Strip poker was one bitch of a game, as Sayaka quickly found out.
To be fair, when she had entered the room, it hadn't started too badly. By Sayaka's standards. Which were pretty low, to be fair.
Midari quickly explained the rules to her: pretty much just poker except instead of chips, they bet their clothes, and you weren't allowed to fold ("Too boring otherwise", she explained).
As she kept talking the nausea level rose and rose in the younger girl. She desperately wanted to back out- knowing that if she did, Midari would respect her enough to let her leave, but..
"You lost because you thought too much." Blue nails tapped the desk impatiently.
"You lost because you refused to take risks." Blue lips spoke, tone oozing with pure delight and victory.
"You lost because you were so focused on yourself, you didn't consider what your opponent was doing." Blue eyes twinkled with mockery and mischief.
Sayaka gulped. "I'm in." She'd said.
And had regretted it since. She was also 99% sure that had Momobami-san been in the same situation, she would've lost her love for gambling too.
The first round started innocently enough, with Midari betting her collar. One of the girls next to her, the one with the bob, raised to a collar and a ribbon. Sayaka called. Twin tail called. Side Ponytail called. Midari called.
The round ended up going to Bob-cut, who had a straight flush.
Round two started with Midari betting her miniskirt. Bob-cut raised to tights and miniskirt. Twin tail raised to shoes and socks, as well as the tights and miniskirt. Side Ponytail called. Midari called. Sayaka called. Bob-cut called.
The round went to Midari, who had a pair of kings, and left Sayaka missing her collar as well as her miniskirt and tights. Lucky for her, her shirt was large enough to mostly cover her. The problem? They were playing five rounds, so there was almost no way Sayaka could escape unharmed.
She felt herself flushing at the very prospect of having to undress in front of total strangers, and even worse, watching them undress. And worse still, the uniform choices of the other girls let a lot to be desired for (for real, the heads of Beautification and Public Morals were making a total mess of their jobs- which, although they were a moderately large responsibility, had had not one but two committees dedicated to fulfilling them). Shirts were half-unbuttoned, and lace panties were quite clearly on display.
Clearly sensing Sayaka's discomfort, one of the girls giggled lecherously, dragging her eyes up and down Sayaka's form. The shorter girl felt halfway violated at the almost hungry look in the other girl's eyes, a pink flush dotting her cheeks. "Ooh, Ikishima, we got a shy one! Isn't she cute?"
Sayaka flinched at the rather patronising remark. Midari, on the other hand, didn't even look up from shuffling the third round's cards.
"That's just Sayaka for ya, Tooame." The masochist replied. "A total nerd. This is her first time gambling- she's giving it her all. She's not used to stakes this high." The tone this was said in was heavily laced with sarcasm, and Sayaka shuddered to think what Midari and her cronies got up to when the stakes were really "high".
"It is not!" Sayaka balked at the accusation. "I used to play bingo in middle school!" She purposefully ignored the high stakes comment.
Midari snorted. "Baby, that hardly counts. Real gambling is when the stakes are high. Not, what was it you bet? 10,000 yen, 20,000..." she trailed off. "Who's ready for round three?"
Instantly, three hands shot up. Sayaka's reluctantly followed.
"Alright! Let's get this harem going, girls!" Side Ponytail squealed as Midari began dealing cards.
Sayaka slowly turned hers over. 2 jacks, and a king. Not a bad hand. She sighed in relief.
"Who would like to start the bet?"
"I will." Bob-cut said, just as Sayaka opened her mouth to say the same thing.
"Hmm. Let's see... I'll start the bet with my bra."
"Bo-ring!" Midari retorted. "Raise! Bra and shirt!"
"Raise! What Midari said but with panties too!" Twin tails yelped, pure excitement etched onto her face. Whatever kind of high these girls were on was a mystery to Sayaka.
"Hm. A shame I couldn't add more." Side Ponytail pouted- pouted- before calling the bet. Feeling the her heart in her throat and her chest constricting, Sayaka forced out: "call."
