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"Aww man! If only I had gotten a trigger!" Naoki whines.
"You shouldn't rely on them, Ishida," Kourin chides. "You should think about what you can do regardless of hitting a defensive trigger or not."
"Yeah, yeah I know..." Naoki sighs as he looks at his damage zone. The last three face-up cards revealed units. And those used as counter-blast were the same. All triggers had gone into his hand and then discarded to the drop as shield. It wasn't an exciting game like how he imagined it could have been. A critical here and a heal there would have been nice, especially for his final damage check.
"Wana play again?" He asks. Despite the loss, determination shines in his eyes.
Kourin nods. "Sure."
And the game begins again.
Aside from calling out units and attacks, the club room is awfully quiet. The other club members had business to attend to; Misaki was with the shop and Shingo and Aichi had to be with their younger siblings. That left Kourin and Naoki to be the only members of the club for the day.
The option to visit Card Capital and play there, amongst a variety of cardfighters is always open, but focusing on one play, one matchup helps. That and Kourin occasionally enjoyed the comfort and privacy of being in the clubroom. Sure, a stray fan would try to come to her, but they weren't as persistent compared to when she first arrived. It helped that her friends were willing to put their foot down if someone was a little too unrelenting. Not that she needed the help, but she is grateful for it.
"So, are you going to guard?" She asks, swinging with her vanguard.
Naoki falls silent with her words echoing in his head. He shouldn't have to guard too much while at three damage, but he doesn't want to lose his entire hand either. Making it two to pass could benefit him in the long run, but it depends on what Kourin pulls and if she wants to push. He pulls his gaze away from his hand to look at his opponent, thinking he could, maybe , get an insight of what she would do.
"I..." His decision disappears the moment he lays his eyes on her. There is nothing unusual about the way Kourin is sitting across from him. Her posture is perfect, unrelenting as she stares him down while waiting for his response. Her green hues glisten, sparkle and Naoki swears he can see something in them. He's not sure what, but something is there. Something that pulls him in and keeps him in place.
This shouldn't be any different from their last fight, or any of their previous fights. It feels weird to stare at her when he looks at her every day. Maybe it's the lighting, he wonders? The way the orange glow from the setting sun surrounds her entire being. The colors match her ferocity in every attack, making each one that much stronger. He wants to keep his eyes on her, watch every little movement she can make, and see her shine even more.
"You're really pretty, ya know?" Naoki blurts out.
"H-Huh?" Kourin stammers. The hand that had been resting over her deck is pulled back as if it has shocked her. A blush rises to her cheeks.
Naoki doesn't seem phased by what he said. It's hard to believe if he's even aware of what he said. It had been spoken so casually as if he was speaking to her outside of a match. There isn't a spark behind those words, although he looks to be in a trance, captivated by his opponent.
As she tries to calm herself down, she realizes- why does she need to still her beating heart? As an idol, those words are heard every day. Beautiful, pretty, gorgeous, lovely. It's a miracle if those adjectives don't grace her ears. And by now, they're meaningless. After hearing them over and over again, they begin to lose their value.
So, why does it affect her so greatly now?
"Are you trying to distract me?" She says sternly after composing herself.
"Huh? No. Why would I-" He stops. Blinks. Now, it's his turn to blush. "Shit, sorry! W-Wait no! I mean, uhhh..." Think, think! "No guard!"
Kourin lets out a huff while glaring at him and does her first drive check.
"Critical Trigger. Critical to the Vanguard and power to the rearguard."
Then, her second check.
"Critical Trigger."
"SERIOUSLY?!" Naoki shouts and takes his damage.
History repeats itself as his first two damages reveal normal units. And for his third damage check, it's-
"A heal trigger!" He grins, big and wide.
The game isn't over just yet and now he has a chance for a comeback.
Kourin lets out an annoyed sigh. Of course, he would pull that after she scolded him about it. Well, it's not the first time someone has healed from their last damage against her.
As much as she wants to focus on the game, she can't forget what he said.
"Ishida," she breathes out his name, softer than she meant it to be. The boy looks towards her, curious.
"Hm?"
Her hand rests over her rearguard, waiting to make it strike.
"Did you mean that?"
She swings.
"Mean what?"
He guards.
"Nevermind."
Kourin's attacks don't get through. It feels more annoying this time around that she couldn't win. It's not frustrating that she couldn't finish the game this turn, but more so that Naoki was...well, himself. A lucky idiot that survives her relentless barrage of attacks and never gives up despite the odds.
It's what made him a formidable opponent.
"My turn!"
Naoki grins as he draws. Just as it seems as if he's forgotten what he said, the realization hits him after he rides his Vanguard and catches another glimpse of Kourin. Like before, she still sparkles, stunning in the light. This time, her expression is different. Serious, but with a soft touch and a faint pink on her cheeks. His mouth opens, about to utter those words again. He manages to put a hand over his mouth before it can slip out once more.
"Oh, uhh...Yeah. I meant what I said." Naoki keeps his eyes on his hand and not on her. "You're super pretty."
And her cheeks flare up once more. Those little words get to her once again. A small part of her hates that it does, but another likes it. Especially since she knows Naoki isn't the type to pull this as an underhanded tactic to win a game. He isn't a flirt either who throws around empty compliments. If anything, he's quite the opposite. He speaks his mind, a little too bluntly, but what he says is genuine and true.
Unlike him, Kourin remains focused on the game. Somewhat.
"One to pass."
Naoki nods to acknowledge her choice. The first check reveals nothing. But the second check does.
"A critical trigger! All effects to the Vanguard!"
That pushes her to five damage. And when it comes to the last attack from Naoki, she's short on shield. And her last damage is a draw trigger.
"I did it!" Naoki beams and practically jumps from his seat. Upon doing so, his chair falls back. "Ah, shit!" He hurriedly puts down the cards in his hand before picking up the chair.
Kourin looks at the board before looking up at Naoki. She isn't irritated or frustrated with this loss. Their game was...interesting to say the least. She never expected him to utter such bold words to her face and simply forget it seconds later.
That was just like him though.
Kourin smiles and holds back a chuckle. Naoki manages to set the chair back in place. He still wears a bright smile with the victory fresh in his mind. Whenever he wins, there's always a little glow around him, a shining aura that enhances his eagerness and determination.
And it's beautiful.
But that's something she'll keep to herself. For now.