On the other hand, Kang Siwon raised one eyebrow. He hadn’t expected to meet him here, so it was unexpected. But thinking about it, Ray Jun, who had a good reputation for leading games well despite his low seniority, was perfect for handling troublemakers. He too had been offered up as a sacrifice.
“Xiao Wei, you’re here? Come sit down.”
Just then, Feng Tao, the root cause of this entire situation, spoke sluggishly. His voice was quite different from when he’d been shouting earlier. Kang Siwon mentally raised his middle finger as he responded.
“Good day.”
“Mmm, what game do you like? Poker? Or baccarat?”
“To be honest, I don’t like either. I don’t even know the rules well to begin with.”
“It’s fine. You learn by playing. I’ll teach you well.”
Weren’t you the one who roared ‘Did you bastards just learn poker the day before yesterday’ just 30 minutes ago—those words surged to his throat. Kang Siwon swallowed those words with difficulty and sat across from Feng Tao.
“Then which game shall we proceed with?”
At Ray Jun’s question, Feng Tao replied.
“Since Xiao Wei doesn’t have a particular favorite game, let’s go with poker to keep it safe.”
“Understood. Then shall I briefly explain the rules before we play?”
“Go ahead.”
“Poker is a game where the player with the strongest hand wins. The rankings get progressively stronger in this order: one pair, two pair, three of a kind, straight, flush, full house. Four of a kind or straight flush are rare but very powerful combinations.”
Ray Jun neatly spread the cards on the table to show the hands directly. His movements arranging and organizing the cards were like flowing water, as if watching a magic show. His white, straight fingers smoothly gliding over the deck captivated one’s gaze.
“It’ll be confusing, so you don’t need to memorize it right away. I’ll help you with the gameplay. Also, when starting the game……”
Kang Siwon nodded his head as if listening attentively, but in fact there was nothing new. He already knew the rules of poker. Not only that, but the game he’d jumped into in the online gambling scene replacing his father was precisely poker. It was also the game he’d played three years ago to repay the debt to the Baeksa Faction.
Ray Jun’s voice was more impressive than the explanation itself. Though soft as usual, it had a tone that strangely inspired trust. This must be what ‘Dealer Ray Jun’ looked like.
“Do you have any questions so far?”
“No.”
“I don’t either.”
“Then I’ll start the game.”
“Wait, we need to decide how much to bet first.”
Here it comes.
Playing a game without chips in a casino was impossible. Poker was no exception—all players had to start by wagering a certain amount. It was a kind of entrance fee.
“I……”
“Don’t worry, Xiao Wei. I’ll give you the chips. I hope today is a day to purely enjoy the game rather than gambling.”
Feng Tao pushed over three 10,000 pataca chips and added.
“I’m giving you 30,000 patacas. If you win chips from me with this, you can keep them. But if you lose all the chips within an hour, you’ll spend tonight with me.”
“……What do you mean by spending time together?”
“Hm? I just meant eating delicious food all night and maybe watching a movie…… What exactly did Xiao Wei imagine?”
Feng Tao smiled and tilted his head. His pretense of innocence was even more disgusting. The thought that he was being harassed by a man, and in front of Ray Jun, his roommate at that, made Kang Siwon feel his insides turn. Though he’d felt humiliation countless times in his life, this was the first time it was this kind. If it were up to him, he wanted to stomp on that young man.
“Fine. Let’s do it.”
Kang Siwon picked up the hard chips. As if waiting for this, Ray Jun lifted the deck.
“Then I’ll start the game.”
Soon Ray Jun began shuffling. The cards slid and mixed beneath his white, straight fingers.
“Setting up for poker.”
Ray Jun placed the deck on the table and dealt the cards. Kang Siwon checked the cards in front of him.
K♠, Q♠.
Not bad for a start. However, it was an ambiguous mid-to-high hand¹⁾ to be confident of victory. Kang Siwon slowly fiddled with the cards with an expressionless face. Someone’s gaze briefly touched then left those tightly pressed lips.
“First round. Betting begins.”
“Ten thousand!”
The young man placed his chips in the betting zone first. Ten thousand would be a not-so-large amount by his standards. Was he going easy out of consideration, or was it because he had a bad hand? Either way, Kang Siwon decided to match the amount for now.
“I’ll also bet ten thousand.”
Clack, he placed the chip in the betting zone. Then Ray Jun flipped three cards from the deck.
