Chapter 21. Caught in the Game

Ayaka leaned back in her chair, stretching casually as the Victory screen flashed across her monitor for the second time in a row. "Well, that was quick." she said, her voice dripping with playful arrogance.

"Two games under five minutes. Can you even keep up, Akihiko? Or should I start calling you Mr. Practice Dummy?"

Akihiko gritted his teeth, his eyes narrowing as he glared at her from across the table. "You're so full of yourself. Keep talking—because after this, you'll be eating my dust."

She smirked, propping her chin on her hand. "Oh, is that so? Bold words for someone who's been annihilated twice already. Sure you don't want to back out before you embarrass yourself further?"

"Not a chance." Akihiko shot back, his competitive spirit ignited. "Hit that rematch button. Now."

With a theatrical sigh, Ayaka clicked to start the third match. As the game loaded, she glanced at him, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "Alright, I'll even give you a hint this time. Pay close attention, okay? My character has a bit of a weakness."

Akihiko paused, suspicious. "A weakness? What kind of weakness?"

"You'll just have to figure it out." she teased, a sly grin spreading across her face.

As the match began, Ayaka once again selected Kaelina, the Starborn Seer, while Akihiko stuck with Solric, the Dawnbringer, hoping his tanky build would help him survive longer.

The game started, and Ayaka wasted no time taking control.

She glided through the lanes effortlessly, Kaelina's shimmering silver robes trailing behind her as she unleashed precise, devastating attacks.

Meanwhile, Akihiko struggled to keep up. "Alright, let's see… weakness, weakness…" he muttered, trying to analyze her playstyle.

"Maybe you should try hitting me instead of talking to yourself." Ayaka quipped, her tone laced with mock sympathy.

Akihiko grumbled under his breath and charged at her with Solric's hammer raised.

He activated his stun, aiming to catch her off guard, but Ayaka danced just out of reach, her character leaving a trail of sparkling stardust as she moved.

"Too slow!" she taunted, sending out Kaelina's Stellar Shard, which exploded on impact, slowing Solric and chipping away at his health.

Akihiko's frustration grew. "Stop running and fight me head-on!"

"Why would I do that?" Ayaka laughed, kiting him with ease. "Kaelina isn't built for brawling. She's all about keeping you at a distance. You're just making it easy for me!"

As the game went on, Akihiko noticed a pattern. Ayaka's Kaelina relied heavily on her abilities to deal damage, and there were brief windows of vulnerability when her cooldowns left her defenseless.

"There it is." he muttered, a determined glint in his eyes.

The next time they clashed, Akihiko waited for her to use her Constellation Collapse and Stellar Shard, then charged in while her abilities were on cooldown.

"Got you now!" he shouted, landing a direct hit with Solric's hammer, knocking Kaelina back.

Ayaka let out a small gasp as her character's health bar dropped dangerously low. "Oh no.." she said, her voice laced with mock panic. "You've figured me out! Whatever shall I do?"

Akihiko grinned, thinking he had the upper hand—until Ayaka's ultimate, Eclipse Nova, suddenly activated.

"What—?" he started, but it was too late.

A rain of glowing meteors cascaded down, engulfing Solric in a brilliant explosion of cosmic energy. His health bar plummeted, and he fell for the third time that match.

The victory screen appeared once more on Ayaka's screen. She clapped her hands together, grinning triumphantly. "Awww, so close! You almost had me that time."

Akihiko slumped back in his chair, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "What happened? I thought I had you!"

"You did." Ayaka admitted, her grin widening. "But you forgot about my ult. Rookie mistake."

"You gave me a hint about your weakness!" he protested, pointing an accusatory finger at her.

"I did." she said with a shrug, her cheeks slightly pink. "But I never said I wouldn't use my strengths against you, did I?"

Akihiko groaned, covering his face with his hands. "You're impossible."

"And you're predictable." Ayaka teased, leaning over the table with a smirk. "But don't worry, Akihiko. Someday you might actually win. Maybe."

He peeked at her through his fingers, his frustration giving way to a small, grudging smile. "Don't get too comfortable, Ayaka. Next match, you're going down."

"We'll see." she said with a wink, already queuing up the next game. "But if you keep losing this fast, I might need to start calling you Practice Dummy for real."

