You realise with heartbreaking clarity that Chishiya Shuntaro plans to sacrifice you to steal the cards. You rightfully distance yourself from him. After all, it was all manipulation, wasn't it?
Chishiya, having no intention of losing you, follows you into the Jack of Hearts anyway.
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Chishiya likes to test you.
You donât usually mind, although you cursed at him after the first time he did during a game.
It started small. Which boardgame would you like to play? Which executive will go with which group? Which group should you join for your next game? He would make you explain it, and you feel like heâs more interested in your thought process than the answer itself. It annoys you that when he considers your answer wrong, heâll correct mercilessly, often with a sarcastic comment. Never does he hold back in explaining your mistakes.
But then, one day, during a game, youâd needed just one more token to survive and time had been running out. He, already having his tokens, just pushed two of the available boxes at you, and shrugged.
Itâd been a third box. You had been thankful for his correction then. You still cursed at him. He couldâve just told you.
But then he wouldnât be Chishiya Shuntaro, would he?
And honestly, even if you would never admit to it, you like it. Youâve actually gotten better at the games thanks to it. It forces you to stop and think instead of going with your gut.Â
The problem is that it has made you more paranoid. He likes making you check for an option not freely given. So you do. And you found something youâre not sure is another one of his tests.
You like Chishiya. You really, really, like him. He knows it, and while he doesnât reciprocate the way most people do, he does treat you different than anyone else.
Proven by the way his eyes soften the slightest whenever they land on you, the way he actively searches you out, the way he puts energy into making sure you donât die during the games.
But what if that was all just manipulation?
The thought hurts. But Chishiyaâs tests have had the likely unintended effect of not only showing him how you think, but also showing you how he thinks.
And he does not mind using bait. Youâve seen him manipulate people into becoming a sacrifice. Bait.
You canât help but think about his plan to steal the cards.
Chishiyaâs plan sounds easy. Simple. Once, inevitably, Hatter dies and the militants take over, Chishiya will use the black envelope ceremony to learn the code after which youâll use the chaos to sneak into Hatterâs quarters and steal the cards from the safe while he and Kuina will stand guard.
The flaw came to you when listening to one of Hatterâs speeches.
The man is paranoid. Maybe he hides it, but he is paranoid. Just like Chishiya has taught you to be. So the safe would be hidden well, right? You bet he would even have a dummy safe.
And you, using the chaos, would likely not have enough time to search Hatterâs entire quarters for a well-hidden safe while avoiding a dummy one.
This is Chishiyaâs plan. Chishiya, who has tinkered on it for ages. Chishiya, who youâre pretty sure joined the Beach for the sole purpose of stealing the cards.
Chishiya, who has no problem using others as bait.
You hope youâre wrong. You really do. Because being right hurts. You thoughtâŠ
You thought he liked you. That thatâs why he spends so much time on you. That thatâs why his eyes soften whenever they land on you, however miniscule.
But thatâs naive, no? When it comes to someone like Chishiya Shuntaro?
Please just let it be another test.
You do the probably stupid thing: You confront him.
At least, you were planning on it. But sitting in your room across from him as he lazily shuffles a deck of cards, you find yourself lacking the strength.
Youâre afraid of what will happen next. You want to be wrong. You donât want things to change. You donât want to lose him. What you thought you had.
âYouâre distracted.â He sounds disapproving, as if he likes when your attention is on him solely. The way it always is.
You canât. So instead of your carefully planned words, you blurt out. âAm I your bait for stealing the cards?â
He stills. The slight softening of his eyes is gone, leaving you to stare into his cold, devoid, eyes.
A shiver runs over your back at the sight.
âDonât be ridiculous.â His tone is too nonchalant as he deals the cards in his hands. âThe plan doesnât require a sacrifice.â
He doesnât ask for your thought process. That alone tells you all you need to know.
Your can feel your heart churn painfully in your chest as your vision gets blurry.
Chishiya stops dealing the cards immediately, cocking his head, deciding analysing you is the priority right now. He says your name softly, lowly.Â
âYou were actually planning on sacrificing me.â
Thereâs a pleading undertone in your words. You need him to deny it.
He doesnât move for a moment, then lays the deck down on the table, his eyes finally off of yours. âClever girl.â Your heart sinks into your stomach. âYou know I enjoy testing you.â
You dig your nails into your knees. Thatâs a lie. If this was a test, his eyes would have had that satisfied glint in them. Instead, theyâre so cold. So⊠empty.
âYou wouldâve actually let them get to me.â You whisper. You refuse to cry in front of him, but youâre close. Your chest has never ached so badly.
âThe militants. Niragi. You wouldâve let themâŠâ
His gaze sharpens at that name. Then he sighs and stands up. âThis shouldnât come as a surprise to you. You know how I work. How I am. Did you think you were special?â His words are intentionally cutting.Â
You take a deep, shaky, breath. âGet out!â Because yes, that was exactly what youâd thought. Youâd thought someone like him could grow a soft spot for you.
âDonât be irrational.â Youâre not looking at him, trying (and failing) to hide your blurry eyes and your shaky breath, which causes you to miss how heâs frowning. How heâs more tense than heâd be usually. âWeâll get someone else for the role of bait. Arisu-âÂ
Thereâs a silence. Then: âWeâll talk when you can think clearly.â You can hear his footsteps receding.
Once you hear the door close behind him, you finally stop holding yourself together and cry.
Does he even care that he broke your heart?
You donât let yourself answer that question.Â
That talk doesnât come, as you very much do not want to talk to him. Instead, you make sure to go to the places he dislikes, for once indulging in the beverages the Beach has to offer. Sometimes, you can feel his eyes on you. You move out of his view as soon as that happens.
It leaves you with headaches in the morning and sessions of hanging over the toilet, but at least you can pretend youâre not thinking about him.
Youâre avoiding him. You should tell Hatter that heâs planning on stealing the cards, but you canât. If they believe you, heâd be executed. Not willing to admit that you still care, you instead excuse it using Kuina. She didnât do anything to you. She just wants to return to her mother. You canât sell her out.
He tries to talk to you. But he uses his languid ways of hinting you to come to him, so theyâre easily ignored.
You wish heâd just leave you alone.
You wish itâd go back to how it was before, except with it being real. With him actually caring.
You take another gulp each time you find yourself thinking that thought.
At least, you do until the day before you have to play a game. You refuse to let yourself die because of a boy.
However clever and infuriating that boy might be.
Heâs not on the roster when the groups are made. But he is leaning against the car your group is assigned.
