As Hikki exited the restroom, he spotted a familiar figure standing watch, offering hik a handkerchief.
"Thanks, Sebas!"
Hikki said, taking the handkerchief and using it to clean his hands. He then turned to Sebas, who appeared unfazed by the recent events.
"Are you done with your business here, Young Master?" Sebas inquired.
"Yeah," Hikki replied, though his tone conveyed a nonchalant attitude. His eyes were sharp as he glanced around the hallway, searching for any signs of security cameras.
His frown deepened as he noticed one camera pointed in their direction, covering the restroom area.
"That security camera seems to be broken, Young Master," Sebas remarked, seeming to understand Hikki's concern.
Theur eyes met, and Hikki's lips curled up into a subtle smile, conveying his approval to Sebas, who responded with a slight nod and a small smirk of his own.
"Yea, what a coincidence..."
As Hikki and Sebas prepared to depart, a voice suddenly broke their conversation. They turned slowly to find Imayoshi approaching with a calm demeanour, a polite smile on his face, and his eyes closed.
Imayoshi had been searching for Hanamiya, their teammate, as they were supposed to leave the gymnasium together. Discovering Hikki here was really an unexpected twist.
Inayoshi couldn't help but be taken aback by the presence of Hikki's butler, Sebas, who had a refined air about him.
"I knew he wasn't an ordinary guy, but..." Imayoshi mused silently, casting a quick, assessing glance at Sebas. To think he had a personal butler like this."
An unsettling feeling crept over him. Imayoshi narrowed his eyes at the duo, his voice maintaining it's customary politeness as he asked, "Have you two happened to see a member of our team around here?"
Hikki calmly regarded Imayoshi before directing his attention towards Sebas, asking, "Sebas, did you spot anyone else here besides me?"
"No, Young Master," came Sebas' prompt and unwavering response, leaving Hikki to give a nonchant shrug.
"You heard him. There's no-one else here," Hikki declared, turning on his heel and departing.
Imayoshi couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Nonetheless, he continued on as normal, albeit with a somewhat perplexed expression as he watched Hikki and his butler walk away.
"...Urgh."
A low, painful groan echoed within the restroom, jolting Imayoshi from his thoughts. Alarmed, he rushed inside and was met with the shocking sight of Hanamiya being beaten and barely holding on.
Imayoshi's mind raced as he recalled his recent encounter with Hikki in the hallway.
The contrast between Hikki's casual demeanour and the violence he was now confronted with sent a shiver down Imayoshi's spine.
Regaining his composure, Imayoshi quickly contacted Hibiya's Coach, and chaos ensued in the gymnasium.
Hanamiya was swiftly transported to the nearest hospital. His injuries were severe, leaving him battered and nearly unrecognisable.
Adding to the grim situation, Hanamiya exhibited signs of intense fear, prompting the hospital to consider his mental well-being. As a result, he was slated for a month of intensive treatment and care.
Understanding the gravity of the situation, Imayoshi promptly informed Hibiya's coach about the incident. The coach's anger flared as they demanded a review of the security camera footage to identify the assailant and bring them to justice.
If the evidence supported Imayoshi's account, they insisted that Hikki should be banned from all future tournaments, with Meikō disqualified from the current one.
However, to their astonishment, the security camera in the hallway had mysteriously malfunctioned at the precise time of the incident. What was even more perplexing was that not just one camera, but the entire gymnasium's security system had gone offline during that period.
Adding to the situation's complexity, an entire month's worth of recorded footage had vanished, with no possibility of recovery. The circumstances surrounding the incident had taken a decidedly enigmatic turn.
Lacking substantial evidence, they found themselves in a legal quagmire. Taking on the scion of a powerful conglomerate family with access to elite lawyers would likely result in a futile legal battle.
Even if they managed to find a decent attorney, the mere involvement of the Hikigaya family scion would attract immense media attention and opportunistic individuals eager to align themselves with such a powerful family.
After weighing these grim pospects, they reluctantly accepted the situation, their frustration palpable as they clenched their jaws in resignation.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere was markedly different in other parts of the city.
As Hikki entered the restaurant VIP room, he was greeted with an unexpected sight.
"Hehehe!" Assistant Coach Makiyama erupted into hearty laughter. His face flushed a bright red. This uncharacteristic display left the others gaping in astonishment.
"There's this girl I used to fancy, you see," Sanada began to recount with abandon, paying no heed to the incredulous expressions of his students.
He continued his story, punctuating it with sips of sake. "I was quite shy back then, but when she turned me down...Looking at her husband now, I can't help but think, 'I'm better than him you bitch...' Hahaha!"
Seeing this, Hikki gestured silently to Kazama, urging him to providde some context for this unexpected scene.
Kazama, scratching his head somwhat awkwardly, proceeded to fill Hikki in on the situation. He explained that they had all been pretty excited about the prospect of indulging in some fancy, luxurious dining, especially because it was on the house.
Fujiwara called Assistant Coach Makiyama to share the good news and invited him to join the feast.
Initially, everything was running pretty smoothly. But then, as they sat down at this upscale restaurant, Makiyama had a revelation.
He discovered that the placed offered Juyondai sake, an extraordinarily rare and renowned brand that was considered the best in the world. Normally, this sake was reserved only for VIPs , but they enjoyed it for free due to their connection with Hikki.
This discovery had sent Makiyama into a state of sheer delight, and, well, he got a bit carried away, asking for one glass after another.
The sake had an astonish effect on Makiyama, transforming him into a completely different person. He was now behaving in an utterly uncharacteristic way for him, thanks to the alcohol.
All Hikki could do in response was massage his temples, rendered nearly speechless by the whole situation.
Kazama offered an apologetic look on behalf of Makiyama, but Hikki simply shook his head with a faint smile. He reassured them, "Guys, it's not about how much you soent today. I'm more concerned that Assistant Coach Makiyama might wake up tomorrow with quite the hangover..."
He paused, considering Makiyama's personality, "And knowing him, he might just decide to get back wt us by increasing the intensity of our training."
"What!? Our training's already brutal!"
Noboru exclaimed, his shock evident. Hikki and Kazama exchanged silent glances, taken aback by Noboru's sudden outburst.
Noboru was a typically reserved individual, so his sudden outburst left them puzzled. Kazama turned to Fujiwara and inquired, "What did he drink?"
Fujiwara, looking equally perplexed, picked up the glass and gave it a sniff. "Oh fuck, it was the sake!!"
"..."
Hikki couldn't help but shake his head at the situation, his speechlessness evident. He began to question whether sending them to the restaurant ahead of him was a good idea after all.
–––
TBC
