The Jack of Hearts | Chishiya Shuntaro

8

No proofread because I'm sleepy :c So don't hesitate to point out my errors :D I will edit when I finished the story 🧍‍♀️

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Not speaking to anyone for five hours could drive a person insane, especially in this game.

Though being submerged in my own paranoia wasn't unfamiliar, I yearned for Chishiya to be by my side. Even though he had supported me during the rounds I had faced alone, I craved his presence near me. While I couldn't deny my interest, I couldn't explain why I felt so secure with him. That's why, as the rounds went by, I dismissed the possibility of him being the jack. At times, I even worried for his safety. What if Urumi had targeted him? What if she had sown doubt among the group and Ippei? Furthermore, the notion that Ippei might be the jack and thereby put him in danger weighed heavily on me. Because in that group, Chishiya entrusted only him.

Despite saying to myself that I feared being left without a partner, deep down, I knew I worried for him.

I didn't interact with anyone except Chishiya, and he somehow helped me for five turns. I didn't even look at Banda's face; I tried to avoid being alone with him. We only made eye contact once, and it was evident that he was angry from his eyes, but I didn't care. I kept sitting alone. He wouldn't dare make a scene in front of everyone; it was clear he wouldn't want to draw attention.

On the other hand, with each subsequent round, Ippei seemed to be gradually worsening. This game had a negative impact on all of us, but Ippei was showing his distress more openly, and I couldn't help but feel sympathetic towards him.

At the end of these five turns, there were six losses, two of which were from Urumi's group. I had no idea exactly what happened, but the increasing paranoia during this time probably served Urumi well. I could guess that she directed all her anger towards others.

And after two more rounds, I felt as free as I could be in this game.

Urumi was dead, and I was once again united with my teammates. We were seated at our customary spot around the cellar table. 

There were only nine of us left. I was sure that Urumi wasn't the "jack." And I also expected her group to self-destruct... So, I wasn't surprised. And I didn't need to do anything either.

"I don't understand... I don't understand why she did all of this," Ippei said in a hushed voice, teary-eyed, tightly holding my hand. Before coming to the cellar, he had apologized a thousand times for believing in her. Of course, I forgave him right away. He was the last person to blame. "I'm sorry, really sorry. So many innocent people had died because of her manipulations, and we still haven't found the jack." he breathed shakily. ''It wasn't necessary. Why didn't we work together... I don't understand.''

"We couldn't interfere with whom the others would trust or what tactics they would apply. Theirs were a mistake. And their deaths weren't necessary, but using this opportunity to our advantage seemed the most logical," I said thinking to myself.

''A-advantage?'' Although I didn't directly gaze at Ippei beside me, I detected a shift in his demeanor as he slowly withdrew his hand. As I turned my attention toward him, I observed furrowed brows and teary eyes. ''Do you mean killing innocents is a good way to find who is the jack?''

''I think being few in number is good for those who are alive.'' When I saw Ippei's face crumpling with sadness and him bowing his head, I gave up on explaining. I could understand what was bothering him. And I regretted it because I said what was on my mind directly. "Ippei? I know it is disturbing, but... We have to get out alive from this game. In the end everyone thinks themselves. But I want to protect this group. Yes it stems from my own will of survival but.. Most relationships actually start out in a pretty pragmatic way, you know, driven by practical stuff. But it's those emotions that come after that really help us stay connected and into each other.''