Chapter 10: Let’s play

They reached the quadrangle at the end of the red path at seven-thirty in the morning.

"You have something fun we can do while waiting until 8?" The girl asked Josh out of nowhere.

"Fun?"

"Yes."

"uhh… We play this game in my high school. I really don't know what it's called but let's just say plus-plus."

"Plus-plus? How do you do it?"

"First, you put both of your index fingers out while your arms are in a fist. Likewise, your opponent will do the same. Both of you will decide who goes first. It's just like the name, you tap your opponent's finger to add its number. So, for example, I'm the first one, and I tap my finger to your finger on your left adding one to it. So you now have two fingers pointing outward your fist."

"Then?"

"After my turn, it will be your turn, you will tap any of my arms with any of your arms to add a number to it. So, if you tap my right arm with your left arm, then I will have three now on my right. The goal of the game is to make your opponent lose by making them point all of their fingers outward, a total of five."

"You're bad at explaining. Let's just do it. I just point both my index finger out, right?"

"Yeah yeah. Then, I'll go first"

Josh taps his right arm to the left of the green-haired girl.

"I add one to your left. Put out your middle finger outward."

"Okay, it's now my turn?"

"yeah"

The girl tapped her left arm to Josh's right arm.

"Dumbass," Josh said.

"…"

Josh then tapped his right arm to the girl's left arm.

"Now your left arm is dead."

"Eh? Is that how the game goes? I thought I would win if I had five?"

"No, no. You lose if you had five."

"… Can I skip turn?"

"no"

With gritted teeth the girl then tapped Josh's left arm, making it two, while his right still three.

"Dumbass" Josh then bumped both of his arms together making his left one and his right 4.

"Wait, you can do that?"

"Duh, basic math? 2+3=5; 1+4=5. You on drugs, girl??"

"… But you did not say it."

"It's obvious. Now it's your turn."

With slightly twitching eyebrows, the girl tapped Josh's right arm.

Now Josh has only his left arm alive.

"…"

Josh then tapped her remaining arm, making it two.

Then, the girl tapped Josh's remaining arm, making it three.

"You had basic math in your magic theory classes?"

Josh then tapped her remaining arm making it count to five.

"You lose."

"I purposely lose and fuck your rules, little shit. One more time." The girl said fuming while whispering to Josh angrily.

"Haha, okay, okay. Sore-loser."

Thus, they play and tease each other for the rest of their waiting time.