"..."
"..."
On an empty bench, Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen sat in silence.
"In the end, we were too late."
Mejiro McQueen sighed.
"Well, I kind of guessed it when I saw the fireworks on the way here."
Tokai Teio showed a helpless expression.
"Although I thought maybe some shops might still be open, as expected, they've already closed. Sorry, Teio, for dragging you on a wild goose chase."
McQueen said with a hint of apology.
"Well, isn't this nice too? This incredible quiet after the festival is a kind of novel experience." Teio shook her head, returning to her energetic self, "This can count as a trip worth taking!"
"Teio, you really are optimistic." McQueen smiled slightly.
"However, it's a bit of a pity... I still wanted to see it with my own eyes, the festival here."
Teio said, and fell silent again.
"Yes..."
With whom? I can't ask that question.
McQueen looked at Teio, who had lowered her head again, and swallowed the question that had almost slipped out.
"..."
The scene fell quiet again.
I should go back.
McQueen thought.
"You two, what are you doing here?"
Before she could speak, a familiar voice rang out.
The two looked up.
"Legend?"
"Legend-san?"
The two said in unison.
Legend blinked innocently.
"C-Legend-san, why are you here?" McQueen asked.
"...That's my question, isn't it?" Legend countered.
"Eh? Oh, right, I heard there was a festival here tonight, so I invited Teio to come play together, right Teio?"
McQueen hurriedly winked at Teio.
"Ah? Oh! Right, right, right! Yeah, since McQueen requested it, I, the great Teio, of course couldn't refuse!"
Teio, having realized, chimed in.
"What about you, Legend-san? Why are you here?"
McQueen asked, feigning ignorance.
"Ah, I also heard there was a festival here, so I came to stroll around since I was bored."
Legend said.
"By yourself?" x2
McQueen and Teio asked in unison.
Then both froze.
They looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Legend looked at the two people who had suddenly started laughing with confusion.
"What? Can't I be by myself?"
Why do I feel like you're mocking me?
"Nothing at all, please don't mind it."
"That's right, don't mind it, it's just a little thing between us."
McQueen and Teio replied with smiles.
"Emmmm..."
Legend, feeling left out of the triangle, was a bit unhappy.
"Compared to that, why are you still here?"
McQueen asked curiously.
"...Am I not welcome here?"
Legend felt a bit aggrieved.
"Ah? No, no, no, that's not what I meant! Look, isn't the festival already over?"
McQueen hurriedly explained.
"...It's not a big deal, I just planned to stroll around after finishing my work. Even though the festival is already over."
But if I don't walk around, I'll be at a big loss!
Legend said indignantly.
"Work?" McQueen and Teio exchanged a glance.
"What kind of work? Is it for the Student Council?" Teio went up and grabbed Legend's arm, asking in a coquettish manner.
"Ah, not that. It's just some documents regarding the businesses under my management."
Although it was two months' worth.
Legend's right hand trembled slightly.
"Businesses?"
Probably some merchandise like dolls, right?
McQueen and Teio thought about it and didn't press further.
"Well, anyway, I was just slacking off and got caught by my secretary, who dragged me off to work."
Don't mind the details.
Legend waved her hand.
"Is that so... So, Legend, you were dragged off to work? You weren't walking around the festival with anyone?" Teio asked, pretending to be indifferent.
"No..." Legend's face fell instantly.
"I see... Oh my, it's such a pity you didn't have time to enjoy the rare festival!" McQueen lowered her head and whispered, then looked up and said with a brilliant smile.
"That's right, that's right!" Teio also recovered her energetic demeanor and said brightly.
"...Are you two mocking me?" Legend's face darkened another shade.
"Not at all!" "We aren't that kind of people."
Your smiles aren't saying that...
Legend looked at their smiles, sighed helplessly, and asked: "So, did you two walk around the festival? How did it feel?"
The smiles on Teio and McQueen's faces froze.
"Hmm?" Legend sensed something was wrong.
"Well, um, actually..." The two explained the situation, taking turns speaking.
