the air felt heavier that day maybe it was the rain maybe it was the quiet maybe it was ren starting to understand what he had stepped into
he sat across the crate now his legs crossed arms folded staring at the cards like they were puzzles waiting to be solved the girl hadn't said much just nodded after every game corrected him only when needed never loud never soft just enough to make it stick
mai watched nearby playing with an old bottle cap like it was a toy her cough had come back once during the lesson but she smiled after every one like she wanted ren to win this to keep going even if she didn't know what poker was or what it meant
the girl finally spoke her voice steady clear "poker's one thing but there's more ways to gamble more ways to read people more ways to lose everything"
she pulled a deck from her coat this one wasn't smooth it was rough marked edges worn corners she shuffled with purpose then stopped "this one's called high low simple guess if the next card is higher or lower than the last one but here's the thing we raise the stakes each guess"
ren leaned in his eyes sharp "what's the point if it's just guessing"
she smiled "exactly that's where your instincts matter cold reading memory rhythm gut you build patterns in your mind and predict not just the card but the mind of the dealer too if she wants you to win or lose this round"
ren took the deck hands trembling a bit he hid it well but she saw it and said nothing
he flipped the first card seven of spades
she looked him in the eye "higher or lower"
ren paused he didn't care about math he cared about her face her tone her fingers she had leaned slightly forward which meant nothing unless he connected it to her breathing it was slower now maybe calm maybe pretending
"higher" he said
he flipped
jack of diamonds
she nodded "again"
he flipped next card
four of hearts
"lower"
king of clubs
wrong
he breathed deep didn't flinch
"good" she said "you didn't flinch that's important in games and in life people watch your reaction more than your logic"
ren took a second then said "so all this is just practice for something bigger"
"yes" she said "much bigger"
they played more rounds no one talked much every movement had meaning now every shuffle every glance every moment of hesitation became data to ren he stored them like weapons
the rain got louder
mai had fallen asleep again bottle cap in hand curled under a blanket of rags
ren stood up "what's your name"
the girl looked at him for the first time not like a teacher but like an equal
"sera" she said "remember that name cause someday you'll want to beat me"
ren didn't blink "i already do"
sera smiled no pride no mockery just interest
then she stood walked off into the shadows no goodbye no promise
ren sat down beside mai stared at the deck again he felt something in his chest not fear not excitement but something in between something sharp and awake
and he knew
this was just the start
he wasn't learning how to play
he was learning how to survive through games that never ended through players who never smiled through moves that carried weight and silence that said more than words ever could