Chapter 12: High-Stakes Battlefield

I’m done for… I can’t go on living like this…

Because the class rep summoned me early this morning, I had no choice but to head to school earlier than usual. Naturally, Kaede grilled me about it.

You know, the usual accusations. Cheating, secret rendezvous, and all that.

And then, for some insane reason, that idiot decided to start marking her territory.

No, not like a dog peeing on me or something.

I’m talking about hickeys. She left them all over my neck and cheeks—places that were completely visible. There was no hiding it.

I thought about covering them up with bandages, but I didn’t have the guts. That would definitely set her off, and it wouldn’t just stop at hickeys.

So, when I arrived at school as scheduled, there she was—the self-proclaimed “Mama” weirdo.

In a classroom with just the four of us—me, Kumanokyo, the class rep, and Kaede—I ended up getting forced into wearing a diaper.

I was hoping Kaede or Kumanokyo might come to my rescue, but those two didn’t lift a finger. Worse, they even teamed up with the class rep.

Apparently, the deal was that if they didn’t interfere with her baby play, she wouldn’t interfere with their antics. It’s bad enough when yanderes go head-to-head, but when they form alliances? That’s pure hell.

The surprising part was Kumanokyo’s reaction. Apparently, she’d never seen a guy’s anatomy before, and she completely panicked.

Seeing that kind of innocent, flustered reaction… well, my biology kicked in.

I wanted to die of embarrassment.

To make matters worse, the class rep just had to pile it on. “Oh, Kogoro-chan, were you trying to show off? How cool you are~” she teased. That made me feel even more pathetic. I was on the verge of tears, but I knew crying would only escalate the baby play, so I held it in.

Hickeys all over my body, stripped down by three girls, forced into a diaper… My life was already over at that point, but then gym class hit me with the final blow.

Even if you’ve never been to school, you know how gym class works—you have to change into your gym clothes. And yeah, you guessed it—there was a risk of the guys seeing my diaper.

Of course, I tried to change in the bathroom. There was no way I could change in the classroom.

But sneaking into a stall every single time I needed the bathroom, and even to change for gym, naturally raised some suspicions.

And yeah, they figured it out. They stripped me.

The moment they saw the diaper, their eyes went wide with shock. Apparently, the ringleaders thought I was going commando or wearing pajamas under my clothes. But no—turns out I was in a diaper. Of course, they were floored.

Thanks to this incident, I earned the prestigious title of “Omutsuer”. A real honor, huh? Imagine an introvert like me getting a second name. I could cry… if I hadn’t already cried enough inside.

Kurokawa-senpai isn’t here again today… I can’t take this…

Not that I had anything I wanted to ask her, but still.

Emotionally wrecked, the only solace was that I was finally free.

Maybe sensing how crushed I was, the two people who usually walked home with me decided to let me be alone today. I did notice them talking to a group of guys, though. I tried not to think too much about it.

And yes, those guys were the same ones who teased me earlier, calling me “Omutsuer,” but whatever. Probably just a coincidence.

“Guess I’ll head home…”

Being able to walk home alone is a rare opportunity.

Who knows when I’ll get a chance like this again? I should enjoy it while it lasts.

Yeah, that’s right. No point in dwelling on the past.

“Hey, hey, you there, playboy.”

“I’ll just binge-watch some Showa-era battle anime to clear my head…”

Those plot-convenient, vibe-driven battle anime are perfect when you just need to shut your brain off. Probably.

“Hey! I’m talking to you, playboy!”

“Huh? Are you calling me playboy?”

“Who else? Just on your neck and cheeks, you’ve got at least three hickeys.”

And here we go again. Another weirdo.

What’s with this girl? She looks like some mid-Heisei-era delinquent. The kind who doesn’t actually get into fights.

Judging by her blue indoor shoes, she’s a third-year? But she’s so short, she doesn’t feel like a senior.

“You’ve got a dangerous vibe, y’know?”

“And by that, you mean…?”

Sure, I’m probably still covered in Kaede’s scent, but that’s not what she’s talking about, is it?

It’s more about my aura. Wait, can she see the curse? No, she’s probably just got a case of chuunibyou.

“They say you’re juggling three girls in your class, doing baby play, wearing hickeys in broad daylight, wetting yourself, and wearing a diaper. The rumors about you are wild.”

Wow, word spreads fast. Then again, in a school this size, gossip travels at the speed of light.

“On top of that, you’ve been sneaking into Kurokawa-senpai’s place every day. I just saw you heading into the Reihou Room earlier.”

Great. She saw me going into the one place I really didn’t want anyone to see.

In this school, sneaking into the Reihou Room is more scandalous than baby play.

Wait. Did she just… call her Senpai? Isn’t she a third-year too? Or did I mishear her?

“So, what do you want with me?”

“It’s no big deal. I’m just inviting you to come play at my tekka-ba.”

Tekka-ba…?

A steel mill? A blacksmith?

What the heck is a tekka-ba? Does it have something to do with tekka-maki?

