Renshiro’s voice now shifted to Mei. “This one’s for you, Mei: What will Himari do if she’s scared?”

“What kind of question is that…” Himari scoffed aloud from her booth.

“Answer it,” Renshiro said, amused.

Mei stared at the paper. ‘She acts all brave, but inside she’s—ughh, will she admit it? Well, I’ll write… if she writes the answer, then she’ll scold me again.’ She gritted her teeth and wrote carefully.

Inside the other booth, Himari crossed her arms after writing.

They both passed their sheets to Renshiro.

He spun the key again, silent.

“Hmm… Let’s see how much you really know each other.”

Himari nudged Mei. "Hey, did you write correctly?" she whispered, glancing sideways with an uneasy grin.

Mei raised an eyebrow. "Um... I wrote. But I doubt you."

Himari huffed awkwardly, crossing her arms. “I-I wrote too…” They both stayed still, trying to read each other’s expressions.

Renshiro leaned forward, sheets in hand.

He grinned slightly. "Let’s see. First question... answer on Himari's paper."

He raised it up a bit. “‘I will scream... and burn her favourite outfit.’”

Yui's eyes widened. She turned toward Himari, blinking in disbelief.

Himari rolled her eyes. "Hey, Yui-san, why are you making that face? When she does that, I obviously return in my own way!"

She turned to Mei, who was faintly smiling, eyes lowered, hands behind her back.

Renshiro chuckled and looked at Himari’s sheet. “‘She won’t do anything. She’ll just punch me and say, ‘I forgive you.’’”

Mei let out a small laugh and covered her face with both hands. "Ehhh... embarrassing..."

Renshiro smirked. "Okay. Now if Mei wrote the same thing... you're still in the game."

He glanced at Mei’s sheet. “‘I will punch her and say, ‘I forgive you.’ She’ll scream and burn my outfit’”

Renshiro raised both eyebrows, amused. "You both agreed. Huh?"

"Second question—both of your papers have to match exactly. Let’s check..."

He paused for suspense, then read aloud, "Mei."

Yui leaned toward Jin and called out, "Huh?! I thought Himari would cheat! You would cheat, Mei?"

Himari turned with a sharp glare. "Why would I? I want to do everything fair!"

Jin muttered with a smirk, "I think that’s your only good point, Nee-san."

"YOU IDIOT!" Himari raised her fist.

“Third question,” Renshiro interrupted with a laugh, defusing the tension. “Himari wrote: ‘She punches me.’ Mei wrote: ‘I punch her.’”

He nodded, amused. "Yep. Now, who wins after that?"

Both glanced at each other.

Himari lifted her chin. "Of course, me!"

Mei scoffed. "Hmph, I just give you the win out of mercy."

Ren, watching quietly, smiled faintly.

Renshiro looked at the last question. "Let’s see... Mei’s paper—‘She acts brave, but inside she’s the most scared out of all of us.’"

Himari turned away, pretending to check something on the wall.

“And on Himari’s paper…” Renshiro continued, “‘I will be scared, but try to act brave.’ Um… it’s slightly different.”

"Huh? That’s correct!" Himari quickly turned back. "It’s the same, right Shiro-san? Both answers are right!"

Renshiro chuckled. "It’s correct. I didn’t say I won’t give the key. Okay, take this."

He handed a green key toward Himari.

"Yesss!" Himari raised it in triumph.

Yui’s eyes locked onto the key instantly. "Hey! Now that you got the key, you don’t need that green one anymore. So I’ll take it."

Yuta clapped his hands. "Um... okay! But you’ll give, right? Please, Nee-san, just give the yellow one to me first. I don’t trust you."

Yui rolled her eyes. "I only give after I get my key. Who knows what you’ll write..." She gave him a sly side glance.

Yuta pointed at her accusingly. "Don’t forget, Nee-san! Mom is watching us!"

Yui stuck out her tongue and winked. “I don’t care in this situation — My little brother.”

