A game of love behind the cards

IV. Yumeko

1stPov

It was finally Friday, despite still having several hours of class ahead of me, I was optimistic because that same afternoon I was going to hang out with Yumeko so that she could teach me how to gamble. As usual, I waited for her and Ryota at the gate of the academy. This time, I did not see either the vice-president or the president arrive, although I would have liked to see if the vice-president behaved differently just by my mere presence.

Yumeko and Ryota did not take long to arrive. Apparently, they were not alone, Yumeko was holding Mary, the girl in front of me in class. Unlike Yumeko, she no longer had the pet collar, I guess she was able to pay her debt to the council. Ryota was behind Yumeko as usual, sometimes he looks like a lapdog following his owner all the time but I guess he just feels admiration for her, something normal after seeing how she bets, isn't it?

Yumeko: Look, Mary, this is Y/n-kun he's a very interesting guy. He was the one who saved me from the fight with Jun Kiwatari yesterday, the guy we won our bet.

Y/n: It's a pleasure to meet you, Saotome-san.

I held out my hand to her as a cordial greeting, but she didn't accept it. She didn't say anything either. She just looked at me. As I had guessed from the first day of class, she is the type of person who is reluctant to new relationships, I can't blame her, I used to be like that. I have to say that she has very pretty golden eyes but nothing compared to the president's beautiful oceans or those bloody red eyes that Yumeko has when she gets excited, something that usually happens during a gamble. Stopping to think I realize that despite having been only 2 days here I already know several valuable things: I know the secret of the vice president, something that is surely worth a lot, more or less I already knew all the gestures, tics and manias of Ryota, Jun and some random people of my class, I have to say that there are certain people who are easier to analyze than others. Besides today, I would have the opportunity to know more about Yumeko and, of course, analyze her too. You never know when that information will be useful. It is evident that she is more difficult to analyze than, for example, Ryota because she is more unexpected than him, more irrational, spontaneous and crazy but nobody is ever fully aware of what their subconscious does for them, well, nobody except those who have been trained to control it since they were children.

Ryota: Y/n, are you all right? You're just standing back there

When I came back to me, I realized that they were already walking towards the academy, I guess I was lost in my thoughts.

Y/n: Yeah, I was just lost in thought.

I joined them, and we went into the classroom. After several hours of boring classes, the break bell finally rang.

Y/n: I really don't understand the need for so many boring classes if everything is governed by gambling.

Ryota, Mary, and Yumeko were waiting at the door for me to leave to go to the dining room. Yumeko grabbed hold of me and started talking to me about things related to gambling, leaving Ryota and Mary talking behind us.

Yumeko: If you want to learn how to gamble Y/n, first you have to observe how people do it.

Y/n: That at the moment I know, and fortunately, I'm not bad at it, but let's just pretend. Don't I have to know the rules of the games first?

Yumeko: Well, yes, but here they always explain the rules before starting a gamble. You will learn strategies by watching people gamble and gambling yourself clearly, but you will do that with me. The most fun games are the ones where you don't know if you are going to win or lose. Where is the fun in a bet that you know you are going to win?

We arrived at the dining room and as usual all the tables were full of people gambling.

Yumeko: Isn't it just wonderful? Look at all these people, gambling anything for their status. Their life is worthless if they lose, but if they win, their value increases. Isn't it wonderful to see how people can lose their total freedom with just one bad card? Isn't it exciting the risk involved in gambling?