[OreGaIru : New Me!]

….

[-Continuation-]

.

[-Third Person View-]

In the crowd.

In the second row, the dynamic mix of Hachiman's closest people painted an amusingly vivid picture.

Hachiman's parents sat together, both visibly overwhelmed.

His father, typically reserved, leaned toward his wife, speaking in a hushed tone that couldn't mask his astonishment. "...is that really our boy up there?"

"I know, right…." She replied, her voice soft yet filled with pride, her eyes never straying from her son on stage.

Komachi, on the other hand, was anything but subtle. Practically bouncing in her seat, she tugged at her mother's arm, her grin bright enough to rival the stage lights. "Look at him, Mom! Dad! Isn't he amazing?"

"Sit back, Komachi." Her mother said with a chuckle.

"Not possible!" Komachi declared, still grinning. She clapped enthusiastically before leaning forward again. "Brother is, like, this close to world domination!" She added, dramatically, which everyone ignored.

…

A few seats down, Shizuka Hiratsuka sat back in her chair.

Her sharp eyes followed Hachiman's every move as he made his way to the center of the stage.

"...he wore a suit, huh?" She muttered to no one in particular.

Beside her, Yukino Yukinoshita responded in a low murmur. "Well, the event required dressing appropriately."

Shizuka chuckled, tilting her head slightly. "No doubt. Otherwise, my lazy student would never bother with it." Her grin widened knowingly.

On the other side of Yukino, Yui Yuigahama clapped politely as the cheers rose.

Her usual bubbly energy was tempered, but her smile was genuine. She leaned toward Yukino. "So…. Hikki was a game designer?"

Yukino simply nods, her lips curved slightly, her gaze softening as she watches him.

….

.

[-A Few Hours Before The Event-]

"Yukinon, what is this place?"

Yui asked, her eyes darting around, trying to make sense of her surroundings. Her voice carried a hint of confusion, and it wasn't hard to see why.

Yukino, standing calmly beside her, didn't bother looking up from adjusting her scarf.

"An event." She said simply, her tone clipped and efficient, as though that one word explained everything.

…at least she thought she did.

Yui tilted her head, puzzled. "An event?" She echoed, glancing around again, searching for clues. "Like, a game event?"

"Yes." Yukino nodded.

Yui blinked, unsure if she had heard her correctly. "A game event? Like... gaming games?"

Her finger pointed toward a nearby poster, its bright colors and bold text standing out.

Yukino didn't so much as flinch.

"Yes, gaming games." She said flatly, her voice carrying a subtle edge, as though daring Yui to press further.

Yukino's eyes flicked toward her sharply.

"Do I look like someone who would get lost?" Her voice was calm but carried a distinct undercurrent of challenge.

"Well..." Yui hesitated, glancing at their surroundings.

The auditorium was enormous, alive with the hum of energy. People bustled in every direction, chatting excitedly, their anticipation palpable. Everything about this place felt vibrant and chaotic.

It didn't exactly scream Yukinon territory.

Yui's confusion wasn't baseless. Yukino had called her out of nowhere the previous night, asking if she wanted to hang out. Naturally, Yui had said yes, imagining a quiet day spent shopping or relaxing at a café.

Something… Yukino-like.

But this? This wasn't what she had expected.

Yukino adjusted her scarf once more. "We are exactly where we are supposed to be." She said firmly, as though anticipating the doubt in Yui's tone.

Yui wasn't convinced. Her gaze wandered again, taking in the sheer size of the venue.

It was overwhelming, with lines stretching endlessly, colorful posters plastered across every wall, and staff directing waves of attendees toward various attractions.

The scale of it all was enough to make her stomach flip.

Her eyes landed on a poster nearby. The title was bold - [Minecraft].

The design was… weird.

The background was simple, and the character front and center was anything but cute.

The design was strange, to say the least. It featured a blocky figure in a light blue shirt and dark pants, holding what looked like a stick.

The whole thing felt… unfinished.

Definitely not the kind of polished, stylish design Yui was drawn to.

"What even is this?" She muttered under her breath, tilting her head as she studied the artwork.

It didn't look cute, and for Yui, cute was a bare minimum.

But then her eyes caught something else. In the corner of the poster, a black, pixelated cat sat with a tiny red bell tied around its neck.

Even in its blocky design, it managed to be kind of adorable.

Yui's lips curved slightly.

"Oh, at least the cat is kinda cute." She mumbled to herself.

