Chishiya x isekaiâd! Reader.
Being a huge fan of Alice in Borderland, you assume youâre dreaming when youâre playing the Four of Hearts. You are not.
For Chishiya, your face is an open book. And what he reads on there is so very interesting.
15501 words. (âŚoops. again)
Comments genuinely make my day <3
Lovely people who wanted to be tagged: @9jloo @kimsri @s0ffelip0ffeli
Youâre a huge fan of Alice in Borderland, so itâs no surprise when you find yourself waiting in a company building for a game to start.
It just means youâre dreaming.Â
Going with the flow of the dream, you walk up to the counter to swipe one of the leaflets of the company, as youâre well aware TKT Holding is where the Four of Hearts is played.
As dreams go, itâs all wrong. Dodo is nowhere to be seen, and the woman and man present look different than you remember from the manga.
And, as you realise as you reach past the hooded figure assessing one of the leaflets:
He lifts one of his eyebrows at you, trademark cheshire smirk on his lips. You can feel your blood rushing to your face.
Thatâs the thing about Chishiya Shuntaro. Heâs your current favourite character, to say it lightly. One of your friends called him your fictional crush. Right before needling you about your horrible taste in men.
Which was unneeded. Chishiya Shuntaro is fictional. Youâre well aware he isnât a good person, you defended yourself.Â
Youâre well aware that heâs not someone youâd want in your real life. In fact, you would probably dislike him if you ever were to meet him, you claimed.Â
You didnât quite manage to convince your friend.
Even in your dream, his eyes are so cold behind his smirk. It makes you want to put him through some emotional turmoil. Just to see how heâd react. Change even, if youâre lucky. Heâs so fascinating.
But even with your defences, that doesnât mean that you canât enjoy him as a character. With him being fictional, you can enjoy the thought of him without actively enduring his flaws. Thatâs the great thing about fictional crushes.
Those excuses mean nothing to dream-you, who blushes at the mere sight of him looking at you, marvelling at how real your dream is making him be.Â
He isnât an exact copy of his show version, nor of the manga version, but close enough to both that you immediately recognise him. Long blond hair, signature white jacket, condescending eyes and his trademark cheshire smile.
Besides, itâs a dream. If you think itâs him, dream logic will make it true.
You avert your attention back to grabbing the leaflet. Dream or not, you are embarrassing yourself. Embarrassment is not the emotion you want this dream to focus on.
âSomething interesting here?â Oh, itâs Kuina! You love her. Sheâs so badass. And, arguably, the only one who Chishiya has at least a smither of care for. Youâve read essays on it. Sheâs larger than in the show, more like her manga counterpart, but just as pretty.
Chishiya just shrugs as he walks back to the wall, one of the leaflets sticking out of his pocket.
âHere.â You give her one. âThey might be useful.â
You donât bother lowering your voice, so the unknown man and woman come up as well.Â
âThis is just company junk.â Kuina complains as she takes a look. But she keeps it anyway. âSo, how do you know Chishiya?â
Annoying dream. âI donât.â You lie. Is it a lie?
She sends you a playful, disbelieving look. âCâmon. No one looks at strangers like that.â
Luckily, youâre saved by the unseen announcer.
âItâs game time. First board the elevator and go to the top floor.â
You listen. You want to see where this dream will take you. It has two of your favourite characters in it in a game they donât play. You need to experience that.
As you lean against the back of the elevator, Chishiya does the same next to you.
Itâs unfair how hyper aware you are of how close he is.
Shouldnât you skip the elevator anyway? Dreams are supposed to neglect travel. You blame Chishiya, with dream you being as focused on him as the awake you is.
The elevator takes you to the 24th floor, or, better said, the roof. Hadnât it been a round number in the manga?Â
The roof is colder than you would expect for a dream as you feel the wind playing with your clothes. You ignore that in favour of looking at the stars.
There are so many! And theyâre absolutely beautiful! The milky way is strewn across the sky, a blue and white sparkling canvas.
âEach of you must choose a platform. When all of you are on board, the game will start.â
You take the cleaning platform in the middle, not caring for how it dangles over the edge of the building. Kuina chooses an outer one, with Chishiya taking the one next to her. Your choice of the middle platform means youâre next to him. As expected from a dream focusing on him. Youâre ignoring what the NPCâs are saying as you take in the breathtaking view, not even bothering to listen. Tokyo is completely dark, the only light the milky way shining above. You can spot a few different soft glowing white lights as you keep looking, likely coming from other game venues.
Youâre enjoying this dream. This is not a sight you would ever get to see in real life.
You glance at Chishiya. His face is completely neutral, likely bored. Although he does smirk again when meeting your eyes.
This time you excuse your likely red cheeks with the cold wind.
The screen in front of you turns on, telling you that the name of the game is Survey and the difficulty of a Four of Hearts. You know this already.
âRules: Answer the questions. Time limit: 60 seconds. If you ascend to the top floor, you clear the game. If you descend to the bottom floor, itâs game over.â
You find the buttons with MAJ and MIN, standing for majority and minority, and impatiently wait for the first question.
The answer is majority, of course. The first two questions are majority. Unless the dream changes the questions from what they were in the manga. Thatâd be fun.
The screen finally shows the question as the platform has stopped on floor twelve. âWe asked 100 housewives in Asakusa. How many teaspoons equal a tablespoon?â
Beneath it is a pie chart, showing that the minority, 17%, answered 4 teaspoons. The majority, 83%, answered 3.
Itâs the same question you remember, so you jam the majority button, as the majority of the poll has given the right answer.
The rest is slower than you. The two NPCâs are nervous but decide to trust the survey. Chishiya is simply slow in his movements, and Kuina checks with Chishiya what he thinks before pressing majority like all of them.
Aw, theyâre working together! You thought Kuina and Chishiya would, even if neither the manga or the show shows it. Itâs logical. Chishiya would use Kuinaâs physical and charismatic abilities, in trade for his own intellectual abilities.Â
Youâre loving seeing it in action.
Everyoneâs cleaning platform rises one floor in reward for pressing majority and being right.
You donât read the next question, the picture of the mahjong tiles is proof enough that itâs the same question and the answer is majority again.
The NPCâs seem relieved. As if the game would stay this easy.
Once again, everyone raises one floor.
The next question is not so easy. This time the opinions on the pie chart on whose cabinet introduced the consumption tax act are more divided, 58% to 42%.
You press minority. The two NPCâs will press the majority, you remember, as they donât know the answer themselves and choose to trust the survey.
âItâs minority!â You try to prevent that from happening. âI remember reading about it in the newspaper.âÂ
The woman believes you, sending you a nervous smile. The man presses majority.Â
All of you except the man rise two floors, the reward of being right about the minority. Did Chishiya know the answer himself, or did he believe you?
The man, wrong about the majority, lowers a floor.
Your smile falls as the electricity hits him.
His screams sound so real.
You turn to look at Chishiya and Kuina. Chishiya is as unfazed as you expected him to be while Kuina is frowning. The sight of two of your favourite characters is much better. Still, your dream doesnât stop the horrid sound of screams.
Kuinaâs face is concerned but determined as she looks at the man. Chishiya is looking at you. âInteresting technique.â He tilts his head, mocking. âTeaming with strangers in a hearts game.â
âItâs their choice whether they listen to me.â You force yourself to shrug. Finally the screams stop, but youâre still uneasy.
Itâs just a dream, you remind yourself. Heâs an NPC. His screams, his pain, are just part of the story your brain is telling.
The game doesnât care either. Ten of your seconds have passed before you realise the next question is on the screen.
Majority, you remind yourself of the answerâs pattern. This is where the woman died because she picked minority.
Except, you realise, the question isnât what you remember. This question was supposed to be about some composer. Instead it asks hostesses in Ginza who the president in Tunisia is.
That was question five in the manga, not question four. More importantly, the answer is minority. Not majority.
You curse, pressing the minority button multiple times in hope to correct your mistake. The unease in your stomach is growing.
âItâs minority.â You tell the others, absentmindedly.
You glance up to see Chishiya watching you, again. He seems amused. âMaybe read the question first next time.â He tells you.
The man listened to you this time. The woman, next to you, does not.
The two of you are the only ones who lower. âI saw you pressing majority.â She accuses you.
You ignore her. This is a dream, you remind yourself. You wonât feel the pain. You canât.
White-hot pain seers through you, too vivid for any dream to be as electricity crackles through your platform, your body. You donât remember ever having been in this much pain before as you scream.
You canât do anything. You canât even think. You can only stand, your muscles locked due to the electricity spasming through them.
Current after current of electricity flows through you.Â
Current after current of pain flows through you.
You drop to the floor of your platform, panting.
This has to be a dream. This is a story youâve read. You recognise the game and the characters.Â
Except dreams donât hurt. Words change as you read them in dreams as well, donât they? And youâve been reading the questions completely fine.Â
You donât register the woman asking you for the answer.
This canât be real. You look at your hands.
You feel. You smell. Thatâs odd for dreams. Your vision and hearing are also much more realistic than expected for a dream.
You glance at the screen. âQuestion 5: We asked 100 music conservatory students in Ueno. Which romantic composer is known for such works as âMazeppaâ and âFeux folletsâ? Minority: 45%, Felix Mendelssohn. Majority: 55%, Franz Liszt. Time left: 12 seconds.â
You blink and read it again.
