Want to be human, but cube-like

"Ellie, why don't we think about where we should go for fun later?"

If Aine didn't quickly find something else to distract herself, she was afraid that Alex would do something surprising again.

…………

Volume 1: Chapter 73 Seeing it reminds you of me!

In the end, it was Aine who decided their schedule.

In the afternoon, the crowds gradually increased. After strolling around the shopping street for less than ten minutes, Ai-yin, who was worried that Alex was carrying two musical instruments and might push herself, and who hadn't decided where to go yet, casually led her into a claw machine shop.

There are quite a few claw machine arcades in Ikebukuro; you can probably see one every few steps. They chose one with fewer customers.

Has Ellie ever played this?

Aiyin asked as she walked up to a claw machine filled with rabbit plush toys.

"No."

Alex looked around curiously, then shook her head.

Although she had never played it before, it didn't mean she didn't know how. Alex didn't say much. She gently placed the violin case at her feet and watched Aine walk over to demonstrate how to play.

"You can perform this operation once by inserting a coin."

Although it was supposed to be a demonstration, Ai Yin herself was quite enthusiastic. She pursed her lips, gripped the joystick, and put her expression on seriousness.

"

First, align the grappling hook with the toy you want, then…

Carefully pushing the joystick until it was aligned with a white rabbit plush toy in the machine, Aine nervously checked left and right to make sure it wasn't off-target.

"Okay! Then press the button!"

She checked it several times before pressing the button firmly.

Then, with eyes fixed on the grappling hook slowly descending, it gently gripped the rabbit toy and began to rise.

Infected by Aine's tense mood, Alex subconsciously focused her attention on gripping the grappling hook.

They held their breath in unison, their two little heads, one pink and one white, turning slightly as the hook moved, their eyes fixed on the swaying doll.

Then, after traveling only halfway, the rabbit plush toy, which was barely hanging on the hook, finally couldn't hold on any longer and with a snap, broke free from the hook and fell back into the machine.

"Failed?"

Alex whispered as she moved closer to Aine.

"Oh! This is just a demonstration! A demonstration of how to operate it!"

Aine, who was initially somewhat unwilling, changed her expression immediately upon hearing Alex's words.

"After all, if I just grab her all at once, wouldn't it be less fun for Ellie to play with her?"

With a serious expression, she smiled and gently pulled Alex's wrist, took a step back, and let her stand in front of the claw machine in her place.

"Okay, you should try it too."

Taking the coin from Aine and inserting it into the claw machine, Alex looked at the white rabbit plush toy that Aine hadn't managed to grab.

She gripped the joystick, which still retained the warmth of Aine's body. It touched her palm and felt slightly warm, but it was quickly replaced by Alex's own body heat.

The knowledge about operating this machine was transferred into her mind, but it was not much and its effect was almost non-existent. It merely accelerated her operating skills from the initial unfamiliarity to the point where she could fully grasp the movement of the grab hook.

This made Alex understand why Aine hadn't managed to catch the doll earlier.

Alex moved the grappling hook again, hovering above the white rabbit doll. Without even confirming the position, she pressed the button directly, displaying great confidence.

Because she knew that this time she would definitely fail again.

Sure enough, the grappling hook did indeed grab the doll very accurately, but it only moved a little distance before falling back down. Compared to the last time it moved, this time it was closer to the exit, but the doll stayed on the grappling hook for a very short time.

"I feel like I'm almost there, go Ellie!"

Aiyin came closer, handed her a few more coins, and encouraged her.

"No need for so many, just try twice more."

Alex took only two coins, putting the rest back into Aine's palm.

"Okay, let's try a few more times."

Aine didn't question her words, but simply smiled and put away the rest of the coins, watching Alex continue playing.

She turned around, inserted another one, and just like last time, casually moved the joystick over the rabbit doll and pressed the button.

This time, the grappling hook didn't even manage to grab the rabbit plushie completely; it only lifted it halfway before letting it wobble and fall back down.

"Hmm...aren't they saying that beginners can easily catch the plush toy on their first try?"

Noticing that she had failed again, Aine first glanced at Alex's expression and, seeing that she did not feel disappointed or resentful about the failure, then said something.

"This time it will be able to be clipped on."

Alex answered with great confidence.

However, to Ai Yin, it sounded like she was just being stubborn.

Quite cute.

Aine chuckled inwardly, then watched Alex drop another coin and fell silent.

At the same location, this time, Alex finally paused slightly. She tilted her head to confirm that the grappling hook was in the correct position before gently pressing the button.

Although she didn't think Alex would actually succeed in catching it this time, Aine still stared intently at the rabbit doll on the hook, subconsciously slowing her breathing, feeling a little nervous.

To her surprise, this time she actually managed to hold the white rabbit doll very steadily throughout the entire process, clamping it to the exit before releasing the hook and letting it fall.

Alex bent down and picked up the white rabbit doll that rolled out of the machine's bottom exit. She looked at it from side to side before handing it to Aine.

"Success!"

Although she had acted as if she had expected it, when she turned around, she still curled her lips and said to Aine with a smug look on her face.

