"You didn't tell her? Strange." Lying on a bed that wasn't familiar to him, Yuuta muttered under his breath as in replying to the confession he heard from Mio.

The latter mentioned was also lying on the same bed using Yuuta's arm as a pillow while hugging his body in serious intimacy.

After having a breathtaking round of their first kiss Mio was reluctant to leave the room at that instance so Yuuta complied with her request contently and stayed back.

Right now Mio was a little startled upon hearing that Chihiro was aware of Sayuri's relationship with Yuuta. Since she wasn't the one who told Chihiro about it, there was no way she could have known.

"Don't overthink about it. It's not a big deal even if she knows." Even hearing such, Mio's expression didn't shift much. Looking at such a troubled expression Yuuta turned his body toward her before holding her face gently and directing her gaze onto his.

"Listen. I trust you more than anyone and you trust Chihiro, then isn't it settled now? And I don't think she is a girl who would spread such a thing." Yuuta in actuality wasn't concerned about the matter at all. Until Mio knows everything and she wasn't hurting because of it, then he doesn't mind being talked about in any manner people want.

Mio sighed in resignation and dipped deeper inside to hide under his warmth to forget her worries and get overwhelmed by his presence.

After some more minutes, they finally left the room they were owning since half an hour. Walking down Mio was feeling really awkward and embarrassed upon realizing what she did some minutes ago and more to it, in someone else's room.

"Your nape is red. Should I bite on it?" Upon hearing such words Mio trembled before jolting down the stairs without any motive to look back at the lascivious man, at all. 

"Oh, Mio. Where were you?" On the way, she met Shio who had some bottles in hand and was also walking toward the backyard.

Mio was so flustered that she wasnt ready to face anyone at the moment, so wordlessly she dashed away leaving a dumbfounded Shio at his place.

"Hmm? What happened to her." Tilting his head Shio stared at the place where Mio disappeared an instance ago.

"Isn't it rude to stare at someone else's woman?" Upon hearing such a heavy tone Shio dropped all the bottle he was holding before he turned stiffly toward the voice only to find a narrow-eyed Yuuta glaring at him.

Walking with heavy steps Yuuta advanced forward making Shio push back until his back was connected to the refrigerator. With wide eyes on the fret, Shio opened his mouth but nothing came out as he saw Yuuta walking without changing the pace.

Shio closed his eyes and was about to duck down in fear when suddenly he saw Yuuta leaning forward and picking up the bottles he have dropped earlier.

"Y...uuta-kun..?" Yuuta didn't mind Shio's confused state and only turned his gaze back on him after picking up the very last of the bottle.

"So how is it going?" Handing the cold refreshers back to Shio Yuuta asked nonchalantly. Shio for some instance wasn't able to comprehend his words but soon he regained his little bit of composure.

"Fantastic. We all are spirited high and training just as you said. Ah...yeah, I told them about 'it'. Sorry". Yuuta sighed upon hearing something which he already expected. He knew the earnest and righteous protagonist wouldn't keep his mouth shut when things come to like these.

"Forget about it." Yuuta was about to walk away while shaking his head in defeat when suddenly a soft yet loud voice reached his ear.

"Yuuta-Kun!" Turning on his feet Yuuta raised his brows as he saw Shio's tensed face which he seldom has seen after his rebirth. Shio's face was red in clear anxiety with his breathing a little irregular. 

Yuuta frowned before he hummed in question.

"I am going to confess my love to Chihiro after winning this competition ." Shio's eyes were completely drawn upon Yuuta's. Despite being trembling a little Shio wasn't stealing his eyes away and was confronting Yuuta with his utmost sincerity.

"So, what can I do? Go for it?" On the other hand, Yuuta was in complete oblivion about why Shio was telling him with such a tone. Yuuta knew this would happen as it happened so many times he has played on game, which became more so reason why Yuuta wasn't even a little bit surprised.

Upon hearing such a careless remark like it was nothing to do with him, Shio became a little flustered as well as agitated. 

