The Casino School

Episode 3

"Hello. Yuuji is in good school. Much was learned, his teachers were all cool as well. Yes, calm down. Yuuji still has money for snacks, cheap is also here."

Yuuji's umpteenth lie when he refused his mother's visit. There were many lies he told to calm his mother.

What a ridiculous start. What kind of good school did he mean? What lessons did he get during his first day of school until now? A cool teacher?

Lies.

Yuuji hung up the phone from his mother after saying his greetings and expressing how much he misses his family. It's not nonsense that he wants to go home and gather at home, it's just that he can't go home because from the beginning of school this is his wish.

"His phone?" kenji asked after seeing his best friend put the phone in the pocket of his uniform. Yuuji nodded small.

They were sitting together in a park chair near Spade Class, Kenji and Hiro Class. Yuuji couldn't enjoy the park around his own class because of course many students were making fun of him. He was too lazy to hear it.

Hiro, come to them with a plastic bag filled with food. Put it in the middle of the chair and each one eats onigiri. The three return to chat briefly about the school and Yuuji's plans ahead. After all, as close as possible, Yuuji still did not want to bother his two best friends just eating and drinking daily until next month. Their finances were equally depleted due to the initial needs of the school that confiscated a lot of chips.

"It looks like the school is deliberately making students have to gamble, deh," murmured Hiro followed by a nod Kenji.

"Yes, dong. The school certainly has nothing to lose. Free he spent 100 dollars per head but the end did not get anything. Three years here with the rest of that 100 bucks where to live?" Hiro again continued and was answered with a more steady nod from Kenji.

Meanwhile Yuuji was just watching around. Where near the park there are some children who play gambling, small games that certainly get chips with a small amount as well.

Instantly a memory of how to get a chip passed through his brain. The young man grew quieter, confused in his mind.

"Btw, isn't there another way to make chips without betting?"

Hiro gave a short oh, then nodded his ass. "Yes. I was horrified from the senior, a month after the admission of new students, the school will not have a short competition for student introductions. As much as any other competition, anyway. But Yuuji did not want to get a chip from there," replied Hiro then turned to Yuuji, followed by Kenji who also looked at his best friend.

There was no good response, Kenji and Hiro looked at each other again. It seemed that Yuuji was already in a state of mind of his own.

But not yet had time to start the topic again, Yuuji suddenly stood up, diverting the attention of his two friends who were still busy chatting.

"Yuuj"

"I KNOW!" Yuuji exclaimed, turning to his two best friends. "Waiting next month, I can pinch your chips for no bets?"

Hearing that, his two friends immediately refused firmly. It is not a stingy thing to lend, but Yuuji's knowledge of gambling is still very thin. It requires more knowledge to jump into gambling. In addition, the two do not want Yuuji to go back to bankruptcy because of his carelessness.

With much deliberation and debate, the two decide not to lend Yuuji chips until Yuuji understands the basics of school gambling.

"Yaudah, let's see who's up ahead and how's playing." Yuuji leads his two best friends closer to the gang of kids who are gambling.

Seemed in their tense look and cheers became the backsound of the match. The longer the game, the greater the stakes, and of course the more losses that will be obtained by the candidate to lose.

Kenji, the boy who was somewhat naughty in the era of Junior High quite understand the basics of gambling games using playing cards in front of him. Kenji is quite familiar with the ongoing rummy game. No doubt if the time spent is long enough because of the rules of the game itself.

"It's called a spades playing card game" Kenji explained to his two best friends who were still confused by the gambling in front of him. All this time all they knew about gambling rummy was blackjack and poker.

In front of them were 4 people with a dealer in the middle. In this case, the dealer is not a player, but as a supervisor to record the game. The dealer has dealt 52 cards to the four players in front of him. With a value of 500 enough to make the game very long.

Where in this 5th round of play, there is a player whose value is already close to 300. With that sign he was approaching victory.

The players make offers in the form of tricks or strategies to win the course of the game before the dealer tells one of the players to put a card in the middle. After giving several offers, one of the dealer's designated players prepares a card in the middle of the table with the smallest value.

Clockwise, the four players give their cards to get the orderly value. Heart card, wajik, spade, and the highest value is a kinky card or spade— according to the name of the game.

Each trick is played, then the person gets a certain value until it reaches the last card then closes the game or continues if no one has touched the value of 300.

"In this game, we can not play more than the tricks we bargained. If the successful trick is won more than the trick offer, he gets sandbag or overtrick points," explained Kenji while observing one of the players who seemed to make a mistake.

Hiro mengernyitkan dahi. "Maksudnya? Berarti dia pinter, dong. Dia bisa ngalahin pake macem-macem trik."