You canât do much about it, with his status as an executive. You try to not sit next to him, but like often, Chishiya gets his way.
The forced skin contact in the filled car burns. You still want him, but you canât get the image of his cold eyes out of your head. You still hear him asking you mockingly if you thought you were special.
At least he doesnât try to talk to you with others here.Â
What he does do is offer you one of the earbuds connected to his walkman that doubles as a taser, but you ignore him. He lays it on your leg instead, a silent offer you refuse to let yourself take.
The game is brutal. So brutal that you have to swallow your pride and team up with Chishiya, who has a satisfied glint in his eyes when you do so.
For the first game in a while, he doesnât try to test you. He simply works on getting both of you out alive.
You momentarily wonder if itâs on him that the three other Beach members donât make it. But he wouldnât go that far just to talk in private when he could just corner you in your room at the Beach, would he?
He sits into the driverâs seat, but makes no move to actually start the car.
âYouâve been avoiding me.â His head moves to look at you. That softening of his eyes is there.
You want him to stop that. It causes your chest to constrict painfully. âI am.â Your answer is purposefully curt, not trusting your own voice.
âI thought you didnât mind my tests.â
âŠDoes he really not get it?
âDonât act like that was a test, Chishiya.â You snap back. âYou didnât mean for me to find that one out. It was your plan for me from the start.â
He tilts his head, considering. âYouâre upset because you believe Iâd sacrifice you for the cards.â He says. âThat Iâd easily leave you to the likes of Niragi. Perhaps you also believe all of our interactions have been pure manipulation?â
âThatâs who you are, isnât it?â You repeat his own words bitterly.
The softening of his eyes is gone again, replaced by that carefully curated coldness. âI see.â
He abruptly looks away from you and starts the car.
âThatâs all you have to say?â You immediately demand. You donât want to talk to him. You do want him to say more than that.
âYouâd simply assume anything I say is more manipulation.â He says, too calmly for your liking.
You scoff. Heâs right, of course. But thatâs only because you wouldnât be wrong. How could you believe otherwise?
âDonât join any more games with me.â You tell him. You imagine him tensing for a moment.
âYouâre being irrational.â His tone is still maddeningly unaffected. âYour chances of survival increase with my presence. Donât let emotions get in the way of that.â
âDo they? Or will you just use me for bait in a game now that Iâm not in your plan anymore?â
You donât think you imagine his jaw clenching. But instead of saying more, he starts driving. The ride is spent in silence. Fine by you. You keep your eyes on the surroundings so you donât have to face him.
Itâs only after he parks the car, when youâve stepped out of the car to beeline for your room (and the shower you desperately need) that you hear him say: âI do not consider your death inconsequential.â Itâs said slowly, like itâs difficult for him to admit even that much.Â
But you cared about him. Care, even, however much you hate him. Inconsequential is below the bare minimum youâd hope heâd think of your death. So you walk to your room without looking back.
âChishiyaâs been moody.â Kuina tells you as she sits down on the beach chair next to the one youâve been enjoying your cocktail on.Â
You snort. âHeâs heartless, Kuina. He doesnât get moody.âÂ
âHe is.â She counters. âHeâs been having less patience with me or others. Itâs subtle, but itâs there.â
âSo? Heâs not my problem anymore.â You take a big swig of your drink.
âI think itâs because he misses you.â Kuina keeps needling. âWhat happened between the two of you? He just tells me you wonât be part of the plan anymore.â
âHe doesnât miss me, Kuina. That would require him to care.â It surely is the alcohol that makes your bitterness clear. âI just had a wake up call about what he is. Thatâs all.â You wonder why he chose you for the sacrifice instead of Kuina. Is she more useful to him? Does he like her more? Gods, you shouldnât feel jealous over him.
Kuina frowns. âLook, I know Iâve teased you in the past about your horrible taste in men. Or one man in particular. But he looks at you in a way he does at no one else. You must have noticed.â
âThatâs all manipulation, Kuina.â You have had enough of this subject. âHe was planning on sacrificing me.â
Kuinaâs eyes widen in surprise. âHow can a genius be such an idiot?â She wonders. âHeâs definitely an asshole. Want me to get you another drink?â
The subject of Chishiya Shuntaro doesnât come up again.
Hatter dies two days before your VISA is due, so you donât get to know whether Chishiya wouldâve complied to you telling him to stop joining your games.Â
Not having an in with the executives anymore, you only learn of his death during Aguniâs so-called speech.
You immediately go for a supply run. Youâre well aware that Chishiyaâs plan will be executed now, and you have no interest in being caught in the crossfire.
Has he found new bait? Heâd mentioned Arisu. As you sift through food that might or might not be rotten, you canât help but keep thinking about whatever is currently happening at the Beach.
You know Chishiyaâs plans. Surely heâll be fine. What are you thinking? Itâs Kuina you care about making it out. Not him.Â
You stand up abruptly, taking your gathered food with you in a bag as you make for the car.
You drive faster than quickly necessary. Only to slow down as, instead of the yellow light of the Beach, there is a red glow coming from its direction. The red glow of a fire.
Cautiously, you park the car, walking the last bit.Â
Youâd imagined Aguniâs leadership would lead to ruin. You hadnât imagined this.
Youâve played enough games to recognise the aftermath of one.
The, what you assume, survivors are staring at the fire. There are so few of them.
You spot Arisu, beaten but alive. You spot Kuina, sitting at the side of the pool. Youâre relieved to see that she made it.
You spot Chishiya as well. His head shifts as he looks over the crowd, as if searching.
You have no interest in being spotted. You have no interest in a post-game Beach. So instead of learning about what happened, you make your way back to the car.
The interlude terrifies you. When there are no games to be found the first evening, only screens pronouncing said interlude, you worry about your VISA. You only have tomorrow left.Â
Your fear eases a bit when at midnight no lasers are to be seen. Is this actually a break?
You donât trust the gamemakers to be that generous. So you search to no avail for a game again the day after. Itâs ironic, you think bitterly. How desperate you are for one considering how much you hate them.
There is no game to be found.
You go to sleep before midnight, aided by sleeping pills youâve scavenged. If the laser comes for you, you donât want to be awake to feel it. Still, fear tinges the edges of consciousness as you slip away.
You wake up. Itâs late in a day, sunlight slipping past your curtains as they lit up the room.
You shake that feeling off.
An interlude. You have no idea what that means. Maybe all the games have been completed? What else could it mean? Was the game at the Beach the Ten of Hearts? What comes next?
Did Chishiya have his complete deck?
