Chapter 93: Moving in Together (1)
The game on the screen came to life. It was straightforward—centered around a short storyline with two characters. These characters were controlled by Amelia and Mikael. The gameplay itself was simple: hide, shoot, and reload, with the objective being to eliminate as many enemies as possible without dying. As they defeated enemies, the storyline progressed, adding small twists to keep them engaged.
And so, they played, fully immersed and laughing along the way. Whenever one of their characters died, they used the coins Mikael had brought to revive them. Time slipped away unnoticed as they focused on beating the game and having fun.
When the game finally ended, Amelia grinned smugly. "I won! My score is 12,430, and yours is 11,976!"
Mikael shook his head, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Yeah, yeah, you're a true sniper, aren't you?"
Before Amelia could retort, Lyra cut in, her voice shy yet eager. "Looks like it's my turn."
Mikael stood up, gesturing toward his seat. "Go ahead and take my place. After all, I'm the loser here, and it's only fair for the winner to keep playing."
Amelia chuckled as she joined the conversation. "Maybe we should find another game similar to this one. We've already finished the storyline, though I admit we didn't exactly play it the 'proper' way. I doubt the developers intended for anyone to use more than ten coins on a single run."
Her words made Mikael and Lyra smile. The trio then wandered to another metallic booth with a different design. This time, the theme was dinosaurs. Intrigued, they decided to give it a try.
Amelia and Lyra played together while Mikael watched. Amelia, unlike before, wasn't in her competitive mode; she simply focused on having fun with Lyra. By the end, Amelia had accumulated significantly more points than Lyra, but neither cared. The experience was about enjoying the moment.
The trio continued exploring the arcade, moving from game to game. They were so absorbed in their activities that they didn't notice the hours passing. Before they knew it, the afternoon had transitioned into the late evening.
When their stomachs began to rumble, they decided to grab something to eat. They headed to a restaurant within the Academy grounds, paying with credits. The meal was delicious, and they chatted happily, extending the pleasant mood of their day.