"So you two missed the festival because you were delayed on the way?" The corners of Legend's mouth couldn't stop curling upward.
"That's how it is! Don't laugh!"
"Schadenfreude isn't a good habit, Legend-san."
"Ahem! I'm not laughing! Really!"
Legend struggled to suppress the upward curve of her mouth.
Her heart felt balanced all of a sudden.
"However, since it's already late, why are you still staying here?"
The festival is over, after all.
Legend asked curiously.
"Eh... well, this..." Teio hurriedly shot a look at McQueen.
McQueen, use your Invincible Mejiro Family elegance to think of a solution!
"This... that..." McQueen's eyes darted around, trying to change the subject.
Ah, it's no use, the Mejiro Family elegance is of no use at all.
Fortunately, there was a turning point.
"Well, forget it. But since you're here, um, wait a moment..." Legend seemed to have thought of something and turned away.
"Eh?" McQueen and Teio looked at each other.
After a few minutes, Legend came back holding something.
"Hmm? What is this?" McQueen looked at the things in Legend's hands, puzzled.
"Cotton candy?" Teio blinked.
"Eh, is that cotton candy? It's huge!" McQueen said in surprise, looking at these two cotton candies that were many times larger than Super Creek's bosom.
"Well, although it's just a coincidence, do you want to try it? It's the taste of the festival." Legend handed the cotton candy to the two.
"Eh? Ah, thank you..." McQueen took it carefully.
"Mmm. It's fluffy, I'm digging in... Nom!" Teio had already started eating.
Legend watched the actions of the two little cuties with a smile.
"It's so sweet! Baku Baku desu wa!" McQueen tasted a bite and immediately gave up on maintaining her image.
"It's delicious! Thank you, Legend!" Teio said with a happy smile.
"As long as you are happy." Legend looked at the two with gentle eyes.
"It's really strange, it's clearly just ordinary cotton candy, so why is it so delicious?" Flustered by Legend's gentle gaze, McQueen looked away and said, as if changing the subject.
"That must be because it's being tasted together with McQueen and Legend, that's why it's so delicious!" Teio remarked sincerely.
"Eh! Hmm... maybe that's it..." McQueen replied.
But... how much longer can times like this last?
The two thought simultaneously.
This kind of relationship can't possibly last forever, right?
We will all slowly grow up, and besides, the glory of the Mejiro Family also needs me to uphold it...
McQueen looked at Teio beside her, and then looked at Legend in front of her.
I want to keep this kind of relationship going...
Is this kind of thought too childish?
Teio was eating the cotton candy absent-mindedly.
What will the future be like?
If only we could keep being happy like this forever...
McQueen and Teio sighed at the same time.
"Hmm? What's wrong?" Legend asked, looking at the two sighing in front of her, confused.
What's going on? This feeling that only I am out of the loop...
"Nothing... Ah, it's finished." McQueen looked at the bamboo stick in her hand, feeling a bit lost.
"Yeah, even though it looked like so much..." Teio also said, feeling a bit lost.
"...If you want to eat it, why don't I just go buy more?" Legend looked at the two Uma Musume who had suddenly become depressed and felt a bit baffled.
"No, no need, let's save the next one for next time, right? McQueen." Teio shook her head, recovering her energetic demeanor.
"That's right, I'll look forward to next time, it would be great if we could walk around the festival together next time." McQueen nodded and put on a smile again.
"Well, then please look forward to it." Legend saw the two return to normal and breathed a sigh of relief, saying with a smile.
"This is what you said, Legend, no lying." Teio grabbed Legend's arm and asked in a coquettish manner.
"I'm a puppy if I lie to you!" Legend promised solemnly.
"Well, since that's the case, let's set off. Although the festival has ended, there are still some spots that haven't closed yet." McQueen took the opportunity to grab Legend's other arm and said with a smile.
"Eh?" Could it be that I was played? Legend was dumbfounded.
"Yosh! Let's go!"
"Oh!"
"Wait a second, hey!"
Just like that, the two Uma Musume dragged a wooden Uma Musume and started the festival that hadn't completely ended yet.
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