Ch. 118 Casino Night, Part Two: The Presidential Girl

            Darkness was beginning to creep across the campus, but excessive event lighting in the Uptown area kept it at bay. While Torrey had been enjoying the company of the Hyakkou students, he was forced to cut their conversation short when the clock struck 5. After saying farewell, he hurried down the path to reach Hall A.

Rindo Kobayashi arrived at the meeting place a few minutes after Torrey, and clearly for good reason.

"Kohai! Sorry I'm late. Not used to doing my hair up like this," said Rindo. She always looked good, whether she cared to or not, but tonight she had really made the effort.

"Wow...that's...fine," said Torrey, unable to offer anything more.

Rindo's scarlet mane, having recently been cut short, now consisted of layers upon layers of voluminous curls. A deep side part allowed some of these layers to cover one feline eye, showcasing the other in a passionate blaze of yellow.

The scarlet hue of her hair contrasted with the dark black dress she wore. Made of chiffon, it had long sleeves and a sultry scoop neck. Stretching to the floor, the hem was slitted on just one side, revealing a long and curvaceous leg.

"Ha! That's all you have to say?" said Rindo. "I guess that's a compliment in its own right."

"Sorry, I meant to say that you look great," said Torrey, attempting to recover.

"That's better. The old Kohai would have said something like, 'You look great, for someone who eats so much'."

"The thought definitely pops into my head, from time to time."

"You've always been candid with me, I'll give you that. Does this mean you're finally warming up to your Senpai? Wait, don't answer that. Let's just have a good time tonight," said Rindo, extending an arm for Torrey.

"Sounds like a plan," said Torrey, gladly linking arms with his date as they made their way through the vaulted archways of Hall A.

Many guests were still gathered in the vicinity; it wasn't a gambling den per se, but rather the staging area for the event. Signs were placed around the room, indicating directions to the other halls and the teams in charge of them. These signs also listed the games being held at each location, subject to change as the night continued. Torrey recognized several of his instructors, including Jun Shiomi, speaking with guests and helping them navigate the halls.

"I've been debatin' this all day, and I need your opinion, Kohai," said Rindo, suddenly. Torrey stopped in his tracks.

"What's on your mind?" he said, bracing himself for the type of question that only Rindo would be bold enough to ask.

"It's about the appetizers."

"Oh," said Torrey, both surprised and not at all surprised by this question.

"I was plannin' to spice things up and make a challenge of it; you know, like trying every appetizer tonight. But I didn't realize how many first-years there are."

"There's thirteen teams of twelve students, so...I don't know what that is, but you're right. It's a lot."

Rindo paused, thinking it over carefully.

"There were 120 stalls at the Moon Banquet Festival, and I had to split 'em up over five days. Hmm...a lot of those were main courses though, and way more filling than these appetizers. Argh, I don't know what to do," said Rindo.

Torrey looked intently at his date. Lost in thought, she was cupping her chin with a hand, and supporting this arm with the other. Despite all of the women in the room who'd spared no expenses on their own hairstyles, makeup, dresses, shoes, and everything else, Rindo stood out as the most beautiful. It wasn't even close, even with her slight frown. This just showed that she was really struggling with a decision. Torrey laughed.

"Hey! This is serious stuff, Kohai!"

"I know it is; which is why it's so funny."

"Hmph, well don't just laugh. I need some advice here," said Rindo, pouting.

"Okay then, here's a thought. If you were planning to enjoy a nice steak dinner, would you risk filling up beforehand on bread or salad?"

"Never ever. I'm glad you understand one of my core tenets, Kohai, but please continue."

"The same strategy applies here. You said there's a lot of first-years cooking tonight, but most of them are just bread and salad."

"Oho, I get it; we need to start with the steak," said Rindo.

"Exactly! I say we only go for the appetizers prepared by main characters. Then, if we still have room, we can move on to the extras."

That should narrow it down to about 20 or so...but only if we eat one appetizer from each. Damn, that's still a lot of appetizers, thinks Torrey.

"I'm so proud of you," said Rindo, mussing up Torrey's hair affectionately. "Let's take another look at those signs, so we can plan our route."

"We'd better get a move on then," said Torrey.

"Right you are!"

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The first stop on Rindo and Torrey's great appetizer tour was Hall B, which was packed full of guests. Standard card games, combined with a convenient location directly adjacent to the staging area, seemed to create a recipe for this team's success. Texas Hold Em', Black Jack, and Baccarat were being played, with two tables for each. Torrey recognized Ibusaki dealing cards at one of the Black Jack tables, to a group exclusively consisting of older women. Isshiki was working the floor and checking in on his teammates; once he noticed Torrey and Rindo, he rushed over to greet them.

"Torrey-kun! And Rindo-Senpai! What a lovely pair you make," he said. "Ah, the passions of youth. When I see you two together...why, this is what Casino Night is all about!"

"Isshiki, you make it sound like you're older than me or somethin'. But he's spot on about us making a good pair, right Kohai?"

