Chapter 23: If You Like Her So Much, Why Don't You Just Confess? The Great Love Strategy of Two Rivals
Hayato gathered the cards from the Duel Arena, put his Deck away, and walked down the access steps of the Duel Arena to where Yugi and the others had been waiting for him.
"Congratulations, Hayato-kun." Yugi, Téa, and Tristan congratulated the victorious Hayato. He returned their words with a cheerful smile. "I won. That was a really interesting Duel."
"Congrats, Hayato," Joey chimed in, but his expression was a little strange. "But winning with a Spell Card instead of a Monster... it just feels weird. Isn't this game called Duel Monsters?"
"That's not quite right, Joey-kun. Spell Cards are a crucial part of Duel Monsters. Monsters symbolize power, while Spells symbolize wisdom," Yugi explained his understanding of the game to Joey. "A contest of power is certainly important, but Spells are also one of the keys to victory. Only those who possess both power and wisdom can go further and achieve ultimate victory."
"In other words, 'Spell Cards are part of Duel Monsters; if you don't like it, don't play'," Hayato summarized Yugi's point in his own way, sighing inwardly. 'When I just finished him off with (Goblin Thief), I felt a little bad for being so underhanded while everyone else was so straightforward. But you, Yugi, think it's perfectly natural. As expected of the King of Heavy Traps.'
No wonder the Deck Construction of the future Yugi Muto would be so devious, being able to so calmly accept an "unconventional" victory. All the duelists of Yugi's era probably have his classic "T-formation" engraved in their DNA, right?
While thinking that he absolutely had to get a copy of "Royal Straight Flush" if he ever dueled Yugi in the future, Hayato noticed the defeated Chazz Princeton dejectedly walking down from the other side of the Duel Arena.
Watching his opponent walk up to him despondently, Hayato tilted his head and asked, "Is there something else, Chazz?"
"I won't give up on pursuing 'Little Ribbon' just like this!" Chazz Princeton tried to rally his spirits with a tough line, but he quickly deflated again and sighed. "I carry the honor of Chazz Princeton. I'd like to say that, but I'll honor the wager. I'll admit defeat and give up on pursuing Nosaka Miho."
He looked up at Hayato—excellent grades, handsome, good family background, and even incredibly skilled at Duel Monsters. Although Chazz was resentful, he accepted the fact that he had lost.
Hayato could see the resentment in his eyes. He hesitated for a moment before speaking up. "Um, I want to clarify something first—have you misunderstood something from the very beginning? I have no intention of pursuing 'Little Ribbon'."
"After winning the Duel, you're going to dishonorably humiliate me too, Hayato!" Chazz was extremely agitated. "How dare you say you have no intention of pursuing Nosaka Miho? You deliberately used the excuse of 'returning the camera' just to touch her hand!"
What? Just because we touched hands means I'm pursuing her? Chazz Princeton's strange logic made Hayato laugh. "Do you think I wanted to be the one to return the camera? Let me be honest with you. While I think she's quite pretty, I have no thoughts of liking her or wanting to date her."
"How could anyone not want to date Nosaka!"
Hayato turned his head in confusion. Did he just hear that in stereo? It was as if two voices had spoken at the same time.
And in fact, there really were two people who had spoken. Besides Chazz Princeton, the other person was none other than Tristan Taylor, standing right behind Hayato.
"Nosaka is so pretty, has a great personality, and dresses well! How could anyone possibly dislike her?!" Tristan was acting just like a fan whose favorite idol was accused of wearing chest padding, his emotions running extremely high.
"You... don't tell me!?" Chazz stared at Tristan, dumbfounded.
Hayato spread his hands helplessly. "You guessed it. The one who likes 'Little Ribbon' isn't me, it's this guy. He was the one who borrowed the camera from 'Little Ribbon,' but he lost his nerve when it was time to return it, so I helped him out."
However, Chazz Princeton's attention was no longer on Hayato. Instead, he looked at Tristan with an expression of pure disdain.
"So after all this time, my love rival wasn't Hayato, but some guy like you?" Clutching his forehead, Chazz looked like he had a massive headache. "Aaargh, this is so embarrassing! If I'd known it was a guy like you, I wouldn't have been nervous from the start!"
"That's right, Hayato never wanted to pursue Nosaka, so you from the be—" Tristan instinctively replied, then caught himself halfway through. "Hey, you bastard! Are you saying I'm not a threat?!"
"Isn't that obvious?!" Chazz Princeton reverted to the same confident demeanor he had before the Duel. "Whether it's grades, reputation at school, or looks, I am unquestionably superior to you, right?"
Téa watched the two "love rivals" start a staring contest and sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead. She turned curiously to Yugi and Joey. "These two are really something... Oh, by the way, Yugi, Joey, do you guys like Nosaka too?"
"Well, I think 'Little Ribbon' is pretty great, and she seems really popular at school. But as for being my girlfriend, she's not really my type." Joey scratched the back of his head. "I prefer more mature women, ideally a beauty with long blonde hair and a great figure. It'd be even better if she likes Duel Monsters."
A beautiful duelist with long blonde hair and a great figure... I suspect you're hinting at Mai Valentine. Hearing Joey's description, Hayato couldn't help but think of the classic pairing of Joey and Mai Valentine.
"I don't think a girl's figure is that important. When it comes to romance, I think having compatible personalities is more crucial," Yugi said, sharing his own understanding of love. "As for Nosaka, I feel the same way as Joey. I admire her, but I have no intention of pursuing her."
"Then that goes without saying for me. Besides, we're just students right now, aren't we? I don't want to date, at least not until I have enough income to support two people," Hayato said, casually quoting a famous line from someone decades in the future. "I'm going to become the strongest duelist. Women would just get in the way."
While the four of them were chatting, Chazz Princeton and Tristan were still arguing:
"My family is rich!"
"Who doesn't have a little money?!"
"I'm amazing at Duel Monsters!"
"And you still lost to Hayato!"
"I'm better looking than you!"
"Bullshit!"
Annoyed by their kindergarten-level squabbling, Hayato couldn't help but speak up. "If you both like 'Little Ribbon', why don't you just go and confess to her? What's the point of arguing endlessly here?"
The moment Hayato said this, the two who had been chattering nonstop immediately froze.
(end of chapter)