▶ ORIGINAL TEST DRIVE 2 POST IS LOCATED HERE ▶ ALL NEW TOP LEVELS SHOULD NOW BE POSTED ON TAKE 2
▶ ALL CARRIED OVER OLD TOP LEVELS SHOULD BE LINKED, NOT COPY AND PASTED
【 Thank you for choosing the Golden Peacock, 5-Star Resort and Casino. You are currently registered as a WILDCARD in our system.
Due to unprecedented high demand we are temporarily unable to check you in to your reserved room. We apologize for the inconvenience. We have arranged for a temporary room while we work on processing your reservation as quickly as possible. We appreciate your understanding.
As a special wedding gift from us, we have arranged for you and your new spouse to stay in one of our junior penthouses while you wait. Congratulations on your new marriage. We are so pleased you have chosen our resort for your honeymoon.
You will be notified as soon as your official reservation has been processed. Your comfort and happiness are our utmost priority. We hope you enjoy the provided amenities and lose yourself in marital bliss. 】
EVENS
EVENS: NEW CHARACTERS
Music plays. Instrumental, the tune gentle enough not to disturb peaceful rest. The sudden insistent beep of the Watch is a cutting cacophony across an otherwise sweet lullaby. Upon opening their eyes, new arrivals will quickly discover that something is wrong. The quilt snug across their body is weighty. Crystals glint in a weave of embroidery and cotton shimmers with threads of silver. Dozens of decorative pillows surround the bed. The gauzy curtains of the canopied bed are drawn, obscuring the rest of the room.
Extravagant for a kidnapping. Too extravagent. What’s more, these new guests will find something even stranger than this new diamond-studded suite tucked into bed beside them. Someone else. Who are they, what are they wearing? What happened last night?!
Guests are encouraged to explore the resort from here! There are paper maps available for those who would like and staff are happy to recommend locations if they have any preferences. Enjoy your honeymoon, you lovebirds!
ODDS
ODDS: SPECIAL RE-ARRIVAL
Never trust a hallway in the Golden peacock.
Cross the wrong threshold and time begins to slow. A short hallway becomes long, sheds its doors, only leading to turns without end. Guests too eager to explore the resort have gotten lost before. For how long always varies, dependent upon capriciousness of the resort. Hours? Yes. Years? Yes. Every guest caught in the winding hallways has reported the same thing: time is different there and too difficult to discern.
Some wayward guests have been caught in the endless hallways since the FIRST TDM. Weeks pass before a single doorway appears in the distance. It creaks upon opening before everything goes topsy-turvy. These guests have been let out of a trap door in the depths of Crane's Respite.
All water corridors will eventually lead back to the populated areas of Crane's Respite. The waters are warm, the scent of bath salts returns, and staff are wild with joy at finally finding all of you. They have been beside themselves searching ever since you vanished!
NOTES
PROMPT NOTES
▶ Because we love all of the new characters premiering on this TDM, we kindly request that our Evens prompt be top level exclusive for new characters. Current characters are encouraged to tag in to these prompts with the caveat that they’ve been picked up from their assigned suite (or wherever else they were before) and dumped into the new arrival’s bed. We would like for new characters to have this prompt unique to their top level comments!
▶ Players are welcome to have their current character riff off of these prompts in the log community with the exclusion of the new arrival element. This request is just for TDM top levels.
▶ Current characters and new characters are both welcome to freely mess around with the Odds prompt with the exclusion of the arrival element. For new characters, players may participate with the idea that their character is exploring Crane’s Respite after their unique arrival in the Evens prompt. The Odds arrival element may also be utilized by current player characters who may have been on an unofficial hiatus in January and did not tag as much as they would have liked, to explain any long IC absence.
▶ Octopi may be killed. If a character decides to eat one of the octopi they may find themselves taking on some of its traits. Which traits are up to player discretion.
ELEVATORS
ELEVATORS
The house has recently ordered a full changeout of art in all high traffic areas. The elevators in particular have received special attention with many different famous artworks and portraits studded to the walls for guests to admire. These artworks are treasures of the modern world that one would typically see behind glass at a museum. Guests may even find works from their own world hanging in the elevators. Even famous works that maybe have been lost to time. So this is where they ended up. Is that Vermeer's The Concert?
Guests may find their elevator suddenly stopping without warning. The portraits on the wall stir, curiously studying them, but there are three main portraits calling the shots. The portrait that controls that particular elevator will make their demands known with the threat that, if they are not obeyed, you will be trapped forever.
Elevators will function after the portrait's demands are met. Guests that hold out and refuse may find themselves trapped upwards of twelve hours. Guests with the ability to do so may crawl out of the top emergency door, free to go wherever they want from there.
GREAT TIT!
GREAT TIT!
Great Tit! is the Golden Peacock’s popular dessert bar and cafe. With its bright pops of color and whimsical treats, guests simply can’t resist stopping in for a butt shaped cookie and hazelnut coffee. After catching wind that the resort has decided to celebrate a dessert shop's most lucrative holiday, Great Tit! is ready to impress the masses. Advertisements for limited edition drinks and desserts rain the main lobby; one can’t go three steps without slipping on a neon pink coupon for 10 percent off nipple buns. Guests that decide to pass by the cafe will find themselves assaulted with confetti cannons and eager employees ushering them inside.
Guests will find a temporary communal shower room upon exiting Great Tit! where they can wash off after a fun day of rolling around in sugar. All guests will be gifted a tee branded with a, CHOCOLATE IS MY LOVER logo.
NOTES
PROMPT NOTES
▶ This portraits prompt has been triggered by several characters expressing interest in and investigating the lore of the resort paintings. This is just dipping a beginning toe in, but congrats to all for poking around!
▶ Portraits in the elevator should not be destroyed, purely for continuity’s sake. If a character would go far enough to attack one of the portraits, the portrait will slap them back with ghostly power.
▶ Characters may also figure other ways out of the elevator if they have specific abilities to do so. While the portraits can control the elevators, they cannot control your character(s). Any destruction to the elevator itself is liable to result in a rush of security dragging the culprit(s) away to the Iron Net.
▶ Great Tit! is running a massive sale! Even characters who are on the broke end of the spectrum will be able to afford to join in on the fun and indulge in sugar at these prices.
▶ Players are encouraged to make up any other elements for the Hall of Chocolate. If it’s a dessert and edible, it’s there. Enjoy your sugar coma!
▶ While the chocolate boxes are ICly limited due to Alessandro’s skills as a chocolatier, this is only an IC mechanic. There is no OOC limitation on this prompt as far as chocolate rarity goes.
THE NEST
ALICE AND THE PARROTS
Fashion boutiques are a dime a dozen in the Nest. The shopping hub is massive, lined with stores all trying to aggressively appeal to guests. A challenge in itself — but the guests of the Golden Peacock are no ordinary people. Used to being pampered and fed excitement, if these boutiques don’t bust their bottoms to appeal to the fickle nature of their patrons, they won’t be in business for much longer! One particular boutique, Alice and the Parrots, is riding winds of romantic thrill and churning out a couple of brand new fashion lines sure to draw in loads of chips.
Guests are welcome to try on clothes in Alice and the Parrots' dressing rooms. These dressing rooms are small and can only accommodate two people sharing at a time. Such is the life of a small boutique store. Sharing is no big deal, right? And there’s no way you can buy clothing this expensive without giving it a test first.
NOTES
PROMPT NOTES
▶ Players are encouraged to make up whatever cute outfits they would like for this prompt.
▶ Wedding clothes do not have to be cute and frilly; this section accommodates tastes of everyone.
▶ Alice and the Parrots is more expensive than Love Dove. Their clothing quality is excellent but their price tags are high. Staff may watch low ranks extra diligently to cut off any stealing. Thieves will be chased by NPC security! Anyone caught gets a day in the Iron Net.
CASINO CHAPEL
CASINO FLOOR
A Pop up Chapel has appeared in the Phoenix Casino. Guests are delighting in playing out weddings and pretending to get married — and a few guests are even tying the knot for real. They aren't worried about the sanctity of marriage; they can divorce tomorrow if they get bored of each other. And everyone knows that getting married doesn't mean you can't fuck whoever you want!
Since the resort isn't keeping track of how many marriages a guest has, all guests are encouraged to marry as many people as they would like. The more the merrier!
Wild wedding events will continue all throughout the month of February, until the guests find it's gotten stale. A divorce rush will round out the fun at the end of the month.
NOTES
PROMPT NOTES
▶ Weddings are not legally binding. Birdvis is not registered as a real officiant, but he does have an excellent beak and pompadour.
▶ Prizes from easy mode slot machines are automatic and do not require mod thumbs up to claim.
▶ Chip prize from difficult mode slot machines is automatic. The special prize is 5 reward points to add to your bank on rewards. Players who wish to claim the special prize should link the finished thread (the kink in question has been completed) under their rewards header with the header, Wedding Slot Machine. If you do any combination of 6/6 (finger hand lol) we ask you somehow make this sexy or involve a climax in order to claim the points.
BLANKET CW: Aphrodisiac; Compulsion; Costumes; Dubcon; Entrapment; Foodplay; Gambling; Lingerie; Matrimony; Tentacles; NSFW Images and Language; NTR; Nudity; Roleplay; Sacrilegious Themes
▶ All new characters on the TDM are WILDCARDS, which means they have not yet been assigned a card value. The house is still observing and deciding. As rank and suits are assigned upon acceptance your new character's suit will not manifest until they are accepted into the game.
▶ All TDMs are game canon. This TDM acts as the game's February event.
▶ Current characters may top level on the TDM. Please make sure to review the arrival prompt notes! Any current characters posting to the TDM should note they are current in their subject header.
▶ The top level directory is for new characters only. We want to make sure new characters are priority and receive attention!
▶ If you aren't satisfied with the prompts on this TDM please feel free to check out our LOCATIONS to explore more of the resort.
▶ Smut threads that take place on this TDM can be used for rewards. If both parties in the smut thread join the game, you may retroactively apply the character's initial card values to your 52 bank. If one character does not join the game the thread will not be applicable toward rewards (as that character would not have a card value). The character that does join would still receive a small payout for the encounter. Hopefully it was a fun thread anyway!
▶ We ask you to kindly add content warnings to your threads as appropriate.
▶ If you do not currently have permissions and kinks listed in your character’s journal we suggest leaving a note in your top level of any limits or boundaries for other players to reference.
▶ Thank you for spending Valentine's Day with us! You're our sweetheart this year. 💕
[It's cute that Jun thinks "romance" has anything to do with this.
Hiyori has a different view. He's well aware you can do that sort of act without love. The illusion of love is more than enough— pretending in order to stave off loneliness. You can "date" someone without love, hold them without love, even enter a loveless arranged marriage—all are possible and even common in this world.
They're possible with love, too, of course. But if the goal here really is to pick up 52 "cards," romance is surely impossible. No one in their right mind would let their romantic partner sleep with 50 other people on their watch. Hiyori especially—he's never dated seriously before, and won't be starting now since he's an idol, but if he were to ever date, he's the type who'd want to tie his partner down. The type who'd want to ensure his partner don't even so much as look at anyone else...
Well, anyway!]
I'm not sure it's just our songs as Eve...
[Saying only Eve has horny song lyrics would be Dance in Apocalypse erasure.]
But none of our lyrics are remotely comparable to what's on that thing. Let that be your warning, I suppose.
