"Ririka? That's such a beautiful name." Naoki looked at her with wide, sparkling eyes full of admiration.
Blushing, Ririka turned her face away shyly. It was rare for her to interact with anyone as herself, especially another girl.
She'd been pretending to be Kirari for so long that slipping back into her true identity felt awkward.
The Momobami clan, as its name implied, was ruthless. Only the strongest could rise to the top, and the weak were devoured.
Even though she was the older twin in biological terms, Ririka's lack of dominance and gambling skill meant she was ultimately demoted to being the nominal younger sister. Kirari took over the Momobami family and became the one managing the clan.
But Ririka never resented Kirari. She had no ambition, no plans for her future. All her life, she simply followed the elders' arrangements, serving as a stand-in beside Kirari.
"I..." Ririka tried to speak but hesitated.
Why? Why was Naoki interested in *her*, the invisible one, always in Kirari's shadow?
Usually, when people saw them together, their attention would be stolen by Kirari. But Naoki... Naoki noticed *her*.
Just like those romantic stories where the protagonist accidentally meets the heroine and their bond begins, Ririka felt like a side character watching from the wings.
"You're so shy, Ririka. If you're nervous, try some sweets. Sugar always helps calm the nerves."
Naoki picked up a slice of baumkuchen and popped it into Ririka's mouth, then took one herself.
"Mm..." Ririka chewed and swallowed. It really did help ease the tension.
"Naoki, why did you invite me?"
"Because you helped me last time."
"I did?" Ririka gave a bashful smile.
Naoki nodded, speaking with dramatic flair. "I thought I was dead meat, sure the President was going to string me up. Didn't you say she was mad? But thanks to you, I got away. I'm super grateful."
Ririka lowered her gaze. "She *was* mad... at first."
But she'd calmed down later.
Ririka understood Kirari well. She knew her sister had taken a slight interest in Naoki.
She'd seen that pattern many times before.
But this time, she didn't want Kirari to hurt this girl, or take her away.
Even if she didn't have the strength to stop her.
"You're too kind, Ririka." Naoki pulled a chocolate box from her bag.
"Here, this is a gift for you. I know we already ordered a lot of sweets, but you can take this one home."
*Chocolate.*
She never imagined a day would come when a girl would give *her* chocolate.
Steam practically rose from Ririka's head.
**System: Ririka is thoroughly charmed. Favorability +10.**
Seriously? Her defenses were that low?
She's way too easy to toy with. Bad girls could break her in an instant.
Determined to protect Ririka from future heartbreak, Naoki resolved to date her properly and teach her the pain of loving a scoundrel. That way, she'd never fall for the wrong person again.
Seeing how easily Ririka was swayed, even without using a Charm Card, Naoki felt reassured. A few sweet words and a cuddle would probably do the trick.
"Hey, Ririka, you know about the Friendship Party the Student Council's throwing, right?"
"Yes, that's Juraku Sachiko's event."
Having received Naoki's chocolate and chatted for a bit, Ririka had clearly relaxed.
"I want to go. This year there's a same-sex pairing option. Since it's just girls, there's no real risk. Plus, you can win prize money."
"You're entering the matchmaking gamble?" Ririka asked, eyes lighting up.
"Yep. I already agreed with my classmates."
She made it so obvious. Surely Ririka could read between the lines.
*Come to the party and pair up with me.*
"I see. Then I'll come cheer you on."
Naoki: …
That's not what I meant.
Watching me gamble is *nothing* like being my partner!
But if she pushed too hard, it'd seem like she was trying to seduce Ririka. And it *was* their first date.
Even if Ririka didn't get the hint, Kirari would question her later and realize how desperate she was.
"Well... just make sure you come, okay? Because I'm definitely going to win."
There was no helping it. She'd have to win big, show off, then ask her out again.
...
After the date, Naoki went to meet Mary and the others. The Friendship Party was tomorrow, after all.
The moment she entered the second library's prep room, she felt the heavy air. Not a single customer in sight.
Kusunokuro looked guilt-ridden.
"I'm sorry, Mary. I lost us so much money."
Mary looked irritated, but she didn't blame her. "It's not your fault. My gambling setup still needs work."
Togakushi explained to Naoki: A Student Council member had visited earlier and challenged them to three consecutive games with increasing stakes. First round: 1 million yen. Final round: 4 million.
They won the first two, but lost the last one, ending up down a million.
After a week of hard work, their earnings vanished.
Mary clenched her teeth. "It was Aoi Mibuomi. He targeted us on purpose."
"Looks like we have no choice now. We *have* to enter the matchmaking gamble and win big."
Otherwise, they'd never repay their debts.
Naoki was calm. "Aoi is the Student Council treasurer and chief of operations. He's on a whole other level. Mary, you've just started here. Losing is normal."
"But I don't *want* to lose."
"Then win next time."
Yes. Losing wasn't the end. Giving up was.
"Naoki, do you know the Zensaki Society? Aoi tried recruiting me."
"I know. He tried recruiting me too."
"What kind of group is it?"
"A faction that opposes the current Student Council. More precisely, they oppose the President." Naoki briefly explained the Zensaki Society's ideals. She knew Aoi would keep trying to pull Mary in.
"Saving the livestock, huh? Not a bad goal. Though I doubt they'll succeed. Still, it's a chance. Joining the regular Student Council is hard, but if the Zensaki Society wins, their members might become future leaders."
Mary perked up.
"Wait, Naoki, you said they tried recruiting you. Why didn't you join?"