Kenji shook his head slowly, then sighed. The 5th round of play is over and is counting points. Players who overtrick get a penalty.

"You'll get 10x sandbag, he'll get 100 points."

That player looks smart. But it's in this Spades game that's gonna make him look stupid. The player got a pretty big penalty, spending most of the points he had already collected.

"Aoyama, Fort II, was the winner."

Loud sounds and cheers welcomed the victory of the figure who had conquered his long match. With the highest score without overtrick and consistency in play, Aoyama, managed to beat all three opponents who are fairly smart.

Yuuji, Kenji, and Hiro return to their original places after the victory convoy begins. They don't want to drown in the crowds of Aoyama fans.

"Aoyama, he holds the power and becomes Fort II. He was challenged by 3 other students who had a grudge against Aoyama." Hiro, the reliable informant started to tell a long story.

Aoyama is a 2nd grade student. Where since the beginning of entering, Aoyama had destroyed the beginning of the lives of the students of his class and upperclassmen. With intelligence and all tactics, only 3 months of school, Aoyama has occupied the throne as Fort II.

In addition, Aoyama still fight some students who if they have a lot of chips but are not willing to sit on the chess throne. Aoyama is famous for its currency. Whatever he will do to get the chips. After all, Aoyama had never lost against those who were not from the ranks of the higher-ups.

Yuuji heard that carefully. He realized there was less than him. Comparing himself now and Aoyama who used to be a hard slap on the cheek. Yuuji only kept quiet as Hiro coolly told a story.

But it seems that Yuuji's two best friends already understood what he was thinking. There was nothing they could do when Yuuji made the decision to fight Aoyama. Joking ambis students, Hiro and Kenji are not sure. Because in addition, Hiro must prepare chips that are not small to bet the throne of Fort II.

"You have to start small, just fight Aoyama. See that, you don't know about the game?" kenji asked while pointing at Aoyama who was walking with her friends.

"understand. But what should I find the chip? I don't have a chip for nawar."

"Wait for next month, there will be a competition for new students. No bets at all, no need to bid for the opponent. Maybe you have to win often to get a lot of chips, because the prize is not 100 dollars."

"Trus? Want now? Whose chip?"

"Pinjem, please."

Kenji sighed, Hiro just silently stared lazily at his best friend. The two then issued each chip worth 10 dollars.

"It's capital than us, it can't be more. But for a while, you understood how to play people. Let me guide the game what is suitable for beginners," Kenji explained firmly and in detail.

With that in mind, Yuuji has a handle on betting or waiting a month ahead.

...* * *...

For the position of the fort at the price of 2 black chips or equivalent to 200 dollars is a challenge for Yuuji. The chip he had cost only 20 dollars. Even if he lost against Fort II, then the chips he collected will be forfeited.

Now Yuuji is busy doing research on some gambling, he follows the development of Aoyama as well as looking for tricks to beat him. Aoyama is a pretty good card player. This moment is no match.

In less than a month, Yuuji began training himself to gamble with other students. Winning and losing is already his daily meal. Various common games in the casino he has learned.

In school, the school prepares several game machines. Slot machines and pachinko. In addition, there are some school staff who make bingo every week. All students are allowed to participate, but the results obtained are not so great. Well, itung-itung to help other students to look for additional.

Originally only having 4 red chips, Yuuji has now pocketed almost 50 dollars for 2 weeks setting himself up to focus on gambling. Hiro and Kenji accompanied him, explaining what kind of gambling Yuuji would face. This continued until the next month. Where Yuuji's eagerly awaited competition comes.

The provision of the previous non-stop match made Yuuji more confident. Several times he bulldozed his opponent and dredged more chips. This year's competition is for new students. Actually old students are allowed to join, but it is recommended not to follow. As the purpose of the competition is held, that is, for introductions.

Small-time competitions, in which students race against each other. Collect points to top the ranking with prizes that do not reach 100 dollars. Even so, this is quite tempting for students who have collapsed.

Yuuji continued to fight here and there. Within a week of the competition being held, Yuuji should at least be able to get into the top 3 to earn 50 dollars.

Hiro as the informant and Kenji as Yuuji's guide in the match. The two were always beside Yuuji. Points earned up and down, Yuuji is not entirely a gambling champion, but this time his victory points are more often obtained. Some of the tricks he collected from his opponents became a reference to fight against others, especially Aoyama.

Until the deciding day. Where Jaken, as the king of the school, announces the final results of the new student introductory competition. Some foreign names are mentioned from the bottom to the highest order. Yuuji's name is said to be ranked 7th. That includes good progress. Not as fast as the MCs in general, remember, Yuuji only really understands about the world of gambling. His brain was not as thin as Albert Einstein, but at least he was easy to catch on to new science.

