'Judai, you must be very surprised when you see this letter. I'm equally surprised... I never expected to see you in a place like the Kengan challenge matches. When I first saw you fighting with someone, my first thought was actually to stop you...'
'Maybe I'm really getting old. If it were the old me, I would have respected your thoughts no matter what... But now I've actually thought it through clearly. After all, you are the child brought by my closest companion in life. Since you were brought by someone I thought I might never see again, naturally you wouldn't be ordinary.'
'Judai, do whatever you want to do. You don't need to worry too much about me, and you don't need to hold back when you're outside... But come back to visit recently. Someone sent me fresh seafood, so you can eat your favorite seafood rice when you return. By the way... it's also time to tell you about your origins.'
The letter that old man Mutou Yugi had someone deliver to Mutou Judai earlier both told him not to overthink and wrote this content in the letter.
Earlier, because there were still things on Erina's side that needed his help, he had stayed here for an extra day.
But now that Erina's matters were mostly finished, so...
"After saying goodbye to Erina and apologizing, I'll go back to visit..."
Mutou Judai carefully put away the letter. Although he was clicking his tongue and calling it troublesome, in reality he had unknowingly shown a light smile.
"That old man really... But since he's preparing to make seafood rice, I should buy some things to bring back when I return. After all, although the old man's meals are usually good, it would be nice to occasionally improve the food for those little guys... Oh right, there's also the alcohol the old man likes. Hmm, I'll buy some fruit too."
Mutou Judai had received all the memories of this side's Mutou Judai—or perhaps they had originally been the same person inside and outside the dream, and this time they simply merged.
As for the memories from this side, what appeared most, left the deepest impression, and brought the most warmth were old man Mutou Yugi and those little ones at the orphanage.
When Mutou Judai transmigrated here, he received everything about this body, naturally also receiving these feelings.
So after packing his things, he carefully placed this letter in the compartment pocket of his backpack, then slung the backpack containing some changes of clothes and miscellaneous items over his shoulder and slowly walked out of the room Okuya Ken had arranged for him.
Whether it was coincidence or something else.
When Mutou Judai pushed the door open, the door next to him was also just being opened, and Erina, carrying a suitcase and wearing a Totsuki uniform, also walked out of her room.
"You're also packed..."
Mutou Judai spoke slowly, while Erina nodded.
The two of them instinctively walked side by side, then headed toward the exit in this deep corridor with not-so-bright lighting.
"Nakiri... you'll be returning to Totsuki next."
"Mm..."
Erina nodded, then glanced at Mutou Judai.
"You'll also be at home afterward, right?"
"Mm... But today the old man called me back, so I'll probably stay at the old man's place for a week."
"Mm..."
That was how the conversation between Mutou Judai and Erina went.
When they were usually laughing and joking around, they always had so much to talk about, but now in this atmosphere, both stubborn people became stubborn.
Finally, Mutou Judai took a deep breath and suddenly spoke.
"Nakiri... no, Erina."
"Hm!?"
Hearing Mutou Judai suddenly call her name, Erina was obviously stunned.
"Sorry... If I hadn't tricked you that first time, you should have already completed the field study trip and returned to Totsuki by now... I'm really very sorry!"
Initially, Erina was puzzled, wondering what this man was going to say after suddenly calling her name.
She didn't expect him to be apologizing to her...
In her previous definition, although Mutou Judai was a good person, he was definitely someone with a rather bad personality. But now seeing him with a serious face, slightly blushing, and not quite daring to make eye contact with her, Erina's expression gradually softened.
What... does this guy have such a stubborn personality~
Thinking this, she also slowly smiled.
"It's fine... This was also a rare experience on my path of pursuing culinary arts. Isn't there a saying that what doesn't kill me will make me stronger? And..."
Saying this, Erina's expression became somewhat complex.
If she hadn't been expelled, she would definitely have really disliked someone like Mutou Judai.
Making things that might not even count as cooking—dislike.
Having a very bad personality normally—dislike.
Having no dignity as a chef—dislike.
But...
Unlike those female protagonists in shoujo manga who could always find some heart-fluttering elements in the male protagonist after seeing him, Erina found that this man who was full of things she disliked, she surprisingly couldn't bring herself to dislike.
Even...
"—Meeting you, I think I was quite lucky, Judai."
The words that had reached her lips changed a bit the moment they came out, and at this moment Erina also discovered—although she thought Mutou Judai was a stubborn person, she herself at such crucial moments... seemed to be quite stubborn too.
"Mm..."
When Mutou Judai and Erina reached this point, they had also reached the end of the tunnel, walked out through the back door of Great Universe Bar, and were bathed in the setting sun that was gradually falling but burning the sky red.
"Well, I'm going..."
After saying goodbye to Erina, Mutou Judai took a deep breath and pointed toward the direction of the orphanage.
Erina also stood in place carrying her suitcase.
"I also need to return to Totsuki Resort."
Then...
Mutou Judai and Erina looked at each other, then smiled together.
"See you~"
They said this, then Erina watched as Mutou Judai gradually disappeared from her view, and her smile disappeared along with Mutou Judai's figure.
She was going back to Totsuki...
And Totsuki was facing pressure from Toyo Electric, with the situation getting worse and worse.
Especially the upcoming Kengan match between Toyo Electric and Totsuki...
Sigh.
Thinking of this, Erina recalled the scene of Mutou Judai solving Himuro Ryo with one punch, and she now had Mutou Judai's contact information.
But she had no intention of contacting him at all.
After all...
Erina looked in the direction Mutou Judai had left and showed another somewhat bitter smile.
"Since this matter no longer has anything to do with him, then no matter what, I can't drag him into this..."
...
Mutou Judai planned to buy things before returning to the orphanage, and after he took a shopping cart from the supermarket, his phone rang.
"Himuro Ryo?"
Seeing the name on the caller ID, Mutou Judai was stunned but still answered.
"What's up, Himuro?"
Mutou Judai pushed the cart toward the meat section of the supermarket while asking Himuro Ryo.
On Himuro Ryo's end, after hearing Mutou Judai's such relaxed tone, he also sighed helplessly.
"Originally, when I heard that in the Kengan match between Totsuki Resort and Toyo Electric, your next opponent was that Meguro, I was quite nervous. But after hearing your relaxed tone, I feel much more at ease."
Hm?
Mutou Judai frowned.
"Kengan match between Totsuki Resort and Toyo Electric?"
Mutou Judai put the cart back, quickly walked out of the supermarket, and started heading back.
His expression also became serious.
"Himuro, tell me what's going on!"
"Both the Kengan match between Totsuki Resort and Toyo Electric and that Meguro—although it's troublesome to ask you, could you tell me about both?"