âQuestion 5: We asked 100 music conservatory students in Ueno. Which romantic composer is known for such works as âMazeppaâ and âFeux folletsâ? Minority: 45%, Felix Mendelssohn. Majority: 55%, Franz Liszt. Time left: 8 seconds.â
The words didnât change. That must mean this isnât a dream, right?
Something did change. The timer. 6 seconds left.
If this is real you canât let that tick to zero. You clumsily reach out and press majority.
Youâre right, of course. You glance up as, aside from four da-dings there is one buzz. The man curses at the woman. âYou said it was Felix Mendelssohn!"Â
âI doubted myself. Iâm sorry!â
You force yourself to look away. Chishiya is still a calming sight, his nonchalance a welcome anchor. Heâs looking back at you. Why does he keep doing that if it isnât a dream?
âNot so fun now, is it?â He asks you, his voice in the mocking sing-song note you love.
A snapping sound prevents you from answering. You shut your eyes tightly as you know the cables of the manâs platform are currently snapping. He screams again, swearing heâll kill the woman, a sound thatâs suddenly cut off seconds later.
If this isnât a dream, he wasnât a NPC. That was a living and breathing man. Who just died.
âNo.â You tell Chishiya honestly, your voice a reticent whisper.Â
But youâve lost his attention: Right, the woman, having unintentionally deceived the man, gets to rise five floors.
It was fun to read about, but now the sudden incentive for deceit means you have a lesser chance of making it out alive.
Because youâre in a deathgame. You have to win for your survival.
You suddenly like heart games a lot less than you did before.
You've read the cheatsheet, you remind yourself. You shouldn't have to rely on other's knowledge.
Now, the soft creaking and swaying of the cleaning platform is terrifying. You truly are on the side of a company building, held alive by cables that could snap if you press the wrong button on a platform sixteen floors high.Â
Luckily, the next question is the one you remembered most clearly. âHow conceited.â You hear Chishiya scoffing.Â
âWe asked 100 kindergarteners in Shinagawa. What does âcoeurâ mean?â
Soul or heart? This is a heart game. Of course it means heart. You press majority. Like Chishiya said. Conceited.Â
âIt means heart.â You shout at the woman. If she isnât a NPC, if sheâs real, you donât want her to die.
Thereâs contempt in her eyes. âYou think I believe that? Youâre the lowest out of all of us. You hope to rise by deceiving me.â
âIâve been right about all my earlier calls.â You beg her. But itâs too late. Sheâs pressed minority.
Your eyes meet as sheâs mid-air, hers wide, panicked and pleading.
You canât do anything for her. Her screams are cut short as well.
Youâre on the edge of losing yourself to panic. But youâre in a death game.
It canât be true, but truth doesnât currently seem to care.
Focus first, panic later.
âItâs minority.â You murmur as the next question is posed, just loud enough for Chishiya and Kuina to pick up on. Just to be sure. Even Chishiyaâs knowledge isnât endless.
This was the question where, in the manga, the woman tried to deceive the group on purpose.
âYouâre still trying to help?â Chishiya sounds amused.Â
âChishiya. Let her help if she wants.â Kuina scolds him. âThank you for staying honest even though this game provokes otherwise.â
Her grin almost lifts your spirit. You smile weakly back.Â
The next question is shown.
âWe asked 100 chimpanzees in Ueno. What endogenous peptide does the pituitary gland store?â
Minority: 34%, endorphins. Majority: 66%, norepinephrine.â
Shit. Youâre actually not sure on this one. The reason that youâd known the previous answers hadnât been because you remembered the answers, but because you remembered the pattern. The game theory.
The first two questions are the majority to lull you into safety, so the third is minority, as the game wants to show the consequences of being wrong. Not wanting to be electrocuted again, thereâs likely at least someone whoâll take the risk on minority in the fourth round and die as the answer is majority.
In the fifth round, youâre unlikely to pick minority as you just saw someone die from doing so. So of course the answer is minority.Â
Round six you remembered because the answer was conceitedly heart.Â
Round seven is where that logic stops. You remembered because the woman in the manga tried to lie, but, not knowing the answer, said the right answer. As everyone distrusted her after her earlier false answer, everyone picked the answer she claimed was false. Everyone had been wrong. As they didnât die, the answer had to be the minority.
In round eight, Dodo knew the answer as a result of his motherâs treatment. He lied to the group, having lost his belief in humans. The problem is that you donât remember if the woman died in this round or the round after.Â
If she died in this round, the right answer is majority. If she died in the next round, the right answer is minority.
Wasnât there a thing where Dodo pleaded her to listen to him? Or had it been Arisu heâd had to convince?
And youâre not even considering that the game might have changed more. But you donât think this question has. You recognise it.
âThe pituitary gland stores endogenous peptides that cause a morphine-like effect by preferentially binding to opioid receptors. Theyâre called endorphins.â The smirk is audible in Chishiyaâs voice. Heâs watching you as he says the words in a way that makes you feel like youâre a curious insect heâs observing with a magnifying glass.Â
Of course. While Dodo knew the answer because of reading a magazine in the hospital, Chishiya is a medical student. This is basic information for him.
Or is he a doctor? It depends on the adaptation. Not important right now.
Heâs not saying it to help you. Heâs saying it because heâs curious if youâll believe him.
âDonât be a dick.â Kuina doesnât sound happy with him. âWe only have a minute. And sheâs been helping everyone. I need to know the answer too.â
Chishiya tilts his head. âJust a moment.â
Here is what Chishiya doesnât know: You know him. Youâve read his thoughts. Youâve read essays on him from people better versed in psychology than you.
Heâs asking you, a stranger, to believe him when youâll die if heâs lying. Because, somehow, youâve caught his interest.
He doesnât care enough about his own life to lie here. He doesnât care about rising five floors. Heâs ahead anyway, so his need to win is satisfied. Heâs much more interested in whether youâll believe him.Â
âThank you.â You try your most grateful smile, ruined by an edge of panic, as you press minority.
He tilts his head, and then nods at Kuina, who promptly pushes her minority button.
âWe asked 100 senior citizens in Sugamo. What slang among junior and high school girls means kawaii, or cute? Minority: 47%, kyawapii. Majority: 53%, kyawatan.â
You remember now. If the answer last turn was minority, that means the woman died this round. Dodo was begging people to listen to him after realising how awful it felt to deceive others, but after his earlier lie the woman refused to believe him, even if his words were truthful. As she died, the answer must be majority.
You glance up at Chishiya and Kuina. Chishiya hasnât said anything yet.
Does he not know the answer?
But how could he? Heâs either a medical student or a cardiovascular paediatric surgeon. In neither scenario has he anything to do with the current junior or high school girls. Nor would Kuina.
âItâs majority.â You call up at them. Now he has to believe you.Â
You bet he will. You know him.
And he has to, hasnât he? You know how this story goes. He makes it to the second stage. That means he survives the first stage, including this game.
Or can you mess it up? Could you change the story?
He considers you for a moment. âI believe her.â Kuina says, yet still waiting for his confirmation before she presses the button. âShe hasnât lied a single time. And we proved to her last round weâre trustworthyâÂ
âHmm.â Chishiya keeps watching you as he presses a button. Which one isnât visible from your point of view. âIf you say so, Kuina.â
Kuina presses her button as well.
The two of them reach the roof. You still have two floors to go.
Chishiya steps off the cleaning platform without taking his hands out of his pockets. He doesnât walk away, instead stepping on the edge of the roof above you, to keep watching you.
âTell us the question. We can help.â Kuina shouts at you.Â
âDonât worry. I know it.â You shout back, barely having glanced at the screen.
âWe asked 0 Borderlands residents. What is our company motto? Minority: True and Loyal. Majority: Safe and Secure.â The percentages are a jumbled unreadable mess of numbers.
You pull the flier from your pocket. Thereâs no memorised game theory needed anymore. You have the cheatsheet.
There. âWeâre True and Loyal to our customersâ Is printed on the first page, âTrue and Loyalâ written bigger than the rest of the sentence.
You press minority, rewarding you two floors.
The feeling of relief when solid ground hits your feet makes you feel lightheaded.
âGame cleared!â The announcer chimes.
Now safe, you canât push your panic away anymore.
You drop to your knees. The soft impact once again reminds you that yes, this isnât a dream.
But thatâs impossible. This is a story youâve read countless times. There is no way any of it can be real.
âAre you alright?â Kuina is crouched in front of you. Chishiya is leaning against the door. His gaze is heavy on your body. âWas this your first game?â Kuina at least seems concerned.
Chishiya can read you like an open book. That is why heâs interested in you.
Because youâre a stranger who recognised him. Gods, you blushed, didnât you? Whatever heâs been reading on your face, it mustâve been weird.Â
But itâs not only your meeting with him. Itâs how you played the game. Youâd been carefree until you got electrocuted. Yet somehow you knew all the answers of nonsensical questions that were specifically designed to be impossible to know all the answers to. Sure, youâd forgotten one, but still.Â
âI⌠Iâm probably not.â You try a smile, but it comes out wryly. âI thought this was a dream at first.â You canât tell her the real reason youâre freaking out.
âWeâve all been there.â She holds out a hand to help you up. You take it. âYou played well. Itâs a great skill to have to stay true like that in a game. Especially in a hearts one. You didnât once lie.â
You canât exactly tell her why, can you? You didnât have reason to lie as you knew the answers.
