Chapter 110 - I Like It
"Well then, I should be on my way."
A short while after we viewed the names of the Title Holders, we returned to the waiting room. After giving me some additional explanations, Lotta stood up.
"Thanks for everything. You were a huge help."
"An explanation was necessary anyway, including the part about your seed. And I got to break the ice a little with our promising super rookie, so it was a win for me, too."
Though he'd shown a teasing side, he was, without a doubt, a "good guy." When he naturally extended his right hand, I returned the handshake without hesitation.
"Unfortunately, I won't be participating in the main tournament… but I'll be there to cheer on my favorite, so I'll be watching."
"Heh, I'll do my best not to make a fool of myself."
He released my hand and then offered it to Sora.
"Sora-chan, thank you for joining us as well. It's a true honor to meet such a promising 'swordsman'."
"N-Not at all…! Thank you so much for explaining everything to us!"
They also exchanged a pleasant handshake. "Now then," he said, operating a window. With a gesture that was almost annoyingly stylish, Lotta gave a wink, and friend request windows opened in front of both of us.
We both hit YES without a second thought, and the fourth friend in our respective lists was registered.
"Well then, here's to working with you in the future."
"Yeah, you too."
"It's a pleasure."
After exchanging one last greeting, Lotta prepared to leave the waiting room via teleport—or so I thought, but he seemed to have an idea and paused with a thoughtful expression.
"Sorry, just a small suggestion. Since you'll both be watching Haru's matches anyway… Sora-chan, if you'd like, how about we cheer for him together?"
"Pardon…? Huh?"
His suggestion was directed not at me, but at Sora.
I wasn't particularly surprised, but it was still a somewhat unexpected offer, so I watched Sora's reaction.
Suddenly put on the spot, Sora fidgeted in confusion, unsure how to respond.
"There's a special area where staff members like me are stationed, separate from the general viewing seats. I can't do whatever I want, but inviting a single guest is no problem at all."
"I-Is that… Are you sure that's okay… ?"
"The general seating can get pretty packed for popular matches. It would be a huge problem if Haru couldn't concentrate on his match because he was worried about his cute partner."
That would indeed be a huge problem.
If, by some misfortune, Sora got caught in a scrum with a bunch of guys, I might end up throwing my weapon not at my opponent, but at them.
Sora glanced at me as if asking for my opinion, and I nodded without hesitation.
"I think you should take him up on his kind offer."
If she was going to watch me do my best, I wanted her to have a front-row seat.
"Then… may I join you?"
"Of course. I have to take care of something, so I'll be leaving for now… but when Haru gets transferred to the venue, I'll send you a remote transfer request."
"Yes, thank you very much!"
Lotta's gaze toward the ever-polite and earnest Sora was a gentle one. I get it, my friend. No man could help but feel a protective urge toward this girl.
"By the way, Haru."
"Yeah?"
"Just so you know, I'm a married man. So you don't have to worry about the two of us being alone, okay?"
This guy—!!
"Ah, n-no, that's not…!!"
"Now that's an unnecessary concern. Get back to work, Mr. 'Inspector'."
I'd suspected he was probably popular, so it wasn't a huge surprise.
While I placated the flustered Sora by gently patting her head as she realized the implication of his words, I shooed away Lotta, who was giving me another one of those smirks that didn't suit his handsome face.
◇◆◇◆◇
"Honestly… Lotta-san is so mean. After he said he was sorry for teasing me, too."
Several seconds after Lotta disappeared in a flash of teleportation light, Sora, who had calmed down surprisingly quickly, was expressing a rare indignation toward someone other than me.
Watching this unusual sight with a smile, I glanced at the UI clock in the corner of my vision.
Lotta had informed me a little while ago that all the first preliminary rounds had finished. If things were on schedule, the second prelims should have already begun.
Unlike the first round, the second consisted of one-on-one matches against opponents assigned by 'the Committee'. As such, they usually didn't take very long.
