Cards and Tricks (Azur Lane fanfic)

Chapter 10

At the Sakura dorm's living room, it's just both of them. All the hanafuda cards have been set up. They're going to play Koi-Koi. Souryuu pushed her glasses as they sat down and about to start the game. In this way, she hopes that their little game could do something for him since he's fond of playing hanafuda ever since before.

"I will not set any conditions, until the winner has been decided." Souryuu said as she now distributes the cards. Then Commander Ken just nods without saying anything, this made her sigh.

"50 points, will be the winner." Souryuu said

Then game starts! The dealer is Souryuu so she took the matching card to her area before ending the turn. Commander Ken did the same but two of matching pairs, which made her raise her brow.

"Hm, being lucky for now." She thought then his turn end, within the current laid cards she doesn't have any so she placed one of her cards down and draw from the deck.

Then Commander Ken got another matching pair after his draw and placed it to his area, with the current state, it seems he's going to win. If Souryuu gotten serious to him, she might've not hear anything from him honestly. So she decided to play with little to no intention of winning.

However, Commander Ken feels like Souryuu is going easy on him, so he speaks out.

"Don't go easy on me, either way, I'll be pissed." he said that made her eyes twitch because she cannot believe what she heard from him.

"Very well." She complied, and now after they made a set worth of 20 points she immediately calls for "Koi-koi."

Then the round still continues, as they do the same process, until Commander Ken's turn he was forced to lay one of his cards and draw another one this time it's not a matching pair.

"Oh no!" He thought and he is terrified since he's going to lose again if she has another pair on her hands.

Souryuu doesn't have anything so she's forced to do the same, then it is his turn luckily what Souryuu dropped is a match to one of his cards so he immediately took it and placed it in his area.

Only one pair he needs to do until he could end the round, because his set is almost complete. Then after his turn, she immediately got two matching set so she took it and placed it on her area, this made him anxious. If he lose this game, her demands might be way higher, he deduced.

"Shall we will end this round?" She said then he tries to object as he suddenly realized that her cards make a huge score gap than his plus this round made her points doubled... So he lowers his head.

"My defeat." he said as he realized she's 20 points higher than his... So Souryuu sighs and laid down her cards down.

"You've improved, but I can win earlier as I can. However, you requested it late." Souryuu admitted as she let him show her cards and he realized it was true.

"Our skill gap is way too much... Ever since before." He mumbled then that piqued her interest to know why he's acting weird lately.

"Hm? You think so?" She replied as she doesn't think so, it's always been a close match between him and her. However, Commander Ken's usual demeanor is losing its light that's why she wanted a match with him to keep his composure.

"Anyways, why are you in a bad mood?" She asked that made him drink his tea before answering.

"A lot things happened." He answered with a slight tone of sadness and pain as his eyes frown.

"From Sakura Empire?" She asked and he hesitated to answer, Souryuu realized this, so she'll cut the chase.

"Is it because of your tarnished honor?" She said as she cleaned up the game they've played earlier, he looks away, refusing to answer.

"Shikikan, I want to know." She said hinting that she's very worried about him. But Commander Ken doesn't want to fill her the details or everything he did will broke apart, however she's very persistent to know, so he just sigh and he let the winner dictate.

As he opens his mouth to speak, Souryuu quickly cuts him, "Don't let the winner dictate. But I want you to let this person know, why are you acting strangely lately."

That made him change his mind. Let him become himself, he still thinks that Souryuu might do something if she knew. But knowing things from others rather than himself can be rather hurtful and further can make his relationship towards everyone to tear apart. So he inhales and exhales thrice before facing her with his serious expression.

"My past, before my honor tarnished... I was a great commander to my men and our ship might be a massed produced one, we did our best. Until that night..." He paused as he clearly remembers that time, once he head back to their HQ, only he could see his superior suicided, he could've joined him but if he didn't do anything, his people, his men will be endangered, so he did what he thinks is the best.

"I turn myself to be responsible." He continued then Souryuu quite surprised on what she heard.

"I took up the blame. So that my men won't suffer the same fate." He continued once again as he finished his tea. Then this made Souryuu sighed.

"So that's why you took a drastic change of personality." She thought as she remembers from the past what kind of person he previously is before now...

"Every human is entitled to do their own choice to not carry someone's blame." Souryuu said as she pours down tea to his cup, "You're really selfless, I would say." She added, then he smirk but still hurt on what she said.

"Yeah, but in the end, I chose the hardest path. But that ended up me here in Azur Lane." He replied as he drinks his tea. He recalls his hardships and insults at him, he lost everything from his decorations and his men. Only a handful of people knew the truth, that is why he's hesitant to tell Colonel Sieghart regarding Sakura Empire's situation. You could say, he respected their tradition more than anything else.

"You did." Souryuu agreed as she drinks her tea. She slightly frowns as she still remember the past when everything are still at peace. If they could just return from the past and prevent the future they have now. "However, you can still more. Leave your past, start anew." She advised that made his eyes in pain as he feels, it' going to be hard.

"I'll think about it." He replied then he looks upon his hands, he thought how tired his body to fight against it. Even though he's grateful to be in Azur Lane away from his home country, he wouldn't hear the lashes of the people, even though he cannot see his parents anymore who worked hard for his education and everything else... He'll do his best to stay alive and positive.

"Thank you." He thanked Souryuu which she nodded.

"You're welcome." She replied then she placed the hanafuda deck with a smile, "Let us play, while we recall the past fun memories instead." She offered which he smiled and complied almost immediately.

"Alright." He thought before adding, "I guess it is the right thing we did this to have a little breather."