The old man keeps bowing anyway, offering sympathy before shifting to gratitude for the crowd. It was his first event at this scale, and undeniably a success. But he knows he didn't achieve it alone.
He approaches the referee, the ring announcer now climbing in with a ring girl behind him, thanking them one by one. Then to the commentators, to the judges, to the staffers around the ring.
As he circles around, he reaches the side where Logan stands, still clapping with practiced smile.
"Congratulations, Nakahara-san!" Logan calls out.
That draws Nakahara's attention. But immediately, his gaze shifts past Logan, to the man standing beside him.
His eyes narrow. Recognition spreads slowly across his face.
"…Frank Donovan? What is he doing here?"
Nakahara's smile wavers, the muscles in his face stiffening as his thoughts race ahead of him. Logan's words from two months ago return like a cold wind behind his ears:
"You should consider letting Ryoma go."
