"I'm going to leave a third of the money that Cory earns to you, Hylli. Invest in something that has a decent revenue. If you earn more, give it to Cory instead of pouring it into another game. We're going safe. We're not going to lose out on any more money. Oh, and if the principal calls for you, just ignore them."
Hylli carefully listened to my words and soon nodded with a serious expression on his face. It seemed like he had regained his senses and hope–the despair around him had dissipated. It was nice to see, so I gently pressed on his shoulder.
"Then I'm going to take the other third and invest in some high-risk, high-revenue games."
I wasn't too sure, but I was kind of lucky. It was something I noticed whenever I played against Swan. Even though I was moments away from losing, when I had to leave it all to luck, I always won big. Even Swanhaden accepted this particular skill of mine and complimented me.
"We'll regroup soon after a bit."
We all hyped ourselves up and went to our separate positions. I rubbed my hands together as I walked forward.
It was time to rock and roll!
[The booths will close in 10 minutes. Once again. The booths will close in 10 minutes.]
The announcement rang through the hall.
"...."
"...."
"...."
A quiet passed through us.
I lowered my head as my shoulder shook. Then, I turned around and walked back to them. When I turned around, Hylli and Cory had also stopped. All three of us were smiling like mad. I think I lost it. Hylli seemed to be in the same boat.
I walked to the two of them and held their hands.
My feet led me to the most risky but most well-paying place of all.
"Hahaha! All in!"
"Pour it all in!"
We snickered as we moved.
There were a lot of people on the same boat as us. The students who were generally pleased with their earnings were just meandering around while the others were all betting on one chance. Everyone wanted to hide their dark pasts.
"Let's go!"
"All in! All in! All in! All in!"
"Let's go to the finish line!"
All the poor students were pouring in droves. Now that there were only ten minutes, everyone was more desperate to hunt down some cash.
Everyone was going all-in because it was the last game. I couldn't help but pity the students who were on the same boat as I was. I licked my dry lips. It tasted like lipstick.
I closed my eyes and briefly prayed to someone. I was hoping someone was listening. I was so desperate that my hands began to get sweaty.
"Odd! Odd! Odd! Odd!"
"Even! Even! Even! Even!"
A bunch of students were already participating at 'that' booth.
The legendary 'Odd Even' booth, that would give you double the pay if your bet was correct. Just like how all the desperate students bet their money here, I poured all of my hard-earned money here. My five hundred Augrans.
The game had short rounds, so I could definitely earn a lot in ten minutes.
I did some quick math in my head. I could get 1000 Augran on the first round, then two thousand, four thousand, eight thousand, sixteen thousand, thirty two thousand. If I raised it up to there, that was enough. Then I could earn a coupon. Sorry to Cory and Hylli, but if I got twenty thousand, I was going to buy mine first, then buy one for the desperate Hylli and then Cory.
My dark past was at risk here. A bunch of students probably had videos of me singing or dancing or even more. I didn't know about everyone else, but there was one particular person that I hoped didn't see it.
I poured in everything I had to participate in the game. Hylli and Cory, who were completely broke, cheered from outside of the game room.
The people who bet on odds sat on the right and the evens on the left. The game presenter flipped a coin, and when they caught it the side that had 'silver' in the empire language was odd, and the side with the founding emperor, looking suspiciously like the principal, was the even side.
II took out a coin from my pocket and flipped it to see.
I didn't want to just wing it, so I just chose what I got with my coin. The face was on the front, so it was even.
I chose even and went to the left.
"Even! Even! Even! Even!"
Just moments earlier, I had frowned at the students loudly cheering odd or even, but here I was, sitting right here with them. I stomped my feet with them and cheered loudly. The students outside got excited too and yelled from outside the room. It was getting heated.
Even the bands that were performing outside looked to see what the commotion was all about.
I wiped my sweaty hands on my dress and yelled "Even" with my hopes poured into each shout.
The presenter, who had flung the coin and had it on their hand, made us wait.
"Eveeeeen!"
Everyone on the even side cheered. The male students threw their neckties while the female students threw their shoes. Everyone cheered in excitement. I was so excited that I was about to yell when I became cowed by the sheer volume of everyone and just quietly waved my fists in the air.
Hylli and Cory waved their hands outside and cheered excitedly for me. That was enough.
All of the students who were on the odd side left the room, and only the ones who won the previous round stayed to earn more. Only one or two students left from the even side. Everyone was desperate.
I flung my coin again. I prayed that my luck would follow again. The result was odd. I walked to the right, to the odd side.
"Oooodd!"
I clenched my fist and yelled out a "Nice!". After winning twice, a lot more students began to exit. Only those who were dirt poor remained. Hylli and Cory watched as I didn't know how to express my joy and burst into laughter.
