"I hope you all brought some good clothes," Ichikage said, pausing to chew over another mouthful of pancakes. "Because we're headed to the casino this evening."
Satoru paused in the middle of lifting a slice of bacon to his mouth—room service American-breakfast-for-dinner had been Ryoka's idea, probably for an excuse to stuff her face with more pastries. She was probably addicted.
"There's a casino here? I thought gambling was illegal in Hawaii."
Ichikage grinned. "Yes, but that's why we're boarding a cruise boat. Once it takes us just far enough out onto the ocean, that law will no longer apply. Hence, casino." He glanced at Mika, who primly set her fork down and picked up the sleek tablet next to her elbow on the table.
"Motoyami-sama has requested that each of you be given a sum of five hundred dollars to play with, which should enable you to partake in the activities as you choose, even if you are unskilled at them," she said, scrolling through something on the tablet. "The funds should have hit your bank accounts this morning."
"I don't want you to worry about saving it," the daiyōkai added, "or feel too cautious about using your own. Also, Cricket, the attendants will look the other way even though you aren't yet eighteen. I figured you were close enough to share the fun."
Satoru could believe that three thousand dollars was pocket change to Ichikage, though it still weirded him out a little bit to think of it. That was... a lot of yen. Still, he was already considering how he'd invest his—he'd partaken in more than one round of online poker and blackjack; perhaps it would be a good chance to see how he could put those skills to use.
Etsuko gave Ichikage a flat look, taking a bite of her pancakes at the same time. Once she swallowed it, she continued giving him a flat look. “Really, tō-san?" she stated, furrowing her brows. “A casino?" she continued. Ryoka, who was still stuffing her face, snorted softly. How she managed not to choke at the same time was something else entirely.
“It could be fun, Tsu-chan," Kiyoshi spoke, smiling somewhat in her direction. Etsuko merely furrowed her brows in his direction, but rolled her eyes when his smile shifted just slightly.
“By fun, I think you mean humiliating in some fashion or another," she retorted, causing Kiyoshi to huff lightly. It almost sounded like a laugh, but it was too subtle to tell.
“Come now, Tsu-Tsu, it'll be fun. You should at least try it," Ryoka spoke, apparently finished with her breakfast. Etsuko sighed heavily.
“Fine."
Satoru was certainly looking forward to it.
Given the exhortation to dress nicely, Satoru had opted for a crisp, dark blue shirt, sleeves rolled neatly to his elbows, and black dress pants, though he didn't own especially nice shoes, and so the fact that his converse weren't dirty or torn would have to be enough in that respect. He forewent the tie—he didn't like them as a rule and let the highest two buttons on his shirt undone. Tucking his wallet into his pocket, he crossed the room and knocked on the bathroom door.
"Etsuko? Are you ready? It's time to get going."
“Coming," she spoke from the other side. A second later, the door opened and Etsuko let herself out. She was dressed in a black, chiffon halter dress. The front part of it only fell to her knees, but it was slightly longer towards the back. She had a pair of black heels on, the ones that laced a little past her ankles. She'd left her hair down, though. She blinked at him before smiling.
“I suppose we should go meet the others," she spoke, grabbing her bag and making her way towards the door.
"Sure, uh—" Satoru debated letting the slight spike in his gut go unremarked upon, but... he'd never been the type of person to just sit around and do nothing. Even when he wasn't exactly sure what he wanted. "You look... really nice, by the way." He offered a half-smile, the expression probably betraying a little of his unease.
But this was Etsuko, and it was just a compliment. If he couldn't compliment his friends when the situation warranted, then he was doing a bad job being a friend, regardless of what other... things might be involved.
“Thanks," she stated, giving him another smile. “You look nice as well, a little more handsome than cute," she continued, the subtle quirk of her lip disappearing as soon as it appeared. She turned back towards the door, opened it, and stepped outside. She waited for Satoru to exit as well, before she blinked up at him.
“I'm not going to lie, I don't think I'll be participating in any of the games. Is... it alright if I just watch your games? I mean, Kiyo-kun and Mika-chan will be around, I just don't trust Ryoka-san or tō-san," she spoke, pursing her lips together.
He nodded, a warmth lodged in his chest that wouldn't quite disappear. Since he didn't really want it to, that was fine by him. "I don't mind," he said with a shrug, reaching up to shift part of his fringe away from his eyes. "But if you have any interest in learning or playing, let me know."
