"Whoa...! There really are all kinds of animals here...!"
"It's a zoo. That's to be expected. You're always saying the strangest things."
The destination for today's triple date was a zoo—or at least, a place very much like one. Melt had selected it because she thought Elena, who had grown up surrounded by the nature and wildlife of Shandia Island, would appreciate it.
However, as things stood, Yugo seemed far more excited than the girl the trip was meant for. He was absolutely thrilled at the chance to observe the animals of this world, having never had the opportunity to look at them closely before.
"Man! I've seen nothing but Magic Armor Beasts and magic beasts lately, so seeing normal animals feels so fresh!"
"U-Um... I appreciate the enthusiasm, but I feel like the 'rarity' of seeing me in my casual clothes just plummeted in Yugo's eyes..."
Melt's shoulders slumped. Yugo was clearly more fired up by the animals than he had been by Raiha or Elena's outfits—or even her own, despite the fact that he'd given her the best reaction of the three.
To be fair, that boyish charm was one of the things she loved about him. She knew he wasn't intentionally ignoring her, so she didn't let it get to her too much.
"This is great! There are so many kinds! Whoa! Is that horse over there one of Skull's relatives? Skull's definitely bigger, though...!"
"You really like animals, don't you, Yugo? It's kind of what I expected, but also... not?"
"Of course! They're cool! The Blazing Lion and the King of the Sky are both incredibly badass! Personally, I’ve always had a soft spot for the Knight in Wolf Armor, too!"
"Right, okay. That part where you say things I don't understand is exactly as I expected."
Yugo looked like a wild-type handsome man—or, to put it bluntly, he had a bit of a scary face. Seeing him bustle around excitedly while surrounded by cute animals struck Melt as a bit comical. As she watched him, Yugo continued in his usual high-energy tone.
Melt assumed he was referring to specific things she couldn't quite grasp, but then Yugo let out a sigh.
"Man, there are so many animals I don't know. If Fee were here, he could’ve explained everything. We would've had even more fun...!"
"Ugh... Fee-kun again...!"
Melt's shoulders dropped even further. Yugo had mentioned his brother's name without a trace of malice, but she felt the sting nonetheless. She'd known this would happen, but still... Fee was just too powerful as a heroine.
She understood perfectly well that Yugo didn't see his brother in a romantic light, but for the girls vying for his affection, Fee's presence was overwhelming in more ways than one.
(Fee-kun...! How on earth am I supposed to win your brother's heart?)
Looking up at the sky, she could almost see Fee's smiling face floating in the clouds. While Melt tearfully questioned her greatest rival—even knowing he was just an illusion—the "awkward distance duo," Ryuga and Raiha, were attempting to converse while looking at the exhibits.
"Um, well... even for those of us from Yamato, these animals seem quite rare! I-It's very educational!"
"I see. Good for you."
"Ugh..."
Ryuga cut Raiha down with a single, blunt stroke. Unable to stand by and watch the pair struggle through a dialogue that barely qualified as a conversation, Marcos cleared his throat and addressed Ryuga.
"Hey, Ryuga. I understand where you're coming from, but at least try to show a little more consideration. Don't make a lady feel embarrassed."
"...I thought I was being quite mindful, actually."
"Are you serious? Even I'm appalled by that...!"
Marcos felt a genuine chill of fear at Ryuga's response, realizing the swordsman was being sincere. On second thought, considering Ryuga wasn't using his usual "Don't ask me questions" catchphrase, he might have been making a massive concession in his own mind.
Just then, Yugo and Melt joined the fray.
"Nah, you're definitely acting weird around Raiha. There's no doubt about it."
"I agree. If you want to be friendly, you should just act like you normally do. You're a bit sharp with Setsuna and the others, but with Raiha, it's like... you're talking to her in a completely different way."
"...Stop analyzing my behavior."
Ryuga's lip twitched, as if they'd hit a nerve. Marcos felt a wave of sympathy. Perhaps Ryuga was just like him—struggling to figure out how to interact with the opposite sex.
Looking slightly annoyed, Ryuga turned the tables on him.
"Marcos, you shouldn't be worrying about me. Your priority is Elena, isn't it?"
"A-Ah... Right. You're right."
Marcos gave a stiff nod as Ryuga pointed toward Elena, who was quietly observing the animals in their enclosures.
Feeling the eyes of his friends on him, Marcos signaled that he would try to handle the conversation alone first. With movements just as stiff as his words, he approached her.