On another morning, Ayano got out of her futon. It could barely be said that she had slept.
She went through her same daily routine—breakfast, then school, then work, and finally she visited her mother in the hospital.
Sitting in a chair beside her mother's bed, time passed very slowly for her. Ayano wasn't thinking of anything except what had happened in that club. Should she take the risk and go back? Or should she stick with her original decision and simply quit school? Which would be better for her mother's sake? She didn't know at all. She knew well that she was weak, and maybe even foolish. She had no experience in such matters, so in the end, she decided to follow her first option and just drop out.
After the visiting hours ended, Ayano left, bidding her mother goodbye. She walked down the stairs to the ground floor, paid her mother's bill, and headed toward the exit—until she saw and was shocked by the sight of a very familiar person.
Ayano: "T-Tadashi?!"
Tadashi turned to her, surprised to see her here.
Tadashi: "Oh, hey."
Ayano: "What are you doing here?"
He turned his back to her and lifted his shirt to show her the bandages on his back.
Tadashi: "I fell from the ceiling, remember?"
Ayano: "Oh, right..." She was a little worried and confused. How could someone like this scare Kyle, who had deceived her? He seemed weak and harmless. The fact that even some of the judges' hands trembled slightly when they pointed their weapons at him made her even more puzzled about him.
Noticing her spacing out, Tadashi snapped his fingers.
Tadashi: "Hellooo??"
Ayano: "Oh, sorry..."
Tadashi: "It's fine. I guess it's time to go. Bye."
Tadashi turned and started walking away, but letting him leave just like that made Ayano feel like the opportunity of a lifetime was walking away. The person who could actually teach her how to gamble to earn money. Completely ignoring her earlier decision, Ayano decided to call out loudly.
Ayano: "Wait!!"
Tadashi turned to her.
Tadashi: "What?"
Ayano: "Do you think... you could teach me?"
Tadashi: "You mean?"
She nodded to say yes.
Tadashi: "I can, but... are you really ready to learn?"
Ayano: "Yes, of course!"
Tadashi: "As you wish. Let's meet tomorrow then."
Ayano: "Where?"
Tadashi: "The club, of course."
Ayano: "Okay, I'll be there."
Tadashi: "Alright, don't be late."
Tadashi said goodbye and left. Ayano returned home excited about what would happen tomorrow with Tadashi.
The next day, after her usual routine, Ayano went straight to the club. She didn't have the courage to go down to the basement, so she waited upstairs at one of the tables. The thought of learning from a pro made her tremble at the table. After a few minutes of waiting, Tadashi appeared and sat down with her.
Tadashi: "Yoo."
Ayano: "Hey."
Tadashi: "Let's go down."
Ayano: "Okay."
They both went down to the basement. Tadashi walked ahead, ignoring all the tables, with Ayano following behind, still feeling uneasy about the place. Tadashi approached a table in the corner where one of the judges was sitting with a stack of papers and a pen.
Tadashi spoke to him quickly, and the referee wrote something on the papers.
Tadashi: "Your turn."
Ayano: "For what?"
Tadashi: "Registration."
Ayano took one of the papers to read it.
Ayano: "Is this... a tournament?! I thought you were going to teach me first!"
Tadashi: "There's no time. The tournament is starting soon and I need a partner."
Ayano: "You can't just spring this on me—I'm not ready!!"
Tadashi: "But you need the money, don't you?"
Ayano went silent for a moment.
Ayano: "How do you know?"
Tadashi: "Your actions speak. Didn't we meet at the hospital? You didn't seem to have any injuries or illnesses at all, yet you paid a hospital bill. So it must've been for someone else. And the fact that the receptionist prepared the bill as soon as she saw you coming means you come and pay bills often. I don't know who you're paying for, but if you're doing this, it must be someone really important to you."
Ayano was flustered by what she had just heard. Every word he said was true—there was no denying it.
Ayano: "It's my mom..." she said, with a slightly pained voice.
Tadashi: "Your mom? Then are you ready to take a risk for her?"
Ayano: "Of course I am, but this is just so Sudden..."
Tadashi: "no need to worry, i am with you, Just follow my instructions."
Ayano: "Bruh, what's the prize anyway?"
Tadashi: "Ten..."
Ayano: "Million?"
Tadashi: "Billion."
It hit her like a lightning strike. She was shocked by what she had heard, her face clearly showing the surprise.
Tadashi: "Can't blame you, lol."
ayano: "that's it, i'm in"
After the registration, the two of them left the club. Ayano returned home, her body filled with chills. When she was about to go to sleep, a message arrived on her phone:
"The first match will be on April 9th."
Ayano: "April 9th? Wait, that's tomorrow...!"