They were joined by the others in short order. Ichikage had elected to wear a pinstriped suit, and Mika had opted for a button-down shirt and light grey trousers with her heels. As usual, whatever weapons she was carrying were not visible. Ryoka was wearing a dark blue, almost navy, sleeveless blouse with a black skirt. Kiyoshi was wearing a light grey suit, fitted with a dark purple tie, his hair pulled back into a tail. His bangs, however, seemed to hover in his eyes, though they were swept to the side a bit. It was as if someone had moved them that way.
The trip to the boat was relatively short by hired car, and the six of the boarded without incident. Ichikage had been right—no one even checked his or Etsuko's IDs, and the both of them had to look right on the borderline of legal age to be here. Something told him that the drinks wouldn't be subject to much scrutiny, either, though he wasn't too interested.
The interior of the boat was the casino floor, carpeted in rich red, with mahogany game tables covered in the classic green matting, crisp lines delineating the distinctive borders of each game. Jingling noises came from a bank of slot machines along the far wall; well-dressed people mingled around the tables and along the bar, opposite the machines. It all had a very... elaborate feel to it.
“I didn't know casinos could look so pretty," Ryoka stated, turning her head to look around. Kiyoshi arched a brow in her direction, but didn't say anything.
“I take it you've never been to a casino?" Etsuko asked, causing Ryoka to shake her head.
“Nope, but neither have you, Tsu-chan. Unless... you secretly aren't the sweet little Tsu-chan we all know and love," Ryoka stated, grinning slightly as Etsuko rolled her hands.
“You're not cute, either, Ryoka-san."
“Are we all going to crowd around the tables?" Kiyoshi spoke before Ryoka could reply. She arched a brow at the question, but didn't say anything. “We are a large group, after all."
"Well, there's plenty of room," Ichikage replied, shrugging and removing his sunglasses now that they were indoors. He tucked them into the breast pocket of the suit. "But I think I'm going to venture to the bar first, actually. Care to join me, Ryoka-san?" He extended his elbow slightly away from his body in invitation.
“How can I say no?" she stated, placing her hand on his offered elbow. “You four have fun," she stated, winking specifically in Satoru's direction. Etsuko scoffed lightly, while Kiyoshi merely blinked before furrowing his brows.
“Mika-chan, will you accompany me to that table over there?" he asked, glancing in her direction. He had pointed to one of the poker tables, seemingly interested in what the people were doing on that side.
Mika hummed thoughtfully. "Poker? I wouldn't mind." They'd all obtained chips already on the way in; Mika's were stored in a small satchel currently dangling from her wrist. "...but I was unaware you knew how to play, sir."
Kiyoshi's response, if any, was lost to the general noise of the crowd as they departed, leaving Satoru to shrug at Etsuko. "If it's all right with you, I was thinking I'd go play blackjack." He gestured with his head towards one of the other tables, where a few people were already playing, several more spectating. He wasn't dumb enough to say it right in the middle of the casino floor, but blackjack was the most mathematical of the games on offer, and Satoru had a feeling he could game it if he took some time to settle into playing.
He was less confident in his ability to hide his emotions, and had no interest at all in anything random like roulette or slot machines.
Figuring he could do worse than to take Ichikage's lead in this one small respect, he offered Etsuko his arm. "What do you say to pretending we're fancy as hell and spending a stupid amount of your dad's money in the process?" He offered a half-smile to show he was joking—at least mostly.
“Hey, now, I'd like to think we are fancy as hell," she spoke. She was grinning, which probably meant she was taking his joke as it was. “Let's go see how you fare at blackjack, hm?" she spoke, taking his arm in the process. She didn't say anything after that, instead, following him to the table. She stood behind him once they'd reached the table, probably deciding it was better than taking up room where other people might have wanted to sit.
“I've seen it played before, but I don't recall what the exact purpose was. It's to beat the house, right?" she asked once Satoru was situated.
"More or less," he replied, taking a seat at the table once the current round finished. The dealer, of course, remained standing, as did the spectators behind the players. While the cards were reshuffled, Satoru extracted his bag of chips from his pocket. "There's various strategies for how to handle things depending on what the dealer's upcard is, and what the player gets to start with."
In the first game, the dealer's upcard was a 7, which was quite good. Satoru's was better, though—he had a 10, and then his second card turned out to be a three. The player to his left went bust, which was unfortunate but sometimes happened when the dealer's situation forced risk. When his turn came around, Satoru motioned for a hit, frowning slightly when he received a two. Fifteen. Not enough to be a good place to stop, given the dealer's card. He'd have to risk it, too.
