"Hey, do you know who I am?"
The owner of the voice echoing loudly in the middle of the corridor was Ero. Waving his arms vigorously to show his presence, he stopped two reporters heading in the opposite direction.
"I'm the joker of this league! The hero of victory and the king's right hand! If you want information, follow me!"
Since he had suddenly popped out from around the corner, the reporters wandering inside the building looked at him with bewildered eyes. It was rather suspicious that he revealed his identity so confidently as if telling them to listen. His voice also had a theatrical tone.
However, when his clothing somewhat matched the final passer list written in their notebooks, their listening attitude immediately changed.
They scribbled 'JOKER' next to their notes and hurriedly ran off. Ero, who had collected two more reporters, went up to the operations headquarters' second floor stairs.
Six or seven reporters who had been chasing from before followed like a tail. Ero deliberately made his footsteps loud to signal unspecified people who might be nearby. Since he was confident in running, he planned to buy time by going around in circles appropriately.
After people swarmed away in a rush, Leonardo, who had been hiding behind the stairs, put his hand to his forehead at his behavior.
'King's right hand and whatnot, why is he saying such things?'
Seeing how he revealed even his alias Joker without hesitation, perhaps Ero was actually enjoying this situation of gaining fame. He worried whether the guy might spill information about him if caught. He was the type whose mouth would float even if he drowned.
However, since he was playing the decoy role properly instead of him when his condition wasn't good, Leonardo headed down the stairs to the basement with some gratitude. Meanwhile, security personnel who had received instructions moved around the curve toward the relatively noisy stairs above. The two groups, unaware of each other's existence, passed by and moved apart.
The basement first floor of the northern building had an authorized personnel-only passage leading to entrance C. Leonardo thought that once he passed through the passage, whether he reached the restricted area or was caught by Council members, he could shake off the reporters.
After all this, he really looked like he'd be under the Council's protection. Unable to suppress a bitter laugh, he recalled the guide map he had seen while wandering earlier. Escaping while looking at blueprints was something he had often done in previous missions, so the path was clear in his mind.
However, he seemed to have underestimated the rogues blinded by betting information. As his destination gradually approached, an even greater murmur than before caught his ankle. Leonardo's steps slowed dramatically. Instinctively pressing his back and palm against the wall, he only tilted his head to observe the situation beyond the corner.
'Crazy...'
"If you continue like this, we'll have no choice but to arrest everyone! Step back!"
"There are people who already went in, so why are you only blocking us?"
"Aren't you bringing those people back?"
"You can't let them get ahead..."
"You need to cooperate so we can go and sort out the situation!"
Curses naturally came out. There were far more people than when he first came out of the restricted area. The corridor was completely filled with crowds. Moreover, a fire door was half-lowered above them. That fire door was probably to block the heat from the seething people. It also meant the path he needed to take was blocked.
Six members were guarding the front, but they seemed unable to move easily as they were restraining the crowds who were peering around hoping to get something.
"If you don't step back by the count of three, we'll suppress everyone here on charges of obstructing official duties!"
"Ah, over there!"
In the middle of the threatening shout, a person at the very front extended his arm and pointed straight ahead. What he pointed to was the corner where Leonardo had peeked his head out. Leonardo, drawing in his breath and pressing his body against the wall again, turned to the opposite side without hesitation. At the same time, an uproar burst from the blocked corridor, but there was no way to know what had happened.
Leonardo, giving up on heading to his destination, began knocking on tightly closed doors one by one from then on. It seemed better to hide appropriately until the Council arrested all those people.
The problem was that security was so thorough in such places that there wasn't a single door left open by mistake. Every time he turned a handle, only clicking sounds were made, but nothing would budge. Meanwhile, the sound of stomping footsteps and clamor approached nearby.
If a participant used force in places other than the match, they could have their participation rights revoked. Since it was a matter clearly stated in the rules, Leonardo quickly released the handle he had grabbed, trembling with annoyance.
Running through maze-like corridors and knocking on every visible door with his fist produced the same results. In the meantime, those who had gathered upon hearing the sounds persistently pressured him to tell them his league alias.
"Just tell us that and we'll leave, okay? Just that."
Ah, since it's just an alias anyway, should I just tell them and run away? With blurry vision and shortness of breath, the thought of wanting to feel comfortable naturally emerged. However, thinking about whether they would really back down after hearing the alias made him shake his head involuntarily.
If they caught him, next they'd try to check his face; they wouldn't let him go obediently.
"Ah, please just let one open. Just one—"
Leonardo, shaking the last door at the end of the corridor, muttered pleadingly in his anxiety. Biting his lips at the pressure closing in from all sides, he looked left and right.
