Sayaka wouldn’t have been able to say how she got herself in such a situation. She kept beating herself up, and no one would deny she was the type to. No one would blame her either: the whole Academy knew Ikishima’s ways. Everyone would have warned her: if you sleep with dogs, you’ll wake up with fleas.
But there was no risk of making a habit out of this.
Sayaka did her best in trying to keep her composure, even if sweat was pooling between her shoulder blades and under her armpits, even if there was no way Ikishima hadn’t noticed the tremble in her hands.
“This is absolutely unacceptable. “, she grumbled from her seat on one of the couches of the lounge.
In front of her, sitting with her legs spread apart and the ugliest grin a girl of her age could pride herself with, Ikishima snickered.
“So–re lo–ser! “, chanted the latter. The piercing on her tongue flashed malicious.
“Ikishima, this… buffoonery of yours could end up harming us both! “
“It ain’t buffoonery, darling. It’s a bet, and you lost. “
“You cheated! “
“Careful! “, shouted Ikishima, “You don’t want to annoy the dealer now, do you? “
The ‘dealer’ in question showed her the coin in her hand. The whole result of the day relied on that: a 100 yen coin. And Sayaka had no way of influencing the result, just like she didn’t have any for winning their first bet.
It was stupid of me to accept in the first place, she thought, I grew arrogant… I thought the President would have never allowed it, and yet…
But it hadn’t been the President who had recommended Sumeragi. Manyuda had accepted her proficuous donations, thus assuring her of a seat in the Student Council. Somehow Ikishima got news of that before Sayaka and placed that stupid bet, which ended up being much more serious than expected.
The first-year-student and her flashy nails had doomed Sayaka. Well, that wouldn’t be true: her own carelessness had led her here, and one can be the smartest student in the whole Academy, but a teenager is still a teenager. And teenagers are prone to try foolish things sooner or later.
“Now, if you're done with your whining, “, said Ikishima, “Head or tails? “
Sayaka looked at the object between them on the table. She knew it in the same way she knew her hairbrush, her toothbrush by the sink at home, the underwear in her drawers. To think it could have harmed her…
“I refuse to go on. “, she stated.
“And I refuse to let you refuse. Grow a pair, we had a bet! You can’t pull out now! If you do, I can assure you you’ll live to regret it. “, said Ikishima. Her tone and the light in her only eye promised nothing good.
“T-The President would never allow foul play on your part! “, protested Sayaka, growing desperate in her hopelessness.
“Oh, but the President would never know it was me. You underestimate me, Sayaka. “, said Midari, pretending to be dejected.
She grinned, breaking into a coarse laughter.
“C’mon! “, she yelled, “Head or tails?! “
Sayaka grimaced, clenched her fist.
Between them, the object on the table had no comfort to give her.
“...Head. “, said Sayaka.
“Always head, eh? “, said Ikishima, amused. “Let’s see if this time you’ll be more lucky. “
The coin glimmered on her nail.
—
She had been searching for her nail polish. As she spoke with that one teacher – “Yes, ma’am, I am aware some of the Houspets have been refusing to come to school, no, no ma’am, I’m afraid I couldn’t care less since they’ll receive a Lifeplan anyways “– Kirari bore enough to dig the nail of her thumb in the flesh of her index finger.
The blue tint got a bit too ruined for her tastes, and she didn’t have any more polish in her bag, but she was sure she left at least one bottle in the drawers of her desk in the lounge.
Sayaka should still be there… she can help me with it, perhaps…
With that thought in mind, she was certainly surprised at the scene waiting for her.
—
“P-President! “, shouted Sayaka, lowering her hands at once.
“Aaw. “, said Ikishima, rolling her only eye, “Prez, didn't they teach you to knock? “
“What is going on? “, said Kirari.
She forced her face into an unreadable mask. Not smiling, no. There was nothing to smile at – and no, she did not knock, seeing how this place belonged to her as much as the rest of the school grounds.
“President, I swear I can explain-... “, said Sayaka.
Kirari looked at her: her cheeks were red; her hands, still holding the object of that cursed bet, found no peace in her lap. Under Kirari’s unreadable gaze, her eyes filled with mortified tears.
A child caught with her hands full of sweets. But Sayaka wasn’t holding candies. She was grasping her taser.
“What is the meaning of this? “, asked Kirari in Ikishima’s direction.
“A small bet, that’s all. “, replied the other. “I won myself the chance to have a little fun. She said we could toss the coin if I won, and I did, and this was my wager. “
She was trying to seem calm, but under Kirari’s eyes she was quivering even more than Sayaka, even if perhaps for a different reason.
“If it makes you feel better, I did ask her if she wanted to use my gun instead of just pulling it out! I do know you don’t like that, y’see. I’ve been a good gal! You should praise me! “
“Ikishima. “, said Kirari, gelid. “Leave. Now. “
With a squeak and a military salute, Ikishima jumped to her feet and hastened across the lounge. As she closed the door behind her, she stuck her tongue out in Sayaka’s direction.
Now alone, President and Secretary faced each other in a silence algid enough to resemble a whole winter.
Without a word, Kirari made her way toward the couch in front of Sayaka, passing as far as she could from the latter, before settling down in what had been Ikishima’s seat.
She crossed her legs.
“President… “
“Put that thing down. “
Sayaka obeyed at once. Her hands didn’t stop trembling and it pained Kirari to see her so distressed, but...
She took her time before saying: “Would you rather hear me say that I’m disappointed by your lack of reason, or impressed by your recklessness? It was unlike you Sayaka. I’m sure you know. “
Sayaka seemed to crumple on herself at those words.
