"Have you been playing the new VR game?"

"Which one?"

"<World Line>, obviously! What other VR game is in the news?"

"Well, the newest Fishing Simulator game just came out with the deep ocean update, so-"

"Tch. You and your fishing... no wonder you got catfished on your date."

"Hey!"

Listening into the conversation between a pair of businessmen on the train in front of her, Rin smiled, trying her best not to laugh.

It was afternoon on January 10, 2025. A Friday, and two days after V-Show Girls debuted.

It was also the first real time the Prototype girls had to spend time together without any obligations or people hovering in concern.

Since the Prodigy girls were planning a big collab stream later that evening to celebrate memberships opening, the Prototype girls were free since they wanted to give the spotlight to their kouhais.

Which led to the current situation of Rin, Asako, and Alphy riding the train to Akihabara.

Asako glanced over at the two businessman who were talking before muttering, "I still think we should have driven there. Akiba is only a few minutes away from Tokyo."

Rin glanced at her older sister and whispered back. "Yes, but don't you want to do normal things every now and then, Aneue?"

Asako shook her head and said, "Never been normal, Sis. Besides." She rubbed her arm and said, "The last time I tried doing a normal thing, I bumped into John."

Rin blinked. "Huh? You bumped into Mister John?"

"Hm?" Asako tilted her head and said, "Did I not tell you? Could have sworn I did..."

At that time, a small chime echoed, shortly followed by an announcement over the intercom.

"Akihabara Station. Now arriving at Akihabara Station. Please be cautious as you depart the train."

The train came to a gentle stop. Shortly after, the doors opened.

Asako sighed and said, "Finally." She brushed past the other passengers and walked off first.

Rin watched her older sister rush off and shook her head with a bemused smile.

Out of the three, Asako was the most nervous about going about in public.

Rin wondered for a bit if it was because Asako was worried someone would recognize her for her yakuza past instead of for being Aoko... But then she realized that it was probably because Asako still was shy about being an idol.

Seeing Asako quickly rush off and act super suspicious, Rin decided to grab Alphy so that they wouldn't lose Asako.

Looking over at Alphy, Rin grabbed her hand and said, "Let's go, Onee-chan!"

"Hm?" Alphy blinked and looked back at Rin. "Sorry, Rin. Did we already arrive?"

Alphy looked a bit out of it.

Rin was concerned, but seeing the crowd on the train slowly disperse... and seeing Asako's figure start to shrink in the distance, she decided to ignore it for a bit and just leave with Alphy.

Tugging Alphy along, Rin said, "Come on! We need to hurry before Aneue disappears!"

Alphy blinked, taking one last glance back into the train. But then she looked at Rin and said, "Got it! Let's hurry and catch Asa-chan!"

A stand of gachapon machines at the end of the station. Asako stood in front of them with her arms crossed, pointedly ignoring the people staring at her.

The moment that she saw Rin and Alphy get close, she let out a long sigh and uncrossed her arms, walking over. "About time you two got here! Do you know how awkward it is standing around in a place like this by yourself?"

Rin shrugged and said, "You're the one who ran off all suspicious like that, Aneue."

Asako's face flushed and she rubbed her left arm. "I-I was nervous, okay?" Her eyes darted around, eyeing the surroundings. "I'm not used to being in crowds like this after... you know?"

Rin tilted her head. "...I don't?"

Asako groaned and then said, "You know! That?"

"...That?"

Asako glanced around again and then leaned forward, whispering in a hushed voice. "Being Aoko, idiot!"

Rin blinked, processing the information. Then she gave Asako a deadpan look and said, "Aneue. You're weird."

"I'm the weird one?!"

Rin nodded and then pointed at Alphy. "See? Onee-chan's doing fine."

While Asako was venting, Alphy had walked over to the gachapon machines, carefully staring at the descriptions.

Since the machines were by the train, the banners were bright and eyecatching, advertising a big jackpot prize of an overseas trip to Hawaii along with smaller jackpot prizes of designer clothing.