“You’re a guy, so you must love gambling, right? I’ll say this with confidence: there isn’t a single man alive who isn’t drawn to gambling! There can’t be!”

Uh, no, there are. And there should be. In fact, I’d bet that most people don’t gamble these days. Especially students.

Still, I remembered what tekka-ba meant.

Oh yeah, I’ve seen it in novels or manga before. It means a gambling den.

“I only know the basics—mahjong, blackjack, and chinchiro, stuff like that.”

“Oh, not bad! You’re not like those weak-willed herbivores we’ve got nowadays.”

People who don’t gamble are herbivores now? That’s a terrible stereotype.

Honestly, I feel like it’s the carnivores who don’t gamble. Gambling is complicated, and it takes a decent amount of thinking. Most people probably avoid it unless they’re casual pachinko players.

“It sounds fun, but I don’t have any money. I don’t work part-time, and my family isn’t exactly generous with allowances.”

Yeah, that’s the truth. I don’t get much pocket money.

Not that I’m complaining. I’ve got a smartphone, and I get at least the bare minimum during New Year’s. If I wanted money, I could just get a part-time job.

…But still, I remember how tough it was when I was a kid. I couldn’t help but feel shocked when I realized how vast the difference in allowances was.

I seriously thought back then that allowances and New Year’s money should be standardized nationwide.

It pissed me off when I realized that the money I saved over six months was less than what some kids got monthly. And on top of that, they got games and manga bought for them separately.

Ah, no, no—I can’t go down that road. There’s no end to it.

“You don’t need money! It’s your madness—that’s your chip!”

…What is this person even saying?

Madness? Or weapon? Which one is it? I don’t have either of those.

“I’ll explain on the way. Just come with me.”

“…I’d really rather just go home.”

It’s not like I had anything urgent to do, but still—I wanted to go home.

I really don’t want to add more weird acquaintances, and this whole “madness as a chip” thing is way too unsettling.

“Don’t be so uptight.”

Saying that, she pulled a 5000-yen bill out of her wallet.

What’s she doing? Is she giving it to me?

“Consider this a first-time service. I’ll give you 5000 yen worth of chips.”

“…And what happens if I lose it?”

“Don’t worry—I don’t deal in games where you go into the red. You can quit as soon as you’re out, buy more chips if you want, or cash out and walk away.”

That… sounds way too good to be true.

If I keep my head on straight, it’s no-risk. But when the deal sounds this good, you can’t help but get suspicious.

“You’re not going to force me to pay for lost chips or take my winnings by force, are you…?”

“Hell no. That wouldn’t make me a gambler—that’d make me a thug.”

Well, you shouldn’t be a gambler either.

Gambling is illegal here, and students definitely shouldn’t be doing it.

“Besides, who’s dumb enough to try and rob someone who took down three delinquents by himself?”

She really knows everything about me, huh?

Now I’m even more suspicious…

“Let’s be clear—you don’t fight fair, do you?”

“…What are you talking about?”

“It’s one thing to take someone out with a surprise attack. But you, you crushed three guys’ groins head-on. That’s god-level skill. From what I heard, you didn’t even hit them anywhere else.”

Well, I mean, technically I didn’t hit anyone.

Still, when you put it like that, it really does sound insane. Usually, people would wise up after the first one went down.

“Someone who can pull off a move like that clearly understands how dangerous it is. And you did it anyway. That’s how I know—you’re a total lunatic.”

…Is this shorty looking for crazy people?

If I told her it was an invisible person’s doing, she’d just label me even crazier.

“And I’m curious about how you managed to hook up with three girls at once when you’re not even good-looking. There’s no one more suited for gambling than you.”

“…You’re overestimating me.”

It’s all Kurokawa-senpai’s fault. I didn’t do anything.

If I hadn’t gotten involved with her, none of this would’ve happened.

“And yet here you are, suspicious but still tagging along. That’s your answer, isn’t it? You’re looking for a thrill, even if you won’t admit it.”

What is this girl on about?

I’m the type who avoids casinos even in games.

Even in card games, I try to minimize the gambling elements as much as possible.

“Alright, here it is—my castle.”

Her castle, huh…?

“…The Board Game Club?”

I didn’t even know this club existed.

Was there really a need to separate this from the Shogi Club?

“I brought the Omutsuer with me!”

Stop introducing me like that. Seriously, stop.

How does she even know the nickname that started circulating today at lunch?

“Ohhh… so this is the ‘Baby-senpai’ everyone’s talking about?”

“I heard he’s insane, but he looks pretty normal.”

“…Sakamoto-san, right? Nice to meet you…”

Inside the Board Game Club’s room, there were three people other than the upperclassman who brought me here.

There was a short girl who looked more into sports than board games, a mature-looking older sister type, and a quiet, bookish girl. All of them were girls.

Yeah… this feels even sketchier than I imagined.

Was this really a place I should’ve come empty-handed to?

Oh great, now she’s casually locking the door.

Will I even make it out of here in one piece…?