(Thanks for 150 views I went to sleep at 2am with 90 views and now it practically doubled overnight!!)
The next night, you heard that Kuina was going to be playing a game, her visa ending that day. Thus, to ensure her safety for entertaining your brother, you insisted on joining her even though you still had 5 days left on your visa. As the two of you entered the car, you saw Ann, a fellow executive, in the driver's seat. "I heard that this game does not require a lot of players, so we should get going."
From the sidelines you could hear people cheering for the three of you, especially the perverted men. "Woah, look at them! Three hot chicks in one car! It would be lovely to sit with them!"
"The three hottest babes in one car! Oh, I could faint at the sight of them itself!"
"Not only are they pretty, but they're also smart and can fight! They are the reason this borderland is enjoyable!"
Ann rolled her eyes, Kuina sticking out her middle finger at them after winding down the window. You just ignored their comments and memorized their faces, silently preparing to sacrifice them if they got into a game with you in the future. Ann prepared the engines, stepped on the accelerator and the three of you headed off.
"Man, the real world is already so horrible, so why make the borderlands filled with more horrible people?" Kuina remarked. Ann replied, "In every single place, there are good and bad people. This fact can't be changed."
"Yeah, all we can do for now is to keep the good ones close to us, and the bad ones too if they're useful, Hikari-san," you added.
The three of you arrived at an abandoned home. Over there, you noticed a man with messy, ruffled hair standing at the game arena next to a man with blonde, spiky hair, thick eyebrows and was wearing an orange jacket and jeans. Once they noticed you guys approaching the game arena, the smaller one waved to you. "Hey! I'm teaming up with my friend here to complete these games. I'm Arisu Ryohei, this is Karube Daikichi," he introduced himself and gestured to his friend.
They both looked like two helpless sheep that were lost in the woods, about to be preyed on by a bigger predator. But, to you, the blond one had some potential to survive the games as he had the build. The smaller one, well, didn't seem to have much strength or talent whatsoever. Just a useless piece of trash. They looked very close to each other, as if they were from the same class or possibly colleagues at work.
Anyhow, the bond between them seemed close to unbreakable just by observing their behaviors around each other. The blond man placed a hand in his pocket, his other hand tightly gripping his phone in nervousness. Clearly, you could tell that he had suffered a loss in a previous game.
The other one had blemishes on his tanned skin that was dirtied with dust. He was desperately trying to make more allies and was struggling to survive in the borderlands. "Probably another stereotype person in here," you assumed, "Being protected by his buffer friend." You could tell that he was confused as to why the three of you were in beach clothes, but you hadn't the time to explain further.
They looked like they were about to die any moment later, but as a form of politeness to build more allies, you shook his hand. "Kayami Yuki. How long have you been in this game? Today's my third day," You interrogated him, grabbing a phone.
"Oh, I've been here for one day. In order to gather more information, my friend and I are completing more games. My friend back at our hideout has an injured leg so he is resting with my other friend."
"Game registration closed.
Game name: Silent communication
Game difficulty: two of clubs (your first game was already an 8 of clubs, so I decided to give you guys something quite easy.)
Game rules: For each level, players will be dealt randomized cards with numbers 1 through 100. Each player is to play a card in ascending order. If a player assumes that one of their cards is the card closest to the card played, they can put down their card. Players are not to play more than one card in a row. If a player has a card that is lower than the played card, they are to press the red button in the center of the table. One life is lost. Once all three lives are lost, all players will die. Successfully pass all 10 levels, and victory is yours. Players are not allowed to talk throughout the whole game, or make hand signals." The familiar female robotic voice explained the game rules.
(This game is based off a card game called 'The Mind'. If you do not understand the rules, just read on and understand while you are reading.)
The five of you walked into the abandoned house. In the center of the room was a table, five chairs surrounding it. In front of each chair was one card.
"Please choose a seat of your choice and look at your card. You are not to share the number on your card. Once all players have looked at their cards, the game will begin."
You chose a random seat near the entrance of the game. You flipped your card to face you. "2! This has got to be the lowest numbered card, unless someone puts down a 1!" You thought to yourself, feeling lucky.
The game had started, and everybody seemed hesitant to put down their cards, which meant that nobody had a 1 to begin with. You confidently placed your card on the table faced-up. The group looked at your two, feeing reassured because of your confidence in winning the game. You sent them an inspirational smile, which let them feel safe whenever around you.
Following that, Ann put down her card faced up. "A 21, not bad, Ann!" You thought, sending her a determined smile.