Asako noticed Alphy staring and then walked over. "You know you won't win anything, right, Alphy?"

Rin quickly followed Asako and said, "You don't need to be a spoilsport, Aneue. And also, we aren't finished with our conversation yet."

Alphy pulled out a small panda wallet from her pocket before opening it. Grabbing a few hundred yen coins, she glanced at Asako and said, "I know I probably won't win, Asa-chan. But it's fun to test your luck every now and then, isn't it?"

Asako sighed and then crossed her arms. "Whatever. It's your money you're throwing away."

Rin puffed her cheeks and said, "Now you're just ignoring me, Aneue? Some big sis you are. Just because you and Onee-chan are a couple now doesn't mean you can neglect me!"

Asako immediately turned a beet red and said, "W-What do you mean we're a couple?!"

Alphy put some coins into one of the gachapon machines and then looked back at Asako. "...We're not a couple, Asa-chan?"

"No! I mean... y-yes... but..." Asako started to stammer. But then she saw Rin starting to smirk. "You brat!" Asako lunged at Rin, trying to get her into a headlock. "Stop teasing me! Show some respect for your big sister!"

Rin easily ducked away from Asako and giggled. "But it's so fun~! No wonder everyone likes teasing you so much, Aneue!"

Asako stopped trying to grab Rin after a few more attempts and then just stood there, arms crossed and glaring.

At that time, there was a soft *clunk* as a capsule fell down from the gachapon machine.

Alphy pulled it out and then tilted her head. "...It's gold?"

Asako immediately looked over. She stared at the capsule for a bit before slowly looking back at the banner.

An advertisement about a family trip to Hawaii as the jackpot. And the indicator of drawing that trip... was a gold capsule.

The same that Alphy had just pulled.

Rin gasped and clapped her hands. "You did it, Onee-chan!"

Alphy carefully rolled the capsule over in her hands with a bright smile on her face. After looking at the banner one more time, she turned back to Asako and Rin and said, "Do you think Papa will be happy? With this, we can go on a family trip together, right?"

Rin blinked and then quickly looked at Asako.

For a split second, Asako had a disappointed expression on her face. But only for a split second. Afterwards, she plastered on a bright smile and said, "Congrats, Alphy! And I'm sure John and everyone will love a trip to Hawaii."

Rin smirked and said, "Well, you're quick to change your tune, Aneue. Wasn't someone just saying how Onee-chan was just throwing her money away?"

"Shut it, brat."

Rin giggled and then looked back at Alphy. "Anyway, we should probably get going Onee-chan-"

*clunk clunk clunk*

A rapid series of clunks. Gachapon capsules falling down as Alphy put some more coins into the machines and turned the knobs.

"O-Onee-chan?" Rin blinked and said, "We're going shopping, so you don't have to- eh?"

The capsules weren't gold since there was only one grand prize and Alphy had won it. But they were just as shiny as the first prize had been. Only, isntead of gold, they were a fancy silver color.

Asako stared at Alphy for a bit before shifting her gaze back to the banner. And then she looked back at Alphy with blank eyes. "...Are you a goddess of luck, Alphy?"

"No. That's Betty." Alphy popped open the silver capsules and pulled out a folded piece of paper. After unfolding it, she said, "Oh! It looks like I got a designer purse!" She turned the paper around so Asako and Rin could read it.

Asako read it first and then started stammering. "Th-Three hundred thousand yen?!"

Rin noticed they were starting to draw a crowd. Seeing that, she grabbed Asako and Alphy's hands and said, "Let's go before we draw any more attention, Aneue, Onee-chan."

Sheesh. Did Aneue love Onee-chan that much? Why was it that every time they went out together, Aneue was always stunned by everything Onee-chan did?

...Maybe Rin needed to start taking pictures to embarrass her big sister later on so she started being more serious.

Ooh. Or maybe...

Rin glanced over at Asako and Alphy.

Asako stared back and frowned. "What?"

"Nothing~!"

...A secret guerilla Tweeter space should be fine, right?