Editing Kakegurui Trip Fulltext (section)

==Chapter 4, part 12==

My family was poor, so there was no fortune to get me started in life. Poker is what made me what I am today. Everything I had, I earned from playing it. Managing to enroll into Hyakkaou Private Academy was like a dream come true. It was the perfect environment to advance my career. I've never once played with a frivolous attitude. I'm absolutely obsessed with winning so all matches are important.<br>
No matter how weak my opponent is, I never hold back. No matter how disadvantaged I am, I always stay cool. I don't really see poker as a game. It's not an emotional roller-coaster for me anymore, it's a job. All the money I made from it proves I took the right approach. 
<br><br>
But now, I'm sharing a table with Yumeko. She is inviting me to have a taste of her life philosophy, which is the exact opposite of mine. It's strangely enticing. I feel like I'm being pulled under her black veil. I've never seen a girl like her.
<br><br>
One-on-one poker is very differed from group play. There is a lot less strategy involved and mind reading becomes more important. You have to play way more aggressively too.<br>
I pride myself with being the most experienced poker player at our school, but even I find one-on-one games tricky.
<br><br>
The cards were dealt and the discard phase happened. Yumeko had the first move. ''"Hehe... interesting... I've decided. I'm all-in."''
<br><br>
With only two players, an all-in is always an invitation to gamble for the entire stack of the player who has the least chips.
<br><br>
Again? Fine, I'll play along. ''"Call."''
<br><br>
There was another cheer from the spectators. Yumeko's stack was tiny compared to mine. If she lost, she would be eliminated. If I lost, it would be a minor setback for me.
<br><br>
''"Okay, showdown"'' At the dealer's signal, we flipped our cards.
<br><br>
''"Oh, how lucky, a full house, congratulations!"'', I said.
<br><br>
Yumeko smiled warmly and pulled in the chips. The doubts I had left about her disappeared. She was indeed having fun. That smile was genuine. 
<br><br>
In the next hand, it was my turn to move first. ''"Hmm, maybe I'm lucky this time. All-in."''
<br><br>
''"Oh, if you are so aggressive, it makes we want to take on the challenge. Call."''
<br><br>
Her pair was stronger than mine. ''"Dammit."''<br>
Wait, did I just curse during a match?
<br><br>
''"Oh, Ace. What's wrong with your face? Don't be so irritated. If we aren't enjoying this, why would we bother doing it?"''
<br><br>
Those words startled me. I instinctively touched my forehead to confirm my suspicion. She wasn't lying. I really was frowning. 
<br><br>
''"Don't worry about it. Let's continue. It's your move next."'' I deliberately spoke with a soft voice, trying to snap back into my calm and composed self.<br>
It worked. We played some more hands and I regained the lead. 
<br><br>
''"One-on-one is fun, isn't it? It's our little, private arena and a knockout is possible at any moment. I feel like I'm playing with a knife held to my throat"'', Yumeko said. Her emotions were on full display. She was breathing heavily and spoke with an alluring voice. She told me not talk so much earlier, but now she was doing it herself.
<br><br>
The dealer was no longer instructing us and just kept pace without saying much. We gave her no reason to interrupt our conversation so she was happy to let us chat.
<br><br>
''"Hmm... All-in! This is an interesting hand. You will be very surprised, Ace-san!"''
<br><br>
I'm sure that from her perspective everything was an interesting hand. I had high card jack. This would be terrible in group play but in-on-one it had a chance of working out. 
<br><br>
I should fold... but I was curious. Yumeko was teasing me and I decided I was prepared to pay to see her hand. ''"Hmm... Call."''
<br><br>
I revealed my cards with one quick move.
<br><br>
''"Earlier you said I rely on luck."'' Yumeko flipped over her first card while talking. It was the 4 of hearts.
<br><br>
''"Yeah, I'm sorry if I offended you with that"'', I replied.
<br><br>
''"Don't worry. You weren't wrong to say so. I get it that skill is very important with poker. You set out to master it and made it your profession. Compared to you, I'm practically a novice, but I do love the game very much"'', Yumeko said while flipping another card. It was the 8 of hearts.
<br><br>
She kept talking while revealing slowly. ''"What do you like about poker, Ace-san?"'' She flipped another card. The 9 of hearts appeared.
<br><br>
''"I don't know. Poker isn't really a game to me"'', I said.
<br><br>
''"Oh... I guess I understand that, but the psychology of it aside, the hand you have to play with is pure luck, is it not? Because of that, there is still tension that builds up..."'' She flipped her forth card and revealed the 10 of heats.
<br><br>
The suits matched. Was this a flush?
<br><br>
''"Do you feel the anticipation, Ace-san? Doesn't it stir you up to be at the mercy of the unknown like this?"'', she said while reaching for the fifth card.<br>
''"So why not leave it all to luck sometimes? Let's go gambling crazy!"''
<br><br>
Yumeko tossed her last card at me and giggled. ''"Ta-daa! It's not a flush!"''
<br><br>
What landed on the table was the king of spades. She had high card like me, but her king defeated my jack.
I slapped my head while pushing the chips to her. 
<br><br>
''"You see, Ace-san. I told you I had an interesting hand"'', Yumeko said with a warm smile.
<br><br>
She now had more chips than me. The dealer informed us we had played enough hands to let the ante double again. It would be 1280 thousand from now on. This was forcing a quick resolution. 
<br><br>
''"Aw... It's almost over then"'', Yumeko said with regret.
<br><br>
The dealer dealt the cards. I discarded four. Yumeko discarded five.
<br><br>
''"All of them?"'', I asked.
<br><br>
''"I feel lucky! Maybe it's a straight flush!"'', Yumeko giggled.
<br><br>
''"Now that would be a miracle"'', I said.
<br><br>
The ante had taken all my chips. Because of this, I was all-in automatically and there was no betting.<br>
My pair won. Our stack sizes were now about even. 
<br><br>
Yumeko reached into her skirt pocket and took out her makeup mirror. She opened it and turned it to me. ''"Look at your face, Ace-san. You've been smiling this whole time!"''
<br><br>
I chuckled. It was true. I had a grin on my face like a child reading his favorite manga.
<br><br>
"You said poker was not a game for you? It looks like you are having fun as if was", she said. ''"I bet you'll get really good cards next hand!"''
<br><br>
I laughed. ''"I guess I'm getting carried away a bit, yeah."''
<br><br>
''"Isn't that great?"'', she asked.
<br><br>
''"Black haired maiden, you got me. The rumors were true. You are truly a gambling maniac. I admit it. I'm having a great time."''
<br><br>
''"I'm so happy you understand"'', she said.
<br><br>
New cards were dealt. We discarded. This was going to be the end.
<br><br>
''"All-in?" "Yes."''
<br><br>
''"I'd love to play with you again some time"'', I said.
<br><br>
''"I'd love that too. The tournament rules are holding us back here, aren't they? What about a true no limit match? I bet we will enjoy that even more!"'', Yumeko said with a blush.
<br><br>
I leaned back into my chair and laughed again. ''"Now that is a scary thought. Tell me how much money you have first."''
<br><br>
We revealed our cards.
<br><br>