When I arrived at the agreed location, what I saw was Momoi, dressed no differently than usual, holding a game console and staring intently at the screen with complete focus.
This left me slightly disappointed, but at the same time, it felt normal. After all, the one who invited me out was Momoi. No matter how you looked at it, she did not seem like the type who would use simulated romance as a pretext to secretly make a move and reverse capture me.
In fact, whether she had even developed any awareness of romantic relationships was questionable.
"Ah, Sensei, over here, over here!"
After catching sight of me out of the corner of her eye, Momoi seemed to want to wave at me, but judging from how intense her button mashing was, she was probably at a critical moment and completely unable to free a hand.
And when Momoi plays games, she has one obvious weakness. Every time she gets anxious, she starts pressing buttons at random.
On top of having her attention diverted by my arrival, it did not take long before the girl's face fell in defeat.
"Ugh∼ so frustrating∼"
As expected, she had lost the game.
Immediately after, Momoi pouted and pointed the blame straight at me. "Sensei! It's all your fault!"
I froze. "Huh? Why?"
Momoi put away the console and declared righteously, "If you hadn't come so late, I wouldn't have gotten bored waiting and started playing games, and then I wouldn't have lost because you suddenly showed up!"
I suddenly wondered whether a pink cat-eared headset girls could also be classified as part of Kivotos's signature pink haired category.
They probably could.
I rubbed my nose and chose to go along with it. "Alright, it's all my fault."
"Hehe∼ very good," Momoi smiled, crossing her arms and nodding her head, the mechanical cat tail behind her swaying back and forth. "Since your attitude in admitting fault is adequate, I'll forgive you and only deduct ten points of affection∼ Ah right, I should say it like this. Beep beep, affection has decreased!"
"And what kind of new setting is that supposed to be?"
"Huh? Didn't I tell you on momotalk already?"
Momoi looked at me strangely, but still explained.
"Today we're going to experience a retro style 'dating simulation'! Ah, it's already started, by the way! In dating simulation games and romance adventure games, affection changes based on different choices during specific events, or depending on the time and place you go to, and that also affects the ending."
So for today's simulation, had Momoi already set up detailed routes, endings, and affection points?
I sucked in a breath of cold air, suddenly seeing Momoi in a new light.
I really wished Arona could see this and learn what a professional game developer looked like.
Setting everything else aside, just take Arona's portrayal of the GSC President as an example. Is the GSC President really that easy to capture? I had not even finished my opening line before she agreed outright and started clinging to me.
That was a bit ridiculous.
It could only be said that Arona did not understand the GSC President at all and could not capture her essence.
Although I had never seen her in person, from the descriptions given by the room chiefs I knew, the missing current GSC President was an elegant, dignified, upright, and reliable beautiful girl whose personal charm captivated everyone who met her.
Thinking about it carefully, asking Arona to play that role really was a bit too much for her.
Back to the point. Since even Momoi was taking this so seriously, as her Sensei, I should match that attitude.
I immediately straightened up and asked, "Then what's the current affection level?"
"The current affection level toward Sensei is minus ten! If this keeps up, it won't do, you know?"
"It starts at zero? There's no initial bonus?"
"Of course not."
Heh, she really did not understand how lethal this face of mine was to normal girls. Momoi had already reached her limit here.
I asked again, "I was late because of traffic. Can you deduct a little less?"
Momoi refused decisively. "No! Making excuses like that doesn't work in games!"
Unexpectedly strict.
But following the rules like this actually made things more reassuring.
At least nothing that would spike my blood pressure would happen.
"In any case, if you don't pick the correct options, you won't unlock CGs and you won't get a Happy Ending either! Alright, Sensei."
As she said this, Momoi grabbed my hand without caring about anyone else. "For the sake of making a good game and saving the Game Development Department, let's start our dating simulation!"
Even though I knew that given the girl's personality, there was no deeper meaning behind her words, my heart still wavered.
Putting aside some of her headache inducing antics, for Momoi, who was sweet and cute in appearance, lively and cheerful in personality, and always full of energy, I naturally had a favorable impression of her.
However, that affection was currently only at the level of caring for a younger child.
For that to change, it would have to wait until something within Momoi's own heart sprouted first.
There was probably still a long road ahead. But that was fine. I had the patience to wait for the day the immature girl would grow up.