What are you supposed to do? If youâre somehow really in the Borderlands?â
They have amenities. They have teams that clear the games together. Youâll just have to make sure youâre not there for the Ten of Hearts, but that should be easy. Just leave when Hatter dies.
A quick glance reveals that Kuina is wearing a locker key.Â
âIf you didnât know this was a game.â Chishiya drawls. âThen why did you take the flyer?â
You still. Youâre a horrible liar, even if part of your words are technically true. âI suppose I was going with the flow of my dream. You were interested in them, so I figured theyâd be important.â
âSo how do you two know each other?â Kuina seems very interested in that.
âWe donât. Sheâs a stranger. Arenât you?â
You remember how you blushed, feeling your cheeks turn red again. How the hell are you supposed to explain that?Â
Youâre exhausted, just got electrocuted, and are going through a reality crisis. Heâll know when you lie, right? Itâs Chishiya.
âYou remind me of someone else.â You lie lamily anyway. âSomeone I have a crush on. I thought you were the dream version of him at first.â
Please donât call me out.
âOh?â Chishiya sounds amused. But behind that smile, his eyes are calculating. He definitely doesnât buy your lie.
Shit. If this is the Borderlands, Chishiyaâs focus isnât something you want to have. He might be your favourite character, but thatâll only blind you if he decides to manipulate you.
âDonât embarrass her further.â Thank you Kuina! She really is the best. âFirst games are always heavy.â She turns back at you. âThere is an organisation that bands together to defeat the games. You could come with us. Itâs always better than being alone.â
You eagerly take her offer.
You want a shower. And only the Beach will offer one.
The ride back and the introduction to the Beach go by in a trance. Youâre mentally exhausted from the game and the very scenario youâre in, and the Beach makes it worse.
The car ride itself isnât that bad. Kuina drives, explaining the little information about the Borderlands she has to you as you nod along and hope itâs convincing enough. Chishiya sits in the passenger chair, earbuds in both of his ears, connected to a walkman, as he stares outside, likely to distance himself from the two of you.
Still, you catch his eyes in the rear-view mirror so now and then, gouging your reactions.
Is his walkman a taser? Itâs not in the manga.
But when you arrive at the Beach? You recognise people. You hope it isnât written over your face this time. The music and the bright lights might be overwhelming, but the people?
Asahi and Momoka sitting at the edge of the pool. Their youth slaps you across your face. Theyâre really just highschoolers. What a nightmare theyâre in, losing hope in humanity as other dealers choose to lose their morals instead.
The room of the executives? You know most of them by name. All of them, while not exact copies, look similar enough to their show and manga counterpart that theyâre easily recognisable. You appreciate Mahiru being there. Heâs a friendly face. But Aguni and especially Last Boss are unnerving. You could do without Niragi leering at you. Ann is stoic behind her glasses, similar to Kuzuryu.
Mira is creepy. She smiles at you, a smile that invites the thought that she knows your darkest secrets.
Does she? Are the citizens aware that thereâs now a player that knows the rulebook?
Gosh. Youâre already thinking as if all of this is real. You hope youâre wrong. This isnât fun anymore.Â
Chishiya, lazily, takes his place amongst the executives. Does that mean this follows the showâs continuity? Heâs not one until the very end of the Beach in the manga. But then Mahiru wouldnât be here, would he?
You really need that shower.
Hatter sweeps into the room, as dramatic as both his show and manga counterpart portray. You feel a twinge of sympathy at the memory of his death scene, but you currently canât take his flourishing seriously.
When he reveals the answer and shows the wall of cards, your expression mustâve betrayed that youâre not surprised.Â
âSorry. Itâs been a very long few hours. This all is⌠so much.â You defend yourself. And then, just because youâre curious how heâll react, you ask: âWhy are there no jokers on the wall?â
Hatterâs showmanâs smile brittles. âYouâve got a clever one, havenât you Chishiya? I shouldnât have expected anything less.âÂ
âStatistically improbable.â Kuzuryu tells you from the sidelines. Heâd know, as an undercover citizen. âThe jokers donât contain suits and are exempt from several card games.â
âBut youâve got a red and a black joker.â You argue. âCouldnât they just each represent two combined suits?â
The glance between Mira and Kuzuryu is short, but itâs there.Â
Hatter leans closer to you. Closer than youâre comfortable with, granting you a whiff of his over-expensive cologne. âWeâve got it on good authority that there are no jokers needed to complete the deck.â Thereâs a dark undertone in his voice, and even your exhausted, still-processing-this-might-actually-be-real brain realises you shouldnât push more.
Even if you really want to ask him about his supposed authority. Just to see him lie.
Hatter tells, no, orders Chishiya to lead you to your room, which he does without a word.
Half empty bottles, clothes, trinkets and useless money are strewn around, even on the stained bed.
You remember now. The people here donât expect to live long enough for the benefits of cleaning, so they simply donât. You didnât care before about how depressing that was. Now you do.
ââŚAny chance thereâs a cleaner room available?â
Chishiya doesnât deign that with an answer, just sending you an uninterested look before turning to leave. He doesnât even say goodbye.
You take that shower you so desperately wanted. Against your hope, the hot water doesnât bring you back to your real world. Instead, the wetness, the damp, is horrifyingly real as it spatters down on you.
You close your eyes as you focus on the water pouring over you.
Theyâre terrifyingly real. The characters who youâve loved to read about and watch again and again are terrifyingly real.
Theyâll go through actual nightmares before this is over. Youâre not sure exactly, but youâd bet youâre at the start of the story.
That room you were just in, filled with executives. Those people will die. Some of them, at least.
The people you saw dancing. Most of those will die.Â
Suddenly youâre nauseous.
Maybe. You know who the Witch is. But would Niragi, the Last Boss or Aguni let the crowd listen to your suggestion?
You suppose you could save Tatta. Just tell the group to attack the King of Clubâs base after theyâve attacked the playerâs base. It wasnât guarded on the correct assumption the players wouldnât dare.
The bigger question is, should you?
Youâre not as charismatic as some of them. You donât know how to convince crowds while lying.Â
You donât have plot armor. And the whole âitâs about the will to surviveâ seems very flimsy now that youâre actually in this world.
In both adaptations several people who wanted to survive died. Minor characters from the Jack of Hearts come to mind.Â
No, you donât trust your will to survive to take you through this.
Bring attention of the main characters to yourself, and you could easily be killed.
While the show focussed on them less, in the manga multiple nameless people are shown to survive. The smart thing is to become one of them. With your knowledge of the games, you can make it through stage two easily. Just keep an eye on the blimp of the King of Spades.Â
In stage one youâll have to try to join games you know the answers of like the Four of Clubs, the Four of Diamonds, or either version of the Three of Clubs.
Do not enter any stadium. Youâre not as resilient as Heiya. Nor do you want to lose any limbs.
You slide down to the floor of the shower.
You wonder if your readiness to make plans is rooted in your hesitation to believe that any of this is real.
But youâd better act like it is real, you think grimly.
Youâd rather realise this is a dream after you did all you can do to survive, than die because you slacked off.
You bury your face in your hands.
Theyâre real. Chishiya Shuntaro is real. Kuina Hikari is real. Akane Heiya is real. Arisu. Usagi. Ann. Theyâre all real.
What if you change something, and the story changes for the worse?
The story you know has an ending you love. The themes of everyone coming to their own conclusion on why they are alive is beautiful.
But, currently more importantly, most of the characters youâve grown to love survive.
The second stage is beaten.
You canât prevent Chishiya from using Arisu and Usagi to steal the cards. The timing of when Arisu had tried to convince the militants of the Witchâs identity had been perfect: it was exactly when they started to doubt what they were doing and, in the manga, when their magazines were empty. When Niragi and the Last Boss were dealt with.
What if he tries to convince them earlier because heâs not tied up at the start, and gets shot fatally for his efforts? Ann gets knocked unconscious for knowing the identity of the Witch.
Who would clear the Queen of Hearts if Arisu dies? Hell, would even the Ten of Hearts get cleared in that scenario? What if meddling would cause the players to lose stage two? Or maybe even stage one?
You canât mess with the main timeline. Which also means you should keep your head low and your distance from the main characters.
So no more stunts like asking a room full of executives about the jokers.
And, importantly, you remind yourself:
You like Chishiya just a bit too much to be unbiased.
That is dangerous with someone as manipulative, as unempathic, as him.
So out of every main character, you should definitely stay away from Chishiya Shuntaro.
Your plan is going great: The next noon Chishiya is teaching Kuina and you blackjack in his own room.
You slept horribly last night. Too exhausted to properly clean the bed, you simply shoved everything to the side and lied down, trying your best not to think about the stains.
Despite your exhaustion, the night was spent tossing and turning, drifting in and out of sleep as your mind keeps trying to make sense of your new reality.
You still force yourself to get up in the morning, not wanting to endure the stains any longer. Your plan for the day is to clean up your room. At least, your bed and the bathroom.
Others might not have cared as they believed they wouldnât have long, but youâre stubborn.Â
You will live to see the next stage. And you refuse to do so in a room in such a disgusting state as this.Â
Besides, staying in your room is a great way to avoid any main character, all of whom generally reside outside of your room.
