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"I see it all perfectly; there are two possible situations — one can either do this or that. My honest opinion and my friendly advice is this: do it or do not do it — you will regret both." ~Soren Kierkegaard
The lounge was already bustling with people when Katsuragi entered, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. "There's already this many people here?" he muttered, somewhat taken aback by the turnout for the final, deciding game.
Ryuen scoffed, irritation clear in his tone. "What did you expect? A quiet and empty room for a game like this?"
Katsuragi's lips curled into a slight smirk as he responded, "Ah, I see you're still upset about your defeat today. You lost miserably to Horikita, didn't you?"
Ryuen clicked his tongue, his expression darkening. "Tsk, shut the hell up. I just let my guard down and took things too easy. Trust me that won't happen again."
Katsuragi simply nodded, leaving Ryuen to simmer in his frustration.
Kanzaki chimed in, breaking the brief silence. "This game should be interesting. Yagami's got a perfect record—three wins out of three—while Ichinose has managed to tie all three of her games."
Horikita, listening intently, added, "Yes, I'm curious to see how this will play out, especially knowing what Class C has planned for this game."
Kanzaki straightened a hint of pride in his expression. "It's a perfect counter to Yagami's calculated, methodical strategies. Instead of having the school assign a random game, we designed our game to be random itself—mirroring simpler, low-stakes games to throw him off."
Ryuen's frown deepened at this, clearly displeased. Not knowing the exact details of Yagami's final game was already irritating, but the thought of it being left up to pure chance annoyed him. If the outcome really could be decided by luck alone, it would be an annoying twist in an otherwise tactical exam.
Ibuki cut through Kanzaki's explanations with her usual bluntness. "You're talking like Ichinose's record is as impressive as Yagami's, but let's be real. Tying a game is way easier than actually winning. Out of all the high rollers, Ryuen and Yagami are the only ones with two or more wins in this exam. Everyone else has only managed one win at best, and some of you…" her gaze shifted to Kanzaki, "…performed so poorly it's almost laughable." Kanzaki's own record—zero wins, two losses, and two draws—was definitely an embarrassment.
Katsuragi nodded in agreement. "Playing for draws isn't exactly impressive," he added. "But at the same time, I'd still be impressed if Ichinose managed to draw against Yagami. Making him play a game that isn't completely within his control would be quite the accomplishment."
Shibata chuckled, joining the discussion. "Well, in our game, if things don't go his way, the only one Yagami will be able to pray to is Lady Luck."
***Light Yagami***
The game room was pristine as I stepped in, the air thick with anxiety, but not from me. Across from the door, Ichinose stood waiting, greeting me with a light smile as I entered.
I returned her smile, walking over to the desk prepared for me. The setup was unique, with numbers 1 through 10 arranged in button form on the electronic desk, and a screen behind the administrator seated to my left. I took my seat across from Ichinose, dismissing the odd setup for now.
"Good afternoon, Yagami," she began, her tone polite. "So, this is it—the final game. How do you feel?"
"Honestly, I can't wait to get this over with and head back to school. Life on this cruise ship is strangely exhausting," I replied, stretching my arms.
Ichinose tilted her head with a faint smile. "I see… but haven't you been in your room most days?"
I chuckled. "True, but it is still an exam, so it's hard to truly relax."
"Is that so?" She seemed lost in thought for a moment, her expression softening before she looked back at me with a spark of curiosity. "Can I ask you something, Yagami? I've been wondering what your answer might be."
Surprised by the change in her demeanor, I nodded, waiting for her question.
"Have you ever… regretted anything? Like, a choice you made or an action you took?" Her voice softened, a hint of vulnerability slipping through.
I raised an eyebrow, caught slightly off guard, but then a slight smirk formed on my face. "I can't say I have."
"Really?" She leaned forward, studying my expression. "If it were someone else, I don't know if I'd believe them. But with you, Yagami, I somehow feel like you're telling the truth. So, before our match… can you share your secret? How do you live without regret?"
