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[ Susato glances at Toby, recognising this behavior by now, but she still doesn't believe that that could be the end of the conversation. She watches for Gina's reactions like her own Dance of Deduction. ]

But... But did you enjoy it? Will it... Will it happen again? What were you eating?

[ Another contest? ]

[Her face sinks more, while the blush covers every inch of her face. It's even reflected in a reddish aura around her!]

I... I... It...

[Is there any part of that question that's easy for her to answer.]

...was noodles...

[Okay, there's that.]

[ There's that.

Susato doesn't rush her, so there is a pause where neither seem to say anything, but Toby has other ideas. After a while once, once he's marked his territory, he will quickly become bored and try to keep moving. ]

Noodles...

[ Susato repeats, voice trailing. Naturally, that was the least important of any of the questions she'd just thrown at her, but it's fine. ]

Well, for what it is worth... I, I also fell victim to one of those gumdrops. [ Maybe if Susato shared what happened with her, Gina would feel more inclined to open up. ]

[Toby's reminder is welcome, and Gina starts moving on autopilot. But Susato's response catches her attention - and she glances towards her with surprise.]

You did...? [It's easier to focus on someone else. And be upset on her behalf at whatever shenanigans the gumdrop pulled!]

Wot 'appened... and who'd ya get stuck with? [She narrows her eyes.] Don't tell me it was Beat...! [She can't forget how he already when through the gumdrop with someone else before.]

No—! N, No, of course not! [ GINA SHE ALREADY HAS A MANS she is not coming for yours! Though even if it had been Beat, it wouldn't have been her fault. She still looks a little bit flush... This was a mistake. ] It, It was after work one day when I was cleaning.

Around Christmas time.

[ coughs ]

Mr Naruhodo saw me, and he... he offered to help.

[Of course it wouldn't have been her fault, not when everything is Beat's fault always.

Gina now listens intently, her blush fading as Susato confides in her. After hearing that much, she gasps and jumps to-]

You snogged wiv 'Oddo?!

N—No! [ She looks almost confused at first before she answers, however, despite the certainty with which she does so. DON'T JUMP AHEAD. ] We only hugged... We weren't sure whether the creature would free us or not, but then—

Then Kazuma saw.

[That deflates her surprise, although it replaces it with confusion.]

You - the two o' you just gave each other a hug? ...Could we've done that?? Oi, that Beat...! [She grumbles and shakes her head.]

Wait, wot did 'Soggy make of it?

[ GINA, SHE JUST SAID SHE DIDN'T KNOW— Susato looks like she's about ready to defend Beat, but at the question, she finds herself frowning. ]

Um. Well, he...

[ ......Anyway. ]

The creature managed to trap all three of us after that.

[This just gets stranger and stranger. Gina furrows her brow.]

The... the three of ya...?

[She pauses for a moment in thought.]

I didn't think it could get more than two. How could you get outta that one...?

It was a white one. It kept shouting about... "fluff" and "coo cute!" So...

[ Hm, how does she put this? Luckily the "rules" are the same as they had been for just two people. ]

I merely hugged them both. Er, at the same time. I asked first, of course...

A white one? That one I saw was pink... [She raises an eyebrow.] Wot did it mean by fluff? Yer 'air...?

[She asks genuinely, because that's the first possibility that comes to mind!]

Good on ya to ask the lot of 'em first. [Sometimes she wishes she could be asked before receiving a surprise hug.] So that's it? It worked, just like that?

[ Yeah, she doesn't blame Gina for thinking that. The first time, she took it literally too, as did her father. She gives a light shrug, and Gina seems to move on. ]

It took a while?

[ It would have been nice if they could have just stayed like that, honestly. ]

...I've never seen a pink one. [ Or... well, maybe she has? She's certainly never been trapped by one. ]

[Definitely her fluffy little hair then. Got it!

She takes that in with a nod, while Toby scampers around.]

I see. [She guesses that it felt like it took forever to get through her own gumdrop ordeal.]

Do the different colors want different things or summat like that? ...Well it's all gone an' over wiv now. If those things know wot's good for 'em, they won't come back to mess wiv us no more!

[ She gives a nod, remembering how there was a red one as well. Are there yet more colors to be discovered...?

With Toby scampering, she takes it as a sign to keep walking. With all that said, it at least feels like Gina is a little more at ease. Her determination (even in the form of a threat) is somehow endearing. ]

Did you shoot the slug?

[ She has to ask. ]

[No one knows for sure ~~- except Laena~~!

Gina shuffles along slowly to keep the walk going. And Susato's comment gets her to give a big sigh.]

Blimey, why didn't I think to try that? If I ever see one again, I ain't just gonna blast it, I'm gonna stuff it into the gun an' shoot it right up into the sky! [Gina shakes her head. And smiles.]

[ Such violence...! (She thinks, as if she hadn't also threatened the white slug. She did.) But since it is about what she expected (she asked Beat the same question), Susato can't be too surprised. When Gina smiles, she decides the girl was just joking. ]

Then... did it appear during your contest? Was it hidden within your bowl of noodles?

[It's probably just an over-the-top empty threat. Maybe.]

Yeah, it showed up outta nowhere just while I was about done trouncin' Beat! It wasn't in the noodles, though. That woulda ruined the meal even more! I did 'ear people say they saw it restin' on our tree at some point, though.

[ Oof. Yeah, now that she thinks of it, she doesn't know if she'd even be able to bring herself to eat it anymore if that happened. Resting on their tree sounds about right, though. ]

And within our decorations. They made themselves right at home, didn't they?

[ A brief pause as she considers those hollow, glass ornaments. ]

...Did you still win? [ The contest... ]

[Gina shakes her head as she thinks of the creatures living in the Christmas tree.]

Yeah, an' we're the ones who paid for it!

[For once, Gina's not happy with sheltering some type of creatures.]

...I was about to win, so... I'm countin' that as a victory for me! [She smirks proudly.]

[ She'll have to ask Beat if he agrees. For now, however, Susato seems abused at Gina's confidence. ]

Of course.

You two are so competitive... But you know, I can't help but think that Beat may have won, too, that day. [ Just a little. Go on, ask her how. ]

'Course we're competitive. We're rivals, that's wot we are.

[It's the nice and simple and not complicated and confusing way to think about it. He's just someone to butt heads with and try to one up!

But she does bit her bait, looking towards her with narrowed eyes.]

...'Ow d'ya reckon that now?

[ Rivals, huh? ......Kazuma and Ryunosuke were rivals, in a way. But they were also partners. Susato grins. ]

Well, he got to kiss you, after all. Maybe you both won.

[And now her face grows redder again, her chin and hat sinking.]

O-oi... It- it ain't like I'm a prize-worthy kisser or nuffin'... [She says shyly. But she does feel kinda warm and fuzzy at the thought.]

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