And until then, I would quietly watch over her.
I smiled and said, "Yeah, I'd be happy to."
"Ehehe∼ then let's go!"
After that, Momoi picked a direction and pulled me forward with big strides.
Before long, we arrived at a game center filled with all kinds of gaming machines.
How should I put it… even for a simulated date, choosing a place like this was very much Momoi.
"Sensei, next is the first choice!"
Momoi cleared her throat and deliberately lowered her voice, speaking like a narrator. "You and the heroine arrive at the game center together. So, what do you do first?"
Even if it was just a simulation, wasn't calling herself the heroine so openly a bit embarrassing?
Under Momoi's encouraging gaze, I looked around and finally settled on a machine filled with plush toys.
I tested the waters. "Want to play the claw machine together?"
Momoi was startled, then shook her head and crossed her arms in an X.
"Pfft pfft! Affection decreases by five points! The heroine is not interested in claw machines!"
"I see. Then can you tell me the correct answer?"
"Since you say so, it can't be helped." Momoi smiled. "Of course we should play 'Magical Girl Monster World'∼ I've been wanting to challenge a one life clear!"
As expected, the heroine was designed based on Momoi herself, right? In that case, wasn't this essentially just a date?
Luckily, the other party was Momoi. Otherwise, I would really have suspected some kind of hidden scheme.
However, my attention was quickly diverted.
"Oh, by the way, choosing this option increases affection by 500 points."
I choked on her sudden addition. "…Isn't the maximum 100?"
Momoi blinked her innocent pink eyes, looking puzzled. "Did I ever say that?"
While it was true she had not… but normally that would be the case, right?
And even if it was not, jumping by a factor of one hundred so casually, wasn't this value setting completely broken?
It was only then that I realized I might have misunderstood something.
I took back what I said earlier. Momoi was still Momoi. Doing all sorts of unreliable things was what was normal for her.
I could not help reflecting on myself for previously thinking she might actually be reliable and even feeling faintly reassured.
After thinking for a moment, I nodded. "I understand. Later, let's play the game you want. But before that, can we try the claw machine together?"
"Well, since it was your chosen option, even though the heroine isn't interested, she'll accompany you anyway."
Just as Momoi had said, after exchanging for tokens, she only tried the claw machine two or three times before giving up empty handed. Then she stood beside me with little interest and watched me play.
Until she noticed that I had spent over a dozen tokens focusing on a specific plush design.
Finally, after unrelenting effort, the pink cat plush that had already reached the edge of the exit was lifted into the air once more by the claw, swaying precariously. It barely completed the final stretch, then fell under gravity before the claw even loosened.
Setting the claw strength this weak was truly heartless.
I bent down, took out the plush, and handed it to the stunned Momoi. "Here, it's for you."
Momoi lowered her head, looking at the plush that matched her in color and had a cute design. "…Sensei chose the claw machine just to give me a gift?"
"Yeah, this is a dating simulation after all," I smiled. "Doesn't this look just like the heroine? If I give it as a gift, it should increase affection quite a bit, right?"
"Mm…"
It might have been my imagination, or perhaps the lighting, but Momoi's face seemed a little red.
Yet when I looked more closely, I could not see anything obvious.
Momoi put the plush into the inner pocket of her jacket, took a deep breath, and smiled brightly. "Very good. Since the heroine understood your feelings, add back fifteen points of affection!"
"So that means we're finally back to zero?"
"That's right∼ alright, don't worry about such details, let's continue!"
Momoi grabbed my sleeve eagerly. "Sensei, let's see who clears 'Magical Girl' first∼"
"Sure, but I'm a beginner. You'll have to teach me how to play first."
"Ehehe∼ if that's the case, it can't be helped∼ let me show you what a true gaming expert looks like!"
Momoi said confidently.
But unfortunately.
Even I, who had never touched this game before, quickly surpassed the self proclaimed expert Momoi after getting used to it for a while.
Still, that did not affect how much fun we had in the arcade.
Besides the claw machine and 'Magical Girl', we played many other games, and during that time, affection went up and down…
Though I felt that Momoi was probably just adjusting it randomly based on her mood in real time, and after so many changes, she likely was not seriously keeping track of the final number anyway.
Once again, I criticized myself for mistakenly thinking she was reliable.
In any case, in the blink of an eye, it was already noon.