[With those ominous words, he steps out into the hall. In the Nest, there are plenty of benches around for shoppers who need to take a rest, alongside tables outside the little cafes and eateries. It isn't long before they find somewhere to sit and read their watches. But, noticing other passerby around, Hiyori does reject Jun's first idea.]
Maybe somewhere a bit further in...
[And he'll lead them further down until they find an area with less foot traffic. It truly is amazing how the shops seem to stretch on forever, like a shopper's paradise. It's the kind of place he'd love to explore in literally any other circumstance. However, the inclusion of some shops is puzzling. Why is there a store selling outdoor goods, for example? They're trapped indoors here! And so, having found a shop with absolutely no people entering or exiting, Hiyori plops down on the bench outside.]
Here seems about right.
[He crosses his legs, lifts his watch in the air, and swipes at the screen until he pulls up the welcome message. There's no need to read aloud, he figures, so all he does is tilt the watch so that they both can see. This will require Jun to lean into his space, but oh well.]
Now, let's see here...
[The introductory message is something he's read a few times. "Thank you for checking in to the Golden Peacock, 5-Star Resort and Casino. Check out is scheduled for ¿¿UNDETERMINED¿¿. Complimentary chips have been added to your bank account. Welcome to the deck." Of course, that last part had confused him when he first read it. What does "welcome to the deck" even mean? But he's started to get an idea of what that means, which is unfortunate, because he doesn't like it one bit.
His thumb scrolls down further. It's onto the Game 52 rules.
Which is where things go from bad to worse. Or, more accurately, from confusing and annoying to flat-out obscene.
"To collect another card's value, you must have a sexual encounter with that card. A "sexual encounter" can be any act in which at least one person climaxes. If you or your fellow card is struggling to climax, we recommend switching acts or positions midway. For example, instead of having sex in the missionary position, you could try—"]
Ugh.
[If Jun glances at Hiyori he won't find him blushing, but he will find him looking at the screen in absolute disgust.]
Sorry, Jun-kun. I'm already tempted to quit. Whoever wrote this absolute filth ought to be purged from the world.
[ Well, of the romantic ideals Jun's absorbed from Shoujo manga and seen in the devoted couples around him, his perspective on relationships is naive but understandable. (Hidaka-sensei talking happily about his wife and to his shitty parents, who seem to care about one another.) Having only seen caring relationships portrayed as the norm, how could anyone fathom physical intimacy without an emotional bond? He purely believes that's something reserved for those who genuinely love each other.
Though simplistic, the thought true affection should precede physical acts comes from an innocent place—a desire to avoid the loveless marriages and trysts that would leave anyone empty. Experience may test his ideals over time, but for now, Jun aims for a romantic connection defined by mutual understanding and care.
That is, if one were to ever occur.
He knows, clearly, that lust is an emotion anyone can experience easily. So perhaps that is how things will unfold here. Unfortunately for him, there may be many superficial encounters in the future. But for now, he wants to believe romance plays a role too. After all, he's never been in a genuinely romantic situation before. (Unless someone who was scared asks to hold your hand, counts as something. Though that experience carried weight, Jun would take death over thinking about that person again.) He wonders about Hiyori's views on romance, though perhaps ignorance is bliss. Recalling Hiyori's jealousy over him playing a card game with Natsume, maybe he's still slanting sideways to this day. ]
Alright, that'll be a warning.
[ Welcome to Apocalypse...
Jun figures further in would probably be better, but it was the first empty place he's seen. Hiyori's expression causes him to nod, following behind and further down until they pass by another number of stores. He seriously can't believe how many more stores are down this wing—it's a shopper's paradise, and probably Ohii-san's too. But Jun pays the stores no mind, as he and Hiyori are here to find a place to sit and examine whatever is on their watches.
Though in the future he'll likely become familiar with these stores, for now he sits next to his partner, leaning in closely to view the watch without drawing unwanted attention. Despite feeling uneasy with physical closeness, Hiyori's no stranger and they did offer to read together, so he leans in, even if it's difficult, to view the face of the watch.
And then he'd only read as far as the first rule about collecting someone's card before feeling uneasy and turning his watch off. Though reading the rules with Hiyori now, there's an unsettling feeling as he scrolls to that same spot. However, it's comforting to go through the unnerving text together instead of alone.
Even if those rules are obscene and unlike any rules they've been given before, that doesn't mean they have to be followed.
Eyes widening at the mention of "position," his heart hammers in his chest as embarrassment flushes his cheeks, and he looks away from the watch for a moment. He doesn't believe anyone should be instructing them in this, much less condoning it. Glancing back to Hiyori, he sees no embarrassment in his partner's expression, but something close to disgust. ]
It's fine, Ohii-san. Don't worry 'bout all that, 'cause I can't blame you for not wanting to read the rest of whatever's on there. Dunno whoever greenlit this was thinkin', clearly not with their head.
[Yep, it's cute that Jun thinks "romance" is involved. ... Really, it is cute. Hiyori doesn't want to see his bubble burst. It would be a shame if Jun started to see relationships as just transactions. The fact he's kept an innocent outlook on life in many ways, despite the hellish environment he endured, is something of a miracle Hiyori wants to preserve.
Which is why the "Game 52" rules elicit such a violent response from him. He's not an absolute prude; there's nothing wrong with enjoying your body or seeking comfort in someone else's arms. Nothing wrong with dreaming about such things, either. That's what he seeks to give fans: a pleasant dream.
But to turn that sort of act into a "game," with forced participation from kidnapped idols, well... that's a different matter. One that makes his blood boil, hence the harsh words.
He sighs.]
I want to treat it like a bad joke, but it's hard to even laugh.
[Someone out there is taking this seriously, after all.
He glances at Jun out of the corner of his eye, not having looked at him since they started reading. His partner is red-cheeked, which in any other circumstance he might find cute. But he'd rather not have this place planting any weird ideas in Jun-kun's head.
Still, they've decided not to quit early. With that in mind, he scrolls past the part about positions, seeing nothing remotely useful there. Though there is one thing that snags in his mind, much as he doesn't want it to: that "rule" about only one person needing to enjoy themselves for it to "count." That's what you call a "loophole," isn't it? The sort of rule that could be easily abused. Someone can be a mean, selfish lover in bed and still collect "cards" out of the deal. And he hasn't seen anything about hurting people being against the "rules," either...
Ugh. He doesn't like that his thoughts are traveling down a dark path. But the next words on the screen seem to confirm his worst fears—that being awful to people isn't forbidden, and may in fact be encouraged.
"For example, if John and Amy engage in kinky spanking and John orgasms, then John will collect Amy's card and Amy will collect John's. And then if Amy sleeps with Ellie, who has the same value as John, while John engages in passionate waxplay with Susie, sexual whipping with Jack, and paddling with Cory, who all have different values..."
Yep. Now he feels even more revolted.]
Er, Jun-kun...
[He looks away from the screen before clearing his throat. This is awkward, but he needs to interject!]
You probably don't need me to tell you this, but don't use "John" as an example of anything, alright? That's pretty much the opposite of how a man should behave.
[Sleeping with everything that moves and hitting them all with whips and stuff? Double yikes!]
[ Despite their current circumstances, he can't seem to view romance as anything other than what it is. Holding on to this belief, clinging to it desperately each day, even as his reasoning might be forced to change.
But he struggles to accept the reality that they'll have to accept this and ruin their public image, and reading about their indiscretions leaves him feeling disappointed and ashamed. He knows scandals could end careers, even if an idol's songs aren't innocent; he performed those songs because being an idol brought him joy. The thought of having impersonal relationships with strangers, well, that doesn't bring an ounce of happiness. ]
Noticing the look from Hiyori, he can't really hide that he's red-cheeked and embarrassed. This place isn't planting anything in his head, apart from they can't be seen doing any of this, he hopes they won't. (As futile as it is, it's bound to happen.) That's why he struggles to understand the following rules: Not that he believes anyone should act selfishly, but it's self-centred to receive something from someone in that way, without offering "help" in return.
Oh, Ohii-san sounds embarrassed? Or awkward? Jun picks up on that, feeling his cheeks heat up again. ]
Yeah, but I really appreciate you saying something, anyway. 'Cause I might be clueless, but I'd never do anythin' like that. I'd rather die, you know? I'm sure you wouldn't either, Ohii-san.
[ He speaks low, just loud enough so Hiyori can hear. Jun really doesn't like how "John" treats people as objects, or rather, cards for his deck. Punishing them with paddles and the other objects mentioned.. It's not surprising people here might act that way, but to use that as an example right off the bat? He'll do anything in his power to avoid acting as "he" would. Besides, Hiyori probably wouldn't, not after that little speech about "John"!
Besides, Jun has morals and doesn't think he might go around sleeping with everyone just because they were interested. ]
Even someone like me knows it's not right, but it makes me feel a lil' uneasy.
Well, that's going a bit far, but I do get what you mean.
[He doesn't like when Jun talks about dying! But he refrains from scolding him this time, since he understands why Jun reacted strongly. That "John" person just sounds awful. You certainly won't catch him sleeping with everything that moves, never caring whether his partners orgasm, and hitting them with whips in the process!
Though it's not just violent kinks John and the others are engaged in; scrolling through more text reveals even more examples, like "temperature play with Tommy" and "petplay with Pam and Cindy." He's not even sure what those entail, really. And it's not just John who gets around, judging from all the other names onscreen. Jack, Ellie, Amy... he can't keep track of these NPCs and their affairs! But given some of the stuff he's bound to find in the marketplace later, he should probably just be glad they're not named Iori, Jin, Reo and Rintarou...
His eyes scan back and forth over the small screen. Reading on a watch is horribly inconvenient, though it might be a bit less awkward than looking his partner in the eye while there's such filth written in front of them. Honestly, most of the Game 52 "explanation" is worthless. It's just a bunch of suggested positions and strange fetishes, which has absolutely zero use to him. But one thing in particular does stand out.]
What do they even mean by "value"? How is that determined?
[He speaks with a frown, less revolted (though there's still a bit of that leftover) and more simply confused this time. "John will collect Amy's card and Amy will collect John's," it said, but what cards are they talking about? "Ellie has the same value as John," it said after that, but what does "value" mean?
Maybe they mean it literally. You take someone to bed and then hand them a playing card once the deed is done. But as he tells Jun, finally turning towards his partner again,]
I haven't been given any cards to hand out. Have you?
Alright, I guess it's going a bit far. That's how serious I feel 'bout treating someone poorly, Ohii-san.
[ He knows that, but the fact that there are people here who use someone for their pleasure and kinks, without helping their partner orgasm? Jun doesn't like how someone could be so selfish. Well, even if it's only in the text, someone's bound to have that sort of kink. He's glad Hiyori didn't scold him much about the whole dying thing again.
As Hiyori continues scrolling, unfamiliar words catch his eye, but their meaning eludes him. "Temperature play?" Something about wax? It's all a blur; he didn't know half these kinks even existed. Perhaps ignorance was bliss, but being here, these discoveries were inevitable, especially with so many "speciality" stores nearby.
There are so many names to remember now that it's all become meaningless in the end. Did they really need to write all those names in the text? Probably not, but for someone as oblivious as Jun, having a reminder of what not to do with a partner is helpful, even if it should be obvious. Not that Jun is thinking about that! Idols can't have relationships, right? Those thoughts will come back to haunt him soon, but for now, they don't.
