26 Fries are the GOAT

Although Sae Itoshi told you to forget about this account, you couldn't help but browse through the updates.

The number of followers was still rising.

The topic about Caesar was gaining heat, and the club he belonged to even followed you.

...It all felt ominous. At this rate, it seemed inevitable that someone online would dig up your real identity.

Ah, you were going to get scolded by Shinhachikun again!

Account deletion took thirty days. For now, the only solution seemed to be what Sae Itoshi had suggested...

You logged out.

Alright, now nothing could happen.

You walked over to the arena lobby’s resting area and began thinking about what to do for lunch.

In the morning, the national team's sentinels were guiding the crowd, and their guides would head back together afterward—except for you, who still had guiding duties in the afternoon.

So how to pass the time...

The arena’s cafeteria wouldn’t open for another hour or so, and there weren’t many shops nearby. Luckily, the greenery was nice, so you decided to take a stroll along the pathway.

After greeting a staff member, you put on your headphones and set off on your walk.

The weather had been great these past few days leading up to the competition. Early spring temperatures still held a chill, but the bright sunshine was pleasant, never harsh.

You circled the arena’s perimeter, lifting your phone to snap a few photos of birds playing about.

The birds here seemed well-fed.

Glancing down at the photos, the music switched from noisy rock to a cheerful, sweet tune.

You hummed along casually, aiming the camera at a bird hopping on the grass.

“Why are you here?”

Someone was speaking to you?

Because of the music, you didn’t catch it clearly, so you put down your phone and tilted your head to look, raising a hand to remove one earphone.

At that moment, Sae Itoshi appeared, suddenly entering your field of view as you turned.

The song kept playing in your ear, and startled, you found your attention drawn to his gold-tinted, bean-paste-colored hair strands. Everything your eyes took in seemed to slow down; when your gaze landed on his face, you inexplicably felt an emotion called warmth.

Perhaps it was because the sunlight struck the side of his face just right, or maybe because the sweet song had just reached its climax.

Your heart skipped a beat briefly. You took off your earphones and inhaled deeply:

“What did you say?”

Sae Itoshi didn’t repeat himself: “Inspection’s done. Let’s eat. I’ll take you back afterward.”

He tapped his phone twice, opening the page of a restaurant you had once praised on your private account.

“Twenty minutes by car. Want to go?”

At this moment, no matter how unaccustomed you were to Sae Itoshi’s domineering manner, you felt your heart stir.

“...Alright, let’s go!”

*

Mimi had a free meal courtesy of Sae Itoshi, and you felt very happy.

The national team teammates who came with him were sent off in another vehicle; you, Sae Itoshi, and the agent shared lunch.

With the agent present, the meal felt much more relaxed—though you briefly wondered if Sae Itoshi’s temper had improved compared to before.

Afterward, you ordered the signature fries you had been craving, dipping them in ketchup—a true delight.

Only Sae Itoshi’s expression looked a bit strange.

“...Want some?”

You nudged the plate toward him.

“No.”

He averted his gaze.

...But you could tell he really wanted some!

You pouted and looked at the agent:

“Do you want some?”

The agent glanced at Sae Itoshi and also declined. “No, thanks.”

Alright then, fries all to yourself.

You took a photo, posted it on your account to recommend the place to friends, then happily finished eating.

“I’ll treat you to a meal next time.”

You rubbed your contented stomach and leaned comfortably against the back seat of the car.

“Okay.”

Sae Itoshi glanced at you, sprawled so thoroughly you seemed merged with the seat, his gaze softening a little.

You closed your eyes, hearing his reply, and after a moment’s thought, decided to compliment the one who had just treated you.

“Sae Itoshi, you...”

You opened your eyes and looked at him, hesitating over your words, “have been... gentler lately?”

*

His cool, teal-green eyes fixed on you. Sae Itoshi, ever the concise cool guy, replied without hesitation:

“I’ve always been like this with you.”

“......”

You sat up suddenly, startled.

He didn’t quite understand your reaction and changed the subject:

“What song were you humming just now? It was nice.”

“Song? When did I hum?”

“Before eating, when you were taking photos.”

“......”

The driver and the agent in the front seats listened to this exchange, visibly restless and uneasy, as if bristling with nerves, wanting to say something but holding back.

Meanwhile, your cheeks burned red.

...Get me out of here! I want to get out of the car!

*

After eating, you returned to the arena for another ten minutes. Soon, the Blue Prison team’s vehicle arrived.

You greeted them, then went through the review process again with the other guides.

Rin Itoshi keenly sensed the presence of other sentinels around you—he was too familiar with this, even though you hadn’t seen each other for a long time. The tall young man’s face immediately darkened.

Though Shinhachikun had already warned you that both you and Sae Itoshi would be guiding simultaneously, and you had mentally prepared yourself... he was still very displeased.

Before the guiding began, Shinhachikun suddenly called.

Rin Itoshi seemed to know what it was about, nodding at you.

You answered nervously—could it be about the account mutually following Caesar?

“After it’s over, another car will come to pick you and Rin Itoshi up,” Shinhachikun’s calm, serious voice said. “You’ll do a blood test for a compatibility check, and then I have something very important to tell you.”

...The match is tomorrow, and you still have to do a compatibility test.

What could this important matter be?

You knew well that this U20 competition was crucial for the survival of the Blue Prison project. Shinhachikun always helped you when reaching out, and having long since established trust with this person who worked closely with your cousin Anri Teijin,

“Okay, I understand.”