Come and Bet with Me

The cappuccino was just average... not bad enough to call it terrible, but not good enough to praise either. In short, he didn't like it.

Seishiki Otonashi took a light sip of the tea-brown liquid in his cup, completely unable to understand why this shop was so popular. It wasn't even as good as the soda pop from a vending machine or convenience store.

"Otonashi, can I add you as a contact?"

Mori Nene pulled out her phone and looked at Otonashi with a sincere expression. In this situation, refusing would probably hurt the girl's feelings. Compared to that arthropod over there, there should be more girls like this.

"Sure~."

The contact was successfully added.

"Otonashi-kun, I want that contact too."

Ah... the arthropod putting on airs...

"Okay."

He added all three of them as contacts. He never expected the people he'd get to know outside his class would all be girls...

Otonashi had no idea whether his luck with women was good or bad... He really wanted to make friends with normal guys. Kohei Katsuragi was the type who'd make a good friend. Satoshi Satonaka... forget it... Every time he thought of that guy, Otonashi shuddered.

"I'll head back now. Thanks for treating us, Classmate Kushida."

Otonashi bowed, then slung his bag over his shoulder, turned around, and waved. Leaving a good impression on the girls couldn't hurt.

And so the day ended peacefully.

Teachers who force students to exercise in this blistering heat under the guise of PE class deserve the death penalty.

Otonashi, wearing his gym uniform, walked along gasping for breath.

He couldn't run anymore at all... panting heavily, his head dizzy from the heat.

The slowest girl, the one at the very back of the pack, had already lapped Otonashi by half a lap around the track.

"I'm gonna die..."

His body felt like it was filled with lead, his legs refusing to move. Why do people have to run? It's not like there's prey ahead to chase—just dealing with this pointless PE coursework.

When Otonashi finally reached the finish line, he collapsed on the spot. Kohei Katsuragi was quick to react and caught him.

"Hey, you okay..."

Tamiya Emi hurried over and handed him a bottle of water.

Otonashi's throat was dry, itchy, hot, and restless. He gulped down the mineral water roughly, and only then did his throat feel a drowning-like satisfaction.

"Ha... cough, cough, cough..."

Tamiya Emi patted Otonashi on the back.

"Ah... much better. Thanks, Classmate Katsuragi, Classmate Tamiya."

"You should exercise more."

Kohei Katsuragi offered some advice.

"No matter how hard I try to train... this is all I can manage."

Otonashi gave a bitter smile.

Seeing Otonashi like this, Katsuragi didn't feel right saying anything more. He helped the PE teacher organize the students to head to the gymnasium.

"So tired..."

The boys played dodgeball, the girls badminton. Having never touched any ball sports and being physically weak, Otonashi sat down in the spectator stands.

And sitting right next to Otonashi was Arisu Sakayanagi.

"So tired..."

"Seishiki Otonashi really isn't good at sports, is he."

"Yeah..."

"By the way, Seishiki Otonashi."

"What is it?"

Otonashi looked at Sakayanagi.

"Are you interested in becoming mine?"

"Eh... Eh!! Um... Well... Ah..."

Otonashi's CPU was overloaded.

Arisu Sakayanagi just showed a teasing smile. She really enjoyed seeing Otonashi's confused expression—it was as amusing as playing with a pet.

"Well... um! We still don't know each other well enough... How about we start as friends first?!"

Otonashi explained frantically, his small hands fidgeting.

Arisu Sakayanagi flicked Otonashi on the forehead.

"What are you thinking, Seishiki Otonashi? By 'becoming mine,' I mean becoming my ally."

"Assistance?"

"Eh↗, that's right. I quite admire Otonashi Seishiki-kun's observational skills—spotting my heart condition on the very first day of school. I'm very interested in your talents."

"Umm... I'll pass. I'm just a mediocre talent; I couldn't be of any help to you."

Seishiki waved his hand, his breath ragged, his small face flushed red.

Sakayanagi Arisu leaned in close, gently caressing Seishiki's cheek with her hand.

"What's wrong? Do you think I'm not qualified? Or do you believe Kohei Katsuragi is more suited for the leadership position than I am?"

"No... that's not it."

A mess of chaotic white lines swirled in Seishiki's eyes, weaving into a tangled circle. His thoughts were in disarray... (pretending to be).

"Umm... I just want to enjoy my campus life."

"My, what a shame. Well, Otonashi Seishiki-kun... if you ever change your mind, you're welcome to join anytime."

"Okay... Classmate Sakayanagi!"

Finally enduring until class ended, Seishiki was now in the office at the gymnasium, changing clothes in the restroom.

He really couldn't understand the gym teacher's thinking—after all, everyone here was male.

Before PE class, as Seishiki was about to step into the men's changing room, the gym teacher gave him a thorough scolding. Even after understanding the situation, he still refused to let Seishiki enter the men's changing room and set aside a separate place for him to change into his gym clothes.

Seishiki really wanted to complain—he was male, biologically male, psychologically male, and his sexual orientation was too! He was being treated differently.

A sudden knock at the door startled Seishiki.

"Hey, Otonashi, are you done changing?"

"Yeah, almost there!"

At noon, he ate with Tamiya-san and a few of her friends. They were all good people.

