?OUND ? ???? ?llk.

43 YUKKI, THE PRETTY BOY!

You grasp your hands together behind your back, and you suddenly feel shy when he asks you, "Oh, it's fine. It's not anything too bad, anyway." 

He places a hand on his hip and leans back on his heel, "That's good. I mean, you're probably used to that sort of thing, anyway," he gives a boyish chuckle.

Your eyes don't leave your shuffling feet, squeezed tight shut. Yukimiya pushes his hair back with his hand and looks backwards for a second, then back to you—expression immediately brightening, "I should be going now. It's your team's turn to rest—so you should get some. I hope I'll see you again soon, [name]."

You raise your head to see the small, cute wave he sends you as he walks away, something you feel obligated to return. Your face and heartbeat calmed down and you let out a big loud sigh of relief. You wave until he's out of sight, chocolate locks completely out of your presence. You stand there, still, for a second, until you think back on his words.

Was he... indirectly calling me... attractive?

Your face suddenly feels burning hot once more.

*⋆｡˚𖦹࣪˖ ִֶָ⋆｡°✩

You stretch your arms up and look around. What time is it?

You almost don't remember falling asleep, but it doesn't bother you. You slip out of your covers and your feet make contact with the cool ground. You shiver and slip your slippers on as fast as you can, walking out of your room and looking around.

After the second match with Team B (and the fourth match of the stratum), you dozed off and took a nap. You were exhausted after that whole battle—and Bachira's energy didn't make it any better, but it was in the past now.

You walk into the monitor room, and there you see a few people already sitting there. Gagamaru. Barou. Hiori. A few guys you don't recognise. And there, cross-legged and quiet, is... Reo. He's watching the instant replays of the third match like he is in a trance, and it would be almost creepy if you forgot who he was.

Reo. The Mikage Reo, who believes he is so below Nagi. 

You don't say a word, stepping cautiously into the room and pulling out a pillow, sitting down on it with crossed legs. Hiori glances over his shoulder and notices you sitting behind him, so he quickly shuffles over to create more room. You silently thank him and move up. You're between Hiori and Barou now.

You didn't get to watch the third match-up, so seeing it now with Reo is a new experience for you. The room is completely silent (probably due to everybody in here being practical strangers), but you carelessly snap that silence with a shocked gasp, "Barou! You scored?!"

He turns to you, brows furrowed angrily and you only notice now how his hair is down, lowered to his shoulders, "Did you not expect me to?!"

The heated glare he sends you catches attention, but you don't pay it any mind, "I mean... yeah."

"Excuse me—!!!"

His angry tone is quickly cut off by you speaking over him, "I didn't mean it like that—I was surprised because Otoya and Karasu have a really solid thing going on, and you scoring is like... really surprising."

Hiori nods from beside you, and you lean back so you're not blocking his view, "Otoya and Karasu have been perfecting their combo since the first selection, so it's a pretty big shock that they let somebody else in on their thing."