"…Is this mahjong?"
In the student council room. There was a sparrow board that looked quite out of place. The gorgeous women who surrounded it made it appear even more unfit.
Perhaps Toya was aware of that and smiled wryly while organizing his tiles.
"I say, is it true that playing mahjong at a welcome party is tradition?
"Hmm…I can play, but does everyone else know how?"
When Masachika looked at the girls around him., they responded.
"I can, I play with my family."
"You know how to line them up?"
"I'm about to do mine."
"I'm sorry, I don't know how…"
"I can do it all."
Surprisingly, there were many that knew how to play. For the time being, Toya thought about everyone's knowledge of the game and quickly formed teams.
"Okay, then we'll play in pairs. I'll be with Kayasaki, Suou can go with Ayano-san, Kuze with Kujo-san, and Kuze-senpai can be alone. Is that fine?"
"I'm sure it's lots of fun, isn't it?"
"Masha, do you know how to play?"
"I only know the basic rules."
Masachika then turned his gaze to Alisa, laughing loosely at Maria as she sat down.
"Well, then I'll give you a brief explanation while doing it, so can you see it from behind me?"
"Yes."
When Masachika took a seat next to Toya, Ayano sat to his right. Apparently, Yuki intended to decide on some strategies.
"Then, shall we start? There isn't much time till school closes, so there's only time for one match. Oh, and there's another tradition…"
At this point, Toya smiled with a grin.
"The winners can give one command to the remaining three groups. Oh, of course, within the bounds of common sense, that is."
"Huh!?"
Masachika, who was partnered with a handicap of an amateur, widened his eyes in surprise. Surprisingly, everyone else was quite enthusiastic.
"Woah! It would be way more interesting now that this is a punishment game!"
"Well, I don't think anyone will command anything unreasonable, so it should be fine~"
"I don't mind."
"As Yuki-sama wishes."
He could imagine how his partner, who also had a strong competitive spirit, would react to this.
"I'm fine with that too."
"But you're a beginner…"
The response was as expected, but when he looked back at Alisa, she had a determined expression.
(How can you have such confidence…)
Although inwardly, he was grinning, Masachika pretended to reluctantly nod.
"Well…then that's fine for me. Also, it is not one command each, rather each group has one, right?"
"Yes. If we did one per person, it would be unfair in case Kujo-senpai won."
"Just making sure."
Maria and Toya treated him like he wasn't an issue from the beginning. Masachika smiled, as though he didn't mind at all.
"Oh, that's right, Chairman. What about the rules?"
Masachika asked while shuffling the tiles, to which Toya answered.
"Hmm…that's right. How about the standard rules? 3 dice, we'll start with the standard tiles. The win condition is 3 suits and 1 pair, like usual. There's no betting, besides the punishment anyways." (Note*: pretty sure this is what it's trying to say, since this is the standard mahjong rules. Not like anyone will read it.)
"Hah…I understand"
"Okay then. Kayasaki, do you want to go first?"
"Huh?"
Kayasaki blinked in surprise, not expecting to be asked to play, as she had intended to only spectate. Masachika was also surprised.
"Huh? Chairman, you don't want to do it?"
"I'll let her try this round."
"Oh, okay."
With that, the game finally started…
(Wait. What's with all the people?)
Masachika noticed that all the members around him were exceptional. The room was filled with overwhelmingly gorgeous and smart people, in comparison to himself.
(Looking at it rationally like this…)
"Kuze-kun?"
"Hmm, let me see. We just rolled the dice to decide that Masha is on the East seat. She can get extra tiles for being first." (Note*: more mahjong wiz, I tried my best. Apparently sitting on the east side means you start the tiles, sort of like a dealer)
Thinking of the rules of the game set up, he hurriedly began to explain.
Ignoring the cold glare from behind him and the all-seeing grin from his right, Masachika continued his explanation.
"Basically, a pair is two of the same tiles. In addition to that, there are four sets of three consecutive tiles or three identical tiles. Those are called suits. For a total of fourteen tiles, 3 suits and a pair are needed to win."
"Ah, I get it now."
"Is it Ayano's turn now? It's a Tsumo when you draw a winning tile yourself, and Ron when you get a tile that someone else has played." (Note*: more mahjong terms, should be correct afaik)
As expected, Alisa quickly understood.
"When does the game end?"
"There's the rule that the game ends when someone reaches zero points, but we can also play without that rule, you can finish even if you're negative." (Note*: mahjong heavily depends on the community you play with, some areas will end the game when someone reaches zero. Other areas will allow you to go negative. I searched it up, and apparently tournament mahjong also allows going negative, so I suppose that's where this comes from.)
"…Is that a good thing?"
"Well, if we were playing bets in this game, real debt is possible."
"Mahjong with bets…have you ever played like that before?"
"Yeah, I have."
"Kuze-kun, may I?"
In the end, Masachika was replaced by Alisa in the seating. In the four turns, Ayano and Kayasaki went twice. Their point ranking was currently Ayano, Kayasaki, Masachika, and in last place, Maria.
(Ayano is solid, calm, and good. Sarashina-senpai is playing like a typical player…Maria-san, does she even know the rules?)