Renshiro said, "Next pair? Only a few keys are left. But don’t worry — if both your pairs answer correctly, both will get one.”

Himari turned away and stood behind Mei, whispering with lowered eyes. "Thanks..."

Mei faintly smiled, not turning around. "Don’t say that. I’ll help you always... if I have a chance."

Himari folded her arms, voice soft. "Hmph... don’t talk like that."

Mei added gently, "This... is what I like most in you."

Himari blinked, then muttered, "Huh? Don’t you feel annoyed? Jin says stuff all the time... even that Yuta—"

Mei shook her head. "No."

Himari leaned in. "That’s it? Say something, idiot."

Mei finally turned and smiled more visibly. "That’s the only thing. I don’t even know why you and Yuta-san are still fighting. And Jin’s just playing around with you. Don’t take his words seriously."

Himari’s voice softened as she rubbed the back of her neck. “Hmm... thanks... for understanding me.”

****

Meanwhile, Renshiro glanced over to the booths. "Yuta and Yui. Ready?"

They both nodded.

Renshiro spoke clearly. "First question: In a fight between you two, who will step back first?"

They both instinctively shifted, startled, glancing toward the curtain in silence. No words. Just expressions.

They looked down and quickly scribbled their answers.

Yui frowned. 'That idiot... if he just lets go of his ego, we can win easily.'

Renshiro continued, “Second question. This time, you have to write it both ways — what word or phrase said by the other one annoys you the most?”

Yui blinked. 'Huh... it’s easy... wait. I know what annoys me when he says it. But… does he know that? Ugh... Yuta, please write it correctly this time!'

Yuta tapped the pen on his cheek for a second, then nodded confidently and wrote.

“Third question. This one's not about each other — what’s Yuta’s favourite dish?”

Yui tilted her head. ‘He has so many… he eats anything if someone cooks. But wait… ah, that one. He cries to Mom to make it. I still don’t get what’s so special. It’s just a normal dish…’

She sighed and wrote it down.

“Last question,” Renshiro said. “For you, Yuta — if Yui had one piece of food left… would she give it to you or not?”

Yuta blinked, thinking. 'Of course she won’t give it. Not until I ask repeatedly and mom yells at her. But... she gives it in the end, right? What should I write...?'

Yui narrowed her eyes, thinking. 'This idiot will definitely write like I never give... tch...'

They both wrote the answer quietly and handed the sheets forward.

Renshiro glanced at the sheets in his hands. “Um... okay, let’s see. Are you both confident about winning?”

Yui lifted her chin. “I think we will win.”

Yuta crossed his arms, giving her a side glance. “Hmph. If she writes it correctly, then we’ll win.”

Yui spun toward him with a glare. “Huh?! What do you mean by that? So my answers are wrong?”

Renshiro lifted a hand. “Okay, okay, enough. Let’s begin.”

He looked at the first answer. “Yuta wrote: ‘Yui.’ Yui wrote: ‘I.’”

A small laugh escaped Ren.

Yui went and stood beside him, turning toward him sharply. “Why are you smiling?”

Ren shrugged, still smirking. “I knew it. You never back down. Yuta’s the innocent one.”

Yui shot a finger at Ren. “See him in the house—his behavior is totally different! He’s a double actor.”

Renshiro kept reading, this time raising an eyebrow. “Yui’s answer for what annoys her: ‘Please, Neesan.’”

Yuta clicked his tongue. “I knew it. Neesan… I won’t say that anymore.”

Yui narrowed her eyes. “Oh? So you don’t need the key either?”

Yuta lowered his head slightly, muttering under his breath. “When my time comes, I won’t show mercy.”

Yui waved him off. “Go away, idiot. Who wants your mercy?”

Renshiro moved to the next line. “For what annoys Yuta: ‘My little brother.’”

He looked at the second sheet. “Yuta wrote the same.”

