Naoki's body tensed in surprise. The voice that declared the raise wasn't hers.
Kirari pushed thirty chips into the pot, her usual serene smile on her lips.
But looking at the scattered cards in her hand, this had to be a bluff.
Kirari... what are you up to?
Why the sudden raise?
Did she really think that after breaking up a pair of Jacks, she only had a weak hand?
It was possible. The Jack she drew from the deck earlier wasn't marked.
No matter what the truth was, free chips offered like this were not something Naoki would turn down.
"Call, thirty chips."
Without hesitation, Naoki counted out her chips and pushed them forward.
It looked like her risky play had worked, leading Kirari to misread her hand.
If she won this round, she'd be ten chips ahead of Kirari.
Even so, a faint unease lingered in her chest.
This was Kirari, after all. And this was a thirty-chip raise she initiated.
Still, bluff or not, Kirari's hand was only a high-card Ace.
Naoki double-checked with her X-ray card: still just a scattered hand with Ace as the highest.
From behind Ririka's mask came the synthesized voice, calm and emotionless.
"The match is confirmed. Seventy chips in the pot. Show your cards."
Naoki flipped her hand quickly.
"One pair of Jacks."
Ririka's eyes widened in pleasant surprise. So Naoki had managed to draw another Jack even after breaking up her pair. Clearly, she'd split her pair to bait Kirari into playing.
Naoki locked eyes with Kirari. No matter what, this round was hers.
Kirari's movements were slightly slower. By the time Naoki looked up from her own hand, Kirari was revealing her final card.
Naoki froze.
Ririka announced the outcome, her voice strained.
"Naoki has one pair of Jacks. Kirari has one pair of Aces. Kirari wins."
Her X-ray failed?
No... that was impossible. It had never failed before.
Kirari had only one Ace before. How did she end up with a pair?
It dawned on her. Kirari had cheated.
It must have been during that tiny window after the final bet but before the cards were shown.
Naoki hadn't noticed a thing.
Damn it. Even though Kirari had allowed Ririka to help her, she'd still cheated herself.
And since Naoki hadn't caught it in the act, it was already too late.
The raise was bait. Naoki had walked right into it.
Another thirty-five chips lost.
She had only forty-five left. Defeat was drawing close.
"Naoki, your expression is delightful."
Kirari. If only looks could strike.
Naoki grumbled inwardly, slumped slightly in frustration, then straightened up again.
She had already prepared herself for the possibility of losing. Unlike others, she wasn't under the pressure of becoming livestock or facing overwhelming debt.
How could she have expected Kirari to play fair? This was gambling, after all.
Ririka, too, looked regretful. If Naoki hadn't broken up her pair of Jacks, she could have beaten Kirari's Aces.
But had she not done so, Kirari probably wouldn't have raised at all.
Fourth round. Kirari had the first move.
Ririka dealt once again.
This time, she did her best. Naoki received a 9, 10, J, Q, K.
A straight.
But it was a bittersweet hand. She couldn't swap any cards without breaking the straight.
And if she didn't swap, it would be obvious that her hand was strong.
In poker, only a straight, flush, or full house would make someone unwilling to exchange cards. Even three of a kind or four of a kind often involved swapping one or two.
No choice. Even if she didn't swap, at least she'd get back the five-chip entry.
If Ririka kept helping, even small wins could add up.
"Would either of you like to raise?"
Naoki activated her X-ray card. Kirari had three Kings.
A strong hand, but not strong enough to beat a straight.
Still, she had to be careful. If Kirari tried to cheat again during the swap...
This time, Naoki would watch her hands like a hawk.
"Raise, five chips," Kirari said, taking the initiative.
Naoki felt a spark of hope. That meant she could win ten.
"I call."
"Would either of you like to swap cards?"
"I'll swap one," Kirari said, handing over a card.
But even after the swap, she didn't manage a full house. Her hand was still weaker than Naoki's.
Naoki's mind started racing. If she didn't swap, Kirari would immediately guess she had a straight or flush.
With only three of a kind, Kirari would likely fold.
Unless she tried to cheat her way into four Kings.
But that wasn't going to happen this time. Naoki had already located the remaining King in the deck and noted the positions of several key cards.
If Kirari tried anything, Naoki would expose her on the spot.
