyone's eyes lit up.
"That's basically a guaranteed win!" Kaito shouted.
"Let's gooo!" Daichi jumped and nearly knocked over Riku's phone.
"Careful, you gorilla!" Takumi barked.
Riku stood up with new resolve. "Alright. Let's challenge them."
---
On the girls' side, they were all buying cotton candies.
Just then, a notification popped up on Mei's screen.
[Incoming Challenge: Questionnaire Round - Winner Takes All]
The girls stared.
"A quiz battle?" Noa blinked.
"They're playing dirty now," Arisa muttered.
"We accept," Mei said coldly, already cracking her knuckles.
"That was fast," Sora said.
"They brought this on themselves," Mei replied. "They think we are that easy? I'll destroy them."
---
Location: Food Court Showdown
Two teams. One table. Two phones. Ten witnesses.
This was no longer a game—this was war.
Mei sat at the center, flanked by Aika and Arisa.
Yuto sat across, calm and collected. The boys stood behind him like nervous backup dancers.
Riku whispered, "Yuto, this is all you."
Yuto nodded. "I know that, you idiots."
---
[ROUND 1]
Question: What is the capital of Australia?
Yuto typed confidently: Sydney
Mei smirked. Canberra
Result: Girls +1
Score: Girls 29 | Boys 29
The boys froze.
"Wait. It's not Sydney?" Daiki whispered.
"Since when!?" Haruto hissed.
"It's always been Canberra!" Aika yelled from across the table.
Takumi glared at Yuto. "Ninety percent, huh?"
Yuto cracked his fingers. "That was the ten."
---
[ROUND 2]
Question: Which planet is known as the Red Planet?
Mei and Yuto both typed at the same time.
Answer: Mars
Both teams score.
Score: 30 - 30
The crowd tensed.
---
[ROUND 3]
Question: Who wrote Romeo and Juliet?
Yuto: Shakespeare
Mei: William Shakespeare
Both correct.
Score: 31 - 31
---
[ROUND 4]
Question: What is the square root of 144?
Yuto: 12
Mei: 12
Both correct.
Score: 32 - 32
---
[ROUND 5 - ]
Question: What is the chemical symbol for gold?
The table went silent.
Yuto typed quickly: Au
Mei hesitated for half a second—then typed: Ag
The screen flashed.
Boys +1
Final Score: Girls 32 | Boys 33
---
Everyone on the boys' side erupted.
"YEEEEESSS!" Daichi screamed, grabbing Takumi and spinning him around like a madman.
"I TOLD YOU YUTO WAS OUR HERO!" Kaito yelled.
"I never doubted him!" Taiga added, despite definitely doubting him earlier.
Riku gave Yuto a firm pat on the back. "You're a legend."
Yuto smirked, shaking his hand like he just signed a billion-won contract. "All in a day's work."
---
On the girls' side, it was chaos.
"AG!? That's silver!" Aika cried.
"I panicked, okay!? I saw the 'A' and my brain short-circuited!" Mei groaned, facepalming.
"You were doing so well..." Noa whimpered, sinking into her seat like a deflated balloon.
Sora sighed dramatically. "We were so close. ONE point..."
Arisa crossed her arms, pouting. "This isn't over. They may have won the battle... but we'll win the war."
---
But then—
[FINAL ROUND: BONUS QUESTION – 2 POINTS]
This round decides the ultimate winner.
Everyone gasped.
"Wait, WHAT?" Takumi blinked.
"Bonus round?" Hana raised an eyebrow.
Riku read the screen. "It's a tiebreaker system if the match is too close."
Mei's eyes lit up. "So we still have a chance."
Yuto cracked his knuckles again. "Then let's finish this."
---
[FINAL ROUND – Bonus Question]
What is the powerhouse of cell?
Silence.
Mei's fingers hovered over her screen.
Yuto squinted. "...Dang."
Mei typed fast: Mitochondria.