In the lounge, the watching students exchanged surprised glances. What had seemed like routine chit-chat before the game had suddenly turned into a surprisingly philosophical conversation.
"Well, I don't know," I started, noticing the sad look on her face. "But alright… I'll try to explain."
I paused, taking a steadying breath. "In my opinion, regret comes from feeling like you've done something truly wrong. Take violence, for example—hurting someone without any purpose or reason. In that case, I'd imagine feeling regret. But if my actions serve a purpose, if they align with my goals, then regret doesn't even cross my mind."
Ichinose nodded slowly, processing my words. "I think I understand. So, to regret, you'd have to feel like you've done something wrong. But… don't you ever feel that way?"
"No," I replied calmly. "I don't believe I've ever done anything worth feeling regret over."
Ichinose tilted her head, her eyes searching mine. "So… you've never done anything you thought was wrong?"
I met her gaze, letting a faint smile form. "No. Every action I've taken has a purpose, a reason. If I have reason behind my actions, if I've taken each step with purpose, then what is there to regret? How can an action be wrong if it's necessary for what I aim to achieve and what I aim to achieve is right?"
Ichinose's confusion seemed to deepen. I could see her wrestling with the notion, trying to fit it into her own understanding. "So… as long as something is right, it's automatically justified?"
"Exactly."
Her brows knit together as she pondered this, clearly struggling to make sense of it. "I'm not sure I understand. Right and wrong… aren't they part of what we feel about an action, not just about its purpose?"
I gave a small, almost imperceptible shrug. "Perhaps. But the regret comes from failure, from doing something that didn't need to be done or that served no purpose. When every action has meaning, has intent, then regret for that action simply… doesn't exist."
Ichinose fell silent, her gaze dropping to the desk. I could tell she was considering my words, though she looked uncertain. "So you mean… if you believe an action is right for your purpose, it's enough? That makes it worthwhile?"
She looked back up, her expression thoughtful but skeptical. "I don't know… I can't make sense of it. Doing something just because it's part of a plan or serves a purpose—it doesn't seem like that's always enough to make it… right."
I offered no further explanation, letting her sit with the thought.
She sighed, shaking her head slightly as though trying to dismiss the discomfort my words had left. "I guess it's just… hard to imagine a world where everything you do feels justified, even if it serves a purpose. It doesn't seem like a way of thinking that… could make sense."
I only smiled faintly in response.
Ichinose's expression softened her voice, a blend of warmth and melancholy. "Then let me ask you this instead, Yagami—no, Light," she said. "What if, in the heat of the moment, you believed your actions were right, but as time passed, you came to see them as wrong? What if you came to regret them with all your heart? What then?"
"Such a thing isn't possible," I responded, calm but assured.
Ichinose's eyes lowered, her voice turning soft, almost as if speaking to herself. "I believe it is… I… I have some things I've come to regret as time has passed, you see."
Ichinose's eyes held a soft, searching look, her voice barely above a whisper. "I… I have some things I've come to regret as time has passed."
I watched her carefully, noting the way she sounded remorseful, "I'm telling you, Ichinose," I began, keeping my tone calm, "regret like that isn't about the action itself."
She looked up, visibly puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"If you thought your action was right at the time, your opinion of it wouldn't have changed unless something about its outcome didn't align with what you intended," I replied smoothly. "Your regret doesn't stem from the action itself, but rather from some result you didn't anticipate—one that conflicted with your original purpose."
She blinked, letting that sink in, her gaze searching mine. "So… I feel regret not because my action was wrong, but because the result wasn't what I expected?"
"Exactly," I replied, watching the idea start to form in her mind. "If your original intention was solid, if it was meant to achieve what is right, then it's the unintended consequences—the things that went against your intent—that you're actually regretting. Not the act itself."
Her expression softened, but confusion still lingered in her eyes. "But… isn't that still regret?"
"Not in the way most people define it," I responded, letting my tone sharpen slightly to emphasize my point. "Regret, as most understand it, implies some level of control. You probably dont and shouldn't feel regret for tragedies happening across the world, just as all people can't always have complete control over the outcomes of their own actions."
