"Then I'll explain the rule. Because some of the card games' rule is too complicated, we'll play with a game called 'Old Maid' it's easy. First, I shuffle cards like this."
Kuro showed his unnecessarily cool shuffle technique from gambling. This somewhat impressed everyone in the spot.
"Then I pass everyone the card. If you saw a pair of cards like these, trash it."
"Sensei! I am done!" Ayame raised her hand after she quickly trashed all the pair cards.
"Fumu! Good job, Ayame-kun!" She earned a pat from Kuro.
""…"" the two looked at these interaction, as their instinct acted against themselves.
"We take cards from the person on our left and we'll continue it until it end. Oh, by the way the first person to clear all cards from hand wins. Oh another fact: you're not allowed to look at anyone''s hands' cards, use magic to look past the card or else the rune writing will react, automatically making it your lose."
"Another rule: the last person who holds the 'joker' card, can't trash it as there's no pair of card in it. Which means you can't win no matter what. What should I do… do the loser among the loser gets 2 order?"
Kuro ended his boring explanation even he would be bored. As to make sure everyone understands the rule, Kuro decided to demonstrate it.
"Ayame-chan, let's play a round of demonstration. Ah, don't worry this is just a test so even if you lose, it eon't count." Kuro asked her.
"Alright! Let's go!" The attitude she took was, an attitude that'd make the author suspicious if she have activated her Nakirium Switch.
Kuro quickly trashed all the pair cards in his hand, and only 6 cards remained in his hand. 1 more card than Ayame.
'Alright, let's try to impress everyone in here.' Kuro's childish thought caused him to reveal one of his skills.
Kuro asked Ayame. "Can I go first?"
Which then Ayame agreed. "Yes! Yes!"
Kuro smiled calmly to her. "Then, I shall draw from you without holding back."
'Since there's only 2 of us, it's obvious that she has the joker card since I don't have it.'
Kuro hovered his hand above the card. Until it stopped. "I'll try guessing what this card's letter or number, it's symbol's."
This statement caused an doubt among the observer here. Is there a cheat only the creator of this game know? The answer is nope. Although Kuro played some card game with Sora, he wasn't nearly as proficient as him. Basically, the genre just didn't match with his preference.
"1… of heart."
"…"
"No? Then spade…. clover… diamond."
"…"
"Oh, it's diamond. Then, 2… 3… 4… 5… 6…"
"…"
"Oh, it's 6's diamond? What a coincidences. I have the same card in my hand. I'll be taking it." Kuro unmercifully devoured (took) the card from Ayame's hand and confirming what it is, he trashed it to the table.
Ayame then teared up from her excited expression. "Yo- you're cheating! This is unfair…! Kuro's a cheater! Stupid! I hate you!"
Kuro then smiled coldly to her. "Heh."
'F*** that mental attack is quite powerful. I never expected to be hated from her with just a single move of mine… should I just die?'
While almost crying, the white-haired little girl never failed to take a card from Kuro's hand.
Then, like a child, she was overjoyed and happily throw the card to the table.
'…I feel like whenever I am with her, my IQ decrease. Speaking of IQ, I wonder what's Aqua doing...'
-----
Aqua who was currently spinning the plates with the tip of her broom suddenly sneezed and dropped the plate to ground
"YABBEEEEEEE! I BROKE IT UWAAH!?!? I'M GOING TO GET SCOLDED"
-----
As the end was near, the adrenaline, of the oni has peaked. She noticed the root of Kuro's cheating ability and tried to hide her face expression her best but her desire to win caused her mind to be dumber and her expressions was now so clear that even a normal person would notice.
Whenever Kuro's hand hovered to Joker, she would smile as if it's the best thing ever happened today. If Kuro's hand hovered to the card that aren't Joker, she would tear up as if she was about to go to hell.
"Ayame-chan, you're cute." Kuro, for the first time was carried by adrenaline he didn't contained inside himself and said his true feeling.
'Shit, I said it. F*** don't worry, me. It's an fixable mistake. Remember! I am just a child so I don't have to be embarrassed like an adult. Just smile NORMALLY!'
'F*** I can't stop my blush.'
Kuro's mind was a mess with thousand of thoughts process going inside and out at the same time.
"Shi- I mistakenly took the Joker."
Ayame didn't notice Kuro's mess as she just smiled widely that Kuro took the Joker card.
'Cute. Cute. Cute. Cute. Cute. Cute.'
'Stop affecting me, 21 old man!'
'What're you talking about? It's your own thought process, Kuro. (21)'
Even though Kuro shuffled the card, his only mistake was he didn't shuffle the card diverting from Ayame's sight. No matter how much he shuffled it, Ayame could still see it.
Therefore, Ayame took the card that isn't a joker causing herself to win.
Kuro was baffled. "This, this is a mistake I will never commit in my entire life…"
Kuro then continued, ignoring the staring eyes of the observers. "Well that's the gist of game. Here's an handicap from me. I won't look at you guys' face otherwise, this game would be too easy for me to win."
Then as if they couldn't hold anymore, with Botan as the leader, they took Kuro. "Ayame-chan, can you wait her for a bit?"
"…sure. But don't take too long. Let's play a game!"
Then the four peoples took Kuro. """"Roger!""""
.
.
.
Kuro 'calmly' looked at the four in front of him. "Wha-what do you want."
Botan asked at first. "Did you read her expression to insanity that you read her thought?"
Kuro then nodded to her. "Yeah as long as you know the gist of technique, it's easy."
Nodding to him, Lamy then asked the true question the group wanted to ask. "Do Kuro-chan, like Ayame-chan…?"
Kuro couldn't keep calm anymore. "Huh? Hell no, well a bit but, it's not like that! I'm only a bit interested… well, more than a bit… what're you making me say you dumbass!?!?"
Botan looked surprisingly to Kuro. "Wow I've never seen him this panicked."
Kuro diverted the discussion as he was in disadvantage. "Let's go back already! she's waiting."
Lamy and Botan grinned to each other mockingly.
Okayu which was listening to the entire discussion passively, came closer to Kuro.
Korone was dumbstruck at this sight "Okayu!?"
Okayu took Kuro's small hand and placed it at the top of her head. Then slowly closed her eyes, resting.
.
.
.
Then she opened her eyes. "Let's go back."
Korone was too shocked to speak.
The lion and winter elf couldn't find the right time to enter and just followed.
Kuro just couldn't find a single word to say to her. "Yeah."
Okayu's back seemed especially lonely at this time.