"Eh? That’s strange, isn’t it?" Saito Keisuke asked, "Is there a boy in the Wind Instrument Club more handsome than Dubian, with better academic achievements, and more popular among the girls?"
"No," Kiyono Lin said indifferently, "but liking someone isn’t just about being handsome and having good grades."
"That’s right, you also have to be honest like me," Dubian Che said sincerely.
"Sit properly," Kiyono Lin said with a sudden sternness.
Not only Dubian Che but also Kunii Shuichi and Saito Keisuke dared not speak any further.
The three boys straightened their backs and obediently placed their hands on their knees.
By the time Ichiki Aoi nervously shifted her position for the second time, the fortune-teller finally moved her gaze from the tarot cards.
"Fortune-telling can sometimes be accurate and other times not, so even if the result isn’t good, please don’t take it too much to heart," she said with a tone of regret.
"What do you mean?" Ichiki, kneeling, lifted her butt off her shins and straightened up slightly.
"I suggest you’d be better off choosing someone else," the fortune-teller said, gently setting the tarot cards down.
"How could this be..." Ichiki Aoi’s posture slumped suddenly.
"Um, Ichiki," Kunii Shuichi started, his voice shrilly startling, cleared his throat, and then continued, "The fortune-teller also said that sometimes the fortune-telling can be wrong, so don’t take it to heart."
Ichiki Aoi turned back to him and gave a forced smile: "Thank you, Kunimi, but I had a hunch about the result myself."
After speaking, she turned again to bow to the fortune-teller: "Thank you very much."
"If I was of any help, then that’s great," the fortune-teller bowed deeply to her.
After raising her body, she addressed the four people behind her, "Would anyone else like to have their fortune told?"
Kiyono Lin showed an uninterested expression.
The three boys glanced at each other.
"I’m out of money," Saito Keisuke said bluntly.
"I’ve accepted my fate," Kunii Shuichi said.
Ichiki Aoi, who had just settled back next to Kiyono Lin, heard this and her expression of disappointment turned awkward, and she glanced at him apologetically.
Dubian Che was about to say something when Saito Keisuke grabbed his arm: "Dubian, why don’t you give it a try? Let’s see if you really can someday have an annual income of a hundred million yen."
"That’s right! Go on!" Kunii Shuichi clapped his hands in agreement.
"Guest, please sit here," the fortune-teller gestured to the cushion where Ichiki had just been sitting with a ’please’ motion.
"Alright," Dubian Che reluctantly stood up, "You two, listen carefully to my brilliant future, might as well take notes."
The cushion was still warm, retaining the warmth of the girl.
Kunii Shuichi should have been the one to do this.
"What would you like to ask about?" the fortune-teller asked while shuffling the tarot cards.
"Career, friendship, romance."
"Please draw a card," the fortune-teller held out the tarot cards to Dubian Che, "How old are you this year?"
"Sixteen," Dubian Che handed over the card he drew.
"Career..." the fortune-teller murmured, "I can’t see what kind of accomplishments you will achieve in the future, but everything will go smoothly, so set your goals high because you will succeed in whatever you do."
"Two hundred billion yen a year?" Dubian Che asked.
"That will also go smoothly." As if the figure of two hundred billion was an exaggeration, the fortune-teller added, "That’s what the tarot cards indicate."
Dubian Che turned back to the four people and said, "Looks like it’s just a matter of time before I’m written into the textbooks."
"Since it’s going to go smoothly, setting your sights only on two hundred billion yen a year shows Mr. Dubian’s lack of ambition," Kiyono Lin said with an expressionless face.
"...Then I’ll aim for two hundred billion US Dollars," Dubian Che turned back to ask the fortune-teller, "That shouldn’t be a problem, right?"
The fortune-teller replied with an awkward but enthusiastic smile, "If you truly set your mind to it, I believe you will succeed."
"What about friendship? Oh right, calculate the friendship between this beautiful girl and me," Dubian Che pointed at Kiyono Lin.
The fortune-teller stared at the tarot cards for a while, then at both of them.
"The cards indicate that your friendship will not be very harmonious."
The fortune-teller looked up at Dubian Che with an awkward expression.
The others also observed his face with some trepidation.
Although Dubian Che rarely smiled, such a complete absence of expression was the first they had seen.
There was an indescribable sense of pressure.
Only Kiyono Lin was nonchalant, even going so far as to curl her lip mockingly at Dubian Che.
"While it won’t be harmonious, one thing," the fortune-teller emphasized with a gesture, "the compatibility between the two of you is not to be underestimated."
"So we still can’t be friends?" Dubian Che said coolly, showing no interest in the fortune-telling.
The fortune-teller agonized for a moment, but finally affirmed with a "Yes."
"And romance?" Dubian Che adjusted his school uniform sleeve, as if he was ready to leave.
The fortune-teller, seasoned by various experiences, including being scolded in person for swindling people’s money, quickly ignored Dubian Che’s attitude.
"In terms of romance..." she studied the tarot cards carefully as if they really contained some written message, "You’re very strict with yourself and your potential partners, so your romantic experiences are few."
"Hm," Dubian Che nodded indifferently.
"However, in reality, your popularity is unsurpassed, and you’re always surrounded by all kinds of temptations, if you’re not careful, it could lead to excess indulgence."
"Excess indulgence? Hahaha!" Kunii Shuichi and Saito Keisuke both burst into laughter.
Ichiki Aoi also laughed softly, somewhat embarrassed.
Kiyono Lin sighed as if amused, her bored gaze shifting towards the window.
The sun was about to set, and soon it would turn into a brief and beautiful red.