"..."
The young man walked down the hallway of the Mejiro Mansion with less of a burden on his shoulders. He had been holding the declaration of war in him since McQueen came crying to him that day, and it felt as if a 10-ton weight had been lifted from him.
*Thump* *Thump* *Thump*
"Huh?"
The familiar sound of running caught the young man's ears. It would not be weird to hear running inside the Mejiro Mansion, as the Mejiros are known for that, but the young man didn't expect them to run inside the Mansion too.
"Oha~~ Good Morning, Mejiro Ryan."
"AH!! Trainer Igo Heita!! Morning!!
Sorry to bother you…"
By the look of it, the spiky-haired tomboy did not expect to meet anyone in the hallway, as she was beet-red when the young man saw her running.
"Running in the hallway, are we?
Is it because you're not allowed to run in the hallway in the academy, so you let it all out in the Mansion?"
"AAHHH!!! STOP!! I'm sorry!! I won't run in the hallway again!!"
The tomboy screams in agony from the teasing. It reminds the young man of McQueen during the first month of Team Minaz. The current McQueen has developed some tolerance to the young man's antics and even begs him to do worse.
"I will let you go if you let me kiss you on your cheeks."
"KI–KI–KISS?!?!?! Bu–bu–but that's only for couples!!!"
"I guess we have to be a couple then."
"EEEHHHH?!?!?! CO–CO–COUPLE!?!?!?"
"Fufufufu~~ I'm just kidding, cutie. You shouldn't get flustered that easily, or I might take advantage of your weak moment and actually kiss you."
"AH!! Please don't tease me like that, Trainer Igo Heita!! I'm not as sturdy as McQueen…" The tomboy pouted, which only increased the young man's need to tease her.
"Hahahaha… Sorry. Are you going for a morning run?"
"Yeah!! I haven't run on the mansion's track in a long time!! The others are also waiting for me!!
Do you want to watch, Trainer Igo Heita?"
"..."
The young man thought about the invitation for a moment. If he is about to be transferred to a new Mejiro girl, then this would be a good chance to scout who it might be.
But the young man could feel the tiredness creeping into his mind. He wouldn't be entering the track with a clear mind.
"Sorry, but I need to rest.
Where is it anyway? I'll join you once I get some rest."
"AH!! It's just on the back.
Get some rest, Trainer Igo Heita!! See you later!!"
The young man waves at the tomboy as the latter walks away from him.
While he was busy watching Ryan's butts, a butler sneaked up on him.
"Good morning, Mister Igo Heita."
"Morning. To what pleasure do I owe you, Mister Hayakawa?"
"I was asked to lead you to your room by Lady Asama, Mister Igo Heita."
"..."
"And she has informed me to expect hostility from you, as the fault is on our end.
Lady Asama has not told me the details of our mistake, but she assured me it is grave.
As a member of the butler corps, I would like to extend our most sincere gratitude."
"...
Do you take me for a fool?
Mejiro is a big family, right? So why can they only send a butler to ask for forgiveness instead of a member of their family?
Do they really care?
This must be a joke."
"I could not deny that my attempt to take the blame might make it sound like none of the Mejiros are truly sorry for our grave mistakes, but please believe me.
Lady Asama is doing her very best to prepare a personal gift as a token of our apology."
"...
Tch! Whatever!
Just lead me to my room."
"Thank you, sir. Please follow me."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Why did you hold out on the information that McQueen is betrothed to her trainer, Aurola?"
"PPPPPPPPFFFFFFFFFFFTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!! SHE IS WHAT?!?!?!?!"
"GAH!!! I got sweet tea all over me!!"
To rectify the mistake she (thinks) she made, Mejiro Asama called her daughters, Mejiro Titan and Mejiro Aurola, to come to her office.
Mejiro Aurola is McQueen's mother. She has long, brown hair that she tied into a bun behind her head. She wears a teal-colored puffy ear cover on her left ear. Her eyes shine like a purple emerald under the moonlight.
Mejiro Titan is Aurola's older sister. Her hair has more color in it, as if she were the first paper that was printed on before the printer ran out of ink for McQueen. Her eyes shine in dim shades of purple, but her spirit colors them with its blaze.
"Betrohed!?!?! McQueen!?! To her trainer?!?! What are you talking about, Mother?!?!?!"
"Uuhh… Mom, do you have tissues? My face is wet from Aurola's tea spit."
"If I may, Miss Titan." The maid comes to Titan's rescue as she wipes Titan's face with a wet towel.
"Thank you, Ayaka."
"You hear me right, Aurola.
Your daughter is in a very close relationship with her trainer, no?"
"She told me that… But I didn't assume it was that close."
"And you call me a bad mother to Durren for paying for her date with her trainer."
"Shut up, Big Sis!!" Aurola snaps at Titan for trying to gain a point in an important moment. "Where did you hear this information, Mother?"
"Trainer Igo Heita visited me before you.
I tried to figure out why he shows hostility to our family except to McQueen, and he boldly proclaims he will never leave McQueen's side.
To proclaim his love to her in front of me can only mean that he is asking for McQueen's hand in marriage."
"I didn't know they were that close…"
"He is hostile, as he feels like he and McQueen don't get the appropriate reaction to their relationship.
We should be cherishing them, but we barely even acknowledge them.
It is entirely our fault."
"No, it's her fault for being a bad mother."
"I spiked your tea with a laxative, Titan."
"Oh… you twat…"
"We need to set things right. Let us celebrate their relationship like it's meant to be celebrated."