All For A Few Cards ➺ Alice in Borderland

episode 4 || same concept different mentality

He looked the same as the last time I saw him. Even the smirk was the same. I never thought I'd see him again. But now he stands besides me. What a small world this is. 

I only ever saw him twice. But those two times were fun. Challenging. The first time I saw him was during a Four of Diamonds game. The game was fast. For me, at least.

I figured out the riddle fast. But like every other game, I didn't say anything. I first scanned the room, like I always do, to make sure it's full of naive looking people. But then my eyes landed on him. 

I figured him out like a puzzle at first sight. He was smart. That wasn't good. I needed to win this. I already had a Four of Diamonds card, but I wanted it again. To beat him. I didn't know this guy, and I was already getting competitive as fuck. 

I was going to give him five minutes to solve the riddle. I was going to time him. But in less then three minutes, he already had the answer. He didn't say anything, though. I knew because his expression changed slightly. He stayed silent and observed everyone. 

But then we made eye contact, and he knew. He knew I had the answer. We secretly watched each other as the others tried to solve the problem. When the clock hit ten seconds, I knew he wasn't going to answer for everyone. No one had gotten the riddle correct, so far. He wanted me to answer it. I didn't know why. But I did it. 

I got the card in the end. He was going to try to talk to me. Like I knew everything else, I knew that. So I left before he could. I left quietly and quickly. He left me wondering things. It wasn't a good thing. 

He was on my mind when I got bored, which happens every game once I figure out how to beat it. I looked for him in games unknowingly. I was stupid not to realize sooner. He held challenges. I liked challenges. So I had to pray I wouldn't bump into him again. But unfortunately, I did. 

Nearly a month later, we met again. A spades game. And just as I expected, he did hold challenges. I ended up beating him and clearing the game before him. But the excitement was still there. And it took days to ware off

I had a strange desire for his name. I knew what he was doing to me. He was distracting me. So I vanished after the game. Again. And this time, never see him again. It worked. Up until now. 

He took a seat next to me. "So you're the new executive member everyone's talking about?" He asked. "That's right." I said, looking back at the people enjoying the pool. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again. For the second time." He smirked a bit. 

"A shame, I know. You must be an executor member as well?" I asked him. "How'd you know?" He teased. "Lucky guess." I answered. He let out an amused puff. "I heard you won a few good cards. You must have won a lot of games. When's your visa expire?" 

"Why do you wanna know?" I asked suspiciously. "Just curious." He shurgged. I hesitated. He could be collecting information from me to report to Hatter. I stared into his cat like eyes. He seemed sincere. "Eleven days. You?" I looked away from him.

"Twenty-three." He answered. "Hours?" I questioned. "Days." He corrected. I switched my gaze to him. "You've been busy." My suspension grew. His smirk only got bigger. "I like collecting cards." He told me. "You've also been playing a lot too. Why?" 

"They're interesting, the games. Entertaining." I admitted. Nothing like the truth to freak him out. But he only chuckled. "I get what you're saying. Why waste your time when you could join games and try to figure this shithole out?" 

I'll just keep telling him the truth until he thinks I'm a psychopath and walks away. "I don't think it's a complete shithole." I said, making my voice thin. "So you'd stay here?" He inquired. I shurgged.

He looked interested in what I was going on about. "It's not that bad here, is all I'm saying. I wouldn't voluntarily stay here. But it's not bad." I clarified. He watched me in amuse. "Your life must be shitty if you think that," he said. I simply shurgged agian. 

We went quite for a while. "So, how're you liking this place so far?" He asked me, breaking the silence. "I don't have thoughts on it." I answered. "Hatter must see something in you," he brought up. I looked at him curiously. 

"Only the tops are executives. But one look at you, and he decided you'd fit right in." He explained. "Turns out people talk," I told him. "Yes. People do talk. And they've been talking for a while now." He mentioned. 

"You don't happen to be one of those people, do you?" I asked. "Unfortunately not. This place isn't all alchohol and partying. But I'm guessing you've already figured that out for yourself?" He said. I nodded slighlty.

"In that case, you know you'll be better on your own." He looked away from me. "Of course." I replied. He went quite for a while. I waited for his train of thoughts to catch up with him. "It doesn't take a genius to realize the amount of potential you hold. Those who've watched you play know." 

"I suppose the same would go to you." I told him. "That's the thing." He looked back at me. His eyes flashed. "No one has ever beaten me at a game. No one. But then you came along. And you can connect the dots from there." 

I watched him as he spoke. There weren't any words to describe how he looked. Not mad. Not jealous. But more like curious and engaged. "I hadn't competed with a single person who knew what they were doing. But when I met you during the diamonds game, I knew you'd already figured out the riddle. I was impressed. It left me stimulating." He said. 

"I guess we are more alike then I thought." I spoke. "But that's where you're wrong. We don't have similar mindsets." He stated. He certainly had my attention now. 

"During our second game together, you saved that old lady. Where instead, I would have left her to die, to save my own ass. I'd rather sacrifice someone instead of save someone. We both might know what we're doing, but our state of minds are way off from each other." He acknowledged. 

I was certainly impressed. He's observant. Not a lot people are. But he unquestionably is. A few people started to get out of the pool now. "The games should be starting soon. Will you be joining them?" He asked me, standing up. 

I shook my head. "But, before you go," I said, but started to regret. He waited, standing in front of me now. No. He wouldn't be able to figure it out. I'll just ask him a mindless question. "You know Niragi?" I asked. He crooked his head to the side a bit, a slight frown on his face. 

"Yes. He's an executive...and a militant." He answered my question, seeming confused. "What's his last name?" I asked. "Why do you want it?" He asked back. "Why do you care?" I frowned too. "It's Suguru. But...don't go messing with him," he warned. "Why not?" I asked. 

"Just don't get any ideas." He told me before turning around. But he didn't walk away. He stood there with his back to me. "I never caught your name, by the way. You kept disappearing after the games we had together, so I never had to chance to ask."  

"It's Aria." I told him, hesitant. "Chishiya. Shuntaro, since you like last names" He smirked. "Kaneoko." I returned his smirk. He gave a breathy chuckle. I took one last gander at him before he walked away, hands in his pockets. 

Chishiya Shuntaro.

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❝ [ɴᴇxᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ] ❞

"𝘐'𝘮 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥. 𝘕𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦?" 𝘐 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳.

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