Karube took in a deep breath, before bravely putting down a 40. You analyses this action of his, and learnt that he was a man willing to take his chances and was not afraid of anything. Kuina followed with a 41, Arisu ending the pattern with a 75.
"Level 1 clear, please proceed to level 2."
There were two cards each. Each of you sat down on the same seat. Your cards were an 81 and a 61. Kuina started with a 7, followed by Karube placing down a 16. You leaned your back against the chair, signaling to everybody that your cards were far from the number. Arisu and Ann straightened their backs, signifying that their cards were close.
Arisu put down a 23, before Ann played a 28. Everybody looked at you, expecting you to play a card, but you remained in your position. You slumped your shoulders in boredom, waiting for your cue to place a card down after the numbers under fifty were finished with. Karube placed a 36, followed by Ann's 45, and Arisu's 50.
You decided to make them panic a little by slowly reaching your hand out for the red button, making them sweat. You retracted it playfully and placed down your 61. Kuina dropped down her 78, you ending with an 81.
"Level two clear, please proceed to level 3."
Before sitting down, Kuina elbowed you for scaring the living hell out of her.
Next, you received a 4 and a 91. You saw Arisu put down his 3, which was your cue for a 4. Karube placed down a 17, but was stopped by Ann pressing the red buzzer. She revealed her card that read "16".
"One life has been lost. You have two lives left. Please resume the game after discarding the card."
The tension in the room seemed to have risen, and everybody's face stiffened with unease. Kuina slowly turned up her card. A safe 24. You laid back in your position again, indicating that your card was no where near 24. Ann put down her 32. 39, 46, 75. You noticed that everybody had used up all of their cards, and decided to finally put your 91 down.
"Level three clear, please proceed to level 4."
You guys needed to think of a strategy. And fast.
Then, your brain came up with an idea. As the name suggests, silent communication will be needed! But what could you do to show them your number?
Arisu placed his card down without hesitating, showing a 1. You had a 13 in your hand, but was not so sure if you should play it. You knocked your leg on the table support, grabbing everybody's attention. You looked at a magazine before looking back at them. They got the message, and looked at it. On the title, it read: MAN SAVES LIVES IN JUST 12 MINUTES!
Arisu quickly caught up with your idea and smiled in understanding.
Everybody remained still. You placed down your card that read "13". Ann acknowledged your idea, removing her sunglasses and showing everybody clues to what her card might be. Posters, clocks, even using the calendars' months to silently communicate with one another. Sometimes, they even used the number of blinks to determine how far away their card was to the current card.
Using this plan, the five of you easily won the game.
Once all of you exited the house and you collected the two of clubs card, Arisu was the first to speak, "Thank you so much, Kayami-san! Your plan truly helped all of us to win! Without you, I don't know how long it would've taken for me to come up with a plan!"
"Oh, it's no problem. This is only a 2 of clubs game. Don't be so easily fazed by such a simple game. My first game here was already an 8 of clubs. Don't let your guard down, Arisu, Karube. I have to go back to my community now. I wish you good luck in your future games, and to your injured friend!" You bid your farewells to Arisu and Karube.
"Alright, we should be getting back to the beach now," Kuina said, obviously needing sleep.
"Get in the car. I'll drive you back quickly," Ann responded, before driving at...120 kilometers per hour? The two of you were holding onto each other and the car's door handles, praying for your lives. Everything around the both of you was a blur, and you could only see what was in front of you: lots of debris from other games and cars that had been flipped upside-down.
"Ann! I didn't mean to drive THIS fast! I'm going to puke anytime sooner if this goes on!"
"But, Hikari-san, you did ask for her to get back fast, so you asked for it—WOAHHHH! THIS IS SO COOL!" You screamed in excitement, sticking your head out of the window as Ann made a sharp right turn. Kuina fell on you, her head landing on your lap. "WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING?"
"Okay, we're back." Ann told you guys, flipping the hair that was covering one of her eyes. Kuina got off and out of the car, heart beating wildly.
"Ann, that was so cool!" You exclaimed.
"Yuki-san, don't you know that we almost crashed into another car and died? The car was tilted a fucking 50 degrees!" Kuina was dizzy. You just laughed at her, she slapped your back hard.
"That drive was more scary than the game itself! Fuck you, Yuki!"
"But I wasn't the one who drove the car, Hikari-san!"
(Honestly I feel like Kuina, Ann and Yuki would make a perfect trio.)