He scanned the third question and raised his brows, a bit amused. “Both of you answered: ‘Fried rice.’ Yuta, is that your favorite dish?”

Yuta beamed. “Of course! We can cook it with leftover rice — it’s the best!”

Yui rolled her eyes. “That’s just because you refuse to eat normal cooked rice.”

Renshiro moved to the final one. He smiled faintly as he read it aloud. “Yui wrote: ‘I will give.’ Yuta wrote: ‘She will give.’”

Yui exhaled. “This is the only one I wasn’t sure about...”

Yuta crossed his arms with a triumphant grin. “I’m not that cruel. Now give me that yellow key.”

Yui held the key just out of reach. “Ask me properly. Say, please, Neesan, then I’ll give it.”

Yuta sighed dramatically, then mumbled— “Please, Neesan… just give it.”

Yui blinked and snapped, “You idiot! Earlier you said you’d never say that again. Don’t you have any shame?”

Yuta scoffed. “Huh? Why should I, in front of you? Just give it.”

Yui let out a faint smile and finally handed the key from her pocket. “Take this.”

As Kazuma and Ren sat in the booth, a sharp voice cut through the air.

Tanvika entered.

Renshiro jumped up and bowed. “I-Is there a problem, Tanvika-sama?”

She waved a hand lightly. “Nothing. I’m just checking the rooms and stalls. This stall is for…?”

Renshiro said, “It’s about matching answers between friends or families.”

“Can I ask a few questions?”

Renshiro’s eyes widened. “Y-Yes, of course! Anything, Tanvika-sama!”

Tanvika peeked into the stall. A small smile tugged at her lips. “Oh, the birthday boy is here.”

‘I waited for you both to go. First, I’ll—’

She turned to spot Yui, standing just nearby. “Yui,” she called, her voice low but firm.

Yui stiffened and walked quickly to her. “Y-Yes, Tanvika-sama?”

Tanvika leaned slightly closer and whispered in her ear. “Hey… among those two, does either of them have an avatar ability?”

Yui blinked. “Huh? Yes. Azuma-san has it.”

Tanvika’s gaze narrowed slightly, but she only nodded once. “Hmm. Okay.”

She watched the booth again for a second longer, then turned and sat gracefully on the nearby bench.

‘So you didn’t hide it… I have to think in reverse — like his father would. Why didn’t you come home?... Then the reverse is, um… why did you come now? Is there a reason?’

Her eyes didn’t leave the boys in the booth.

Kazuma sat upright, his arms resting casually on the table—but his eyes? His eyes locked on her.

Tanvika.

His mother.

Kazuma didn’t blink. He got the chance without looking away. ‘Maa… please,’ he thought silently, voice coiled deep inside him. ‘Please understand us.’

Beside him, Ren gave a boyish smile, tilting his head. “Tanvika-sama,” he said, half-playful, half-warm, “if you want… I’ll cook that halwa again. As many times as you want.”

Tanvika’s smile flickered. A soft exhale left her lips. ‘Uff… this idiot. Melting me when I wanted to ask seriously…’

But she didn’t drop her guard.

Kazuma asked, “Tanvika-sama, I have a question.”

Her eyes turned to Kazuma. “What?” Her voice was cool, curious.

Kazuma nodded, his tone crisp but polite. “The game—it’s not about the correct answer, right? It’s just about matching.”

Tanvika blinked, for a second. Her gaze narrowed. ‘This idiot… again. I knew it. He’s already plotting a cunning strategy… something tricky is spinning in that head.’

She didn’t answer immediately. Instead, her arms folded as she tilted her head with mock suspicion. “Hm… well,” she said slowly, “that depends entirely on your answers.”

Ren and Kazuma exchanged a glance.

Then she leaned forward slightly. “Alright then. First question. Azuma… tell me — what is your second type?”

Kazuma didn’t even flinch. Without breaking eye contact with her, he picked up the pen and scribbled his answer.

No pause. No doubt.

