...
"What ice pop could possibly be this delicious.... King really is something, not even replying properly." After hanging up the phone, Mejiro McQueen muttered complaints on her end.
"McQueen, have you two finished talking?"
"Yes,y, Grandmother."
"Alright, invite Little Lucian next time."
...
Today, quite a few people called Lucian.
But with Mejiro Grandmother's call, Tokai Teio's defensiveness gradually faded, no longer so flustered and tense.
"Hey, Suzuka... Yes, I'm at King's place right now. When you get back, we'll all go team-building together."
Silence Suzuka: "Is Lucian-kun getting along well with King?"
Lucian: "Of course we're getting along well. King took me to lots of famous spots to take photos."
Tokai Teio: "Suzuka, if you get the chance, you can come play at my place too!"
Silence Suzuka: "Alright, then I wish Lucian-kun and King a pleasant time."
...
Seiun Sky: "Trainer sneaked off to King's house?"
Lucian: "It's not sneaking. Didn't I visit the homes of a few little ones last year too? This year it's King's turn."
Seiun Sky: "Oh~ Is King's place fun?"
"Of course it's super fun. King even prepared lots of local specialty foods." After saying this, Lucian gently nibbled Tokai Teio's ear and whispered, "King, it's your turn to speak."
"Mm-hmm... Seiun, of course it's fun here~ I treated Trainer to lots of honey products from around here."
Tokai Teio knew the "specialty food" Lucian meant was herself.
She also started to mind the lies she'd spun. How could she not want to hold Lucian's hand and stroll the streets, or eat some delicious food? She did—of course she did.
After hanging up, the last trace of Tokai Teio's unease vanished. And Lucian's coordination with her dispelled everyone else's suspicions.
"King, no one will suspect anymore... Can you trust me now?"
"Mm!"
...
A few more days passed like this.
One early morning, Tokai Teio suddenly unlocked Lucian's restraints.
"King?" Lucian flexed his wrists and looked into her eyes; the black mist inside hadn't fully cleared yet.
"Trainer, shall we go out for a walk? Let's go together."
"Sure." Lucian nodded and pulled her delicate body into his embrace, "confining" her.
Skin against skin, smooth as porcelain, like a warm current flowing between their hearts.
"This time, let me dress King and help you wash up."
"Mm..."
...
The moment they stepped outside, Lucian instinctively shielded his eyes from the bright light. "Where are we going?"
"Just stroll nearby." She looped her arm through Lucian's; when nervous, her heartbeat quickened slightly.
There weren't really any unique attractions here, so Tokai Teio led Lucian toward a nearby park.
"I'll cook today. We've had takeout for days—you must be fed up, right?"
Tokai Teio's thoughts were seen through, but she still said tsundere-like, "More and more shops are opening, and there's still lots of takeout we haven't ordered!"
"Oh? So I don't need to cook? I was actually thinking of making pudding and other desserts for you to try..."
"Trainer!" Tokai Teio turned her head away. "I need it!"
"Still pudding? Want to try now?"
Tokai Teio glanced at the passersby around them. "N-no... not that kind of pudding."
"Trainer went to all that trouble researching for McQueen, but won't even make one pudding for me to taste..."
"I'll make it for you tonight when we get back. However much King wants—I'll add your favorite honey... and feed you."
Tokai Teio landed a normal attack, but Lucian had already unleashed his ultimate. Still, he didn't think it was making a big deal out of nothing.
...
At the park entrance, the paths branched in many directions.
"Trainer, which way do you want to go?"
Lucian wasn't here just to walk—any path was fine. "With King, every path is the same."
Tokai Teio's eyes drooped slightly. "Then let's take this one."
The park had lots of play structures for kids and small stalls along the paths, so it was quite lively.
But neither of them was focused on that. They walked aimlessly, the atmosphere quiet to the point of being eerie.
"King, can you tell me when you started liking Trainer?"
Tokai Teio just held Lucian's hand tightly. "I don't know, but whenever I see Trainer being intimate with someone else, my heart... hurts."
Thinking back now, that must have been when she fell for Trainer.
Lucian frowned slightly—he couldn't just frown every time he saw her, or he might as well go back to the basement. "Emmm... Were there any specific incidents? That made King jealous."
"Yes! Of course! So many, so many, so many!" Tokai Teio suddenly stepped in front of Lucian but still gripped his wrist tightly.
"It was clearly our duet song, but Trainer sang it with Suzuka again... I'm the one who likes Trainer!"
"Why can Urara and Seiun lie next to Trainer?! Why can Urara and the others be so close to Trainer!"
"And it was clearly my exclusive massage, but McQueen stole it too... wu wu wu....."
...
She was clearly accusing Lucian of wrongdoing, but as Tokai Teio spoke, she choked up, took two sniffles, and started crying aggrievedly.
Lucian bent down, gently wiping Tokai Teio's tears, and said softly, "About McQueen, didn't King say you didn't mind anymore?"
"Stupid Trainer! Stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid... How could I not mind!"
Tokai Teio closed her eyes and swung her fists at his chest—lightly, otherwise Lucian couldn't have caught her wrists.
He hugged her, waiting until her movements slowed and she clutched his clothes before continuing, "It's my fault. Whatever grievances King still has, tell Trainer all of them, okay?"
Tears washed over her eyes, adding a fresh clarity to Tokai Teio's reddened gaze.
She pursed her lips, unable to suppress the waves in her heart, so her little mouth trembled like ripples for a while. "Also... during New Year's, you and—and Seiun were alone in the storage room playing piano...."
"That was just an accident." But one thing Lucian remembered clearly: "Didn't King promise to choreograph a dance for this song?"
On this matter, Tokai Teio didn't really blame Lucian. After all, she'd only mentioned it casually back then to tease him.
"You haven't even finished writing the melody! How am I supposed to choreograph!"
In Lucian's arms, Tokai Teio was like a sensitive stray cat—one touch and she bristled entirely.
"Alright, it's all Trainer's fault." Lucian gently patted Tokai Teio's back. "Your mouth is all dried out from crying."
Tokai Teio sniffled, looked at Lucian with a pitiful expression for a while, then buried her face in his shoulder, hugging his neck. "Stinky Trainer..."
Lucian quietly held her for a while, waiting until only Tokai Teio's steady breathing reached his ears before saying, "Still want to stroll? I'll carry you home."
"No." Tokai Teio pushed away from Lucian's shoulder and took his hand.
She wasn't sulking—crying in a park full of people had already embarrassed her enough. "Let's walk a bit more. I can walk back myself."
"Okay."
...