Chapter Four:
Card Dealers
Kouzai woke up early the next morning.
Her brain was in overdrive which caused her to start cleaning. Despite not having running water and the fact her apartment wasn't dirty she still went to work.
It was still dark out and Kouzai knew it was very early. But she had always been used to waking up at these times.
Kaneko however was not.
"Kouzai what are you doing." He walked into the living room where his cousin was cleaning, his hair was a bird nest. "The sun isn't even up! Why?!"
The short girl peered over at her cousin, he was leaned against the wall looking like he was minutes away from passing out again. She shrugged.
"I just need something to do." Without another word she started to clean again.
However she didn't get very far as a pair of workout pants were thrown at her.
"We are going for a run. It's more productive with games, cleaning won't be going anywhere but our lives might."
The girl huffed turning to glare at her now smug and ready to go cousin.
He knew exactly how much she hated physical activities.
And here he was, stretching in their living room looking as though he was waiting for her.
"Well? Go get ready! The park isn't going to run itself."
He chuckled walking to the door.
In that very moment she loathed him.
"Keep up slow poke!" Kaneko yelled while jogging far ahead of Kouzai. Instead of even attempting to keep up she stopped and pulled out the card she had gotten.
Walking away from her cousin she decided that finding out wherever the card dealer gathering is was much more entertaining than running.
Anything was more entertaining than running.
She sighed hearing her cousin start running after her but ignored him in favor of talking to herself.
"This card looks like those maps you see in-" The thought struck her instantly.
Her pace fastened determination brimming inside her as she headed to a well known subway station. She only hoped her theories were correct.
Pulling out a flashlight she stole from a store a few days ago she clicks it on rushing down the stairs still looking at the paper.
"Cousin you better be correct about this because this is giving me major horror movie vibes." Kouzai just rolled her eyes still walking.
Wasn't this entire month or so qualified enough for "horror movie vibes" or did they need to be chased with a knife too?
Thankfully he stopped talking after that, the both of them stopping at a door.
Kaneko stepped forward and put his hand on the door pushing Kouzai behind him.
"Incase anything happens to me you run as far and as fast as you can got it?"
The girl wanted to protest but couldn't with the gaze her cousin shot her. So she just agreed while he trudged on, anxiety slowly building in her chest.
Almost instantly they were hit with an awful smell. Both cousins hiding their noses in their shirts, Kouzai doing her best to hide her gags.
Somewhere in the mix of the bad smells and anxiety Kaneko gripped her hand tightly.
As they stepped closer to another door they could hear constant chatter, and cheers that echoed through chambers.
Kaneko quickly walked to the door pushing it open, yet nobody paid any attention to the two as they wandered around an obvious control center. The people there were too focused on placing bets on peoples lives.
The sight itself was enough to make Kouzai feel sick. How many times had she shown up on these screens? How many bets were placed on her? More importantly how many bets were placed against her?
Then she caught the attention of somebody, somebody who upon seeing her lit up.
"It's the Aikawa's!" The man rushed over to the cousins looking like he had won the lottery. "I love you both so much! Watching the two of you inside games is like watching a game of cat and mouse."
He took Kouzai's hand shaking it and trembling with glee.
Soon enough more people started to gather around them, shouting praises and bragging about meeting the imfamous Aikawa cousins.
It was all a shock for Kouzai. Never before has she been praised for simply surviving.
Although this world she was in was much different from the one she originated from.
"Thank you?" Kaneko said, he took his cousin's hand slowly pulling her behind him again. "We were told to come here?"
"Oh yes! I almost forgot, you two follow me!" This time a girl spoke, she was tall and wore stilettos and a suit. Kouzai could admit it suited her well but didn't seem to fit the theme of death games.
The woman lead the two down a long hall lit up by almost blinding lights to another door. Though this one had a name on it.
Kano Mira.
Sharing a look the cousin's cautiously walked into the room. Sat at a desk was long haired woman. She had a smile on her face, one that promised danger.
"Aikawa Kouzai and Aikawa Kaneko?" Once she got a nod from both she continued. "Good, I would have had a fit if they brought me the wrong cousins. Please sit! There's much to talk about."
She offered them tea, and smiled when they politely declined.
"You're both cautious of me, good. That is exactly what I need and why I brought you two here!" Mira stood up and started to walk around her office, the cousins never taking their eyes off of her. "I need the two of you not only as card dealers but also as informants. You see there is this clan of sorts, they go by "The Beach" and well. I've gotten into the higher ups but I still need people in lower ranks who answer to me."
She came up behind them, smile never leaving her face.
"As long as the both of you never reveal you work under me, or anything about what you do I can promise the two of you out of Borderlands." Mira leans closer and Kouzai can practically see the insanity in her eyes. "As well as anyone who you might want to take home along the way, so long as they do not have a place in my plans. Understood?"
Kouzai was at a lost, on one hand she desperately wanted out of this world. But was she willing to go along with putting people to death?
Yes. Yes she was. Anything that assured her way back to her life was more important than anybody she'll ever come into contact with.
"We'll do it."
Mira's smile just went wider, though it seemed impossible for her to even do so.
Kaneko turned to stare at his cousin with wide eyes.
Just what have they gotten themselves into?
Absolute hell apparently.
Their next game was one that they had to plan, the both of them were to participate and win the game. Showcasing their talents to the Beach members that would show up to the game and winning a spot inside.
Mira had told them that it was best if Kaneko used his brute strength and athletics, while Kouzai won hearts with her small frame round face and big eyes.
"A pair the two of you make."
She had said. A man who was misunderstood as a stupid jock who was actually the smartest in his grade. And a beautiful girl that anyone would want to protect and look after, someone who would be seen as someone who could do no harm.
They played their roles perfectly.
Mira always told them what games to plan, when to be together and when to be alone. Guided the beach members to specific games of theirs, and updated them on what those members thought of them.
But Kouzai noticed that her cousin looked off. Irritated after one of the games he was in.
A snarl on his face when he reached his cousin.
"Suguru's here." He growled and Kouzai felt her entire world crumble. Shocked into silence her vision blurred, whether it was tears or how light headed she was didn't really matter to her anymore.
She could hear her own laughter but it felt far away, pained and so far away.
Kaneko took her by the shoulders and cursed leading them to their apartment. Rubbing his cousin's shoulders while she was out of it, feeling an uncomfortable shiver like they were being watched.
Then Kouzai pulled away from him tears flowing down her face as she got her body back, her fists clenched at her sides as she shook.
"Why is he here? Why can't I escape him!" Screaming out she kicked a near by lamp-post. Clenching her jaw she looked up at her cousin with red teary eyes. "Home."
He nodded once and didn't even ask before scooping her up, looking worried for the girl he saw as a younger sister. Sighing he walked the rest of the way back with his crying cousin in his arms.
Kaneko didn't know how to deal with this, he didn't like crying and hated it even more when it was her tears.
The two of them didn't talk much when they got back, Kouzai walking to her room to lay down and stare blankly at her ceiling. And Kaneko going to his own room to fall into a dreamless sleep.
Tomorrow was another day and hopefully Niragi Suguru wasn't at the beach. But when had their luck been good with that man?
jfjejfnejfnekfn im so excited for the beach, ive been lacking inspiration cause i didnt know how to write this first portion but now that I'm getting closer it's getting easier