One million yen - Dead Logic

15th February, 2024.

A gray sky hovered over the city. Clouds hung low, pressing on the rooftops like wet cotton. The schoolyard was mostly empty — only the sound of faint wind brushing against the flagpole.

Now we go to the arts club. Here in a corner, Shinichi crouched beside a half-open drawer, his hands trembling as he arranged something inside — small white tablets, wrapped in paper, with a few candles and a lighter beside. them Someone puts a hand on his shoulder. Shinichi turns but suddenly a kick landed on his face. Shinichi fell a little further with tablets and candles spitting everywhere. He scrambled, trying to cover them with his back, shaking his head like a madman.

"W–wait! Don't look! It's nothing!" Shinichi spoke in panik.

The boy who kicked him glared down, fists clenched.

"What the hell is this, huh?!" he asked with fury.

Shinichi didn't answered. He was busy collecing the tablets in panic.

"Are these drugs?" the boy shouted, grabbing him by the collar. "You're taking drugs? In the middle of the day? In school? I'm telling the teachers!"

Shinichi's eyes filled with panic. His whole body trembled.

"No, please! I will do anything! Just don't tell it to anyone!" Shinichi begged kneeling down, crying.

The boy stared for a moment, disgust in his eyes.

"Anything? And what if people find out, huh? You'll be expelled! Maybe even arrested!"

"Please… I didn't mean for this to happen… I just— I can't stop anymore." Shinichi told with broken voice.

The boy released his collar and looked away. His jaw clenched, as if fighting whether to report him or not. He finally said, quieter this time,

"Meet me after school."

When the bell rang, Shinichi met him in the exit gate of the school.

"So, you really came?" the boy said with a smile.

"What else can I do, anyway?" Shinichi replied.

Before they could leave, someone held Shinichi's hand from behind. It was Shuhi.

"Hey Shinichi, thank you very much back then. For finding the papers." Shuhi said with a smile.

Shinichi, after seeing her suddenly, was frightened a little. "You thanked me before. In fact, this is the third time you are thanking me." Shinichi said.

Shuhi after hearing it, let Shinichi's hand go, "Really? I did? Okay if you say so, then it is." Shuhi said, maintaining her smiley face.

Besides the boy Shinichi just met seeing it all, a drop of sweat started to drop from his face. Because of an instant and deep thought, "Wait, is she…Delta? She looks like so. What on earth is she doing here?

"Okay, I am done. Let's go." Shinichi's words snapped him back.

Shinichi then walked beside him in silence. The boy's hands were in his pockets, eyes cold but curious.

"So, you are addicted to this drug, can't get money to buy and took loan illegally. Now you can't even repay your debt, right?"

Shinichi nodded miserably.

"Yes, it is. It started a week ago. I found out about this tablet. Curiosity destroyed me. Now, I can't even think of a day without it."

"And if you could just pay the money, the problem's gone?"

"Pretty much…"

The boy stopped walking. He turned and held out a hand.

"By the way, I'm Haruto Inoue. New student here."

"O–oh. I'm Shinichi. But… wait, what are you planning to do?"

Haruto smiled faintly — the kind of smile that was both calm and unreadable.

"Don't worry. I'll help you with that."

Shinichi froze.

"What… did you say?"

He expected threats, blackmail, anything but that.

"You heard me." Haruto kept walking.

"But why? I just met you and..."

"But you have to promise me that you will get treatment and appoint for a therapy. Never touch drugs again."

Shinichi's lips trembled. "Y–Yeah. I promise."

But even as he said it, his mind kept circling back.

"Why? Why is he willing to help me? How is he gonna be benifited with this?"

After walking for a while, they reached a narrow alleyway which was located in the corner of two large buildings. Haruto went in without hesitation and Shinichi did follow him. After taking a turn, they came to a tunnel which led them underground. Shinichi gulped, seeing a completely unknown place. But he trusted Haruto anyways.

"Where… are we going?" Shinichi asked, voice low.

"Somewhere we can make money fast."

They walked deeper. The light faded. Shinichi's heartbeat quickened as they passed a metal door and entered a tunnel that led down. Damp air, muffled laughter, and faint music echoed from below.

When they finally stepped out, Shinichi's jaw dropped.

"It's a casino den" Haruto spoke out.

"Wait, what? Then don't tell me, u are gonna gamble and make the money?" Shinichi questioned in desperation.

"So, what else does it look like to you?" Haruto replied, turning his head towards Shinichi.

"But…I am already short of money! And besides, gambling is bad. We shouldn't do it." Shinichi gave his hollow suggestion in a hurry.

"And having drugs is a good thing?"

Shinichi stumbled a little at Haruto's words.

"Just shut up and follow me. You are already in hell, don't you see? Yet, lucky to get help at least."

Haruto was not wrong. Practically, there was no way for Shinichi to get out of the mess anyway. So, why not take the small chance he had.

It wasn't crowded — just the sound of slow jazz and shuffled cards filling the dim basement.

They took a seat. The dealer gave a disinterested nod.

"So," Haruto asked softly, leaning closer, "how much do you have on you?"

"Three hundred thousand yen."

"And how much do you need to clear your debt?"

"One million."

Haruto blinked. "One mil?! From a street gang?!"

Shinichi sighed. "They charge insane interest. That's what happens when you deal with the wrong people."

Haruto sat back, silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Okay, listen. We'll find a game that requires some skill — not pure luck. Like poker. Roulette's garbage."

Shinichi tilted his head.

"So… you actually know how to play poker?"

"Not just play it," Haruto said, smirking faintly. "You are right. I can control the flow."

"Eh? Control the—?"

"Now my plan is to use one hundred thousand yen on every round and lose two on purpose. They will think I am a mindless brat blowing off money and drop their guard against me. That's when I will bet my all and win the most!" Haruto explained, turning to Shinichi."

