Meanwhile, somewhere in front of the arcade...

Brawler couldn't take the lingering prescence behind him any more.

"Are you going to just stand there and watch, or are you going to play?" he said as he turned around just in time to watch Albert slowly walking away. "Hmph. Weakling." he muttered as he continued the game, facing the final boss in a race-to-three battle. He easily won the first round, and breezed through the second. Just when he was about to deliver the finishing move in the third round, his screen paused and the words he had been waiting for flashed across his screen.

HERE COMES A NEW CHALLENGER!

Brawler stood up and looked at the opposite end of the Taken 5 machine, curious to see who he's playing againts. His fiery, sharp eyes were met with Albert's cold, calculating look...

Meanwhile at the racing game, Mikoto won her third straight win againts the computer.
"This is a bit easy." she said as the option of whether to continue or not appeared on the screen.

"Excuse me, but would you mind if we race?" spoke a voice somewhere behind her. She turned around and saw Myah, looking hopeful and determined.

"Eh? Me?" she asked back, a bit surprised. Myah nodded. "Well okay, go easy on me though. Hehe." Mikoto added. "Geez, what's with this... foreigner...he looks like as if I had beaten him on something and wants revenge." she thought as Myah sat on the vacant seat beside her.

*Flashback*
Camera focuses on the Kick-o-rama machine screen...
Kick-o-rama Top Scorers: Male Division - Teen
1. Mikoto - 159500
2. Myah - 8200 <--- (what caused Myah to challenge her...)
3. -no entry-
4. -no entry-
5. -no entry-
*end of flashback*

Myah inserted his token, pressed start ,and entered his name as the driver. Mikoto did the same. Myah then selected the hardest course, full of sharp turns and curves, and set his car to manual transmission.

"Woah, he seems serious. Well, if that's the case then I accept your challenge..." Mikoto said to herself as the screen loads. Moments later, the camera shifted focus to their cars and the countdown began.

3... Myah revved up his Impreza WRX-STi
2... Mikoto did the same to her Skyline V-Spec II
1... Both players gripped their steering wheels and transmission sticks tightly.
GO!

Meanwhile, outside the arcade, Asou was walking home after a morning basketball game.

He stopped at the entrance, quite surprised to see a huge crowd inside, watching one of the fighting games. "For this many at such a time...something interesting must be happening inside." he thought as he entered the arcade.

"Hey kid." the owner called to him. "Can you help me hoist this thing up there? I'll reward you with a free game or two." he said while handing Asou high-tech looking projector.

"Huh? Okay..." answered Asou as he shrugged and received the projector. Setting down his bag, he placed the projector on one of the higher glass shelves opposite the wall - where a large, white screen was hanged.

"Done." said Asou as he picked up his bag.

"Hehe. Thanks kid. I would have done it myself, but it'll take some time, given my short stature. And I don't have that 'some time'...given this sudden rise of customers. Anyway, here's a token of my gratitude." the owner said, handing Asou five silver tokens.

"Thanks..." said Asou, putting the tokens in his pocket. "What's happening over there anyway." he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Oh, nothing, just two kids going at it." the manager answered simply. "Here, let me show you." he added as he drew a small remote control from his pocket. He pressed a button, and Asou observed a stream of light coming out from the high shelf where he placed the projector moments ago. He understood everything at once. The game was being projected. The other spectators who saw the Taken 5 match they were watching being projected on the big, white screen cheered and clapped their hands, looking at the owner's direction. The owner smiled and waved his hand.

Asou watched as the two fighters on the big screen engaged in an intense battle of stylish combos, counters, and other moves that he figured would fall under advanced gameplay. Finally after a very close match, one of them got knocked out, and we see the crowd on the side of the winner clap and cheer, with the winner himself standing and shouting along. After a few moments he would sit down again - the loser called for another match, and so the crowd grows silent again and watches intensely. This went on for a while, with neither side gaining the upper hand. Neither player can manage to win two straight matches.

"Great isn't it." he heard the manager say to him.
"They should just realize that they're evenly matched and leave it at that." answered Asou.
"Haha, not that. I mean this projector." laughed the manager. "You can change the game you're viewing with a push of a button." he said as he pushed one of the buttons. The screen changes from the Taken 5 matchup (much to the disappointment of some of the viewers) to two cars closely racing each other through a straight road.

"An Impreza againts a Skyline, not a bad match-up." Asou muttered as he watched the race between the two on the white screen. The Skyline is in the lead, with the Impeza is following closely behind. The two cars now approach a series of sharp curves and started to drift accordingly.

"Hmm...it seems that both drivers play based on instinct." Asou thought. "Although the Skyline driver has slightly slower reflexes, since it's drifting wider than the Impreza, and is taking longer to regain its balance."

Finally, at the last curve, the Impreza made a perfect drift, overtaking the Skyline in the process, and crosses the finish line with a very small lead. The crowd watching the race applaused for such a great show.

"Well, nice game." Mikoto said with a smile as she leaves the driver's seat.
"Yeah. Hope we get to play again." said Myah, who was quite happy about the whole event.
Mikoto simply nodded and made her way through the crowd that was watching behind them (hey, they attracted a crowd too ^_^).

Meanwhile, on the Taken 5 machine, both Albert and Brawler are out of tokens, and their last round ended in a double K.O., sending the crowd cheering again in excitement. Some of the spectators offered their tokens to both players but the two of them refused. Albert and Brawler both stood up, approached each other and shook hands as the crowd slowly dispersed around them.

"Nice match." said Brawler
"Good game." Albert answered back, and they both went out of the arcade and went their separate ways. However, they have the same thought at the back of their mind:
"We're going to settle this next time."

Asou watched the whole thing and scratched his head lightly. Then he suddenly caught sight of Mikoto leaving the arcade. He reached out for his pocket and drew the five tokens he received from the owner.

"Hold on to them for the moment." he said to the owner.
"You're not playing?" the owner asked
"Well, I guess I don't have the time." answered Asou.
"Hehe. I understand." said the owner. "Well, there's more to life than just playing these games. I guess you're making the right choice..."
"Nah, it's nothing of that sort." interrupted Asou
"I see, I see...well, I'll be holding on to these for a while." said the owner, shaking the tokens that Asou returned. "But if you have the time, feel free to visit. Or even bring your date here. I'm sure there might be some games here that the two of you can play and enjoy. Hehe."
Asou merely nodded, waved goodbye and went out of the arcade.

It was almost midday outside.

"Suou-san..." Asou greeted as he caught up to Mikoto
"Oi, Asou-kun." Mikoto greeted back. "You went to the new arcade?"
"...no." answered Asou. "You?"
"I just passed by..." answered Mikoto "...played my favorite game."
"Oh? What is it?" replied Asou.
"Nothing much really" answered Mikoto.
"I see..." Asou commented as they continued to walk in silence.