She couldn't lose, right? She had a good hand, after all. The only thing that could beat it was a royal flush, or a straight flush, or three of a kind, or-
"Turn your cards over, Sayaka-chan!" Bob-cut exclaimed, and Sayaka blinked, before realising that everyone else had already revealed their hands. She swallowed. All the hands were weaker than hers. Thank fucking god.
Shakily she turned her cards over. "I win."
"Shame." Midari said with a smirk. "I was a hoping to "get to know you more" during this game, if you get my drift." A lecherous wink in Sayaka's direction that had her red all over, even though she knew from experience that Midari was only joking.
"Shut up, Midari." She muttered, pointedly looking in the opposite direction as he best friend and her cronies began wriggling out of their clothes- rather clumsily, if she was being honest.
Once they were done, Sayaka was pretty much sitting in a circle with 4 stark naked girls, except for Midari, who still had her miniskirt, although while sitting cross-legged it had noticeably ridden up.
Sayaka swallowed, blushing hard.
"Ooh!" Side Ponytail teased, sensing the shorter girl's discomfort. "Looks to me like we've got a secret lesbian in here. Enjoying the view, baby girl?"
"Hey, back off!" Midari growled wolfishly. "The only one allowed to call Sayaka that is me. And she's not a secret lesbian either- it's all very out in the open, if you know what I mean."
Bob-cut's eyes widened. "Oooh, I don't know what you mean, Midari, but cool! I would've never pegged you for the type, geek girl." A chorus of giggles followed that, as if she had said the funniest thing ever.
Midari shrugged. "Don't judge a book by its cover, I guess. Anyway, who's up for round four?"
"You mean getting Sayaka naked? Hell yeah I am!" Twin tail sleazily trailed an arm up her thighs, which Sayaka took no time in slapping off.
"What is wrong with you people?" She exclaimed, the pink flush creeping towards her neck and ears.
"Nothing." Midari shrugged, beginning to deal the deck again. "You'll get it when you're one of us."
"One of you... great." Sayaka grumbled as she inspected her hand.
Shit.
Everything was set into motion. It had been for days- ever since Kirari first approached her with the idea. The cogs were slowly beginning to turn.
It was stupid. That Ririka knew and understood. But then again, everything about her sister seemed stupid at first glance.
It was a ridiculous gamble, in which the odds were certainly stacked against them. 101 opportunities for failure raced through Ririka's mind, but one look, one reassuring smile from Kirari dashed her doubts away.
Kirari was like a charmer, and Ririka was the snake. With her sister, anything seemed possible.
Without her, everything seemed impossible.
"Not having second doubts, are we Riri?" Her twin chuckled, somehow sensing her nervousness behind the damned mask.
"Ehehehe, I'm sooo excited!" Yomozuki squealed, dressed in her custom yellow rabbit hoodie. How she got away with that uniform infraction was a mystery to Ririka, but it wasn't like she was better with her mask and all. "Ah, I can just smell your victory, Kaichou." She gave Kirari a ridiculously over-exaggerated bow, who in turn gave her a friendly- friendly- smile.
"Oh, Runa. Don't be so certain- we have yet to find out what kind of gambler our beloved president is." Ririka rolled her eyes. The telltale glint in her sister's, that steely glimmer of confidence... Kirari knew all too well who would come out victorious.
"Say, how do you think Juraku-san's and Miharutaki-san's gamble is doing?" The question seemed innocent enough, but Ririka saw past the facade.
"Are you proposing a side bet?" She hated how distorted her voice came out, longed to take the mask off, but she knew she couldn't.
The mask was Ririka's stupid idea, after all.
Kirari hummed. "Perhaps I am."
Ririka gritted her teeth. "You realise I don't know the prowess of either, right? Much less who they are."
A dismissive wave of the hand. "Oh, details, details. If I'm being honest, I too am clueless about who they are. All my information comes from Runa here."