Yuto: Nucleus.
The screen froze for a moment...
Then blinked.
Girls +2
Final Score: Girls 34 | Boys 33
---
Silence.
Then—
The girls erupted into a chorus of screams.
"YESSSSSSS!" Hana shouted, jumping up.
"That's what you get for talking bad about mitochondria!" Noa yelled, pumping her fists.
Aika and Arisa crushed Mei in a victory hug.
Sora pointed at the boys. "That's what you get for celebrating early!"
Hana smirked, flipping her hair. "Genius boys, huh?"
---
The boys stood in stunned silence.
"...We lost?" Daichi whispered.
Yuto blinked at the screen. "No way."
Riku sighed, shoulders drooping. "Mitochondria... Of course."
Takumi fell to his knees. "All those hours of gaming... wasted."
Kaito slapped his own forehead. "This is why I skip biology."
---
But then—
[Award Round: Victory to 35 Points]
One last game. One final tap. First to 35 wins it all.
Both teams stared at their phones.
---
And then—
Simultaneously, Riku and Mei raised their thumbs.
This was it.
One final round.
No mistakes. No distractions. No mercy.
The final tap.
Both phones blinked.
—
[Final Score: Girls 35 | Boys 34]
---
The food court exploded.
The girls jumped, screamed, hugged, and celebrated like they'd won a national championship.
The boys collapsed, groaning in despair.
"NOOOOO!" Daichi shouted.
"They were just... faster," Yuto sighed.
Riku looked at the girls, then smiled weakly.
"...GG."
"Don't gg you bastard! You were on their side, weren't you?" Taiga grabbed his collar and started shaking him.
"H-hey i s-swear i wasn't!" Riku defended himself, stuttering from Taiga shaking him crazily.
Mei met his eyes and grinned.
"Next time, try not to celebrate too early, genius."
---
Winner: The Girls.
Loser: .....
---
Later that Evening – Ferris Wheel Zone
The sky was painted orange and pink, the sun slowly dipping below the horizon as the amusement park lights flickered on.
Riku sighed and leaned back on the bench, watching the soft lights of the Ferris wheel spin lazily in the distance. The bear sat beside him like an awkward date, staring blankly ahead with button eyes and a stitched smile.
"You're useless, you know that?" Riku muttered at it.
The bear said nothing.
Riku smirked. "Yeah, figured."
Just then, footsteps approached. Light, measured. He didn't need to look up to know who it was.
"...So this is where you ran off to," Mei said, arms crossed.
Riku turned slightly, trying not to look surprised. "I wasn't running. Just... resting."
"With a teddy bear?"
"It's for science," he replied without missing a beat.
Mei raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess. Emotional research?"
He blinked. "...How'd you know?"
She smirked. "You've used that excuse before."
There was a pause.
"So," she said, nodding toward the empty cabins rotating above, "are you actually going to ride it? Or just stare at it till your soul gets sucked out?"
"Not sure yet." Riku looked up. "Kinda wanted to, but it felt lame riding it alone."
"So that's why you called me?" Mei crossed her arms and smirked.
"No, I wanted to give you this teddy bear. I don't have anyone else to give to, nor do i like them."
Mei blinked.
Then slowly sat beside him.
"…You don't like them?" she asked, side-eyeing him.
Riku nodded solemnly. "I hate everyone equally."
"And I'm… different?"
He scratched the back of his head, avoiding her gaze. "Well, you're not part of everyone."
Mei stared at him for a second. "That was smooth."
"I'm not trying to be."
"Even worse."
He looked at the bear again, then gently pushed it toward her.
"I thought it'd suit you. It's soft. Quiet. Surprisingly durable. Like you."
"…Are you calling me a stuffed animal?"
"I'm saying you're comforting to have around, even if you glare a lot."
She didn't reply at first.
Then, finally, she took the bear, hugging it against her chest.
"…I used to have a sheep pillow in elementary, you know," she muttered.
