Ephemeral Ability Reflects the Heart

「I feel sorry for you, but I think it's unlikely that you'll make it into the top ten in the end」

「Eh, really?」

「Yes, there are people with a cooling ability or something like that」

But they estimate that there will be a few who can beat "Time: Infinite" by turning boiling water into water or ice, or the one who can endure for a long time by modifying their bodies to be more heat-resistant, as well as a few who can surpass Chihiro simply by their guts.

It is a bit unreasonable, though it is mutual.

After receiving a towel as a prize, Chihiro left the classroom and thought to himself.

「Next time, let's do it in a place where it won't hurt」

「But you said if you want to do it, you don't have to be picky」

「Just do it」

「Uh, yeah」

Just in time, they found a [Ring Toss] and went in.

It was a more peaceful place than the previous two. For each play, the player receives five rings, which he/she throws into a pole located away from the designated line. There are several poles of different thicknesses, shapes, and distances from the line, ranging from one to ten points.

The higher the score, the better the prize. 

「300 yen a round...」

「But the prizes are good, aren't they?」

As it is said, the selection of prizes is much better than that of candy bars and towels.

The prize for disappointment is a discount coupon for the next time they visit this store, but on the top of the table are some fancy key rings and accessories. There's a wide selection of other stuff, too.

「Oh, a cute stuffed animal」

Aika's attention was caught by a number of stuffed dolls in different sizes.

They were indeed adorable, and the largest one was barely big enough for Aika to hold in her arms.

It seems that the bigger stuffed dolls require almost a perfect score.

「Let's give it a try」

「Yes」

Aika tried first.

She looked at the pole intently, and her first throw was not far enough and fell in front of the ten-point pole.

「...Muu~」

The second throw went too far in the opposite direction. And as the third throw was bounced off the pole, Aika changed her mind and put one in the one-point pole and one in the five-point pole, and received the candy.

「Chihiro-kun, could you avenge me?」

「Uhh... I'll do my best」

Compared to his match with Kamishiro, he told himself, "A target that doesn't move is nothing compared to a match with Kamishiro".

However, fighting and ring-throwing are completely different in nature. The point is to throw with a simple snap of the arm, but the distance, height, and direction need to be matched.

In addition, the rings are protected by vinyl tape to prevent accidents, and this is done by hand to change the weight balance of each ring. For an average person who is not particularly athletic like him, the best he could do was to put in the ten-point pole once in five attempts.

「Yes. Please choose the prize for the ten points from this selection of snacks」

「Thank you very much... hmm?」

「Wait, Chihiro-kun」

As Chihiro was about to reach for one of the candy bars in the line, Aika grabbed his hand.

She offers her own candy with her other hand, tilting her head and saying.

「Can't I give you this and ask you to give me a discount coupon for the disappointment prize?

「No, this is fine」

The staff at the ring toss shop chuckled at the latter's confirmation.

...Why bother getting a disappointment prize when she can get a candy bar?

Chihiro thought about it for a moment.

「Do you want to do it again?」

「Yeah. I think I'll do better the second time」

For the prize, they dare to choose a discount coupon and try again until they get what they want.

This way, they can reduce the amount of money they spend per try, and they will be able to get the high priced item in the end, which they think is a win-win situation.

.......in a way, it seems like Aika is a very steady person.

The staff's mouth was twisted, but apparently Chihiro and Aika didn't realize that it was a "trick".

Anyway, if there are customers who keep trying until they succeed, the store can continue to make money just by giving out discount coupons that cost nothing but paper money. If in the end the customer does not get the item he or she is looking for, it is a total loss for the customer.

「As long as it's fun, no problem」

「Would you like to throw too?」

「Yes. Aika, let's take turns」

In the end, they each tried the ring toss five times, for a total of ten times. Aika used the discount coupon that Chihiro had given her, and Chihiro used the coupon that Aika had given him, and so on, until the two of them had spent about 2,200 yen together.

「One tiny stuffed toy?」

「But it was nice to get it」

Chihiro smiles and comforts Aika, who seems to have realized that it was not worth it once she cooled down.

She looked at him with questioning eyes.

「Chihiro-kun, did you know this would happen?」

「No, I didn't. I thought we might be able to get it if we tried hard」

「I see. But maybe I'm not cut out for gambling」

When he thinks back, Aika had a tendency to go overboard with her feelings even in the case that led to their relationship. Perhaps her deep compassionate nature affected her in this way as well.

Chihiro may have to stop her when the time comes.

Well, that is, if they share each other's wallets.

「You spent more time on this than I thought you would」

「Yes. ...Well, let's stop playing and have a bite to eat, shall we? We won't be able to eat while we're on shift」

「Yes, I agree」

They had just come down to the third grade classrooms, so they went out through the first floor elevator. Most of the food items are sold at outdoor stalls, so they are purchased there.

For the time being, they had a light meal... which turned out to be a strange combination of potato butter and chocolate banana. In addition, they also buy a drink.

「Students get a 50 yen discount, so show your student ID card if you like」

「Really? Okay, then...」

The terminal offered to them scanned their student ID cards, and they paid the discounted fee.

And after finding an empty bench, they stuffed their stomachs with food. Despite the fact that the foods were made by amateurs, the potato butter was hot and the chocolate banana was delicious with a good amount of chocolate.

And it is the taste of the festival.

In no time at all, they had finished eating, and it was just time to throw away the garbage.

「Well then...」

「Time to go to work. Good luck, Chihiro-kun」

He took Aika's offered hand and walked back to the entrance of the elevator.