The next day, Shirayuki and the others changed clothes in their room.
They would be training by the sea next, so swimsuits had become their training uniforms.
According to school rules, during summer training camp, everyone could only wear Tracen-issued swimsuits. They could not dress up in all kinds of different swimwear as though they were on vacation.
It was a little unfortunate. That meant there was no chance to see the girls' unique personal swimsuit styles. Still, if they all dressed too brightly and beautifully, how could the young trainers possibly stay focused on training? In a way, this also helped prevent accidents from happening.
Fujiwara Shirayuki took off her clothes while facing the wall. Although she had now completely gotten used to her identity as an Uma Musume, she still had absolutely no resistance toward girls' bodies.
She glanced at Matikanefukukitaru and the others. The moment she saw their pale, clean skin, Fujiwara Shirayuki hurriedly turned away.
Shirayuki, how can you look at your friends with such improper eyes? Stop it already!
Fujiwara Shirayuki tapped her forehead twice, forcefully pushing those unclean thoughts to the back of her mind before continuing to change.
Maybe because she had been eating a little too much lately, Shirayuki felt that the swimsuit she had received not long ago was a bit tight. After slipping her legs into it, Fujiwara Shirayuki struggled to pull the swimsuit upward.
"Can't get it on, Shirayuki?"
At that moment, a delicate hand reached over from behind.
Mejiro Dober spoke softly.
"I'll help you."
"No need. It's just a little difficult."
"Have you gained weight recently?"
"Maybe."
Shirayuki smiled. She thought Mejiro Dober would let go, but the other girl's hand suddenly moved again.
"Let me see how much you've gained."
As she said that, Mejiro Dober lightly touched Shirayuki's stomach. There was not even a trace of extra softness on that smooth abdomen. The soft, smooth sensation made Mejiro Dober's heart beat rapidly.
Recently, all sorts of strange rumors about Shirayuki and Special Week had been spreading through Tracen. Although Mejiro Dober usually did not like talking to people much, those voices kept reaching her ears from every direction. The hallway, the classroom, the bathroom. It was as though they were challenging her limit, constantly stimulating her nerves.
It was clearly just a perfectly normal interaction between friends, yet people had twisted it into something like "a match made for a hundred years."
If a hug was enough to count, then she and Shirayuki were already an old married couple.
Perhaps to vent the frustration in her heart, Mejiro Dober hugged Shirayuki from behind.
Could Special Week do this?
"D-Dober-Onee-chan..."
Seeing that Dober's hands were moving to increasingly dangerous places, Fujiwara Shirayuki hurriedly reminded her.
There were not only the two of them in the room. Matikanefukukitaru and T. M. Opera O were right beside them, changing into their swimsuits while facing the wall. If either of them turned around, they would see the two of them in this rather improper position.
Shirayuki's voice brought Mejiro Dober back to her senses. She reluctantly let go.
"Looks like you haven't gained much. Shirayuki, you need to pay more attention to your body. Otherwise, one day you won't even be able to fit into your clothes."
"I'll be careful."
Fujiwara Shirayuki held her chest. A tingling sensation still lingered there.
After changing into their swimsuits, everyone went to the beach.
Fujiwara Chiya stood in front of the team wearing a rash guard and board shorts.
"Next, you'll be doing beach training. This place is different from grass, so you need to use your feet flexibly. More precisely, your ankles."
He scooped up a handful of sand from the ground.
"Look. The ground here is very soft. That means relying on strength alone won't let you move quickly across this surface. You need to lift your legs higher, and your pushing motion needs to be stronger too. Think of your legs like oars."
After arranging the training content, Fujiwara Chiya stood nearby and watched them run on the beach.
The feeling of sand fed back through Shirayuki's soles. Fujiwara Chiya silently felt Shirayuki's stamina consumption. Just as he was watching with interest, Nase Fumino walked over.
"Chiya."
She called out to him.
"Ah, you're here, Fumi..."
The second half of the word got stuck directly in his throat.
Although he knew Fumino would change into a swimsuit, he was still stunned.
A red pleated bikini top wrapped around her rounded chest. A white-dotted frilled cover-up hid her pale thighs, while the opening faintly revealed tempting glimpses of skin. Perhaps because she usually wore formal suits, Nase Fumino's skin was fairer than most girls', giving her a delicate, fragile beauty.
"What are you staring at? Your eyes are about to fall out."
Nase Fumino crossed her arms as if she did not care, but the redness on her cheeks betrayed her mood.
"No... I'm just a little surprised."
"About what?"
"Normally, Fumino gives off this cool and elegant feeling. But once you change into a swimsuit, you look unbelievably beautiful."
Hearing that, Nase Fumino widened her eyes.
After her body trembled a few times, she stretched out the training plan and lightly struck Fujiwara Chiya on the head with it.
"Should I have said that more indirectly?"
Nase Fumino turned her face away. After taking a few deep breaths, she handed the training sheet to Fujiwara Chiya.
"Hm? What's this?"
"Shirayuki's training plan. Didn't we agree to do joint training during summer camp? Shirayuki will be under my responsibility. Did you forget?"
"No. I'll give it to her after warm-up. By the way, where are your Uma Musume?"
"Over there. They're already coming."
Nase Fumino lifted her chin to indicate the distance.
Not far away, ripples spread across the surface of the water. Soon, several figures emerged from the sea.
"Shirayuki!"
"Teio!?"
The mischievous little foal had just emerged from the water, yet she immediately rushed over to Shirayuki. She grabbed Shirayuki's leg from behind and tackled her to the ground.
"Gwah!"
"The kappa caught you! Haha!"
"That's not a kappa. That's a river horse. No, wait, a sea horse!"
Fujiwara Chiya rubbed his sore chin, even though the fall had not happened to his own body.
"Were they training underwater?"
"Swimming. We arrived early, so after warming up, I had them practice a thirteen-hundred-meter freestyle swim first. Then I told them to gather here."
"I see."
"Shirayuki, race me!"
Tokai Teio helped Shirayuki, who had fallen, back to her feet.
At that moment, Teio suddenly felt a powerful force tug at her collar. Under the pull of her swimsuit, her whole body was lifted into the air.
Turning her head, Tokai Teio saw that smiling face.
Those sky-blue eyes were looking at her with a hint of murderous intent.
"G-Grass?"
"That won't do, Teio. How can you casually knock Yuki-chan down like that? What if she gets hurt? You're being very naughty. Bad children need to be punished."
Grass Wonder lightly waved her hand.
Tokai Teio flew straight back into the sea.
"Let her be a sea horse, Yuki-chan. Are you all right? Did you get hurt anywhere?"
"I'm fine..."
Fujiwara Shirayuki looked at Tokai Teio, who had been washed back to the shore by the waves, and could not help swallowing.