The soft chime of the door closed behind them as Kokoro and Mika stepped out of the sweet-scented crepe shop and back into the vivid chaos of the amusement park. The sounds hit them instantly—a blend of lively chatter, excited squeals, distant mechanical whirring, and the occasional scream that pierced the air from rides far beyond their line of sight. The sun was still bright above, casting warm golden light that reflected off colorful signboards and balloons dancing on vendor carts.
Mika took a deep breath and smiled, her expression soft and thoughtful for a moment. Her arms were still curled tightly around Kokoro's like ivy, and she leaned into him slightly.
"Let's not ride anything for now," she said, her tone considerate. "We just ate, and you still look like you've been through a war."
Kokoro coughed, scratching the back of his neck. "Yeah… probably for the best. I don't want to make headlines for repainting a roller coaster seat."
Mika giggled, her laughter like wind chimes in the breeze. With her mood now brimming with new excitement, she tugged Kokoro toward a broad section of the park filled with carnival-style booths, bright awnings, and hanging signs announcing various mini games in big bold letters.
This corner of the amusement park had a different charm altogether. It lacked the dizzying heights and deafening roars of the rides but made up for it with energy and heart. Laughter spilled freely here—from children tossing rings wildly, teenagers daring each other at the shooting stalls, and couples trying (and failing) to win oversized plushies while pretending they weren't taking it seriously.
Every booth was a miniature world of its own.
To Kokoro's right, a boy missed all three of his shots at a can pyramid and shouted in exaggerated agony, only for his little sister to knock it down in one go and jump up and down with pride. On the other side, a pair of girls squealed after winning twin frog plushies and took a selfie with exaggerated victory poses.
Mika smiled as if soaking it all in, her arms now twined even more firmly around Kokoro's. Then she pointed toward one particular booth—Ring Toss. Her eyes sparkled with the kind of delight that only came when the prize was in sight.
"Let's try this one!"
The ring toss stand was decorated in pastel colors with streamers and strings of LED lights, and it displayed a collection of adorable prizes: small plush animals, bigger anime-themed ones, and a top-shelf prize—an absurdly fluffy elephant with stitched stars for eyes and a pink ribbon tied around its trunk.
The attendant, a bubbly woman with dyed red hair and a toothy grin, welcomed them cheerfully. "Oh my! What a lovely couple you two make!" she said, hands clapping together. "Let's see if you can win something for the lady—nothing says perfect match like a prize from here!"
Mika smiled but didn't reply. Kokoro gave a polite nod while inwardly noting how obviously the woman was trying to upsell them. Still, it was her job, and there was a nostalgic charm to it.
"I'll go first," Kokoro offered, rolling up his sleeve.
The woman handed him three plastic rings, cool to the touch and slightly weighted. Kokoro stepped forward to the marked line. The goal was simple: toss the rings and land them over narrow glass bottles standing upright in a field of dozens. But the simplicity was a lie—Kokoro knew this. He'd seen this in manga. He'd written scenes like this before. He knew full well how tricky it really was.
Still… he had pride.
And Mika was watching.
He narrowed his eyes and fixed his stance. With the first ring in hand, he focused. The air around him faded, muffled by the sound of his own breath. Just need the right arc… account for bounce… don't over-rotate…
He tossed the first ring. It soared through the air with satisfying precision… only to bounce off the bottleneck and clatter harmlessly onto the floor.
"Huh." He blinked. "Okay. Warming up."
Mika giggled softly behind him, but said nothing.
He readjusted, flexing his fingers. The second ring went up—cleaner arc, tighter spin—but this time it landed too far and skimmed over the target completely. His jaw twitched.
"…Okay. That one was the wind."
"Kokoro," Mika whispered behind him, her voice teasing and silky, "I believe in you."
He didn't know whether that was helping or sabotaging his nerves, but he went for the final toss.
He narrowed his stance again, tongue sticking out slightly from the corner of his mouth. A perfect flick of the wrist, a perfect angle—
Clink. It bounced off two bottles before spiraling away into defeat.
"…Noooope."
"Too bad!" the attendant chimed, not missing a beat. "So close! But hey—practice makes perfect! Next!"
Kokoro sighed, defeated, rubbing the back of his neck as Mika gently uncurled her arms from his and stepped forward, already receiving her set of three rings.
"Let me show you how it's done," she said with a glint of competitive fire.
Kokoro watched as she took a moment, analyzing the setup like a seasoned strategist. She didn't aim wildly. She didn't force it.
Her first toss—a clean arc, soft bounce, and click. Right over the bottleneck. Landed perfectly.
Kokoro's eyes widened. "What—?!"
Second toss—slightly adjusted angle. Click. Another one landed.
By now, a small group of onlookers had turned to watch.
The third toss missed slightly, but Mika didn't seem bothered at all. Her face was radiant with satisfaction, glowing in the afternoon sun. The attendant clapped in delight.
"Well done! That's a winner! Choose your prize, sweetie!"
Mika looked up at the array of plushies, hand on her chin. She pointed.
"That one," she said, eyes locked on the star-eyed elephant plushie.
It was lifted from the top shelf and placed in her arms. The plush was almost too big for her frame, but she hugged it tightly with childish joy.
She turned to Kokoro, beaming. "This one's mine. I'm naming him 'Koro-chan.'"
Kokoro blinked. "Why…?"
"Because he's cute and kinda clumsy like someone I know," she said sweetly, brushing his arm.
He sighed, but couldn't help but smile as Mika wrapped her arms around his again, plushie in tow.