Once more, he motioned forward. A five.
He immediately signaled his intention to stand. The dealer stood at nineteen, meaning that Satoru got his chips back, now doubled. Not a bad start.
Etsuko had remained quiet during his game. She was either paying attention to what he was doing, or distracted by something else. “Seems easy enough," she finally spoke, leaning a forward so that she was over his shoulder a bit. It seemed she was trying to get a better look since her gaze was kept forward on the cards and dealer.
“You're not off to a bad start, Satoru," she stated, turning her head so that she was staring at him, and smiling.
He hadn't been paying as much attention to his surroundings as he could have, but when he shifted his eyes sideways, she was a lot closer than he'd expected. Satoru's heart jumped, partly surprise and partly... not. He swallowed. "Uh, yeah," he replied quietly. "For now, I guess."
She looked like she was about to say something, however; someone tapped her on her shoulder. She blinked mildly and pulled back, turning to face the person who called her attention. He looked to be a year or two older than Satoru. He also looked like he had mixed origins, some Japanese features mixed with American, possibly. His hair was dark brown in color, perhaps a little past his shoulders, and held back in a low tie. His eyes, however, were a blue color. He was smiling at Etsuko, though, and her face had turned a slightly pink hue.
“I haven't seen you here, before. Are you new?" he asked, his smile still on his face. Etsuko blinked, seemingly at a loss for words, and nodded her head. “Oh, where are my manners," he stated, picking up her hand and placing a kiss on the back of it. He lingered a bit longer than what was polite, but Etsuko didn't seem to mind.
“My name is Shane Kurokawa," he stated, confirming his mixed heritage. Etsuko cleared her throat and withdrew her hand as he released it.
“I-I'm Etsuko Fujimori," she stuttered slightly.
“It's a pleasure to meet you, Etsuko," he spoke, causing her to smile albeit nervously. “Are you interested in playing blackjack?" he asked, arching his brow as he did. Etsuko tilted her head a bit and furrowed her brows. Her eyes widened slightly as she shook her head.
“Oh, no. I'm watching my friend play. I don't like playing games like these, but I don't mind watching them being played," she answered, tilting her head in Satoru's direction.
“Friend, hm?" he repeated the word as if he were slightly suspicious of it. He said nothing of it, though, and chuckled. “Well, if games are not your forte, would you care to join me for refreshments? Nothing strong, I promise," he continued. Etsuko's face went from slightly pink to a darker shade, however; she glanced in Satoru's direction.
“Oh, uh," she seemed at a loss for words.
Satoru stood on his eighteen, taking a moment to glance back a bit more fully at the situation. The way Etsuko's face was pink like that... he felt something sink into the pit of his stomach. It took him longer than it should have to find any words; he swallowed thickly and shrugged, feigning nonchalance he could not actually muster.
"Feel free, if you want," he said carefully, flicking his eyes to Shane. The back of his throat tasted sour, but he wasn't going to do something as idiotic as try and tell Etsuko what she could do or where she could go—much less who with.
Something in her expresion fell, almost as if that wasn't what she was expecting to hear. She opened her mouth to say something, but shook her head, instead. She turned towards Shane, and offered a slight smile. “Okay, then. I'll... be back," she spoke hesitantly, giving Satoru one last glance before following after Shane. They weren't too far, considering there was a bar nearby, but their conversation was drowned out by the environment.
“Satoru!" Ryoka nearly shouted his name, as she slipped into the seat next to him. She glanced around, allowing a slight frown to cross her lips. “Where'd Tsu-Tsu go?" she asked, quirking a brow in the process.
"You have to play if you're sitting, Ryoka," he replied flatly, ceding his bet to the house. He hadn't paid close enough attention to the odds last time—he wasn't surprised he'd lost considering that. "Etsuko has gone to... make friends." He couldn't help the very faint sour note which appeared on the last two words. He lowered his eyes to his cards as they were dealt.
“I'm aware how the game works, thank you," she spoke, placing her chips down at the table. She was dealt cards as well, and she turned her gaze to the game. “Oh, is that so?" she stated, almost as if she didn't believe him. “Then tell me," she began, motioning for a hit, before continuing,“why it sounds like you're upset about it?"
She motioned for another hit, causing her to bust. Her shoulders slumped before she turned her attention back to Satoru.
