Riku stared at the screen, his avatar lying face-down in the game, completely wiped out. For the fifth time in a row.
This can't be happening.
He clutched his controller tighter, his fingers gripping the buttons like they owed him money. His once smooth confidence had now been replaced by a rising sense of panic.
Aiko, that cool, mysterious girl who barely even knew he existed—was now making him look like a total noob. And worse? She wasn't even trying hard.
"Aiko… you're not even breaking a sweat," Riku muttered, his voice barely audible over the sound of his character getting obliterated.
Aiko: "You seem surprised. I told you I'm good. Are you sure you're the 'top' player around here?"
Riku couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh. The whole thing was like a train wreck. His online friends had been watching the game too, and he could practically feel their judgment through the screen.
Kenta (in the chat): "Bro… are you sure you're the top player? Or have you just been lying to everyone? Maybe you should ask Aiko for some tips."
Riku: "Shut up, Kenta. I'm just warming up, okay?"
Riku quickly adjusted his position, trying to mask his mounting frustration. This was just a fluke, right? There was no way Aiko was actually better than him, right?
The game started again, and he immediately charged forward with a new, "smarter" strategy. He'd cornered her in a perfect position—he was finally going to make a comeback.
Aiko, however, didn't even flinch.
Aiko: "You really think you're going to beat me with that move? I can see that from a mile away."
And then, with the swiftest flick of her thumb, she obliterated his character. Again.
Riku: "This is rigged."
Later That Day
Riku slumped into his seat at lunch the next day, his usual swagger nowhere to be found. He could still hear Aiko's smug little comment echoing in his head: "I can see that from a mile away."
"Dude, you look like you just got hit by a truck," Kenta commented, plopping down across from him. "You're not still crying about that game, are you? It was just a friendly match."
"Friendly match?!" Riku said, voice rising with frustration. "She wiped the floor with me, Kenta! I've never been so humiliated in my life! And she's not even trying! I'm supposed to be the 'top' player around here!"
Kenta smirked. "Well, maybe you should stick to what you're actually good at, like—oh, I don't know—looking good? You know, maybe you could impress Aiko with that."
"Shut up," Riku muttered. He'd heard the same thing a hundred times from Kenta and his other friends. They didn't get it. This wasn't about looking good—it was about proving to Aiko that he was more than just the "cool guy" everyone saw.
Riku took a bite of his sandwich, but his mind was elsewhere—Aiko's smug face, as she destroyed his avatar again and again. He couldn't shake it. She wasn't supposed to be this good.
That Afternoon
Riku, determined to make a comeback, decided that he needed to do something extreme. He could not go down without trying something bolder. The plan was simple—he was going to show Aiko that he was not just some flashy, easy-to-defeat guy. He was a true gamer. A true master.
The next day, during their lunch break, he walked up to her with his usual confidence, or at least he tried to. He had spent the last hour prepping for his big moment.
"Aiko," he said, flashing her his best winning smile, "how about another round of games tonight? I've got some new strategies up my sleeve."
Aiko looked up from her book, raising an eyebrow. "Oh? New strategies? I'm intrigued…"
Riku grinned. "Yeah. You're going down, Aiko. This time, I'm playing for real."
Aiko smirked. "Sure. I'll be waiting. But don't expect me to go easy on you."
"Don't worry," Riku said, feeling a strange burst of confidence. "I'm ready this time. You'll see what I'm made of."
That Night – The Rematch
Riku prepared himself for the final battle. His fingers hovered over the keys as he watched Aiko log in, the screen flashing her gamer ID—Aiko_TheMaster—just as it had the night before.
She's definitely going to regret this, he thought, grinning to himself.
The match started, and this time, Riku didn't mess around. He was on fire. He moved with precision, made calculated strikes, and felt like he was finally getting the upper hand. For a moment, he thought he was actually going to win.
But Aiko, with that calm, deadly focus, was still one step ahead. He'd barely finished his victory dance when his character was flattened by a well-timed ambush.
Aiko: "Nice try. You're getting a little better, though. Maybe you should actually learn how to play this game properly."
Riku's jaw dropped. "What?! Again?! I had you! This game is rigged! You have to be cheating!"
Aiko laughed, her voice warm but with that classic playful edge. "Nope. Just better than you. But hey, good try. You're learning."
Riku slammed his controller down in frustration. "This is impossible!"
But deep down, he knew: she wasn't wrong. He was getting better. Slowly, painfully, but surely.