Not for the first time, you miss him. His intelligence, you correct yourself.Â
Heâd have theories. Heâd want to hear yours first, find the flaws in your thinking progress, and then ruthlessly dissect them before finally telling you his.
But he wanted to betray you. Thatâs not something you should be willing to forgive.
With no supervision, you donât take the risk of intoxication again. Instead, you bury yourself in books. The smart thing would be to find some medical books. Survival ones, mayhaps. But instead youâre reading novels. Itâs easier to lose yourself in them.
Itâs the third evening that your TV turns on. You jump up at the scare, already halfway to the kitchen where a block of knives lies, when you realise thereâs no danger.
Itâs not even a game. You watch silently as the reporter, clearly scared for her life, introduces the King of Clubs.Â
It doesnât surprise you to learn of the existence of dealers. What does surprise you is that, unknowingly, youâve been competing against them.
And now youâll compete against the citizens.
The face cards. Likely harder than any game youâve played before.
You watch on the roof the next noon as the zeppelins each stop above a different location one by one. The King of Spades doesnât stop moving, but you have no interest in competing against a king, so youâve got no interest in where that particular venue will be.Â
No, youâll choose a jack.
Youâd rather not compete alone in a game more difficult than any youâve played before. But youâve got no choice, have you? After the interlude, youâre not sure what the situation with your VISA is. Better be safe than dead, and play today.
Not diamonds. Chishiya will choose diamonds. What then?
The closest jack is the Jack of Hearts. Why not? Youâre not bad at reading people, as proven by you catching your role in Chishiyaâs plan. And itâs not like youâve got anyone to lose, going in alone.
Your heart is already broken. It canât be made worse.
Chishiya wonât be there. He finds heart games tedious.
You second guess your decision as you realise the venue is a prison. But you ignore the ominous setting, and walk in. You donât hesitate as you put the collar around your neck.
There are twenty people needed. You are only the fourth. You avoid eye contact with the three people already there.
This is a hearts game. Youâre not here to make friends.
A blond man is analysing you, as youâd bet he did with everyone. Even though his eyes are kinder, you avoid him specifically. The calculating look reminds you of Chishiya.Â
Slowly people tickle in as you wait for the full twenty. It was noon when you entered, and now itâs almost evening. Itâs boring, but you use it to observe people. One of the men starts to chat up others, like a salesman. Another has the robes of a priest. Thereâs a brute thatâs already threatened someone before the game has even begun, so you make sure to stay clear of him.
You definitely stay clear of the man you overlooked when you walked in. While youâve forgotten his name, you recognise him from the newspapers. Heâd killed people. In the real world. Woman, specifically. Given your gender? Staying clear is definitely the best move.
The most excitement while waiting is when suddenly a loud moaning fills the rows of cells. You watch as a few people rush to help, led by a man with an afro. You donât. After a stay at the Beach, the sound of sex doesnât confuse you with the sound of someone hurting anymore.
Due to the distraction, you almost miss him walking in. His footsteps are slow as always as he walks through the entrance.
Lead courses through your veins when you spot him.
Your first thought is that the collar looks good on Chishiya. The second is a string of curses.
Why is he here? He shouldnât be. He loathes the concept of a human heart.Â
He cocks his head as he takes in all the participants, his eyes sliding over you as easily as they slide over the others. Still, for a brief moment, there is eye contact. For a brief moment, you can see his smirk. Do you imagine the relief?
Thereâs no way heâs here for you. Thereâs just not. He might know the days on your VISA. He might know how you think. He canât be there for you. Why would he be?
Yet he isnât in some diamonds game like you predicted he would be. He is here.
And currently pretending he doesnât know you as he finds a corner to lean against.
You force yourself to look away from him, at the man in a suit who gets looks from the people around him. Behind him is the woman he was just with, slowly paling as she realises what sheâs done. Where sheâs done it.
Thereâs rattling as another woman enters the venue. Sheâs wearing a hoodie with soft looking ears attached. The gate behind her closes with a clang.
Finally, the game will start.
The announcer cheerily tells them the name of the game. Solitary confinement. A door, with a timer of an hour above it, opens, showing a row of solitary cells, for exactly twenty people, as the emo guy helpfully notes.Â
You shouldâve chosen a different game.
That feeling worsens when the rules are explained. Guess the suit on the back of your collar in your solitary cell at the end of the hour. It will change each round after that. The Jack of Hearts is hiding amongst you. To win, he has to die.
There is an obvious, smart strategy here. There is someone who you know for sure isnât the Jack of Hearts. And Chishiya is smart. Heâd never lie about your suit to you, as he knows youâd never lie about his suit to him.
You donât actually want him death, betrayal or not.
The game is about how much you can trust each other, the announcer said. You donât trust Chishiya, not anymore. But you hate that you know you can, at least, trust him in this game.
Thereâs some discussion before the salesman suggests to work together. Afro immediately agrees. suggesting to form a group. His reasoning is sound: With group confirmation, no one can lie.Â
âYeah! Super idea! Iâm in!â The woman with the hoodie is clearly enthusiastic about the idea. Two men join as well. Chishiya just watches, so, perhaps unwisely, you step forward. A group sounds like a better idea than pairing up with some stranger. âIâm in.â
Afro, Ippei you learn his name, seems surprised by the few people that join. When a young boy suggests that whoever entered the game first or last has a higher chance of being the Jack, both people who immediately joined the group, most people walk off. In the end, there are only six of you.
Ippei wants to get you to know each other, and you suppose building trust is important, so you introduce yourself.Â
The group explores the venue. Itâs quickly clear that there is nothing that could give a reflection, to the point of tomato juice coming out of the tap instead of water. While foreboding, the months worth of food in the storage room is a bright point in this bleak game. Youâre enjoying your favourite candy as the woman in the hoodie, Urumi, smiles at the lot of you.
You donât trust that smile. Itâs meant to portray innocence, but her eyes are anything but.Â
Still, she suggests to start sharing suits. âWe trust each other, right?â
âHearts.â You tell her with the rest of the group.
Youâve been observing the others. Currently, the players are divideable in three groups: Those on their own, those with a partner, and those in your group.
It surprises you that Chishiya is alone. He surely knows that thatâs stupid, right?
If it is because of you, he hasnât approached you. And you sure as hell wonât approach him.
You watch as, in the first round, the first lie is told. You donât blame the man: The brute had been beating him up to the point of blood running down his chin. Unfortunately for him, the brute knows heâs lying. You glance at Chishiya, unperturbed as ever, when you look away.
You donât want to see this.
