[player]Okay, I have no problem with that if it's for your victory, Chiori. I accept! Let's do it!
[Chiori Mikami]Very good. Now start by studying the movements on the board!
Chiori Mikami and I begin to carefully study the rules of this board game that is played in teams of two...
At the board game parlor the next day
[Couple Opponent]Oh... we lost.
[player]Well played.
We come to the board game parlor as agreed and compete with the couple again. Thanks to yesterday's training, the "synergy" between Chiori Mikami and me has improved substantially. Although our opponents have an amazing synergy, it pales in comparison to our 100% perfect understanding.
[Couple Opponent A]Since it's the weekend, the best way to rest is naturally to play mahjong at home all day! How can you claim to understand me if you don't know that? Why did you choose to go out?
[Couple Opponent B]You idiot, the premise of the current plot is that we are trapped in a forest labyrinth for some unknown reason. Will you consider whether it's the weekend in this situation? Of course you need to make the most of your time and try to find the exit!
[Couple Opponent A]Come on, we should take things as they come. Doesn't it say that we can still connect to the Internet? That should mean it isn't that dangerous. If we play mahjong, we might even get a reminder from one of the NPCs we are playing against!
[Couple Opponent B]Hah! Your fanciful thinking is beyond my understanding... We'll follow your decision then!
Due to scenarios like those, they ended up making different decisions, which resulted in their game characters entering a dead end in the plot. Alternatively, they wasted too much time arguing about what decision to make and missed many opportunities to get shortcuts.
As a result, we quickly win the board game and escape the labyrinth of Heart Map by reaching the destination.
Chiori Mikami is really happy after winning the game. As she is thirsty, I go to buy her a drink while she is excitedly reflecting on everything that happened in the game.
After I arrive at the vending machine selling drinks in front of the board game parlor, I happened to meet the couple who we just played against. When they see me, they walk over to me quickly.
[Couple Opponent A]It's you? Thanks for the match we played earlier.
[player]Huh?
He's... thanking me even though he lost?
[Couple Opponent A]Although we lost, we had such an amazing experience! It's much better to make the wrong move in a game than in real life. Isn't that right, babe?
[Couple Opponent B]Yeah, sometimes losing is a good thing.
Probably because my confusion is too obvious, they start explaining things to me.
[Couple Opponent A]We got a lot of new inspirations after losing this game.
[Couple Opponent B]Because this board game is created with authentic emotional interactions in mind, the crossroads you encounter while playing Heart Map are real situations that you might encounter with your lover in real life... Without being pushed by external pressure, you might never realize that there are still so many things you need to work out or that your lover might have ideas you never knew about.
[player]Ahaha, I see...
The relative relationship between winning and losing, huh? As I listen to their conversation, I seem to remember something I mentioned casually before and realize that there is a deeper meaning I hadn't noticed...
After I wave goodbye to the lovey-dovey couple, I return to Chiori Mikami with two cold drinks.
[Chiori Mikami]Hehehe...
Chiori Mikami is in a very good mood and is taking a photo of the board game representing her victory so she can make a post on CatChat. Recalling the words of the couple from before, I ask her a question tentatively.
[player]Chiori, do you like this Heart Map game?
[Chiori Mikami]Hmm? Do I like it? Um... not particularly. I just heard that this game has been really popular recently. I played it two times, and it's so easy to devise a strategy to win.
I knew it. To Chiori Mikami who is only 14 years old, the concept of "winning from losing and losing from winning" is too difficult to understand.
To the contrary, Chiori Mikami pats me instead.
[Chiori Mikami]You did well this time, PLAYER. There are many more interesting board games. Let's play a more difficult one next time!
[player]Yeah, sure.
This incident quickly becomes an ordinary event in our daily lives. And when I mention it to her later by chance, she doesn't even seem to remember it.