"Can you really not see Yuuta-kun? " Yuuta was aware that something was making Shio pissed but he wasn't sure what was, neither did he have much concern for it so he pulled his both shoulder up while shaking his head in denial.

"Then forget it. Please forgive me for my rude behavior." Saying so Shio walked away while not meeting Yuuta's gaze again with his head dropped a little more than normal. Yuuta stared at the place he left before also walking away.

It wasn't like he didn't care much about the friend he have found in this life but meddling in their matter more than necessary moreover at this point when he already has Mio by his side, didn't feel worthy. He could help but not dwell.

__________...___________

Walking toward the sliding glass door he saw the figure of an extremely alluring woman standing at the edge. From her tracksuit, Yuuta figured she was Mio. A thought of hugging her from the back emerged but knowing her embarrassment around people he held back.

"So what's going on?" Putting his elbow on the door over his head, he asked Mio while checking the situation. Chihiro, Kurumi, and Shio were pulling a thick rope from one side while the other side was held by Rin alone.

Sayuri was indifferently scrolling on her phone while stealing glanced once in a while toward her surrounding. Of course, she saw Yuuta appearing but didn't let her stare become obvious from behind her phone screen. Well, that's what she believed.

"Chihiro said it will help them to gain strength. And looking at the team I guess they do require some strength. " Yuuta also knew that tug-of-war helps to build motor muscles and strength efficiency but looking at the picture he felt they were going nowhere.

Signing he stepped forward gaining the attention of everyone in an instant. Rin loosened her grip as well on the other side as Yuuta walked toward Kurumi who was in the front position.

"Kurumi-san, don't put all the strength in your arm. The tug is all about your body positioning and how efficiently you use your muscle strength, especially those in your legs." Kurumi was dazed for quite some time but while listening nodded like she understood everything. 

Yuuta sighed again as he realized Kurumi wasn't understanding anything before he went on her backside making everyone gasp. Mio opened her eyes wide while trying her best to not run between them and separate their bodies like her life was dependent on it.

"Listen first align your body with your shoulder like this..." He held the head-to-toe embarrassed Kurumi's shoulder before placing her in the way which would be most useful to utilize her utmost strength. 

"Now, don't move yourself in try to move the rope, rather lean back like you are sitting on a chair...Come on you can do it." Yuuta encouraged her and with her eyes tightly shut she nodded. Rin held the rope before Kurumi pulled it from her side and leaned her butt back as Yuuta directed her. She leaned and leaned until her back wasn't connected to Yuuta. 

"Good now remember this and continue with this posture, okay?" Rin nodded with an 'Hai!' as after being left by Yuuta she plopped down with a steamy red face while panting like she ran a marathon just now. 

"Don't walk on your own like you don't have anything but just to bring rope on your side. It's not about walking back but handling the rope and slowly pulling it toward you. First, increase the gap between your leg, and rather than pulling yourself back, pull the rope." 

Shio nodded in understanding as Yuuta improvised his body posture and helped Shio with his stiff movements.

Walking toward Chihiro, all the stares especially three pairs got instantly directed toward Yuuta. He walked toward the fidgety Chihiro who had her cheeks flushed while imaging herself being played like how Yuuta did with Shio and Kurumi. 

Mio on the other hand was clutching her sleeve in anticipation and anxiety. She was aware of Chihiro's current state of mind and coupled with her flushed face her worries intensified to no end.

Sayuri was thoroughly amused by the development and was gawking at the scene with her eyes unmoving at all. The same goes for Shio who despite being facing the front had his head turned slightly which gave him some partial image of the scene which was going to happen. His heart was restlessly beating fast, as he stared at Yuuta's moving figure toward Chihiro and the latter one's unusual appearance.

Intent gazes upon a single man and what his next move would be but to their utmost expectancy, Yuuta passed by Chihiro only after muttering a single sentence.

"You are fine how you are."

_____________...____________ 

A/N:- I raised flags in this chapter. Drama, confusion, jealousy, rivalry, and a bit of misunderstanding. What I won't do would be a long separation between Yuuta and Mio.

Anyway, drop your comment.