He hit twice, then stood on a seventeen. It wasn't optimal, but the house had crappy positioning, so it could well win.
Satoru sighed. He knew if he denied it, she'd keep bothering him until he talked, and he couldn't exactly just walk away from her right now. The less fuss that got made about this, the better. And that meant copping to the facts, no matter how much he hated the idea.
"Yeah, well..." he shrugged, almost sullenly. "Guy seems awfully chummy for basically being a stranger." Honestly, there was probably nothing wrong with him. Satoru knew why he'd approached, though—you didn't walk up to someone you didn't know and fail to introduce yourself to the friend she was clearly with. Not unless you were after something very specific. But that was Etsuko's business, not his.
Not his.
Ryoka snorted softly. “Yeah, well, isn't that how friends start out? Strangers eventually become friends, you should know that. Besides, Tsu-Tsu's a smart girl, she's probably just being nice." She was, apparently, waiting for the next game to start since she placed more chips on the table. “But you know something, from the looks of it," she began, glancing over her shoulder towards the area Etsuko and Shane had walked off to.
“It seems like they're really getting along. She's actually smiling a bit," she spoke, taking a drink from the glass of water on her left. She'd brought it with her, apparently. “Doesn't that bother you just a little, though?" she asked, curiosity laced in her voice. It was obvious she wasn't trying to hide it.
"It shouldn't," he said firmly, trying to close off the topic. The house took its turn. Bust. He raked his winnings towards him, not in the least bit consoled by the fact that he was doing exceptionally well. "Etsuko deserves to have friends, and she's good at making them. She should enjoy vacation in whatever way she sees fit."
Dammit if he still didn't sound unhappy about it, though.
“Ah, but you didn't say it doesn't. Wording is important, Satoru," she spoke, motioning the dealer for her cards. She didn't seem to have much luck since she lost, again. “It does bother you, you just don't want to admit it." She draped her arm behind her chair as she leaned back in it, a strange grin pulling on her lips. It was almost as if she figured something out, but she always grinned when she was teasing him.
Satoru gritted his teeth. "No fucking shit, Ryoka," he snapped, glad in a distant way that no one else at the table could understand Japanese. He glowered down at the table, unwisely asking for another hit and grimacing when he went bust as a result. "Figure that one out all by yourself?"
A muscle in his jaw jumped. He hadn't meant to be that harsh with her, but she was pushing at something he didn't want to have pushed at. He didn't know what to think of it himself, really, but he did know he wasn't planning to pull any macho bullshit and try to control anything about Etsuko's life. No matter what his feelings were. And if there was nothing to be done about it, he'd rather not think of it.
Ryoka didn't seem to mind that he snapped at her. If anything, her expression softened just a fraction. “Nope, I had help," she spoke, leaning forward on the table. She put more chips on, waiting to be dealt before she spoke again. “You know what I think?" she started, motioning for a hit. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, the same soft expression still on her face.
“You're jealous." She motioned for another hit, waving her hand to hold when she held seventeen. “I don't think it has anything to do with her making friends. I've seen you when she's with her friends, her male friends. You've never really seemed bothered by it because you knew that's all they were."
“I think it has a lot to do with the fact that you're scared she might mean a little more to you," she continued. “And that any potential suitors that come her way, might take her away from you. Am I wrong?" She quirked a brow in his direction.
He scoffed under his breath. "She can't be taken away. She doesn't belong to me, or anyone else but herself." He knew, of course, that this wasn't what Ryoka had meant, but he just didn't want to talk about it. It was too new, too raw, and he didn't like the way it felt dark and heavy in his stomach. Like he was going to be sick.
Jealousy? Maybe. If so, he hoped he never felt it again. "I don't want to talk about this."
She sighed heavily, perhaps because of what he said, or the fact that she'd lost. Either way, she shook her head. “I know you don't, but you need to," she spoke, leaning back so that she was sitting properly in her chair. “Even if you don't talk to me, you should talk to someone." She kept her gaze on the table, pursing her lips.
“It helps, you know, sorting out your feelings with someone else. You can't do it on your own. I know I couldn't," she spoke, scoffing just lightly under her breath. “I guess that's the difference between you and I, though. But you know... you should do it soon. You might not get another chance."
A muscle in his jaw flexed, but Satoru remained silent. He was done with the conversation—whatever she though he needed, he wasn't having any of it. Not now.