The beaten up man tells the truth after that. Ippei, kind as before, immediately helps him up as the brute walks away. Offers to let him join the group, and oh, some of the others arenât happy with that, Urumi on forefront. They, understandably selfishly, donât want the attention of the brute on themselves.
You stay silent. It doesnât really matter, does it? There are already cracks forming in your group. Maybe this wasnât the best idea, teaming up with scared strangers. Maybe you should-
No. You wonât approach him. Heâll have to make the first step if he wants to team up.
You deserve that much if youâre forced to play with him.
The first round ends with not a single death.
For a bright minute, people are happy. The rich woman thanks your group profusely for telling her her suit, and joins up. But the mood dies when the brute finds his victim, Seto, again.
Ippei, who youâve started to like, steps in this time. Unfortunately, it only means he gets beaten up too.
You stay silent as Urumi declares Seto has to leave the group, seeing Ippeiâs bruises as proof his presence is a danger. âIf you wonât cast him out, Iâm leaving the group!â
Sheâs not alone in that sentiment, as others agree.
How selfish. A group against a single man, brutish or not, would prevail. Yet you donât say a word either, do you?
At least you have a reason, you try and convince yourself. It wouldnât be smart to let someone whoâs shown to be willing to lie in the group.
Circumstances or not, if you lie once itâll be easier to lie again.
No one dies this round either. But the third round?
There is a furious scream, pulling the attention of everyone. Itâs the brute. From his back, thereâs a knife sticking out. It seems like his victim fought back.
But he has no chance against the brute. The man stops pulling his punches, throwing Seto on the ground as he bashes his face in gruesomely.
You wince as a loud boom reverberates through the building.
Itâs against the rules to kill someone.Â
Ippei doesnât take Setoâs death well. He isnât the only one, as suddenly people are reminded of the stakes of the games. People whisper that someone, likely the Jack, had to have told Seto to fight back, and so distrust is sewn.Â
At the end of the third round, three people give the wrong suit. All loners, leaving Chishiya, the priest and the salesman as the only ones left without a group or partner.
You donât worry for him. He doesnât approach you. The priest does, desperate to join your group now that his disciple has fallen. But then one man almost tells another the wrong suit. âS-sorry, we couldnât bring in any metal, so I donât have my glasses.â
You donât like the calculating look in Urumiâs eyes.
It doesnât surprise you when she goes around the group, convincing everyone to lie. This time you do protest. âOnce the trust is broken, itâs only a matter of time before the group falls apart and we all die.â You argue.Â
Urumi, with that bright, faux-innocent smile, lies anyway. Ippei, surprised and shocked, canât react in time before she moves on to the next person.
You, hopefully subtly, walk after the man without his glasses. âYouâre hearts.â You tell him, very aware of Chishiyaâs eyes on you. âUrumi lied. She wants to get the game moving.â There are visible drops of sweat on his forehead and his eyes widen, but the announcer goads you to your cells before he can react.
A loud boom announces his death.
That round, Urumi smiles at you as she claims âHearts!â
Ippei is trembling. The priest seems nervous and some of the others refuse to meet your eyes.
Theyâre all eager to move to the next person. Too eager.
You distance yourself from the group. Theyâre lying to you because you refused to lie. How could they all be so⊠idiotic?
What are you supposed to do now? The round is almost over. Maybe you should try and isolate Ippei. He wouldnât lie, even if heâs a pushover. Maybe you should get over yourself and-
Fingers brush away your hair from your neck, leaving a smouldering track in their wake. âDiamonds.â Chishiyaâs voice is much closer than needed, the feeling of his breath against your neck causing you to shiver.
âOr did you truly think they told the truth?â His fingers linger longer than necessary. Is he doing that on purpose or is it his usual slow movements?
You turn around. He truly is close, but you refuse to back away. It maddens you that his eyes still do that thing where it looks like they soften. âI noticed that much.â Heâs smirking. As if nothing happened between the two of you. Did he wait for this? An opportunity to tell you the truth after others lied?
âThen, if you donât mind?â He turns around. You brush the hair thatâs covering his suit aside. He is your surest way out of this game. Now that heâs approached you first, youâll allow him to team up with you.
Even if your chest still hurts.
âSpades.â You keep your eyes on his, trying your hardest to remain a poker face.
You wouldnât lie. Itâd be stupid.Â
But that doesnât mean you donât want to see him hesitate.
He doesnât grant you that gratification. Youâd forgotten this was Chishiya youâre dealing with. He simply puts his hands in his pockets, nods, and makes for the solitary cells.
âI couldâve lied.â You try. âYou know I have all the reasons to want you dead.â
He glances over his shoulder. âThen I suppose Iâll die.â He doesnât seem all that bothered by the thought.
Is he trying to prove something to you?
Or is it just his normal level of not caring about his own life?
Youâd scolded him for that once before. He hadnât shown it again around you.
Is he trying to get you to scold him again?
You donât get him. You thought you did. But why hasnât he left you alone after you realised the truth of your relationship? Surely itâs easier to manipulate someone new for whatever he wants.
That round only the rich girl dies. The group told her the truth, so she mustâve figured if they were willing to lie to you, theyâre willing to lie to her.
You wouldâve told her the truth if she asked.
You can feel Chishiyaâs presence behind you after you step from your cell. Urumi is frowning, the rest of the group nervously glancing at each other.Â
Theyâd expected you to die. Theyâd wanted you to die.
You ignore them as you walk past them. As far as youâre concerned, theyâre just ghosts. Still lingering, but dead already in practice.
They wanted you dead. You wonât bother helping them stay alive.
âIt was so stupid.â You grumble at Chishiya as you walk, trying to divert your feelings. âSurely they realise theyâre just killing each other off. Including themselves.â Itâs better than acknowledging the spare time this game grants you with him.
âTheyâre playing the numbers game.â Chishiya dryly explains. Heâs not pushing you to figure it out yourself. Is that his way of being careful with you? âKill as many people as they can and hope the Jack is one of the victims before they die themselves. Besides, theyâre scared of protesting. You proved that it would paint a target on their back.â
âSheep mentality.â Youâre still pissed.
âYes.â Chishiya takes a seat in the cafetaria. âBut youâre not a sheep. And youâre smart enough to know that, in spite of your feelings, Iâm your greatest chance at survival.â
âIâm alive, arenât I?â Because you believed him without question when he told you your suit. He doesnât have to tell you that. You add, a bit smugly: âI am your best chance of survival as well.â
âThat you are.â He doesnât bother denying.
It does bother you a bit. Heâs smart, manipulative, enough to have had a partner he could trust from the start. Yet he took a gamble and risked his first rounds, even when the players got paranoid, to wait for a moment you would have to accept him.
