Farewell for a short while

Juniper took his seat in the special seating booth, reserved for those invited by the participants. The atmosphere was electrifying, with excitement and anticipation filling the air. He looked around, hoping to catch sight of Gio among the crowd of trainers preparing for the competition.

As he scanned the area, Juniper's eyes widened in surprise. A familiar face caught his attention – Taren, the flirty and carefree individual he had met at the military base when he first arrived in Capital Star to have his abilities checked. The memory of their awkward encounter still made Juniper slightly uncomfortable, but he tried to remain polite.

Taren spotted Juniper as well and grinned mischievously. He strolled over with a confident swagger and leaned against the railing beside him. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the little fox. Fancy running into you here."

Juniper raised an eyebrow, slightly taken aback by Taren's informal demeanor. "Taren, right? What are you doing here?"

Taren's flirty demeanor faltered for a moment, replaced by a hint of embarrassment. "Oh, well, yes, I am. Just came to enjoy the show, you know."

Juniper noticed the awkwardness in Taren's response but decided not to pry further. "I'm here to support my partner, Gio. He's one of the participants."

Taren hesitated, then regained his confident facade. "Ah, you know how it is. Just here to show some support for… a friend." He glanced away, seemingly avoiding the question.

Before Juniper could say anything more, he heard familiar voices approaching. Gio and some other team players had come to say their goodbyes before heading into the wildlands for the competition. Juniper's heart warmed at the sight of Gio, the excitement and determination evident in his eyes.

Juniper's face lit up as he saw Gio approaching. He stood up to greet his partner, and Gio wrapped him in a warm embrace.

"Hey, Juniper. I'm so glad you made it," Gio said, his voice filled with affection.

Juniper smiled and pulled out a small container from his bag. "I made some snack foods for your trip. I hope they help you stay energized."

Gio chuckled, holding the snacks close. "Thanks, Juniper. I'll do my best and make you proud!"

As Gio bid farewell and joined his teammates, Juniper's attention was momentarily diverted when he noticed a participant from another team approaching Taren.

Juniper noticed Taren in another part of the room, engaged in an awkward encounter with a participant. The individual grabbed Taren's hands forcefully, eliciting an uncomfortable blush from Taren. Before things could escalate further, However, his tsundere nature kicked in, and he managed to knock the person's hands away, trying to retain some semblance of composure.

Juniper observed the exchange from a distance, curious about the dynamic between Taren and the other participant. He couldn't help but wonder about the true nature of their relationship.

Juniper glanced between the two, sensing an underlying tension between them. He wondered if Taren and this participant were more than just acquaintances. However, he decided not to pry into Taren's personal matters.

Before he could take his eyes back, Taren caught his gaze, and their eyes met briefly. Juniper could see a hint of vulnerability in Taren's expression before he quickly averted his eyes with an awkward blush.

And as the beast competition began, Juniper settled into his seat, eagerly awaiting the unfolding of the event.

Taren came over to his seat which was positioned in front near Juniper.

Juniper glanced forward. "I remember you mentioned you were here for a friend. Is that person participating in the competition too?"

Taren's cheeks flushed, and he looked away for a moment before meeting Juniper's gaze with a mix of embarrassment and reluctance. "Well, um, yes, they are… but I'd rather not talk about it."

Juniper felt a bit more comfortable now that Taren was feeling awkward, it meant he probably wouldn't pester him throughout.

The participants made their way into the arena, The wildlands is a demanding and unpredictable environment, putting both trainers and beasts to the test. As the competition was about to start as the first lot of participants came out into the arena, the crowd's excitement soared, and cheers echoed through the arena as the host came out to greet the crowd.