"Because I got destroyed by one of their executive members."
"What? You're super strong. How could you lose?"
Naoki didn't elaborate. Instead, she shifted the topic to the upcoming gamble.
"I heard it's five-person teams. We've got four. We'll get one random teammate tomorrow. Shouldn't be a problem."
With Togakushi's inside knowledge, they started strategizing.
"The goal is to hide who your confession target is, right? If everyone's focused on making money, it shouldn't be too hard."
"Right. Guessing who confessed to you requires insane intuition."
"And since we split the prize and debts equally, even if one or two of us lose, we can still profit."
They quickly reached an agreement and felt more confident.
...
The next day.
Thanks to the buzz around the Friendship Party, the crowd formed a moving stream heading toward the event hall.
Naoki and her friends joined the flow and soon reached the first-floor gathering space.
And then Naoki spotted a familiar face.
"Hey, Mikura, what are *you* doing here?!"
Mikura looked worse for wear but had sharper eyes than before.
She'd been abandoned by Juraku, so she shouldn't have been helping with the event anymore.
Unless...
Mikura glanced at Naoki. "I knew you'd show up."
"Wait... are you entering the matchmaking gamble too?"
"Why wouldn't I?"
"Isn't this Juraku Sachiko's event? I thought you wouldn't show."
Mikura snorted. "Don't underestimate my loyalty. Juraku-sama is my one and only master. Even if she throws me away, I'll keep coming back to her."
Naoki gave her a thumbs-up. "So you're trying to win her back with this gamble? Respect."
Mikura's devotion was admirable.
Some might call her a simp, but loyalty and persistence were virtues in their own right.
"We're short one member. Join our team."
Naoki extended the offer without hesitation. As much as she disliked Mikura, her skills were undeniable. If they wanted to win flawlessly, teamwork was key.
For Juraku-sama, Mikura could tolerate anything.
Within minutes, Naoki had brought their fifth teammate to meet the others.
"I found our last member."
Mary shouted, "Isn't that the dealer who rigged my cards? You want me to *gamble* with her?! She'll sell us out!"
"She's on our side now. Besides, she's good. You didn't even notice the switch, did you? That kind of talent's useful."
Mikura remained cold. "I'll do whatever it takes to win."
Togakushi and Kusunokuro had no objections.
Mary grumbled, but didn't protest further. The gamble came first.
Soon, the host took the stage to welcome participants and explain the rules. This time, there was a special section for girl-only pairings.
"Welcome to this year's Friendship Party. Over the years, this event has united many couples. And now, we've included a special girl-on-girl matchmaking segment, so everyone can find their perfect match."
"The gamble will be a five-on-five team match. There's a boys' section and a girls-only area. Teams may register together and will be matched randomly."
Naoki scanned the crowd.
Ririka said she'd come to watch her gamble.
Where *was* she?
...
Sitting at a private table, Juraku Sachiko calmly sipped red wine.
All the interesting girls were here, including her former pet Mikura.
Her long fingers tapped the glass. The hunt might be worth starting.
Footsteps approached. Not one of her Prefects. Curious, Juraku turned and raised an eyebrow.
"Well, well. Miharutaki Sakura. Didn't think you'd be interested in this event. Is it because of Aoi?"
"He seems curious about that girl Mary. Probably wants to recruit her."
Juraku knew all about the Zensaki Society. But being a spectator was more fun. Watching Aoi or Kirari lose was always amusing.
She had told Aoi that Mary and Naoki were joining. He wanted to test their strength before deciding whether to recruit them.
Sakura didn't care for Juraku's games. But she couldn't stand the thought of someone she cared about being toyed with.
Yes, after hearing Juraku mention Naoki's name, she couldn't help but worry.
Even though Naoki always tested her limits, she couldn't ignore her.
Just the thought of Juraku turning Naoki into a livestock slave made her blood boil.
She said nothing, letting Juraku assume her motives were about Aoi.
"I want to face them myself. Can you arrange that?"
Juraku looked surprised. She set down her wine glass.
Matchups were random, but as the organizer, a little manipulation was no problem.
"Didn't think you'd want to join the gamble. Is it really worth it?"
Just because Aoi showed interest in another girl?
"Your former pet's here too. If someone else wins her over, will you really be okay with that?" Sakura asked.
Everyone knew how possessive Juraku was. There was no way she'd let someone else take Mikura.
Juraku's expression darkened.
...
"Kirari, are you sure it's okay if I wear the mask today? Won't Naoki think I'm being dishonest?"
"Do you want to go as *me* instead?"
Ririka hesitated. Any girl with a crush would be full of doubts before a date.
"Do you think she'll really confess to me?"
"Who knows? But it's obvious she was hinting for you to join."
Kirari had been exasperated listening to Ririka recount their date. Naoki had practically *begged* her to attend.
Ririka blushed just retelling the story.
Her sister wasn't about to miss the fun.
"It's fine. I'll join too. I'll help you win."
...
Sayaka Igarashi couldn't believe it. The President had vanished today of *all* days.
Gone!
She wouldn't. She *couldn't* be attending that ridiculous party.
But hearing the rising cheers from the activity hall, Sayaka couldn't sit still.
"Sayaka? What's got you so worked up?" Runa yomozuki asked, twirling her lollipop.
"Have you seen the President?"
"She and the Vice President went to Sachiko's party. You didn't know?"
!!!
Sayaka felt like a meteor had just crushed her.
No way. No way she really went to *that* kind of event.
Just imagining the President pairing with someone else made Sayaka want to faint.