Today, I'm heading to the nearby park with a specific goal in mind: to befriend a kid. It sounds simple enough, but there's one important detail to consider. Deep down, I know I'm not just an ordinary child.
I can't say I'm old, as I'm not even thirty when you combine the ages from both of my lives, but I still feel uncomfortable mingling with kids. The few I have been able to tolerate have mostly been girls—not because I'm some kind of creep like the ones my former friends used to talk about, but simply because I find male kids my age to be rather immature. Sure, I can play a few games with them, but it doesn't take long before they start picking their noses, farting, or engaging in conversations that don't interest me.
On the other hand, female kids tend to display a bit more maturity, and they trigger my "cute aggression"—a lot. I often find myself wanting to stretch a girl's little red cheeks and squeeze them. Yes, it might sound strange, but it's not without precedent.
In my past life, I had various cats, and they were all so adorable that I couldn't help but pinch their faces or surprise them by picking them up. Even with my newborn cousin, I couldn't resist squeezing her while she was in my arms... the few times I endured her.
There's a reason for this… It's likely because this is some kind of anime world, where everyone tends to be more beautiful or cuter than in reality. If this is indeed an anime, I don't know anything about it and prefer not to find out more, even if I stumble upon clues.
It's amusing to think about. My essence has granted me gamer powers, which could help me determine if this is indeed true... but I don't want to find out.
In any case, let's see if I can find a kid who isn't too unpleasant to talk to and play with so I can make a new friend.
---
The park was full of kids playing around. I wondered who would be my companion for the day. As I observed them, my gaze fell on a little girl with green eyes, holding something in her hands. She was looking at the other kids, and I could feel her indecision about what to do.
So, I decided to approach her. "Hey, you!" I called out.
The girl was startled and looked around before pointing to herself. "Yes, you! Are those badminton rackets?"
At my question, I could see stars appearing in her eyes.
"Yes! Do you want to play?!" she replied eagerly. The seemingly timid girl had transformed into someone full of energy.
"Well, I've never played before, but sure, I'm interested," she said, handing me one of her two rackets. We moved to an area without kids and began to play with the badminton shuttlecock.
[New skill learned: [Badminton]]
[Badminton Lv.1->2]
[Badminton Lv.2->3]
[Badminton Lv.3->4]
Once I got the hang of it, we started talking between volleys.
"So, do you like badminton?" I asked.
"Yes! It's really fun! My mum is really good at it!"
"Oh, then it's in your blood?"
"Mmh? What does that mean?"
"It means that both you and your mother enjoy badminton."
"Oh! Then yes! We love badminton!"
To make the game more interesting, I suggested, "Playing like this is a bit boring; let's add a twist. Every time the shuttlecock falls, we can ask one question."
"Sounds fun!" she said enthusiastically.
We continued to play, and after I made an error, the shuttlecock fell.
"Since you got the point, you ask the first question," I told her.
She made a cute, pensive face before having a 'eureka!' moment. "How old are you?"
Pretty standard question, I thought. "I'm six, almost seven years old."
We kept playing until her father picked her up. I learned that she was seven, her parents were childhood friends, and she loved badminton and a mascot named Wei Wei. I shared that my parents were divorced but had married after being together since high school, and that I enjoyed anime and various games.
Midway through our session, I decided to stop us from asking 'boring' questions. I discovered that she once destroyed her grandma's flower field while playing badminton, blaming it on the neighbor's dog. She mentioned she liked "funny numbers" but not her teacher, and got scolded for wearing her mom's perfume.
I told her that my sister, Yuki, was the coolest person in the world, and how I felt good when the class bully got scolded by his mother for receiving a 30 in math. I even mentioned that the 650 yen I spent on a whoopee cushion for a prank on my grandpa was money well spent.
Just as she was getting ready to leave the park, I had a sudden realization and ran after her.
[Run Lv.11->12]
"Hey! What's your name?" I called, breathless.
The girl looked confused at my sudden appearance, but then it hit her that we hadn't introduced ourselves.
"My name is Ayano, Hanesaki Ayano. What's yours?"
"My name is Masachika, Masachika Kuze."
I almost told her my last name was Suou, but after my grandfather's long and boring speech, I figured it was best to distance myself from that name. Besides, Kuze is now my legal family name.
"Then, Masachika, see you next time?" she asked.
I smiled and waved. "Yeah, see you next time. And I'll make sure you play seriously!"
"It's a promise then!" she replied.
I watched her walk away before I also began to head back. Hanesaki Ayano... why did that name seem familiar?