Though reading the explicit words causes his cheeks to flush, reminiscent of an explicit manga or erotic light novel. However, he's in public with his partner, whom he avoids looking at or questioning, despite his confusion. The thought of determining someone's "value" confuses him—how can you gauge that? You could ask directly, sure, but would the answer reflect the truth? ]
That's a weird thing to write, but I dunno. What're you gonna do to find out someone's value? Well, that probably involves asking 'em, right?
[ Jun feels embarrassed as his eyes once again scan the words about value on Hiyori's watch, trying in vain to make sense of the absurd text. Though he enjoys collecting cards and playing card games with ASOBI Club and fellow idols, this twisted card game gives him pause. Staring back at Hiyori, Jun shakes his head, cheeks still burning a deep red. ]
I've not been given anything, 'sides this watch. I don't get what that part means, 'cause in card games, you usually draw cards, yeah? But we've not been given any cards...
[Jun's a warrior of love, after all. It was probably Tatsumi who taught him to be kind and never to harm others. Certainly it wasn't his parents. But Jun already had a good heart even before that, he assumes.
Also, he has absolutely no idea about the explicit manga and light novels. So he really has no idea how much Jun knows about any of this. He is a boy, but he seems so innocent and clueless much of the time! Hiyori doesn't want him to get corrupted (a huge part of the reason he hates that they're trapped here!), but he did warn Jun about the messages on the watches being explicit. He'll just have to trust that Jun's good heart to pull him through, and that he won't be reading any of this and thinking, "That game sounds like fun."
So far, so good on that front, although both of them are equally confused about how the whole thing even works. It's a relief to hear Jun hasn't been given any cards himself, though.]
That's the confusing thing. It sounds as though other people represent cards, and you collect them by...
[He clears his throat.]
Well, anyway! If we haven't been given any cards or any "value" yet, then perhaps that means we haven't been officially enrolled. Mine did say I'd been selected to "join the current pool," but if we don't have "values," how can we even play? Though saying that out loud feels a bit like tempting fate...
[He scans the screen again in search of clues. Not finding any right away, he continues to muse out loud.]
I'm not sure what my "card" would be in the first place. Ace of spades is highest, but "king" or "queen" might suit me better.
[ It's true, Tatsumi-senpai was the one who taught him to be kind and never to harm others. Instead of directing his anger at others, he should direct it towards God instead. If necessary, he would only tell Ohii-san that his "good-for-nothing" parents had taught him nothing. That should have been obvious, but it was not until meeting Hiyori that he felt bathed in such a bright light that his anger finally dissipated.
Jun knew of those types of manga and novels, but he hadn't read many; his time at the manga cafes had been limited, despite his curiosity. He suspected Hiyori would likely disapprove, sticking his nose up at literature he'd probably call "filthy." Anyway, Jun preferred to read them last or only if nothing else was available. As a guy, curiosity sometimes gets the better of him, that's all.
He still can't solve the card problem, and they both remain stumped by it. Therefore, Jun thinks it must relate to the watches in some way. He decides to share this idea with Ohii-san. ]
But none of it makes sense, 'cause then we'd be given cards? My only thought is that somehow the watches know what you've done, y'know?
[ That. He doesn't elaborate on it further, the same as his partner and he goes a little quiet after, listening to the rest. ]
Hm, I guess? If we've got the watches, aren't we already "enrolled"? Sorry, I dunno why I said that. [ After saying it, a sudden bitterness arose in his throat. ] For starters, we don't really wanna play, so maybe we just got lucky.
[ No, the deeming someone's value rule, or whatever it is, makes it sound like Reimei all over again. But they've already been through that, so Jun's not going to mention it. ]
It'll be the "Ohii-san" level. "King" or "Queen" don't suit you, 'cause you're a fussy "Princess." As for me? I'm probably a three or four.
I'm not too sure how that would work... perhaps there's something like a heart rate monitor? That isn't the only activity that would get someone's heart racing, though. But I suppose it's slightly more palatable than thinking there are hidden cameras everywhere. Although if the goal is to blackmail us...
[He trails off, letting that grim thought spell itself out. You can't blackmail someone with Fitbit info, but you can certainly do it with revenge porn.
Neither of their thoughts are very cheerful. Here he is thinking about blackmail, and there Jun is, thinking they've already been enrolled. Hiyori purses his lips but can't disagree with him. It is odd to think their captors went to all this trouble without enrolling them. But how do they find out for sure? Do you just wait around to be handed out playing cards? Is their "value" somewhere on the watch that he hasn't found? He'd much rather spring into action before they do find out that information, but he doesn't have anything resembling a workable escape plan right now.
So, for the time being, it's just this: sitting together on the bench with Jun, scouring the watch for clues and speculating about things like card values. He does at least crack some semblance of a smile, cheerfully retorting,]
Then I'll just have to create a new card! The "Ohii-san" card ♪ I'm not the type to let others decide my value, anyway, so that's what suits me best. What's with this "three or four" business, though? You don't think that lowly of yourself, do you?
Hmm, well, there's loadsa watches out there, 'specially for fitness, that track heart rates, steps, and stuff like that. It's not, but that's gotta be a good enough way to fake it. I guess so? I don't wanna think 'bout a camera tracking our every move. That's creepy, and I don't want us to be blackmailed.
[ Does this place think they're Ibara now? Sheesh! He does follow what Hiyori means, unfortunately, but how could anyone ever get revenge porn on someone if they never participate?
He's obviously realised that they've already been involuntarily "enrolled" in this strange game, as evidenced by the unremovable watch. Already regretting voicing this concern to Hiyori, even though it's reasonable that they share these thoughts as partners in this situation. Still, he wishes he hadn't vocalised his suspicion, especially as it probably isn't helping Hiyori's thoughts, either.
Even as they sit here, everything seems like it will be okay now that they are together. Hearing the cheerfulness from his partner helps pull him out of the strange funk he feels trapped in. ]
That's why it's the perfect card for you; it's not gonna be for anyone else. But, huh? Nah, I just don't care about values, and if I place myself too high, it'll sound like I'm full of myself. I don't hafta take this seriously, so it won't bother me with what I've been given.
He doesn't want to contemplate that question, much less ask it out loud. But he does muse,]
Well, if they can track all that...
[It might not be impossible. Though the rules also said that only one party needs to climax. And how would they know the wearer wasn't, well... you know... having some solo time?
Maybe the watches are the cameras. Wouldn't that be a disturbing twist? But he's also sure there have to be other cameras around. This is a huge luxury resort with tons of expensive shops and such; it's bound to have security cams. (Though there are a lot fewer guards walking around than he would've thought.) He doesn't like the thought of being voyeuered on, but it would be very doable.
Still, as Jun points out, what will their captors be able to watch and record if they never do anything? If they don't participate in the "game," that's that. It's his one consolation. And so when Jun says he doesn't want to be blackmailed, he manages a smile.]
Fortunately, that won't be happening to either one of us on my watch.
[And that's that. ("Watch" pun not intentional.) As for the card values:]
Well, that makes sense. That's the best way to look at it, rather. No one can decide our value except for us! If they tried to give me a three or a four, I'd just shrug and say, "That doesn't suit me at all, but whatever you want to tell yourself!"
[They could give Jun a two and he'd still keep moving forward. Just like he didn't stop working hard even after he was given a "Non-Special Student" designation. Hiyori trusts that about him.
He scrolls further down the message. There's still no explanation about how the card values work and when they get assigned. It does say your value can change and that you can move up ranks based on your "hands"... but after squinting at that one a minute, he doesn't really get it, so he simply moves on. He's not poker-brained enough for this.
He reaches what seems to be the end of the "Rules" explanation. At the bottom, it simply says this: "Game 52 can only be won by collecting a deck of 52 cards. Those who win Game 52 are allowed to have one wish granted. This wish can be anything they desire." Just that.
And then nothing.
He lapses into silence for a moment, the look on his face is contemplative. But then comes the inevitable dismissal.]
They really have no imagination for things that aren't related to love affairs. "I'll grant you your wish"—what sort of clichéd line is that? Anyone who's old enough not to believe in fairy tales knows better than to trust that one.
[He speaks in a tone like he's too good for all this.
Then his eyes grow dark.]
But if they can hook enough desperate or gullible types, they might just get enough "players" for their game.
[ It would be far too easy for a watch to register that, probably? In a place like this, how else would they know? Not that he should be thinking it, but maybe, just maybe, that's one way to cheat the system. Finding the truth behind the watches would reveal a lot, including just how they work and why they can't be removed. Almost bizarre to think about. Who would have thought that there could be a watch that couldn't be taken off?
Anyway, if either of them were to do that, Jun wouldn't want anyone watching them. He knows that as fact, not that he's overly thought about doing "that" in the first place. But everyone does at some point, don't they? It's just weird to think about doing it when you share a room with someone.
So when Hiyori says it won't be happening under his watch, well, that makes Jun feel better. He greets the remark with a half-smile, hoping to have no more of those lingering thoughts about "Game 52." ]
I feel like you wouldn't just say that, Ohii-san. You'd probably demand a higher rank, but I dunno if anyone's gonna listen. But, yeah, I just don't care. I'm happy with anything they'll give me, even if I don't wanna be here.
[ Thinking about it does amuse him, but nothing could be harsher from the experience he's already gone through in Reimei. Waking up at the crack of dawn, dealing with annoying Specials who demand the stupidest requests, getting into fights on your first day of school, ending up suspended because of it, and then dealing with Kaname? Yeah, Jun's going to pass on that one.
Despite all he's endured, there's a higher determination to keep moving forward and create a better future. He vows not to let Hiyori suffer the same fate; that's his promise.
And Jun doesn't really know how poker works; they never played that sort of card game back in the dorms, and numbers make his head hurt. So once Hiyori scrolls past all that, things get better, except the last part about 52 cards. But neither of them were given cards to begin with, so how do people collect them besides getting down and dirty? It must be an automatic thing, not that Jun wants to have that thought again. He's really not smart enough for this number mention. ]
Well, no one's gonna participate if it's not for something, right? I guess that's sorta motive to wanna, uh, you know. Not like they've got a fairy godmother 'round the corner, bouta grant anyone who gets 52 cards any sorta wish.
[ And that's what Jun agrees with, not that he knows many fairy tales. Though his partner's perspective seems reasonable, he lacks experience with what he called "love affairs" to support those claims. He'll just defer to Hiyori's judgement on those sorts of matters.
He looks up at Hiyori, frowning, not enjoying how his eyes turned dark. ]
I bet there's loadsa people who fall for it. But we're not gonna, right? I'd never wanna do anything like that, 'specially not with a stranger.
Well, that settles it. If they won't listen to me, then I won't listen to them, either! ♪
[Simple as that. Though of course it's actually not as simple as that. He does think the best way to deal with all this "card value" stuff would be to simply ignore it. If they get around to giving him a value, he'll pretend he didn't hear it, and if they give Jun one, he'll pretend he didn't hear that, too!
But even he's overheard enough bits and pieces to sort of grasp at how things work. Guests gossiping excitedly about "that handsome Jack" or "the cute new 10 who just arrived." Without having read the watch's explanation all the way through, all that chatter didn't really mean anything to him. It just sounded like a load of silliness. And it still does, but...
It may not be so easy to ignore. Not when everyone else is taking this stuff so seriously. It's sort of like they've walked into a foreign culture where neither one of them knows the customs, or a secret society governed by arcane rules.
Or a cult.
After finishing the message, he concludes it's probably the last one. What else are they meant to believe? The wish-granting thing only makes sense if whoever's running this place is God himself. And there's no way that's the case.