Rindo squeezed Torrey's arm and managed to snuggle up even closer, and was happy to note that he didn't shy away.

It dawned on Torrey that in the past, he had feared Rindo's bold approach to life, whereas now it provided a source of comfort and even envy. This was a girl who lived her best life, day after day, regardless of the circumstances.

"We do, don't we?" said Torrey.

"Torrey-kun, you'll be glad to hear that Yoshino-san's already served 100 portions of her first appetizer," said Isshiki. "And Rindo-Senpai, you'll be glad to hear that the second appetizer is-"

Rindo had already flagged down one of the serving girls, who turned out to be Ryoko Sakaki. She hurried over, deftly stepping around guests while balancing two trays full of crispy ovals.

Like the other Totsuki students working the event, Ryoko wore a standard, classy casino worker uniform. Black work pants, with a white, long-sleeve collared shirt, complete with a black vest and bow-tie. She wore her long, magenta hair up in a ponytail.

Argh! I was hoping to avoid these two. Rindo-Senpai's literally on his arm, and looking like a goddess to boot. And here I am, probably sweating through my uniform already, thinks Ryoko, who simply holds out the trays while offering a smile.

"Hey Ryoko. That uniform really suits you. Er...not that you're meant to be a server or anything like that! I mean, a chef uniform probably suits you more. I'll just stop now," said Torrey.

"T-thanks," said Ryoko, trying not to smile.

"Are these croquettes?" asked Rindo, eyeing Torrey before grabbing one anyway.

"Not just any croquettes- oxtail croquettes," said Isshiki, proudly, as if he had made the dish himself. He wasn't trying to take credit; he was just proud of Yuki's dish, as any good senpai would be. "She simmered the oxtail with tomatoes and onions grown from our Polaris garden, among other things," he added.

Crunch. Crunch.

As Torrey and Rindo took simultaneous bites of croquettes, the satisfying crunch of the crispy outer shell sent an explosion of flavor down their throats. The shredded oxtail, which had been braised in a beef broth along with the fresh vegetables, garlic, and beer, was as tender as could be despite being deep fried.

"Gyaaah! N-not bad for the first dish," said Rindo, trying to stay composed.

"These are amazing! You'll have to give our compliments to the chef," said Torrey, finishing the rest of the croquette as soon as he finished his sentence.

"I'll let Yuki know; I need to grab another round of croquettes, anyway. It was nice to see you, Torrey. You too, Rindo-Senpai," said Ryoko, hustling back to the kitchen.

"Oh, later then..." said Torrey, who had noticed that her trays were still full.

"Sakaki-san, always the diligent worker," said Isshiki, offering Torrey a knowing smile. "I can only hope that the rest of them follow her example."

I get the feeling that he's not just talking about his teammates, when he says 'them' thinks Torrey. Rindo must have picked up on his sudden change in mood, because she wasted no time leading him onward.

"You aren't staying? Ibusaki-kun should be up soon in the rotation," said Isshiki.

"We're on a tight schedule, but we'll definitely try to make it back in time for him," said Rindo.

"Best of luck, you two!" said Isshiki, but Rindo had already dragged Torrey away.

*****************************************************************************

Their next stop, Hall C, wasn't nearly as busy or as cheerful as Hall B had been. Despite this, Torrey did notice a LOT of chips on the tables. The large number of Hyakkou students also stood out, thanks to their unmistakable red and black blazers.

"There's nothin' but students in this room. Kinda getting a weird vibe here, too," said Rindo, shivering.

"Gambling is everything at their school, apparently," said Torrey, also noticing the intensity in the room. It was all fun and games in Hall B, but here it was just games.

"That's right, now I remember them from my Casino Night. Can't believe that was already two years ago..."

"Time really does fly at Totsuki. It's just one challenge after another," said Torrey, though his own challenges extended far beyond cooking. Keeping his sanity intact was chief among them. "It's really impressive that you've made it this far."

"Are you just bein' nice to me cuz we're on a date?" said Rindo, offering a warm smile.

"Nah, that's not it. You and all the third-years keep mentioning how you're graduating soon, and I can't say I'm looking forward to it."

"Don't get all sappy on me now! That's why we gotta enjoy moments like this. Now let's find a server and..."

Rindo trailed off, noticing an interesting development at one of the dice tables. The chips were pretty balanced between the house and the players at most tables, with the exception of this one. There was a single female student seated there, and she had all of the chips stacked beside her. The dealer was at his wits end.

"W-well...you see...you've already won all of our chips. I can't afford to play another round," he stuttered. The girl regarded him with piercing blue eyes; this alone was enough to convey her disgust. She raised an eyebrow before speaking.

"These," she said, indicating the pile, "are all of your chips?"

The dealer hesitated, unsure of which answer would reduce the tension and possibly get him out of this situation.

"Y-yeah..."

The girl laughed, which further unsettled the dealer. It was laughter without any trace of joy behind it.

