"You see, these are all real nails." Itsuki's eyes narrowed. With perfect timing, thunder shook the building and the rain began pouring down. The television temporarily lost service.

Kae<3: I will come get you. I don't have a good visual of you and Itsuki isn't watching over you.

Your phone buzzed, alerting you to his message, but you waited to read it.

"It'd make my life easier if I could buy them, but people loath selling them to me. So most of these are the ones I plundered through gambling. Therefore, if I were to bet 20 million yen..." A look of lust overcame her "Oh, senpai. I'd love to have those nails of yours."

The thunder and lightning hit again, making the lights flicker and allowing you a moment to look down and respond. A small frown appeared on your face. Kaede was terrified of thunder storms.

"You're kidding, right? Put her nails on the line?" Ryota was astonished.

"What do you say, senpai?" Itsuki pushed.

"Yumeko," Ryota looked over at her nervously. "There's no need to accept these ridiculous terms..."

"Very well. That's acceptable to me." Yumeko smiled as Ryota's face gaped open.

"Ryota, you had to have known that she would say yes." You snickered as you leaned closer to him.

"Hold up, what are you--?"

"I have to!" Yumeko turned to him. "There's no other way for me to repay my debt. Unless you're going to pay it off for me, Suzui."

She used his last name, which caught him off guard.

"No, that's not..."

"That's the right attitude!" Itsuki cheered as she broke out another pack. "Let's use brand-new cards, all right?"

Kaede said to watch the cards... You kept your attention on them fully.

"Shall we begin? The stakes are 20 million yen for me. For you, senpai, your fingernails and toenails! That all right with you?" Itsuki spoke to Yumeko.

"Yes."

"Please go first again, senpai."

"Thank you very much."

And then you saw it. You saw how she cheated. But just as you were about to tell Ryota, you felt a hand brush over yours. Kaede was here and he was shaking. Within a second, you had abandoned the game in front of you and followed him out of the cafeteria. As you both left the cafeteria and walked through the empty hall, Kaede gripped your hand.

The thunder crashed again and Kaede crouched down on the ground. You kneeled down and held him tightly. As the lightning flashed, you pulled him into the nearest windowless room; a supply closet.

You both tumbled into it, clumsily, with you landing on top of a sitting Kaede. It didn't take him long before his arms were wrapped around you and holding you close.

"You could've just told me you needed me. You didn't need an excuse to see me. You know that." You whispered into his ear as his body trembled under yours.

"I already told you that I needed you." He pouted.

"Needed my support, that's right. My apologies for not applying it to every situation." You chuckled and laid on his body. "Or perhaps, could you just not wait until the night time?"

His hand drifted down your back and down your butt, onto your thigh. The thunder rumbled again, and his fingers tightened their grip.