Editing Kakegurui Trip Fulltext (section)

==Chapter 2, part 2==

We entered through the revolving door to be greeted by lobby music. A hi-hat set the lively rhythm while a gentle piano melody danced along the beat. There were potted plants everywhere, bathing in the soft orange light of the chandeliers.<br>
Daylight was not gone yet, so the windows to the courtyard helped illuminate the entrance hall. Out footsteps were suddenly louder as we stepped on the marble tiling.
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''"Wow, I'm so glad we came!"'', Yumeko said with joy as she held her hands together in a gesture of admiration.
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Up ahead was a wide, open door and beyond it was a place with an atmosphere completely unlike that of the entrance hall. It was the casino.
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''"Ah, just like in Las Vegas, you can't get into your hotel room without going through the casino. They are nudging the guests into having some fun"'', Yumeko said.
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A burly bodyguard, tall enough that I had to tilt my head to look at him, was guarding the entrance. The walls and the carpet beyond that point were black. It looked calm and elegant, making you focus more on what was in the casino, rather than the casino itself. 
Many table spots were already taken by students and plenty of games were in progress. The sights and sounds were somewhat overwhelming with so much going on. No wonder this kind of atmosphere was so exciting for many, especially those like Yumeko.
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''"I didn't expect the casino to be right at the entrance. Have you ever been to Las Vegas, Saotome?"'', I asked Mary. 
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''"Huh? What does that have to do with anything?"'', she replied, visibly annoyed.
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I didn't mean to upset her. Even after knowing her for a while, I still didn't fully understand what kind of things she is bothered by.
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''"Let's play right away! Roulette? Table games? Or maybe slots --- mumble."'' Mary interrupted Yumeko by covering her mouth. Yumeko snorted from the unexpected change in air pressure.
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''"Of course we're going to check in first. The casino isn't going anywhere, so calm down"'', Mary said with a clam but stern voice, as if she was commanding a child. ''"The casino will still be open for hours, so there is no need to rush"'', she continued.
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Yumeko was acting spoiled and tried to stay put. We grabbed her hands and dragged her out towards the hotel reception desk.
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When checking in, we were given key cards for rooms on the 30th floor. High floor rooms must have great views, I thought. This was not going to be the case for Yumeko, though.<br>
On our way up, we stopped by the linen room assigned to Yumeko. It was not even prepared for occupation, like Kifune promised. Inside were just shelves with bed sheets and not much else. On arrival at the 30th floor, Mary suggested we check my room first so we headed there. 
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The first thing we noticed is how heavy the door was. It swung open slower than I expected from the push I gave it. What was inside was magnificent. We marveled at it as we entered. Although listed as a standard room, it was as luxurious as a high-end hotel one.<br>
Both the double bed and TV were huge but because the room itself was so spacious they didn't seem out of place. A tasteful chandelier was illuminating the space from it's central hanging spot. It all seemed too much for just one person.
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''"This is too good for Suzui"'', Mary said, while looking at the bathroom. 
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Meanwhile, Yumeko opened the curtains to check the view. ''"Oh, come look at this!"'', she said.
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The sun was setting, showing us a red carpet that stretched from the horizon to the sandy beach below. The rest of the ocean was darkened and endlessly expanded to both sides. 
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''"It's lovely! And to think this is all part of a school trip"'', Yumeko said while Mary returned from the bathroom inspection. 
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''"Let's switch. You can have this room, Yumeko"'', I said.
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''"Huh?"'', she replied while turning to me in surprise.
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''"I can't let a girl stay in a place without a shower. Besides, I owe you, don't I? It wouldn't be proper if I didn't repay you a little from time to time"'', I said with a smirk as if I was joking.
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But actually, I wasn't joking at all.<br>
Back when I was a housepet and Yumeko was a new transfer student, I was forced into deceiving her. A rigged gamble was set up with Yumeko as the target and I was part of the conspiracy. I didn't want to do it, but could not find the strength within me to refuse my classmates' orders. That stunt ended in a way you would least expect. Yumeko saw through the cheating and managed to win the game. After that, she gifted me the money for the student council payment, freeing me from housepet status.<br>
She saved me. I don't know if it's guilt or gratitude, but I don't think I'll ever be able to look Yumeko in the eye. 
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''"What? So you do have a manly side after all?"'', Mary chimed in with a faint smile. 
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''"Here, take the key card"'', I said while pulling it out of my pocket and handing it to Yumeko.
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Yumeko pushed it away. ''"No, Suzui-san. I can't accept it."''
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''"Don't be shy, come on"'', I insisted.
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''"No way, this room is yours and..."'', Yumeko protested again but stopped herself, while raising a finger.<br>
''"Suzui-san and I can stay in this room together. That solves everything!"''
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I'm sure I was blushing. Yumeko said that so casually it caught me off guard.
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''"There is plenty of space here and the bed is a double size. It won't be cramped at all"'', she continued with the same cheerful voice. 
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''"No, no, no! That's not okay! You shouldn't say things like that so carelessly, girl! When you are alone together he might have uncontrollable urges and ravage you! The guys who appear gentle are the most dangerous like that!"'', Mary said loudly.
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''"Eh..., that point is moot. We're not sleeping together"'', I said while trying to push the key card into Yumeko's hand.
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''"Mary-san, you shouldn't talk about Suzui-san like that! He would never do such a thing!"'', Yumeko said while deflecting the card again. ''"Please keep it, Suzui-san."''
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''"I'm not a senseless beast, I'm not sleeping with you and I'm not letting you sleep in a closet. The linen room is mine!"'', I said while pushing the key card back at her.
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''"No it isn't..."'' We were pushing the card back and forth. 
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Mary intervened eventually. ''"Ugh, fine. I get it. Suzui, you are keeping this room. Yumeko, I'm sharing mine with you. I swear, if you snore, I'll kick you out."''
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''"That would be great! Are you sure you're okay with it, Mary-san?"'', Yumeko asked cheerfully. 
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''"Yeah, it's alright"'', Mary said. Now that the rooms were sorted, she wanted to address something form earlier.<br>
''"I didn't think you were joking but back on the ship when..."''
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''"Yey!!!"'' Yumeko interrupted and started jumping around with joy. ''"I get to stay with Mary-san! I'm so excited I may not be able to sleep!"''
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''"Thank you, Saotome"'', I said
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''"It's fine. I suspected it would turn out like this. Yumeko, shall we drop off our stuff at my... Hey, stop clinging to me!"'' Mary was being hugged by Yumeko from the side.
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''"Suzui, let's meet at the restaurant in half an hour so we can use those dinner tickets we got. I'm getting hungry"'', Mary said while leaving the room with Yumeko in tow. 
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The restaurant did not disappoint. The ceiling was full of fancy chandeliers and glittering decorations. Students were eating at the many round tables while chatting and laughing. Dinner was buffet style with lots of choice and very extravagant desserts.<br>
All of us enjoyed it but we didn't linger for too long. There was still more to do this evening.
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''"Well then, let's go!"'' We stood up and headed to the casino.
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