He glances at Jun again. It's heartening to hear him confirm again that he won't participate, and that he can't even understand why anyone else would want to. There's no such thing as a human who's really "pure," since everyone gets stained by the world around them. But Jun-kun, he figures, must be one of the closest things. He's someone who's managed to keep a good heart in spite of everything.
His chest aches at the thought of that innocence being lost.
He goes quiet for another moment before he replies, more subdued:]
I wouldn't want that, either. That sort of thing seems like it'd leave you with an empty feeling afterwards.
["Seems," he says. Like he hasn't been there himself.
But that's exactly the problem, isn't it? He doesn't want Jun to turn into the kind of person he used to be. Someone who sees relationships as "fake" transactions and tools to kill time. Jun is better than that, and he deserves better from others. So.
Hiyori forces a smile.]
And it's not appropriate for idols, so that means we just won't do it. Instead of waiting for the cult leader or whoever to grant our wishes, we'll make them come true with our own power! That's more our style.
... all the same, though, we probably should investigate just what they mean by that. I doubt there's any relation to Kanata-kun's family, but it looks like we're dealing with something similar here. So I guess the first step is figuring out who supposedly grants all these wishes.
[Spoiler alert: it's "the House." Everyone is just going to say "the House."]
Well, that's something you're good at, Ohii-san. So I'm sure it'll go down great, no matter what anyone else says.
[ He doesn't want to deal with all the card value nonsense, either. It seems almost degrading to want to put yourself in that position. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but Jun just can't see it, besides the promise of a "wish" after collecting all 52 cards. It's almost sad, but he can see why someone might fall for it. It's a good thing he's strong-willed and that he also knows Hiyori to be; they've promised and Jun doesn't break promises.
And if that promise were to break, it would only be to get his partner out of this place and not for any other reason. But that's not going to happen, so it should be fine. ]
For me, I know I'd hafta care deeply for the other person. I'm not gonna do that with someone just to do it; that'd be no good. And if I did, I'd wanna see them again! That's why I wouldn't wanna feel anything close to the "empty" feeling you're talking 'bout.
[ Something close to deep affection, probably, and he wouldn't leave it at that. Which probably isn't the best thought to have in this place, but it's how Jun sees it, even if idols can't date or be seen doing "that.". But he's not really aware Hiyori's felt that feeling of emptiness before, and he wouldn't want him to. His partner doesn't really give much away; in the very least, they're in full agreement with one another.
Jun doesn't think he'd ever do anything unethical, though if he did, we'd deal with it then. He also wouldn't want Hiyori to act improperly just to survive. If that happens, if whatever struggles come, they'll overcome them together. ]
Exactly, Ohii-san. It's better if we don't, 'cause it might get out. And then Ibara'd be running all 'round CosPro, tryna cover it up. With our power, huh? I like that idea, something close to what we do for our fans!
Mhm, yeah. I'd hope Shinkai-senpai's family'd have no ties to this place, but the wish-granting thing sounds similar. But you'd know more about that, right? I've never really dealt with someone like that before, 'sides Tatsumi-senpai, but that's different. My guess is whoever's runnin' this place, but that's sorta obvious. So if we ever get anything outta anyone, then I guess we'd know then?
[ If they ever find out what "the House" is, besides, it definitely sounds exactly like a cult. ]
[Alright, they're talking about this. "This" meaning "going to bed with people."
Only in hypotheticals, granted. Jun is talking about how he'd go about doing things if he did them, which he won't! Jun already made it clear he does not intend to participate, which means Hiyori should have nothing to worry about. And the rest of what Jun's saying is also well and good: if he slept with someone (which he won't!), he'd want it to be someone he cares about (you know, just hypothetically). Someone he cares about "deeply." Which goes to show Hiyori (again) that he's a good boy, and their environment won't corrupt him. Those words ought to be a relief.
So why do they make his stomach squirm? Why does listening to Jun talk about this trigger pain in his chest?
Some of it might be guilt. He doesn't walk around feeling bad about that part of his past, since there's so much else that happened around the same time to feel even worse about. Those girls weren't pure, either, so there's nothing to feel guilty for. But he's fully aware now that Jun's outlook isn't one he shared. Jun can't bring himself to treat people like they're tools, but he sure can. Well, that's always been one difference between them.
Then there's another matter, which can be summed up even more simply: the fact is, he really doesn't really like the thought of Jun sleeping with anyone. People Jun cares about, people Jun doesn't care about, whichever! It's not something Hiyori ever really thinks about, since they're idols, and he knows Jun doesn't want to mess up his career. Plus Jun's still rather young and innocent! But now that Jun's explained his preferences for that sort of thing, it's sounding more and more to him like Jun is looking for a partner—someone he'd see again afterwards, spending days at a time with. Someone he'd share not only his body with, but also other things like meals, leisure activities, thoughts and feelings. Someone he "cares deeply" for. Not just whoever's available.
In other words, a partner.
You could claim Hiyori has no right to feel the way he does. They aren't lovers, after all. But they are partners, so is it any wonder he's not keen on the idea? Jun already has him! We don't even need to get into his feelings for Jun, which of course he's never told him about; anyone in his shoes would be conflicted if it was their partner, even without those feelings! ... Probably!
But anyway, who cares? He really needs to stop picturing Jun-kun snuggled up in bed with someone. (This is the second time he's done that, since earlier, he pictured Jun with whoever his "newlywed spouse" was!) There are more important things to focus on here, so!! After a few beats of silence, he says,]
Yep. Jun-kun's a good boy, so you don't deserve to feel anything like that.
[And he'll leave it there.
He goes on to say they won't buy into the whole wish-granting business, that they'll grant their own wishes themselves. That's how it is, that's how it should be! Jun-kun agrees before proceeding to talk about Ibara, and just like that, the weight on his heart lessens. He can push all thoughts of Jun playing the game and finding a partner aside; those things won't happen here, and they ought to focus on finding a way out! You know, before the fallout from their disappearance sends Ibara into an early grave.]
He must be running around like a headless chicken already. I feel bad for him, so let's not give him another media circus to deal with.
[Though even if they don't give their captors anything to blackmail them with, they're still going to have to provide an explanation to the public about where they disappeared too...
Well, one thing at a time. They'll think up an alibi once they're out of here! Or Ibara can think one up, whichever. Back to talking about cults... which they both have limited experience with, him even less than Jun.]
I don't really know too much. Just that there were rumors going around Yumenosaki back in the day—that "Kanata Shinkai is a god who can grant wishes." I told Rinne-senpai about it once, and he started worshipping him for gambling luck! It seems to be totally false, though, so no surprise there.
As for his family, I know they own some land, including the island ES was built on. But I doubt they'd be involved in anything like this. And I really can't see Tatsumi-kun approving of anything here, which means we're back to square one.
[Then he smiles a bit grimly.]
Though we do know who probably sent us here. Which means we know at least one person who's been in-contact with the cult leader. And that's something to go on, at least.
[ It's probably not something they should be talking about so openly, and Jun doesn't even know why he delves into this information. But he still wants Hiyori to know he's not going to do that willingly, that he's still devoted to being an idol, and he doesn't want to let anyone down. And if he did? He wouldn't use anyone as a "card value" or whatever else the nonsense on the watch tells them. Jun's not about to go around and suddenly sleep with a bunch of people, just on the promise of a reward that might not be true. He's not that type of person!
Which means, of course, it's all hypothetical! Jun's not going to do those things. It's only "if it were to happen," which is right; it's not going to! Especially as what he's describing is something close to a relationship, which he's never had either. But that's the reason why he was chosen for the bridal-themed PV, wasn't it? Due to his view on relationships, those will remain pure, no matter where he is!
Though if he knew about Hiyori's past, then he wouldn't have said anything. Of course, he'd think doing that would be incredibly sad, but he'd shut his mouth and not talk about how he'd do things. That's not really fair on his partner, but again, it's all hypothetical!
Or maybe if he were less dense, he'd realise it's something close to what they have as partners, except for the intimacy part. With it being strangely close to what he's been describing—something that's easy, someone you spend your free time with without it feeling unnatural, like a partner! But he already has one, doesn't he? Hiyori takes up most of his time, anyway! So, if that person were to come along, it's not as if Jun would have all the time in the world for them. Alongside being an idol, Ohii-san's demanding nature! Well, having a partner wouldn't work out.
Instead of saying more, he beams at Hiyori, right after being called a good boy. It sort of makes Jun feel warm and fuzzy inside, not that he wants his partner to experience anything but the same. And it's easy to say their disappearance would put Ibara in an early grave; there's no one to replace them, after all! CosPro must be going wild without them; Ibara's starting to go grey at the tender age of Eighteen! ]
Yeah, I don't wanna put anymore stress on Ibara. I bet he's not having a good time, and this'll make it worse, 'specially with all the stuff on the watches.
[ And he still wants them to have a career after this! He's sure Ibara could keep that part of where they've been out of the media, even if there are plenty of other questions they'll be asked about. Ibara will surely have thought up a cover story for them by the time they're out of here, so there's the possibility they won't have to think up one.
Tatsumi-senpai's thing at Reimei definitely wasn't a cult!! He could do no wrong!!! It's all those other people worshipping him who were in the wrong!! (Delusional) ]
Wait, Rinne-senpai actually believed that? Goddamn, I bet that was a real wake-up call when he lost.
Whoa, really? I never knew that! Guess it makes sense it's on an island if his family owns the land. From what I remember, he really likes water, right? So that makes sense. I'd never want Tatsumi-senpai in a place like this, and I know you wouldn't either. It's not really something he'd preach about.
[ Again, not a cult! (Still delusional!)
But that gives him pause, bringing his hand in front of his mouth in thought and tapping a finger against his own chin. Before it starts to make sense, again, just who else would it be? ]
Gatekeeper, again? I just wanna know how he'd get into contact with these guys without alerting anyone else. Really, you'd think someone'd notice or pick up on it. Maybe he's just that sorta sneaky guy...?
[ Well, it's not GK's first time kidnapping people, and he's related to Ibara, so deep down, something close to him being involved with talking to the leader here makes sense. Jun still doesn't want to believe anyone from home would willingly send them here, even if it would ruin their careers. ]
[It's sweet that Jun would try to be nice about his past instead of calling him out on his raging hypocrisy. The latter is probably what he deserves. Between his wealth and his checkered past, you'd think he'd be the most comfortable in this setting out of everyone from ES, but noooo.
Still, he's just not a fan of this set-up. He hates being told what to do, and he hates being taken away from Nagisa and the others. And how can he ever go back to pretend-love, now that he knows what real love is like? While Eden might have started out as a business venture, at least from Ibara's perspective, it's become a place where he belongs. A place with plenty of love to go around. And the last thing he wants is to risk his position there, and he's sure that Jun must feel the same. So! On with the ill-advised escape plan, though at least he plans on doing some serious thinking before attempting to pull anything off.]
He sure was! ♪ If anything, this place seems more his speed than Kanata-kun's. But I doubt even he would support something like this. He's serious about his career, I think, in spite of what he put everyone through over the summer. Plus, I'm sure he'd hate being forced to live by yet another set of rules.
[Hiyori doesn't know either Rinne or Kanata too well; he can only speculate. But he's confident none of the other ES idols are involved. Their "enemy" has always been someone else. An intrusive, outside force. But that force extends beyond just Gatekeeper, doesn't it?
He sighs. It's no fun to admit he doesn't have much to go on.]