"And mine comes from Sacchan herself." Yomozuki piped up, unwrapping one of those horrible, saccharine-sweet cavity-inducing lollipops.
"Sachiko- Juraku-san to you- is a little like Kirari here. She's a mind reader. Sort of." Yomozuki scrunched up her face. "She can kinda figure you out after a round of playing. It's impressive, and she hasn't lost once."
"So this idiot who challenged her is just digging their own grave is what you're saying?" Ririka probed, sceptical. "I fail to see why this gamble is causing such a stir."
"Right. But, here's the thing." Yomozuki popped the lollipop into her mouth, muffling her speech a little. "There's this other girl- fiancée of the Student Council Treasurer-"
"Who I played against, and won. Spectacularly." Kirari cut in, serene as ever.
"Yeah, that win was awesome- you should've seen the look on his face when he lost, Ririka." The lollipop-loving girl and Ririka were technically on a first-name basis by now, but Ririka still referred to her as Yomozuki in her head. It just didn't feel right.
"But anyway. His fiancée is hot shit in the gambling world. It's like..." Yomotsuki almost looked ponderous for a moment before continuing. "She uses logic against luck, which shouldn't work, except it does. They're basically opposites, the two of them."
"And everybody knows that opposites attract." Kirari finished off, voice singsong.
"Mh!" Yomozuki's eyes widened. "You're soooo right! I swear, Sacchan has the biggest cru-"
"Ahem." Ririka cleared her throat. "So, Kirari. This side bet you were proposing?"
"Ah, so you're hooked now, Ririka?"
Behind her mask, the older girl rolled her eyes. Again. Her sister really was tiresome sometimes. "How much?"
"Ehhh, say 1 million? Nothing too drastic. It is a game between sisters, after all." Out of the corner of her eye, Ririka could just about make out Yomozuki, whose eyes looked just about ready to pop out of their sockets at the amount of money Kirari simply seemed to be throwing away.
Ririka had to suppress another eye roll.
Commoners, as Kirari would always scathingly say, injecting just the right amount of disdain and incredulity into her voice. Ririka felt it playing over in her head as she took in the sight of a gaping Yomozuki.
Shut your mouth or you'll catch flies.
"You're on. I'm rooting for Juraku." Better to make the first pick when it came to betting against Kirari. And besides, Juraku seemed like the safer option. Similar enough to her sister, someone who could read tells that gave her a steady path to victory. Whereas using logic in a gamble tended to undermine it.
"Hm. Then I'll take Miharutaki-san. Although, I must say she does seem rather eccentric for a gambler. But those who put logic above all have always... fascinated me." Ah yes. Of course Kirari would root for whoever seemed to be the underdog. Ririka felt a small smile tug at the corner of her mouth at the notion.
The simple irony of the composite twins rooting for two people of opposite dispositions did not escape her.
"Runa, you'll oversee our little side bet, won't you?"
"Sure!" Yomozuki exclaimed, having recovered quickly from her shock, annoyingly cheery as ever, before vigorously licking at the shaft of her lollipop in an unabashedly lewd way.
Ririka forced her gaze away. "Alright. Now that that's settled..." her gaze locked onto her sister, who gave her a discreet nod.
"Let's go."
In an almost fluid gesture, Kirari stood up from her sitting position: the two of them were camping out in Library Prep Room #6- an actual prep room, rather than a den (although to Ririka'a knowledge there was only one den that was a Library Prep Room: Library Prep Room #2, owned by Togakushi Yukimi- a second year- although she continually referred to it as the "Literary Club" and it had no members excluding her).
Ririka's gaze flickered over to her watch, which read 4:15.
Good.
That meant that the student council meeting was to run for... what, another hour? She had purposely befriended (read: flirted with) the Heads of Beautification and Public Morals to find that out (in disguise, naturally). She scrunched up her nose, remembering the interaction with the two boys. Rumour had it that their only claim to power was that they were family friends of the current President. Whatever the case, the two of them were equally repulsive in both their behaviour and misogynistic worldview, and she had personally requested that as soon as she grasped her throne, Kirari removed them immediately.