While youâre certain he wonât lie, the same canât be said the other way around from his point of view. Youâve made clear youâre furious with him. So he took a risk to team up with someone who might kill him anyway.
You canât think of a plausible reason he would do so exceptâŠ
Heâs manipulating you. You remind yourself. He doesnât care. Not the way you do. Youâre not sure he can.
But what could he be manipulating you for?
âIâm going to get some snacks.â You announce, leaving him behind.
Only to almost immediately bump into someone as you round the corner. Itâs the emo guy.
âSorry!â He stammers. Huh, the killer isnât with him. Those two seemed to stay close most of the time.
âDonât worry about it.â You say, starting to walk past him.
He looks at you for a moment. âIâm Matsushita.â He introduces himself. âUm... Could I ask you my suit?âÂ
Oh? You glance back at him. âDonât you trust your partner?â
âIâm scared of him.â He admits with a wry smile. âHeâs the one who gave Seto the knife.â Interesting. That was what started the paranoia. âYouâre spades.â You tell him. Thereâs no reason not to tell him, is there?Â
You still as he reaches to brush your hair aside. Unlike Chishiya, heâs careful to not touch your skin. âYouâre hearts.â He says.Â
âThanks.â You continue towards the storage room. There was no need for him to tell you, but you take it anyway.Â
Maybe it isnât the smartest to interact with someone else now that you have Chishiya. But unlike your blond, you do want people to live. If they ask you for their suit, youâll tell them honestly.
When you return to Chishiya with chocolate chip cookies, which you know he dislikes, he confirms that youâre hearts.Â
That round, four people die. The group's paranoia got most of them killed, including Urumi, leaving only Ippei and the priest. Chishiya smirks as he walks with you to the cafeteria.
You feel conflicted. Theyâd lied to you, but theyâre still people.
The salesman was amongst the dead. Now there are only duos left.
âIppei doesnât seem to be holding up well.â You are slightly concerned. He seemed like a good man, but one who took on too much. âYou think the psychological strain of the game will get to him?â
âHe shouldâve expected it from a hearts game.â Chishiya mocks. âHe couldâve prevented deaths if heâd stood up when the group lied instead of being shocked to silence.â He glances at you as if to remind you that if it wasnât for him, youâd have had trouble finding your true suit that round.Â
Itâs almost like everyone if the group genuinely irritates him.Â
You find yourself yawning. âJust a few more rounds.â Chishiya says nonchalantly as if he isnât reassuring you.Â
âItâs dawn. I havenât slept since last night.â You hope he is right about the game lasting just a few more hours. You are getting tired. âYou donât seem that tired.â
That seems to amuse him. âIâve had longer shifts at the hospital. Sitting around and observing is less taxing than dealing with patients or surgery.â
âSo you are a doctor.â He never admitted to that before, even when heâd masterfully stitched up a cut youâd received during a spades game.
âMedical student.â He corrects you. âThere are energy drinks amongst the supplies. You could use them.â
You down a can at the spot when you find them.Â
âYouâre clubs.â You look up to see Matsushita next to you. Huh, you hadnât heard him get close. He is quiet.Â
You didnât agree to an alliance. But you resolved youâd tell people who asked. âClubs as well.â You say.
Chishiyaâs leaning against the wall when you come back, his eyes thoughtful on you. He still touches your skin as he brushes your hair away. Your skin still traitorously burns. âClubs.âÂ
When you make your way back to the solitary cells, the blond who reminded you of Chishiya is waiting, together with his partner, the priest and Ippei.Â
âI have an announcement to make.â He says when everyone has returned. âThe four of us will make a new group.â
The man in the suit, Yaba, snorts. âAnother group, huh? Didnât you see how the last one ended?â
âThat group was lacking a mission.â The blond retorts. He goes on to explain his plan.Â
They want to stay here. For months. No lying, no treason. No killing. Even if the Jack of Hearts is in their group. Until the food runs out.
Months of living without worrying about your life in the Borderlands? That might as well be eternity.
But⊠âYou think sleep deprivation wonât be a factor?â Chishiya seems amused at what he perceives to be idioticy.Â
âI always assumed you three would never agree to join. But your hangers-on can join anytime.â
You bristle. âChishiya does not control me. But your plan seems unrealistic.â
While this round, no one dies, the next round all four in the new group do.
Yaba uses his physical strength to keep the blondâs cell door closed once the round starts. If he canât leave his cell, he canât receive his suit.
You only watch to see the blondâs partner threatening violence, but being stopped by Yabaâs womanâs knife. He does point out that itâs against the rules to obstruct someoneâs entrance into a solitary cell, so Yaba lets him in. Fool.
Youâre gone by the time he gets locked in as well. The rules donât say anything about preventing others from leaving their cell. The rules also state that, at the end of the hour, when there are two or more players in a single cell theyâll receive a game over.
This time, Matsushita comes to find you when Chishiya is away for food.
âYou say youâre not his hanger-on.â He asks you after exchanging suits. âBut you look at him like he hurt you. Deeply. Yet youâre still partnering with him.â
âThatâs none of your business.â You snap back, perhaps a bit too harshly. But youâre running on fumes at this point, and youâre not interested in explaining Chishiya.
âI didnât mean to insult.â He holds his hands up placatingly. âI just⊠It seems like weâre both partnered up with people weâd rather not, arenât we?â He walks away before you can answer.
You can understand how it looks from the outside. Itâs just⊠Chishiyaâs complicated. You know he wonât lie to you.
About your suit, at least.
Unfortunately for you, the priest decides to pay you a visit as well. His movements are frantic, clearly betraying his desperation. âYouâve shown mercy on others.â He begs you. âBy telling the poor soul the group condemned what his true suit was. Have mercy on me too.â Doesnât he have Ippei to trade suits with?
âAsk Ippei.â You say curtly.
âHe has wandered away from the light.â His voice is trembling. You shift awkwardly. This man tried to kill you. It mightâve been a group decision, but he very much was part of the group.
âSo you ask the one person alive you tried to kill?â You remind him.
âEven men of God can sin.â Heâs begging you. âLet me atone for what Iâve done.â
âPathetic.â Chishiyaâs leaning against the entryway. He pushes himself away from the wall, walking up to the man as if the priest isnât much larger than him. âDoes your God allow harassing a woman you attempted to murder?â He places himself next to you.Â
âI was weak.â The man begs, now directed at Chishiya. âThe spirit of the game tested me, and I failed.â
âYou havenât even apologised.â You look away, but you do catch Chishiya glancing at you. He hasnât apologised either.
