"You know, it really is true what they say—these kinds of carnival games are always rigged to cheat you. Especially things like popping balloons or throwing games. Some people tamper with the balloons, and others mess with the equipment you use to throw!"
"I remember back in my old world, they used toy guns for balloon games. I could never hit a single one. I'm sure they had altered the guns somehow—otherwise, it wouldn't have been impossible to hit them!" Hiroshi said with a grin as he kept throwing his shuriken.
Harumiko watched his every move closely. Her hands were starting to itch too—it had been ages since she'd played something like this.
"Hiroshi... can I throw a few? Watching you makes me want to try too. I really want to feel what it's like again!" Harumiko whispered with a smile.
Hiroshi nodded happily and placed the last three shuriken into her hand. "Of course! These last three are all yours. I know you'll be able to pop every single one left!"
"Don't worry. Even though I haven't held a shuriken in a long time, I'm still sure I can hit those last three targets!" Harumiko said confidently, looking at the weapons in her hand.
Hiroshi nodded, stepped back a few paces, and stood aside to quietly watch her performance.
"The shopkeeper is looking really nervous right now. I guess it's just his bad luck running into us today. It's probably been a long time since people with actual skill came to play this game. And today, we are absolutely getting that blue Totoro—no question about it!" Hiroshi thought to himself, glancing at the owner.
Harumiko got ready and threw the first shuriken. The owner was watching anxiously—he knew exactly how good the quality of that blue Totoro plushie was, and that it was worth far more than the price they paid for fifteen throws.
"Perfect! Only one balloon left. If I hit this last one, we win the blue Totoro. This will definitely teach that greedy shopkeeper a good lesson," Harumiko thought, focusing hard on the final target.
She carefully aimed at the last balloon and swiftly threw the shuriken. She knew the moment it left her hand that she had won.
"We did it! All fifteen throws, all fifteen balloons popped perfectly. Alright, can we have that blue Totoro now?" Hiroshi said, stepping up to the counter with a big smile.
The owner nodded reluctantly, but finally took the plushie and handed it over to Harumiko.
"I never expected you two youngsters to be so skilled. Looks like I'm going to lose money all over again today," the shopkeeper said with a forced smile.
"Don't worry boss, your business will be great today. And we'll just take this prize—we won't play again or take anything else!" Hiroshi reassured him.
Then, holding their big blue plushie together, they walked slowly away to explore other places.
"You can tell this Totoro is really high quality. No wonder the owner was so reluctant to let it go!" Harumiko said happily, hugging the toy.
Hiroshi nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Now, where should we go next? We better keep moving—it's already getting late, and we'll need to eat soon. I want to make sure you have the best time today. Tonight we'll get a good rest, and tomorrow we'll buy some supplies and leave this village. Then we start our journey home."
Harumiko nodded happily. They spent the rest of the day wandering around and trying all sorts of attractions. It was truly a wonderful day—they played countless games, won lots of prizes, and enjoyed delicious food.
It was obvious how happy Harumiko was. Being able to visit such an interesting place, play fun games, and buy so many things was pure joy for her.
They had decided: tomorrow, they would do some shopping and prepare for the trip. Tomorrow afternoon, they would set off, leave the village behind, and head toward their home.
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