And so, he endured until the afternoon.

Kohei Katsuragi glanced at his phone, first widening his eyes, then letting out a bitter smile.

"What's wrong, Classmate Katsuragi?"

Seishiki noticed Katsuragi's expression.

"Nothing much. Just that my application and resume for the student council didn't pass."

"Huh... huh?! No way! Is the student council that strict? They let go of a useful tool like you, Classmate Katsuragi?!"

"Your mouth... and what do you mean by 'useful tool'?"

"Well, look at you—you manage the class perfectly, help the teachers with a ton of errands, and every teacher loves you. Joining the student council would just make you a handy tool."

"I don't know how you connected that to 'tool,' but thanks anyway, Otonashi-kun."

"Huh? Why are you thanking me?"

"You were trying to comfort me, weren't you?"

"Haha, you caught me."

"It's fine. I'm not the type to dwell on it. The student council isn't everything. Life isn't smooth sailing; there are always setbacks. What matters is the attitude you take when facing them. I don't need the student council to validate my identity—just being myself is enough."

"Not bad, not bad. Classmate Katsuragi's outlook on life is really impressive."

Just then, Seishiki's phone vibrated in his pocket.

It was a message from the student council. Seishiki opened it to check.

Come to the student council after school? That meant there was still a chance!

If possible, he'd put in a good word for Katsuragi at the student council and see if he could change their minds.

After enduring the afternoon classes, Seishiki quickly packed up and left the classroom. He wandered through the school, searching for the [Student Council Room].

"Found it!"

Seishiki took two deep breaths at the door, patted his cheeks, and cycled through different smiles in front of it...

"Phew..."

As a matter of politeness, he knocked on the door.

After receiving permission, Seishiki pushed it open.

The decor wasn't luxurious—a simple white conference table, and a dedicated desk facing the entrance with a nameplate reading [Student Council President Seat].

How extravagant... They even had a special tea set.

Akane Tachibana guided Seishiki to sit on the sofa in the reception area and skillfully brewed tea.

Seishiki didn't know how to appreciate tea; he took a sip and sat obediently, like a cat entering a house for the first time, a bit tense and upright.

The successful student council president, Manabu Horikita, walked over and sat at the other end of the sofa. Senior Tachibana handed him a cup of tea and stood quietly behind him. Did he think he was some kind of corporate CEO... Seishiki grumbled internally.

The student council president was really impressive—able to make ordinary students remember his name and face. Seishiki fantasized about becoming the student council president himself, standing on stage and shouting, "I will dominate all the women in this school, including the teachers!" He'd overhaul the student council room, install an air purifier, set up a freezer and snack cabinet, or maybe even add an island kitchen and hire a personal chef? Damn, he was already completely lost in the enjoyment of power.

"You're Otonashi Seishiki?"

Though just a high school student, he was remarkably composed, his presence far stronger than an ordinary student. This school really was a hidden den of dragons and tigers...

"A board game club?"

"Mhm."

Star Color nodded.

"There's absolutely no need to establish it."

"Huh..."

That single sentence sent Star Color's brain into a stall.

"This kind of boring game club holds no meaning for our school's students. Therefore, the Student Council has decided to [disapprove]."

"No, that's not right. Chess is part of board games too, and even some tabletop games like mahjong, Texas Hold'em, and Magic: The Gathering have developed into competitive events. Why can't this pass?"

"Because it's still a game. It has no meaning."

Manabu Horikita said coldly, his condescending attitude pissing Star Color off. Did he really think he was some big shot? I'll kill you!

"Board games cover war, trade, culture, art, city-building, history, and many other aspects. Some board games train logical analysis, calculation skills, and reasoning! Thinking power, memory, association, judgment, verbal expression, and emotional intelligence—all of these can be learned from games! They're not as meaningless as you say!"

"But? Isn't it still a game? If a club this mediocre can be established, that would be the most ridiculous thing of all."

Manabu Horikita adjusted his glasses, the lenses reflecting a glint of light.

"Akane Tachibana, see our guest out."

"Wait!"

Star Color stopped pretending to be well-behaved.

Gnashing his teeth, his face twisted in fury, like a rakshasa crawling out of hell. A palpable killing intent and murderous aura radiated from him.

Manabu Horikita felt this terrifying presence, goosebumps rising uncontrollably like a physiological reflex.

"Bet me. With a game."

Star Color pulled out his phone, showing his 520,000 points.

"I'll stake all my points. Maybe it's a small amount in your eyes, but is it enough for you, Mr. Success, to play one round with me?"

"Who are you? You're no ordinary student."

A freshman, only four days into enrollment, already had 500,000 points? This was beyond Manabu Horikita's imagination.

Even Akane Tachibana covered her mouth, too shocked to speak.

"I'm just a mediocre talent."

"Then, [Mr.] [Suc] [cess] [Pres] [ident]... come bet with me."

No longer using a faint breath to push sound from his throat, his originally feminine voice suddenly shifted into an aggressive, manic low male tone.

Star Color's purple pupils were filled with chaotic, mad black lines, interweaving into a black hole that devoured everything.

Was madness and the gathering of countless malevolent intents Star Color's true face? No one could know.