In decidedly less elegant movements than her more refined sister, Ririka stood up, feeling awkward and clumsy in her mask. Yomozuki bounded behind them, almost like an overeager puppy.
And perhaps a less astute person would have indeed mistaken her for one. But Ririka knew there was more to the girl than her love of candy, games, and animal hoodies. There was a reason as to why Kirari trusted her, and nobody else. Even if that same reason eluded Ririka.
"So, Ririka. Which way to the stucco hall?"
Ririka blinked. "Stucco?"
"Oh, merely an abbreviation of "student council". Don't people use them more nowadays?" Kirari questioned, making her twin want to laugh. The other really was a paradox: sometimes she seemed like an indomitable genius, at others a simple-for-her-age girl.
"Heh, cute!" Yomozuki smirked, clearly thinking along the same lines as Ririka. "Though I'd have thought you'd know the way already, Kaichou."
Hm. Perhaps Kirari kept her around because of her boldness? She knew from experience her sister found that sort of thing entertaining.
"Yes, perhaps I am neglecting my duties as future President." She stated lightly. "But a Vice-President ought to know her way as well."
Well.
That was new. Ririka felt herself gasp at the insinuation, just as Yomozuki froze, staring at her with wide eyes.
"What?" Kirari seemed confused. "I assumed it was only natural Ririka would be second in command, since this school doesn't allow co-Presidency."
"We never discussed this." The older twin's voice was brittle.
Kirari simply frowned. "Do you not accept? Because I can always-"
"No. No. It's.." Ririka felt a sigh escape her. "It's fine. We'll iron out the details later."
"Yes..." The girl with the braids said, voice as always tinged with a hint of mystery. "You know, I think I want Juraku-san and Miharutaki-san on my council," she said as Ririka resumed her walk.
"You what?" Yomozuki squealed, again. "Where did that come from?"
Kirari hummed. "Well, if I'm being honest, it's something I've actually been contemplating for a long-ish time. I mean, they're great gamblers, aren't they?"
"Ehhh, don't they need to be more than that though to be on the student council?" Yomozuki countered, not so subtly referring to her own lack of involvement as a gambler. The to-be President didn't seem to notice, though.
"Hm. You may be right, Runa. Tell me more about them as people." Kirari's delicate voice floated through the halls, not fazed in the slightest.
"Well." Yomozuki paused before continuing. "Sachiko is great. Well, not a great person, but she's pretty great. She's sharp, hilarious- a total flirt. I used to have a massive crush on her in elementary school, back when I had a thing for bullies." She looked almost wistful at the memory. Ririka shuddered.
"Oh, yeah, she's a lesbian too, so if you add her you'll be one step closer to obtaining your goal of an all-gay student council."
The older twin choked. "That was a goal of yours, Kirari?"
"Of course." Her sister was quick to respond. "Who wants those needy hets leeching off our previous council?"
"Which, heh, may be a problem..." Yomozuki said, averting her eyes towards the floor. "So. I can't say this in confidence, since I've literally never talked to her in my life, but Miharutaki-san is probably straight."
Kirari scoffed. "Bullshit. All good gamblers are lesbians."
The swear word sounded foreign coming out of her sister's mouth- odd enough for Ririka to do a double take.
"What about Miboumi?" Yomozuki questioned.
"His gambling prowess isn't the reason I want him on the council." Was the cryptic answer.
"Riiiight..." The short girl looked just about as nonplussed as Ririka felt. "So. Miharutaki-san. Again, I have no clue whether she's straight or not, really. She's engaged to Miboumi, but it was arranged by their parents. Sacchan talks of her all the time. I think she has a crush on her, honestly."
"So what you're saying is if I add her I'll be able to, how to say, stir up the Hyakkaou aquarium with a little office love triangle?"
"Exactly." She grinned at Kirari, snapping her fingers.
