Alice in Borderland ~ Chishiya

19 - ♥6

'You're getting a lot faster,' I tell Raiden as we finish our last lap and try to catch our breaths. 'I'll have to,' he gasps, 'if we have to run after a moving car tonight, I need to be in good shape.' I look at him, grinning. 'Hopefully the Swimsuits will compete tonight.' We walk on for a while without talking.

We agreed that we're going to play a game together again tonight, because yesterday was a missed opportunity. It didn't exactly look like Chishiya was giving me an invite to walk to the Beach with him, but I don't think he would've stopped me if I had followed him. Why else did he tell me about it? If Raiden and I had been together at the time, we could've gone right away.

But maybe it was a good thing that we didn't participate in the game I played together. Looking at the outcome, there was a good chance we wouldn't both have survived. Maybe I would have died, too, if I had played the game with anyone other than Chishiya.

I'm not exactly lucky with those hearts games. I've got seven and eight already. But I know I don't have a choice: I have to keep participating in games. That's why it's best not to think too much about it.

We arrive at the camping store and take some rest. We drink and eat and spend some time talking about things that really don't matter. After what feels like an eternity, it starts to get dark and it's almost time to leave. I put my cards in a protective holder I found and put it in my inside pocket. Raiden does the same, before we scour the streets in search of an arena.

It feels different now that I go out with him again. On the one hand, I feel more at ease, while on the other, I'm even more concerned. The fact remains that any game can be the last and we may have to betray each other.

We quietly join the players who are already there. We look at each other hopefully when we see two Swimsuits, but decide not to give them too much attention or challenge them. Our phones indicate that registration is closed in four minutes. There's still room for one player, which would bring us to eight in total.

'I don't know what level he played,' I hear one Swimsuit say to another, 'but it's clear that Hatter was very pleased with it.' That Hatter again. He seems to be a very important person. Raiden and I decide not to ask about anything and just wait for now. We start sighing when an ignorant boy enters.

'Hey?' he asks. His voice is relieved. 'Oh, luckily, there are people! I was afraid I was the only one.' We'll have to listen to his questioning whining for two more minutes, before it will probably stop soon. 'Listen,' a girl says, bored, 'we're playing a game about life and death. Don't trust anyone and play along to make sure you live.' Of course, not all his questions have been answered by this.

'Newbies,' the female Panthersuit says. 'Say that,' Bluesuit agrees. 'You always have them, right,' Raiden tries to join in with the conversation, but the Suits don't respond.

'Registration is now closed. The game starts now.' The newbie looks up in surprise, but at least he shuts up now. 'Difficulty,' the voice continues, making my heart stop for a moment, 'six of hearts.' They can't be serious, can they? What kind of sick joke is this? Am I expected to play two hearts games in a row? No, Kimora, you stupid girl, you have crossed the invisible dividing line yourself. You signed up for this game. Raiden avoids my gaze and sighs at his phone.

'The game is memory.'

Memory? How can we betray each other with memory? What if we have to trust each other and thus will be betrayed?

'Rules of the game: each person may turn over eight cards. There will be a maximum of two cards facing upwards on the table. If it's not a matching set, the cards are turned over again.' If we can turn over eight cards and also have to turn them back if it's not a matching set, will that also cost us our attempts?