I'm sure he's involved, but I can't guess what sort of ties he has that would allow him to do this. They say Godfather had an incredible amount of connections to the underworld, so I suppose he must have used those. It's a lot to just accept, though. In the first place, where did he even come from? It seems like he appeared out of nowhere, didn't he? It's strange that he was able to hijack SS without any resistance. And I can't guess what his motive was in sending us here. Obviously, it had to have been sabotage, but...
[He trails off. Who is he trying to sabotage: the White Team, by kidnapping them? Or the Red Team, by making it look some foul play might be going on? And is it really all about the competition? Does it even matter what his motive was?
He gives up and shakes his head.]
Well, no matter what his motive is, he's not the one we need to investigate right now. First, let's find out what "the House" is.
[ It only shows a testimony to how strong their bond is. Sure, Jun might think there's a bit of hypocrisy there, but he'd come to understand in the end. Even if he's not someone who understands, wealth and luxurious things aren't his style, but he knows this is Hiyori's style, so all around, it's fine.
But Jun misses being home, being around his fellow idols and working. But he's glad Hiyori's here with him, at the very least? Even if their situation isn't ideal, he doesn't know how he'd get around or feel without his partner. It's been nothing short of comforting already; he'll never let that slip. He might even miss Ibara's lectures and Nagi-senpai's talks about those thousand-page books, but he doesn't want to think about how helpless he feels. They both care about their careers, so they'll have to make it out before they fall into the trap of playing "Game 52." ... yeah, good luck with that one. ]
Yeah, kinda doubt Shinkai-senpai's much of a gambler, so it makes sense for Rinne-senpai. But, hmm, right... plus, it'd put more stress on CosPro if he were to support a place like this. I doubt any of us'd support a place that's gonna force us into "complying" for chips or whatever else we just read. Everyone back home cares 'bout bein' an idol, so...
[ That's how it's going to be!
He doesn't believe any idol would bring them here, though Gatekeeper is the only possibility. If it's true, Ibara's going to be pissed! And if it's not true, Ibara's still going to be pissed. Jun's sure their producer is running around, almost showing everyone his true self. Swearing up a storm and all that. ]
Wait, you think this has something to do with the underworld!? I mean, it's whatever connection Ibara's got, right? Maybe we'll figure it out in time, 'cause I've got no idea where Gatekeeper's come from either. But that's usually his thing, yeah? He just shows up from the dark, does whatever he wants, and then goes back into whatever the hell he's doing. All this hurts my head, Ohii-san.
[ Thinking about Gatekeeper's methods is really too much. It's a good start to think of him as involved, but they'll have to investigate further! ]
Alright, we'll just figure that out later. How 'bout we split up and meet up later? If that's what you wanna do, unless you'd prefer going together and figuring it all out, I don't really mind.
[ .. though, part of him doesn't want to separate so soon. Oh, well! Whatever they decide on, it'll be worth it in the end. ]
You think it doesn't have something to do with the underworld?
[He gives Jun a skeptical look.]
The "underworld" is sort of a vague term, of course. But things like gambling and human trafficking are considered part of that umbrella. Not to mention other industries related to the theme of this place...
[He means the sex trade, of course. The resort doesn't look like a brothel, but being kidnapped and made to have sex (in order to earn currency, no less) is sort of adjacent to that whole business, isn't it?]
For now, let's just assume this place is run by some very wealthy criminals. One of those criminals had a connection to Godfather, and either that criminal asked for us, or Gatekeeper called him up and offered to hand us over. I'm sure he'd get a hefty sum of money for us either way, though I doubt that was his only motive.
[He rattles this off seriously; maybe he sounds like he's watched one too many detective dramas, but those are the most logical conclusions he can come to, given the absurdity of their situation, the timing of their kidnapping, and how incredibly weird SS has been. This theory, of course, will become complicated once he starts learning more about the resort. He's met with J, for starters, and J claimed he'd never heard of Gatekeeper or Godfather.
J isn't actually the man in charge, though, so then again, who knows? Not either of them, that's for sure.]
But that's about where my theory ends, and you're absolutely right about this being a huge headache. So, let's drop that for now and focus on "the House!"
[That's the gameplan, anyway. It's time to gather info! So, with that plan in mind, he nods once when Jun suggests splitting up. ... even though he's honestly a little reluctant to be separated, too. They just reunited, and Jun's also the only person he knows here! (At least as far as he's aware.) Still, it does make the most sense.]
We'll cover more ground if we split up. I can ask around at the kind of stores Pretty 5 would visit, and you can try the ones that are more your style. [Like athleisure stores.] This place is awfully huge, though, so we'll want to decide on a meeting spot for afterwards. Perhaps that gold fountain in the main lobby? The one with two birds forming a heart shape.
I dunno, I've not thought 'bout it much. But sounds like you have? 'Cause you're sayin' all that now.
[ Meaning, he doesn't want to imagine those dark thoughts. He knew it all to be sketchy, but thinking about the underworld? Nope, he doesn't want to think about random people being trafficked and all which comes with it. ]
I'd prefer to think the people in charge are "walthy criminals." I guess that's true, but I dunno if money can buy that much. What'd they get outta it? Sounds as if you've been watching that detective anime again, Ohii-san. Not that there's anythin' wrong with it, Ohii-san. I'm the one who's tryna keep you outta trouble, seriously.
[ He struggles a little bit to believe any of this, even if Hiyori rattles off as if it's completely true. He doesn't want either of them to be in trouble with the underworld or be in another conflict with Gatekeeper and co, even if it seems as if it's the most likely option. Or the only option they have.
But for this time, it's the only one they can go off of. ]
Alright, I'm cool with that. Maybe when stuff settles down, once we've got a better outlook on this place, things'll be different. Just don't go getting lost again, alright? It'll be annoying going and looking for you.
[ Jun wants to not go around yelling out Ohii-san's name until he finally finds him, after all. ]
Yeah, I remember that fountain. See you there soon?
[ Rising from the bench, he squeezes Hiyori's shoulder reassuringly. Although they'll reunite soon, he offers the gesture anyway, taking one last look at his partner before pivoting towards the nearby athletic store. ]
I certainly don't like to. But it's all I've been able to think about ever since I got here. Who could be doing this and why?
[It's like he said to Double Face during the qualifiers. He doesn't like "dirty work" or criminal activities. Things like that wouldn't exist in his perfect world. They're an insult to everything he holds dear. But after being kidnapped to a place with lots of gambling and an obscene "game" going on, what else was he to think?
Eventually, he'll soon find he needs to think outside the box more. "Wealthy criminals" couldn't do all this; only someone with power could. Supernatural power, that is.
But one thing at a time. For now, they'll just gather some basic information on "the House." He retorts,]
I'll be fine, thanks!
[Even though he does have a tendency to get lost. It's fine, the watch has a map on it! And if that fails, he'll pester people for directions.
Despite being reluctant to part from Jun, he manages a smile at that shoulder squeeze. Really, he's relieved to have his partner here. One way or another, they'll get to the bottom of this.]
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peacockstop2024-02-19 10:08 pm
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Hiyori has a different view. He's well aware you can do that sort of act without love. The illusion of love is more than enough—
pretending in order to stave off loneliness. You can "date" someone without love, hold them without love, even enter a loveless arranged marriage—all are possible and even common in this world.
They're possible with love, too, of course. But if the goal here really is to pick up 52 "cards," romance is surely impossible. No one in their right mind would let their romantic partner sleep with 50 other people on their watch. Hiyori especially—he's never dated seriously before, and won't be starting now since he's an idol, but if he were to ever date, he's the type who'd want to tie his partner down. The type who'd want to ensure his partner don't even so much as look at anyone else...
Well, anyway!]
I'm not sure it's just our songs as Eve...
[Saying only Eve has horny song lyrics would be Dance in Apocalypse erasure.]
But none of our lyrics are remotely comparable to what's on that thing. Let that be your warning, I suppose.
[With those ominous words, he steps out into the hall. In the Nest, there are plenty of benches around for shoppers who need to take a rest, alongside tables outside the little cafes and eateries. It isn't long before they find somewhere to sit and read their watches. But, noticing other passerby around, Hiyori does reject Jun's first idea.]
Maybe somewhere a bit further in...
[And he'll lead them further down until they find an area with less foot traffic. It truly is amazing how the shops seem to stretch on forever, like a shopper's paradise. It's the kind of place he'd love to explore in literally any other circumstance. However, the inclusion of some shops is puzzling. Why is there a store selling outdoor goods, for example? They're trapped indoors here! And so, having found a shop with absolutely no people entering or exiting, Hiyori plops down on the bench outside.]
Here seems about right.
[He crosses his legs, lifts his watch in the air, and swipes at the screen until he pulls up the welcome message. There's no need to read aloud, he figures, so all he does is tilt the watch so that they both can see. This will require Jun to lean into his space, but oh well.]
Now, let's see here...
[The introductory message is something he's read a few times. "Thank you for checking in to the Golden Peacock, 5-Star Resort and Casino. Check out is scheduled for ¿¿UNDETERMINED¿¿. Complimentary chips have been added to your bank account. Welcome to the deck." Of course, that last part had confused him when he first read it. What does "welcome to the deck" even mean? But he's started to get an idea of what that means, which is unfortunate, because he doesn't like it one bit.
His thumb scrolls down further. It's onto the Game 52 rules.
Which is where things go from bad to worse. Or, more accurately, from confusing and annoying to flat-out obscene.
"To collect another card's value, you must have a sexual encounter with that card. A "sexual encounter" can be any act in which at least one person climaxes. If you or your fellow card is struggling to climax, we recommend switching acts or positions midway. For example, instead of having sex in the missionary position, you could try—"]
Ugh.
[If Jun glances at Hiyori he won't find him blushing, but he will find him looking at the screen in absolute disgust.]
Sorry, Jun-kun. I'm already tempted to quit. Whoever wrote this absolute filth ought to be purged from the world.
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Though simplistic, the thought true affection should precede physical acts comes from an innocent place—a desire to avoid the loveless marriages and trysts that would leave anyone empty. Experience may test his ideals over time, but for now, Jun aims for a romantic connection defined by mutual understanding and care.
That is, if one were to ever occur.
He knows, clearly, that lust is an emotion anyone can experience easily. So perhaps that is how things will unfold here. Unfortunately for him, there may be many superficial encounters in the future. But for now, he wants to believe romance plays a role too. After all, he's never been in a genuinely romantic situation before. (Unless someone who was scared asks to hold your hand, counts as something. Though that experience carried weight, Jun would take death over thinking about that person again.) He wonders about Hiyori's views on romance, though perhaps ignorance is bliss. Recalling Hiyori's jealousy over him playing a card game with Natsume, maybe he's still slanting sideways to this day. ]
Alright, that'll be a warning.
[ Welcome to Apocalypse...
Jun figures further in would probably be better, but it was the first empty place he's seen. Hiyori's expression causes him to nod, following behind and further down until they pass by another number of stores. He seriously can't believe how many more stores are down this wing—it's a shopper's paradise, and probably Ohii-san's too. But Jun pays the stores no mind, as he and Hiyori are here to find a place to sit and examine whatever is on their watches.
Though in the future he'll likely become familiar with these stores, for now he sits next to his partner, leaning in closely to view the watch without drawing unwanted attention. Despite feeling uneasy with physical closeness, Hiyori's no stranger and they did offer to read together, so he leans in, even if it's difficult, to view the face of the watch.