"Sounds tempting. But then again, she's probably straight, so..." Kirari made a disgusted face, and Ririka resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
"Why does that matter?" Her voice came out gravelly- annoyingly. Stupid fucking mask.
"Of course it matters, Ririka- oh, we're here."
And indeed they were. Two imposing double doors looked ahead, making Ririka shrink back just ever so slightly. But confident and cool as ever, Kirari raised her fist and knocked twice.
The door was opened by the rather scowl-y, sallow head of Public Morals, who eyed up the Momobamis and Yomozuki with clear annoyance.
"Who are you?" He asked, sneering at them. "Leave, please. We're in the middle of a student council meeting."
"Shut up, straight shit," Yomozuki countered, briefly taking out her lollipop before putting it back in, effectively undercutting the insult.
The boy blinked in shock, before casting Yomozuki a (probably deserved) glare. "You don't talk to student council members like that," he managed to say. "And is that a uniform infraction? I'm afraid I'm going to have to write you up." He said smugly, eyeing the hoodie with distaste.
"And you." He pointed to Kirari and Ririka, tone turning sticky and sleazy as it often did when perverted boys took in the twins. "What are you two... respectable girls doing here?"
Kirari giggled. "Oh, I do apologise for my friend's rudeness. We're not here for anything big. Just to gamble with the President."
"What?" He blinked, not expecting that answer.
"Yes, and we're terribly busy, I'm afraid." Kirari here made a show of eyeing her watch. "So if you wouldn't mind..." she pushed past him, along with Yomozuki and Ririka who reluctantly followed along. The sheer boldness of her sister never ceased to amaze her.
As they entered, Ririka took a moment to take in her surroundings- the Hyakkaou student council.
And it was ridiculously plain. Beige walls surrounded the room, at the centre of which was a rectangular table. 12 people were sat there- 13, if you counted the Head of Public Morals. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the Head of Beautification- an overweight boy with a mop of greasy, dark hair. Next to him she vaguely recognised the Head of Public Relations- less of an eyesore than Beautification, he was tall, with hard-set features and visibly toned arms. Ibuki, Soutarou, his nameplate read. And next to him sat yet another boy; one with evenly parted dark hair and rectangular spectacles. Manyuda Kaede, Vice-Treasurer. The Treasurer, Miboumi, was seemingly missing.
Boys, boys boys. Ugh. Perhaps Kirari was right and this student council did need more lesbians.
"Ahem. May I inquire as to what you three think you are doing, barging in on a student council meeting?" Ririka turned her gaze to the President- the only woman in the room.
The President was something else, Ririka couldn't help but think. Unlike most of the bored boys in the room, she seemed sharp, stern, alert. Her stony face was framed with long, blonde hair. High cheekbones and a hard jaw gave her a sharp profile, and her green eyes glimmered with something Ririka couldn't quite pinpoint.
She could practically feel Kirari smiling.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Public Morals rather sheepishly walking towards his seat, running a vexed hand through his blond hair as he took a seat. Kamishimo, Nagi his nameplate said.
Ririka blinked, before rerouting her focus towards Kirari and the President.
"Oh, hey Prez!" Yomozuki grinned insolently. "Sorry for the holdup. This dunce," she jutted her head towards Kamishimo, "was the reason for the holdup."
"What do you want?" The President's tone was steely, enough to turn Ririka into a stammering mess, had it been directed at her. But to Kirari this was probably water off a ducks' back.
"Apologies, Kaichou. All I want is a fun little gamble." Kirari bowed in mock respect, and if the President saw through it she stayed silent.
"Against whom?"
Another smiled quirked at the corners of Kirari's mouth: this one more like a sharks' smile, before it devoured its prey.
"Against you, of course."
Under the dim lighting, Sakura's eyes looked almost grey. That was her first observation.
Sachiko decided she didn't really like the development, though. Grey was such a lacklustre look on Miharutaki Sakura. It made her seem almost too stoic.
Ah, stoic. The perfect word to describe the look on her face right then; her gaze impassive, her jaw clenched. Sachiko grinned.