Returning his attention to the game table, he gestured for the dealer to hit him again.
Satoru paused in the middle of lifting a slice of bacon to his mouth—room service American-breakfast-for-dinner had been Ryoka's idea, probably for an excuse to stuff her face with more pastries. She was probably addicted.
"There's a casino here? I thought gambling was illegal in Hawaii."
Ichikage grinned. "Yes, but that's why we're boarding a cruise boat. Once it takes us just far enough out onto the ocean, that law will no longer apply. Hence, casino." He glanced at Mika, who primly set her fork down and picked up the sleek tablet next to her elbow on the table.
"Motoyami-sama has requested that each of you be given a sum of five hundred dollars to play with, which should enable you to partake in the activities as you choose, even if you are unskilled at them," she said, scrolling through something on the tablet. "The funds should have hit your bank accounts this morning."
"I don't want you to worry about saving it," the daiyōkai added, "or feel too cautious about using your own. Also, Cricket, the attendants will look the other way even though you aren't yet eighteen. I figured you were close enough to share the fun."
Satoru could believe that three thousand dollars was pocket change to Ichikage, though it still weirded him out a little bit to think of it. That was... a lot of yen. Still, he was already considering how he'd invest his—he'd partaken in more than one round of online poker and blackjack; perhaps it would be a good chance to see how he could put those skills to use.
Etsuko gave Ichikage a flat look, taking a bite of her pancakes at the same time. Once she swallowed it, she continued giving him a flat look. “Really, tō-san?" she stated, furrowing her brows. “A casino?" she continued. Ryoka, who was still stuffing her face, snorted softly. How she managed not to choke at the same time was something else entirely.
“It could be fun, Tsu-chan," Kiyoshi spoke, smiling somewhat in her direction. Etsuko merely furrowed her brows in his direction, but rolled her eyes when his smile shifted just slightly.
“By fun, I think you mean humiliating in some fashion or another," she retorted, causing Kiyoshi to huff lightly. It almost sounded like a laugh, but it was too subtle to tell.
“Come now, Tsu-Tsu, it'll be fun. You should at least try it," Ryoka spoke, apparently finished with her breakfast. Etsuko sighed heavily.
“Fine."
Satoru was certainly looking forward to it.
Given the exhortation to dress nicely, Satoru had opted for a crisp, dark blue shirt, sleeves rolled neatly to his elbows, and black dress pants, though he didn't own especially nice shoes, and so the fact that his converse weren't dirty or torn would have to be enough in that respect. He forewent the tie—he didn't like them as a rule and let the highest two buttons on his shirt undone. Tucking his wallet into his pocket, he crossed the room and knocked on the bathroom door.
"Etsuko? Are you ready? It's time to get going."
“Coming," she spoke from the other side. A second later, the door opened and Etsuko let herself out. She was dressed in a black, chiffon halter dress. The front part of it only fell to her knees, but it was slightly longer towards the back. She had a pair of black heels on, the ones that laced a little past her ankles. She'd left her hair down, though. She blinked at him before smiling.
“I suppose we should go meet the others," she spoke, grabbing her bag and making her way towards the door.
"Sure, uh—" Satoru debated letting the slight spike in his gut go unremarked upon, but... he'd never been the type of person to just sit around and do nothing. Even when he wasn't exactly sure what he wanted. "You look... really nice, by the way." He offered a half-smile, the expression probably betraying a little of his unease.
But this was Etsuko, and it was just a compliment. If he couldn't compliment his friends when the situation warranted, then he was doing a bad job being a friend, regardless of what other... things might be involved.
“Thanks," she stated, giving him another smile. “You look nice as well, a little more handsome than cute," she continued, the subtle quirk of her lip disappearing as soon as it appeared. She turned back towards the door, opened it, and stepped outside. She waited for Satoru to exit as well, before she blinked up at him.
“I'm not going to lie, I don't think I'll be participating in any of the games. Is... it alright if I just watch your games? I mean, Kiyo-kun and Mika-chan will be around, I just don't trust Ryoka-san or tō-san," she spoke, pursing her lips together.
He nodded, a warmth lodged in his chest that wouldn't quite disappear. Since he didn't really want it to, that was fine by him. "I don't mind," he said with a shrug, reaching up to shift part of his fringe away from his eyes. "But if you have any interest in learning or playing, let me know."
