Sometime later....
The races officially began, unfolding one after another across the track.
Winners emerged, and races were told.
Meanwhile, tucked away in the familiar locker room and far from the roaring crowd, Urara was getting ready.
Like last time, she had stayed behind to prepare. Except this time, a daunting new challenge arose before she even set foot on the track.
There, she sat in front of her locker, staring down at her feet, and facing with the momentous task of...
...tying her own shoes....
"Hmm..." Urara stared at the loose shoelaces dangling before her.
"How do I do it again...?"
She rubbed her chin thoughtfully, her ears twitching.
"I remember King always saying... 'First, you make a loop...'"
She stopped and blinked. "...or was it a knot?"
Before she could even finalize a decision—
"Oh no!" She shot upright.
"I forgot how!"
"I need help! ASAP!"
With her mind made up, she leapt from the bench and completely abandoned the task.
Leaving her shoelaces untied while wandering through the locker room in search of assistance.
But... there was no one she felt comfortable approaching. The room was filled with austere strangers making their final preparations.
They all wore a face that clearly said, "Do not approach."
Some stretched, some hammered their horseshoes, and some quietly muttered encouragement to themselves.
Others just sat in silence, mentally preparing for the race ahead.
All except Urara, who watched them one by one as she skipped through the room.
Until—
Before she knew it, her feet had carried her toward a certain locker.
The very same one she remembered.
Even though it now belonged to someone else.
There, Urara's skipping stopped.
As she quietly stared at it.
"Ma... Mary-chan..." she murmured softly.
Slowly, her hand curled into a fist.
She held it close to her chest as she reminisced about the times she had shared with Mary.
The time she told Mary-chan she would outrun her, and so their friendship could finally be fruitful.
That she would make her smile, too, by winning that race.
Even though she didn't...
But still...
...if she won this time, would it make her smile as she promised?
Before she could linger there for too long, Urara suddenly shook her head.
It was as if she was chasing away the sappiness trying to settle in.
Then she clenched her fists, bright determination returning to her face.
"Alright!" she declared firmly to herself. "This time, I promise I won't lose anymore!"
"And when I finally win..." Her tail swayed excitedly behind her as she raised a fist proudly.
"I can finally continue my mission to fulfill all my promises back home!"
"Even to you, Mary-chan...!"
"I promise!"
With a firm nod and a widening grin.
Then, immediately, she dashed through the locker room.
As if she were leaving her past behind and charging straight toward the future, while leaving the locker area entirely.
After all... Mary wasn't waiting for her here anymore.
But at her own finish line...
One she was supposed to go to...
...by winning this race first...
...and by becoming...
...her greatest version...
...
...
...
Eventually, she arrived at the same tunnel from before.
The very same tunnel led toward the racecourse.
The very same tunnel she had once walked alongside Mary and made their promises.
Yet, she didn't stop to linger. Even though the walls reminded her of a past she missed dearly, she kept sprinting ahead, eager to reach the other side.
But now, with her ears perked up and her eyes set ablaze with determination...
And she was ready than ever to race again, to the racetrack beyond this tunnel.
To the sunlight ahead that was growing brighter.
And brighter.
Until it became almost blinding.
Then, the light welcomed her in, pulling her out toward the grand stage waiting beyond.
The vast track, the green infield.
The place where dreams were chased.
The place where she fulfilled her first promise.
And the place where she promised to keep running.
And soon enough...
Urara emerged from the tunnel.
Instantly, the brilliant sunlight washed over her face.
In response, her eyes sparkled.
"Whoa~!!" She spun around excitedly.
"It's still just as awesome as before!"
The massive track stretched before her, just as grand, just as intimidating, and just as exciting as she remembered.
Urara grinned from ear to ear. "I can't wait to run on it again!"
But her presence wasn't exactly welcomed by the others.
The moment she stepped out of the tunnel, eyes immediately locked onto her.
And whispers soon rippled through the crowd.
"Wait... is that... her?!"
"Why is she here again?"
"Isn't that the girl who got into Tracen even after failing?"
"Why is she participating in the Trial Race?"
"Didn't you know? I heard she's still under probation."
"But that doesn't mean she should be here!"
"Is she here to try again?"
"Who knows?"
In the meantime, as the murmurs continued, Urara simply paid them no attention.
Instead, she hummed to herself as she cheerfully skipped across the field, making her way toward the starting area.
And the moment she arrived—
"Urara! Do your best!" a familiar voice called out.
"Give it everything you've got!" another quickly followed.
"You can do it!"
Urara instantly turned.
And the moment she saw them... Her eyes sparkled.
"You guys!"
"I will!" She waved both arms enthusiastically.
Standing among the spectators was none other than the trio she had met: King, El, and Grass.
All three had come personally after receiving Urara's invitation.
The only one missing was Seiun Sky, though that wasn't exactly surprising.
Since Sky had already warned Urara that she probably wouldn't come.
After all, Sunday was a sacred day.
A day reserved for maximum sleep efficiency.
And according to Sky, missing sleep was a far greater tragedy than missing a race.
So in the end, three out of four had come.
Or perhaps four out of five.
Given that, Yuiji was also present after being dragged along by King, watching alongside them.
Then suddenly—
Midway through her bright wave, Urara froze, her eyes going wide.
"Oh!"
"Oh, right!"
Without warning, she charged toward the stands, shouting, "King!"
Her sudden sprint immediately left everyone bewildered.