Now here was a good challenge.
"You may begin." The prissy little Habakiri announced, voice wobbly with nerves.
Sachiko couldn't help but pity her though. The girl was about to watch her idol get crushed, right in front of her.
But you know what they say. Never meet your heroes, else you'll be sorely disappointed.
A cruel smirk made its way onto her face as Sachiko didn't break eyecontact with Sakura, deftly rolling the die at the same time as Sakura rolled hers. A four. Her eyes flicked upwards, again at Sakura's face as her eyes flitted downwards, taking in the results of her throw.
A sigh escaped the dark-haired girl's mouth, and her furrowed brow uncreased. Only for a split second, but enough for Sachiko to catalogue it. Then her face returned to its passively antagonistic neutrality, eye contact not wavering one bit- confidence emanating from every pore.
Oh, how Sachiko was relishing the idea of dashing that confidence to bits, already feasting on Sakura's broken ego-
"Would any of the players like to stop?" At first, neither spoke. Sakura jutted her head out to Sachiko, as if daring her to stop right then and there.
Well, Sachiko was damned if she was a pussy. Or a fool, for that matter. "Carry on."
"Carry on." Sakura's voice was steely, carrying a hard resolve.
Damn, she really wants the council seat that much...
Sachiko mused, savouring the easy victory yet to come.
See, the thing was, Sakura was a good gambler.
No, scratch that, a great gambler. But Sachiko? Sachiko had started playing this game months ago. Ever since Sakura had joined the school, Sachiko had been present at every single one of her gambles. She knew her tells better than Sakura herself. Sachiko would always get front-row seats to these sorts of gambles, just so that she could evaluate the crease of her brow, or the curve of her lips. The points in the game in which the steel in her voice would harden and soften.
She had her weak points memorised and tucked away. It was just as well that Habakiri chose this game, really. Sachiko excelled at mind games.
"Next round."
Sakura had that look of barely concealed confidence all over her face. Or, at least Sakura's version of that- which was a simple small smile. Invisible to the average player.
Sachiko nimbly threw down the dice, pretty much at the same time as Sakura threw hers.
A two. She was safe.
And judging by the release of tension in Sakura's shoulders she was too.
"Would either player like to stop now?"
"Carry on."
"Carry on." There was a fierce intensity in Sakura's voice which Sachiko took a liking to.
She took care to hold her face neutral, or just about as neutral as Sachiko got, with a confident half-smirk she liked to keep on to give opponents an illusion (or perhaps not quite an illusion) of intimidation.
For Sakura, she liked to make the look a little more lewd, knowing how that always set the other girl off. The outfit was also part of the ploy. After all, if the worst came to the worst, seduction was always an option, and who could resist a woman in leather? Even somebody as prim and proper and straight as Sakura was bendable.
She casually rolled the die. A five. A little too close to six for her liking. This round Sakura's expression was more guarded, looking more impatient than anything else. The room was practically abuzz with whispers.
"Did anybody roll a six yet?"
"I think Miharutaki-san did, but I'm not sure."
"Hm. Do you think Juraku will call her out?"
"Doubtful. She likes to string her prey along."
"Oh. Can I raise on my previous bet then?"
Sachiko smiled, basking in the glow given to her by fools. Fools. They did not know Sakura like she did. She knew everything about the other girl, just like she knew everything about everyone in the room.
"Would you like to stop now?" Habakiri's voice seemed far away, like in a different dimension to the one Sachiko was in.
"Stop? Now?" Sakura mimicked Sachiko's stance. "Habakiri-san, we've only started." She tore her gaze away from Sachiko, smirking in a way not too dissimilar to Sachiko herself, who blinked in slight surprise.
"Sakura over here is quite right," she amended smoothly. "Let us continue."
She turned back to Sakura. "Not getting tired yet?" With one flick of the wrist and a dull clatter, Sakura rolled her die, eyes briefly taking in the results before facing Sachiko again- the statuesque features of her face almost unmoving.