While advancing the game, giving advice to Alisa when needed, the group picked up the pace as they slowly familiarized the game. Because of the silent competition between Kayasaki and Ayano, they were replaced by Toya and Yuki.
Immediately after changing players, Yuki raised her hand, to which Toya made 3 plays. Looking at it from behind Alisa, Masachika slowly saw what Toya was doing.
(Oh, I see…that's what he's doing. There's also suits…)
What Masachika noticed was that Toya was loading and replacing tiles. He put useful tiles in the pile in front of him in advance and replaced them with tiles as appropriate.
"Oops, it's Tsumo again."
"Wow Toya, amazing!"
"Haha, this is the dignity of the chairman."
Toya comfortably accepted Kayasaki's praise. However, looking closely, the expression was slightly shaded. There was an atmosphere that somewhat backfired.
(Oh, I don't know much about Sarashina-senpai, so I'm interested in it even if I'm not playing.)
When Masachika was convinced, he realized that Toya was also impressed with Ikasama.
(Did you notice… Kuze. It's a stone's throw. It's a little surprising that Suo was noticed… I don't think it's bad, this is also a tradition of the Student Organization)
Yes, this is this. It was the tradition of this Seirei Gakuen High School Student Organization.
At the welcome party when the first graders joined, the chairman and vice-chairman played with the first graders in Mahjong. By doing so, it was not a tradition but a bad habit, to put it plainly, and the seniors who were experienced would teach themselves that "If you can't do this much, you won't be able to win the presidential election!"
(Huh… I was told last year that "this is also studying", and I was forced to go around the school ten times at the end of the student organization for a month…)
Toya smiled darkly, remembering the past when they were given a noise complaint. Well, thanks to that, he lost weight and gained guts, and he was still running voluntarily, but that's it.
While saying "study", two people were dating for the run, and when he finished the month, they said, "I did my best" and cried a little, but that's it… It's really good seniors, let's do it!
(Look, chairman, vice-chairman … When I take over the post of chairman, I will show the greatness of the student council president to my juniors with this technique that I inherited from them!)
It was Toya who was aiming for five consecutive rises with some strange tension ──
"Oh, Ro, Ron!"
Alisa made a declaration that she wasn't used to the tiles that Yuki had cut.
"Oh… well, is it 2,600 points now?"
When Yuki calculated the score, she smiled, though she was a little disappointed, whether Alisa had a lower score than expected.
"Huh, could this pay off a little debt?"
"Well, this was done."
When Yuki put out her point stick while laughing with her eyebrows in the shape of a letter, Alisa looked back at Masachika with a fluffy and proud smile.
"Oh…congratulations on your first rise"
"Thank you"
In praise of Masachika, Alisa was in a good mood and swiftly brushed her hair.
(Alya… Isn't it Yuki's turn now?)
Masachika, who knew everything, looked at Alisa's profile with a subtle smile.
No, it's not just Masachika. Everyone except Alisa and Maria had the same perception.
Yuki read that Alisa was cheap, and after reading her winning tiles completely, she deliberately transferred them to Alisa to stop Toya's advance. Only the amateur Kujo sisters were unaware.
"Congratulations, Alya-chan"
"Thank you. Do your best, Masha?"
However, no one could say anything in front of Alisa, who had plenty of room for her sister who had never been up.
Toya and Kayasaki with a smile, Yuki with a wry smile, and Ayano applauding with no expression. The Seirei Gakuen Student Organization Room was a gentle world.
"Hmm, then do you want to resume?"
Toya began to stir the tiles, and the game started again.
Yuki's fine play stopped Toya's play, but at this stage, Maria was already completely shattered. Toya was still in first, with an overwhelming difference between Yuki in second place and Alisa in third place.
(Hmm… Is it about this? If you do too much, others will be suspicious, and you should just let it flow so that you do not transfer it.)
At this point, Toya was convinced that he would win, but…the prospect was unsatisfactory.
"Alya, can I take over for a second?"
"Eh? But…"
"No, I haven't gotten up once yet. You're a beginner and you're up, but I'm not. Please."
"Yes? It can't be helped."
"Thank you"
Yuki was able to get revenge and replaced Alisa, who was in a good mood, and Masachika took a seat again. Then, he exchanged his eyes with Yuki next to him.
Yes… taking down Toya. That was the goal of the siblings.
Toya realized that two minutes later.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Chairman."
"Huh?"
"Ron. My row is twice as full, 24,000."
Only in the second round, Toya was given a tile that was nothing, and he transferred it to Yuki. At this point, he thought that it was a coincidence, but he noticed it at the next turn of Masachika.
"Oh, this is Tsumo."
"Eh?"
Two minutes later, he didn't even turn to Tsumo this time.
"Yikes, it's full of rolls."
"Wow, Masachika is amazing!"
"Oh, have you gone up yet?"
"Yes!? Huh!?"
"Congratulations, Masachika-san"
"Um…?"
While the women showed their reactions, Toya exchanged eyes with Masachika in front of him.
"Ku… you'll do it, Kuze"
"Fufufu… It was a mistake to challenge me, Chairman."