The chips are not much, costing 25 dollars. That's more than enough. The money was returned to Hiro and Kenji, the rest for the treaty because it helped Yuuji.

"Isn't this a little difficult?" hiro asked while eating the fruit salad Yuuji bought from the canteen. He looked at Yuuji and Kenji who were still playing chess from Yuuji's phone.

"How difficult is it, huh?" Yuuji asked again without looking at her. His hand swiped the chess pieces on the phone screen as Kenji rewired his brain to make Yuuji lose.

Hiro sighed, he felt only himself was thinking too heavily. "What's your goal, huh, Yuuji?"

That question made Yuuji stop staring at Kenji's pawn. Hiro managed to take his attention. Yuuji was silent for a moment, thinking of something.

Her memories soar to a time where her revenge wish was to the Diamond Class child. Given what he wanted to achieve before, Yuuji went bankrupt and desperately searched for chips. When returning to this moment, Yuuji felt himself beginning to relax and quite far from his original goal. It was as if he had forgotten everything that happened.

Yuuji simply forgot their scorn for being busy with gambling and looking for chips. He was rarely in his classroom because he was busy going around fighting other children. According to him, Yuuji wanted to 'lost' leaving weakness and 'back' bringing strength. It was true during the previous month that his classmates were also preparing for competitions or trampling on other classes. But somehow Yuuji looked blind and deaf.

He looked around. In this canteen, bullying activities are still happening. Perpetrator of the majority—or even 98%—from his own class. Where the contents of the Diamond Class are people who are arrogant about the superiority of their class. Yuuji remained silent for quite a while, observing what was happening around. He realized that all this time he began to not care and just focus on his goals. Which even Yuuji himself began to forget his true purpose for what.

The young man began to wake up when his class child started to arrogantly up ahead. With the snobbish Diamond Class slogan, they ridiculed the losing gambling opponents. It makes Yuuji's memory thrown at the time of the new student acceptance ceremony.

The figure of Jaken and his ranks who had an elegant but horrified and haughty aura. He felt his hair goosebumps again when Jaken passed by and accidentally hooked his eyes with him. Yuuji wondered. Is it because Jaken's nature that makes Diamond Class kids like this? Was it because their aura of discrimination encouraged new disciples to do this? Is it possible because the school chess pieces are the majority of the Diamond Class?

But in Yuuji's mind still thinks that Jakenlah is the culprit. He had never communicated directly, but when he saw Jaken who was indifferent to bullying in plain sight made him think so. When Yuuji was trampled in the classroom and Jaken saw him, there was no action to protect him. It was even as if Jaken's gaze said, 'feel it'.

Right, Yuuji was starting to be convinced. Jaken is the higher-ups who hold control of the entire class ranks. Jaken leads everything. Bullying will not happen if the leader is replaced, if Jaken is ousted.

"My goal.I almost forgot my previous goal. But I now have a definite purpose! I'm gonna beat Jaken!" yuuji replied loudly, staring at Hiro intently.

Hiro and Kenji looked at him in surprise, and then threw a petty look. The two chuckled, as if Yuuji was being funny.

"Low king? Sure enough? Same skills now? Money from where?" the question made Yuuji again wrestle with the question mark. He twisted his brain, hoping to get an answer.

There aren't.

His chip is only 55 dollars. The cost of challenging the king is very large, which is 3 orange chips or 3,000 dollars. Even if he loses, he will accept bullying and the money will not come back.

"Mending if you want to defeat the chess officials, mending the smallest, deh. For example, the fortress first" said Kenji while pushing a cellphone that was originally used to play chess. Yuuji starts to have no interest in chess and just carelessly moves the piece.

"fort II? Aoyama?"

"Yes, lah. Who else?" Hiro replied with his passover look. He knew Yuuji would be disappointed by reality, bitter indeed, but he had to swallow it. Even the cost to challenge the lowest fortress alone was quite a lot.

Yuuji did not answer. He just sighed. The three began to cool with silence even though it was very noisy around. Even so cool, the three did not realize if a group of people came to his table.

"Denger Jaken's name is Aoyama. Wanna give it to Aoyama, will you?"

The three friends looked over, shocked. And it was even more shocking to see Aoyama smiling at the end of their table, looking down at them. As if he was staring at a small creature.

"Yuuji who wants Lawa—"

"Oh, this 7th rank, huh? Pede really, yes, want to fight Jaken but the ranking of this small competition is just that. Sure?" That extremely disparaging question attracted more attention than Yuuji. Aoyama's words seemed to be a fire above her emotional axis.

Yuuji moved from sitting down. It stared intently at Aoyama, inversely proportional to the one it was staring at. Aoyama smiled, grinning.

"Let's duel with the brave."

...* * * * *...