Except Kuina didnât get that memo. She shows up to take you to the storage room to get you a bathing suit.Â
Sheâs Kuina. How could you say no to her?
You donât regret it, not really. She finds you a bikini that makes you look amazing, but you still add a jacket. Mostly because you want pockets.
Then she offers to guide you around the Beach, and again, how could you refuse?
Youâre riding the high that Kuina seems to like you. Itâs a welcome distraction to your crisis.
You find yourself relaxing in her presence as you talk about yourself and learn more about her. You donât even have to lie. Itâs easy to avoid the part of your life where you loved a specific story.
You didnât expect that a tour involved barging into a certain blondâs room.
Chishiya doesnât look up from his book, some medical journal. Does that mean heâs still a student?Â
âYou promised me youâd teach me blackjack.â Kuina reminds him.
âI remember.â He still isnât looking up. âI donât see how that correlates to barging into my room unannounced with a hanger-on.â
âChishiya is smart.â Kuina explains to you, underselling his skills. âYouâll learn great strategies from playing with him.â
You remember a fan translation of his words during the Six of Diamonds:
Please, feel free to take note. After all, the only thing idiots can do is mimic others.
Itâs human to mimic others to learn. If he thinks youâre an idiot for it then you can at least pretend you succeeded in keeping your head down.
You do not think of yourself as an idiot but youâre definitely not calculating-card-counting-strategies-your-first-game smart so he might think youâre one.
If he doesnât already from when you pressed a button without reading the question.
âI do not remember including stragglers in that promise.â Chishiya flips a page.Â
âGames are more fun with more people.â Kuina drops a deck of cards on top of his book, causing Chishiya to finally look up.Â
âRemind me why you need me to teach you what you plan to use for a drinking game?â
Kuina rolls her eyes. âDonât act like you arenât better than the others I could ask.â
Oh, he definitely is. âI am. But I highly doubt that, even sober, you will be able to replicate card counting theories or cheating techniques.â He tilts his head. âHowever, you attempting those while drunk might be entertaining to watch. Fine, then.â
You have to actively remind yourself that you are in the scene and not watching it on television. But still, the fangirl in you is so happy just to see the two of them interact outside of necessary scenes.
As Chishiya explains the rules, sounding bored, you consider how ironic it is youâre learning from him. Everything you know about blackjack, you learned from the pages showing the Six of Diamonds, where he learned to play.
He tries to make you play for favours. You and Kuina both quickly reject that. The two of you might be idiots by Chishiyaâs standards, but both of you are smart enough to know you definitely do not want to owe Chishiya Shuntaro.Â
You end up playing with real money, which of course is useless in the Borderlands, but still easily found by now-dead-morons (Chishiyaâs words) of the Beach hoarding the stuff.
You do actually win a few rounds. More than Kuina, so at least youâre not losing.
Card-counting Chishiya wins expectedly the most. Especially once he decides to start to learn Kuina how to cheat.
You try cheating, you really do, but each attempt his eyes fall on you and he clicks his tongue.
You quickly realise heâs watching you more than Kuina.
Heâs learning your tells, isnât he?
Why did you agree to a game that involved deception?
You didnât. Kuina pulled you with her, you remind yourself, and you couldnât bring yourself to say no.Â
Yet you don't regret it. Youâre having fun as you squint at Chishiya, debating whether he cheated, and how, or whether itâs his plot-given luck factor in play.
He smirks at you, not even putting on an innocent face. He knows you canât prove anything either way.
You are proud of yourself that you donât blush. You truly shouldnât find this so attractive.
As he calls your bluff, you donât mind. Instead, a warm feeling spreads through you. Youâre not used to being seen. Yet Chishiya is able to do so without having to try.
It isnât often that Chishiya Shuntaro meets someone who stays on his mind.Â
Yet you? Thereâs something off about you.
Heâd almost brushed you off immediately when you looked at him and started blushing. But then heâd seen your eyes. Or rather, the recognition in them. You were looking at him like you knew him, yet still liked him enough to blush.
He does not remember you. As it stands to reason, that should mean youâre someone neglectable if he has met you.
Youâd been completely nonchalant, fearless in a way that had him conclude you must have thought this was a dream. You wouldnât have been the first.
He could see the excruciating realisation in your eyes when the electricity hit you.
A rather painful reality-check, but an effective one. Suddenly youâd been afraid.
All in all, not that interesting. What was interesting was your knowledge of the game.
Even Chishiya did not know all the answers of the niche questions. So itâd been very handy to be able to listen to you declare them as if you had memorised a cheat sheet.
Youâre bad at keeping a poker face. A myriad of emotions were shown to him throughout the game. Shock, fear, horror, certainty. A notable lack of surprise.
Kuina might believe this was your first game. Chishiya does not. Or, at the very least, he reckons you mustâve known about them before.
So the next day, with a few subtle words, he managed to get Kuina to think it was her idea to lead you to him.
He had intended to use blackjack to learn your tells, but truly, that wasnât needed.
Your face is like an open book.
Which makes what he reads on it fascinating.
You do seem to believe you know him.Â
You immediately noticed his card counting. You werenât surprised nor bothered at his skill, both off the game and off calling the two of you out. You donât shy away from what heâs told are cold and empty eyes, no, you seem drawn by them.
But it's not just him you know. That same recognition is in your eyes when you look at Kuina. As it was when you looked at the room full of executives.
He has long hypothesised there should be. The need of a VISA implies there are people without. The Four of Hearts confirmed it in his eyes, as the last question polled the Borderlands residents.Â
And how else could you know him? Something or someone is observing the games, if itâs god, aliens or people.
During the next few days, he keeps up his usual patterns, although he does keep a small eye out for you. Itâs only when you need to prolong your VISA that his attention is mostly on you again. He waits at the car assigned to your group.
Itâs a Seven of Diamonds. Almost interesting. Solving the game would give him some satisfaction, but he pushes you to deal with the puzzles first.
Against his expectations, you donât know what to do. You try, what others would call amiably, yet fail.
What a change from the Four of Hearts.
Youâre lucky that heâs willing to take over, as solving the game does somewhat satisfies him.
He guides the third Beach member into a trap under the pretence of confirming his strategy. It serves mainly as a test for you.
He doesnât care to watch the woman as she dies on his behalf. Instead, he watches you.
Again, that lack of surprise. You do seem uneasy, but thereâs an acceptance in your eyes.Â
Youâre not a citizen. Your earlier clumsiness was real. You do not know the answer to this game.
Was the Four of Hearts a fluke? He doubts it.
Youâre a mystery he intends on solving.
Kuina seems to like you, so keeping you close isnât a problem.
While he prefers different methods of manipulation, having an aversion to touch, he makes sure to brush your skin with reasonable intervals.
Without fail, your skin turns red.
Fascinating. Youâve seen his apathy for a human life in action, yet youâre still so easy to fluster.
Itâs useful. It keeps you close while he figures you out.
Your next game proves that the Four of Hearts wasnât a fluke. He assumed it would the moment he sees you pale when the venue comes into view.
The botanic gardens. Not exactly a venue that inspires fear. Unless you know something others donât.
Your hands are trembling when you put your collar with the headset on. Do you notice?
There are few times Chishiya has been genuinely irritated in his life. Yet he can feel the feeling creep up on him as heâs listening to the rules.
Hide and seek. There are three lambs and one wolf. You become the wolf by making eye contact with the current wolf. When the time is up, the lambâs collars will explode.
Kuina is useful. And, somehow, heâs found himself feeling something like fondness for her. Itâd be⌠annoying if she died here.Â
You are his mystery. What a shame if youâd die before he can solve you.
Kuina glances at him and Ann, nervous for once, hoping for a solution from one of the intellectual people.
Neither he or Ann gets the chance to ponder.
You blurt out a solution before the rules can even properly sink in. Before panic can sink in.
âThe table of tools has to be there for a reason.â You argue. âIt has all the needed tools to disconnect the collars from the headsets. The rules said the lambsâ collars will explode. What if we disconnect the wolfâs collar from their headset, make the next person the wolf and disconnect their collar too? Until all of us have disconnected collars?â
âIt seems the headset is what keeps track of whether youâre a wolf or a lamb.â Chishiya muses out loud. âIf you disconnect your collar when youâre a wolf, the last signal the collar will have received is that youâre a wolf, even if youâre a lamb.â
Itâs a sound theory. You offer to be the guinea pig before anyone can hesitate.
While definitely a risk, itâs better than letting three of them die, even in Chishiyaâs eyes.
Unfortunately, the other three agree heâs the best candidate to do the disconnecting. Obviously true, but it does mean he has to work.
It isnât complicated at all. He just has to undo some obvious bolts and cut a single wire, the straightforwardness likely being a hint that youâre right.
Youâre tense. You donât even redden as his fingers accidentally brush your skin.
You flinch at the snip. âIt seems like your idea has merit. The connection is severed without triggering the collar.â
âYou couldâve warned me.â Your hand shoots up to feel the disconnect for yourself.
