"Hey, Vice President. Ann really sent you flying, didn't she? You took quite a tumble on your backside—are you doing all right?"
"I'm fine. Sorry for making you worry."
"Of course I'm worried! If you hadn't stepped up and shown such guts, Vice President, I don't know if we would’ve been able to save Shiroi. Everyone being safe is thanks to you!"
Yugo spoke with a bright, encouraging tone as he praised Hao, trying to lift the spirits of the boy who had been visibly downcast since the previous night. However, Hao didn't seem ready to accept such praise just yet.
After falling silent for a moment, Hao spoke while keeping his eyes cast down.
"I didn't really do anything. Even if I hadn't moved at that moment, you probably would have rescued Shiroi with Marcos and the others. If anything, Shiroi went through all that because I was the one who brought Cyan and Egos here. I'm just a person who stood by the side of the perpetrators."
"You don't need to be so hard on yourself. Even I only realized what kind of people they were yesterday."
"That doesn't matter. I watched President Presia being cornered by Egos, and I couldn't do a thing. If you hadn't rushed in, the President might have broken under his pressure and hurt Shiroi. I told you I wouldn't forgive you if you hurt her, but I'm the one who's done nothing but cause her pain. I'm truly ashamed of myself."
Cyan and Egos were the ones who had turned this situation into such a mess, and Hao was the one who had brought them to the village. Shiroi had been captured because Hao had interrogated Presia, making her feel responsible as well. And during the battle last night, he had stood by as she was pushed to the brink of a trauma that could have lasted a lifetime... As Hao poured out his regret and shame, Yugo listened quietly before speaking up.
"It couldn't be helped. In a way, I'm the original cause of all this too. It's my fault for not acting in a way that would've made you trust me, Vice President. So, there's no reason for you to blame yourself. Besides, the fact that you fought to save Shiroi will never change. You're a Hero to him and to President Presia, too."
Yugo patted Hao's shoulder, prompting the boy to look up. He pointed toward Presia, who was busy handing out soup, and Shiroi, who was happily eating her cooking.
"The fact that Shiroi is eating a delicious meal and smiling like that right now, and the fact that President Presia is finding joy in her cooking again because of that smile... that's all thanks to our hard work. We protected someone's smile and their happiness. For now, isn't that enough? We can save the self-reflection and regret for another time."
"Yeah... you're right. If I keep making a face like this, I'll only put a damper on things. For now, I'll try to smile."
It was exactly as Yugo said. Even if his actions had been born from a sense of regret, the desire he'd felt to save Shiroi hadn't been a lie, and the fact that he'd struggled for the boy's sake wouldn't disappear. While it was true his actions had caused unnecessary trouble, it was equally true that Hao had played a part in protecting the happiness and smiles of those two. Encouraged by Yugo’s words, a faint smile finally touched his lips as he nodded.
"That aside, Yugo. How long do you intend to keep using such formal speech with me? I'm fairly certain I told you we're in the same grade."
"Huh? Oh, well... given my past reputation, I was a bit hesitant. Even if I decided we were friends, if you didn't feel the same way, I'd just be coming across as overly familiar. I was a little worried..."
Having sorted out his feelings, Hao finally asked Yugo about the one thing that had been on his mind for a while. As Yugo answered with an awkward laugh, Hao let out a small chuckle of his own.
"I suppose you're right. You and I aren't friends. We aren't quite at the stage where we can talk like that yet."
Hao paused there and took a steady breath. Then, looking Yugo in the eye, he continued with a determined air.
"Come visit the Cooking Club sometime. I'll treat you to something truly spectacular."
"!!"
Hearing Hao’s words, Yugo’s eyes widened in surprise. Recognizing the familiar phrase and understanding what it implied, he broke into a smile just like Hao’s and gave his answer.
"You bet! I'm looking forward to it!"