"?"
This was the first character that popped into everyone's minds.
And the second, third, fourth… as well as the hundreds that followed after, without exception, were also "?"
If question marks could physically manifest as markers, then right now, Mizuno would be absolutely surrounded by them—???
It was as if he had just played a certain orphan-hero and somehow scored a 0/21/0.
"Huh?" Tokai Teio, Rice Shower, and Kiryuin Aoi—three girls stood dumbstruck, staring at the ridiculous scene before them.
Why did Trainer Mizuno suddenly turn around, walk straight up to Class Rep Halo, and hug her without a single word?!
"Eh?"
Of course, the one most bewildered among them was King Halo, who had been abruptly embraced by Mizuno without warning.
She had just walked over from the training room toward the practice field, and upon seeing familiar faces—Rice Shower-san, Tokai Teio-san, and Kiryuin-san—was about to greet them when she suddenly felt someone forcefully hugging her?!
Initially, King Halo had wanted to immediately elbow this reckless scoundrel who dared tarnish the reputation of a top-tier King. Taking a full-powered close-range strike from a genius Uma like her, even if this rogue didn't instantly ascend to meet Lao Da (Godfather), he would at least suffer crippling injuries and spend the rest of his life bedridden as a vegetable.
But when King Halo took a closer look, she realized that the rogue hugging her was actually Trainer Mizuno, who had been missing for several weeks?!
In the moment of confusion, King Halo felt a tiny bit… ecstatic?
"Trainer Mizuno, why are you hugging me?!"
King Halo awkwardly curled her fingers, lightly struggling as though she didn't want to be held anymore—but, regrettably, couldn't escape his embrace. Her cheeks flushed red; lowering her head shyly, her Uma ears furiously slapped Mizuno's face.
"Although I know my top-tier, kingly aura fills you with admiration, and you want to appreciate my first-class presence up close, you can't just hug me without saying anything, you know…"
"Ah?" Only after King Halo pointed it out did Mizuno finally realize he'd somehow spaced out. By the time he snapped out of it, he was already standing next to King Halo—and had already embraced her.
"I'm so sorry!" Mizuno hurriedly released King Halo, raised both hands in surrender, and backed away, signaling that he absolutely didn't have any inappropriate intentions—it was purely an accident.
"Hmph!" Seeing Mizuno step back, King Halo lifted her head proudly, crossed her arms over her chest, and gave an expression as if to say: Since you've obediently realized your mistake, this king will forgive you this time.
But even though King Halo outwardly showed disdain for Mizuno's sudden hug, when Mizuno let go, she still felt strangely empty—as if she had just lost something warm and precious.
Yet barely three seconds passed before King Halo felt that warm and precious thing return to her…
Because Mizuno hugged her again.
"Trainer Mizuno?"
This time, King Halo didn't struggle at all—just stared in shock as Mizuno embraced her from behind.
If the earlier front-facing hug between Mizuno and King Halo resembled two lovers reuniting after a long separation—an excited and youthful reunion—then this second, back-hug made them appear more like a couple in their honeymoon phase. It was as if the husband had mischievously snuck up behind his wife, gently wrapping his arms around her waist, their cheeks pressed together, sharing a tender sweetness infused with fiery excitement.
But no matter which scenario, Mizuno wanted no part of it.
"Wh-wh-what is going on?!" Mizuno stared down at King Halo, feeling as if his brain was overheating to the point of exploding.
What on earth is happening here?! Why can't I stop myself from hugging King Halo?!
It was an extremely bizarre sensation. Clearly, his brain was sending the command to get away from King Halo, but after the message traveled through his nerves, the command his body executed was to embrace her instead?!
My body has betrayed me!
"Everyone…" Realizing he could no longer control his body, Mizuno could only pin his hopes on someone else.
"Rice Shower, Teio, please help me out here. Can you pull me away, separate the two of us?" Mizuno pleaded desperately toward the two Uma who had been watching from the side.
With the Uma's natural strength, pulling him away from King Halo's back should be a very simple matter.
"Yes!" Rice Shower and Tokai Teio agreed, reaching forward and grabbing Mizuno's hands, trying to pry them off from around King Halo's waist.
Actually, they'd wanted to intervene long ago. After all, seeing the person they liked embracing another Uma—even if that Uma was their teammate or even considered a friend—naturally evoked a sense of jealousy.
But they hadn't been sure if Mizuno was willingly hugging King Halo or not, so they hadn't dared to interfere rashly, afraid of hurting Mizuno's feelings.
But now it seemed clear—Trainer Mizuno was definitely being forced, due to some special circumstances, to hug King Halo. In reality, he was completely unwilling inside…
"Phew…" Both Tokai Teio and Rice Shower simultaneously let out sighs of relief.