Apparently, the main tournament that followed would also have its brackets and match starts handled at lightning speed by the system. Soon enough, I should receive a notification with the tournament bracket, and then I'd be promptly transferred to the match venue.
It was a selection tournament with ten thousand participants, scheduled for only today and tomorrow. It was obvious that things had to move at a brisk pace to finish on time.
"So, Sora."
"Yes?"
I shifted my focus and looked beside me. Sora looked up at me, already back to her usual gentle smile. She probably wasn't genuinely angry, which I already knew, but—
"Um… look. First, I want to premise this by saying I don't mind at all, but… I have to ask…"
There was a certain issue, if you could even call it that.
"You see… basically—this… hasn't it become a habit?"
As I spoke, I lifted my left hand. A small hand that had been discreetly holding my fingertips came up with it.
"—————————…Eh?"
Sora's inquisitive expression, which had been asking, "What is it?", froze solid. I'd suspected as much, but this was unconscious, wasn't it?
It's just that, lately, Sora had been initiating hand-holding more often, or rather, I'd find my hand taken here and there…
And just now, she'd grasped my fingers so naturally, as if there were nothing strange about it, that I became certain—this girl has made a habit of holding my hand.
""…""
I understand that our relationship looks ambiguous to others, so I thought it might be best to point it out rather than just let it happen… ah, here it comes. Three, two, one—
"—————————…!!?!?!"
Just like when Lotta had teased her earlier—no, with an intensity that couldn't even compare, Sora's head turned crimson, and steam practically billowed from it with a poof! that was actually a little concerning.
She was so flustered that she couldn't even let go or back away, simply freezing in place. Her eyes trembled violently, and her bright red face could only manage a quiver of her lips. I had no idea what to say.
"I… I-I'd like… to make, an excuse, please."
"Y-Yes, please do…"
Seeing Sora in what was undeniably her most broken state ever, I felt a little intimidated and forced out a gentle voice, trying to be as mentally soft as possible.
Um, hey… shouldn't you let go of my hand? Why are you squeezing it even tighter—
"Um, I… I… ever since I was little, I've liked… holding hands."
"R-Right."
"With my mother, and my father… and… and my little brother."
"Right."
"I always wanted to hold someone's hand, so much that I sometimes troubled them."
Slowly, Sora's voice began to calm down. Her face was still a pitiful shade of scarlet, and the small hand clinging to me was still trembling faintly.
"So, so, um… when I trust someone, or get attached… w-when I open my heart to them, I still have this habit of unconsciously reaching out my hand."
"I get it."
I knew she was still trying to say something, but I interrupted her and squeezed back the hand that had been entwined with my fingertips.
"…!"
"I told you I don't mind, didn't I? If you have a habit as cute as that, then there's nothing to be done about it."
In other words, this was another sign of Sora's trust in me.
Simply put, I'm happy. For the sake of such a precious partner, I'd knock out any selfish male desires with a no-time-to-think uppercut.
"My hand is always free for you. I'm issuing a permanent free pass to my dear partner."
Well, I tried to act cool. Did it work? Ah, it seems it did.
Her face was still downturned, so I couldn't see her expression… but Sora's other hand came to rest on top of mine.
"…Haru."
"Yeah?"
The warmth in her voice… yeah, I'll pretend I didn't hear it. If I get embarrassed too, I won't be able to respond to her 'habit'.
"I… I really do like it. Holding hands with someone like this."
"…For both our sakes, let's be careful in public. But when it's just the two of us, you can borrow my hand anytime."
She gave a simple, firm nod, then remained still for a while, just holding my hand.
"Um, I really wanted to say it properly, so I'll say it now."
She lifted her still-flushed face, and her faintly trembling amber eyes met mine.
"…Congratulations on passing the preliminaries. You were so cool, Haru."
"—…Hah ha."
It was so unexpected that a laugh escaped me.
I averted my gaze from Sora, who tilted her head curiously, her cheeks still pink.
What am I supposed to do about this? No, really.
My partner is so cute, I think I'm going to lose my mind.
Holding hands. It's my favorite kind of human contact.