gambler's fallacy

chapter one

His leather shoes and pin straight pants creased with his every step, there he slowly approached the table.

His presence did not go unnoticed, he even cringed at their reaction. Clapping, shouting and "manly" hugs were given to a person already sick and tired of this "social gathering".

This place was so new to him, how was he to adjust to such activities? There was no way he could settle in with these nasty old beings. He regrets coming here, giving in to himself.

A few minutes pass and Jungkook leaves the table to "explore" the casino.

Large shiny table tops, high ceilings with detailed patterns lining the edges, fancy machines waiting to scam poor, unsuspecting souls. You know, the usual setting of a high-end casino.

He walked towards a machine closest to himself. It had large letters, something along the lines of "HIT THE JACKPOT" or "CAN YOU BEAT THIS GAME FOR ₩10 000 000?". He knew this was bullshit. These games were rigged. Who would buy into something as stupid as this.

He yawned and lazily sat down on a velvet chair positioned in front of the slot machine. There he entered a couple of his chips he bought beforehand and pulled the lever down.

The wheel started to spin, his eyes blurring as the numbers rolled past. Seconds felt like hours. Hours felt like seconds. He was in a daze.

Yet this daze was strangely comforting. Though a sense of anxiety started to build as the wheel started to slow. A smile gracing his face as he leans towards the machine.

Three cherries have lined up, signifying a rather large amount of cash has been won.

A lip twitches, wanting to let out a smile, but this was too good to be true. He couldn't have won, no way. This was his first time!

The group of men that sat around the table rushed towards him, giving him supporting cheers and laughs. "Look at you! You've won twenty thousand dollars!"

He felt lightheaded. Swaying as his shoulders were shaken back and forth, a smile upon his face. God, he felt so weird but surprisingly happy. His insides felt hot and his eyes blurred as he was pushed towards the large poker table.

"Everyone! This man over here just won a fuck ton of money! Drinks on him tonight!"

The casino roared in excitement and continued with a light spirit. Jungkook sat down amongst his newfound friends, still in that tingling daze of his, and watched as a the young woman from earlier dealt out a pack of cards.

Her hands shuffled the deck in intricate ways as his eyes trail the length of her body. This was one pretty lady. Gorgeous even.

Long slender hands masked in black, silk gloves. Her fingers trace the edges of the cards, setting them out for a game she deals out on the daily.

Poker.

The key to winning this money game all depends on luck. No strategy. You can fool other players and deceive them all you want but your chances of winning all lie on the first few seconds of the game, when the cards are dealt.

He's quite familiar with the game of course. In his younger days he'd watch his father from afar play games with his uncles at family reunions. They'd bet silly things like sticks and rocks, no money could be spent on ridiculous games like poker back then.

But here he is, about to join a game with real money, not sticks or rocks, real money he has earned through hard work. He isn't like his father, he can afford to play games like these now, he isn't a failure like his dear father. He hasn't failed anyone. It's ok if he plays just one game, right? It'll be fun, it'll be relaxing. Nothing to worry about anymore.