"Teio and McQueen! Quick, look!"
Kousei pressed her face against the glass of the claw machine, her eyes fixed on one particular plush toy that stood out. It was a Kousei doll.
"Wow, it's so well-made! It looks exactly like you," McQueen and Teio chimed in, pressing their faces against the glass as well.
"Yeah, especially that dazed look in its eyes—it's exactly like you," McQueen added.
"Huh?" Kousei seemed genuinely puzzled by their assessment.
Still, this was undoubtedly good news: Kousei dolls were now appearing in the claw machine.
"Great! I've decided! I'm going to win my own doll so it can join my McQueen and Teio plushies!" Kousei exclaimed, her nostrils flaring with excitement.
Only then did McQueen and Teio remember that Kousei had previously won two plush toys in Kasuga Town: one of Teio and one of McQueen.
"Um... you did put the dolls where they're supposed to be, right?" McQueen asked, sounding a little unsure.
"Of course! I put them on my bed so we can all sleep together!"
Kousei didn't see anything wrong with her answer, but McQueen and Teio looked slightly awkward.
"It's amazing you can say something like that with a straight face."
Kousei suddenly realized her words might have been misinterpreted. "No, wait! What else am I supposed to do? I don't have a roommate, so isn't it normal to hug something while sleeping?"
"Huh? You actually hug it?"
"Does it even matter?"
"Me or McQueen—who do you like better?"
"McQueen."
"Eeeh! McQueen, you two-timing cheater! How terrible!"
"What's that got to do with me?!"
The three of them bickered for a long time before finally returning to the main topic. Since Teio and McQueen's skills were too poor, Kousei took over personally.
But even the "Child of Shopping Street" had her moments of failure. The new machine seemed even harder to control; after gripping the claw for half an hour, Kousei hadn't even managed to make it budge, and a sense of frustration began to creep in.
"I can't believe... I'm so helpless," Kousei murmured, her face draining of color as she slumped against the machine, defeated.
"Is this really such a devastating setback?" Mejiro McQueen asked, puzzled.
Because the brilliant plushies were so rare, there was only one visible in the entire claw machine.
This might be my only chance in a lifetime, and I let it slip through my fingers.
So heavy... far too heavy.
We're just trying to win a plushie, right?
"Alright, let me handle this. I'll get the plushie for you," Mejiro McQueen, the mid-game substitute, eagerly volunteered.
"Forget it. You're no better than me," Kousei replied, knowing McQueen's skills well.
"Hmph~ You clearly underestimate the power of the Mejiro bloodline," McQueen retorted, her confident demeanor piquing Kousei's curiosity.
Could the Mejiro bloodline actually grant some advantage against claw machines?
McQueen's hand moved like lightning, the claw dropping so swiftly it was impossible to react.
Is this an ambush strategy? As expected of McQueen! Seizing the plushie while it and the claw are caught off guard—that's the Mejiro technique! Kousei's eyes sparkled with admiration, as if witnessing something truly remarkable.
Yet the claw remained limp, and the plushie barely shifted a fraction of an inch.
McQueen's hands didn't pause. She swiftly inserted another game coin, then kept feeding more into the machine. The claw swung back and forth incessantly, gradually nudging the plush toy toward the exit.
Finally, the machine erupted with coins, and McQueen triumphantly claimed the glittering plush toy.
"Here! Take it!"
Kousei cradled the plush in her hands, suddenly feeling its weight.
The barrier born from her overwhelming wealth...
"Hmm? What's wrong?" McQueen tilted her head.
Kousei and Teio exchanged a glance, then silently stepped back half a step.
"Please accept us as your maids, Miss McQueen!"
So this is the power of the Elite.
McQueen's flamboyant display naturally drew a crowd. Suddenly, someone shouted:
"Look! Isn't that Kousei?"
All eyes immediately turned to Kousei, who froze.
Not McQueen, not Teio... but me?
"I watched the race! Kousei ran brilliantly!"
"I was deeply moved!"
"I've never seen such a running style before! It was truly eye-opening!"
People suddenly swarmed around her. Kousei, who had never experienced such a scene, felt completely overwhelmed.
"Attention, everyone! Please do not obstruct public areas!" A stern voice cut through the crowd, silencing the frenzied mob.
The voice belonged to Mejiro McQueen.
"I understand everyone's desire to express their admiration for Kousei, but we must maintain order," McQueen declared firmly, positioning herself protectively in front of Kousei.
Kousei stared blankly at McQueen, while Teio stood nearby, observing.
"Looks like you're still as hopeless at handling these situations as ever—always the pushover who can't say no."
Hearing this, Kousei smiled. "Maybe that was true before, but now I just look forward to McQueen standing up for me."
Teio froze, taken aback by the unexpected reply.
"So you've become quite cunning, even outside the racetrack, huh? I guess I can't afford to relax anymore."
McQueen, of course, had no idea what the two were discussing. From her perspective, she could only see her dearest friend smiling warmly at her.
"Having fun?"
Hearing the familiar voice, Kousei turned around excitedly. "Long time no see, Tachyon! You..."
The joy on Kousei's face faded as she fully turned. The unspoken question hung in the air, and though Tachyon's expression remained unchanged, she was now seated in a wheelchair.
"What happened?"