I flung the coin again and it was odd again. I moved to the odd side. I knew I was kind of lucky, but winning consecutively like this made my mood fly sky high. If I succeeded now, then...
Please….. please be odd. Pleeeeeeeease.
"Odd!"
I succeeded.
I couldn't believe my luck. A bunch of students had lost money, or had left after earning however much they needed. There were less and less people in the booth. But I still stayed.
Success was right there, and my will was burning up. I just kind of jokingly said all of that about my luck, but luck was really on my side.
I won a few more times after that. When my bet became 16,000 Augrans, I sighed deeply. I was almost there. If I won this round, I could have 32,000 Augrans. I could earn one coupon.
I placed a kiss on the hand I held my coin and flung it again. It was odd. I headed to the odd side. I was the only one left in the booth. Everyone else was outside of the booth and was cheering me on. They were all awed at my luck.
Please...please be odd….. Oooooooooddd... Pleeeeeeeeease. I prayed, muttering to myself.
I walked to the right and the presenter flung his coin.
The result was,
"Odd!"
My legs almost gave way and I almost fell for a bit. Oh my god. I succeeded.
I unknowingly let out a loud scream. I was the only one left, and I was the only one cheering loudly, so the cheer rang loudly. I was throwing my fist in the air.
"It's thirty two thousand! Look at this! From five hundred to thirty two thousand! I created something from nothing!"
I was so happy that I waved excitedly to the students watching me. Hylli and Cory were clutching their stomachs in laughter at my excited self and were clapping and cheering in congratulations.
I succeeded in my plan. It was a pretty bold plan, but my luck had helped pave the way. I immediately left the game booth and went to the presenter to collect my money. The presenter wiped the tears he had shed from laughing so hard and told me that I had done a good job.
I had collected all of my Augrans, but a thought entered my head just then.
"If I double thirty-two thousand, then that'd be sixty-four thousand….."
Then I could get the coupons for Hylli and Cory. I closed my eyes. Whew. I wanted to try it again. If I did, then it would be the perfect ending for all of us.
I had earned all of this with my continued luck. I had a feeling that I'd be able to get lucky this time too.
I stopped my feet from heading back to Hylli and Cory and walked back to the presenter.
I grabbed all the money I had just collected and put it in front of the presenter again.
"All in."
When I spoke those two words, loud disagreement erupted from around me. Hylli and Cory, who were clapping at my return, went pale.
"You can stop, Shushu! I'm okay! My image is already rock bottom anyway!"
"Shushu, I didn't need a coupon to begin with. Stop it and just come back!"
Everyone tried to stop me, but I shook my head. And I handed my money to the presenter.
I looked down and shook my head again. I shook it one more time. I looked up, full of intent, and gave everyone a thumbs up.
"Let's all graduate with dignity."
Sparkles. Everyone covered their mouths at my dignity. I slowly walked back to the seats of the game. I could hear everyone cry out in agony from behind me.
"Shurainaaaaaa!"
"Noooo!"
I flung the coin that would decide my fate. Before I flipped to see if it was odd or even, I prayed again to whoever was listening and pressed a kiss onto my hand. It was kind of embarrassing, but it was kind of a ritual at this point. I didn't know. I was desperate.
I flipped my coin and it was even. I sighed and headed to the left.
The presenter gulped as they flipped the coin. I could feel the presenter cheering for me. The coin flipped a few times in the air. It was so slow that I gulped too.
The coin fell on the floor instead of the presenter's hands, and they quickly stepped on the coin.
The presenter raised their foot to check the results. I prayed again and again that it was even.
Then, the results.
"Eveeeeen!"
"Aaaaaaah!"
The presenter yelled loudly and cheered. I was the same.
Everyone looked aghast. From five hundred to sixty-four thousand. It was something to be shocked.
I ran towards Hylli and Cory as if to show them. Hylli and Cory were also clapping wildly and greeting me warmly.
"Haha. I said! I said I could do….."
"No, I saw it wrong. Odd!"
And the presenter dropped a bomb on us, just like that. It felt like I had been slapped on the back of my head.
I turned around and stalked over to the presenter and gripped his shoulders tightly. The presenter looked down and apologized. "I just wanted you to win so much. I saw it wrong..." I couldn't say anything to that kind of explanation.
"...haha. ...Ha..ha….."
My legs shook. I felt like my legs were going to give way right there. I held onto the wall and barely walked. The others ran towards me to check my state, but there was no way I was okay right now. I respectfully shook off the hands on me and stood up straight.
I had become broke in mere moments. I looked back at the clock. We still had five minutes left.
T/N: GAMBLING IS BAD FOR YOU EVERYONE