"U-Urara?! What are you doing?!" King exclaimed, completely caught off guard.
While Urara continued sprinting directly toward them until she arrived at the fence.
Then, she attempted to pass beneath the railing.
Unfortunately—
She stood up a little too early.
*Thunk!*
"Ouch!"
Everyone gasped as her head collided with the metal.
Urara then grabbed her head, wincing as she rubbed the sore spot.
But she stumbled forward a few more steps without stopping, finally clearing the fence and rushing up to the group.
And the moment she's arrived, El instantly leaned forward, "¡Madre mía! Urara!"
"Are you okay?!"
Urara quickly straightened herself, then proudly puffed out her chest.
"Teehee! Of course, I-I'm fine, El-chan!" She gave herself a confident pat before shifting into a more serious tone.
"But there's one thing that's not!"
Everyone blinked in surprise.
"What-What is it, Urara?" King asked quickly.
"Your race is about to start! You shouldn't even be here right now!"
Meanwhile, the commotion had already attracted attention.
Several nearby spectators turned toward them, including two women stationed close to the track.
"Oh my..." One of them tilted her head.
"What is she doing at a time like this? Shouldn't she be preparing for her match?"
The other folded her arms. "Is she trying to cheat? Or maybe... she's conceding?"
"I mean, she could just be nervous," the first woman replied. "After all, this is a once-in-a-lifetime Trial Race for most participants."
Back at the stand, completely unaware of the dramatic speculation around her.
Urara pointed dramatically at her foot.
"Please help, King! My shoelace came loose! And I don't know how to tie it!"
At that, a painful silence followed.
King's eye twitched as she sighed.
"...Geez."
Without another word, she immediately knelt down and took hold of Urara's shoe.
"I've taught you this so many times already, Urara!" King began tying the lace.
"It's about time you learned how to do it yourself."
Urara then scratched her head sheepishly.
"Teehee..."
"Don't 'teehee' me."
Not long after, King tightened the knot, crossed the loops, and finished it with a final pull.
And right before everyone knew it, "There!"
She rose back to her feet.
"Done."
Then immediately pointed toward the track.
"Now go! Your race is about to start!"
"It's time you get warmed up and prepare for the start already!"
Urara saluted.
"Yes, sir!"
Then she spun around and dashed back toward the racecourse, waving enthusiastically.
"Thanks, guys! Bye-bye!"
"Be careful, Urara!" King shouted after her.
"And watch your head, okay?!"
"Okay!"
Urara replied from afar before disappearing back toward the starting area.
"Geez... What a troublesome girl..." King pinched the bridge of her nose, shaking her head in disbelief.
Only then did she realize a silence had settled over the group.
A rather strange silence.
Because throughout that entire exchange—
Grass, El, and even Yuiji had been staring at King.
Only a moment later did King finally notice.
"...W-What? What are you guys staring at me for?!"
No one answered.
Until—
Grass chuckled softly, "My, my."
"W-What?"
"I didn't know you had such a motherly side, King."
King froze and blushed.
"W-What are you talking about?!"
Grass merely laughed.
"The way you interacted with Urara."
"It reminded me of my mother."
"Sí!"
El jumped in.
"It reminded me of my mamá, too! When I was little!"
Then they burst into laughter.
King's face grew even redder as she demanded, "Stop laughing, you two!"
She stomped her foot.
"Geez! It's not funny!"
Unfortunately for her—
That only made them laugh harder.
Beside them, Yuiji was also desperately trying to keep a straight face.
His lips trembled, but right before he could chuckle...
King snapped toward him, and their eyes met.
Leveling him with a dangerous glare.
The kind that required absolutely no explanation.
Instantly, Yuiji understood the assignment, and his expression straightened.
He simply looked away, pretending nothing had happened.
With that, King nodded in approval.
At least someone knew how to behave...
...
...
...
Meanwhile...
Back on the field, Urara finally began her warm-up.
Or rather—
Her own version of a warm-up... again.
An uncanny sequence of stretches that somehow looked both effective and completely incorrect at the same time.
One moment, she was touching her toes.
The next, she was twisting herself in a way that made nearby racers question whether that was physically possible.
Yet Urara remained completely serious throughout it all.
At the same time—
Far from the starting area.
Far from King and the others.
A lone figure stood with his arms crossed, his eyes fixed on Urara.
"It's her turn already... huh?" It was Ishida.
He sighed.
"And here I thought this would be easy."
His gaze drifted briefly toward the audience.
Many of them were already whispering, while some pointed directly toward Urara.
Others simply shook their heads.
"Based on the audience's response," he murmured, "it doesn't look promising."
There, another sigh escaped him.
"To be fair... Urara has raced in the Trial Race before; it's likely most of these trainers have already seen her run."
And if they had—
Then they already knew her weaknesses and limitations.
"But..."
Ishida straightened slightly.
"There still has to be someone. Some trainer who hasn't seen her race before. Someone I can convince."
He folded his arms tighter.
"Besides... It's my only chance." His eyes returned to Urara.
"Because once the race is over, convincing anyone will become infinitely harder."
"So, if I want to act... it has to be now."
"And it's..."
He took a step forward.
"Now or never."
Back on the track, Urara was also just finishing her uncanny warm-up and shot upright.
A grin spread across her face.
"Alright!"
Then, at that exact same moment—
"Let's get this..." Both of them unknowingly declared together—
"Started!"