[ from another perspective, "getting lost in the heat of the moment" was exactly what raika had done!! said heat had been turned down now, and his frustration had cooled with it - from the boiling-over pot it had peaked at back to the low simmer on the backburner, where it usually sat. it had done its job spitting and drawing the consideration it needed to.

hiyori had been willing to accept it, roll with it, and push back in his own way. that had been enough to assuage raika's annoyance with being underestimated - he'd sort of put himself in that position by pretending in the first place. the ebb and flow of a game was much more enjoyable when both participants were able to understand each other properly. ]

It's not like I'm showing anything false right now.

[ which was true. he didn't like being disingenuous with how he approached things! there was just a time and place for extreme emotion to all come out. he meets hiyori's appraisal with a carefully neutral expression, albeit one that seemed to carry a hint of challenge within it. if they met under pressured circumstances again, at least hiyori would know what to expect.

oh, they're stopping. raika kind of forgot what floor he'd intended to go to, but whatever it was, hiyori was getting off first. raika raises his hand in not-quite-a-wave, decidedly not apologising for any of the grabbing, not does he correct him about returning to his fans. priorities lay elsewhere. ]

I'll remember that. [ "i'd do it again no question." ] To you, as well. Your fans must be missing you.