Their playful rivalry filled the café with laughter, and despite his losses, Akihiko couldn't help but enjoy the challenge—especially with Ayaka's teasing keeping things lively.

------

After hours of intense gaming, punctuated by plenty of missteps and teasing, Akihiko finally managed to secure his first victory.

"I... I did it? I DID IT!" he exclaimed, leaping from his chair with unrestrained excitement. His grin stretched from ear to ear as he pumped his fist in the air.

Ayaka leaned back in her chair, a sheepish smile spreading across her face as she scratched the back of her head. "Yeah... I might've messed up big time back there. Lucky break for you."

"Who's the loser now, huh?" Akihiko shot back with a smug grin, leaning toward her as if to revel in his rare triumph.

His mock gloating was exaggerated, but the joy in his voice was infectious.

Ayaka burst into laughter, the sound light and melodious, spilling over like music into the cozy corner of the café.

Her eyes sparkled with genuine delight as she doubled over, unable to contain herself.

Akihiko's smugness faded, replaced by something softer. He froze, his gaze fixed on her as she laughed freely, her head tilted back and her cheeks flushed from the excitement.

The world around them seemed to blur, the buzz of the gaming café fading into the background.

She looked so alive.

"This is so much fun!" Ayaka said, finally catching her breath. Her voice carried a bright, unguarded warmth that made Akihiko's chest tighten.

"Way better than that stupid reunion with all those haters!" She waved her hand dismissively, the memory of the earlier event already fading.

Akihiko leaned back slightly, his expression softening even further. "Finally..." he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "You're smiling."

The sincerity in his tone hit Ayaka like a jolt. She blinked, realizing that his eyes hadn't left her. His gaze was steady, but there was something unspoken in it—something that made her pulse quicken.

Her heart thudded wildly, a mix of embarrassment and something deeper spreading warmth through her chest.

She averted her eyes quickly, fumbling for words as her cheeks grew warmer. "T-the night is still young! Let's, uh... let's play in a team now!"

She turned back to her computer screen, her fingers flying over the keys as if to ground herself in the task.

Akihiko chuckled, low and soft, the sound vibrating with a quiet amusement. He tilted his head slightly, his voice dropping into an almost inaudible murmur. "As you wish, my princess..."

The words were so quiet they were swallowed by the ambient noise of the café, never quite reaching Ayaka's ears. But his smile lingered, knowing and tender, as he turned his focus back to the game.

And as they queued for the next match, Ayaka couldn't quite shake the flutter in her chest or the way his gaze had lingered just a little too long.

------

"I got it! I got him now!" Akihiko shouted, his voice brimming with excitement as his fingers flew across the keyboard, almost pounding the keys in his fervor.

"Hold them down! I'm using my ult!" Ayaka's voice rang out, energized and sharp, her focus absolute.

With one perfectly timed move, their enemies fell in unison, and their victory was sealed.

"We won!" they yelled together, their voices harmonizing as they threw their hands up in unison, the elation crackling between them like static electricity.

"I can't believe it! After so many team fights, we finally did it!" Ayaka exclaimed, practically bouncing in her seat.

Her eyes sparkled with triumph, her cheeks flushed from the adrenaline of the game.

Akihiko chuckled softly, leaning back in his chair as his eyes lingered on her animated face. The way her energy lit up the dim room was a sight he didn't want to look away from.

Just as they were basking in their shared victory, a shrill alarm broke through the moment. Ayaka glanced at her phone, her expression shifting as realization dawned. "Oh no... it's already 6 a.m.!"

"Time really flies when you're having fun." Akihiko murmured, his voice quieter now, tinged with something more intimate.

He moved to stand behind her, his presence warm and solid as he leaned over, peering at her phone. His proximity was deliberate but subtle, his breath brushing lightly against her hair.

Without thinking, he reached forward to silence the alarm, his hand grazing past hers in a fleeting touch. From Ayaka's perspective, it felt as though he was enveloping her in a ghost of an embrace.

Her body froze, her pulse hammering in her ears as her mind scrambled to process the sudden closeness.

Her heart raced, and her breath hitched, every nerve heightened by the electric tension between them.

Akihiko's lips curved into a soft smile, and he leaned in just enough that his voice carried directly to her, rich and low. "Let's go home now." he said, his eyes meeting hers.

The space between their faces was so small it felt charged, as though the air itself was holding its breath.

