OUTLANDISH

0.3

CHAPTER 0.3 - Red like Lasers

WHAT exactly happens if a player doesn't clear the game? This game— Shuffle— hasn't made sense since you stepped into this office building, led by the lights of those big billboards. Nothing has made sense; not your lost memories, your almost death in the waters, your ability to understand a language you never learned— and certainly, not this game. Your unease is growing, taking hold of your heart and slowly closing its claws as you stare at the gash on Katashi's palm. It wasn't life-threatening, but it was real. This game— it wasn't safe.

After the whole chaos, a ton more started to unravel. You had taken it upon yourself to swap your card with Katashi and give him your phone, as you did owe him for helping you beforehand. Besides, the phone didn't work for you anyway. He's sitting up against a wall now, holding his head on his uninjured hand while the wounded one gets fussed over by Emi, his friend with the yellow cardigan.

"O-oi.. what the.." Noburu's voice echoes in the room, sounding startled and in disbelief. You turn and see him standing in the middle, staring at the red card as though it had been the most surprising turn of events in his life. What did he expect? The mechanics had only specified red-green swaps to be successful ones, so all other combinations would yield unsuccessful by default.

"That bastard—" Katashi's other friend murmurs under his breath, his fists clenched and his jaw tight. He's glaring at the older man until a dainty hand rests on his shoulder and makes him calm down— Emi. He shakes his head then fixes his messy hair, and you note the same wristband around his wrist, along with a bright yellow hair tie.

"It's fine, Daisu," Katashi mumbles, looking off to the man with bitter contempt. "It's a hearts game, after all." Now that catches your attention. What could he mean by that? It was as if Noburu's behavior had something to do with the game being hearts. He didn't clarify further, and his friends looked like they agreed anyway.

"Hey.. hey Hanzo!" Noburu's booming voice returns, stealing your attention. He's walking up to his friend standing by the same corner they've always been, who has a nasty expression on his face; he's glaring at Noburu. Fumiho is close beside him as well, trembling yet again. It appears like they did know each other, after all.

"No." Hanzo's hard refusal halts Noburu in his tracks, the hope, as small as it had been, faltering from his face completely. He blinks in disbelief, his hand gripping tighter around the card, almost shaking. He steps forward again, but Hanzo glares harsher, pinning him in his place. Then he whips around, making you flinch.

"You..!" He stammers, pointing in your direction with an indecisive finger until it lands on a person; you. Your shoulders tense in reflex, and your heart skips a beat, mind starting to race. He's moving before you can respond, marching your way until he's right in front of you, his stature tall yet oddly vulnerable.

"No thank you." Your lips parted before you could think about talking, making your own eyes widen at the same time as Noburu's. His lips pull to a sneer, and for a second you think for sure you have hit your head while drowning. If you hadn't, you would've thought about it more before declining— there was one more condition, no? Swapping might increase your chances. Noburu huffs then turns to Emi who kneels by Katashi, her head immediately shaking in refusal.

"THREE MINUTES REMAINING"

"Come on!" Noburu scratches his head as his options become less and less, panic already settling in his body language. He's far too easy to read, you think, his twitching fingers already enough of an indicator to show what's running in his mind. He'd hurt Katashi, lost his partner, and you; you had refused him. At this rate, nobody would be willing to swap with him in the last rounds, either. Time seemed to be moving faster for some reason, or perhaps it was just the adrenaline from the chaos.