And then he'd only read as far as the first rule about collecting someone's card before feeling uneasy and turning his watch off. Though reading the rules with Hiyori now, there's an unsettling feeling as he scrolls to that same spot. However, it's comforting to go through the unnerving text together instead of alone.
Even if those rules are obscene and unlike any rules they've been given before, that doesn't mean they have to be followed.
Eyes widening at the mention of "position," his heart hammers in his chest as embarrassment flushes his cheeks, and he looks away from the watch for a moment. He doesn't believe anyone should be instructing them in this, much less condoning it. Glancing back to Hiyori, he sees no embarrassment in his partner's expression, but something close to disgust. ]
It's fine, Ohii-san. Don't worry 'bout all that, 'cause I can't blame you for not wanting to read the rest of whatever's on there. Dunno whoever greenlit this was thinkin', clearly not with their head.
[ With other things, that's for sure. ]
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Which is why the "Game 52" rules elicit such a violent response from him. He's not an absolute prude; there's nothing wrong with enjoying your body or seeking comfort in someone else's arms. Nothing wrong with dreaming about such things, either. That's what he seeks to give fans: a pleasant dream.
But to turn that sort of act into a "game," with forced participation from kidnapped idols, well... that's a different matter. One that makes his blood boil, hence the harsh words.
He sighs.]
I want to treat it like a bad joke, but it's hard to even laugh.
[Someone out there is taking this seriously, after all.
He glances at Jun out of the corner of his eye, not having looked at him since they started reading. His partner is red-cheeked, which in any other circumstance he might find cute. But he'd rather not have this place planting any weird ideas in Jun-kun's head.
Still, they've decided not to quit early. With that in mind, he scrolls past the part about positions, seeing nothing remotely useful there. Though there is one thing that snags in his mind, much as he doesn't want it to: that "rule" about only one person needing to enjoy themselves for it to "count." That's what you call a "loophole," isn't it? The sort of rule that could be easily abused. Someone can be a mean, selfish lover in bed and still collect "cards" out of the deal. And he hasn't seen anything about hurting people being against the "rules," either...
Ugh. He doesn't like that his thoughts are traveling down a dark path. But the next words on the screen seem to confirm his worst fears—that being awful to people isn't forbidden, and may in fact be encouraged.
"For example, if John and Amy engage in kinky spanking and John orgasms, then John will collect Amy's card and Amy will collect John's. And then if Amy sleeps with Ellie, who has the same value as John, while John engages in passionate waxplay with Susie, sexual whipping with Jack, and paddling with Cory, who all have different values..."
Yep. Now he feels even more revolted.]
Er, Jun-kun...
[He looks away from the screen before clearing his throat. This is awkward, but he needs to interject!]
You probably don't need me to tell you this, but don't use "John" as an example of anything, alright? That's pretty much the opposite of how a man should behave.
[Sleeping with everything that moves and hitting them all with whips and stuff? Double yikes!]
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But he struggles to accept the reality that they'll have to accept this and ruin their public image, and reading about their indiscretions leaves him feeling disappointed and ashamed. He knows scandals could end careers, even if an idol's songs aren't innocent; he performed those songs because being an idol brought him joy. The thought of having impersonal relationships with strangers, well, that doesn't bring an ounce of happiness. ]
Noticing the look from Hiyori, he can't really hide that he's red-cheeked and embarrassed. This place isn't planting anything in his head, apart from they can't be seen doing any of this, he hopes they won't. (As futile as it is, it's bound to happen.) That's why he struggles to understand the following rules: Not that he believes anyone should act selfishly, but it's self-centred to receive something from someone in that way, without offering "help" in return.
Oh, Ohii-san sounds embarrassed? Or awkward? Jun picks up on that, feeling his cheeks heat up again. ]
Yeah, but I really appreciate you saying something, anyway. 'Cause I might be clueless, but I'd never do anythin' like that. I'd rather die, you know? I'm sure you wouldn't either, Ohii-san.
[ He speaks low, just loud enough so Hiyori can hear. Jun really doesn't like how "John" treats people as objects, or rather, cards for his deck. Punishing them with paddles and the other objects mentioned.. It's not surprising people here might act that way, but to use that as an example right off the bat? He'll do anything in his power to avoid acting as "he" would. Besides, Hiyori probably wouldn't, not after that little speech about "John"!
Besides, Jun has morals and doesn't think he might go around sleeping with everyone just because they were interested. ]
Even someone like me knows it's not right, but it makes me feel a lil' uneasy.
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[He doesn't like when Jun talks about dying! But he refrains from scolding him this time, since he understands why Jun reacted strongly. That "John" person just sounds awful. You certainly won't catch him sleeping with everything that moves, never caring whether his partners orgasm, and hitting them with whips in the process!
Though it's not just violent kinks John and the others are engaged in; scrolling through more text reveals even more examples, like "temperature play with Tommy" and "petplay with Pam and Cindy." He's not even sure what those entail, really. And it's not just John who gets around, judging from all the other names onscreen. Jack, Ellie, Amy... he can't keep track of these NPCs and their affairs! But given some of the stuff he's bound to find in the marketplace later, he should probably just be glad they're not named Iori, Jin, Reo and Rintarou...
His eyes scan back and forth over the small screen. Reading on a watch is horribly inconvenient, though it might be a bit less awkward than looking his partner in the eye while there's such filth written in front of them. Honestly, most of the Game 52 "explanation" is worthless. It's just a bunch of suggested positions and strange fetishes, which has absolutely zero use to him. But one thing in particular does stand out.]
What do they even mean by "value"? How is that determined?
[He speaks with a frown, less revolted (though there's still a bit of that leftover) and more simply confused this time. "John will collect Amy's card and Amy will collect John's," it said, but what cards are they talking about? "Ellie has the same value as John," it said after that, but what does "value" mean?
Maybe they mean it literally. You take someone to bed and then hand them a playing card once the deed is done. But as he tells Jun, finally turning towards his partner again,]
I haven't been given any cards to hand out. Have you?
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[ He knows that, but the fact that there are people here who use someone for their pleasure and kinks, without helping their partner orgasm? Jun doesn't like how someone could be so selfish. Well, even if it's only in the text, someone's bound to have that sort of kink. He's glad Hiyori didn't scold him much about the whole dying thing again.
As Hiyori continues scrolling, unfamiliar words catch his eye, but their meaning eludes him. "Temperature play?" Something about wax? It's all a blur; he didn't know half these kinks even existed. Perhaps ignorance was bliss, but being here, these discoveries were inevitable, especially with so many "speciality" stores nearby.
There are so many names to remember now that it's all become meaningless in the end. Did they really need to write all those names in the text? Probably not, but for someone as oblivious as Jun, having a reminder of what not to do with a partner is helpful, even if it should be obvious. Not that Jun is thinking about that! Idols can't have relationships, right? Those thoughts will come back to haunt him soon, but for now, they don't.
Though reading the explicit words causes his cheeks to flush, reminiscent of an explicit manga or erotic light novel. However, he's in public with his partner, whom he avoids looking at or questioning, despite his confusion. The thought of determining someone's "value" confuses him—how can you gauge that? You could ask directly, sure, but would the answer reflect the truth? ]
That's a weird thing to write, but I dunno. What're you gonna do to find out someone's value? Well, that probably involves asking 'em, right?
[ Jun feels embarrassed as his eyes once again scan the words about value on Hiyori's watch, trying in vain to make sense of the absurd text. Though he enjoys collecting cards and playing card games with ASOBI Club and fellow idols, this twisted card game gives him pause. Staring back at Hiyori, Jun shakes his head, cheeks still burning a deep red. ]
I've not been given anything, 'sides this watch. I don't get what that part means, 'cause in card games, you usually draw cards, yeah? But we've not been given any cards...
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I know you do.
[Jun's a warrior of love, after all. It was probably Tatsumi who taught him to be kind and never to harm others. Certainly it wasn't his parents. But Jun already had a good heart even before that, he assumes.
Also, he has absolutely no idea about the explicit manga and light novels. So he really has no idea how much Jun knows about any of this. He is a boy, but he seems so innocent and clueless much of the time! Hiyori doesn't want him to get corrupted (a huge part of the reason he hates that they're trapped here!), but he did warn Jun about the messages on the watches being explicit. He'll just have to trust that Jun's good heart to pull him through, and that he won't be reading any of this and thinking, "That game sounds like fun."
So far, so good on that front, although both of them are equally confused about how the whole thing even works. It's a relief to hear Jun hasn't been given any cards himself, though.]
That's the confusing thing. It sounds as though other people represent cards, and you collect them by...
[He clears his throat.]
Well, anyway! If we haven't been given any cards or any "value" yet, then perhaps that means we haven't been officially enrolled. Mine did say I'd been selected to "join the current pool," but if we don't have "values," how can we even play? Though saying that out loud feels a bit like tempting fate...
[He scans the screen again in search of clues. Not finding any right away, he continues to muse out loud.]
I'm not sure what my "card" would be in the first place. Ace of spades is highest, but "king" or "queen" might suit me better.
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Jun knew of those types of manga and novels, but he hadn't read many; his time at the manga cafes had been limited, despite his curiosity. He suspected Hiyori would likely disapprove, sticking his nose up at literature he'd probably call "filthy." Anyway, Jun preferred to read them last or only if nothing else was available. As a guy, curiosity sometimes gets the better of him, that's all.
He still can't solve the card problem, and they both remain stumped by it. Therefore, Jun thinks it must relate to the watches in some way. He decides to share this idea with Ohii-san. ]
But none of it makes sense, 'cause then we'd be given cards? My only thought is that somehow the watches know what you've done, y'know?
[ That. He doesn't elaborate on it further, the same as his partner and he goes a little quiet after, listening to the rest. ]
Hm, I guess? If we've got the watches, aren't we already "enrolled"? Sorry, I dunno why I said that. [ After saying it, a sudden bitterness arose in his throat. ] For starters, we don't really wanna play, so maybe we just got lucky.
[ No, the deeming someone's value rule, or whatever it is, makes it sound like Reimei all over again. But they've already been through that, so Jun's not going to mention it. ]
It'll be the "Ohii-san" level. "King" or "Queen" don't suit you, 'cause you're a fussy "Princess." As for me? I'm probably a three or four.
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[He trails off, letting that grim thought spell itself out. You can't blackmail someone with Fitbit info, but you can certainly do it with revenge porn.
Neither of their thoughts are very cheerful. Here he is thinking about blackmail, and there Jun is, thinking they've already been enrolled. Hiyori purses his lips but can't disagree with him. It is odd to think their captors went to all this trouble without enrolling them. But how do they find out for sure? Do you just wait around to be handed out playing cards? Is their "value" somewhere on the watch that he hasn't found? He'd much rather spring into action before they do find out that information, but he doesn't have anything resembling a workable escape plan right now.
So, for the time being, it's just this: sitting together on the bench with Jun, scouring the watch for clues and speculating about things like card values. He does at least crack some semblance of a smile, cheerfully retorting,]
Then I'll just have to create a new card! The "Ohii-san" card ♪ I'm not the type to let others decide my value, anyway, so that's what suits me best. What's with this "three or four" business, though? You don't think that lowly of yourself, do you?
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[ Does this place think they're Ibara now? Sheesh! He does follow what Hiyori means, unfortunately, but how could anyone ever get revenge porn on someone if they never participate?