âDamn it all.â The priest drops his mask. âI donât want to die here. Donât let me die here.â
You have no interest in killing someone. But you wonât help someone live when they tried to kill you. So you stay silent.
âSure.â The cruelty in Chishiyaâs voice is evident. âYouâre spades ~âȘâ
The priest, breathing heavily, takes a few steps back as if hit, realising he wonât get his answers here. He all but runs out of the room. In doing so, his back is turned to you, unintentionally showing off his suit.
âYou told the truth?â For a moment, youâre surprised. Then you realise. âOh. He will think you lied.â His guess will be any suit but the right one. âAre you not scared that getting a priest killed is bad karma, Chishiya?â You present it like a tease, but you want to know his answer.
He doesnât normally bother to actively get someone killed.
He scoffs. âA priest? He strikes me as more of a cult leader. There was no belief there. Itâs the only way he knew to manipulate anyone.â
The priest dies with the rest of his group. You never even knew his name.
The next round, youâre back in the storage room in search of more caffeine. Matsushita is waiting for you.
âIâm scared Banda will lie to me.â He admits to you. âHow do you know Chishiya wonât hurt you again?â You donât. âHe wonât. Not in this game. Heâs smarter than that.â
âBut heâs arrogant as well.â Matsushita pushes. âWhy should we be stuck with people like them any longer? We could get free.â Whoa. You hadnât minded the suit-exchange youâve been doing, but what heâs insinuating?
âWe have very different situations. Chishiya isnât a serial killer, to start with.â You say frostily.Â
âThink about it.â He tries. âHeâs heartless. Donât make the mistake of thinking youâre special.â You freeze at that, the unintentional repeat of Chishiyaâs question feels like a stab through your heart. âYouâre hearts. Iâll ask you again next turn.âÂ
âYouâre hearts as well.â You murmur, the word special ringing in your ears.
Chishiya has started to slowly stroke his thumb against the nape of your neck as he tells you your suit. You havenât commented on it, not willing to admit you like it. You blame the sleep deprivation.
His breath ghosts your ear as he tells you, shamelessly leaning in. âClubs.â
You freeze immediately, the icy feeling like lead flowing through your veins.
He notices, of course, stepping in front of you, his hand moving to your chin to make you look into his eyes as he considers you. âDid your friend tell you otherwise?â
Heâd noticed? But thatâs not the important thing right now.
Matsushita hadnât seemed like he lied, had he? But youâd been distracted.
âHow do I know you wonât hurt me again, Chishiya?â Your voice is vulnerable.
His hand moves back to his pocket. âYou donât. But thatâs what this game is about. Trust.â He cocks his head. âAnd you do know me better than that.â
âDo I? Everything you do is confusing me. Why did you join this game? You were supposed to focus on the diamonds games.â
âYou werenât amongst the survivors of the Beach. Iâd assumed you went out after I noticed you leave during Aguniâs speech. I wanted to confirm your survival.â Thereâs an unreadable tone in his voice that canât be what you think it is.
âWhy?â You press. You donât get why. If you hadnât uncovered his plans, surely youâd be dead or worse.
âIâm not apologising for my initial plans.â His face is so frustratingly emotionless. âIt is only human to do anything to survive. But I do apologise for how I handled you finding out.â His eyes soften. âYou are special. I never meant to imply otherwise. Iâve never had anyone else so insistingly stuck in my thoughts.â
Your breath quickens. Thatâs exactly what you want to hear, but how can you believe him? âYou still tried to throw me to the wolves.â You repeat, your breath quickening.
âI was. At first.â He hesitates. âI had been searching for a replacement when you found out.â
Your head shoots up. âWhat?â
âIâm aware it sounds like a lie.â His eyes havenât turned away from yours for even a moment. âBut you affect me in a way no one else ever has. The cards werenât worth sacrificing you.â
âIf youâd only waited a bit. Then youâd have seen that I officially replaced you with Arisu. But no, you had to be clever.â He sounds almost fond.
This is Chishiya. He doesnât do fond.
âDonât believe Matsushita over me. Inconsequential is the least of what Iâd find your demise.âÂ
âWhy would he lie?â Youâre not sure whether you can believe Chishiya, but at least you know he wouldnât lie about your suit. Still, you want to know.
âHeâs the most likely candidate to be the Jack of Hearts.â He explains without a hint of his often used condescension. âHeâs partnered with Kotoko as well. And it takes a certain type to partner with someone like Banda Sunato.â
ââŠI was focused on surviving.â You admit. You havenât really been looking for the Jack of Hearts, have you? Youâd been more occupied by making sure you had someone tell you your true suit. And youâd been distracted by Chishiya.
âWeâll talk about that strategy when youâre not mad at me anymore.â When. Not if.
It maddens you how presumptuous he is.
It maddens you how it calms you a bit. It reminds you of before.
You canât continue your conversation as you have to return to your cells. But before you step into yours, Chishiya meets your gaze. âDonât be a moron.â As if heâs actually worried.
Even if it wasnât strategically better to believe Chishiya, you want to believe in him.
You close your eyes as you wait for the timer to hit zero. The sound of an explosion reverberates through the prison, but youâre aware of it. Youâre alive.
Of course you are. There was no reason for Chishiya to lie about your suit.
Did he lie about the rest?
âTimeâs up.â The announcer chimes. âOut of six participants, the number that has survived round ten is⊠Five.â
âWh⊠What happened? There must be a mistake!â You hear from outside.
You step aside, just to see him gaping at Banda and Yaba. âThis canât be! How are you still alive?â
âThe next round begins.â The announcer interrupts. âTrust your partners, and good luck.â
âHow sad.â Banda says. âI thought we could be friends. But you betrayed us. Did fear drive you to do it? Or⊠could it be that youâre the Jack of Hearts?â
âCâmon.â Chishiya nods towards the exit as Banda continues. âThis wonât be pretty ~âȘâ
And heâs right. The two of you wait for the hour to tick down in the cafeteria, which has the most possible walls between the solitary cells. Still, Matsushitaâs screams reach you.
âItâs a shame metal wasnât allowed for this game.â Chishiya muses. âMy walkman couldâve dampened that noise.â Because, while heâs calmly eating a bag of biscuits, you have your hands clamped over your ears.
Luckily, the torture only lasts one round. Itâs been hours since dawn, and you eagerly leave the prison, only to walk right out into the rain.
âA typhoon.â Chishiya seems insistent on walking next to you. âInteresting timing.â You donât deny him.