âWhy? So youâd experience extra anxiety?â Chishiya leans closer, smirking. âDid you have doubts?â
Strangely, his mocking seems to calm you as you take a deep breath and turn around to meet his eyes. âDoubts are only human.â
Three beeps penetrate the air. âThe wolfâs role has switched!â
âSeems like itâs my turn.â He says as he hands you the tools. You blanch, not taking them, your eyes glancing at Ann. Ann would be the obvious choice, being a forensic scientist, her training granting her steady control over her hands. A fact you should not know. âAm I truly the best choice for that?â
âProbably not ~âŞâ He does not lower his hand. If the job was more complicated, he mightâve handed the tools to Ann. But itâs not, and he prefers your reaction.
Youâre gentle as you brush his hair away. Itâs strange. People never do gentle with him. Youâre naive, arenât you?
But you did get your hands to stop trembling. And while not as smooth as heâd be himself, you do manage to sever his connection without a single mistake.
He slowly tilts his head to make eye contact with Kuina after he hears the snip, taking the tools back wordlessly to work on her collar.
His fingers donât brush Kuinaâs skin a single time.
After all four collars are disconnected from the headsets, all thatâs left to do is wait.
Chishiya doesnât listen to Kuinaâs chatter, not needing the distraction the woman is trying to provide.Â
Even she falls silent when the timer hits ten seconds.
Your eyes are on him. Is he really what you want your final sight to be?
The other three seem to tense when the timer hits zero. Chishiya has no such reservations.Â
He calmly takes off the headset and the collar as they loosen. So itâs another day he does not die. How fortunate.
Kuina pulls you into a hug. âYouâre amazing. You saw the solution immediately!â
The flash of panic in your eyes is badly hidden. Did you not think it mightâve been smarter to wait a little?
Ann notices as well. âIâll make sure the Hatter is aware of your quick thinking.â Her polite words belie her calculating interior.Â
You attempt to laugh it off, awkwardly. âThatâs not needed. I just got lucky thinking of it first. Iâm sure one of you wouldâve figured it out as well.â
âOf course.â Annâs smile is perfectly polished.Â
Chishiya tilts his head. He doubts you thought of the answer yourself. You were simply repeating what you already knew.Â
It seems that this is one of the rare games offering a price. Four pieces of mutton lie waiting on a plate, next to a card. âPrice: Ramâs meat. Mutton is rich in vitamin B2, perfect for an aftergame meal. Enjoy.â
Itâd be a shame to let a good meal go to waste. All of them enjoy their piece.
What a cruel price, Chishiya muses as he chews. Itâd tell a sole survivor that it didnât have to be that way.
A day later, he knocks on your door as a faux-courtesy before opening it. Youâre sitting cross legged on your bed, eyes wide, your hand pulling back from the pillow.
Oh? Are you hiding something?
You forgot about the pencil in your hand.
Itâs second nature to keep his face neutral, bored even. âKuina wants you to join her at the pool.â
âTell her Iâll be there in a minute.â Youâre trying to make yourself look normal now. If Chishiya was any other man, it could be called endearing.
âIâll walk you.â You blink, rightfully so. Why would he?
But heâs great at excuses. âKuina wonât stop bothering me to join her unless I catch you. Iâm trying to get some quiet.â
You believe him. More importantly, you get up. As you do so, you realise youâre still holding your pencil. Chishiya is sure you think youâre subtle as you hide it in your pocket.
He only leads you to the staircase, pretending to make for his own room.
Instead, the moment youâre out of sight, he goes straight for your room.
If Kuina is at the pool, sheâll pull you into the party. If sheâs not, youâll waste time searching.
Either way, heâll have some time.
Under your pillow lies exactly what he was hoping for: an unassuming notebook. He props himself up against your headboard, legs strewn in front of him, as he flips it open.
The first page is empty. The second page holds a name: Alice. Under it are specific cards written in a list. Likely games. He lets out an amused exhale before flipping through the pages. Rabbit. Caterpillar. Cheshire.
Clearly, your notes are still a work in progress. Cheshireâs page has the same kind of list of games as the other pages, but here youâve started to add some small details.
âSix of Diamonds: Blackjack (manga)
Five of Spades: Tag (both)
Ten of Hearts: Witch Hunt (both)
Jack of Hearts: Solitary Confinement (show)
Jack of Diamonds: Mahjong (manga)
King of Diamonds: Beauty Contest (both)â
He stopped because, well. The Six of Diamonds was his game. The one he played when first entering the Borderlands. The small notes at the bottom of the page make him frown.
âManga: Neglectful doctor father. Interest in Mona Lisa â> Da Vinci just wanted to be seen. Medical student (father/tried to feel something). Gun.
Show: Paediatric cardiovascular surgeon. Poor patients died because rich bribed their way up the transplant list. Walkman taser.â
âCheshireâ is clearly him.
Interest in the Mona Lisa. ThatâsâŚ
Itâs true. The painting stays stuck in his mind in a way nothing or no one else has. He does wonder about the theory that the woman painted is Da Vinci in disguise.
Itâs not something heâs ever shared with anyone. He hasnât talked about it a single time. These thoughts have only ever existed in his head.
His eyes go back up the page. Of all the games on the list, he has only played the Six of Diamonds. The executives still argue the existence of the face cards. Are those games he's supposed to clear in the future?
Whatâs interesting is whatâs in the parentheses. Manga or show.
The false names youâve given? Alice in Wonderland characters. His own preferred theory for the Borderlands is that theyâve stumbled into something. Nowhere and no place in particular. A strange fantasy land you read about as children.
Just like the rabbit hole.
This notebook suggests that youâve read about this particular fantasy land. With these people.Â
He lets out another amused exhale.
It does make sense. He already considers this world different from his old. Why not the existence of a third? One where heâs a story?
It would explain why you know some games but have no clue about others. A quick scan over the pages reveals the âFour of Heartsâ and the âSeven of Heartsâ on Aliceâs list.
This has just made you a very powerful pawn. An asset, even. You know more about this world than anyone else inside of it.Â
The corners of his mouth tick up.
Itâll be easy to keep you close. You have an obvious infatuation with him.
Chishiya does not react as the door flies open, his lips just turning slightly more upwards. Moments later the notebook is snatched from his hands. âThatâs not yours.â Your voice is an anxious snarl. âAnd Kuina says to keep her name out of your schemes unless you ask beforehand.â
Heâll see. He tilts his head to meet your eyes. âYou canât blame a man for being curious. You were clearly hiding something.â
âHiding means I donât want you to see it!â
He stands up, smirking. âAnd thatâs exactly why I took the opportunity to look.â He tilts his head. âSo my mystery is from another world, is she?â
Whatever you were about to say comes out as sputtering instead.
âI had assumed you were a citizen at first. But while your situational knowledge might suggest so, your emotions are a stark point against that idea.â He steps closer to you.
âA citizen?â You seem abashed. âIâd never make the choice to stay.â You seem to realise your mistake immediately.
âA choice. To stay. That implied we do get to go back. Or become a citizen.â He canât help but sound the slightest bit interested. Would he get to create his own games as a citizen?
You attempt to backtrack. âYou believe that? Why would you take my word for it?â
âTch. You should know perfectly well Iâm not an idiot.â Really, you should drop your defences. But you will, soon enough. He leans in slightly. âAll of us came from one world into this one. Why wouldnât there be a third? And apparently one where this is a story.â
Youâre finally surprised. He can see why you would think no one would believe you so readily. But the Borderlands are real. Your world can be too.
He brushes a strand of hair behind your ear, your skin expectedly reddening beneath his fingers. âAnd you blush so easily. Am I your favourite character?â He says your name slowly, teasingly. âYou did write the most about me.â
You avert your eyes in embarrassment, but theyâre back quickly enough. âDonât make assumptions.â
âSuch a bad liar.â He strokes his thumb over your cheek a single time with the intent to make you fluster. It succeeds. âDonât you want to see me win?â
Youâre very close to leaning in. He can see it in your eyes. But you do know who he is, so instead you take a deep breath and force yourself to step back, grabbing his hand to push it away from your face.
His smile widens. âAnd here I thought you liked that.â
âYou know I do.â There, youâve dropped your defences. And, apparently, his hand. He returns it back to his pocket as he leans back slightly. âBut Iâd like it more without the taste of manipulation.â
Fine. He wonât stop, of course, but right now he can behave. âAlright. Then how do you want to do this?â
Youâre staring at him for long moments as you comprehend what he means, what he wants, before saying: âYouâre assuming Iâll tell you.â
That is only a matter of time, but saying that might prolong it. âThe Cheshire cat dies in some adaptations. Iâd prefer to avoid a similar end.â His next words drip with a mock-hurt. âYou donât want me to die, do you?â
âExactly. I like the way the story I know ends. Iâm not going to change it.â
Ah. Thatâs a fair point. Him knowing might change his actions, which will change the ending. And if he likes the current ending? For once ignorance might actually be bliss. âWill I like that ending?âÂ
Your eyes soften. âYes.â So he would be unlikely to die.Â
He nods, his smirk falling away for his neutral expression. âI assume our Seven of Hearts was played by someone else? Otherwise you wouldnât have intervened.â Thereâs no reason to not let you think heâs read less than he has.
You nod. âAlice. The story, as far as I know, hasnât started yet.â
âHave you taken the role of a character, or are you yourself?â He asks you.
