Tsunade always had a fondness for gambling, and that habit never left her, which led many to jokingly call her the Legendary Sucker because of her persistent losses and reckless bets.
Hayashi's theory was simple and pragmatic, not some dramatic reasoning from scholars: Tsunade's gambling was just that, an addiction.
The moment he suggested they play cards, her eyes lit up with interest, and she welcomed him inside.
As for the broken door?
The Third Hokage would probably send Anbu to fix it soon enough.
"Little brat, what game do you want to play? Just so you know, my luck has been amazing since yesterday night."
Once he stepped into the main room, Tsunade walked to the low table and swept aside the mountain of empty bottles and stacked take-out boxes that threatened to smell terrible.
Seeing that, Hayashi's expression dropped; the image of the wise, composed Hokage was gone in an instant.
But there was no turning back, since he had asked for her help.
Even if he was normally meticulous, he would have to endure this chaos.
"I'm not great at poker or dice, but since we're playing, let's try something new," he said, taking an unopened deck of cards from his pocket.
"After all that talk, we're just playing poker?" Tsunade teased.
"That big sister gambled all night yesterday and didn't lose once," he added.
"Really?" Hayashi felt a twinge of panic.
A few days ago she had been losing every time, and now suddenly her luck had turned?
If Tsunade was actually lucky, who knew how many people might suffer from that streak?
Clearly, approaching her now might not be the best idea.
"That doesn't make sense. Based on what I observed, you should have come home in the latter half of last night. Where were you gambling all night?"
"Stop making a fuss. Can't I just play when I feel like it?"
"Then I need to know your strategy…"
"My shadow clone," Tsunade said casually.
"I usually call her 2P, and there's also 3P if needed. Want to meet them?"
"…Forget it, keep that thing to yourself."
Hayashi began explaining the rules, and Tsunade scoffed, "It's still just comparing card values. What tricks do you have?"
"Don't say that, the rules aren't just about comparing cards."
"Kids' stuff."
"If you say that again, I'll go home, or you can play with 3P by yourself?"
"Don't," Tsunade said, crossing the table to grab Hayashi's arm, "I'm not done talking."
"Three Card Poker uses a deck without jokers, 52 cards in four suits, divided into categories."
Hayashi spread the cards, explaining, "They are ranked as three of a kind, straight flush, flush, straight, pair and high card."
"Mmm, mmm," Tsunade listened with excitement, her eyes fixed more on the cards than on him.
Hayashi expected this.
Poker was popular in Hayashi's previous life on Earth.
It was simple to play and easy to get hooked on.
Most importantly, Three Card Poker was easy to cheat at, and Hayashi had ample practice.
Would Tsunade notice?
He wasn't sure about all gambling games, but for Three Card Poker, he was confident he could handle it, especially after refining his hand movements.
Tsunade nodded after considering, "Then deal the cards."
"Yes," Hayashi replied.
Tsunade added at the end:
"You know the ninja rules for gambling, right?"
"Of course, no chakra use, no movements beyond normal sight, and no bloodline or secret techniques."
"Good, that makes it fair."
Her confidence was high.
But the first round wasn't close, she lost.
"…," Tsunade muttered.
"It must be a fluke. Keep going," she insisted.
Her gambler's frustration surfaced.
But the next seven rounds were just like the first; Tsunade's hands kept getting weaker until her final hand was a low sequence like 2-3-5.
Truthfully, Hayashi didn't cheat even once.
It seemed Tsunade's luck was as terrible as ever, and the so-called streak she claimed might just have been wishful thinking.
"Interesting expression… cough, cough, that was quite a time, Tsunade sensei, we've been playing for so long it's late. I'll come play again in a few days."
Hayashi left the cards scattered on the low table and walked toward the door.
One step, two steps, he waited for her to call after him.
Sure enough, as he reached the doorway, Tsunade moved — but not to speak.
She came up from behind and placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
The old wooden floor, long neglected, creaked loudly under her grip.
"You think you can go after just a few rounds? No way. Are you rushing to go find Jiraiya in the red-light district?"
"No, I need to return to Mikoto. Kushina and Hinata are with her."
"Leave Mikoto's treatment to me. Even if it needs special preparations, the hospital can't prepare everything in a day or two, don't rush."
As a price for her long speech, Tsunade added, "Now you have to play with me for half an hour… no, make that a full hour."
Hayashi nodded calmly and then said with mock reluctance, "Since Tsunade sensei requests it, how can a student refuse."
Actually, it wasn't just Mikoto who needed care, but an older man from Jiro's village too.
With the reputation of his clan, he could easily persuade the Third Hokage to let Tsunade treat him, but since he had promised to tell her himself, he felt he should.
So for the next hour, Hayashi stayed at the low table and genuinely played with Tsunade.
To make her feel better about the game and not dislike it from losing too much, he allowed her to win a few small rounds.
When she finally won some hands, Tsunade patted his shoulder with satisfaction and walked him to the door at the end.
"Come back and play next time, I'll be waiting."
She didn't mention the treatment at all.
As they say, people become more self-centered with age.
A twenty-something woman with thick skin was not something to underestimate.
Hayashi smiled quietly, no reply necessary.
If she said she'd prepare, she would.
Anyway, he wasn't worried Tsunade wouldn't be caught.
___
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