Chapter 3
"Huh?! A game? What kind of game are you talking about Brat?"
"Well, I don't have cards with me, but I do have cash."
I take out 52 1000 denomination notes. And started marking them with the pen I 'borrowed' from the car.
13 diamonds
13 clubs
13 Hearts
and
13 Spades.
"You do know how to play poker, right?"
"*Laughs. A kid knows poker?
Are you listening to this Eshima! I told you he is a good catch didn't I. But give us those 52 notes or cards whatever. I am Kano, and this guy over here is Eshima. He will distribute the money... cards argh whatever."
"But lad, what are your stakes. Just so I tell you, even if you do win we can't let you go away without a scratch ok? It tarnishes our gang name. *smiles wickedly ... However, we can do that if you win and still give away the money you have there. And for when we win you wi—"
"When did I tell you that I want that if I win?"
"Huh?"
"You must be mistaking somethings here, I suppose. I will go with you regardless of winning or losing. However, if I win, you both will support me in my endeavor. Well, if you win, I move as you please."
"Well, that also works. You don't need to necessarily come you know. Just the money will be fine."
"Thank you uncle."
"YOU TAKING A PICK ON ME HUH!?"
It was a Deal.
"Then I will go to Eshima-san and give this to him?"
"Yeah you do that"
I move towards Eshima-san to give him the 53 'cards.'
But just before I was about to reach, at a distance about the same between them both, I asked Kano nervously.
"Say Kano---san, can you draw the Kings' Kanji on these 04 cards, It will look better, it will be easier to understand as well?"
"HaAah? Why is that needed? We can just play as it is; we don't have all night for these childish things. We are busy. And for understanding, I can already understand these 4 clearly."
"Sure thing."
I went towards Eshima and delivered the 4 bundles counting them one by one.
I looked at his face and neck carefully with my peripheral vision.
And when it came to giving him the last 'card' with my left hand.
Hiding the motions of my right hand.
I went on to puncture his vertebral arteries with the sharp pen with ease.
*brrrrrr
Eshima started shaking, blood slowly trickled down from his right side. There was not a word, no scream whatsoever. His eyes losing cognition. As if panicked. I called out to Kano-san
"KANO SAN! SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH ESHIMA! HE IS SHAKING LIKE ANYTHING."
"AA~ah? HaaaAAH That Eshima, I told him to not drink that much ugh, even I feel nauseous. damn."
It was already evident that he couldn't see the actual thing clearly as I tested him before.
The test where he didn't retort after asking him to draw the Kanji on the cards, which were obviously not King. It was clearly, written with large, broad letters. SPADES OF 4, HEARTS OF 4, CLUBS OF 4, AND AN ACE OF DIAMONDS.
He slowly proceeded his steps towards me.
I was still supporting Eshima's vibrating body, as Kano arrived.
I worriedly gave him Eshima's body.
Kano-san, clearly still not wide awake yet had his legs still moving sloppily even after receiving Eshima's body.
But he immediately started to look confused...
He must be thinking about why his body is wet. He must be thinking why Eshima smelled like iron. Let me help him know that answer fast.
But, by the time Kano recognized the wet substance on his hand as blood, and was forced to come to his senses.
It was already too late.
With his last words as "why..." and "---How"
He also started dancing in a vibrating frenzy on top of the road together with his 'brother.'
The frezy became so exotic that they later dropped down on the streets, still dancing ecstatically.
I watched them both dance together with such fervor in pure romance, bromance, as their blood fastly seeped out of them.
Their eyes were in ecstasy. Their mouths having froth coming out was totally in frenzy.
Looking at that ethereal image, as if stright out of a mythic tale, I had only one sentence as response.
"Thank you for supporting me in my endeavor. I offer you my thanks, Oh Water God, with truly blessed intentions."
[note: Eshima = The truly blessed one, Kano = Water God.]
With my clothes drenched in blood, I threw away almost all the money on top of them in obeisance. Clapped my hands like they do in front of the temple, praying. Then left the scene with still a little but sufficient cash in my pocket.
END OF CHAPTER
