After dinner, the Uma Musume carried their school bags to the trainer's dorm. Fujiwara Chiya, who had been waiting for a while, opened the door, the warm light from inside spilling into the hallway. "Come in."
Except for Rice Shower, it was their first time here, and their eyes wandered curiously across the room, taking in everything from the neatly arranged shelves to the simple but tidy furniture.
"Not bad, Trainer. Pretty clean," Gold Ship commented.
"Just average."
Ever since Hayakawa Tazuna's sudden visit, Fujiwara Chiya had developed a habit of cleaning regularly. He didn't want to get caught off guard again and ruin his image.
"Whoa! A game console!"
The moment she stepped in, Gold Ship spotted the large white console next to the TV. Tossing her bag aside, she rushed over.
"Gold Ship, you're here to study!"
"We just ate. Gotta move a little first," she said as she powered on the TV.
"You call gaming exercise?"
"I'm playing action games."
Gold Ship began rummaging through the game cases while the others slowly placed their bags down.
"Sit first. I'll grab some snacks." Fujiwara Chiya headed into the kitchen.
"Rice… will help Onii-sama too."
Rice Shower followed him in like she belonged there.
"Ohh! This position… something lucky might happen!" Matikanefukukitaru excitedly pulled out a crystal ball.
"Guinea pig-kun's room…" Agnes Tachyon quietly observed the surroundings.
"These people… have no manners…"
Only Mejiro Dober sat properly on the sofa, hands neatly placed on her lap.
"It's fine. He said there's nothing important here," Fujiwara Shirayuki said.
Dober tightened her grip on her skirt. This was her first time in someone else's room, especially a trainer's. Even if the chance was small, she didn't want to make a mistake.
Her gaze carefully scanned the room. It was simple and clean, with no unnecessary decorations. She actually liked this kind of space.
"These are some snacks and drinks." Fujiwara Chiya returned and placed them on the table.
"I want soda, Trainer," Gold Ship called out.
"No soda. Juice only."
"Then orange juice."
"Come get it yourself."
"I'm busy doing combos."
"What are you playing?"
"Street Fighter 6."
"Stop playing and come study!" Fujiwara Chiya raised his voice.
Under his insistence, everyone finally gathered on the sofa. Seeing them settle down, he let out a long breath and leaned back slightly.
He could finally rest for a bit.
Meanwhile, Shirayuki felt something different.
Her consciousness had begun to separate more clearly from Fujiwara Chiya's. When she was in Shirayuki's body, her behavior naturally softened, and her thoughts aligned more with a girl's perspective. Under Mejiro Dober's guidance, even her posture and movements had become more refined.
She touched the ring on her finger. A faint warmth lingered there, constantly reminding her of who she was.
Her transformation was becoming more obvious day by day.
And much of it was thanks to Agnes Tachyon.
After spending time with her, Shirayuki realized Tachyon wasn't simply the reckless experimenter others described. She explained things patiently, and her goal was ultimately to help Uma Musume train better, just with extreme methods.
"Hmm? Why are you staring at me like that, Shirayuki?" Agnes Tachyon raised an eyebrow.
"Nothing."
At some point, Fujiwara Chiya had already fallen asleep at the table, his head resting against his arm.
"Trainer… Trainer…" Agnes Tachyon called out lightly.
"Onii-sama is asleep," Rice Shower whispered.
Shirayuki looked up and met those red eyes.
"Shirayuki."
"Yes."
Agnes Tachyon smiled faintly. "I'm a bit tired. Walk with me?"
"I'll go too."
Mejiro Dober immediately stood up.
"Then let's go together," Agnes Tachyon said.
Outside, the moon hung high, casting a pale glow over the quiet campus. Only a few distant figures moved through the night, and the training field lights gave the grass a cold, dim sheen.
"How is it?" Agnes Tachyon suddenly asked.
"Hm?"
"Your current life."
"I'm getting used to it."
"You didn't respond when I called 'Trainer.' That means you can distinguish now."
