Rock-Paper-Scissors⊠this game was said to have originated in the 19th century and carried its own history behind it.
The three hand gestures countered each other: once one was picked, the winner would be decided. The rules were simple and nothing was needed to play it, so it could be played anywhere and anytime. These qualities helped it to spread around the entire world.
Seiji and Mai began their duel that would be the first of many in the futureâŠ
Just kidding.
But they were both serious about wanting to win.
First round!
Seiji concentrated intensely on his opponentâs actions and instantaneously made a judgment about what his opponent was going to go with, so he responded in turn.
Scissors!
Mai had used Paper.
Excellent, heâd received the first victory.
Seijiâs mouth arced upwards, and he had a smug look of self-satisfaction.
Maiâs expression didnât change, but there was a sharp glint in her eyes.
âNot bad,â she said slowly, âbut the next time will be different.â
âHmph⊠no matter what you want to use, nothing will escape my excellent dynamic visual acuity. I shall emerge victorious next time as well!â
âDynamic vision⊠then how about this?â
Mai placed her hand behind her back.
âWhat!? This⊠this isâŠâ Seiji acted as if he was truly shocked.
âThis is the secret technique for Rock-Paper-Scissors: the âBehind the Backâ technique! Instead of showing my move from the front, Iâll conceal it behind my back, and this will greatly decrease your ability to perceive my next move with your dynamic vision!â
âOof⊠there was such a secret technique! The dynamic vision that I was so proud of was sealed so simplyâŠâ
âThatâs rightâyouâve already lost your power, and victory shall be mine! Come, itâs time for the second round!â
âErâŠâ
Scissors!
Rock!
This time Mai was victorious.
âAhhhh⊠I actually lost!â Seiji acted as if he had received a heavy blow.
âHaha, so youâve witnessed how incredible my secret technique is. This is an ultimate skill that you shall never comprehend. In the final round, I shall obliterate you completely.â Mai acted utterly condescending.
âSecret technique⊠ultimate skill⊠Itâs indeed incredible, and I canât counter it, howeverââ Seiji changed his expression to one of resolution as he slowly closed his eyes and posed imposingly. âIâm willing to sacrifice the dynamic vision Iâm so proud of and temporarily awaken my tribeâs forbidden technique: âMindâs Eye!ââ
ââMindâs Eye?â Could it be the legendaryâŠâ
âExactly rightâitâs a legendary undefeatable technique once itâs awakened! Yet, it requires a huge sacrifice to awaken, which is why itâs my tribeâs forbidden technique.â Seiji assumed a fake grave tone. âI shouldnât be using this forbidden technique, but in order to defeat a strong enemy like yourself, Iâm willing to pay the price!â
âHm!? Youâre actually willing to throw away the vision that youâre so proud of! Youâre insaneâŠâ
âIn order to defeat you, itâs all worth it! Come, for the final showdownââ
Rock!
Paper!
Mai was victorious.
âAh⊠I have been defeated.â
âBut of courseâthis is only a luck-based game to begin with. Whatâs with your âMindâs Eyeâ? You were having a little too much fun, Junior.â Mai stopped acting immaturely.
âDidnât you have plenty of fun as well, Senpai?â Seiji also stopped acting like an immature middle school student. âCreating an atmosphere can help increase the tension and make things more interesting.â
âWe went a little overboard; everyoneâs looking at us strangely.â
This was indeed the case.
âWhat exactly are those two people doing?â
âAre they working for this activity and doing a performance?â
âItâs only Rock-Paper-Scissors; why are they treating it so seriously?â
The passersby were all staring at them and seemed to be muttering things like that.
Even the manga author and the editor wore looks of confusion.
It didnât matter⊠fine, Seiji was slightly embarrassed!
Seiji and Mai hurriedly reported their result and received their emblems from the student running the activity.
Then, Seiji grabbed Mayuzumi and Saki and left the activity together with Mai.
When the manga author heard this, her eyes instantly lit up.
âSenpai, this isâŠâ He was unsure of how to introduce Mayuzumi, since he didnât want to reveal that she was the massively popular Peach-sensei.
âH-hello, nice to meet you. My name is Mayuzumi Amami, and Iâm a manga author.â Mayuzumi ended up introducing herself. âI heard about you from Harano-kun, who told me youâre an extraordinary maid, so⊠I was really curious, but I didnât think that I would get to meet you so soonâŠâ
She seemed rather excited.
âHello, nice to meet you, Amami-san.â Mai smiled politely. âAn extraordinary maid is a bit exaggerated⊠Iâm merely being paid a salary and doing my job.â
She then gave Seiji a sidelong glance.
âYou actually just went ahead and told someone else about me, youââ Seiji could read this meaning from her eyes.
He did feel somewhat awkward about it.
It was just to spice up the conversation yesterday. He didnât expect that they would all meet up so soon; once again, it seemed like a subtly wondrous act of fate.
Mayuzumiâs eyes were glimmering as she stared at Mai.
She imagined how Mai would look like in black-and-white maid attire and felt that it would definitely look great on her, just as Harano-kun had mentioned.
She really wanted to see Mai in actual maid attire. However, she felt that it would be impolite to make such a request when they werenât even familiar with each other yet.
Saki helped to curb Mayuzumiâs fantasies.
âHarano, Houjou-san here seems to be by herself. How about inviting her to go along with us?â
âEh?â Seiji looked in surprise at the editor.
Mai also looked over at her inquisitively.
âJunior, who might this beâŠâ
âIâm an editor from Thunderbolt Literature. My name is Saki Yoshizawa.â The female editor introduced herself. âPleased to meet you, Mai Houjou-san.â
âNice to meet you too, Yoshizawa-san,â Mai responded, before turning to look at Seiji again. âA manga author and an editor⊠what an uncommon pair for you to be with, Junior.â
âHaha, thereâs a reason for all this.â Seiji scratched his face awkwardly. âSenpai, youâre exploring the school festival by yourself, right? How about going together with us? You want to participate in the special activities too, donât you? Then thatâs the same as us, and we can all have fun together.â
Mai blinked as she contemplated the offer for a short moment.
âI am by myself, and I was intending to wander around the school festival like this, but since Junior has offered to treat me, then I wonât have any reservations.â
âEr⊠I didnât say that I would treat you.â After a brief pause Seiji relented. âOkay, Iâll treat you then.â
Under the suppression of the Smiling Executionerâs attack, the Magic-Devouring Dragon lost his treasure hoard.
He had just received five hundred thousand sakuras from the student council president, but now her maid was trying to take advantage of him! To Seiji, this seemed somewhat ironic.
Well, it was alright as long as she agreed to accompany them.
And now, he was accompanied by three beauties, each one with her own unique style. He was truly a winner in life!
His cell phone alarm vibrated in his pocket. He glanced at it and saw that it was a reminder: Winner in life, itâs almost time for you to go to your next confession event.
Seiji was rendered speechless.
It was a good thing to be accompanied by beauties, and being confessed to was also good, but⊠this was making his stomach ache a little.
He was feeling some pressure from it all.
Now that he had another companion, his adventure⊠whoops, his joyous school festival experience was about to continue.