The Ace of Her Heart

9

Gonna disappear after this one. December is a busy month & I am struggling so hard with the next ch. It is not being written the way I want but I can't blame anyone else but me (Unfortunately I remembered that I am the author 😔)

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Midari says nothing as watches her friend disappear back into the room. Sure, Sayaka decided at this moment she was done. Of course, she believed her. It's just.. her friend was a coward. She knew it & Sayaka knew it as well. At this very moment Sayaka's resolve was strong, sure.. but mentally? Weak. Emotionally? Completely distraught. Girl was in shambles & hanging on by a thread, let's be real.. However, this is why Midari is here. All she has to do is build Sayaka up enough to utter those two words & then they'll deal with the aftermath together. As sadistic & unhinged Midari may be, she will not let her friend go through more emotional damage if she could help avoid it. Her? Absolutely. Sayaka? That poor girl needs a break already. With a sigh, she tries to figure out ways to keep the other away from the President's radar. Considering the woman had eyes everywhere & secondly the dreadful Bami clan was also on campus it would prove difficult. Even worse, since Sayaka is still basically a leading member of the electoral committee. Her absence today didn't seem to have hindered much within the election, perhaps only slightly as the President was wandering out & about handling 'Business'. The secretary failing to do their job out of the blue all of the sudden would surely spark unwanted interests looking her way. The clan would sense a weakness that they knew could be exploited. After all, the infamous Tower gamble was still being talked about to this day. Midari groans loudly & pulls out her phone to distract herself. This was too much thinking & she honestly didn't care for it right now.

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Rest does not come easy. Of course it doesn't. Now, Sayaka is simply laying in silence as her mind races & overthinks. Her thoughts are muddled & fuzzy but Sayaka can't stop thinking. "What would I even say? To quit so out of the blue.. Oh I should've thought this through.. What should I do? Think Sayaka. Think." She whispers to herself, toying with the fresh small bandages that riddled her fingers. I don't think it's normal to be stressing so hard over a fake position. Ah, that's right.. It's fake. She created it just for me.. "Just for me.." Sayaka turns to her side & holds the plush that has unfortunately been there for this catastrophic event, closer. The pressure she gains from it is not enough. Not enough. Not enough.. I wasn't enough. She might've made that position up for me because she saw something in me. Who are you kidding? "It doesn't matter anyway. Whether she made that position for me or the fact that she built a tower for me & jumped out with me. It doesn't matter because in the end it was all for her. For her benefit in running the council smoothly & to take a stupid risk. It was all for her. What about me? What about what I want?" Sayaka mumbles to herself & tries to think of something else as she finally feels the medicine taking effect.

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The day's end could not come sooner, as Mary quickly makes her way to meet up with Ririka. Luckily, she had managed to escape Yumeko during lunch before the other dragged her to another senseless gamble that frankly she didn't care about. She did however almost run into the President who was roaming the halls with an unreadable expression. Colder. She had to semi-duck behind a group of students who walked so slow, she just about almost punched one of them in the head. Not that Mary was afraid of the President or anything or the sort, she just thought it best to avoid her. Ririka spots her & Mary scowls a bit as she spots the stupid mask. "Off." She says, forcefully taking hold of it. "Sorry.. Habit." Mary raises an eyebrow unamusingly. "I saw it earlier." Ririka says nothing & simply gestures for Mary to sit next to her. "Why the urgency?" She says softly after a bit. "What's with your twin? The council? Heard anything new? I mean rumors that could maybe help us?" Ririka could tell right away that whatever Mary had called her here for was hidden within these senseless questions. "Nothing as far as I'm aware. There really isn't a council left. No & no. What answer are you looking for?" Mary huffs & stares out into the small garden in front of her. "Nothing really. It just seems like the President's seat is tilting. The secretary. I ran into her earlier, well technically the group & I saw her curled up in an empty classroom. Looked like a shell of herself. Empty & looked like she was crying, almost fainted too. Was a little hostile like usual, with a stick up her- nevermind. So I was just wondering if something had happened. The President's little pet being so distraught out in the open must mean the woman must have done something. Whether to her or just something crazy. Figured we could use that. I mean you said so yesterday, that she was acting a little odd no?" Mary pauses & turns to face the other. "Can't we use this? I mean clearly your sister has a weird bond with the secretary & since the girl is.. let's say unstable.. We can use this & try to beat the President out of her position." Ririka is silent, her eyes are focused on the mask on her lap. Sure, knocking Kirari from her position would bring satisfaction of finally being her own person. However, the clan would surely see what their attempting to do by using the secretary & she doubts their methods would be humane. "How?" She whispers out. "Hm?" "How would you use Igarashi? What is your plan?" Mary lets out an exasperated sigh, "Honestly I didn't think that far but I mean that is why we are partners. Brainstorm." Ririka shakes her head after a bit. "No. There is no way to use Igarashi's dilemma to our advantage & even if there was I wouldn't. It feels wrong. It is a personal problem she has encountered in an unfortunate manner. One that both involves & doesn't involve Kirari. It feels cruel & wrong, Mary." Ririka's voice though quiet is stern & Mary knows not to argue despite wanting to see the President knocked down it would seem this is not the way. At least not with Ririka. "If we attempted to do anything the Bami clan would absolutely see the idea & they would be cruel in their ways. All to get to Kirari, Igarashi would suffer more than emotional distress." Mary crosses her arms & huffs out. "So you know something then. You know why the little pet is so sad & is seemingly crying in empty classrooms?" Ririka looks away & her eyes settle on a small butterfly on a flower just a couple feet in front of her. "I..do. I have a very strong suspicion on the cause. No. I know. I know why & I know exactly the pain that follows.. But it is not my place to tell." Ririka turns back to her with a slight frown & Mary looks back slightly surprised. "Would it hurt you if I asked you to stop referring to Igarashi as a pet?" Mary's scowl returns & she gets up to leave. "She is a pet Ririka. She blindly follows your sister with heart eyes. What's it matter anyway? I've said it before, so why now do you ask?" Ririka also stands & merely shakes her head in response. "It is cruel. I don't like name calling, it is childish as one would put it. I suppose I cannot really give you an answer without divulging in matters that aren't mine to share." She places a hand on the blonde's shoulder, giving a small squeeze. "I was just hoping you would simply comply to a small request. Well I must go, the car is sure to be here soon & I'd rather not be questioned by Kirari if I arrive late. Until tomorrow, Mary-san." The blonde nods & watches the other leave before she too turns back into the academy. "Must she be equally as cryptic as her sister?" She mutters to no one but herself.