That was Kirari's trick earlier, too not taking cards from the deck, but swapping with cards she had hidden elsewhere.
Whatever. Even if Kirari folded, ten chips was still a gain.
"I won't swap. Raise, thirty chips."
Naoki pushed nearly all her remaining chips into the pot. Only five were left.
Kirari tilted her head slightly, her face unreadable behind her smile.
"Not swapping at all? You must have a great hand."
She smiled again.
"Very well. As you wish, I call."
Another thirty chips slid into the pot.
Eighty chips were now on the table.
Naoki's nerves tightened. Was Kirari really going to let her win this easily?
No. She wouldn't let her cheat again. Naoki focused completely on Kirari's hands.
"The match is confirmed. Show your cards," Ririka announced.
Even she seemed tense. If Naoki lost this round, with only five chips left, her defeat would be nearly certain.
Kirari's right hand hovered over her cards. One by one, she revealed them.
First card: King.
Second: Seven.
Third: King.
Fourth: Eight.
Fifth: King.
"Three of a kind, Kings," Ririka declared.
Naoki exhaled in relief. She had watched every move. Kirari hadn't swapped a thing.
Good. This round was hers.
Naoki turned over her hand.
"A straight."
"Kirari, I've won this time."
She looked directly at Kirari. Finally, she had taken a round back.
But...
The silence lingered.
Kirari's ever-present smile, the lack of Ririka's confirmation, and the strange quiet made Naoki uneasy.
She looked down.
Her hand, 9, 10, J, Q, K, had somehow changed. The 10 had become an 8.
The straight was gone.
"Y-you switched my card!" Naoki blurted out.
She realized it must have happened while Kirari was slowly revealing her cards. Both she and Ririka had been focused on Kirari's hand. No one had been watching Naoki's.
But she'd been watching Kirari the whole time. How could she have missed that?
She turned sharply, eyes locking on Sayaka Igarashi.
Could she have done it?
"Do you have any proof that I swapped your card?" Kirari said, her tone drowsy, her eyelids half-lowered.
"You know very well, cheating only counts if you get caught."
She sounded bored, even disinterested.
"This dull game is finally coming to an end."
Naoki cursed her under her breath. That cheater. Even though she and Ririka had cheated too, this just felt worse.
Another forty chips gone.
Four rounds lost in a row. Only five chips left.
There was almost no chance of a comeback.
How had Kirari swapped her card?
Even if Sayaka had helped, how had she missed it? A whole person getting close enough to swap cards wasn't something that could be ignored.
Kirari had used only her right hand. Maybe her left was doing something under the table?
She couldn't figure it out.
The fifth round began.
Ririka's energy had dampened. She had done her best to help, but Naoki kept losing.
It seemed hopeless now.
Still, she dealt Naoki a strong hand again.
Three Aces, two Kings.
A full house.
And the highest full house possible with an AK combo.
Unless Kirari cheated, she couldn't win this.
Naoki checked Kirari's hand.
Scattered cards.
Because she only had five chips left, Naoki couldn't raise.
The round went straight to the swap phase.
"I won't swap."
There was no need to try any fancy tricks, like breaking her hand to confuse Kirari.
Without the ability to raise, Kirari had nothing to lose. Whether she folded or revealed her hand, it cost her five chips.
"I'll swap two cards."
Kirari casually exchanged two cards.
Naoki's eyes widened in shock. Her hand had transformed.
Kirari now had a Heart Straight Flush: 7, 8, 9, 10, J.
How?
That couldn't be a coincidence.
Was this fate?
Even the last five chips were going to slip away.
Naoki lowered her head, the will to fight draining out of her.
Kirari let out a small laugh.
"How dull. So this is all you're capable of?"
A girl like this. How had she managed to enchant Ririka so completely?
Now both Ririka and Sayaka could see it. This soon-to-be livestock had nothing worth admiring.
Sayaka watched quietly, unsurprised. She'd seen this coming. If only Naoki hadn't agreed to gamble with the President in the first place.
Ririka turned away, unable to watch Naoki's complete defeat.
The effects of the Charm Card were fading. Ririka began to question everything. Why had she helped Naoki cheat? Even with her help, Naoki hadn't won a single round. Kirari only seemed more displeased.