They were joined by the others in short order. Ichikage had elected to wear a pinstriped suit, and Mika had opted for a button-down shirt and light grey trousers with her heels. As usual, whatever weapons she was carrying were not visible. Ryoka was wearing a dark blue, almost navy, sleeveless blouse with a black skirt. Kiyoshi was wearing a light grey suit, fitted with a dark purple tie, his hair pulled back into a tail. His bangs, however, seemed to hover in his eyes, though they were swept to the side a bit. It was as if someone had moved them that way.
The trip to the boat was relatively short by hired car, and the six of the boarded without incident. Ichikage had been right—no one even checked his or Etsuko's IDs, and the both of them had to look right on the borderline of legal age to be here. Something told him that the drinks wouldn't be subject to much scrutiny, either, though he wasn't too interested.
The interior of the boat was the casino floor, carpeted in rich red, with mahogany game tables covered in the classic green matting, crisp lines delineating the distinctive borders of each game. Jingling noises came from a bank of slot machines along the far wall; well-dressed people mingled around the tables and along the bar, opposite the machines. It all had a very... elaborate feel to it.
“I didn't know casinos could look so pretty," Ryoka stated, turning her head to look around. Kiyoshi arched a brow in her direction, but didn't say anything.
“I take it you've never been to a casino?" Etsuko asked, causing Ryoka to shake her head.
“Nope, but neither have you, Tsu-chan. Unless... you secretly aren't the sweet little Tsu-chan we all know and love," Ryoka stated, grinning slightly as Etsuko rolled her hands.
“You're not cute, either, Ryoka-san."
“Are we all going to crowd around the tables?" Kiyoshi spoke before Ryoka could reply. She arched a brow at the question, but didn't say anything. “We are a large group, after all."
"Well, there's plenty of room," Ichikage replied, shrugging and removing his sunglasses now that they were indoors. He tucked them into the breast pocket of the suit. "But I think I'm going to venture to the bar first, actually. Care to join me, Ryoka-san?" He extended his elbow slightly away from his body in invitation.
“How can I say no?" she stated, placing her hand on his offered elbow. “You four have fun," she stated, winking specifically in Satoru's direction. Etsuko scoffed lightly, while Kiyoshi merely blinked before furrowing his brows.
“Mika-chan, will you accompany me to that table over there?" he asked, glancing in her direction. He had pointed to one of the poker tables, seemingly interested in what the people were doing on that side.
Mika hummed thoughtfully. "Poker? I wouldn't mind." They'd all obtained chips already on the way in; Mika's were stored in a small satchel currently dangling from her wrist. "...but I was unaware you knew how to play, sir."
Kiyoshi's response, if any, was lost to the general noise of the crowd as they departed, leaving Satoru to shrug at Etsuko. "If it's all right with you, I was thinking I'd go play blackjack." He gestured with his head towards one of the other tables, where a few people were already playing, several more spectating. He wasn't dumb enough to say it right in the middle of the casino floor, but blackjack was the most mathematical of the games on offer, and Satoru had a feeling he could game it if he took some time to settle into playing.
He was less confident in his ability to hide his emotions, and had no interest at all in anything random like roulette or slot machines.
Figuring he could do worse than to take Ichikage's lead in this one small respect, he offered Etsuko his arm. "What do you say to pretending we're fancy as hell and spending a stupid amount of your dad's money in the process?" He offered a half-smile to show he was joking—at least mostly.
“Hey, now, I'd like to think we are fancy as hell," she spoke. She was grinning, which probably meant she was taking his joke as it was. “Let's go see how you fare at blackjack, hm?" she spoke, taking his arm in the process. She didn't say anything after that, instead, following him to the table. She stood behind him once they'd reached the table, probably deciding it was better than taking up room where other people might have wanted to sit.
“I've seen it played before, but I don't recall what the exact purpose was. It's to beat the house, right?" she asked once Satoru was situated.
"More or less," he replied, taking a seat at the table once the current round finished. The dealer, of course, remained standing, as did the spectators behind the players. While the cards were reshuffled, Satoru extracted his bag of chips from his pocket. "There's various strategies for how to handle things depending on what the dealer's upcard is, and what the player gets to start with."
In the first game, the dealer's upcard was a 7, which was quite good. Satoru's was better, though—he had a 10, and then his second card turned out to be a three. The player to his left went bust, which was unfortunate but sometimes happened when the dealer's situation forced risk. When his turn came around, Satoru motioned for a hit, frowning slightly when he received a two. Fifteen. Not enough to be a good place to stop, given the dealer's card. He'd have to risk it, too.
