Alice in Borderland

Chapter 66 - Mandatory tasks

Most would have to be in the restaurant at this time and eat something again before the games start. The pool area is empty and I take the opportunity to make myself comfortable on one of the loungers. Since the music system is turned off and only the soothing splash of the pool water against the edge of the pool are to be heard, I take my book to hand and read a little in it. The sun is slowly setting and while I'm engrossed in my book I'm thinking about whether to wear my shirt or sweater today.

I am reading a passage about the formation of the oldest pyramids in Egypt and about various recurring symbols in the burial chambers when a hand waves in front of my face. Confused, I look up and scratch the back of my head in embarrassment, not having noticed how the others have joined me. Kuina sits with Satoru and Yuudai on the couch next to me and Chishiya at the foot of my couch. I sit down cross-legged so he has more room and can get more comfortable.

"I told you she wouldn't notice," Kuina laughs and Satoru hands her a pudding like she won a bet. While I tilt my head and look at her in confusion, Chishiya picks up the book and looks at the page. He raises his eyebrows and leans back a little when he sees all the symbols. At the same time, Kuina is contentedly eating her pudding, Satoru is adjusting his elegant hat, and Yuudai tosses me a small water bottle, which I accept gratefully.

"Are you all playing today?", I ask him, nodding again in thanks before taking a sip.

"Yeah, actually just like we're sitting. I'll play with Kuina and Satoru, and you together with Chishiya."

"And Aguni," Chishiya adds, still focused into the book.

"And Izumi?"

"She's not playing today," Yuudai says, and I can hear an undertone of relief. The way he looks at me shows me he's aware that I know about them. I just nod and smile in understanding.

"What is that supposed to represent?", I hear Chishiya ask and lean forward to look at the picture his finger is pointing at. It strikes me that this is one of the things I like about him. Others would have closed the book and just rolled their eyes, but he wants to understand and is trying to comprehend.

"The Court of the Dead. The soul of a deceased person comes to you in the hall of the two truths, the court, so to speak. In the middle is the scale of justice. On one side is placed the heart, it stood for the seat of the soul and the mind. On the other side comes a feather. If the heart is heavier, the soul is destroyed. If the heart is lighter, one comes into the paradise".

"The heart as the seat of the mind?" he asks incredulously and I just shrug my shoulders. I already realize why he thinks the idea is nonsensical and grimaces, so I just shake my head with a laugh.

"Do you still want to change for the game?", Kuina asks me and I sit down again normally.

"Yes I do, but there's still a little time," I reply, noticing that Kuina is already wearing her jeans pants that she always wears to games. Yuudai is always wearing normal clothes since he's in the military squad and Satoru is wearing his suit instead of a bathing suit. I seem to be the only one here who still wears her usual beach clothes. Maybe that's why I feel so unmotivated to play today, at least unlike usual.

"Well, the Hatter's speech starts in about ten minutes," Yuudai says dryly, and my first reaction is to jump up, take the book out of Chishiya's hand, and walk quickly to my room. I throw the book on my bed and my clothes on the armchair. From the closet, I take out my black Nike athletic shorts, black sweater, and my white cheerleading shoes. In record time, I put everything on and, as always, make sure my black rubber ball is in my pants pocket. I take off my grandmother's beaded bracelet, as I do before every game, and place it on the nightstand.