“I… I’m so sorry President. Please, forgive me… “
She bowed. She was earnest, of course.
You don’t seem to realize what you’ve done, thought Kirari, observing her in the same unreadable manner. You haven’t realized what crossed me so.
She refrained from showing any of her real emotions. The taser caught her eye.
“A coin toss. “, she said.
Once again, Sayaka’s mortification grew big enough to be impossible to hide. Perhaps she wasn’t even trying to, after all. She knew it was useless.
“I-I was foolish, and arrogant. I know Ikishima is a degenerate, and yet-... !”
She was practically crying by now, sobs threatening to spill from her tear-stained lips.
I would spare you the drama, thought Kirari, but you do deserve it.
Once again Kirari observed the taser.
She picked it up, studied its pointy ends, deadly in inexperienced hands. Sayaka didn’t lack experience with that toy. When Kirari had entered though, she was pointing it to her chest and that was enough to make her doubt her intelligence, for once..
In class they don’t teach you to be smarter than this, evidently… , thought Kirari annoyed, Straight to the heart. Why would you offer such a thing to Ikishima?
She was curious, but only to an extent. Something that should have belonged to her and to her only had been laid on the table, it still held the warmth of Sayaka’s nervous fingers. It was nothing more than a possibility, the same weight of the perfume of a stranger as they pass by, the first drop calling for the storm.
It filled Kirari with cupidity.
Holding back her irritation, she moved her eyes back to Sayaka.
“You’re not one to gamble often. “, sayd Kirari, “As you were so eager, would you rather play with me instead? “
“But President-... “
Sayaka must have read something in Kirari’s features, something not even Kirari herself had seen. The nagging withered in her throat.
“I-... yes, ma’am. “
Fear, lots of it, and devotion. Faith too somehow, if such recklessness would befit it.
Silly girl.
“Well then. “, said Kirari. She reached for the coin on the table. “Head or tails? “
“Head… “, said Sayaka, and this time the word felt much heavier.
Kirari almost smiled.
Of course.
The coin on the ruined polish of her thumb was quite a sight. Kirari looked at it, then at Sayaka. The coin shot in the hair, glistening under the lights before landing back in Kirari’s palm. She showed the result: tails.
The smile on her lips was emotionless.
“My win. “
“Yes, President… “
Nothing in Sayaka showed the barest hint of remorse. She was scared – Of course you are, little fish – but nothing stopped her as she pointed the taser to her chest.
“Not there. “, said Kirari.
I’d like to say that belongs to me.
“Here. “
Her delicate index and medium finger pointed at her own temple under the candid hair. Sayaka goggled a bit. She sniffled. She did hesitate, but she complied nonetheless.
As you're not using it how you should, let’s see if this teaches you to cherish your mind, if not your health.
The Secretary brought the taser against her head.
You do know what it looks like to be hit by one of those. You do know the spasms, the foam, the disorientation when all is done. You could die, and you know it.
Sayaka closed her eyes. Her finger started pushing on the trigger.
Be grateful.
Sayaka’s eyes shot open at the sound of squeaking leather: Kirari had gotten up. Her face was close enough she could count her lashes, the little specks of light in her eyes, the creases on her lipstick. Kirari’s hand was on her own, taking the taser away.
“I changed my mind. “, she said. “I want a different prize. “
“Wha-... “
Before Sayaka could inquire any further, Kirari’s lips found her neck.
Kirari listened with wild pleasure to the whine she elicited as she sucked on the skin. Its sweetness mixed with the sour taste of sweat made her mouth water as she left behind red and blue marks.
With a bit of an effort, she forced herself away from the blushing flesh of her Secretary.
Unable to offer a coherent sentence, Sayaka and her flustered features were doing their best to ask: ‘Why? ‘.
A reminder, thought Kirari. You, and your body, and your pleasure, and your pain. I can’t bear to share them. I can’t stand to see you give them up to others of your own volition…
She eased back on the couch, her legs crossed, her gaze fixed.
And I can’t stand to see you act like a cretin. If you were to come in harm way for something so stupid, what could I do but say you deserved it?
“This “, she said, meaning the taser, “was given to you as a form of protection. You can use it against whoever you see fit. Even myself, although I assure you I have no intention of provoking you to such a radical extent. “
Sayaka looked terrified at the mere thought.
Kirari continued: “This was not given to you to carry on such foolish actions. If I find out you misuse it on yourself, or if you play along with Ikishima’s madness once again, I will take it back and remove you from your position. Have I been clear, Sayaka? “
Kirari hadn’t raised her voice. The tone she had used was the same she could have used with anyone else when it came to such annoying matters. Nothing more and nothing less.
That’s what mortified Sayaka the most.
“I-I-I’m sorry President! “, she said, breaking into tears. “I didn’t mean t-to disappoint you! I know it was a stupid bet, I know! Ikishima-... !”
“Hush. “, Kirari offered her handkerchief, “No more talk of this, I’m sure you’ve learnt your lesson. “
And I’ve learnt mine. Your devotion… is it really as bottomless as it looks?
“Regain your composure please. Once you’ll feel ready, I’d like to ask you to paint my nails for me. “
With tear-smeared cheeks and puffy eyes, Sayaka did her best to offer a nod and smile, as her weeping had yet to stop.
You were more than ready to sacrifice yourself to prove your dedication, thought Kirari, getting up to reach her desk, Your physical suffering though… what is that in front of your adoration? Would you have stopped yourself if I hadn't interfered? What else would you be willing to put on the line for my sake…?
She looked outside of her window, at the trees surrounding the school grounds, where, she knew, something had been waiting for the right time to prove itself useful.
I want more. I want it for myself. Perhaps…