25 ✒ OTAKU FESTIVAL DAY 2

OTAKU FESTIVAL DAY 2

"Waaahhh! It's the real thing!" the girl from earlier before yelled as Khein recognized her voice from a far. Khein immediately took the whole dumpling inside his mouth and left the money on the store's table without minding his change. The crowd were smiling widely as the big mascot of Kon waved his fluffy and big lion hands. It was too cute to be a lion. Kon was busy entertaining everyone whoever approaches him to take pictures with him. Kon would place his fluffy hands on top of the person's head next to him so the picture would look cute. Sometimes, Kon would hang his arm on the person's shoulder while the other hand waved to the camera. The crowd was getting heavier as Kon started to attract attention from the attendees. Some would gather around and would take pictures with the mascot. Khein was standing from a far when he realized he should not go near there. There would probably pushing and pulling in the crowd, that wouldn't be advisable for his newly healed arm. He might get hurt in the middle of the wild crowd and nobody has to be blame but him. Khein just stood there and watched the cute mascot waved its hands towards the people around him. Khein made a heavy sigh and pouted as he saw the mascot leaving the crowd. He thought, 'I guess, I'll just chase him next time'

Khein turned around to return to the food stores near the stage when he suddenly heard a loud cheering of the crowd behind him. Khein was not able to protest when the giant yet cute mascot gave him a warm bear hug. Khein's eyes widened as he smiled happily. The rebel boy looked like a kid being hugged by his favorite toy and that he was not able to let it go. Khein nudged his face on the mascot's chest as he murmured, "I love you, Kon!!"

Khein was beyond happy when the mascot agreed to hug him longer. Kon shuffled the rebel boy's head as Khein gave him a gummy smile. Khein immediately removed one of his anime badges and pinned it to Kon's chest and smiled.

"This is for you!" Khein said with a smile as he poked the mascot's chest with his badge.

"You better keep it!" Khein added as he immediately left since the main event was about to start soon. Khein was smiling widely as he went to the crowd near the stage for most awaited stage play. It was a stage play of his favorite anime sport series 'Haikyuu'. The crowd cheered together with Khein as the casts went on stage one by one to begin the play. Khein was currently enjoying the show when he noticed that Kon was standing in the middle of the crowd not far away from him. Khein slowly slid through the people around him to get closer to his favorite mascot. Little by little, he would move closer towards the mascot. After a few attempts, Khein finally made it to stand with Kon side by side. Khein looked at Kon with amusement as he still couldn't believe that the mascot hugged him earlier. He thought maybe the person behind the mascot was someone he knew or someone who knew him. Khein approached the mascot by poking its fluffy arm with a smile on his face.

"Hello again!" Khein said loudly as the background music of the play got louder. The mascot responded with a wave and shuffled Khein's hair again. The play was presented awesomely and followed by a live band. The people were increasing and Khein noticed that Kon was struggling with the crowd. The mascot made his way out of the crowd and left Khein. Khein pouted as he averted his attention towards the band on the stage.

•••

AS the mascot went to the men's comfort room, he removed his head and looked at the mirror. Rei looked so hot despite his sweat drenched looking hair. Being a mascot was never been easy. It was the psycho guy's first time to make such effort to make someone so happy. Just remembering how Khein looked so happy and cute when he hugged the rebel guy as a mascot, all his tiredness was swept away. Rei wished he could have hugged him without pretending as a mascot. Rei ran his fingers through his wet locks as he stared at himself in the mirror. He suddenly remembered the badge on Kon's chest and smiled. He removed the badge and kept it. He took off the mascot and let it scattered on the floor as he called someone in his phone.

"I'm done using it, please keep it for me" Rei ordered the person on the other line as the person answered, "Yes, young master"

A few moments later, a guy in black suit that looked like a bodyguard kept the mascot on the ground. Rei looked at the man as if he trusted the person for a long time.

"Nobody must know it was me, it would be scandalous if my dad finds out I did something stupid again" Rei said as the guy who seemed to look like in his thirties bowed his head formally.

"Anything for you, young master. How lucky she is to captured our young master's heart" the guy answered with a teasing smile. Rei smiled innocently as he slightly rolled his eyes as if he was denying what his butler said.

"He's not a 'she', he's my prince" Rei corrected as his servant's eyes widened with shock.

"Was it the kid from before?" the butler asked and Rei gave him an affirmative smile. The servant never asked any further questions and left his young master politely. Rei thought, 'Every prince doesn't need a princess, sometimes they just need a knight. I am that knight.'

Rei stared at the badge in his hand and pinned it on his sling bag. He knew everything about Khein. Rei was wearing a black mask and went to the garden with a large tote bag in his hand. He bought everything that was cool and everything that might fit Khein's likings. Some of the girls in the festival would ask for Rei to take photos with him but the psycho guy would politely decline them. His bag was filled with merchandises and items as he smiled behind his mask.

"I hope he likes them" Rei murmured and  started walking towards the crowd. Before Rei could find Khein, someone called him from behind.

"Rei?" Khein called the psycho guy loudly. Even if Rei was wearing a mask and the fact that he was not facing Khein, still, the rebel guy recognized him.

"Hmm" Rei smiled underneath his mask as he faced Khein with his hand waving and the other reaching out the bag towards Khein's direction.

"For me?" Khein asked with a wide pair of eyes as his jaw dropped.

"REALLY?!" Khein said loudly. Rei was caught off-guard as he never realized that it was already Khein giving him a tight bear hug this time.