"Yes."
Walking beside them, Mejiro Dober blinked, completely lost.
What are they talking about?
She listened carefully, but no matter how she pieced the words together, nothing made sense.
"I don't understand any of this," she finally said, unable to hold it in any longer. "Tachyon, explain."
"Oh?" Agnes Tachyon tilted her head slightly, a faint smirk forming on her lips. "You're that curious?"
"Of course!"
"You really care about Shirayuki, huh?"
Dober's body stiffened.
"O-Of course! She's my sister!"
"Sister…" Agnes Tachyon glanced sideways at Fujiwara Shirayuki, her eyes carrying a trace of amusement. "Then Shirayuki can call me Onee-chan too."
"WHAT!?" Dober nearly exploded on the spot.
"What do you mean!?"
"Nothing special. Just strengthening the 'sister' label," Agnes Tachyon replied casually.
"This isn't a label! I'm serious!" Dober's voice rose slightly, her face already beginning to heat up.
"Really?" Agnes Tachyon's tone turned playful.
"Of course!"
"Then have you done sister-like things?" Agnes Tachyon continued without pause. "Sleeping together? Helping each other change clothes? Bathing together?"
"S-Sleeping!?"
Dober froze.
Her mind instantly jumped back to the past.
She had done that… once…
But that was during a storm. And she was still a kid.
After she started school, that kind of thing never happened again.
Wait…
Does that mean… with Shirayuki!?
The image formed in her mind almost instantly.
A soft, white-haired girl curled up beside her, breathing gently, leaning against her chest like a small animal.
Dober's face flushed bright red under the moonlight.
It's… not impossible…
No. Stop. This needs consent!
"Shirayuki… what do you think?" she asked nervously, trying to keep her voice steady.
"…I…"
Shirayuki hesitated.
She understood very clearly that Agnes Tachyon had called her out here for a reason. But with Dober present, she couldn't respond freely.
"No reason to refuse," Agnes Tachyon whispered softly near her ear, her voice so quiet it was almost carried away by the night air. "Don't forget who you are."
Shirayuki's fingers instinctively brushed the ring on her hand.
After a brief pause, she nodded.
"Okay."
Dober's eyes instantly lit up, a flash of pure happiness breaking through her usually restrained expression. For a moment, it was completely unguarded.
"…It's just what sisters do," she muttered to herself, quickly looking away, trying to regain her composure. "Sleeping together or something… that's normal… yeah… totally normal…"
Even she wasn't sure who she was trying to convince.
After walking for a while, the three returned.
Opening the door, Shirayuki found the room had already fallen into chaos again.
Gold Ship was gaming. Meisho Doto was sprawled on the sofa. Matikanefukukitaru was doing fortune-telling. Rice Shower sat across from Fujiwara Chiya, watching him sleep.
"How did it end up like this again…" Shirayuki sighed.
"Wanna play co-op?" Gold Ship asked.
"No… shouldn't you be studying?"
"Break time."
"Fine. Just a short break."
After a while, Shirayuki went to the kitchen and took out more snacks.
"Shouldn't we tell him first?" Mejiro Dober asked.
"It's fine. Onii-sama bought these for guests."
"I see… you know him well."
"We're not that close. Just not distant either."
Shirayuki glanced at the sleeping Fujiwara Chiya.
"Should we move him to the bed?" she asked softly.
"Good idea," Shirayuki added.
"I'll do it," Rice Shower said as she stepped forward.
She gently lifted Fujiwara Chiya into her arms. His tall frame looked almost weightless.
Shirayuki covered her face.
This is way too embarrassing.
As Rice Shower laid him down, she paused for a moment. Then she quietly leaned forward and pressed her lips against his.
Soft. Brief. Careful.
At that exact moment, Shirayuki suddenly felt a faint sweetness on her own lips.
Startled, she looked up.
Rice Shower had already returned to her seat, her expression calm, as if nothing had happened.
The room remained noisy, but something subtle had quietly changed.