CHAPTER SIXTEEN
016. Drinks

⋆｡° ✮ AMAYA necks her whole glass in one chug when she feels someone sit next to her, assuming it was Kuina since they were supposed to go drinking tonight "I missed Usagi."

"Yeah, shes pretty chill." Came a voice very familiar that made her head whip to the side.

"Oh, sorry. I thought you were my friend." She turns her head away in embarrassment.

"Sorry to disappoint."

"Its okay." she smiles slightly.

He just nods and turns to get his order. They sit in silence for a long time before Amaya speaks.

"You seen Kuina around?" She asks, clearing her throat.

"I fear I don't know who Kuina is." He raises an eyebrow, looking puzzled.

"Right, sorry. I forgot you never met her." She mutters.

The silence arrived once again, followed by only their breaths and Amaya's hiccups as she slowly gets drunk.

After a few more drinks, she sees Arisu, Usagi and Kuina sitting on the chairs near the pool and she also sees the person she despises the most approach them alongside Aguni and his other goons.

Instinctively, she stands up to check what's going out but as soon as she stands her head spins and she swears this is her end but then she feels a pair of hands grab her arm and waist before she falls.

When she sees who the person is, her face flushes red from embarrassment and she just turns her head away as she sits down. Neither of them talk about it.

"Uhm, i think Arisu is in trouble with the militants right now." She breathed.

Karube stands up and strides towards the scenery, Amaya's eyes widen and she quickly gulps her drink before rushing towards him, pressing a hand on his shoulder while nodding her head towards the approaching Hatter.

His jaw locks, but he still stops. Hatter seems to be intervening.

"Is this a fight?" Hatter's voice made people that were watching step aside.

"Back off, Hatter. This doesn't concern you." Aguni replied back to.

"I can't do that." Hatter looked around. "As the beach's number one, im obliged to maintain order in the Beach." he adds gesturing with his hands

"Could you let off the newcomers in my account, Aguni?" Hatter spoke taking a step closer towards him.

"Niragi." Hatter turns his head towards Niragi.

"I only take orders from the boss." The boy looked up seemingly an act to feign innocence. In the same voice that pisses off Amaya to the core.

"Then let me ask your boss." Hatter turns back to Aguni. "Who is your boss, Aguni?"

"Its you, right?"

The atmosphere was crackling with unspoken tension, as they both maintained eye contact before Hatter breaks it "Go take a shower."  Amaya decided to mutter slowly to herself.

"Wait—something is going on between these two.." she mumbles which makes Karube's head turn towards her whilst shooting her a side glance.

She just shrugs and turn her focus back to the scene infront of them.

Hatter suddenly yells out "All executive members must show up to the meeting room, right now!"

Amaya quickly follows and starts walking towards the meeting room.

Upon arriving she takes a seat next to Ann, she also sees Arisu enter the room but he doesn't really sit, just stands awkwardly near the door. Chishiya waves at him and Arisu's face changes to recognition before Mira's voice break throughout the silence of the room.

"Two of Spades."

"Four of Spades.

"Four of Diamonds.

"Two of clubs."

"We,ve collected them all four of them." She places the cards softly on the table infront of Hatter.

"Until now, we haven't found any face cards." She goes on, explaining and opening her leather notebook.

"If face cards do not exist, we're only left with Ten of Hearts." Kuzuryu's voice chimes in, with the same dry and serious tone.

"If it doesn't appear we can't clear it." Ann also adds. "Maybe there needs to be a condition for that to appear. Maybe it is not in Tokyo."

Kuzuryu shifts in his seat "A game arena has never been found outside of Tokyo."

"But we haven't investigated that far." Ann fires back, proving her point even more.

"Ann is right, if we haven't investigated how could we know." Amaya also decided to speak, for the first time in god knows how long.

"The strategy won't change." Hatter interjects. "We'll keep on investigating the arenas in town. Make sure you have visa days and watch out for the Ten of Hearts."

"I need to replenish my visa soon." He adds.

Mira's journal closes softly breaking through the silence. "There's a way to earn visa days for sure."

"Is that so?" Hatter leans in interested.

"Heart games let you toy with the hearts and feelings of others. If you bring along those that don't mind dying, you'll survive for sure." Mira explains there seems to be a twinkle in her eyes while talking about the toying with other's feelings.

"Even in the Seven of Hearts game that Arisu cleared, the same thing happened,didn't it?" She keeps going on.

"Its a game that doesn't even require to use your brain!" Mira breaks out in a soft chuckle.

"As someone who cleared a hearts game." Hatter points at Arisu. "Do you have any advice for us, Arisu?" He seems to be mocking him because right after he starts laughing.

"But would a hearts game appear so conveniently?" Ann also interjects

"On top of that, we won't know what suit it is until registration closes." Amaya back Ann up.

"But we should be able to deduct it based on the probability theory." Kuzuryu said.

"Thats not the case—" Amaya tries to interject but gets cut off by Hatter slamming his hand on the table and turning to Kuzuryu.

"I don't need such a pretentious investigation method." swipes the cards with his palm placing them on his pocket and announces.

"I'll join the next game. Be it Hearts or Spades. Someone like me with a 100 percent winning rate will clear it easily!" He walks over to the wall covered in cards. "I'll join the games until the Ten of Hearts card appears!"

"The day where we gather all cards and depart from this country is near!" Then turns to the table. "Executive members,  I'm counting on you guys to oversee things here.

"The meeting is adjourned!"