He's obviously realised that they've already been involuntarily "enrolled" in this strange game, as evidenced by the unremovable watch. Already regretting voicing this concern to Hiyori, even though it's reasonable that they share these thoughts as partners in this situation. Still, he wishes he hadn't vocalised his suspicion, especially as it probably isn't helping Hiyori's thoughts, either.
Even as they sit here, everything seems like it will be okay now that they are together. Hearing the cheerfulness from his partner helps pull him out of the strange funk he feels trapped in. ]
That's why it's the perfect card for you; it's not gonna be for anyone else. But, huh? Nah, I just don't care about values, and if I place myself too high, it'll sound like I'm full of myself. I don't hafta take this seriously, so it won't bother me with what I've been given.
[ In the very least, he didn't say two! ]
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He doesn't want to contemplate that question, much less ask it out loud. But he does muse,]
Well, if they can track all that...
[It might not be impossible. Though the rules also said that only one party needs to climax. And how would they know the wearer wasn't, well... you know... having some solo time?
Maybe the watches are the cameras. Wouldn't that be a disturbing twist? But he's also sure there have to be other cameras around. This is a huge luxury resort with tons of expensive shops and such; it's bound to have security cams. (Though there are a lot fewer guards walking around than he would've thought.) He doesn't like the thought of being voyeuered on, but it would be very doable.
Still, as Jun points out, what will their captors be able to watch and record if they never do anything? If they don't participate in the "game," that's that. It's his one consolation. And so when Jun says he doesn't want to be blackmailed, he manages a smile.]
Fortunately, that won't be happening to either one of us on my watch.
[And that's that. ("Watch" pun not intentional.) As for the card values:]
Well, that makes sense. That's the best way to look at it, rather. No one can decide our value except for us! If they tried to give me a three or a four, I'd just shrug and say, "That doesn't suit me at all, but whatever you want to tell yourself!"
[They could give Jun a two and he'd still keep moving forward. Just like he didn't stop working hard even after he was given a "Non-Special Student" designation. Hiyori trusts that about him.
He scrolls further down the message. There's still no explanation about how the card values work and when they get assigned. It does say your value can change and that you can move up ranks based on your "hands"... but after squinting at that one a minute, he doesn't really get it, so he simply moves on. He's not poker-brained enough for this.
He reaches what seems to be the end of the "Rules" explanation. At the bottom, it simply says this: "Game 52 can only be won by collecting a deck of 52 cards. Those who win Game 52 are allowed to have one wish granted. This wish can be anything they desire." Just that.
And then nothing.
He lapses into silence for a moment, the look on his face is contemplative. But then comes the inevitable dismissal.]
They really have no imagination for things that aren't related to love affairs. "I'll grant you your wish"—what sort of clichéd line is that? Anyone who's old enough not to believe in fairy tales knows better than to trust that one.
[He speaks in a tone like he's too good for all this.
Then his eyes grow dark.]
But if they can hook enough desperate or gullible types, they might just get enough "players" for their game.
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Anyway, if either of them were to do that, Jun wouldn't want anyone watching them. He knows that as fact, not that he's overly thought about doing "that" in the first place. But everyone does at some point, don't they? It's just weird to think about doing it when you share a room with someone.
So when Hiyori says it won't be happening under his watch, well, that makes Jun feel better. He greets the remark with a half-smile, hoping to have no more of those lingering thoughts about "Game 52." ]
I feel like you wouldn't just say that, Ohii-san. You'd probably demand a higher rank, but I dunno if anyone's gonna listen. But, yeah, I just don't care. I'm happy with anything they'll give me, even if I don't wanna be here.
[ Thinking about it does amuse him, but nothing could be harsher from the experience he's already gone through in Reimei. Waking up at the crack of dawn, dealing with annoying Specials who demand the stupidest requests, getting into fights on your first day of school, ending up suspended because of it, and then dealing with Kaname? Yeah, Jun's going to pass on that one.
Despite all he's endured, there's a higher determination to keep moving forward and create a better future. He vows not to let Hiyori suffer the same fate; that's his promise.
And Jun doesn't really know how poker works; they never played that sort of card game back in the dorms, and numbers make his head hurt. So once Hiyori scrolls past all that, things get better, except the last part about 52 cards. But neither of them were given cards to begin with, so how do people collect them besides getting down and dirty? It must be an automatic thing, not that Jun wants to have that thought again. He's really not smart enough for this number mention. ]
Well, no one's gonna participate if it's not for something, right? I guess that's sorta motive to wanna, uh, you know. Not like they've got a fairy godmother 'round the corner, bouta grant anyone who gets 52 cards any sorta wish.
[ And that's what Jun agrees with, not that he knows many fairy tales. Though his partner's perspective seems reasonable, he lacks experience with what he called "love affairs" to support those claims. He'll just defer to Hiyori's judgement on those sorts of matters.
He looks up at Hiyori, frowning, not enjoying how his eyes turned dark. ]
I bet there's loadsa people who fall for it. But we're not gonna, right? I'd never wanna do anything like that, 'specially not with a stranger.
[ But doing "that" with your partner is fine! ]
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[Simple as that. Though of course it's actually not as simple as that. He does think the best way to deal with all this "card value" stuff would be to simply ignore it. If they get around to giving him a value, he'll pretend he didn't hear it, and if they give Jun one, he'll pretend he didn't hear that, too!
But even he's overheard enough bits and pieces to sort of grasp at how things work. Guests gossiping excitedly about "that handsome Jack" or "the cute new 10 who just arrived." Without having read the watch's explanation all the way through, all that chatter didn't really mean anything to him. It just sounded like a load of silliness. And it still does, but...
It may not be so easy to ignore. Not when everyone else is taking this stuff so seriously. It's sort of like they've walked into a foreign culture where neither one of them knows the customs, or a secret society governed by arcane rules.
Or a cult.
After finishing the message, he concludes it's probably the last one. What else are they meant to believe? The wish-granting thing only makes sense if whoever's running this place is God himself. And there's no way that's the case.
He glances at Jun again. It's heartening to hear him confirm again that he won't participate, and that he can't even understand why anyone else would want to. There's no such thing as a human who's really "pure," since everyone gets stained by the world around them. But Jun-kun, he figures, must be one of the closest things. He's someone who's managed to keep a good heart in spite of everything.
His chest aches at the thought of that innocence being lost.
He goes quiet for another moment before he replies, more subdued:]
I wouldn't want that, either. That sort of thing seems like it'd leave you with an empty feeling afterwards.
["Seems," he says. Like he hasn't been there himself.
But that's exactly the problem, isn't it? He doesn't want Jun to turn into the kind of person he used to be. Someone who sees relationships as "fake" transactions and tools to kill time. Jun is better than that, and he deserves better from others. So.
Hiyori forces a smile.]
And it's not appropriate for idols, so that means we just won't do it. Instead of waiting for the cult leader or whoever to grant our wishes, we'll make them come true with our own power! That's more our style.
... all the same, though, we probably should investigate just what they mean by that. I doubt there's any relation to Kanata-kun's family, but it looks like we're dealing with something similar here. So I guess the first step is figuring out who supposedly grants all these wishes.
[Spoiler alert: it's "the House." Everyone is just going to say "the House."]
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[ He doesn't want to deal with all the card value nonsense, either. It seems almost degrading to want to put yourself in that position. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but Jun just can't see it, besides the promise of a "wish" after collecting all 52 cards. It's almost sad, but he can see why someone might fall for it. It's a good thing he's strong-willed and that he also knows Hiyori to be; they've promised and Jun doesn't break promises.
And if that promise were to break, it would only be to get his partner out of this place and not for any other reason. But that's not going to happen, so it should be fine. ]
For me, I know I'd hafta care deeply for the other person. I'm not gonna do that with someone just to do it; that'd be no good. And if I did, I'd wanna see them again! That's why I wouldn't wanna feel anything close to the "empty" feeling you're talking 'bout.
[ Something close to deep affection, probably, and he wouldn't leave it at that. Which probably isn't the best thought to have in this place, but it's how Jun sees it, even if idols can't date or be seen doing "that.". But he's not really aware Hiyori's felt that feeling of emptiness before, and he wouldn't want him to. His partner doesn't really give much away; in the very least, they're in full agreement with one another.
Jun doesn't think he'd ever do anything unethical, though if he did, we'd deal with it then. He also wouldn't want Hiyori to act improperly just to survive. If that happens, if whatever struggles come, they'll overcome them together. ]
Exactly, Ohii-san. It's better if we don't, 'cause it might get out. And then Ibara'd be running all 'round CosPro, tryna cover it up. With our power, huh? I like that idea, something close to what we do for our fans!
Mhm, yeah. I'd hope Shinkai-senpai's family'd have no ties to this place, but the wish-granting thing sounds similar. But you'd know more about that, right? I've never really dealt with someone like that before, 'sides Tatsumi-senpai, but that's different. My guess is whoever's runnin' this place, but that's sorta obvious. So if we ever get anything outta anyone, then I guess we'd know then?
[ If they ever find out what "the House" is, besides, it definitely sounds exactly like a cult. ]
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Only in hypotheticals, granted. Jun is talking about how he'd go about doing things if he did them, which he won't! Jun already made it clear he does not intend to participate, which means Hiyori should have nothing to worry about. And the rest of what Jun's saying is also well and good: if he slept with someone (which he won't!), he'd want it to be someone he cares about (you know, just hypothetically). Someone he cares about "deeply." Which goes to show Hiyori (again) that he's a good boy, and their environment won't corrupt him. Those words ought to be a relief.
So why do they make his stomach squirm? Why does listening to Jun talk about this trigger pain in his chest?
Some of it might be guilt. He doesn't walk around feeling bad about that part of his past, since there's so much else that happened around the same time to feel even worse about. Those girls weren't pure, either, so there's nothing to feel guilty for. But he's fully aware now that Jun's outlook isn't one he shared. Jun can't bring himself to treat people like they're tools, but he sure can. Well, that's always been one difference between them.
Then there's another matter, which can be summed up even more simply: the fact is, he really doesn't really like the thought of Jun sleeping with anyone. People Jun cares about, people Jun doesn't care about, whichever! It's not something Hiyori ever really thinks about, since they're idols, and he knows Jun doesn't want to mess up his career. Plus Jun's still rather young and innocent! But now that Jun's explained his preferences for that sort of thing, it's sounding more and more to him like Jun is looking for a partner—someone he'd see again afterwards, spending days at a time with. Someone he'd share not only his body with, but also other things like meals, leisure activities, thoughts and feelings. Someone he "cares deeply" for. Not just whoever's available.
In other words, a partner.
You could claim Hiyori has no right to feel the way he does. They aren't lovers, after all. But they are partners, so is it any wonder he's not keen on the idea? Jun already has him! We don't even need to get into his feelings for Jun, which of course he's never told him about; anyone in his shoes would be conflicted if it was their partner, even without those feelings! ... Probably!
But anyway, who cares? He really needs to stop picturing Jun-kun snuggled up in bed with someone. (This is the second time he's done that, since earlier, he pictured Jun with whoever his "newlywed spouse" was!) There are more important things to focus on here, so!! After a few beats of silence, he says,]
Yep. Jun-kun's a good boy, so you don't deserve to feel anything like that.
[And he'll leave it there.
He goes on to say they won't buy into the whole wish-granting business, that they'll grant their own wishes themselves. That's how it is, that's how it should be! Jun-kun agrees before proceeding to talk about Ibara, and just like that, the weight on his heart lessens. He can push all thoughts of Jun playing the game and finding a partner aside; those things won't happen here, and they ought to focus on finding a way out! You know, before the fallout from their disappearance sends Ibara into an early grave.]
