Conquering Villains and Capturing Targets Is Harder in Real Life than in Games

18: I'm not someone you need to be supicious of!

"N-no thanks!"

"Oh," replied Madoka with a hint of disappointment. As Madoka let his arms fall to his sides, a small boy bumped into the back of his legs.

"Ouch!"

"Are you okay?" Shizuka as she bent down and gazed at the little figure rubbing his nose with one hand and holding a teddy bear in the other.

"Un. It hurts a little bit but since Ikuto is a big boy he won't cry," declared the boy.

Shizuka ruffled the boy's hair and smiled kindly. "Ikuto-kun is a good boy indeed."

Glancing around Madoka asked, "Are you with your parents, Ikuto-kun?"

Ikuto nodded vigorously as he pointed towards a lady standing a short distance away.

"That's my mommy! Ikuto has to show mommy the bear he won at the game centre."

"Ooh, good luck, Ikuto-kun. Be careful not to bump into things while you're running."

"Ikuto knows." Before he spurted off Ikuto turned to Shizuka and Madoka and yelled, "Bye, onee-san! Bye, onii-san!"

The two smiled as they waved to Ikuto. They continued following his figure with their eyes until they saw Ikuto safely reunited with his mother.

"How nice," commented Shizuka wistfully.

When he caught Shizuka glancing at the brightly lit arcade with a face full of yearning, Madoka asked, "Should we go to the game centre as well?"

"No...it's okay." Although Shizuka secretly really wanted to go to, she refused because she knew that it was not an ideal dating spot and because she had promised Mika and Fuyuki that she wouldn't let her own interests deride their important first date.

"You sure?"

Shizuka nodded.

"Hmm. I get it," answered Madoka knowingly.

Shizuka narrowed her eyes, not liking his tone. "What exactly do you get?"

Madoka appeared innocent as he said, "Oh nothing, I just thought you might've been unconfident in your gaming abilities."

Shizuka's left eye imperceptibly twitched. "That's not it at all, okay?"

"Hm, okay. Sure."

Are you challenging me right now, Semi Madoka?!

Shizuka smiled fixedly. "On second thought, since you're so eager to play, Madoka, I'll be kind enough to go along with your whims."

"How generous but I wouldn't want to force you into doing anything you're not capable of doing," replied Madoka offhandedly as he began to walk off.

Not capable? Me?

"Rest assured. I'm very capable at gaming," stated Shizuka as she pulled Madoka into the direction of the gaming centre. "In fact, since you don't believe me, why don't we make it into a challenge?"

"Oh?"

"We'll go to the centre and whoever wins more games at the end of it will be considered the winner. The winner can make the loser grant one wish of theirs, no questions asked."

Madoka seemed to contemplate this for a second before replying, "It sounds interesting but if I recall correctly, I don't think you've ever been able to win over me at anything, Shizuka."

This time both of Shizuka's eyes twitched.

"So I'll make it a bit easier for you. If you can beat me at any one game, I'll grant three of your wishes. I'll even let you pick the games we play. If it turns out that you still can't beat me at that point then, I'll only ask that you grant just one of my wishes."