Ren, sitting beside him, cracked his knuckles, smiled, and scribbled his own answer down just as quickly.

Tanvika’s eyebrows lifted. “Oh?” she mused. “That confident, hm?”

She tapped her fingers once on the bench, her eyes sharp. “Okay then… second question — wait, before that — Ken, come here.”

Ren’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Huh?” But he went toward her.

She didn’t wait. “Give me the katana.”

Ren hesitated. “Tanvika-sama... I think you already know. You can’t use this.”

“I said give, not explain,” she said firmly, extending her hand, “I know what I’m doing.”

Kazuma subtly shifted in his seat.

Ren blinked. ‘Why’s Maa asking this now…?’ he thought to himself, but unclipped the katana and walked over, placing it gently in her hand.

Her gaze softened for just a second. ‘This idiot…’ she thought with a faint smile.

Then, with a sharper tone, she asked, “What’s this katana’s name?”

Without even glancing at each other—or down at the sheets—they wrote. Instantly.

The entire booth went quiet.

Tanvika’s eyes widened. “Hey! At least look at the paper before writing!”

Kazuma looked up coolly. “Kept beside that, Tanvika-sama. But these questions aren’t like the ones Shiro-san asked.”

Tanvika folded her arms. “I ask what I feel. I don’t follow that.”

Both of them exchanged a glance. A shared gulp. ‘Maa is scary when she’s serious…’

She moved on, her voice calm but calculated. “Third question — What are the abilities of this katana?”

Again, the pens didn’t pause. Fast, confident strokes.

Tanvika blinked again. “You wrote that like it was one line… after I get those papers, I’ll see what kind of confidence you both carry…”

The others at the stall glanced at them, silently thinking to themselves.

Yui narrowed her eyes. ‘They’re not even thinking before writing…’

Tanvika leaned forward slowly. “Okay… final question.”

Her voice dipped slightly—firm, measured. “Your age is… I think around 25, right?”

Ren and Kazuma nodded slightly, not sure where this was going.

She continued, eyes narrowing. “Then why didn’t you participate in any of the previous tournaments? Why now?”

Unlike earlier, neither of them rushed to write.

Kazuma hesitated. “T-Tanvika-sama, t-that’s—”

She cut him off sharply, “Oh, that? I already enquired. You,” she looked directly at Ren, “were the top winner in room 4.”

“I just got curious about you,” she continued. “But then I found out… neither of you ever participated. Not even once.” Her voice dropped lower, eyes locking onto them. “So. Why now? State the reason.”

A thick silence followed.

****

Outside the forest,

Inori leaned forward toward the screen. “Now I really want to know what their answer is…”

Miko tapped her lip. ‘What are they going to write…? Those first three answers came out too fast — like they were decided beforehand. Kazuma’s not dumb enough to write those… and as for this one? I doubt he’ll even answer.’

****

Inside Room 3:

Kazuma and Ren calmly wrote. No smirk. No panic. Their pens moved without hesitation.

After a pause, they stood, walked up to Tanvika, and silently handed over the sheets. Then returned to Yui’s side.

Tanvika sat, eyes sharp.

She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, set her jaw, and flipped the sheets open. ‘Let’s see my son’s cunning answers…’

Her expression twisted.

She blinked once. Twice.

Then froze. Her jaw clenched. Her grip on the papers tightened.

Yui tilted her head. ‘Why’s she making that face…?’

Suddenly—

SMACK.

Tanvika slapped the sheets hard into both their chests. She didn’t stop. With a sharp motion, she grabbed and tugged both their ears.

“What’s this answer?!”

Kazuma flinched. “Ah! T-Tanvika-sama—!”

She growled, “Do you think this is some joke?! Huh?! This is a game for everyone! You two—!”

Her eyes turned to Ren. “And you, Ken. I thought you were innocent… just by looking at your face. But this—this is nonsense!”

Ren held his head down, ears red from the tug.