500 Pages: InuOkko

Chapter 10

The coarse shell bells ringing in a shop made of glass—that was what Toge's voice sounded like. No, that wasn't quite the tune. It was more like the hollow wooden clacking of chimes next to a vineyard. His voice held a unique aesthetic, a caliber that seemed to shatter the barrier between the divine and the human. That was a touch dramatic, but Yuuta wanted to emphasize that the silver-haired man's voice was special.

It was the week of the summer festival. The streets were lined with vendors, the small island town bustling with people, and an impressive lineup of events awaited. Yet, the only thing Yuuta could think about was the sound of Toge's voice.

Several days had passed since the festivities began. Most of the island's visitors had found lodging. For Toge and Yuuta, it meant early mornings preparing a continental breakfast, a Western idea suggested by Maki. It was a bit dreadful, but it allowed Yuuta to spend more time seeing Toge's face.

Every time their eyes met, Yuuta felt his heart patter against the bones in his chest. However, that day, they were rivals. The body competition was at its peak at noon. Gojo had said the heat would make his body shiny, though it was still difficult to imagine the white-haired man having any genuine "rizz" in his body.

The restaurant would temporarily close during the competition. Yuuta used his time waiting tables to stay hydrated. His hair was tied up behind his head with a clip to prevent it from sticking to his sweating face.

The business was crazier than Yuuta had ever seen. People were waiting around the sides of the restaurant and on the beach. Maki even offered to assist by handing out waters to those who were seated. Thankfully, Yuuta had come up with an idea to minimize bussing. In the outdoor area, four large barrel trash cans sat lined with the thickest possible bags. They had switched to disposable plates and cutlery for the week to save time.

Yuuta managed to wipe a table down after delivering food. Ideally, someone else would have been at the bar handling simple orders like drinks and other refreshments that didn't require anyone to sit. However, Toge didn't want to hire any additional help. It meant that Yuuta had to run around more and lose more water weight.

At first, it seemed like a friendly bet, but things were changing. Toge had made a move when he began showing off those pages he wrote. It was more than a wager; it was an opportunity.

Soon enough, the time came. The beach began filling with onlookers as a DJ set up his rig on a platform stage. An area a few dozen meters from the beach in front of the café was chosen for the body competition. Apart from the body competition, there was only one other event that had piqued Yuuta's interest—the fire dancers.

When it came time to close the café for the contest, Toge helped bus all the tables with a blur of his silver hair. His scent was strong, as if orange blossoms were falling from his skin as he dashed by.

"Good afternoon, everyone! I'm your host, DJ Todo! If there's one thing you need to know about me, it's that I like tall girls with big asses!" called out the tan-skinned, shirtless host.

By this point, Yuuta had already begun preparing himself. Like him, the other men in the competition stood in the afternoon sun with nothing but a pair of shorts on. Yuuta crossed his arms over his chest; it hadn't seemed so relieving before, but he felt brazen now.

The competitors were lined up behind enormous draped curtains. There were a few changing rooms for those uncomfortable stripping down to a swimsuit in public. Toge must have been using one since he was nowhere to be seen. Gojo hadn't appeared either, which was a little disconcerting.

The structure of the competition was rather simple. It wasn't a big body-building contest or anything official, so the environment felt relaxed. There was some random pop music playing, the host was joking around on the stage, asking people their type, and it seemed like a fun time.