"I know."
She turned to him, surprised. "How?"
"Shun told me."
"Ticket guy did…" She smiled faintly.
The Ferris wheel continued to turn in the background, soft lights blinking like distant stars.
Then Mei stood and looked at the ride, then back at Riku.
"Well? Are you coming or not?"
He blinked. "To the ride?"
"No, to Mars. Yes, to the ride."
"…Even after I lost?"
"You lost the war, not the moment."
Riku stared at her.
Then stood up with a faint smirk.
"Lead the way, Commander Mei."
She rolled her eyes. "Just get in before I change my mind."
They stepped into the Ferris wheel cabin together, the door closing behind them with a gentle thud.
As they slowly ascended into the evening sky, Riku glanced at her.
Everything felt at ease. They had broken up just a week ago, but now they were acting like nothing has happened.
Their weight increasing as they ascended, and decreased as they descended. It felt fun. Not because of the ride. But... Because of each other.
---
At the same time, in that same amusement park. Another couple of immaturity was flocking.
Rieka, now on her thirteenth try to get the frog plushie, lost again.
Kaito approached from behind her, smirking. "It seems like someone's losing a lot."
"This doesn't concern you." She replied, her eyes were a little wet. Kaito's eyed widened as he saw it.
'Just how badly does she wants it' He thought stepping up beside her.
"Lemme show you how it's done." He inserted a coin, cracked his knuckles, and gripped the joystick like he was preparing for war.
"You'll miss it too," Rieka muttered under her breath, folding her arms.
Kaito didn't answer. He just squinted, narrowed his focus, and moved the claw above the frog plushie. The machine buzzed, the claw descended—gripped—
—and slipped.
"…Hah!" Rieka pointed, eyes bright with revenge. "You suck!"
Kaito didn't blink. "That was calibration."
"Sure. And I suppose next time you'll calculate wind resistance?"
He inserted another coin.
This time, he didn't speak. He aimed. Focused.
The claw came down. It clamped tighter than before.
And—
It lifted the frog.
Rieka's mouth opened. "No way."
The plushie bounced once inside the chute—and then dropped cleanly into the prize hole.
Kaito grabbed it and held it out to her. "Here."
Rieka stared at it.
Then stared at him.
Then looked down at the frog in her hands.
"… I should say thank you.. I guess.." She hugged the plushie tightly and looked down.
"It's okay, consider this an apology for my rudeness before." Kaito said, rubbing the back of his neck and trying to look like a cool shoujo ML.
Reika's eyes widened. She was also thinking about apologising to him about the time they met at the entrance, but it seemed like he did it first.
She clutched the frog a little tighter.
"...Tch. Idiot," she muttered—but there was no bite in her voice.
Kaito grinned. "I'll take that as a 'you're forgiven.'"
Reika didn't respond. Instead, she turned away slightly, pretending to admire the plushie.
But her ears were just a little red.
Kaito looked at her, then up at the night sky above the park. The stars weren't visible through the city glow, but the Ferris wheel lights spun like tiny constellations.
"…You know," he said after a pause, "it's kinda funny."
"What is?"
"How today was supposed to be about winning a stupid game…"
Reika glanced sideways. "…And?"
"And somehow, I ended up walking away with something better."
She blinked, caught off guard. "The frog?"
He laughed softly. "Yeah. Sure. The frog."
They stood there for a moment, side by side, the air between them strangely comfortable.
Then a loud voice shattered the mood.
"HEY KAITO! STOP FLIRTING AND COME HERE!" Daichi yelled from a distance.
Reika instantly took two steps back, flustered. "W-we weren't flirting!"
Kaito chuckled and raised both hands in surrender. "Guess that's our cue."
He turned to walk away, but paused after a few steps.
"Hey, Reika."
She looked up.
"…Maybe next time, don't waste thirteen tries. Just ask me on the first." He winked.
And with that, he jogged off.