She felt a pang of guilt. Even though she had strange feelings for Naoki, Kirari was her sister. She had done something unforgivable.
She would apologize to Kirari when this was all over.
While Ririka regretted her actions, Naoki slowly raised her head.
Kirari's words stung.
Yes, she hadn't entertained her. This game had bored her.
Then she would change that.
Charm Card, activate.
Charm Card, activate.
Charm Card, activate.
Naoki tripled the dosage. The air around them seemed to shimmer pink.
Ririka: …
Kirari: …
Sayaka Igarashi: …
Like a powerful drug, the effects struck hard.
Ririka was the first to crumble. She slumped forward, hands on the table, visibly shaken.
A magnetic pull tugged at her, making her want to throw herself into Naoki's arms. She barely held herself back.
Her mind was filled with Naoki.
Her earlier regret felt laughable now. She shouldn't have felt guilty for helping Naoki cheat. She should have felt guilty for not helping her win.
No, she had to give everything she had to Naoki. She couldn't let her become livestock.
As long as Naoki forgave her, everything would be fine.
Sayaka, meanwhile, felt a strange heat in her body.
Normally, she would instinctively align herself with the President.
But now, she couldn't look away from Naoki.
She was so cute. How could the President be so ruthless to her?
No, what was she thinking? Was she being disloyal to the President?
She scolded herself in silence.
Kirari, however, remained eerily calm.
Naoki decided to test the waters.
"President, you're amazing. If this round went to reveal, I would've definitely lost."
Kirari stared at her, her usual detachment gone, her gaze now sharp.
"You're not going to open your hand?"
System: Ririka has been charmed. Favorability increased by 4.
System: Sayaka Igarashi has been charmed. Favorability increased by 3.
System: Kirari Momobami has been charmed. Favorability increased by 2.
Wait. Kirari was charmed too?
But her expression was colder than ever.
No her usual look was a serene smile. Now she wasn't smiling at all.
That meant she was emotionally affected.
On closer look, she didn't seem angry, but as if she was holding something back.
Naoki decided to push further.
She tugged at her collar.
"Is the AC on? It feels a bit hot in here."
Soon, she slipped off her jacket, her scent and aura intensifying.
Kirari and Ririka were hit hardest.
Ririka trembled, unable to look at Naoki. If she did, she might faint from sheer emotion.
"What are you doing?" Sayaka blurted out, her cheeks flushed. She looked torn between disbelief and concern.
"It's hot. What's wrong with you guys?"
Naoki gave her most innocent look. After all, she just took off her jacket. Whatever thoughts others had weren't her fault.
"Hey, Kirari. Are you really going to reveal your hand? If you fold, maybe I'll take off another layer just for you."
Naoki, once shy, now boldly teased.
Kirari: …
Ririka: !!!
"No! You can't!" Ririka snapped, glaring at Kirari like she'd fight her on the spot if she agreed.
Sayaka looked overwhelmed. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
Naoki was seducing the President?
She'd never seen anyone use such a tactic before.
But... part of her kind of wanted to see it happen.
No, no, stop thinking weird things!
Sayaka turned to the wall and reflected on her shameful thoughts.
Kirari had originally intended to reject Naoki flat-out. Sure, Naoki looked cuter without the jacket, but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle.
But seeing Ririka's panic, Kirari suddenly felt like teasing her sister.
She must really hate the idea of Naoki being seen like that.
"Ririka doesn't seem to like the idea."
Kirari smiled faintly.
"Then, as you wish..."
"I fold."
The room went still.
Naoki jumped up in joy.
"Ririka, I finally won!"
With Kirari folding, Naoki had gained five chips.
"Hehe, President, you should know women are good at lying. I was just joking, you know. I didn't expect you to take it seriously."
Naoki had no intention of following through.
Ririka quickly realized this and broke into a smile.
Kirari rested her chin on her hand, watching them with a strange frustration.
It wasn't because Naoki had tricked her.
It was...
She knew those words weren't a real promise. This was a gamble, after all.
So why had she reacted? Why had she folded?
Was her body acting on its own?
She didn't want to admit it, but... maybe deep down, a part of her had hoped that Naoki meant it.
Even if just a little.
----------------------------------------------------
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