You do send him an irritated glare when he touches your arm, as if to correct your direction. âI suggest we avoid the King of Spades.âÂ
The blimp is indeed in the direction of the apartment you camped out in. âSo? We just wonât enter the venue.â
âItâs still moving.â He points out. âIâd rather we avoid it. Itâd be a shame if the King of Spades is a free roamer.â
âWe?â Youâre too tired and annoyed that heâs right again.
He simply raises his eyebrows.
âFine. We. Your place should better be close.â
It is, relatively. The apartment he leads you to is white and barren. You donât care. You go straight to opening doors until youâve found the bedroom, where you dress down to your underwear, too exhausted to tell an amused Chishiya off but still refusing to sleep in drenched clothes, putting on the first shirt you can find in the wardrobe.
You fall asleep the moment your head hits the pillow, only vaguely aware of the bed dipping beside you.
You sleep past the day, well into the night.
When you wake up, youâre hyper aware of warm skin thatâs resting against your hand. The contact is small, just the side of his hand against yours, but itâs there.
Chishiya is sleeping next to you, on his back, his face unusually serene.Â
That ache in your chest is still there, yet you donât move away.Â
You want to believe that so badly.
Now that youâve slept, you glance around the room. While barren, there is a hint to its previous owner. The medical books on a shelf.
This is Chishiyaâs apartment.Â
Youâve slept in Chishiyaâs bed. Next to him.
You find yourself heating up as blood rushes to your cheeks.
You undressed in front of him in his room. And proceeded to put his shirt on.
You look back at his sleeping face.
His muscles are completely relaxed, his mole accentuating his features.
Was he affected by the sight?
Damn it. Heâs still Chishiya Shuntaro.
Affection and hurt are warring in your chest.
A rumbling coming from your stomach gives you an excuse you readily take to get up.
As youâve got no interest in wearing your dirty, still damp clothes from the day before, you begrudgingly take a pair of pants and a shirt from Chishiyaâs wardrobe.
You glance back as you make for the door, only to be greeted by Chishiyaâs open eyes. Thereâs an unreadable look in his usually empty eyes. It takes you a moment to recognise it as contentment.
âI donât remember agreeing to sharing a bed.â The contentment makes place for his Cheshire smile. âI wasnât about to sleep on the couch in my own home.â He drawls out your name. âAnd unfortunately I lack a guestroom.â He expectedly doesnât seem sorry at all. âDo I need to ask compensation for letting you sleep in my bed and wear my clothes?â
You glare at him as you step out of the bedroom, glad to find canned food neatly stacked in a cupboard in the kitchen.
Youâre not sure what youâre doing. Well, you know how to make yourself breakfast, thatâs not the issue.
Logically, you should leave him behind. He, admitted by himself, tried to give you to the militants as a traitor. His words during the Jack of Hearts could very easily be lies.
The same Chishiya who, back at the Beach, noticed when a game was too much and stayed in your room until you fell asleep (under the excuse of working on his plan). The same Chishiya who taught you to be better at the games.
The same Chishiya who you fell for. Who you, if you allow yourself to admit it for a moment, still have feelings for.
You donât want to leave him.
He notices your conflicted feelings of course. But he doesnât press. No, Chishiya is patient,
He lets you snark at him over minor things without responding in kind during the day. He doesnât call out your staring.
He knows heâs on a thin line. But he also seems aware that youâll forgive him if he behaves while time passes.
How irritating that heâs right.
Youâre only vulnerable again that next evening. Laying in bed, your voice is barely audible. ââŠDid you lie during the Jack of Hearts?â
âNo.â His reply is immediate, his hand brushes against yours, just the tiniest bit more touch than yesterday. âTruth was my best strategy there.â Then, more quiet, as if heâs talking to himself: âIâd have told it even if it wasnât.â
You donât pull your hand away. This night, youâre aware of his touch for every single moment.
The problem with him being passive, you realise, is that you want him to cover the first step. Itâs really nice that heâs being overly careful not to press past your boundaries, but he hurt you.Â
So when you find a deck of cards, you start playing solitaire on your own. But when Chishiya nudges you to join him at mahjong, perhaps recognising your need for him to reach out, you donât make him work for it and simply agree.
He doesnât subject you to even a single test.
Still, progress is slow.Â
You feel like youâre going mad, one side of you wondering why you canât just forgive him already, while the other still remembers how cold his eyes had looked when you called him out. How your heart broke.
His eyes hadnât looked cold then. No, thereâd been fondness in them.Â
You like when he looks at you like that.
You like the moments he seems content even in this awkward routine.
Youâre not sure what he wants from you. You hope itâs the same you want from him.
It might be, right? He doesnât let anyone else get close to touching him, yet his hand is resting on yours each night.
Until one morning, when you wake up to a cold hand.
Immediately, you sit up. The space next to you is empty.
Heâs not elsewhere in the apartment either. Instead, on the counter, is a letter in perfect kanji.
Heâs out. To play games. Even when his VISA is far from expiring.
The letter tells you heâll be back before dinner.
The way your heart pumps quicker in concern calls out that lie immediately.
You shouldâve known, honestly. The Jack and King of Diamonds sat unbeaten, and Chishiya does appreciate an intellectual challenge.
Did he go to the Jack or the King?
You spent that day on the roof of the apartment complex, ignoring the rain thatâs still pouring down. Few games are left. Just the Queen of Hearts, King of Spades and the Jack and King of Diamonds.
The Jack of Diamonds goes down during the afternoon. Each second feels like hours as you wait for him to return.
After an actual hour, you canât take it anymore. You make your way in the direction where the blimp was before it crashed.
You find yourself in front of a mahjong parlor. Your hand is trembling as you open the door.
Thereâs a hole in the ground. Perfectly cut around a table where the remains of a game lay.
Chishiya is good at strategy games. He might not have played mahjong much, but heâs good at it. PleaseâŠ
The corpse your flashlight first uncovers has long dark hair. The second has glasses.
It takes you painstaking long moments to find the third and last. Short, dark hair.
Why didnât he come back?
The King of Diamonds hasnât been beaten yet, and Chishiya canât just let anyone else beat the king of intelligence, can he?
You can just spot the burning blimp between buildings when you step outside.
The King of Diamonds has been beaten.
No way itâs anyone other than him. Right?
The Chishiya Shuntaro you know is untouchable when it comes to intellect.
You hurry as you make your way.
The Supreme Court has four corpses. But unlike the Jack of Diamonds, these are unrecognisable, blackened by what you assume to be acid.
The winner must have left already. Chishiya must have left already.
