It wasn’t good idea at all. Now it became painfully clear. Just like some dumbass she let herself be fooled by this façade of innocence. She should have stayed away from the game. It took one blink – she blinked and victory slipped through her fingers like sand.
“Showdown,” Ririka showed her cards as she said that. Now her face expressed calm, encouraging smile.
Mary stilled. She almost thought that it was Kirari, sitting across the table and enjoying the absolute horror the blonde felt. No, Ririka tilted her head somewhat bashfully at Mary’s bold gaze.
Ace, four of a kind. Against Ririka’s straight flush. Unbelievable. It felt even worse if she would have lost with some crappy pair. To Ririka, of all.
“M-Mary, please don’t be upset – it’s only a friendly game,” the vice president flashed shy smile in her direction.
That only made her frown deeper, and her frustration – more acute. She let her head fall on her hands, and looked up at Ririka.
“What do you want?” Mary couldn’t help the coldness in her tone. She felt like shit.
The girl had the audacity to lay her hand above the other side of Mary’s right palm. Her eyes radiated something warm and sunny and it made the blonde sick to her stomach. Maybe not sickness, but something in her belly didn’t feel right at the moment.
Ririka’s eyes faltered and pink blush painted her cheeks not long after. “Maybe a h-hug?” She flinched at her own words.
Mary cackled. Just the nerve of this Momobami! A hug! Hug, for god’s sake! Ridiculous girl with ridiculous wishes, no more, the blonde came to realization. Of course it would be something like that.
Saotome stood up and made a circle around the table as Ririka blushed even harder.
She spread her arms wide, daring the vice president with intense gaze. Mary could see in her face that she has already regretted her wish. She got on her feet, though. There was far too little distance between them – Mary could smell a light floral scent on the girl. She looked as if she was about to call it off, so Mary reached out, grabbed her shoulders and pulled her closer.
Now that Ririka’s face was near the crook of her neck she could tell her breath hitched. Mary should clarify – she wasn’t a hugger by any chance. That desire never entered her mind ever. Not once. And now wasn’t an exception. The vice president’s frame was trembling, only making her eyes roll. It was only for the sake of ending it, only so this is over and never remembered again Mary held her closer. The blush that was forming on her face was one induced by anger of indulging this monster.
“Satisfied now?” the blonde tried so hard not to sound meek, so it came out as a hiss. She stood there, astonished as Ririka clung closer – it wasn’t physically possible – and buried her face in the crook of Mary’s neck.
“No,” her answer was whiny. A child’s answer, really.
Mary felt vein bob on her forehead. Ririka circled her hands tightly around Mary, so she was trapped.
“C-come on!” Mary sighed at no reaction from the girl. “We can hug whenever you want, just stop acting so… desperate”.
“Really?” The voice was too small to be produced out of a winner’s mouth.
Mary’s heart made a flip. She shut her eyes and put her palm on Ririka’s back, awkwardly patting along the way. It was not that hard – this simply wasn’t worth such eager request.
“Really, Ririka. You know it’s just a task where you use hands – nothing special. That doesn’t require a genius”.
Ririka shifted. Now she was facing Mary – and facing meant that there were mere inches between their faces.
“Nothing special?” Ririka’s warm breath reached the blonde’s lips.
Mary was mesmerized by blue eyes. Really, such a beautiful color – like ice or sky. She didn’t hear her words. She could only do as much as a statue now – every muscle disobeyed her at once. That was weird.
She came to her senses only when her lips were touched. As if in some kind of trance, she reached the vice president’s chin and dragged her face away by it. Mary inhaled with some new kind of weakness in her body. There were tears swelling up in the corners of Ririka’s eyes, the lips, that just kissed her, trembled.
Kissed her. She has been kissed. By Ririka.
“What…” Mary’s voice broke. “What was it?”
She hardened her grip on the girl’s chin to get an answer. A meaningless answer to a meaningless question. She has been taught better than this.
“That was a kiss, no less. On the lips! Lips! Do you realize?!” Mary screamed, frantically. Ririka’s cheeks were wet now. Mary’s heartbeat increased. “You don’t just go kissing whoever on the lips! It’s… It’s…” She helplessly tried to find the right word. Eventually, Mary pursed her lips in defeat. “Not fair”.
Ririka stayed in place, defenseless, unmoving, open for any outcome. Mary flinched like she has been slapped. She tried to gather herself – it wasn’t anger she was feeling. No. Something else entirely. Something hundred times worse.
“I don’t know what a kiss means to you, Momobami. Just some way to humiliate people? Probably, a game?”
At that Ririka opened her eyes. There was no mirth, no joke. Mary’s eyes widened at the realization. What…?
“Isn’t this another order from Kirari?” Mary pulled her closer, carefully inspecting Ririka’s face. “Hm? Answer me”.
Mary groaned internally as Ririka cried more. Why did she just say this?
“I’m sorry. Listen, I’m sorry. Um, it’s… I-I think I,” Mary sneaked her palm around Ririka’s cheek, rubbing it slightly to soothe some pain where she grabbed her. “I think that’s… It was that I was surprised, okay? I felt disarmed by this,” she inhaled sharply. “Ririka, look at me”.
Ririka reluctantly looked up, her eyes shining with tears that were spilled and the ones that were yet to come.
“Don’t… Ah, don’t cry! It’s not something to cry over,” Mary reasoned. “I… It’s alright really. I just… overreacted”. Mary let out a nervous chuckle.
Now Ririka looked confused. She was pouting just a little. Very cute display. Mary’s cheeks warmed as she fully took in what happened.
“So? Don’t wanna share your thoughts? I’m no mind reader”.
“I…” Ririka frowned and Mary swore it was the cutest thing she’s seen in her life. “Like you”.
“That’s until you grow tired of me, dumbass!" the blonde whined comically.
Ririka’s face changed. She burst into an emotional laughter after a few moments.
“Don’t you dare, though”.