Twin Shine grit her teeth, desperate to keep running, but her vision betrayed her, dissolving into a stubborn blur.
She sniffed, but the stinging sensation only intensified, sweeping through her mind like a gale and making it even harder to see. Her ears drooped, and her very breath lost its rhythm.
Is this how it ends? she thought instinctively. Even though the Trainer hinted at it so many times... even though he went out of his way to find the easiest race for someone as useless as me... and yet, I...
"So, is it true? Is all the hard work in the world useless for those without talent?"
Twin Shine hadn't wanted to think that way. She had always encouraged herself, always dreamed of being a Horse Girl; she had almost never wavered. Even when Fujimaru Ritsuka dropped hints, she had pretended not to understand, holding her breath and vowing to make him see her in a new light through sheer effort.
And this was the result.
Her Trainer hadn't been angry at her stubbornness; he had done the absolute best he could for her. Her friends had encouraged and supported her in every way possible. And yet...
In the end, she had lost to herself—to her own lack of talent.
Twin Shine's pace slowed. A surging tide of self-reproach, sorrow, and an indescribable weight wove into invisible chains, shackling her legs and binding her waist until she could barely move. Her speed dropped visibly, and the Horse Girls behind her were closing in. She felt like a plane losing its engines, unable to recover, her eyes ready to close in defeat.
I'm sorry, Trainer. Everyone... you all supported me so much... and yet... I'm sorry you have to see me... looking so pathetic... I really...
At that moment—
"Shine!"
Like the first ray of sunlight piercing through thick clouds, a steady voice cut through the thundering hoofbeats and reached her ears with crystalline clarity. "Run!"
The voice was so infused with power that it seemed to snap the invisible chains binding her.
Twin Shine instinctively looked toward the sound.
Just then, the voice rang out again: "Run!"
It was Fujimaru Ritsuka.
He was standing at the very edge of the stands, leaning over the railing as close to the track as possible. His eyes were locked onto her, his voice resolute and piercing: "Run! Remember your dream! Remember why you stood on this track in the first place!"
There was no tactical guidance, not even a traditional word of comfort—only the simplest, most direct command. Fujimaru Ritsuka stared at her, as if believing that a cry from the heart held more power than any polished speech.
Twin Shine and Fujimaru Ritsuka locked eyes across the track. The girl saw then that he didn't look disappointed that she had been overtaken; he wasn't panicking because her rhythm was shattered. His expression was as steady as ever, as if he still believed in her obsession, in the effort she had poured into her dream—as if he believed she could still keep going.
My dream?
The reason I stood on this track?
Twin Shine's mind almost stalled. Was her Trainer believing in her because of something like that? Was that why he hadn't used a "sharp blade" to cut through her persistence earlier?
This is really...
The blur in her eyes worsened, and the stinging in her nose became a sharp ache, but her stride suddenly found its strength. Her legs felt flooded with power; her movements were no longer stiff or chaotic.
You're being far too reckless, Trainer... she thought. But, for a Trainer who believes in me this much... I have to keep going!
Almost at the exact moment Twin Shine felt that spark, Oguri Cap, who had been momentarily stunned by Fujimaru's outburst, snapped back to reality. She joined in, her voice booming: "Shine, keep going! You can do it!"
No matter how dire the situation, Oguri was always willing to believe in her teammate and cheer them on. Now that Fujimaru had started it, she didn't hesitate for a second.
Fujimaru Ritsuka and Oguri Cap shared a brief look and shouted together: "Shine! Let's go—!"
Watching the two of them scream with total disregard for their public image, Mini Lady barked out a critique: "Are you two crazy?! This is just a debut race! The other spectators are staring!"
Mini Lady couldn't understand it. The team she joined wasn't supposed to be a pack of idiots governed by hot-blooded emotion, nor was it a group of obsessed fanatics who refused to accept defeat. Why were these two suddenly screaming their lungs out? Was this even logical?