Then, worried that the cloth wrapped around his head might come loose, he quickly turned the curved path while adjusting it with his hand.
While killing his footsteps and lowering his presence as much as possible, it was the moment when his body went first and he pulled his scattered mind and gaze forward.
"...!"
A shadow fell before his eyes. Unable to overcome the momentum from running, he crashed right into it.
An impact like colliding with a rock occurred.
"Are you alright?"
Ero, who had fallen disgracefully, was helped up from his position by a Council member's support. The member appropriately brushed off the dust and stains on his clothes.
"Everyone currently here is under arrest for unauthorized intrusion into a restricted area. If you resist, we will immediately suppress you with force."
Ero and the reporters who had been chasing him were already surrounded by security personnel. The reporters, who couldn't bring themselves to curse and were gasping for breath, sighed regretfully. Soon they completely changed their attitude and began pleading with the members.
"No, well, gentlemen. We didn't come in on purpose..."
"We didn't know it was a restricted area, couldn't you let it slide just once?"
"There are signs saying 'authorized personnel only' throughout the operations headquarters, so how does saying you didn't know make sense? Moreover, using media status to apply psychological and physical pressure to league participants is rightfully subject to investigation for obstructing league operations and public order. You'll need to come with us."
Handcuffs were put on the reporters' wrists one by one. They all made groaning sounds but no one resisted. Since they were people who readily engaged in troublemaking from the start, they seemed quite familiar with such situations and only stuck out their tongues with pitiful expressions.
On the other hand, Ero looked more nervous than relieved at the sudden situation. He looked up at the member who had helped him and asked hesitantly.
"Am I being arrested too...? Surely it's not disqualification?"
"Currently, movement prohibition orders have been issued for all F Group participants. You're not subject to arrest, but we plan to escort you to the restricted area, so please cooperate. Regarding disqualification, that's a matter for the match operations side to decide, so we can't tell you right now."
Ero's mouth went dry. While he could somehow get through by appealing that he was a victim, he was worried there might be disadvantages when his passage wasn't even certain.
He led his stiffly frozen legs and obediently walked among the security personnel. Then he suddenly stopped and urgently conveyed.
"Ah, there's one more person being chased!"
The palm covering his lower back was quite large. The tender affection was embedded in the strong force sufficient to support his half-tilted body.
Leonardo, who had reflexively grabbed his forearm and clutched his throbbing nose bridge, looked up at his opponent with wide eyes. The expression of the opponent looking down wasn't much different either.
"...."
"...."
The two couldn't continue speaking for a while.
When you witness something you've been searching for so desperately right before your eyes, you forget what reaction you should show.
Leonardo blankly stared at the handsome man's deep eyes. He didn't know if it was his imagination, but the scent of cologne seemed particularly strong today. The presence brushing his nose tip flowed into him and consumed his mind. The strange haziness and tension it gave evoked nostalgia for the past he had endlessly drawn.
The cologne placed his appearance just before their separation before him again. As his Adam's apple moved with his labored breathing, the opponent's profound gaze became formless wistfulness and settled over his disheveled appearance.
Leonardo felt the illusion that his blue eyes' sweeping trajectory was like his touch roaming over his cheek. If his forearm and hand firmly supporting his back hadn't been gripping the hem of his clothes at his waist, he surely would have had such an illusion.
The skin touching through several layers of fabric was hot. Even the smallest, dullest movements were stimulating enough to spread into naked turmoil.
"Where did he go?"
"Isn't the entrance blocked?"
However, the sentiment was momentary. The uninvited guests' hushed voices echoed from the other end of the corridor. Leonardo was the first to react.
As he flinched and looked back, Hugo, who wouldn't miss that sight, stared at the same place.
Soon Hugo, slightly narrowing his brow, turned his gaze back to Leonardo and let out a brief word.
"This way."
A low voice that brought stability spread between the two. Hugo supported Leonardo's back so he could maintain balance, then decisively caught his lost hand. Soon he swiftly led him beyond the corridor's corner. Leonardo, caught in the resolute grip, followed Hugo with stumbling steps without a chance to explain the situation.
Even so, he couldn't take his eyes off the straight profile he looked up at diagonally. Was it because he couldn't believe it? It was difficult to distinguish whether what he was facing now was truly reality. Ridiculously, Leonardo raised his other uncaught hand to grasp Hugo's forearm as he led him away.
It was purely a desire to confirm.
Hugo's grip flinched at feeling the touch. However, he only glanced at his person without stopping his steps. Rather, he put strength into his grip and held firmly so he couldn't escape.
It took quite a while for both of them to look ahead again.