The Final Play

Iwase found himself in an increasingly awkward position. As he approached the entrance of the shop, his heart was pounding. His eyes met those of Roxy and Akane, who were watching him with a mix of curiosity and mockery.

"Iwase!" Roxy exclaimed with a mocking smile. "What a surprise to find you here. Are you a fan of this game too?"

Iwase gulped with difficulty. "Eh, yeah, of course. I've always been a fan of MMORPGs."

Akane walked over and looked him up and down. "My, my. And who knew that the great Iwase Ishikawa had his hobbies too?"

Iwase felt cornered. He knew that if he said the wrong thing, they would become the target of their mockery for weeks. He decided to change the subject.

"Hey, Roxy, what character are you going to create?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

Roxy smiled. "I'm going to be a dark elf. And you, Iwase? Will you be a brave knight or perhaps a powerful wizard?"

Iwase hesitated for a moment. "Eh, I haven't quite decided yet."

The line moved slowly, and the tension between Iwase and the girls was rising. He felt like he was in a horror movie, waiting for the moment they would attack him.

Akane walked over and looked him up and down. "My, my. And who knew that the great Iwase Ishikawa had his hobbies too?"

Iwase turned bright red. "Eh, yeah, of course. I've always been a fan of MMORPGs."

Roxy laughed. "Of course I have, especially MMORPGs where you can run around the university hallways in your underwear and harass girls."

Iwase was petrified. He couldn't believe she mentioned that incident again!

"Hey, I didn't mean to..." he tried to defend himself, but Roxy cut him off.

"Of course not! It was a total accident. Like when you fell on me in the library, remember?"

Iwase felt himself sinking into his seat. He had completely forgotten about that incident.

Just as Iwase was about to explode, the line finally moved forward. With a sigh of relief, he entered the store and headed to the games section.