"Never. Just preparing myself for the satisfaction after winning a high-stakes game."
Sachiko snorted, rolling her own die. "You call this high stakes? My, you really are slipping."
Cool as ice, she turned to Habakiri. "Continue."
Sakura mimicked her mannerisms. "Continue."
"You think, Sachiko? Dice are what I'm known for, after all."
"Dice are pure luck. I've watched your games-"
"I know."
"-and what you do is hardly impressive." Her die clattered onto the table, right at the same time as Sakura's.
"And what you do is ridiculously predictable." Blue eyes flickered downwards, that set brow uncreasing as it did every time another victory was bestowed upon the dark-haired girl.
Sachiko took the time to do the same, pleased to see she'd rolled a one.
"Continue." She said to Habakiri.
"Continue." Briefly, Sakura's eyes flashed with something indiscernible, chilling Sachiko to the core. But in a second, it had vanished, replaced by her usual authoritative glimmer.
Sachiko put a hand to her chest in mock offence. "Did you just call me predictable?"
"Do you need a hearing aid?" Sakura's die clattered onto the table in perfect harmony with Sachiko's.
"Really?" Sachiko drawled. "I'd say I'm hardly predictable, Cinderella. You're the one who believes marriage and children are the solution to all your problems with your fiancé." A low blow, Sachiko knew that. But she revelled in the way Sakura's mouth hung open at the simple audacity of her comment.
Sachiko's eyes briefly flickered to Miboumi, who looked vaguely pleased.
Ugh. She felt a shudder of repulsion wrack her body at his bold-faced, slimy manner. If working on the council meant dealing with him maybe she ought to tone it down and let Sakura take the win.
However, in the second she had looked back Sakura had almost regained her composure, the only hint to her rattlement being the telltale pink flush which highlighted her high cheekbones. A small shiver ran down Sachiko's spine at the sight. She always revelled in watching people come undone.
Mentally, she saved a snapshot of this memory into her mind, to review for later.
Habakiri squawked in indignation, and looked like she wanted to say something, but Sakura cut in.
"Juraku, if you don't shut it about my engagement, I swear-" she cut herself off, before a more devious smirk found itself nestled onto her normally prim features.
"Wait. Don't tell me." Sakura leaned in, just ever so slightly. "You're jealous?" A few shocked gasps in the crowd.
"Plot twist!"
"Not like none of us saw it coming, I mean..."
"These two are so hot!"
"How much do you want to bet on how long they've been fucking?"
"30,000!"
"Pathetic! Somebody, give a raise!"
"500,000!"
"More!"
"1 million says they've been hate-fucking for two months!"
"Ooh, you're on!"
"Free lesbian porn here, y'all!"
The last one disgusted even Sachiko, who wrinkled her nose just ever so slightly. Sakura seemed to have a little more difficulty in maintaining her composure. Watching someone like her come undone was truly a spectacle.
"Jealous?" Sachiko managed to scoff. "Of who, Aoi? Oh, you little straight girls keep getting your panties in a twist every time a lesbian is involved, is that right?" While needling into Sakura was her usual entertainment, this level was a new threshold for even Sachiko, who didn't like weaponising her sexuality. But Sakura wasn't going to win this.
"Please. Your sexuality doesn't concern me, just like mine clearly doesn't concern you. What does concern me is the completely out of line way you carry yourself in, Juraku." Her icy tone washed over Sachiko, the use of her last name and authoritative tone fulfilling a fantasy she didn't even know existed.
Something else to review later- preferably alone, naked and in bed.
Sakura dropped her die, lowering her eyes to scrutinise it, before humming in satisfaction.
"You're gay, darling, problem solved." Sachiko purred, clasping her hands together. "And the way I carry myself shouldn't concern you."
Sakura's glower sharpened. "You're a walking contradiction, you know that, right?" She spat out.
"All too well." She backhanded elegantly.