He must be running around like a headless chicken already. I feel bad for him, so let's not give him another media circus to deal with.
[Though even if they don't give their captors anything to blackmail them with, they're still going to have to provide an explanation to the public about where they disappeared too...
Well, one thing at a time. They'll think up an alibi once they're out of here! Or Ibara can think one up, whichever. Back to talking about cults... which they both have limited experience with, him even less than Jun.]
I don't really know too much. Just that there were rumors going around Yumenosaki back in the day—that "Kanata Shinkai is a god who can grant wishes." I told Rinne-senpai about it once, and he started worshipping him for gambling luck! It seems to be totally false, though, so no surprise there.
As for his family, I know they own some land, including the island ES was built on. But I doubt they'd be involved in anything like this. And I really can't see Tatsumi-kun approving of anything here, which means we're back to square one.
[Then he smiles a bit grimly.]
Though we do know who probably sent us here. Which means we know at least one person who's been in-contact with the cult leader. And that's something to go on, at least.
[He means Gatekeeper, of course.]
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Which means, of course, it's all hypothetical! Jun's not going to do those things. It's only "if it were to happen," which is right; it's not going to! Especially as what he's describing is something close to a relationship, which he's never had either. But that's the reason why he was chosen for the bridal-themed PV, wasn't it? Due to his view on relationships, those will remain pure, no matter where he is!
Though if he knew about Hiyori's past, then he wouldn't have said anything. Of course, he'd think doing that would be incredibly sad, but he'd shut his mouth and not talk about how he'd do things. That's not really fair on his partner, but again, it's all hypothetical!
Or maybe if he were less dense, he'd realise it's something close to what they have as partners, except for the intimacy part. With it being strangely close to what he's been describing—something that's easy, someone you spend your free time with without it feeling unnatural, like a partner! But he already has one, doesn't he? Hiyori takes up most of his time, anyway! So, if that person were to come along, it's not as if Jun would have all the time in the world for them. Alongside being an idol, Ohii-san's demanding nature! Well, having a partner wouldn't work out.
Instead of saying more, he beams at Hiyori, right after being called a good boy. It sort of makes Jun feel warm and fuzzy inside, not that he wants his partner to experience anything but the same. And it's easy to say their disappearance would put Ibara in an early grave; there's no one to replace them, after all! CosPro must be going wild without them; Ibara's starting to go grey at the tender age of Eighteen! ]
Yeah, I don't wanna put anymore stress on Ibara. I bet he's not having a good time, and this'll make it worse, 'specially with all the stuff on the watches.
[ And he still wants them to have a career after this! He's sure Ibara could keep that part of where they've been out of the media, even if there are plenty of other questions they'll be asked about. Ibara will surely have thought up a cover story for them by the time they're out of here, so there's the possibility they won't have to think up one.
Tatsumi-senpai's thing at Reimei definitely wasn't a cult!! He could do no wrong!!! It's all those other people worshipping him who were in the wrong!! (Delusional) ]
Wait, Rinne-senpai actually believed that? Goddamn, I bet that was a real wake-up call when he lost.
Whoa, really? I never knew that! Guess it makes sense it's on an island if his family owns the land. From what I remember, he really likes water, right? So that makes sense. I'd never want Tatsumi-senpai in a place like this, and I know you wouldn't either. It's not really something he'd preach about.
[ Again, not a cult! (Still delusional!)
But that gives him pause, bringing his hand in front of his mouth in thought and tapping a finger against his own chin. Before it starts to make sense, again, just who else would it be? ]
Gatekeeper, again? I just wanna know how he'd get into contact with these guys without alerting anyone else. Really, you'd think someone'd notice or pick up on it. Maybe he's just that sorta sneaky guy...?
[ Well, it's not GK's first time kidnapping people, and he's related to Ibara, so deep down, something close to him being involved with talking to the leader here makes sense. Jun still doesn't want to believe anyone from home would willingly send them here, even if it would ruin their careers. ]
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Still, he's just not a fan of this set-up. He hates being told what to do, and he hates being taken away from Nagisa and the others. And how can he ever go back to pretend-love, now that he knows what real love is like? While Eden might have started out as a business venture, at least from Ibara's perspective, it's become a place where he belongs. A place with plenty of love to go around. And the last thing he wants is to risk his position there, and he's sure that Jun must feel the same. So! On with the ill-advised escape plan, though at least he plans on doing some serious thinking before attempting to pull anything off.]
He sure was! ♪ If anything, this place seems more his speed than Kanata-kun's. But I doubt even he would support something like this. He's serious about his career, I think, in spite of what he put everyone through over the summer. Plus, I'm sure he'd hate being forced to live by yet another set of rules.
[Hiyori doesn't know either Rinne or Kanata too well; he can only speculate. But he's confident none of the other ES idols are involved. Their "enemy" has always been someone else. An intrusive, outside force. But that force extends beyond just Gatekeeper, doesn't it?
He sighs. It's no fun to admit he doesn't have much to go on.]
I'm sure he's involved, but I can't guess what sort of ties he has that would allow him to do this. They say Godfather had an incredible amount of connections to the underworld, so I suppose he must have used those. It's a lot to just accept, though. In the first place, where did he even come from? It seems like he appeared out of nowhere, didn't he? It's strange that he was able to hijack SS without any resistance. And I can't guess what his motive was in sending us here. Obviously, it had to have been sabotage, but...
[He trails off. Who is he trying to sabotage: the White Team, by kidnapping them? Or the Red Team, by making it look some foul play might be going on? And is it really all about the competition? Does it even matter what his motive was?
He gives up and shakes his head.]
Well, no matter what his motive is, he's not the one we need to investigate right now. First, let's find out what "the House" is.
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But Jun misses being home, being around his fellow idols and working. But he's glad Hiyori's here with him, at the very least? Even if their situation isn't ideal, he doesn't know how he'd get around or feel without his partner. It's been nothing short of comforting already; he'll never let that slip. He might even miss Ibara's lectures and Nagi-senpai's talks about those thousand-page books, but he doesn't want to think about how helpless he feels. They both care about their careers, so they'll have to make it out before they fall into the trap of playing "Game 52." ... yeah, good luck with that one. ]
Yeah, kinda doubt Shinkai-senpai's much of a gambler, so it makes sense for Rinne-senpai. But, hmm, right... plus, it'd put more stress on CosPro if he were to support a place like this. I doubt any of us'd support a place that's gonna force us into "complying" for chips or whatever else we just read. Everyone back home cares 'bout bein' an idol, so...
[ That's how it's going to be!
He doesn't believe any idol would bring them here, though Gatekeeper is the only possibility. If it's true, Ibara's going to be pissed! And if it's not true, Ibara's still going to be pissed. Jun's sure their producer is running around, almost showing everyone his true self. Swearing up a storm and all that. ]
Wait, you think this has something to do with the underworld!? I mean, it's whatever connection Ibara's got, right? Maybe we'll figure it out in time, 'cause I've got no idea where Gatekeeper's come from either. But that's usually his thing, yeah? He just shows up from the dark, does whatever he wants, and then goes back into whatever the hell he's doing. All this hurts my head, Ohii-san.
[ Thinking about Gatekeeper's methods is really too much. It's a good start to think of him as involved, but they'll have to investigate further! ]
Alright, we'll just figure that out later. How 'bout we split up and meet up later? If that's what you wanna do, unless you'd prefer going together and figuring it all out, I don't really mind.
[ .. though, part of him doesn't want to separate so soon. Oh, well! Whatever they decide on, it'll be worth it in the end. ]
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[He gives Jun a skeptical look.]
The "underworld" is sort of a vague term, of course. But things like gambling and human trafficking are considered part of that umbrella. Not to mention other industries related to the theme of this place...
[He means the sex trade, of course. The resort doesn't look like a brothel, but being kidnapped and made to have sex (in order to earn currency, no less) is sort of adjacent to that whole business, isn't it?]
For now, let's just assume this place is run by some very wealthy criminals. One of those criminals had a connection to Godfather, and either that criminal asked for us, or Gatekeeper called him up and offered to hand us over. I'm sure he'd get a hefty sum of money for us either way, though I doubt that was his only motive.
[He rattles this off seriously; maybe he sounds like he's watched one too many detective dramas, but those are the most logical conclusions he can come to, given the absurdity of their situation, the timing of their kidnapping, and how incredibly weird SS has been. This theory, of course, will become complicated once he starts learning more about the resort. He's met with J, for starters, and J claimed he'd never heard of Gatekeeper or Godfather.
J isn't actually the man in charge, though, so then again, who knows? Not either of them, that's for sure.]
But that's about where my theory ends, and you're absolutely right about this being a huge headache. So, let's drop that for now and focus on "the House!"
[That's the gameplan, anyway. It's time to gather info! So, with that plan in mind, he nods once when Jun suggests splitting up. ... even though he's honestly a little reluctant to be separated, too. They just reunited, and Jun's also the only person he knows here! (At least as far as he's aware.) Still, it does make the most sense.]
We'll cover more ground if we split up. I can ask around at the kind of stores Pretty 5 would visit, and you can try the ones that are more your style. [Like athleisure stores.] This place is awfully huge, though, so we'll want to decide on a meeting spot for afterwards. Perhaps that gold fountain in the main lobby? The one with two birds forming a heart shape.
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[ Meaning, he doesn't want to imagine those dark thoughts. He knew it all to be sketchy, but thinking about the underworld? Nope, he doesn't want to think about random people being trafficked and all which comes with it. ]
I'd prefer to think the people in charge are "walthy criminals." I guess that's true, but I dunno if money can buy that much. What'd they get outta it? Sounds as if you've been watching that detective anime again, Ohii-san. Not that there's anythin' wrong with it, Ohii-san. I'm the one who's tryna keep you outta trouble, seriously.
[ He struggles a little bit to believe any of this, even if Hiyori rattles off as if it's completely true. He doesn't want either of them to be in trouble with the underworld or be in another conflict with Gatekeeper and co, even if it seems as if it's the most likely option. Or the only option they have.
But for this time, it's the only one they can go off of. ]
Alright, I'm cool with that. Maybe when stuff settles down, once we've got a better outlook on this place, things'll be different. Just don't go getting lost again, alright? It'll be annoying going and looking for you.
[ Jun wants to not go around yelling out Ohii-san's name until he finally finds him, after all. ]
Yeah, I remember that fountain. See you there soon?
[ Rising from the bench, he squeezes Hiyori's shoulder reassuringly. Although they'll reunite soon, he offers the gesture anyway, taking one last look at his partner before pivoting towards the nearby athletic store. ]
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[It's like he said to Double Face during the qualifiers. He doesn't like "dirty work" or criminal activities. Things like that wouldn't exist in his perfect world. They're an insult to everything he holds dear. But after being kidnapped to a place with lots of gambling and an obscene "game" going on, what else was he to think?
Eventually, he'll soon find he needs to think outside the box more. "Wealthy criminals" couldn't do all this; only someone with power could. Supernatural power, that is.
But one thing at a time. For now, they'll just gather some basic information on "the House." He retorts,]
I'll be fine, thanks!
[Even though he does have a tendency to get lost. It's fine, the watch has a map on it! And if that fails, he'll pester people for directions.
Despite being reluctant to part from Jun, he manages a smile at that shoulder squeeze. Really, he's relieved to have his partner here. One way or another, they'll get to the bottom of this.]
See you soon ♪