Chapter 25: Avoidance (1/2)

It was a peaceful night. The two girls being overjoyed to see her enter the room, Chloe slept quietly, and as did Rein. The next morning, the girls were greeted with a note after they exited their room. It was on Rein's door, informing them that he'd gone ahead of them to the arena.

”Did you and Rein get into a fight yesterday Chloe?” Asked Emria.

”Oh, hmmm… I don't think it was a fight…” Chloe laughed it off, which earned her stares from both Saphrilla and Emria.

They made their way to the arena, with Emria and Saphrilla going to the spectator seats to watch. When Chloe entered the waiting room, she saw Rein talking with Clyde on the bench. She tried approaching them.

”Hey, you two.” She waved at them with a vibrant smile.

”Oh, hi Chloe. Sorry, Clyde and I are discussing some things, would you mind leaving us be for a bit?” Said Rein while avoiding eye contact with her. Chloe was saddened by his words. He was clearly trying to avoid her, and even after reflecting on yesterday's argument, she couldn't remember anything that could have ticked him off.

”You didn't even greet Emria and Saphrilla this morning, you should at least go say hi. They're in the stands.” She said as she walked away sadly, sitting alone in the corner. She buried her face in her arms and began sulking.

”You two get into a fight?” She looked up and saw the masked man, striking up a casual conversation with her without a care in the world.

”Huh? O-oh, no… It was probably me… I said some things I shouldn't have…” She replied.

”Sounds like a fight to me. Keep your head up though. You don't want this clouding your judgment during the matches, especially since you might be fighting him. You make sure to study his fighting style in the last round?” He asked her, which prompted a confused look on Chloe's face.

”His last fight? Oh right… He won a match to get here… But wait, the only person I've seen him fight is Clyde, and that was without his Spring..? Huh?” She began thinking, the masked man's face growing a slight smirk.

”Oh, I see what he did.” He chuckled to himself.

”Hmm, I remember that he had a fight, but just who was he fighting? I really shouldn't have stayed up so late talking with the girls…” She said as she began lightly smacking her head trying to remember.