Sakura stuck out her bottom lip in an almost childish manner. But the Miharutaki heiress couldn't look childish if she tried: Sachiko knew that all too well.
"Roll the die." She stated- a brief command. Matching the intensity of her gaze, Sachiko did exactly that.
A six.
Habakiri craned her neck to get a better look, which Sachiko allowed with an easy smile. Chances were, Sakura's pride wouldn't let her stop now, and the round would end in a draw. Oh well. Not the best outcome, but hardly the worst, especially if done on Sachiko's terms.
Habakiri gasped, hand covering her mouth, and Sachiko rolled her eyes inwardly.
Dammit. Couldn't she mask her surprise at the very-
"R-round one over. Final score: tied." Habakiri's voice was barely a whimper.
"What?" Somebody from the crowd yelled, as Sachiko herself did a double take.
What?
"I said," Habakiri briefly licked her lips, before announcing in a more sonorous voice: "Round one is complete. The score is tied."
"I-what?" In a rare slip of her composure, Sachiko allowed pure, undiluted confusion to reign free. She probably looked like a fool to Sakura in that moment, so she hardened her features once again.
"Well, I must concede I am impressed." Every so slightly, she leaned forward. "Pray tell, when did you roll that six?"
The sexy, smug look on Sakura's face only further solidified. "The first round."
Sachiko blinked. How?
"Liar." Her voice was smooth as silk, knowing Sakura had to be fibbing this time around. She knew her tells, after all-
"No, it's true. Miharutaki-san rolled a six on her very first turn." Habakiri, please shut the fuck up. Sachiko seethed internally at the first year, but outwardly didn't allow her smirk to falter.
"I did, Juraku. You know..." Sakura trailed off for a moment, clearly enjoying how the other girl hung off her every word, before her voice hardened. "Your methods are flimsy."
Well, that earned her quite a few gasps from the crowd. "Do elaborate, darling." Sachiko didn't flinch, didn't allow herself to flinch. Sakura tilted her head to the side, ponytail sensually moving along with her head.
"You win based on tells, don't you? Don't think you're the only one who shows up to games uninvited."
So Sakura had been playing the same game all along? Fascinating. She really had underestimated the other girl and her capabilities. Sachiko subtly but her bottom lip. She thought it would be interesting to see Sakura unravel, but now? Now she wanted to push and stretch her limits, to see the other girl get angry, slam the table, maybe... the imprint of her slap still remained on her face because damn was that a hard slap.
She swallowed, willing the thoughts away.
"What are you, stalking me? My, so eager to get into my pants."
For the first time, Sakura ignored her. "You analyse people. And based on past reactions, you compare their present ones to their previous. A rather risky bet, which somehow always worked out for you."
"And this time is didn't because...?"
"Because, just like you counted on my tells to win the game, I counted on yours. Don't be fooled into thinking you know better than me. Do you even know my favourite colour, Juraku? My favourite subject? Or perhaps that my sexuality is both and neither of what you suggest?"
What. She's... bi? For some reason, that made Sachiko almost indescribably happy.
It earned quite a bit of shocked gasps from the crowd, though, one that Sachiko pinpointed came from Miboumi. The very insinuation of that made her want to snigger.
"Okay, game aside, congrats for finally accepting yourself as bi and coming out to all of us," Sachiko felt the need to say dryly, not completely blind to the flush spreading over Salura's face as she realised the gravity of what she was saying.
To her left, Habakiri looked like she was about to faint. "But back to the game. What "tells" did I have?"
"Right." Her gaze refocused on Sachiko, though the flush was still present. "Your tells were simply reading my tells, after all. So all I had to do was pour my energy into faking the whole thing. I distracted you sufficiently for you to think that I was running simply on my hubris. I allowed you to lose sight of the obstacles and coerce you into stopping at a draw."
Sakura paused for a second, leaning forward as her weirdly-grey-in-this-lighting eyes darkened.
"I may not win this, but let this be clear, Juraku Sachiko."
The entire room held its breath- pretty much.
"You are no mind reader."