Everyone in the room remained frozen, disbelief written across their faces, eyes wide, the shock settling in silence as Masaru sat there, his phone still ringing in his hand.
Toru leaned forward slightly. "Put it on speaker," he said, urgency slipping into his voice.
Masaru gave a small nod. Drawing a steady breath, he answered the call and lifted the phone closer, bringing the microphone near his mouth.
"Hey… Haruma?"
For a brief moment, there was only silence.
Then a voice came through.
"Hey, Masaru. How are you?"
It was Haruma.
Masaru's eyes stayed slightly widened, still processing. Beside him, Toru leaned in, intent on every word, while a soft, genuine smile settled on Rukia's face.
"I-I'm fine… yeah, I'm fine. How about you?" Masaru replied, his voice carrying a mix of urgency and nerves.
"I'm good too," Haruma answered, his voice steady over the line. "Just woke up late."
Masaru's expression softened into a warm smile. "Man… I watched you. You really won, Haruma."
