Queen of Diamonds | Shuntaro Chishiya

[Chapter 10]. The New King

Basing off manga. I won't make any more disclaimers. Read at your own risk of spoilers.

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"The beach's new king... Agni." Everyone stood in the room afraid of saying the wrong word. Setsuna stood behind Chishiya.

"Isn't this a wonderful thing? Tonight we'll be drinking the night away!" Niragi had a smirk plastered on his face and pranced his way towards Setsuna. He held his sniper rifle in his left hand. His right hand forced Setsuna to look up at him.

This made Chishiya mad. The way Niragi touched her ignited Chishiya's anger.

"It's a shame that some folks here... have lost some friends." Ann interrupted Niragi's sick mind wanting a taste of Setsuna.

"From here on out, you'll have to be careful about where you want to go." Niragi flipped his tongue looking at Setsuna in a very lucrative way.

Chishiya wanted to kill him. Not because of Setsuna. Niragi is a spitting image of him. Both despise humanity and manipulative masters to their own game.

After that "shit show" called a meeting where Niragi forces Agni to become the leader. They went into another room for Agni to commence his first day as the Beach's number one.

Setsuna waited outside, she recalled Chishiya going over the plan to Arisū and Usagi but something truly felt off about this plan. Arisū has to find the safe? But it didn't really make sense. Even Kuina didn't look fully aware. Chishiya was up to something. Setsuna didn't want to make enemies with that guy at all.

"Do you mean, the answer that Hatter believed in... the way to get out of the Borderlands. The large pile that members of the beach have gathered over time. We'll take it all?!" Usagi looked up at Chishiya and Kuina with a gleaming expression of hope.

Setsuna recalled the event like it happened a minute ago. She knew Chishiya isn't an idiot to think collecting the cards would revert you back to the real world. But she still wondered what he was aiming at.

Setsuna stood by Chishiya while he was talking over the entire plan with Arisū and Usagi.

"With the death of The Hatter and Kuzuryuu in tonight's game. I've been promoted to executive." Chishiya smirked as he turned around. This was all making Setsuna gag.

What a mistake right there. Trusting this guy... no wonder Niragi can barely tolerate him let alone holds himself back before he does shoot him.

"Tomorrow's inheritance I'll do something about the passcode. You'll infiltrate the royal suite." Chishiya clicked his tongue and smiled at them.

"And if this fails? You'll just let everyone fall under to save your ass? Am I right?" Setsuna glared, she knows him by now that the entire plan seemed off to begin with.

"You wouldn't have to worry about that part. I have it all handled, Setsuna-san." He tilted his head to the side and smiled yet again. Oh, how she wanted to wipe that smug look off his face.

"Anyways, the sole reason to allow myself to collect cards was all for this day." Chishiya held his wrists up and darkly lowered his eyes.

"I'll be the one to infiltrate the suite," Arisū says reluctantly. "I'll go in as well—"

"No." Chishiya quickly snapped to Setsuna. Her hand was raised and quickly lowered with refusal to allow her to get caught by those rats. Most likely Usagi would get raped and sure as hell, he wouldn't allow the same disgusting fate for Setsuna either.

To gain something, you must love something. His father always used to tell him this. And now he understands it.

><><><><> the next day~

The plan would commence in a few hours once everyone in the lobby have been gathered. Setsuna shook her head and went off towards Chishiya's room to finally get answers out of him.

She knocked once and waited for a reply. "Go away, I'm busy."

Or that...

"Ok." She rolled her eyes and turned on her heels. It was so quick that the door opened. She met with a dishevelled Chishiya. "Hmm forgot to brush your... umm hair?" She felt very nervous.

Chishiya rolled his eyes. "Why are you here, Setsuna?" he gave her a serious look.

"I want to understand something," Setsuna paused and looked up to meet his piercing gaze. She felt her heart pang but before she could say anything. She ran away from the scene.

No, no, no! I can't be thinking like this. I hate him, I can't like him! Ugh! Just fucking leave the Beach, Setsuna!

"They all tried to run away from the beach. Once you're a member of the beach, you don't leave until you die. Traitors are chased no matter where they go and punished."

But she knew she can't. She'd be followed till they kill her. How long could she hold them off?

She mentally shook her head. Setsuna probably just made him question her self esteem. Could she pull this stunt off?

"Oi... Setsuna-san?" Kuina appeared from behind the pillar still as ever with the witty personality and the vaporizer stick in her mouth.

"Hai," Setsuna faked a painful smile. Her heart was content with darkness. She truly felt alone even though there are lots of people she was well acquainted with.

"You know... I can feel when you're off. You can feel it too? Chishiya isn't telling us about something..." Kuina huffed as she crossed her arms. Setsuna didn't say anything. Would Chishiya sell her out to the militants to win this?

2 hours till the ceremony.

Setsuna was only counting the time down of her final days. She met up with Mira alone in the executive room. "Why don't you join us, Setsuna." She was referring to joining the executives. She took her hair out of the clips letting her locks flow down her shoulders.

"Mira-san... you know, I can see through you easily." Setsuna lowered her head and body into a curtesy.

"The Queen of Hearts, am I right?" Setsuna's eyes slowly looked up to meet Mira's venom gaze. 'So she figured it out after all?' Mira thought as her lips twitched upwards and a hysterical laugh followed.

"Setsuna-chi, do you take me as a silly game master? Or the sole reason you are all still alive?" Her laughs were muffled by her hand. Setsuna felt nauseous from this insane woman before her eyes.

"Do you plan to use me for the final stage?" She turned around not wanting to face the woman. She knew of the answer but wanted confirmation.

"Heh...? You assume I wouldn't? You may drop out now. But you know what would happen if you do so." Mira flicked her hair back and descended into the halls leaving Setsuna trembling. Her hands barely could grip onto the walls.

Arisū and Usagi saw Setsuna and ran to her for assistance. "Setsuna?! What is it?" Usagi was panicking for her.

"I-I uh... must've been having a panic episode. Arigatō-gazaimasu," she snapped her trance back to reality. Arisū wasn't fully buying it, but he wasn't as interested in knowing her problems either.

"You three ready?" Chishiya appeared at the end of the hall walking towards them. Setsuna held her head low... she felt all respect for humanity drain all because of this Cheshire's actions. Very cunning and deceiving; her trek friends will fall victim to it. And they'll think she was behind it.

"Hai!" Setsuna nodded, her fake smile plastered on her face. Chishiya... why must you tow with me like this? This feeling of guilt and feelings I can't even describe.

She felt a love-hate relationship form for him. But she won't ever admit it, nor will he.

Will I be a pawn to his scheme?

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