"Shine! Don't give up! Charge!" Norn Ace joined in, waving her arms wildly.
Mini Lady gasped. "Huh?!" She figured Norn Ace had been infected by those two idiots. How else could her childhood friend turn into such a hot-blooded fool?
But then again, Fujimaru Ritsuka had never shown this side of himself before. Which one was the real him?
"Don't be afraid! Catch them!" Ardnane and Rudelmo shouted in unison.
"You two as well..." This time, Mini Lady was completely out of complaints. She scratched her head in frustration, slammed a foot onto the railing, and let out a roar: "You little shrimp! Get moving and blow past them!!!"
Twin Shine could no longer feel the changes in her own expression. She was deeply moved by the unconditional support of her companions. Everyone...
The girl wiped her face harshly, clenching her teeth with enough force to crush stone.
At this moment, only one thought remained in her mind: I cannot lose!
Thump!
The sound of her shoes hitting the ground was far more violent than any limit she had ever shown in training.
She didn't even notice. The light in her eyes grew brighter and brighter, as if she had entered a specialized state of consciousness. The hoofbeats, breathing, and roars of her opponents became faint and distant, while the cheers of her friends grew louder and clearer.
Their voices converged into a warm torrent, instantly sweeping away the cold despair that had nested in her heart. She spread the wings of her dreams and surged forward toward the finish line—toward the chance to truly become a Horse Girl!
The rapid, heavy rhythm of her approach startled the other racers. The reality of her closing the gap caused the expressions of the two leaders to shift drastically.
One thought: What is with this girl?!
The other thought: Is this... the power of "Run!"? Give me a break!
The faces of the two Horse Girls became almost distorted. This was their chance to debut successfully; they weren't going to hand it over to anyone. So what if that girl called Shine had the support of her friends? This was the real world, not some hot-blooded manga!
Objective gaps in strength and the basic physical stats of a Horse Girl couldn't be changed by shouting!
Even if they screamed until their throats were raw, it wouldn't matter!
The two Horse Girls let out heart-wrenching cries of their own, desperate to leave everyone behind and seize the lone chance at victory.
Twin Shine didn't hear their roars. She was entirely immersed in her own world. I can't stop yet! My legs can still move! There is still power in my body! So!
Her Trainer believed in her. Her friends were cheering for her. The only thing she could do was answer their expectations.
"AAAAAAAAAA—!!!"
Suddenly, a cry mixed with both a sob and sheer stubbornness erupted from Twin Shine's throat! It was a cry unique to someone who refused to remain in the shadows! It was a roar of life itself!
The purest, most primitive will—the "I don't want it to end like this, I won't let it end like this" brilliance—drove Twin Shine forward. It forced her ahead, step by step, reclaiming the ground she had lost!
"Twin Shine! Heavens, it's Twin Shine! She was nearly swallowed by the pack, but she didn't give up! She's showing incredible fighting spirit! She's fighting for the lead!" The commentator's voice was full of disbelief.
The final 100 meters! She completely bypassed the girl she had been neck-and-neck with, taking her place and biting hard onto the heels of the leader.
The final 50 meters! She was shoulder-to-shoulder with first place!
The Horse Girls seemed to have reached their limits. Their strides became visibly heavy; the battle of wills had become the deciding factor!
The final 20 meters! Twin Shine felt her consciousness fading. Her lungs felt like they were going to explode, and she could no longer feel her legs—it was as if they didn't belong to her anymore.
But that one thought remained: Charge! Get past them! Everyone is watching! I... am going to be a Horse Girl!
Using every last ounce of her strength, she "threw" her body forward with everything she had!
She crossed the line!
The noise of the race faded away, and the world slowly went quiet.
But for Twin Shine, it wasn't that simple. A massive ringing echoed in her ears. She stumbled forward, nearly collapsing. Falling to her knees, she pushed against the ground with both hands, gasping for air before breaking into a violent fit of coughing, looking as if she had lost half her life.