Shinichi stared blankly.

"That's the most bogus plan I have ever heard in my entire life!. You can't decide when to lose or win! What if the cards don't go your way?"

Haruto turned to him, half amused, half offended.

Haruto, after hearing it, turned his head in front. He closed his eyes and smirked a little. "In your entire life?" Haruto replied, "You know nothing at all, do you?."

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?" Shinichi reacted.

"You're about to witness a genius at work. Sit tight and watch."

Shinichi blinked, confused and nervous as Haruto walked toward the main poker table.

Genius? Who even says that about themselves? Shinichi thought.

But something in Haruto's eyes as he turned — calm, sharp, unreadable — made Shinichi's breath catch.

Haruto's lips curved into a confident half-smile.

"No questions. Just watch the show."

The dealer shuffled the deck. The chips clinked. And the game began.

---

"Are you an idiot, kid?" Haruto's opponent shouted, looking at the chips he aquired.

Haruto looked at his side. Only one chip left.

"I will go all in in this turn!" Haruto declared.

Shinichi after hearing, rose in panic. "Just whom did I get myself with? At this rate, all of my money will vanish in thin air."

"You aren't gonna exchange cards?" the man in front asked, mockingly.

"Nope. I got the best hand. You will be shocked, only 2.11% chAncs of getting in first try."

The man ignored his words and exchanged 2 cards.

"Show your cards." the dealer said.

They both revealed their cards. Haruto got 3 OF A KINDbut his opponent had a FLUsh.

"Here goes my hundred thousand! Just like that!" Shinichi narrated in his mind while sobbing.

"Huh kid…do you even know how to play? You should have gone for a strongr hand but you didn't even trade a single card!" Haruto's opponent said, laughing with his men laughing too looking at the scene.

"I demand another round!" Haruto suggested with shear confidence.

THinking Haruto as an inexperienced boy, the man agreed. In this round, Haruto just raised and raised. Even after paying the ante.

"He is loosing again! I may not understand the game but I do understand that he can't win if he keeps going like it." Shinichi thought.

"I exchange 2 cards." Haruto said to the dealer.

"So the boy got his lesson. I trade 3 cards."

Haruto then looked at his cards. High cards, the worst hand possible.

"Exactly as I thought" Haruto narrated in his mind.

"I will go all in!" Haruto declared again.

Laughters of mockery filled the table. It was coming from the watchers, standing there. Most of them with the man Haruto was playing with.

This time they revealed their cards. Thus, Haruto lost a hundred thousand again. At that point, Shinichi lost complete hope on Haruto. He just left the place and sat further with a face of someone who just got broke.

"Okay fine! One last round. I am sure I can regain all the money I lost." Haaruto spoke out, acting hopeless.

Haruto at that time was like a gold mine to the gamblers. Someone who doesn't back off and always looses. There was no reason reject his offer. But in this game, something interesting happened.

"You are gonna fold, aren't you?" Haruto spoke out with a smile, expression unreadable.

His words made his opponent shocked completely to his core. "Wait, how did he manage to know it?" A bluff probably. Looks like the brat has also learned how to bluff a way out!"

"And what if I say no?" the man continued in a bluffing tone.

"You don't need to. Because I know very well that you are holding 2 pairs and thinking of trading 2 cards, aiming for a straight. Am I wrong?"

Now the man's face was clearly saying like a page of a book that he was frightened by Haruto's words. He turned his eyes to his cards just to confirm that what he just said is not all true. Yes, he was holding 2 pairs but he was thinking for a bigger hand. A flush.

"You are not completely wrong, boy. But you have mistaken in guessing two things besides guessing my hand. I trade 3 cards."

"And I fold." This was the first time Haruto folded. Previously it was just like charging with all he got.

His folding saved his chips a little. In the next turn, he traded 3 cards.

"I bet you have a very strong hand. You are gonna raise." Haruto declared again.

"There we go. Again spitting nonsense." The man thought.

"In that case, I will go all in." This was the 3rd time he said that, pushing all his chips to the table.

"I thought loosing 2 games in a row taught you something. But you are as idiotic as you were in the first turn! If you are so confident I will raise then you should have folded!"

THey both showed their hands. Surprisingly Haruto got a stronger hand and he won. He was able to retrieve all his money and a hundred thousand more.

The man barged in fury and demanded another match. Haruto gladly agreed. But shockingly, this time Haruto didn't even bluff a single time. He won in the first time with a full house.

Shinichi was on the corner of the bar, sobbing. Haruto suddenly came in front of him and gave a knock to his head, waking him up.

"Wake up, crybaby! Look what I got!"

In his hands were two bags full of cash. He managed to get seven hundred thousand from the game.

"What the…how did you…" Shinichi's honest reaction was spelled out.

"Told you, didn't I? I can win or lose anytime I want. I can control the flow of the game." Haruto spoke with a smile.

Shinichi still didn't understand what Haruto meant by controlling flow but one thing was for sure. He could trust Haruto. And just like that, they left the underground casino with the urge to find another one and win.

—

Evening, the sun was setting slowly below the ground. Shinichi and Haruto was walking through a footpath, bags full of money in their hands. They managed to collect the full amount.

"I still can't believe it!" Shinichi blurred it out, "Your stupid looking plan actually works!"

"It will." Haruto replied, facing forward.

"Now you keep your promise. Go treat your drug addiction. Take counseling if needed." Haruto reminded him.

"Sure, I will."

"My first ever good deed after getting out from that place. They taught us all kinds of manipulations and deceiving. But I am going to discard it all. I really want to help people. I want to use my abilities for good." Haruto narrated his thoughts.

Chapter 32 - One million yen