"Maybe… maybe you're right, to an extent," she admitted softly.
"..."
"Ah, it seems we're two minutes past the game time, aren't we, Administrator?" I asked, breaking the silence.
The administrator startled slightly, clearly caught off guard. She had been so absorbed in our conversation that she hadn't noticed the time slipping by.
"Ah—yes, you're right," she stammered, gathering herself. "Before we begin, let me explain the rules."
She straightened, her tone becoming more formal as she continued, "In front of each of you is a number pad, visible only to yourself, with numbers 1 through 10 marked clearly on it. This will be a guessing game. At the start of each three-minute round, you will have one minute to select a number from your pad; this will be your 'personal number' for that round. If you fail to select a number within the first minute, one will be assigned to you at random."
She paused, glancing between us to ensure we were following, before continuing, "In the remaining two minutes of each round, you'll try to guess your opponent's selected number using your own number pad. Both of you begin with three hearts—or lives—in this game, you can see your hearts on the screen behind me. If you correctly guess your opponent's number, they will lose a full heart. If you guess a number that's only one digit off, they'll lose half a heart. At the end of each round, each person's selected and guessed number will be exposed. The goal of the game is simple: reduce your opponent's lives to zero to win."
She gave a slight smile, though her gaze remained intense. "The game lasts a maximum of 10 rounds. If neither of you has lost all of your hearts by the end, it will be considered a draw. Simple enough, right?"
I nodded slowly, then mumbled, "Only a 27.22% chance of either of us winning and a 72.78% chance of a tie."
Ichinose raised her eyebrows, slightly impressed. "I'm surprised you calculated that so quickly."
With everything understood, the administrator stepped forward. "Now, let the exam proceed. Light Yagami of Class B and Honami Ichinose of Class C, you may commence your game."
The instant she finished speaking, a 60-second timer appeared next to her, counting down the first round. Without letting even five seconds pass, I selected my number for the round from the pad: 1.
"That was fast," Ichinose remarked, a hint of curiosity in her voice. "No second thoughts?"
"It's a game of chance," I replied coolly. "No reason to overthink it."
"I guess you're right…" she murmured, then made her own selection. After a few seconds of quiet, we both submitted our guesses. I attacked the number 7, suspecting it might be hers.
"The first round has concluded," the administrator announced. "All players have made their selections, and no damage has been dealt to either player this round. Yagami selected the number 1, and Ichinose selected the number 3. Both players attacked the number 7."
A slight pause filled the room as the administrator reset the timer. "Round 2 commences now. Select your numbers."
I paused, letting a small smirk tug at the corner of my lips. "Seven… such an obvious choice," I chuckled.
Ichinose smiled back, seemingly amused. "Yeah, it surprised me when you chose the number 1. Statistically, if people are told to pick between 1 and 10, they rarely choose 1. Middle numbers tend to be more popular, especially toward the higher end, because people have a basis for seeing these numbers as more random. But somehow… I should've expected you to pick 1."
"Then let's see if you can guess my next one," I replied, tapping my selection without hesitation: 2.
Ichinose also made her selection, and after a moment's thought, I submitted my guess, attacking the number 1.
"The second round has concluded," the administrator's voice cut through the room, "and the result is… half a heart has been reduced from Yagami's total health. Yagami selected the number 2, while Ichinose attacked the number 1. Yagami also attacked the number 1. However, Ichinose selected the number 10 and remains unharmed."
Ichinose shows a satisfied smile as the words leave the administrator's mouth.
Behind the administrator, the screen flickered, and half a heart vanished from my total. Losing half a heart this early was less than ideal.
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I'd love to hear whatever you guys have to say regarding the plot and how things are developing, I like hearing everyone's opinions and I want to make this story as enjoyable as possible for the most amount of all of you.
There is a reason for Ryuen's loss; it will be explained. I think the reasoning makes sense. I just wanted to add that for anyone who was bothered by it.