02

"What the hell happened?" I exclaimed. The teacher's yukata was inexplicably green. "It was pink four seconds ago!"

"And?"

You can't explain that via the laws of nature. Don't act like this is nothing.

"But it is nothing. It changes colors. That's it."

She was skipping over the very crucial explanation of how it works. I don't know if she expected me to witness her clothing change color in front of my very eyes and then think 'Just another day in the office', but it sure sounded like she did.

"Spoken like someone who is used to supernatural phenomenon," I retorted. "How can you possibly explain this with the laws of nature? The fabric changes colors! What do you have to say about tha-"

I interrupted myself mid-sentence to bear witness to the color change once again. It was as if she, or the yukata itself, was mocking me for my lack of understanding.

I ended my brief pause in the conversation. "Oh come on! Look at it! It's rainbow-colored and the colors are changing as I stare at it!"

It shouldn't have a rainbow color that changes in real-time! It's a yukata, not a keyboard!

"It's rude to stare at a woman's chest."

Don't assume that's where I was staring. I only glanced twice.

"I don't know if you're quick on the uptake or you're just frantically trying to find some rationalization for what you can't comprehend, but you're right. My clothing doesn't exactly follow the 'laws' of nature." She said, throwing up air quotes.

After all, a supernatural existence calls for a supernatural explanation.

"This is the games club. Don't worry about my clothes. Let's play some games."

"I am worried about your clothes, and understandably so! Maybe it's not unusual to you, but I'm looking at your yukata and wondering if somebody spiked my morning coffee with LSD."

"Fine." She stood up. "If you're so worried about it, I'll take it off."

Keep it on.

"Make up your mind already. Do you or do you not want to see my underwear?"

That was never the question. "You know what? You're right. I'll just try to unlearn everything I know about the universe while we relax and play some games."

She chuckled. "You don't need to unlearn everything. Just your perception that the laws of nature are absolute." It was difficult to believe she was taking me seriously. "You haven't left yet. Most students are gone by now. Have a seat."

I placed my butt on the tatami mats, positioning myself across from her. "What are we playing?" I asked.

She chuckled again, but deviously. I didn't exactly feel at ease. "This first game will be just you."

"I'd feel like I'm being rude if I play a game by myself when you're right there. I don't think it would be very interesting for you to watch me play either."

"It'll be very interesting." She ominously said. "Have you ever played Wish?"

I told her I hadn't.

"That's perfect."

Wish, a derivation of solitaire. Grab a deck of cards and remove the twos, threes, fours, fives, and sixes. Deal the remaining thirty-two cards into eight piles of four cards. Begin playing by turning the top card on each pile face up. If any two cards are the same type regardless of suit, such as two eights or two queens, put that pair to the side. When you remove a card from a pile, flip the next card on the pile over. The objective is to clear all cards in pairs.

That's how she explained it to me. "It's said that your innermost desire will be fulfilled if you win your first time playing."

Wow, what a clever name. I wonder who came up with it. Little kids?

"Although that's mainly a superstitious rumor started by schoolchildren."

Well, what did I say?

"There's no need to think about what your desire is before playing. Your heart knows even if you don't. Alright, time to start. I'll deal for you this evening."

I pointed to the one inconspicuously placed window. "It's still daylight." However, I was mistaken. I forgot that I was to unlearn that the laws of nature are absolute.

"Rookie mistake." She half-joked.

It was, in fact, evening. The sun had been in full view at this time every day of my life up until now. Less than ten minutes had passed since the day's final bell rang, but the sun, like the fickle bastard it is, had set within those ten minutes.

I began piecing together why no one else besides me had shown.

"There's a lot more going on here than just games," I observed.

"We'll get there. I finished dealing. Go ahead."