You blink. âIâm myself. Iâm not part of the story.â
âThen there has already been a change.âÂ
You grumble. âI tried to avoid you.â
His amused smile returns. Had you? âYou failed drastically in that aspect. But statistically, it means youâre in danger. While Iâm not that well-versed in fantasy, Iâm of the understanding that side characters in genres with a high percentage of death have a low rate of survival.â
You swallow at his words. âHow about we make a deal? I make sure youâll get the ending youâre content with, and youâll make sure Iâm right next to you. Alive. Iâll even tell you details I donât think will mess up the story.â
He takes you in. Thereâs a hopeful look in your eyes, so ready to work with him despite what you must know. You likely even know that this is what he wants from you. He nods. âWe have a deal.â
Your smile is soft, and thereâs something about it that sticks out to him. Heâs not sure what.Â
He glances around your room. While youâve cleaned the bed and bathroom, itâs still in a disgusting state otherwise. It might make you more agreeable. âYou should pack what little belongings are yours. Youâll stay in my room from now on.âÂ
Itâd be counterproductive to be honest and tell you it would make you easier to manipulate. Or that he'd rather keep your face like an open book away from others. Yet he doesnât have to lie, not technically. âThere are certain people at the Beach whoâve caught some dislike for me. Theyâve already noticed that youâve been around me. I have my status as executive and a reputation to use as a shield. Kuina has her own reputation. You do not. Given that those people have a tendency for guns and alcohol, Iâd rather not let one of them remember that these doors donât lock.â
You shiver. âNiragi. Fine. But thatâs not the sole reason, is it?â
A bit of honesty, then. âOf course not. Iâd rather keep you to myself.â
You flush again at those words. Clearly trying to distract him futilely from it, you ask: âYou donât seem taken by the news that this is a story.â
âIs it? Or is your story simply about our world? Maybe youâll find a book here about your world if you try.â
âYou mentioned, or will mention, to someone that you intend to be the main character. But youâre not. You mustâve realised.â A bit rude, but yes. Alice would be the main character of a story based on Alice in Wonderland. But you donât consider a different perception.
âAm I not? More stories can exist at the same time. And youâve landed yourself in an isekai.â He leans closer. âYouâve made it clear that Iâm important in your story. Important enough for a main character, perhaps.â Heâs never read an isekai. But if youâre the protagonist, heâs important.
Heâs your love-interest. Not that he has any interest in reciprocating, which you seem to know, but it does leave him in an optimal position.
âThen you should be careful to avoid manipulating me too much.â You actually sound worried about him. How sweet. âI donât want you to become my antagonist. That would end badly for you in that genre.â
For a small moment, his eyes almost soften. Youâre worrying about the wrong person. As if to prove so, he shows you his often-worn confident smile. âIâm smarter than that.â
You seem relieved at his clean room, until you realise that thereâs only one bed.Â
As a medical student and a resident of the Beach, Chishiya does not care much for modesty. Heâs seen enough naked bodies for all of them to blur together. He wouldâve objected to sharing a bed, he does prefer his private space, except that the bed in question is of a laughable size. Thereâs more than enough room to share without having to encroach in each otherâs private space. So he shrugs at your expression. âSleep on the couch or the floor if you donât want to share. Itâs a big bed.â He truly does not care.
He starts to take off his jacket, it is nearly night. You turn around, beet red, as you realise heâs about to change into sleepwear. âIs it a doctor thing that you have no sense of modesty?â You ask him as you pick your own pyjamas from your small pile of belongings. âOr are you doing this on purpose?âÂ
He is. But he also has no intention for inconvenience in his own quarters. âMedical student.â He corrects you instead. Your notebook mentioned a manga and a show. Did the show bother to age him up the necessary years for him to be a surgeon? âYou are one in the show.â You tell him needlessly. âAnd your parents are. Your father, at least.â His mother is as well. As youâre currently with your back towards him, you donât see how his smirk ices just the slightest at the mention of his parents. Most people wouldn't be able to notice even if they did see. Would you?
âThereâs a show and a manga.â That was obvious from your notes. But he wonât interrupt you as you freely offer information. âWell, an anime too, but it has only three episodes. So far most of the details follow the manga over the show, like you being a medical student. But youâre not an executive yet in the manga. Thatâs a show detail.â
âAnd the games?â He prompts, faux-gently. You seem eager to finally be able to talk to someone about this. And itâs clear you respect his opinion.
âTheyâve completely followed the manga over the show thus far. Except that the wrong people have been playing them. Maybe some games repeat themselves?â
How lazy of the gamemakers.
You turned around as you talked, assumedly not consciously. Luckily for you, heâs already clad in the comfortable sweatpants he sleeps in.Â
He considers you, and your information.
You truly believe what youâre saying and heâs seen how badly you lie. You really believe you did go through a standard isekai plot. He does find it the most logical conclusion for your irregularities.
âDid you die?â He asks you. Thatâs standard for an isekai, isnât it?
Would that mean youâd have to die to enter the Borderlands? Chishiya does not remember dying. Just the fireworks.
You seem surprised at his question. And then uneasy, as if you donât like the implications. âTo get here.â Chishiya clarifies. âIsekai protagonist often start the story by dying.â
âIâm not sure. I donât know what triggered me to come here. The last thing I remember is going to bed on an ordinary day.â
âThere are plenty of ways to die in your sleep.â Heâd name some, but you already seem very uneasy.
âAs far as Iâm aware, I was healthy.â That really doesnât mean much.
âThat doesnât change it. Lots of people think theyâre in perfect health moments before death.â
âSleep well, Chishiya.â You disappear into the bathroom. Ah, did he talk about your morality too much? Youâve been surrounded by death for a week now. You should get used to it.
He moves his pillows to the side of the bed, settling down. He doesnât bother opening his eyes as he later feels the mattress dip tentatively.
Over the next few days, he shamelessly ups his amount of accidental touches. Itâs amusing how easily you blush, but thatâs not why he does it.
As you fluster, youâre more likely to blurt out things you otherwise wouldnât have said.
Itâs how he learns that dealers exist. Not really a surprise, someone has to set up the games, but itâs welcome that he has confirmation.
He patiently lets you drill him about the Six of Diamonds. You seem impressed by how he dealt with that circus of monkeys, even if you confirm the manga did not change a single bit.
You are not impressed when, after he tells you about his plan to steal the cards, he asks you to help him. By being the one to enter Hatterâs room.
He wouldnât actually, of course. Your information makes you too valuable to be bait. Still, itâs useful to test your knowledge.
Besides, your reaction amuses him. Much like most of you does. He even lets out a low chuckle when you donât answer, just glare.
âDonât worry.â He performatively reaches out to brush his hand against yours. âYouâre too valuable for the role of bait.â
He notices you dislike how often he goes out for games, even though he has weeks left on his VISA. Yet you donât try to prevent him, either because you donât want to touch the story or because you know itâd be futile. He does give you a short debrief each time, to check if any of them align with your knowledge.
Your dislike stems from concern.Â
Tch. He doesnât get why you seem to care. Useful, but needless.
In one of his games, he watches who must be your Alice.
Heâs at the top floor of an apartment complex, watching over the game venue as a tagger haunts the hallways. Chishiyaâs arms are folded on the railing, his chin leaning on his hand.
Your notebook had mentioned this game, and itâs important enough for it to be both in the show and the manga.
Alice, or Arisu, as heâd heard the blond call the man, seems kind as he helps the newbie crawl away from the gunshots. He also seems at least somewhat clever, proven by hiding from the tagger instead of running.
Those are main character traits, right? And âArisuâ is how most Japanese would pronounce âAliceâ.Â
Aliceâs bunny is there as well, if he had to guess. The climber is impressive, hopping all over the venue.
Hmm. Itâs probably time to step in.
When he returns to his hotel room, youâre waiting for him as always, reading a book. Itâs⌠something. Not being alone anymore.
âI met your Alice and his rabbit.â He tells you as he takes off his shoes.Â
âYou played Tag?â You immediately close your book to look up at him âThe story has begun?â
He takes a seat opposite of you, clasping his hands together so he can lean on them. He silently nods in confirmation.
Itâs the first game that has the right people and was featured in both the show and the manga. You seem eager to know which it follows. Logical. Knowing if one supersedes the other might save your life. It might even save his.
Heâs bombarded with questions. He answers them calmly.
The answer turns out to be both and neither. Tatta, the name of the newbie, was there which points at the show, but there was a lack of Aguni. There was only one tagger, which points to the manga.
Him saving Aliceâs blond friendâs life by tasing the tagger? That didnât happen in the show, but in the manga he used his gun. Chishiya doesnât take his gun to games, as his taser is more easily hidden. More subtle.
You seem disappointed. But you seem to miss you still know significantly more than even him. âDetails change, but the big storybeats seem the same. First some important characters got introduced. Then a tagger with a gun works against them. Thereâs the twist of two buttons. The building explodes if the game isnât cleared.â
He doesnât know why heâs reassuring you. But it does seem to work.
You notice almost immediately when Chishiya comes back from a game irritated.
The signs are small. Miniscule even. But Chishiya comes back tense.Â
His movements are more forced neutral. Thereâs a glint of irritation in his eyes. After a single nod, he ignores your existence completely instead of debriefing the game the way he usually would.
âAre you hurt?â You ask him. He doesnât seem to be.Â
His answer, before he disappears into the bathroom, is a curt: âNo.âÂ
Youâre already in bed, pretending not to watch him as he comes out. You want to comfort him, somehow, but youâre not sure how.
