A Tetris Addict's Love Doesn't Fit In (Three-Topic Short Story)

"You never get tired of that, do you?"

Minori sounds exasperated. I think so too. Why don't I ever get tired of Tetris? If I have the time, I can keep playing it endlessly.

It's been half a year since Minori and I started living together. We began cohabiting when I moved into her place.

Minori has been patient with me, even though I play Tetris whenever I have a spare moment. I figured playing Tetris was better than just staring at my smartphone all the time. But lately, I've started to think that might not be the case. I can keenly feel that Minori's attitude toward me is gradually growing colder.

"I'll be away on a business trip for three days starting tomorrow."
"Oh, I see. Take care."

Even though I told her not to talk to me while I'm playing Tetris, Minori speaks to me anyway. Her voice as she talks about the business trip sounds far away, and I can't escape the world of Tetris. No, I don't want to escape.

When I'm playing Tetris, my mind goes blank. That feeling is comfortable, and the more troubled I am, the more I find myself reaching for the game.

In truth, I probably should be talking to Minori. Since we started living together, we've only exchanged the bare minimum of conversation. I know our relationship is cooling day by day, but I can't imagine a life without Tetris.

I've been playing Tetris ever since I was bullied in my student days. Even when bad things happened, as long as I was playing Tetris, I was okay. If it weren't for Tetris, I don't know where I'd be now. My spirit might have been broken by the bullying, and I might not even be here. To me, Tetris is like a lifesaver.

I told Minori about this before. So, I thought she understood the importance of Tetris.

"…Bye."

I hear Minori's voice from afar again. I didn't know what she said, so when I didn't reply, something hit my shoulder. It was a ballpoint pen.

"What was that for? That's dangerous."

Even as I said that, I didn't take my eyes off the Tetris screen and handed the pen back to Minori. The blocks fit perfectly, and three lines disappeared at once. The next ones fit well too, and I pulled off a combo. It's exhilarating. This moment is the real thrill of Tetris.

"Hey!"

Minori raised her voice. Then another ballpoint pen came flying. This time it hit my cheek. It seems she was targeting my face. When I looked up, she was glaring at me. She was clearly angry. I finally took my eyes off the Tetris screen.

"What's wrong?"

Then, Minori's voice trembled.

"Could you please leave? Get out of this house. I didn't move in with you just to watch you play Tetris."

I was flustered by the sudden declaration. At the same time, anger welled up inside me.

"What is it? Let me do what I like at least when I'm at home. I hold back when I'm out, you know, Tetris."

Then, Minori said with an expression of disbelief.

"Just because of that, you don't have to play Tetris the whole time I'm talking! You don't remember a thing because you're only half-listening. If we can't even have a conversation, there's no point in living together."

It seems I had been mistaken. I thought she understood about Tetris, but apparently that wasn't the case.

"Even if you say that, if you take Tetris away from me, there's nothing left. I can't live without Tetris."

I thought I had delivered a perfectly logical argument, but Minori turned away.

"Oh, I see. So you prefer Tetris, which you've been with for a long time, over the lover you live with. I get it now. Then get out. Pack your bags while I'm away on my business trip and get out quickly, will you?"

Having said that, Minori retreated to the bedroom.

Left alone, my anger still hadn't subsided. I decided to go to the convenience store to try and calm down. Maybe going outside would help me cool off.

It was completely dark outside.
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew.
Could this be the first gale of spring?

I haven't heard it on the news yet this year, the first gale of spring. I feel that spring is approaching without me noticing, but I don't think it's been in the news. Or perhaps I just didn't know because I was too absorbed in Tetris.

Suddenly, I thought about Minori. Minori had never complained once before, even when I was playing Tetris. I've never been selfish, but I always prioritized Tetris. This was the first time I had received a complaint from Minori about it. That's why I didn't know how to respond and ended up getting angry.

In times like these, nothing beats Tetris.

I took out my smartphone and opened the Tetris app.
The blocks fell and fit into the gaps.
The lines vanished with a swoosh.

Yeah. This is good.
It feels right.

The moment I thought that, something somewhere collapsed perfectly.
Something that should have been right by my side until just a moment ago.

Minori's face floated into my mind.
It was distorted.

As if to erase that afterimage, I placed a block.

I participated in Yasu-san's three-topic story challenge for the first time in a while.
This short story, my first in a while, was difficult.