"But this is such a paltry sum. It doesn't even amount to pocket change for me," the girl said, coolly.

She wasn't particularly scary looking; in fact, she was rather beautiful, in an intense sort of way. The shade of lipstick she wore matched her eyes perfectly, and both stood out against her pale skin. Long strands of gray hair were looped through knotted rings and entwined with ribbons, and squared bangs with cheek-length locks framed either side of her genteel face.

It was a beauty that seemed at odds with everything else in the room, however; gazing upon it for too long instilled a sense of dread, rather than happiness. It was chilling, and both Torrey and Rindo shivered uncomfortably.

"Yes, well...I can try to get a hold of our director to see if..." started the dealer.

"Do not try. You WILL speak with your director," the girl commanded.

"You may speak with her yourself, if you wish," said Erina, who'd managed to approach the table without anyone noticing. Nearly everyone in the room had been fixated on the fair-haired girl with all of the chips.

"Oh? You must be even younger than me," said the pale girl, eyes widening. Not out of surprise, but mockery. "You've done well to arrive so soon. I expected to clear out at least one more table."

"I believe it's customary for casino management to check in on patrons who appear to be...unusually successful," said Erina.

"Are you suggesting that I came by these winnings through...illegitimate means?" replied the girl, matching Erina's dramatic pause.

"I wouldn't dare, though something about this situation is clearly amiss. The size of your chip pile might be concerning on its own, but combined with the list of complaints you've submitted against no less than five members of this Hall's staff...well, I had no choice but to appraise things for myself."

"Lady Luck is clearly on my side, but as for the complaints...did it not occur to you that this particular staff may simply be unsuited for customer service?"

"It was the very first thing that occurred to me, though I've been in this room for nearly ten minutes and have yet to witness anything that could validate such a claim. With the exception of the team captain cowering behind that houseplant over there," said Erina. Torrey and Rindo followed her gaze to find Konishi, the leader of Don RS, hiding behind a rather thin-looking ficus. His pompadour extended far beyond what little cover the plant offered.

"I tend to have that effect on people. Unfortunately, it would seem that there's a disparity between the standards of our respective institutions. Kirari Momobami, President of Hyakkou Academy," said the pale girl. She remained seated, while extending a hand to Erina, who shook it apprehensively.

"Erina Nakiri, Director of Totsuki Academy." They both paused for a moment, and Kirari finally dropped her fake smile. The tension in the room had peaked; here were the two most powerful women in attendance, going toe-to-toe verbally.

"Erina, this event of yours is mildly amusing, though I find the stakes to be far too low for my taste," said Kirari.

"Whoa, they're already using first names? I guess you can get away with that when you're the president," whispered Torrey.

"I don't think so, Kohai. That sounded pretty disrespectful," whispered Rindo.

"Yeah, this girl's been giving us all a helluva lot of attitude since she showed up," said Ikumi Mito, who, like Erina, had managed to sneak up without drawing any attention to herself. She wore the same server outfit as Ryoko, and Torrey did a double-take.

"Ikumi...you're...wearing clothes?" said Torrey.

"I always wear clothes! These ones are super uncomfortable though. I feel itchy all over," said Ikumi, who really seemed out of her element in a proper uniform.

"Wait, I thought you were s'posed to be in the kitchen right now? That's why we hurried over here!" said Rindo.

"I was, but Konishi changed up the rotation once the complaints started rolling in. Everything's out of sorts now, thanks to her," said Ikumi.

After this brief exchange, Torrey, Rindo, and Ikumi refocused on the showdown between Erina and Kirari. It appeared that they hadn't missed much, for Erina had been silently contemplating her options. She finally spoke again.

"Should you wish to continue playing, we have more than enough chips stashed away in our reserves. We hadn't accounted for the possibility of a guest performing so well," said Erina, changing her tact. It was clearly an attempt at flattery, but this was the optimal move. To flat out accuse a guest of cheating, with no evidence, would put a permanent stain on Totsuki's reputation. Hyakkou's students, though young and foolish, were the sons and daughters of some of the wealthiest and most influential people in Japan.

Kirari sighed.

"I wasn't necessarily speaking of chips. I've already grown bored of taking your money," she said. "Isn't there something of value that we can play for instead?"

"Interestingly enough, we are very familiar with high-stakes wagers at Totsuki," said Erina. "Money is rarely the thing to be offered."

"Now I'm intrigued," said Kirari.

"These wagers take place in the form of a cooking battle, known as a Shokugeki. Cooking requires far more skill and practice than gambling, I'm afraid," said Erina, trying to regain the upperhand.

"That's a debatable stance, but you won't hear any arguments from me. After all, isn't a gamble merely a game of chance on an even playing field? Both sides stand to lose or gain from it equally," said Kirari, shrugging for show.

"Indeed, though I must admit that I'm quite skilled at cards," said Erina, proudly. "Skilled enough to offset the notion of an 'even playing field', at least."

"Ah, would you care to test that theory?" said Kirari, smiling once more.