Editing Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Chapter1 (section)

===Part 6===

With that, their enjoyable Christmas Eve had begun.

Their voices echoed through the darts bar that was created from a few storage containers joined together.

“Yay! I got the bull’s eye!! How about that?” said Mikoto. “Wait, why didn’t my points go down?”

“Wow, my bad. I forgot to hit the switch to end my turn,” said Kamijou. “Ha ha ha. Sorry about that.”

“You idiot! Is how to cheat the only thing you learned from my lesson!? Stop using the machine scoring to rattle me!!”

“Okay, short hair, that means your bull’s eye didn’t count,” said Index. “There, I pushed the button for you, so you can try again. Don’t worry. You still have a chance to redo it!”

“And why did you just remove my dart, you airheaded nun? If you had just pressed the button and flicked the dart with your finger, I would’ve gotten my rightful points! That was a bull’s eye. W-will no one take my side here!?”

The boy and two girls enjoyed themselves while throwing darts at the board. Things got wilder once they established a local rule that you had to get a bull’s eye to go get a refill for your drink. The greasy fried chicken and fries on the platter in front of them was a tantalizing sight, but eating those without a drink would make them too thirsty to concentrate. And as soon as you started thinking you absolutely had to hit the bull’s eye next time, it became impossible to hit. Kamijou might have hit it out of beginner’s luck under other circumstances, but not when there was something riding on it.

“I’ve already memorized the motion, so now I’m unstoppable,” said Index. “Watch as I bring my score down to 32 points.”

“Oh, look. They have a dessert platter covered in tiny cakes,” said Mikoto.”

“Gotta love how they bring things out the instant you order them here in Japan,” said Kamijou. “Okay, let’s claim all the tastiest-looking ones before Index is finished with her turn. I’ve got my eye on that shortcake and rare cheesecake.”

“Hm, then I’ll go for the Mont Blanc and the caramel pudding.”

“There’s no way I’m letting this Santa sugar sculpture go.”

“Really, I’m more interested in the chocolate plate with a message written on it. Oh, don’t let us bother you, little one. Take as long as you need. Although once you get back here, you might only find the only thing left is the gelatin with canned fruits dumped inside.”

“Let’s not talk ill of canned foods, Miss Fancy. If you don’t want that one, then I’m claiming it. Hey, kitty cat. Looks like they even have a cat cake designed just for you.”

“Wait, where’s mine!?” cut in Index. “Give me time to focus!”

Time passed and they became just another part of the noise, just like everyone else.

“Oh, we’re almost at the end of our 5th game,” said Kamijou. “Then whoever wins this one gets to say the line.”

“Huh!? Wait, why not whoever won the most games!?” said Mikoto. “I held a commanding lead when it comes to wins, right!? Right!?”

“Merry Christmas!!” said Index.

“Hey, don’t just come out and say it without winning first!” said the other two.

That may have been why they did not notice.

While the place was serving a wholesome lunch now, it was normally a bar and thus the windows were made so no one could see in from outside. That was why it only had dim indirect lighting in the middle of the day.

And yet.

Nevertheless.

An observer’s eyes were following every movement made by Kamijou’s group.