Large beads of sweat pelted the dirt in front of her, leaving dark speckles, but she couldn't see them—her vision was still a blur.
A few seconds later, she felt someone embrace her. She looked up slowly. Her teammates had run onto the track, surrounding her and holding her tight. The trio was already teary-eyed, nearly crying on her behalf.
So... what was the result? Twin Shine forced herself to look up at the giant screen by the finish line. Her pupils shrank.
The screen read: [PHOTO FINISH]
The gap at the finish line was too small for the naked eye to judge; the result depended on the high-speed camera.
After what felt like an eternity, the result finally flashed onto the screen.
1st Place: Twin Shine. Won by a nose.
...?!
She stared blankly at that name, at that result. She read it several times. Slowly, the anxiety on her face transformed into shock. She looked utterly incredulous.
"I... won..."
"You won!" The trio practically lifted Twin Shine off the ground, cheering at the top of their lungs. "You won! Shine won!"
I won?
I... I actually won?
Intense joy and the hollow, lightheaded feeling of relief crashed over her like a tsunami.
Tears welled up without warning. Twin Shine began to sob. "I won... I won... I..."
Fujimaru Ritsuka placed a hand on top of Twin Shine's head. "That's right. You won, Shine. You are now a proud Horse Girl..."
Before he could finish, he felt a weight against his chest. Twin Shine had lunged into his arms, weeping uncontrollably.
Fujimaru gently patted the girl's back, soothing her and helping her regain her composure.
It took quite some time for Twin Shine to calm down. Fujimaru wiped away her tears and teased, "So, can you still stand? Next is the Winner's Stage. A winner isn't allowed to run away from their performance."
Though her body was still trembling, Twin Shine straightened her back and replied with a smile, "Yes, Trainer."
A short while later, after washing up and changing into her performance outfit, Twin Shine walked toward the stage—toward the spotlight that was shining for her for the very first time. She moved step by step, with unwavering resolve.
To the sound of the music, Twin Shine stepped onto the stage. She gripped the microphone with both hands, looking a bit nervous—a Horse Girl who seemed as ordinary as any other. Yet, even so, she had won her debut race with the support of her friends and begun a brand-new life.
Twin Shine felt like crying again.
To thank her friends for their support and Fujimaru Ritsuka for his encouragement, she had chosen this song.
"SAY☆ I want to shine with all my might, I want to become a SUPER ST@R, Now, I'll push open the door of fate, And look toward the future!"
Twin Shine held the mic in her right hand and pushed her left palm forward, as if she were truly opening a door and gazing into the distance with eyes full of hope.
"Quietly peeking into the mirror, Quietly whispering a spell to cheer myself on, Because, during rehearsals, I was so stiff and clumsy, My heart thumping like a loud trumpet call."
Then, she took a few light steps and stood on the tip of her right foot, pointing her left hand toward the "glass slipper" she wore.
"Heels I'm not used to, making me ten centimeters taller, Who can use magic to turn them into sparkling crystal shoes?"
Her voice, somewhere between a confession and a song, drew warm, friendly laughter from the audience.
Twin Shine smiled along with them:
"SAY☆ I want to shine with all my might, I want to become a radiant SUPER ST@R, Even though it's just one small step, because you're by my side, I can shine like the stars, I can become a brilliant star!"
Looking at her friends below the stage, the girl suddenly felt tears fall.
As she wiped them away, she continued to sing in a slightly trembling voice:
"Yeah, I'll surely fly across the vast sky, Because I've always believed, That this radiance everyone holds close to their heart, Will fly freely under the clear blue sky; Look, that longing that once seemed so far away, Is becoming a reality, step by step."
At this point, Twin Shine took a deep breath and let out a shout that sounded like a proclamation:
"Let's go—toward that light!"
────────────────────────────────────────
Support me here: https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
Spring Sale Special – 20% OFF!
Musume: Oguri Cap Grand Order (119 Chapters – Ongoing)
Join the journey and become part of the story!
────────────────────────────────────────