Once more, he motioned forward. A five.
He immediately signaled his intention to stand. The dealer stood at nineteen, meaning that Satoru got his chips back, now doubled. Not a bad start.
Etsuko had remained quiet during his game. She was either paying attention to what he was doing, or distracted by something else. “Seems easy enough," she finally spoke, leaning a forward so that she was over his shoulder a bit. It seemed she was trying to get a better look since her gaze was kept forward on the cards and dealer.
“You're not off to a bad start, Satoru," she stated, turning her head so that she was staring at him, and smiling.
He hadn't been paying as much attention to his surroundings as he could have, but when he shifted his eyes sideways, she was a lot closer than he'd expected. Satoru's heart jumped, partly surprise and partly... not. He swallowed. "Uh, yeah," he replied quietly. "For now, I guess."
She looked like she was about to say something, however; someone tapped her on her shoulder. She blinked mildly and pulled back, turning to face the person who called her attention. He looked to be a year or two older than Satoru. He also looked like he had mixed origins, some Japanese features mixed with American, possibly. His hair was dark brown in color, perhaps a little past his shoulders, and held back in a low tie. His eyes, however, were a blue color. He was smiling at Etsuko, though, and her face had turned a slightly pink hue.
“I haven't seen you here, before. Are you new?" he asked, his smile still on his face. Etsuko blinked, seemingly at a loss for words, and nodded her head. “Oh, where are my manners," he stated, picking up her hand and placing a kiss on the back of it. He lingered a bit longer than what was polite, but Etsuko didn't seem to mind.
“My name is Shane Kurokawa," he stated, confirming his mixed heritage. Etsuko cleared her throat and withdrew her hand as he released it.
“I-I'm Etsuko Fujimori," she stuttered slightly.
“It's a pleasure to meet you, Etsuko," he spoke, causing her to smile albeit nervously. “Are you interested in playing blackjack?" he asked, arching his brow as he did. Etsuko tilted her head a bit and furrowed her brows. Her eyes widened slightly as she shook her head.
“Oh, no. I'm watching my friend play. I don't like playing games like these, but I don't mind watching them being played," she answered, tilting her head in Satoru's direction.
“Friend, hm?" he repeated the word as if he were slightly suspicious of it. He said nothing of it, though, and chuckled. “Well, if games are not your forte, would you care to join me for refreshments? Nothing strong, I promise," he continued. Etsuko's face went from slightly pink to a darker shade, however; she glanced in Satoru's direction.
“Oh, uh," she seemed at a loss for words.
Satoru stood on his eighteen, taking a moment to glance back a bit more fully at the situation. The way Etsuko's face was pink like that... he felt something sink into the pit of his stomach. It took him longer than it should have to find any words; he swallowed thickly and shrugged, feigning nonchalance he could not actually muster.
"Feel free, if you want," he said carefully, flicking his eyes to Shane. The back of his throat tasted sour, but he wasn't going to do something as idiotic as try and tell Etsuko what she could do or where she could go—much less who with.
Something in her expresion fell, almost as if that wasn't what she was expecting to hear. She opened her mouth to say something, but shook her head, instead. She turned towards Shane, and offered a slight smile. “Okay, then. I'll... be back," she spoke hesitantly, giving Satoru one last glance before following after Shane. They weren't too far, considering there was a bar nearby, but their conversation was drowned out by the environment.
“Satoru!" Ryoka nearly shouted his name, as she slipped into the seat next to him. She glanced around, allowing a slight frown to cross her lips. “Where'd Tsu-Tsu go?" she asked, quirking a brow in the process.
"You have to play if you're sitting, Ryoka," he replied flatly, ceding his bet to the house. He hadn't paid close enough attention to the odds last time—he wasn't surprised he'd lost considering that. "Etsuko has gone to... make friends." He couldn't help the very faint sour note which appeared on the last two words. He lowered his eyes to his cards as they were dealt.
“I'm aware how the game works, thank you," she spoke, placing her chips down at the table. She was dealt cards as well, and she turned her gaze to the game. “Oh, is that so?" she stated, almost as if she didn't believe him. “Then tell me," she began, motioning for a hit, before continuing,“why it sounds like you're upset about it?"
She motioned for another hit, causing her to bust. Her shoulders slumped before she turned her attention back to Satoru.