"Y-yeah..." Ayaka stammered, her voice barely above a whisper as her gaze locked onto his.

Her wide eyes reflected the unspoken emotions swirling in the moment, her cheeks betraying her with a faint, rosy glow.

For a heartbeat, the world around them seemed to blur, their victory and the rising sun outside fading into the background.

Then, with a faint laugh, Akihiko stepped back, breaking the spell just as easily as he'd cast it.

"Come on." he said with a teasing grin, his voice light again. "We can't fall asleep on the sidewalk, you know."

Ayaka exhaled, realizing she'd been holding her breath, and hurried to gather her things, still feeling the phantom warmth of his closeness.

But as they walked out into the early morning light, she couldn't shake the image of his eyes and the lingering sense that maybe—just maybe—this was more than a simple gaming session.

------

Upon arriving at Ayaka's apartment, Akihiko lingered by her door, his hand casually resting on the frame as he watched her fumble with her keys.

The soft glow of the hallway lights caught the faint contours of her face, highlighting the exhaustion mixed with contentment in her features.

She had no idea how much she occupied his thoughts in these quiet moments.

The door clicked open, and the silence between them felt heavier, charged with the tension of everything that had gone unsaid.

As Ayaka glanced back at him, her smile was warm, genuine, but there was something in her eyes that seemed to linger—something unspoken, hovering just beneath the surface.

"Thank you for accompanying me, Akihiko... And for playing with me, even though you don't play games..." she said, her voice soft, but laced with a quiet gratitude.

Akihiko couldn't help but chuckle, a low, amused sound that seemed to vibrate in the cool air between them.

He sighed, stepping closer and reaching up to pat her head in a tender, almost affectionate gesture. "I just don't like it when you cry miserably..." he replied, his voice softer than he intended, his hand lingering just a bit longer than necessary, feeling the silken strands of her hair against his fingers.

Ayaka swatted his hand away with a playful glare. "Hey, I don't look that miserable!" she huffed, the playful challenge in her tone doing nothing to mask the flush that crept across her cheeks.

Akihiko raised an eyebrow, the teasing glint in his eyes impossible to ignore. "Huh? But you cried so loud at the park." he said, his lips curling up in a teasing smile.

"Y-you!" Ayaka sputtered, her embarrassment rising like a tide.

"Not a word about it to anyone! Ms. Midnight is not supposed to show her vulnerable side." Her words were sharp, but there was a nervous energy in her actions as she quickly covered his mouth with her hand, her fingers brushing against his lips as if to seal the secret away.

Before she could step back, Akihiko reached out and, with a swift movement, pulled her closer to him, his hand finding her waist, guiding her effortlessly against him.

His breath hitched as he looked down at her, his gaze heavy, as though he could see straight through the walls she'd built around herself.

"Oh yeah?" he murmured, his voice low and smooth, his eyes searching hers with an intensity that made her heart race.

"I don't see any Ms. Midnight." he added, his thumb brushing the curve of her cheek gently. "I only see a cute Ayaka before me."

Ayaka's breath caught in her throat. The words, the proximity—it was too much.

Her face went scarlet, a deep flush spreading over her cheeks, but she was too flustered to respond.

Her hands instinctively pressed against his chest, and in a burst of instinct, she wriggled free, her breath coming in shallow gasps as she stumbled back a step, trying to regain her composure.

"W-whatever!" she shot back, her voice a mix of exasperation and something more fragile as she quickly headed inside, not daring to meet his gaze.

"Ayaka!" Akihiko called softly before she could close the door, his voice a hushed command, filled with an unspoken weight.

Ayaka paused, glancing back at him, confusion flickering across her face. "What is it?" she asked, her heart still pounding from the close contact.

He didn't move, his gaze locked on her as he spoke with surprising seriousness. "Make sure to call Ms. Fujimoto and Ms. Ito later. They're worried sick about you."

His tone was gentle but firm, a reminder of the bond they shared—one that extended beyond games, beyond all the laughter and teasing.

She blinked, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips despite herself. "Alright, alright~" she said, her voice softening.

"Good night, Akihiko. I had so much fun spending time with you." Her words were sincere, and for a moment, she stood there, looking at him with a look that lingered in her eyes—something more than just casual friendship, but not quite ready to surface.

As the door closed, Akihiko stood there for a moment, leaning casually against the frame, smiling to himself.