"Ellie is amazing! How were you so sure you could catch them this time?"

After gently clapping her fingers and praising him, Ai Yin asked curiously.

"Hmm... I'm just guessing. Didn't Aine just say that beginners can easily catch the plush toy on their first try?"

After a slight hesitation, mindful of her own special circumstances, Alex did not reveal the truth, but instead smiled and gave a perfunctory reply.

"Eh……"

Aiyin drew out her words and pouted, but then she immediately showed Alex the rabbit doll she was holding.

"Look, doesn't this little white rabbit look just like you?"

The colors are indeed very similar, with the same pure white fur and those light red, crystalline eyes, reflecting a similar luster under the light.

Equally adorable.

"can you?"

Looking down at the few strands of hair on her chest, Alex then looked at the rabbit doll in Aine's hand. Their two red eyes stared at each other for a while before Alex tilted her head and asked.

"If Aine thinks it looks like me, then I'll give it to you. That way, maybe when Aine sees this rabbit in the future, she'll think of me?"

She blinked, and then said this.

Suddenly!

The pink-haired girl's heart skipped a beat.

She seemed to have been unconsciously provoked?

Looking into Alex's clear and innocent eyes, Aine had this thought pop into her mind.

…………

PS: Although it was supposed to be Xiangzi's turn, Aine's turn, etc., in the end, it seemed that all of their attacks were defended by Alex, who had no awareness of that aspect at all. On the contrary, Alex's unconscious attacks left the two of them powerless to fight back.

Volume 1: Chapter 74 A Hesitant Voice of Love

"Hmm... Ah, well, I need to grab a plush toy to give to Ellie too!"

Blinking, Ai Yin's delicate, gossamer eyelashes trembled, her gaze darting away. She responded with a meaningless nasal sound before replying somewhat hastily.

As she spoke, she walked towards the claw machine, wanting to win one that looked just like herself and give it to Alex.

However, there weren't many pink plush toys in the claw machine. Only the elephant and pig were pink. There was also a pink rabbit, but it was buried under several other plush toys, so it was probably impossible to catch.

Ai Yin stood there, frowning slightly, observing for a while without deciding which one to grab, and hesitated to put the coin in her hand.

Alex hesitated for a moment, then looked at Love.

He looked at the machine in front of him, then turned to look at the claw machine next to him, which also had animal plush toys. He quietly took a few steps closer, reached out, and touched it with his fingertips.

"Aine, how about we try this claw machine?"

Walking back, she gently tugged at Ai-yin's sleeve. Alex raised her index finger and pointed to the machine she had just touched.

Following Alex's fingertips, Aine looked over and saw a pink rabbit plush toy in the claw machine, positioned within reach of being grabbed.

"Good~"

Without a second thought, Ai-yin smiled and nodded, then walked over.

Alex picked up the violin case from the ground and followed closely behind.

But even the claw machine that Alex chose didn't seem to offer any advantage. Aine tried three times in a row but still couldn't grab the rabbit plushie. She puffed out her cheeks in frustration.

"call……"

Then, she let out a soft sigh of relief.

"Alright! That was just a test before, Ellie, watch closely! This time I'm going to get serious!"

She turned her head, her lips pursed, and said something to Alex before turning back to insert the fourth coin, staring intently at the grappling hook.

"……Um."

After a slight pause, Alex responded. She glanced at Aine's expression, then looked at the grappling hook, blinked, and said nothing.

No matter how hard Aine tried, she couldn't change the gripping force of the machine, and once again she watched helplessly as the pink rabbit doll fell halfway down.

"Goooo..."

With a small, reluctant cry, Aine looked at the few coins in her hand, hesitated for a moment, but quickly composed herself and put another coin in.

"Aine, let me help you catch it together."

This time, Alex stepped forward and stood close behind Aine. She gently covered Aine's hand holding the joystick with her palm and moved the joystick together with the latter.

"Maybe I can give you a little bit of the newbie bonus?"

That's what they say, but Alex is just worried that if Aine makes even the slightest mistake, she might have to flip the coin ten or even twenty more times before she gets another chance to succeed.

To avoid missing this opportunity, she still decided to help Aine.

"Eh?"

But Aine froze, completely unable to move.

Compared to the last time at the mobile phone store, when Alex stood behind her with her head close, this time she was even closer.

In order to hold Aine's small hand and the joystick, Alex pressed almost her entire body against Aine's back.

Last time, the pair of large rabbits barely touched her back, but this time, they were completely pressing down on her.

Aine could even feel the soft, supple texture pressed against her back, the intense heat emanating from Alex's embrace, enveloping her entire body. Every deformed mark from the pressure felt as if she were experiencing and touching it with the skin of her back.

Wow, so big... so soft...!

In an instant, Ai-yin's face turned bright red. She subconsciously took a deep breath, but all that remained in her nostrils was the pleasant scent of Alex, a blend of orange and jasmine with a delicate grapefruit fragrance. The pink-haired girl felt dizzy and almost forgot where she was, only knowing that her cheeks were burning hot.

"...AiAiAiLili?"

She stammered out a soft voice.

"what happened?"