He seems like heâd prefer to be alone right now. As youâre unwilling to leave the suite at this time, the most you can do is be a calming presence.
So you stay silent as you feel the bed dip beside you. You stay silent as you listen to his even breathing.
Youâve almost fallen asleep when he finally talks.
âWhy do you like me?â
You glance at him. At first you think his eyes are empty and cold, but no. Thereâs something in there. Something you canât place. Not irritation. Something more⌠vulnerable?
âYouâve read my thoughts, so you know what I am. Selfish, vain, pitiful. I sacrifice others for my own gain without hesitation. Yet you somehow like me.â That last sentence is said in a low, mocking voice you completely ignore.
âThatâs only human, right?â You ask him. âYouâre highly intelligent. I was fascinated by watching you play games and your nonchalant attitude. I like that youâre allowed to be ruthless and manipulative without the story villainising you for it. Even when you betrayed the main character.â
âYouâre explaining why you like the characters based on me.â He interrupts you. âYouâve met the real me for a while now, seen who I am. Thatâs very different in person when you could be the next one Iâll hurt. Why do you still blush whenever I touch you?â
âYouâll think me naive.â
âYou are naive.â He dismisses.
You sigh, your voice turning vulnerable. âYouâre perceptive. I liked imagining you noticing me, and you do. In my old life, people never noticed when I was feeling⌠less. Iâm not a good liar, but people never questioned when I put up a false smile. And I was right. You do notice it, earlier even than I do myself. You notice me.â You smile at him to hide your embarrassment for your next words. âThe manga made it clear that you canât bring yourself to care about people. But it also implied you tried. That it is one of the reasons you became a medical student. It shows you looking for someone interesting.â You pause, your next words barely audible, your eyes firmly on the ceiling instead of him. âI liked to imagine Iâd be that person. I know Iâm not, but the thought was nice. To be special to someone who otherwise doesnât care.â
âYou just want to be seen.â There is not a hint of his oft used mocking or sarcasm in his voice. Itâs softer than his usual tone. Almost actually soft.
Itâs also what he says about da Vinci. Itâs why the Mona Lisa stayed in his mind.
You look back at him again. His eyes are firmly on your face, and you can swear theyâve softened slightly. His fingers reach out to brush against your own. âMaybe I do find you interesting.â
You scoff, looking away again. Heâs manipulative, you force yourself to remember.
He finds Kuzuryu and his ideals interesting. While you donât particularly have a low self esteem, you donât delude yourself that youâre like that. âCâmon. Me? Youâve already figured me out. Iâm not a mystery anymore.â
âSo you do think these are manipulation.â He says as his thumb rubs circles on the back of your hand. âClever girl. Youâre still naive.â He doesnât sound the slightest bit bothered. You donât pull your hand from his, however naive that makes you be.
âIt was a Clubs game.â He tells you, his tone returning to normal, with that earlier edge of frustration. âWorking with others is bothersome. Working with certified morons can get⌠frustrating.â
âThatâs why you shouldnât join games on your own.â You berate him. âIf Kuina or I were there we couldâve done the social parts for you.â
âTch.â He lays back on his back, although his hand stays on yours. âYouâd only unnecessarily risk your life. Keep playing for your VISA only.â
He tilts his head to look at you, amusement back in his eyes. âAfter all, youâre valuable.â
This version of Chishiya you know how to deal with. âI probably shouldnât have told you the way to my heart, should I?â
The look Chishiya gives you seems almost fond. âNaive.â
Yet he doesnât take his hand off of yours. Youâre pleasantly surprised to find it still there when you wake up in the morning.
Chishiya changes his behaviour towards you after that. While he always saw you, now he actually acts on it.Â
Itâs actually ridiculous how others in your life did not see you. Chishiya has considered you an open book from the start.
Youâre too silent after your next game, so heâs the one to bring the card to Hatter, and for once his sarcastic remarks are missing. When he finds you hesitating over the morals of letting people die just so the story will be followed, he calmly lists the pros and cons.Â
He can see in your eyes that you donât believe it is genuine. That heâs manipulating you.
Heâs not sure whether itâs manipulation anymore.
But his touches have become less frequent. When they do happen, theyâre slower. More clinical.Â
For the first time, Chishiya is letting himself feel them. Feel your skin under his fingers as they brush against your wrist, your shoulder, or even your waist.
He finds himself oddly enjoying it.
Naturally, his attention wavers when your main characters join the Beach. Arisu and Usagi. The actual victims of his plan.
You avoid them like the plague. He can see the guilt in your eyes, and he, for some reason, reminds you in a reassuring voice that theyâll survive. You havenât told him so, but their lists in your (now burned) notebook had been too long for them to die at Chishiyaâs indirect hands.
He likes that youâre not like Arisu. The man seems ready to risk his life for others. Itâd be a pain if he had to include that in his calculations.
When Arisu and Usagi agree to his plans, he comes back to you satisfied.Â
Instead of the chair opposite from you, he sits down next to you on the couch. Youâre reading, so he picks up a medical journal of his own. If heâll return to the real world, he does need to keep his studies up.
The guild is radiating off of you. Tch.
As he reads, his hand comes to lie on your knee. Experimentally, he strokes his thumb twice before just letting it rest there.
You become less tense under his touch. Good.
He still doesnât completely understand why youâd choose a manipulative, vain bastard like him over someone like Arisu. But he is the one who makes you fluster, makes you blush. Who manages to calm you down.
The feeling that thought brings to his chest is unfamiliar but pleasant.
You seem to have problems with meeting his eyes as he tells you where to wait for him while his plan is in motion. He considers it as he watches you leave during Aguniâs speech.
You want the best for him. He doesnât doubt that, but he still mentally prepares for an unexpected obstacle.
He did not expect it to be the Ten of Hearts.
The game is⌠a lot. Even for him.
Heâs already irritated by the end of it, but Kuinaâs anger worsens it.
Your easy acceptance had made it easier to consider the idea of her forgiving him for using Arisu and Usagi.Â
He finds you exactly where he told you to be. Youâre curled on the ground against the wall, hiding your face against your knees and clamping your hands over your ears.
Youâd known this would happen.Â
Youâd known that heâd be stuck with gun wielding maniacs in a game of hearts he could not care less for. That Kuina would be that furious with him.
He stands in front of you as he watches you, considering.
When you finally look up, your eyes are wide, red and damp. Something happens in his chest. Itâs unpleasant.
He ignores it. âYou knew that would happen.â Heâs careful to make his voice observant instead of accusing.
Your nod is slow, hesitant.
Chishiya nods towards the door once before promptly leaving, not once glancing back to check if youâre following him. He does hear you scramble to get up anyway.
The car trip is silent, as is the climb through the apartment complex to his old place.
He makes straight for his bedroom, leaving you to your own devices.
Except you follow him. His bed isnât as big as the one in the Beach, but any thought of containing distance evaporates as you, tentatively, curl up against him.
It succeeds in what none of the games have managed to do. Chishiya Shuntaro freezes.
After a moment, you seem to have taken his lack of response as a sign to make yourself comfortable. You lay your head on his shoulder, put your arm around his bare waist and hook your leg over his.
Youâre close. Closer than anyone has ever been. Willingly.
The side of your head is pressed comfortably against his skin. Are you listening to his heartbeat?
Youâre trying to comfort yourself.
âŚThat makes sense. Why did he not realise immediately?Â
He forces his muscles to finally relax.
Experimentally, his arm moves, wrapping around you as his hand finds a spot of bare skin to rest on your waist.
He does not mind this as much as he imagined he would in the past.
You seem to begin to melt against him as he tilts his head so that the lower half of his face is buried against your hair.
âYou wouldâve died if you tried to convince them who the Witch was at the start.â His voice is gruffer than heâd meant it to be. âThere were too many rogue elements preventing compliance.â
Niragi and Last Boss wouldâve killed you for your peaceful attempt at a solution. Aguni had wanted the whole Beach to die with an amateur army at his disposal.
Youâre not good enough at crowd control to have prevented that at the start. Arisu had only managed to turn the tides when people were already hesitating.
Others might feel betrayed by your lack of action or warning. Chishiya does not care.
âI know.â Your voice is a low whisper. âIt still feels horrible.â He canât help you with human emotions. âAre they still alive?âÂ
That, he can help with. âWho?â
âKuina. Arisu. Usagi. Ann. Tatta. Mahiru. Aguni.â
âI believe so.â Heâd seen all except Aguni at the end, gathered by the pool.Â
You let out a relieved exhale. âKuina defeated Last Boss.â Your voice is more amazed now. It has less of that guilty undertone. âIt was awesome. Sheâs decided to face her past so sheâll have a future.â
âHmm. Good.â He would prefer to talk about anyone else.Â
âWas she mad?â Was there a timeline she was not?
âYes.â His voice is curt.
âIâm sorry.â You shouldnât be.
âDonât be.â Objectively, Kuina was right. âSleep well.â
You get the message, taking a deep breath. It doesnât take long for you to fall asleep like this.
Chishiya takes much longer. Now that youâre sleeping, he could remove his face from your hair. He does not.
Heâs well aware that itâs human to find close contact enjoyable. Heâs never felt the need nor want to before. Is it human that he does enjoy this? Or is it just⌠you?
It takes a while for him to fall asleep. But when he does, he wakes up remarkably refreshed.Â
He has not moved an inch.