Masachika returned with a fearless smile to Toya with a cramped smile.
Yes, it is crazy. "Wow, Masachika-kun is amazing!" Or something like that, but Yuki was also in charge of that.
(Of course, you've already learned how to operate tiles, calls, and dice!!)
Masachika shouted in his brain that he was likely to be struck by otaku all over Japan. However, this brother and sister had mastered mahjong at a high level. As a matter of course, he was able to get the eyes he aimed at even with the dice. By the way, Ikasama's master was his paternal grandfather.
"If two people work together to load, we can afford to do this kind of thing. It was a pity, Chairman."
"Ku…"
Toya cringed with regret after closing the gap in just a few minutes. On the other hand, Masachika smiled.
"Please rest assured, Chairman. The last round will be done properly."
"What…? No way "
Toshiya was also surprised at the eye contact of Masachika. With the rise of the two of them now, the scores were almost equal, except for the debt-covered Maria. The person who went up to this last could finally win.
"You don't want each other to know about mahjong, right? Would you like to play a serious game here?"
"… Huh, that's fine. Let's show the greatness of the chairman with my ability!"
With a manly smile on each other, the two decided to play a serious game without any tricks.
"Iza──"
"Always ──"
"Game!"
And the final battle of fate has begun ──
"Oh? I wonder if this has gone up."
"Huh?"
The two men looked back with a dumb face to the sullen voice that came up from an unexpected direction.
Then, look at Maria's hand that was released and immediately look at her face.
"Chairman…"
"Yes…"
"It's all about this, of course …"
"…Ah"
"Masha, that …"
"Kayasaki-chan? What happened to everyone?"
Kayasaki has a terrifying expression on her face, and even Ayano opened her eyes, while Yuki opened her mouth with a cramped smile.
"Suuankou single horse, Daisangen, one color…" (Note*: these are Mahjong tiles, not sure what to call them in English, so blame google)
"Oh, there are four roles ~. Well, maybe about 8,000 points?"
"It's a quadruple roll, 128,000 points !!"
When Masachika shouted with a slight smirk, Toya, who seemed to have finally recovered, muttered with a bitter smile.
"What was the battle so far…"
"Really !?"
In the end, due to the miracle rising that returned Maria from nothing, the final result was Maria in 1st place, Ayano/Yuki pair in 2nd place, and Toya/Kayasaki pair in 3rd place. Alisa and Masachika fell to last.
And Maria, who was given the right to command the six losers as the winner…
"Hmm…what to order…"
With her index finger on her lips, she looked around the room… When she turned her gaze to the pouch and ribbon that contained the baked goods distributed at the welcome party, she came up with something "Ah", making a face. Masachika had an premonition of worry. And that premonition was correct.
── After a few minutes.
"No, it sooo cute!"
In the student council room, Mariya with a melting smile. The women seemed a little embarrassed, and two guys trembled with shame.
"Chairman…"
"Kuze, don't say anything …"
An order was issued by Maria. It was "everyone spends the day with a ribbon".
A ribbon that Maria put on her hands. The women are good. The women are. It's just a little image change. Especially for Kayasaki, I don't usually have a pun, so when a girl student sees it, she doesn't seem to scream yellow. The problem was…mob-faced Masachika and old-faced giant Toya.
"What is this punishment…"
"You're still fine. Look at… I'm just a tragedy." (Note*: ouch)
"No no. You are a well-liked person, so even if you do something a little bit eccentric, you will be accepted favorably by the people, but if an ordinary student like me does the same thing, they will just be turned off, questioning what was going on.
The women approached the two who looked at each other with a feeling of sadness like that.
"No, no… isn't it okay? I think it suits you?"
"Sarashina-san… I feel sad even if I'm told that I'm about to laugh."
"No, it suits you very well? Masachika-san."
"My eyes are laughing, Yuki-san."
"Isn't that the case? Hey Ayano?"
"Yes, it suits you very well."
"What is your unclouded eye?"
"Kuze-Kun…"
"Alya…"
Arisa called out to me with an indescribable expression, but as soon as Masachika turned to look at her, her eyes widened as she turned her face away, covering her mouth.
"Come on, say something."
"Oh, I think it's good. Isn't it cute?"
"Laugh! Laugh at me! Laugh at me! Come on!"
"Ahahahahahaha"
"Yuki! Not you! Don't you dare laugh!"
Masachika glared at Yuki, who was chuckling with amusement while dexterously maintaining her lady-like appearance. However, she gave up when Kayasaki started laughing out loud, probably inspired by Yuki's laughter, and even Alisa started shaking her shoulders as she turned over.
"Chairman, Kuze-Kun, look over here~"
"Wait, do you want to take a picture!?"
"Yeah~? It's a special memorial."
Toya gently said to Masachika, who was squeezing his face.
"(Give it up, Kuze. Give up, Kuze. We lost. We have no right to refuse.)"
"Damn it!"
Masachika, with an expression full of bitterness, spit out like a female knight who was been captured by the enemy. (Note*: tf?)
After that, the laughter and shutter sound of the women continued to echo in the student organization room until the patrol teacher came to announce the closing time.