Tough Guy #1 is wearing a hoody and talking softly in a cell phone as he crosses Ota-Road. Tough Guy #2 flicks his cigarette and follows. Both are in billowly nikka pokka builder pants. Construction workers in front of a video game store at dawn. Odd.

"Need a DS Lite?" Tough Guy #2 asks.
That depends.

His partner is talking away on a ruby colored keitai that has a giant battery connected. It's impossible to make out what he's saying, because his voice is barely above a whisper.

"They're sold out, right?"
State the obvious, Brian. Real smooth.
"Yep. Have been," says Tough Guy #2. "There were only fifty units."
Geez, last week there only forty. And by this time, Sofmap wasn't near sold out.
"I don't even want one," Tough Guy #2 continues. "I only came along because he wanted one." Motions towards his friend.

Tough Guy #1 keeps whispering on his ruby colored keitai. What is he talking about?

"Did you already buy it?" I ask.
"Nah, they gave us these reservation tickets. See?"

He shows me a white slip of paper with one hand and with the other, he lights a Menthol. His fingernails are bitten and dirty.

"Whoever has this slip can purchase a DS Lite until 12:30 today. You interested?"
"What do you mean?"
"I'm selling it. I heard the DS Lite was going for 80,000 yen on eBay."
(80,000 yen is roughly $800.)
"You're selling the piece of paper?"
"Yeah. Hoping to get 40,000 yen for it," he says, looking over at his friend.

That's for a piece of paper, folks. It's not including the price of the actual Lite.

"What, is that for a white one?"
"No, it's blue."
"Navy?"
For a moment, I think about hitting an ATM.
"No," he goes. "Ice blue."
"Thanks, but no thanks."

Tough Guy #1 hangs up and motions for them to leave. He and his friend lurk back down the alley, leaving clouds of cigarette smoke. No thanks, indeed.

DS Lite [Official Site]

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