As he refuses to stay in a dirty place, he spends the morning cleaning the gathered dust in his apartment. You help. Normally heâd quietly resent that, as others donât do things the way he prefers.
Apparently, you are not normal.
When taking a break, he takes the initiative to teach you another card game. It amuses him when you realise heâs using the deck.
The world has granted them an interlude, which youâre expectedly not surprised by. You seem to welcome it.Â
Chishiya supposes a few days without games canât hurt.
That night, you donât curl up against him. Chishiya is used to the emptiness. He is empty. Always has been. So why is this particular emptiness so noticeable?
With barely any pressure, he pulls at your shoulder once.
You get the hint. Itâs better with you curled against him again.
This isnât manipulation anymore. He has to admit that to himself.
You still believe so. He can see it in your eyes during the day, each time he finds himself behaving strangely domestic.
Heâs not sure what else it could be. So he does not correct you.Â
The TV turns on after a few days. Chishiya simply sits down on the couch, legs stretched onto the coffee table, as if itâs the evening news.
The citizens' speeches are ridiculous. He makes more commentary than he would if you werenât there, noticing your smile at his scathing comments.
The end of the interlude means the VISA continues, and you do not have the ten days granted by the Ten of Hearts.
You bring the subject up tentatively, as if he hadnât already decided to take you with him into a game. You suggest the Jack of Hearts. Not what he wouldâve chosen himself. But with your explanation, it makes sense.
The game will grant you a suit that changes each round, if you guess the wrong suit you receive a game over. You can only learn your suit by being told by others. As one of the players is the Jack of Hearts, who has the goal of being the sole survivor, people are incentivised to lie.
But he knows you wonât lie to him, and you rightfully believe the same about him. You also already know the Jack of Heartsâ identity.
âThere is months of fresh food in there.â You seem to think he needs convincing.
The game is exactly as you said. This, he considers as heâs savoring his favourite brand of cookies, feels like cheating.
Heâs watching you. While initially youâd said it would be best for neither of you to interact with anyone else, you are not following your own advice.
After you paled at Setoâs death, you seem to have realised that none of these characters' survival will impact the plot.
Heâs amused by how youâll search out people you know have been lied to, telling them the truth.
He only steps in once Matsushita corners you.Â
Hypnotism is an untested science he has little patience for. Heâd rather not be proven wrong by an attempt on you.
When you glance back at him while convincing some rich girl of her true suit, he lazily waves at you. You wave back.
Most of the people you try to help die. But you donât seem to care. You saved two. Out of twenty. A cult leader and said rich girl.
Fortunately, his cold demeanor as he stands behind you deters them from suggesting to team up outside of the prison.
Youâre happy as the two of you make your way back to his apartment, carrying a bunch of food. It means something to you, that you've managed to save two measly lives.
It makes him feel lighter, somehow. Seeing you like this.
Chishiya does not feel the need to go out and play games during the next few days, content to just be. He freely offers to teach you more boardgames, and one time you convince him to read one of your novels together on the couch. He lets you lean against him, his arm finding its way around your shoulder.
The book is ridiculous. You should be too.Â
Itâs interesting that youâre not.
Now that the first stage has ended, you tell him all about the dealers, cutting yourself off when the subject of citizens comes up.
By now, Chishiyaâs reasoned that heâs dead. Or, at least, that his heart has stopped. He does not tell you, as you get a panicked look on your face each time he pieces anything together from your words he should not yet know.
Itâs on the sixth day of stage two that he does get an itch. The Jack and King of Diamonds have not been beaten, and he knows from your notebook that he will be the one to clear them.
Not that he needed your notebook to tell him that.Â
So he calmly tells you heâll be out. You bid him goodbye with a false smile.
The Jack of Diamonds disappoints him. The King of DiamondsâŚ
He takes the long way home in an attempt to sort his thoughts out.Â
Kuzuryu died for his ideals. Chishiya does not know what to think of that.
He meets Arisu at what was once Shibuya Crossing. But before he can confide in the other, he gets shot.
It doesnât bother him that much, even if the pain is irritating, as it misses his vital organs. What does bother him is the thought of how youâll react. Was this why your smile was so false when he left?
But this he can do. A shootout between three different but similar people. Itâs more up his alley than pondering Kuzuryuâs words.
He canât help but picture your face.Â
You, who wants a good ending for him.
You, whose opinion somehow has started to matter. Whose happiness has started to matter.
You, who should be in his apartment, but is suddenly standing there, your face paling as you take in the scene.
You, who Niragi takes aim at.
You stumble as you try to find cover. In the corner of his eyes, Chishiya sees Arisu take aim. Foregoing his words of dropping out, because Niragi takes aim as well.
For the first time in his life, Chishiya Shuntaro feels afraid.
Being shot a second time does not bother Chishiya Shuntaro either. It is not you being shot what matters.
You shout his name in distress as he tumbles from where he stepped in front of you, kneeling over him.
âThis wasnât supposed to happen until tomorrow.â You panic as you try to stop his bleeding. âIâm not Usagi. This wasnât supposed to- I shouldâve known- the other games have been beaten early-â
He stops your rambling by tenderly stroking your cheek. Your knowledge does not matter to him anymore. Not in the slightest. He says your name softly, yet his next words are brutal. âThereâs no need to stop my bleeding. Internal damage is what will kill me, and I need working medical equipment and specialists to prevent my death.â
âJust a few hours.â You bring both your hands up to cup his cheeks instead. âJust a few hours, and youâll be fine. You can do a few hours.â
Arisu says something, but his attention is on you.
Itâs nice to have someone look at him with such concern. Such⌠love.
It would explain some of his irrational behaviour.
To test it, he pulls you closer. You make a surprised noise as your lips meet.
He absentmindedly notes that, while his body does heat up, his reaction isnât purely physical. He can feel his mental defenses dropping. And your reaction is much more interesting to him than his own.
You seem to have forgotten your surroundings as you melt into his touch, making an interesting noise between pleasure and concern.Â
So heâs likely experiencing romantic feelings. He did not know he could feel those.
As you pull away, there is this soft look in your eyes, but the slightest hint of hesitation as well.
âYou donât still think Iâm manipulating you, do you?â Chishiyaâs voice is low, amused.Â
ââŚNo.â You seem to have made a decision. âI do not.â You turn around to face an Arisu whoâs pretending he wasnât watching. âPlay the Queen of Hearts. Please. He wonât make it otherwise.â
He doesnât hear Arisuâs reaction, lost as it is in the sound of a falling blimp.
âThe King of Spades.â You tell him after Arisu has left. âBelieve me, everyone should be happy that game followed the manga.â
Maybe. Heâs more preoccupied by the feeling of your hands on him. While not scientifically possible, they dull the pain of his wounds.
Now that it appears theyâve reached the end of the story, you ramble on about what you call the lore in an attempt to distract yourself.
âIâll deny citizenship.â He assures you softly as his hand gently plays with your hair. âBut youâll have to wake up too. In my world. Not yours.â
You hesitate. âI donât think thatâs my choice to make. But I want to. I really do.â
Thereâs something youâre avoiding. He clicks his tongue.
âWe wonât remember.â You admit, whispering. âReturning means weâll forget the Borderlands.â
Thatâs just ridiculous. Chishiya Shuntaro does not forget things. Certainly not something as important as you.
When the fireworks start, he pulls you in for another kiss.
He wonât let himself forget you.
You wake up in a hospital bed in a world so much like your own but different.
But, as you realise after encountering him in the hallway of the hospital, Chishiya does not.
He only addressed you after noticing your stare, asking you a condensencing âDo I know you?â
âNo.â Youâd walked away quickly, not wanting him to read the hurt that must be visible on your face.
You bury yourself in your other problems to distract yourself from that ache. While you have a passport, itâs all you have. Whoeverâs place youâre taking had a job and an apartment around Shibuya Crossing.
Neither does this new you seem to have a family or friends. Nor can you find evidence of a degree.
Itâs a blank slate. You are a blank slate.
When the hospital discharged you early, as overflowing with patients that they are, youâre directed to a shelter quickly emerged for those made homeless by the meteorite.
You donât have enough money for an apartment in Tokyo. But youâre desperate to stay. You won Chishiya over once, maybe youâll be able to do the miraculous twice.
You underestimated Chishiya Shuntaro.
He turns up a month after youâve found a job at a bookstore. âIâm searching for a manga called Alice in Borderland.â He drawls from behind you.
Too close for any proper customer to be.Â
As you turn around, your eyes wide, he cups your cheek in his hand with a tenderness he only displayed after getting shot.
âDid you really think I could see that lie on your face and not wonder?â His amusement is tinged with an edge of annoyance.
âYou remember?â You say hopefully.
âTch. Obviously.â He tilts his head as he considers you. âI just had to gather some clues. Do you have Japanese citizenship? A home?â
As if he doesnât already know. He did have to find you somehow. âI am legal, luckily.â You confirm anyway. âBut otherwise Iâm a blank slate.â
âYour shift is over in three minutes.â You smile. He should not be able to know that. It seems like he has used questionable resources just to find you. âI donât care about your blank slate. Iâm taking you home.â
And he does take you home. Because your home isnât in the world you were born. Nor is it in the Borderlands.Â
No, this is your home. Right here, with Chishiya Shuntaro.