“Opening the flop²⁾.”
K♣, 5♦, 3♠. The three cards were neatly spread in the center of the table.
Since he had K♠ in his hand, combined with K♣ it became top pair. As he’d initially felt, it wasn’t a bad hand, but if the young man had two pair, he’d lose.
However, seeing that the young man only bet ten thousand, it didn’t seem like he had a K. Was it out of consideration for him? He briefly suspected, but that couldn’t be. That young man didn’t seem like such a thoughtful personality. Even if the opponent had favorable feelings—he had no idea what about a man like himself with a fierce impression and stiff attitude attracted him, but wasn’t that exactly why he was a pervert—toward someone.
“I’ll bet an additional ten thousand.”
At Kang Siwon’s declaration, the young man looked a bit surprised. Of course, from his perspective, ten thousand was such a small amount he wouldn’t even notice losing it, but for Kang Siwon who started with 30,000, he’d wagered an additional third of his entire fortune.
“Ha, should I have taught you how to bet too? Or are you trying to lose quickly?”
“……Games are learned this way originally.”
“That’s true too. Then I’ll fold this hand.”
Feng Tao lightly raised both hands as he spoke. It was an attitude of being able to press harder but specially giving him a break.
“Fold, Xie Wei-nim wins.”
Ray Jun pushed the chips toward Kang Siwon. Despite losing chips, Feng Tao smiled leisurely.
“Luck seems to be following you, Xiao Wei. Do you know the saying beginner’s luck?”
“I do.”
“I wonder how long your luck will last. Let’s keep going.”
Ray Jun was already shuffling the cards. When he placed the cards down, Kang Siwon checked his hand.
7♣, A♣. This time too, it wasn’t so bad. Of course, clubs were the lowest suit, but there was also the possibility of making a flush with the same suit.
“Ah, this dealer shuffles well. Finally it’s starting to feel like a real game, huh?”
Feng Tao giggled while looking at his cards. It was an expression confident of victory. For it to be bluffing, that frivolously excited expression seemed genuine. Kang Siwon had a premonition this hand wouldn’t be easy.
“Preflop³⁾, betting begins.”
Clack, Feng Tao firmly placed his chips in the betting zone.
“Thirty thousand!”
As expected, the pot grew large as if he had something to rely on. However, he couldn’t back down here. Kang Siwon placed three 10,000 chips in the betting zone.
“I’ll call.”
“Flop, opening.”
Ray Jun flipped the cards.
A♥, 7♠, Q♣.
With this, two pair was complete. If Feng Tao had Q or J, he would also have two pair. However, numerically, the young man’s two pair was likely superior.
“I’ll bet an additional ten thousand.”
To bet or not to bet.
Kang Siwon stared down at the cards with an expressionless face, contemplating. If he backed down here, he’d lose 30,000. Then only 10,000 would remain in his possession, a big loss.
But if he kept matching, he could lose all 40,000. It was foolish to fail to avoid a more devastating loss out of fear of immediate loss. In the end, Kang Siwon folded his cards.
“I’ll fold.”
“Haha, is your beginner’s luck already over? It’s ending too soon, isn’t it?”
Well, of course, since he’s not a beginner. Thinking that while remaining silent, Feng Tao flipped over his cards to show him.
“Oh my, it seems the goddess of luck that was with Xiao Wei came to kiss me instead.”
Q♠, Q♦.
Combined with Q♣ on the board, it was triple queens. He couldn’t have won with his two pair.
Kang Siwon slowly shook his head pretending to be disappointed, but inwardly thought it was fortunate. He’d done well to fold indeed. If he’d raised here, he would have lost an additional 30,000 patacas. In that sense, the goddess of luck had actually taken his side.
“So, shall we go to the next hand?”
Feng Tao curled up the corners of his mouth. His expression was already triumphant as if he’d already cleaned out all of Kang Siwon’s chips. He wanted to win if only to avoid seeing that face.
“Let’s go.”
Kang Siwon said while picking up his one remaining chip. Unlike him, chips were stacked like a tower in front of Feng Tao. In a way, it was a game he’d started losing from the capital itself, but it was worth trying.
Because he clearly knew from experience that no matter how far behind he fell, the gambling scene could flip with just one hit.
Footnotes
1) Player’s card combination
2) The first three community cards revealed
3) The state right after players receive two hole cards, before any of the five community cards are revealed.