But the rest of it? Not so much.

She glanced back at Yukino, trying to make sense of this entire situation. "Yukinon, are you sure this is where we are supposed to be? Like, really sure?"

Yukino's gaze remained steady, her tone unwavering. "If you are done questioning my sense of direction, perhaps you could focus on the reason we are here."

Yui took a step forward, looking at the crowd again with fresh eyes. The crowd's energy seemed to grow louder, the excitement contagious.

She glanced around with fresh eyes, her curiosity slowly replacing her doubt. "Wow… this is huge."

Yukino didn't respond, but a faint smile tugged at her lips. It wasn't much, but Yui noticed.

Her gaze shifted back to the poster, and she frowned slightly. "Still, couldn't they have made it less… blocky? I mean, who plays games that look like this?"

"The blocky aesthetic is intentional." Yukino said, her tone matter-of-fact.

Yui blinked, caught off guard by the sudden explanation. "Huh?"

"The aesthetic emphasizes creativity and accessibility rather than graphical realism."

Yui stared at her, her jaw slack. "Wait. What? Did you, like, research this or something? Since when do you know stuff about games?"

Yukino looked away, feigning disinterest. "It was... necessary to understand the significance of this event."

Yui's jaw dropped in exaggerated disbelief. "Wait. You did research for this? Oh my gosh, am I in some alternate reality where Yukinon is secretly a gaming nerd?" She leaned in conspiratorially, her eyes narrowing with mock suspicion. "Be honest. You are totally into this, aren't you?"

Yukino let out a sigh, the kind that carried just enough weariness to remind Yui how absurd the question was. "This isn't about me being 'into' anything. We are here to support someone."

"Support?" Yui's mind whirled. "Whom?"

Yukino's gaze flickered momentarily, betraying nothing as she turned away. "You will find out soon enough."

And with that, she started walking toward the entrance, leaving Yui scrambling to follow.

As they approached the grand entrance, Yui noticed Yukino pause briefly, her eyes flicking toward one of the posters.

The blocky black cat, its pixelated form oddly charming amidst the otherwise simplistic design, caught her attention.

"But I do agree." Yukino murmured almost to herself, her voice soft. "The cat is the best part."

…

From there the both of them walked toward the main entrance of the auditorium.

The towering doors of the auditorium loomed ahead, where security staff were diligently checking passes.

The hum of voices surrounded them, a blend of excitement and impatience. Yui cast a sidelong glance at Yukino.

"You have got the tickets, right?"

Without breaking stride, Yukino slipped a hand into her skirt pocket and produced two neatly folded entry passes. She held them up in quiet affirmation.

Before Yui could say anything more, a familiar voice called out to them.

"Yukino! Yui! Over here!"

Both turned toward the sound, and Yui's face lit up in recognition. "Komachi?!"

There stood Komachi, already inside the venue, waving enthusiastically. Her bright smile and eager demeanor were impossible to miss.

"You are here too?" Yui asked, her voice a mix of surprise and confusion.

"Brother told me to come get you two!" Komachi replied cheerfully, bouncing on her toes as if the task itself was thrilling.

Yukino's brow furrowed slightly as she processed the information. She had sent Hachiman a quick text earlier, letting him know they had arrived, not wanting to call and interrupt him if he was busy.

Apparently, he had received it and acted quickly.

"Come on, let's go! My parents are already inside." Komachi urged, waving for them to follow.

Yui froze mid-step.

"Wait. Hikki's here? And your parents too?!" She asked, the sudden influx of information causing her voice to rise.

Komachi tilted her head, her expression caught somewhere between amusement and confusion. "You didn't know?"

"Know what?" Yui's tone grew more desperate as her curiosity peaked.

A mischievous grin spread across Komachi's face, her eyes gleaming with delight. "Hehe, this is fun. I am not telling you!"

"Not you too, Komachi!" Yui protested, her frustration bubbling over as she stomped lightly in place.

"Nope, my lips are sealed." Komachi teased, raising her eyebrows in quick succession, clearly enjoying the moment.

Yui stomped lightly in place, her frustration bubbling over. "Why are you all like this? First Yukinon, and now you!"

Yukino, meanwhile, sighed. "Let's go. The longer we stand here, the later we will be."

Reluctantly, Yui followed, still grumbling under her breath as Komachi took the lead.

Their conversation carried on in lively tones as they navigated through the crowd, heading toward their seats.

.

….

[To be continued…]

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