"So you ran all the way over here to hide with me?"
Inside the laboratory, Agnes Tachyon spoke while continuing her experiment, addressing the man sprawled out on the sofa.
"The more dangerous the place, the safer it is. No one would ever imagine I'd actually have the nerve to hide here."
"How rude, guinea pig-kun. My lab isn't some dragon's den." Tachyon replied without much concern. "As long as you don't interrupt my work, I don't really mind. Though you can't keep hiding forever, can you? Sooner or later, you'll have to meet your parents."
"I haven't thought of an excuse yet."
"Why not just tell them the truth? Well... there are those parents who start crying and screaming the moment something happens to their child, and talking to people like that is only asking for trouble. Your parents aren't like that, are they, guinea pig-kun?"
"They... I think they're pretty reasonable."
"If that's the case, then just find a time and tell them. Of course, if guinea pig-kun wants to keep avoiding it forever, that's not impossible either. Running away is a kind of solution too." Agnes Tachyon smiled. "Want some black tea?"
"I'll take a cup."
"Careful. She might put something in it."
A faint, drifting voice came from the next room over. Fujiwara Chiya lifted his head and saw Manhattan Cafe peeking through the curtain from the adjoining space.
"Oh my, Cafe. I hold the utmost respect for black tea. I rarely tamper with it."
"'Rarely'... meaning you have done it before."
"Does it count if I'm only making the tea taste better?"
"If it has side effects, then yes..." Cafe stepped into the room.
"Good morning, Trainer Fujiwara."
She offered a greeting. "If you don't mind, would you like a cup of coffee instead?"
"Cafe, are you trying to advertise coffee to my trainer?"
"I'm merely entertaining a guest, while also checking whether you've done anything that violates school regulations."
"But guinea pig-kun came here of his own free will. If it's voluntary, then it's not a violation."
"Being forced into 'volunteering' is still volunteering..." Clearly, Cafe was not taking the bait.
While the two of them bickered, Fujiwara Chiya lay back down on the sofa and focused his attention on Shirayuki's side.
He was planning to watch Shirayuki's race from a first-person perspective.
At the training grounds, several thousand spectators sat in the stands waiting for the race to begin, while Fujiwara Shirayuki loosened up in the preparation area.
Grass Wonder approached her. As always, she lightly touched her cheek, carrying that calm, refined Yamato Nadeshiko aura from head to toe.
"Yuki-chan, it's finally our turn to race each other." She smiled softly. "Watching you race El Condor Pasa and Special Week and the others made me so restless. Every day I kept thinking about when I'd finally get to race you. I kept thinking about it so much that before I knew it, dawn had arrived."
"And today, I finally get to have a proper race with you." Grass Wonder lightly clapped her hands, her expression delighted. "It feels like a dream come true. Even if this is only a mock race, I hope you'll go all out against me, Yuki-chan."
"Of course." Fujiwara Shirayuki nodded firmly. "I always thought Grass's running style looked powerful. I've wanted to experience it for myself."
"Powerful... oh my, Yuki-chan, did you come watch my debut race?"
"Of course I did. Even for event races, I always watch properly. Every time Grass raced, I was there too."
Hearing that, Grass Wonder's body paused.
"I'm so happy."
"Hm?"
"I'm so happy, Yuki-chan." Grass Wonder stepped forward and gently hugged Shirayuki's head. "So you've always been watching my races. Your eyes have always been on me. That makes me incredibly happy..."
"Grass?"
With her head being gently cradled against Grass Wonder's chest, Fujiwara Shirayuki's mind filled with question marks.
Is this how Grass shows affection?
Honestly, it feels pretty nice.
Shirayuki rubbed lightly against Grass Wonder's chest, and Grass Wonder's lips curved upward.
"Gah..." In the stands, Special Week stared with her mouth hanging open, as though she had witnessed something utterly unacceptable.
"Special Week?" Beside her, Silence Suzuka looked puzzled. But then she followed Special Week's pointing finger toward the preparation area, where Shirayuki and Grass Wonder were embracing like sisters. At once, Special Week clutched her chest.
"Special Week!? Are you alright!?" Silence Suzuka rushed to support her as she looked ready to collapse.
"S-Suzuka... I think I'm dreaming. I just saw Shirayuki being eaten by Grass..."
"Special Week, pull yourself together! That's not a dream!"
Special Week sprang to her feet.
"Shirayuki! What are you doing!? She's your rival! Hurry up and crush her!"
"Crush her, Shirayuki! Grass is trying to charm you! Don't fall for it!" Special Week shouted at the top of her lungs. In the distance, Shirayuki's ears twitched.
"I think I heard Special Week..."
"There's nothing there, you know." Grass Wonder rubbed Shirayuki's ears, the soft rustling making it impossible for Shirayuki to hear anything properly.
"You're so cute, Yuki-chan."
"Grass, normally before a race, aren't rivals supposed to exchange threats? Aren't we doing this wrong?"
As Grass Wonder kneaded her cheeks, Fujiwara Shirayuki tried to correct the mood.
"You're right. But I'm not very good at saying things like that. So instead, how about we make a bet? For example, the winner gets to order the loser to do one thing, and the loser can't refuse. What do you think?"
"Th-that..."
"Of course, only if both sides think it's acceptable. If either one of us feels it's unreasonable, then it's void."
"Alright."
A race was more exciting if there was a reward on the line. Tracen already had prizes prepared, but a private agreement like this was much more fun.
"Shirayuki! You horrible Grass Wonder! What are you trying to do to my friend!?"
"Special Week, if you shout like that, Shirayuki still won't hear you."
"Suzuka, I'm entering the race! I can't let her do whatever she wants!"
"But you're in the next race, Special Week."
By the time Special Week ran off to find the race officials, Shirayuki and Grass Wonder had already entered their starting gates. Tracen's official commentator, Hishi Amazon, introduced the runners one by one, and when she reached Fujiwara Shirayuki, she announced her as Snow Dancer. As long as it was a race, whether it was part of the Shining Series or an event held by Tracen, her alias had to be used.
Once everyone was ready, the gate lights began flashing.
Far from the main crowd, in a quieter corner of the stands, a black-clad figure carefully avoided the spectators and watched the track.
I'm such an idiot...
Mejiro Dober cursed herself.
She had foolishly gone looking for Shirayuki to watch the race together, only to forget that Shirayuki herself was one of the runners.
And now, because of that, she had not even managed to get a seat near the front.
Just as Mejiro Dober was drowning in regret over her own stupidity, a glamorous brown-haired woman stepped up beside her. Gazing toward the white-haired girl by the gates, she smiled with clear interest.
"So that child is Shirayuki."
Why does she seem to carry Chiya's shadow within her?