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The afternoon sun had begun to tilt westward, casting soft orange hues over the amusement park as the shadows grew longer and the lights from various stalls began to flicker awake—creating a dreamy contrast of color and movement. The minigame section was as lively as ever, brimming with joy and the mingled scent of caramel popcorn, roasted nuts, and warm soda fizz.
Kokoro and Mika strolled leisurely through the rows of minigame booths, Kokoro now carrying Mika's elephant plushie—Koro-chan, as she dubbed it—tucked under one arm while Mika still clung to his other. The mood between them was light, playful, and surprisingly calm after the chaos of the roller coaster and the crepe shop antics.
But then…
A cluster of voices caught their attention.
"He's gonna do it!"
"Come on, bro! You got this!"
A small crowd had gathered around one of the central minigames near a raised platform. The towering contraption gleamed under the sunlight—a High Strike game. The setup was dramatic and classic: a large, vertical pole with numbers painted along its height, a pressure plate trigger at its base, and a bell at the top daring challengers to reach it.
A burly teenager stood at the base, flexing his muscles and adjusting his grip on the large wooden mallet. His friends—equally loud, equally hopeful—cheered and clapped rhythmically.
With a showman's flair, the teen raised the mallet above his head, took a deep breath, and swung it down in a single, committed arc. It landed with a heavy thunk that sent a reverberating echo into the air… the puck rocketed upward… rising… almost… almost—
It fell short. Just shy of the bell.
"Aww, so close!" someone from the crowd muttered.
The teen slumped and scratched the back of his neck, laughing off the miss while his friends groaned in disbelief.
Kokoro was about to move along when he felt Mika's eyes on him.
"Hey," she said, nudging him with her elbow, a sly smile curving her lips. "You should try it."
Kokoro raised an eyebrow. "Me?"
Mika nodded eagerly, putting on her best innocent expression—though the glint in her eyes betrayed her mischief. "I really like the prize they're offering," she said, clasping her hands together like she was pleading. "And besides, isn't it a boyfriend's job to win cute things for his girl?"
Kokoro exhaled, already sensing he wasn't going to get out of this. "Fine, fine. I'll give it a shot."
With a gentle shake of his head and a faint smile, he stepped forward toward the high-strike game, squeezing past the loosening crowd. Mika stood just behind the ring of spectators, clasping Koro-chan to her chest and practically bouncing on her feet.
The game's manager—a middle-aged man with a sunhat and suspenders—looked up as Kokoro approached. His eyes twinkled with the unmistakable gleam of showmanship.
"Well, look at that! A new challenger!" he called out with flair, spreading his arms like a stage host. "Why don't you test your strength, young man? And hey, if you ring the bell, not only do you get a prize…" he gestured toward Mika, "…but you just might win the heart of that lovely lady watching you."
Kokoro blinked, his face blooming red. "She's already—never mind." He fished out the necessary coins and handed them over, then stepped up onto the small platform where the mallet waited.
The crowd quieted slightly, watching with idle curiosity.
Kokoro grabbed the handle of the mallet, testing its weight with a single-handed lift. It was heavy, sure, but nothing unmanageable. He adjusted his stance naturally, shoulders straight, spine aligned, legs firm. It wasn't cocky. It wasn't dramatic. But something in the way he stood sent a quiet ripple through the crowd.
He raised the mallet slowly.
Mika watched from the back, her eyes wide. She'd seen him serious before—but not like this. There was a silent sharpness in him now, a presence that felt… solid, like he'd momentarily cast off the gentle, awkward veil he wore in public. He looked like someone who could shatter stone.
Kokoro exhaled.
Then, with a perfect motion—smooth as a pendulum, controlled like a practiced swordsman—he brought the mallet down.
BOOM.
The impact cracked like a gunshot.
The ground trembled beneath the machine as the puck shot up like a bolt of lightning. The crowd collectively gasped as it blurred past the highest number—then struck the bell at the top with a resounding clang that rang out across the area like a ceremonial gong.
DINGGGG!
Silence.
For a moment, nobody said a word. Then someone near the back muttered: "Holy crap…"
Another followed with: "Did you see that swing?! That wasn't normal…"
The manager blinked rapidly, his jaw working to catch up with the reality. Then, after regaining his composure, he beamed.
"We have a WINNER!!"
The crowd erupted into applause and whistles as Kokoro casually rested the mallet back in place. He didn't puff his chest or strike a pose. He just looked over to Mika, cheeks slightly flushed, rubbing the back of his neck in his usual modest way.
Mika, meanwhile, was stunned. Her mouth had parted slightly in amazement. But when Kokoro's eyes met hers, she lit up.
She sprinted forward and threw her arms around him—well, his arm, since Koro-chan the elephant was still in her embrace.
"That was amazing!" she said, voice bubbling with pride. "You didn't even look like you tried!"
Kokoro chuckled. "I didn't not try…"
The game manager approached with a large plush in his arms—a deep blue whale plushie, nearly half the size of Mika. It had sleepy eyes and a goofy smile stitched into its face, giving it a calm, lazy charm.
"Here you go, champ," the manager said, handing it over. "One lucky whale for one strong boyfriend. You earned it."
Mika took the whale with shining eyes. "His name is Blubby!"
Kokoro smirked. "Blubby?"
Mika nodded seriously. "Yes. Blubby and Koro-chan are now brothers."
Kokoro sighed with a small smile, watching her hug both plushies against her chest.
The crowd gradually dispersed, and the sounds of the park returned to normal. But in the little moment between heartbeats, Mika's eyes lingered on Kokoro, her gaze soft and proud. She didn't say it aloud, but her heart did:
You're mine.