11:06 AM
What a situation... I got hit with so many snowballs from those two that snow even got inside my clothes. Due to my body heat, it melted, soaking my blazer from the inside.
Despite all the inconveniences, it was the most fun loss I've ever had. After this intense battle, we sat once again on the bench in the courtyard to rest.
"It is still too early to start lunch. Do you two have any other ideas on what to do until noon?" Mikoto asks, looking in our direction.
I'm not the most qualified person to decide anything when it comes to fun.
I look at Ailiss, hoping she will suggest something.
"Technically, the snowball fight was my idea; it's your turn to choose," she replies, staring at me.
Don't say that with such a proud tone. Sure, it turned out to be a great idea, but it all started with an attack on your part.
"Since I made breakfast, I have also contributed to the day in a way," Mikoto adds.
"The snowman idea was mine, wasn't it?" I ask.
Both proceed to remain silent, staring at me.
I guess they're not really interested in arguments since they just ignored my comment.
As usual, I'm left to give in to the pressure they exert on me.
"Fine, I'll decide this time..." I think about the games I saw kids playing in my town. "Let's see..."
I try hard to suggest something interesting, but nothing comes to mind. The only thing I can think of are very childish games.
Clearly, they would laugh at these suggestions. But those were the games I observed through the window.
"How about hide-and-seek? Maybe you'll complain that we're too old for that, but I can't think of anything else."
They'll probably make fun of me for suggesting this. What was I thinking, saying something like that? Cancel it. Erase it. Pretend I didn't say anything.
I lower my face in shame.
Still regretting, I glance back at them, only to see they've already moved away from the bench.
"No peeking!" Mikoto exclaims.
Did they get excited about this idea? Apparently, I have a very wrong perception of things. Anyway, it might be another fun experience, like the snowball fight.
I walk to the nearest tree, lean my face against it to block my vision and start counting.
One, two, three... ninety-eight, ninety-nine, one hundred!
All right, it's time to find them. But in such a large school, where could those two have gone?
I still can't believe I'm playing something like this, let alone that those two are playing it. The probability of something like this happening under normal conditions is practically zero; winning the lottery a hundred times in a row would be easier.
I walk in the direction I saw them before I started counting and am suddenly surprised by the sound of something falling.
I quickly turn around to check what it is and find Ailiss.
"I won," she says, leaning against the tree.
Where did she come from?
I look at the tree and quickly put the pieces together. A professional assassin can really move without making a sound. She climbed the tree I was leaning on without me noticing and ended the game in the most efficient way possible.
I have my doubts about the integrity of this method. Isn't there some rule against this kind of approach?
"What a cheap move," I comment.
"The mistake was yours; you should be more careful of your surroundings."
Whatever... there's no point complaining now. There's still someone to find, so I haven't lost the game yet.
I turn my attention to searching for Mikoto.
I hope she took a more honest approach.
I look around and notice that their footprints are visible in the snow. It's clear that Ailiss doubled back and climbed the tree while Mikoto continued moving forward.
How convenient, isn't it? This kind of game is much easier for the seeker when played in the snow. This way, I just need to follow her tracks to corner her.
Confident, I follow the footprints until I reach a fork.
What's going on here? Wait... I think I get what she did. She's using my supposed advantage to try to turn the game around.
She went one way and then returned, stepping in her own footprints to trick me into following the wrong path. It's not a bad idea, but it's somewhat risky.
At this point, I have no choice but to take a chance and follow one of the trails. The longer I take to decide, the easier it will be for her to circle back to the tree.
I follow one of the trails until the footprints disappear.
I really have no luck. I don't think I'll reach her in time, so I give up on the other trail and head straight back to the tree. As expected, both are already there.
"I didn't expect such a move from a perfectionist like you. What would you have done if I had chosen the correct path?" I approach and ask.
"For a first attempt, I decided to bet on a fifty percent chance of winning so as not to discourage you immediately. But I could very well increase the number of forks sequentially, reducing the probability of you finding me," Mikoto says.
Indeed, it's an interesting strategy. However, it's still limited by the counting time.
"Thanks for the kindness—or the belittling. However, by the rules, it's my turn again," I say.
"That would get very monotonous; you will lose every time. We can periodically alternate who seeks and then keep the score at the end," she suggests.
Will I lose every time? Maybe it's true, but still, it's not nice to say it so explicitly.
"Fine by me. Let me take this round," says Ailiss, preparing to count.
…
When it's Ailiss's turn to seek, she doesn't need to try hard and finds us immediately. There's simply no competing with someone like her.
"Too easy," she boasts near the tree.
"Unfortunately, I must admit that first place in this competition is hers; it is inevitable. The rest of us are fighting for second place, Johann. And I will not go easy on you," Mikoto teases as she heads to the tree.
Exactly. My only chance of victory is now that she's counting.
All right, I need to find a strategic spot where I can see her approach and then evade her. Given the advantage of this large school, once I manage to make her move away from the counting tree, victory will surely be mine.
I see the trail of our footprints from the last round and quickly get an idea of where to hide.
I go to the current school storage area, the place where Ailiss and I followed Takashi, and hide behind the same box as before.
Since I walked over the footprints we left earlier, Mikoto will never think to look for me here.
Moreover, this is the perfect hiding spot because it has two exits. If I hear her coming up one staircase, I can simply go down the opposite staircase and run to the counting tree.
Thinking back, what exactly happened between Ailiss and me at this wall? Psychologically speaking, it's been long since those repetitions "ceased." I think she pinned me against it, but I can't clearly remember the rest...
As my memories gradually return, I grow embarrassed and consequently distracted.
"Hey," something pokes me.
"Ah!" I scream in surprise.
I turn to the side and see Ailiss crouching.
"Ah, Johann, you are on the second floor! I will mark you at the tree!" Mikoto's voice echoes from the floor below.
"You gave me away! That's cheating, Ailiss! Why did you do that?!" I complain.
"I didn't give you away; she discovered you because you screamed," she replies seriously.
What are you talking about? Don't play dumb; you're smart and know precisely what you did.
"Don't shift the blame; I only screamed because you startled me. That's not fair!"
"You didn't specify any rules against scaring," she boasts.
That should have been implied by common sense!