He canât have died like that. Not so painful, not without you being able to recognise his body.
Surely he wouldnât take on the Queen of Hearts or the King of Spades, right?
You barely register your surroundings as you make it back, until you instinctively lurge behind a car when sudden gunshots ring out.
You force yourself to breathe as you take in the situation.Â
The gunshots sound again. Not close, you realise. But right between your location and the apartment.
Chishiya wouldnât, right?
You cautiously make your way there anyway, even if it goes against any instinct you have.
What once used to be Shibuya crossing is now overshadowed by another burning blimp stretched across the streets.
You donât care for that.
You care for the speck of white sagged against one of the cars.
âChishiya!â All caution is thrown to the wind as you rush towards him.
His usually impeccable jacket has two slowly growing red spots on it.
You frantically cup his cheek in one hand as your other presses against one of his wounds in a faint attempt to limit the bleeding, causing him to slightly grunt.
âAh. So you do care.â The affection in his eyes is the strongest it has ever been. âDonât bother. The internal damage will do me in long before loss of blood will.â
âOf course I care!â You snarl back. âTell me what to do.â
He says your name in the softest tone youâve heard his voice. âThereâs nothing you can do.â His hand takes yours off his wound and squeezes it. âI need professionals and working hospital equipment.â
âBut you canât die.â You beg him frantically. âI was supposed to have time. Time to forgive you. Time for⊠us. Youâre a constant. You never get hurt. You canât be hurt.â
âAnd you went after me anyway, didnât you? So impatient.â He clicks his tongue, amused. As if he doesnât care for his situation at all. âIâm human. Of course I can get hurt.â
âYou said youâd be back by dinner.â
âIt appears I was wrong.â He brings up his hand to your cheek, his thumb brushing your skin. Heâs wiping a tear away, you realise.
Itâs too much. You donât just care for this man, you fell for him. You loved him, and you know with time youâll love him again. So you lean in closer and capture his lips with your own.
His lips are dry but it doesnât take away from the moment in the slightest. Heâs still for long moments quickly spent as you are kissing Chishiya before his lips start to move against your own. His hand moves to your shoulder, his thumb on your pulsepoint, while his other hand lies on your waist. His grip is loose, no squeezing, no pulling, as they simply rest there.Â
It is enough. For a moment, you forget your drenched clothes. For a moment, you forget his blood-soaked jacket. For a moment, all that exists is him. His lips against your own.
Then he pulls away. Just enough to tease.
âI correct myself. You do more than just care. Could I assume this means youâve forgiven me?â
You glare at him before you soften. Damn it. ââŠYes. Iâve forgiven you. Just donât die. Please.â The way your voice breaks proves how you mean it.
âArisu and Usagi are taking on the Queen of Hearts. It should be our final game.â He tells you. âThereâs a reasonable assumption to be made that we can go back to our former world after that. If so, I will make it to a hospital in time. With my parentâs positions in the hospital, my care will be top priority.â The hand resting on your waist slips beneath your jacket to find a sliver of skin. It doesnât explore further, content to just feel.
ââŠYou really think so?â You know itâs a stupid question. Chishiya doesnât say needless things. But the hope slipped past your lips before you could stop it.
For once, he doesnât mock you. âYes.â He simply confirms. âGuarenteed proper treatment is one of the few perks Iâve received from my family.â
âIâm more worried about the going home part.â
He considers that a moment before answering. âEven if we donât, itâs likely thereâs a system in place for citizens. Itâd be a shame to lose a king the night before stage two due to a heart attack.â
âI hope weâll be able to go home.â You admit, calmed a bit by his conviction. âBefore, Iâd often imagined how itâd be like to be drifted into another world. But now that I have, I just want to go back.â
Heâs silent after that. You sit there, just taking in his presence, taking in the realisation that you do in fact forgive him. That you kissed him, and heâd kissed you back.
âIâve got not much to go back for.â He finally admits. âIâd like to stop wasting my life.â
âYouâre a medical student.â You point out. âObjectively, thatâs not a waste. Even if your motivations arenât the reasons society prefers.â
His smiles wryly. âAh. Society might think so. But my occupation is not what made my life a waste.â He tilts his head. âWhat is your living situation like?â
You blink at the, in your eyes, sudden change in subject. And then you immediately attempt to think of ways to divert it.
Heâs a future doctor. His parents are implied to be doctors. Youâve seen his apartment, the neighbourhood he lives in.
You know what heâll think of your meager place.
âMine then.â Chishiya finds your moment of hesitation answer enough.
âYes. Weâll live at my place, since you donât consider yours up to my standards.â
Hold on. âYou want us to live together? In the real world?â
You imagine it. Youâd continue to sleep in his, your, bed for the foreseeable future. Youâd have his intelligent support for your daily struggles. More importantly, youâd have him. Thereâs nothing in the real world he could betray you for, so youâd truly have him.
âYes.â He confirms, again without mockery. âIâd be a fool to let you slip away twice. And I do so despise being foolish.â
You kiss him again. How could you not? Heâs just admitted, in his own way, that he wants to have you too. That he intends on making sure your futures intertwine.
In his own way, he assured you that he wonât hurt you again. Never you.
You do worry during the next few hours. Chishiyaâs poker face doesnât let you get a good gauge on his condition. Heâs a medical student, you remind yourself. And his personality doesnât let him soften the truth.
Heâd tell you if he wouldnât make it.
Still, you anxiously await for whatever will happen once the Queen of Hearts is cleared (and it will be cleared. As soon as possible. There is no other option. Chishiya doesnât have another option).
What you were waiting for turns out to be fireworks. You couldâve guessed: There were fireworks when you entered the Borderlands. There were when the second stage started. So there are now.
âCongratulations! The players successfully completed all card games.â
You grin. âWe made it, âShiya.â
âShuntaro.â He corrects you mindlessly.
Your grin takes over your whole face.
The fireworks are beautiful.
âI deny citizenship.â You say confidently before the announcer has even finished their offer of more games. Denial means home, it has to be. And home means a future with Chishiya, Shuntaro.
âI donât want it.â Shuntaroâs eyes are on you as he says it.
The fireworks get brighter. Bright enough to swallow your whole vision.Â
Chishiya Shuntaroâs face is the last thing you see.
(You wake up in a hospital room with an arrogant yet familiar blond as your neighbour. For some reason, he doesnât correct you when you slip up and call him his given name before even learning what it is. Nor do you object when he offers you his apartment on learning the meteorite destroyed yours. No, for the first time in what feels like a while, you feel carefree. Happy. Youâve found someone you trust wholeheartedly)