He hit twice, then stood on a seventeen. It wasn't optimal, but the house had crappy positioning, so it could well win.
Satoru sighed. He knew if he denied it, she'd keep bothering him until he talked, and he couldn't exactly just walk away from her right now. The less fuss that got made about this, the better. And that meant copping to the facts, no matter how much he hated the idea.
"Yeah, well..." he shrugged, almost sullenly. "Guy seems awfully chummy for basically being a stranger." Honestly, there was probably nothing wrong with him. Satoru knew why he'd approached, though—you didn't walk up to someone you didn't know and fail to introduce yourself to the friend she was clearly with. Not unless you were after something very specific. But that was Etsuko's business, not his.
Not his.
Ryoka snorted softly. “Yeah, well, isn't that how friends start out? Strangers eventually become friends, you should know that. Besides, Tsu-Tsu's a smart girl, she's probably just being nice." She was, apparently, waiting for the next game to start since she placed more chips on the table. “But you know something, from the looks of it," she began, glancing over her shoulder towards the area Etsuko and Shane had walked off to.
“It seems like they're really getting along. She's actually smiling a bit," she spoke, taking a drink from the glass of water on her left. She'd brought it with her, apparently. “Doesn't that bother you just a little, though?" she asked, curiosity laced in her voice. It was obvious she wasn't trying to hide it.
"It shouldn't," he said firmly, trying to close off the topic. The house took its turn. Bust. He raked his winnings towards him, not in the least bit consoled by the fact that he was doing exceptionally well. "Etsuko deserves to have friends, and she's good at making them. She should enjoy vacation in whatever way she sees fit."
Dammit if he still didn't sound unhappy about it, though.
“Ah, but you didn't say it doesn't. Wording is important, Satoru," she spoke, motioning the dealer for her cards. She didn't seem to have much luck since she lost, again. “It does bother you, you just don't want to admit it." She draped her arm behind her chair as she leaned back in it, a strange grin pulling on her lips. It was almost as if she figured something out, but she always grinned when she was teasing him.
Satoru gritted his teeth. "No fucking shit, Ryoka," he snapped, glad in a distant way that no one else at the table could understand Japanese. He glowered down at the table, unwisely asking for another hit and grimacing when he went bust as a result. "Figure that one out all by yourself?"
A muscle in his jaw jumped. He hadn't meant to be that harsh with her, but she was pushing at something he didn't want to have pushed at. He didn't know what to think of it himself, really, but he did know he wasn't planning to pull any macho bullshit and try to control anything about Etsuko's life. No matter what his feelings were. And if there was nothing to be done about it, he'd rather not think of it.
Ryoka didn't seem to mind that he snapped at her. If anything, her expression softened just a fraction. “Nope, I had help," she spoke, leaning forward on the table. She put more chips on, waiting to be dealt before she spoke again. “You know what I think?" she started, motioning for a hit. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, the same soft expression still on her face.
“You're jealous." She motioned for another hit, waving her hand to hold when she held seventeen. “I don't think it has anything to do with her making friends. I've seen you when she's with her friends, her male friends. You've never really seemed bothered by it because you knew that's all they were."
“I think it has a lot to do with the fact that you're scared she might mean a little more to you," she continued. “And that any potential suitors that come her way, might take her away from you. Am I wrong?" She quirked a brow in his direction.
He scoffed under his breath. "She can't be taken away. She doesn't belong to me, or anyone else but herself." He knew, of course, that this wasn't what Ryoka had meant, but he just didn't want to talk about it. It was too new, too raw, and he didn't like the way it felt dark and heavy in his stomach. Like he was going to be sick.
Jealousy? Maybe. If so, he hoped he never felt it again. "I don't want to talk about this."
She sighed heavily, perhaps because of what he said, or the fact that she'd lost. Either way, she shook her head. “I know you don't, but you need to," she spoke, leaning back so that she was sitting properly in her chair. “Even if you don't talk to me, you should talk to someone." She kept her gaze on the table, pursing her lips.
“It helps, you know, sorting out your feelings with someone else. You can't do it on your own. I know I couldn't," she spoke, scoffing just lightly under her breath. “I guess that's the difference between you and I, though. But you know... you should do it soon. You might not get another chance."
A muscle in his jaw flexed, but Satoru remained silent. He was done with the conversation—whatever she though he needed, he wasn't having any of it. Not now.
Returning his attention to the game table, he gestured for the dealer to hit him again.