Dumped by One, Chased by Another? My Ex's Sister Is a Gal and She's Coming for Me - Episode 17

After lunch, it still felt a bit early to call it a day, so we headed to our next destination.

Once again, it was a place Haruki had suggested.

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“You go to arcades, huh? I didn’t expect that.”

“Huh? Is it really that surprising?”

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Haruki and I talked a little louder than usual as we walked into the arcade.

The place buzzed with flashing lights and sounds from countless machines—it felt both fantastical and childlike. There’s just something uniquely surreal about arcades.

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“Honestly, I’m surprised. I didn’t think you’d be into places like this.”

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If it were a gyaru, maybe that image would fit. But Ayase Haruki in an arcade? That was completely unexpected for me.

Let me just say this upfront:

Honor students and arcades don’t exactly mix well.

Arcades are basically a paradise of endless distractions, perfect for killing time. And that’s exactly why students tend to hang out here—it lets them avoid doing anything productive.

So, in theory, it’s the worst place for someone like Haruki, who’s supposed to be focused on studying.

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“It’s not like I go all the time, okay? Just once in a while, like after exams when I want to let loose and have fun.”

“I see… makes sense.”

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A mental reset, huh?

Yeah, that’s important too.

At the end of the day, preparing for entrance exams is a mental battle. If you don’t take breaks now and then, your mind just burns out.

Of course, the tricky part is not using that as an excuse to slack off entirely—that’s when things start to fall apart.

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“Do you usually come to arcades with someone?”

“Ooh, curious, are we?”

“I mean, yeah…”

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It makes a difference whether she goes alone or with someone else.

Not that I’d think less of someone spending their high school life alone at arcades, of course.

Not at all. Just to be clear.

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“I come with friends—girls, obviously.”

“‘Obviously’? What does that mean?”

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Is she implying there are non-obviously girls too?

Like ones with six-packs or something?

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“I was just wondering what kind of friends you hang out with.”

“Oh, that’s what you meant.”

“What did you think I meant?”

“Eh, never mind.”

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With a pout, Haruki quickened her pace slightly.

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“Um, Haruki?”

“What?”

“What should we play?”

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As soon as I said that, her face lit up instantly.

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“Aha! I’ve been waiting for you to say that! Let’s start with the claw machine!”

“That’s a pretty intense opener…”

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It’s probably fine—I doubt I’ll run out of money.

I still had around 10,000 yen in my wallet.

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“Is there anything you want to win, Haruki?”

“Hmm, actually… is there anything you want?”

“I don’t know…”

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To be honest, I never really cared for plush toys or anything like that.

If anyone would be into them, I figured it’d be girls, not guys like me.

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“Okay then, how about figures? Like, cute anime girl figures?”

“Hmm…”

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That didn’t really interest me either.

I watch anime, sure, but I’m not the type to collect merch.

I felt a little bad, but I couldn’t get excited about it, not really.

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“Then maybe we should skip the claw machines and try something else?”

“………”

“Hey, Onii-san?”

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Suddenly, my eyes were drawn to a particular machine.

I couldn’t say why. It just… pulled me in.

Maybe it was something I’d been unconsciously looking for.

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“‘Masked Cavalry Doc’…”

“What’s that?”

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Haruki tilted her head in confusion.

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“It’s an old show I used to love.”

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Masked Cavalry was a tokusatsu series—part of a long-running franchise that releases new titles every year. Out of all of them, Masked Cavalry Doc was my favorite.

And inside that claw machine was a figure of Doc, the main character.

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“I didn’t expect to see that here…”

“You want that one?”

“Uh, yeah. I guess I do.”

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You could just call it childhood nostalgia and be done with it.

But to me, it was more than that—this show had shaped who I was.

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“The story’s about a doctor who’s also a hero. He saves people both in and out of costume.”

“Whoa, really?”

“Yeah. The way he was always helping others… I admired that. I wanted to be like him.”

“………”

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Haruki seemed a little taken aback.

Maybe even overwhelmed.

She stared at me, mouth slightly open, frozen in place.

Now that I think about it, maybe that show is part of the reason I chose to study medicine.

In that sense, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say this series had a huge impact on my life.

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“Well, if you really want it, then I’ll help you win it.”

“R-Really?”

“And you know what? I’ll give it a watch sometime too. If it’s something you love, I want to see it for myself. I wonder if it’s on any streaming sites?”

“I’ve got the DVDs at home. Want to watch them together sometime?”

“Really? I’d love that!”

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As we chatted, I dropped a coin into the machine.

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“You had someone you looked up to, huh? Just like me.”

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I wasn’t sure what she meant by that last part, which she said with a soft, happy smile.

But for now, I just smiled back.