"So today's training is... what was it again?"
Morning arrived. Fujiwara Chiya stood in front of the team with a haggard face. Hearing his broken, intermittent words, Nase Fumino raised an eyebrow.
"Did you not sleep well?"
"No... I just feel like my body is a little empty."
Fujiwara Chiya's voice sounded faint and drifting. He had thought his spirit had already been forged into something incredibly tough after being tempered by Rice and Tazuna. Yet once he was tightly embraced by a beautiful girl, that spirit shattered easily. Grass Wonder was a terrifying child. Beneath her gentle and virtuous appearance was a bold and burning heart.
Whether that behavior counted as friendship or not, Fujiwara Chiya did not know. But it was definitely not something ordinary friends would do. Now, Fujiwara Chiya did not really dare look at her, afraid he would remember that unbearable scene.
Looking at the man, who had no energy at all, Nase Fumino had no choice but to speak in his place. "Today's training location is the town road. In a moment, you'll run through the marked points on the map. The round trip is fifteen kilometres in total, and you'll eventually return to the beach."
The sand was certainly an excellent training environment, but Uma Musume could not keep running on soft ground forever. Ground that was too loose would change their running habits, so every few days, they needed to run on the streets to adjust their form.
"Be careful not to fall behind. There will be no training this afternoon. Everyone will return to the dorm for pre-exam revision." Fujiwara Chiya pushed out his bicycle. "What about you, Fumino? Are you coming?"
"My bicycle is broken. The chain is rusted and won't move."
"Then sit behind me?"
Nase Fumino raised an eyebrow and was just about to agree when she noticed that Fujiwara Chiya's bicycle had no registration plate for carrying passengers. She shook her head in disappointment. "It's not a passenger bicycle. It would be troublesome if the police caught us."
"All right. Then I'll watch your Uma Musume for you."
"Mm. I'll leave them to you."
With the team in tow, Fujiwara Chiya pushed his bicycle onto the road. Uma Musume were fast on their feet. Even when they were only jogging, Fujiwara Chiya could barely keep up by riding behind them. When they reached the first point on the map, Fujiwara Chiya gave the turn instruction, and Grass Wonder silently ran up beside him.
"Trainer Chiya."
"Gra... Grass Wonder."
"Little Grass Wonder? Well... if you like calling me that, I don't mind."
"Slip of the tongue, slip of the tongue. Grass Wonder, what's wrong?"
"There are a few things I'd like to ask Trainer Chiya's opinion on."
"Go ahead."
"This is only an example, but if Yuki-chan liked a girl, would you support her as her cousin?"
Fujiwara Chiya's hand trembled, and he almost fell sideways. Fortunately, Grass Wonder quickly supported the handlebar.
"Shirayuki... likes girls?"
"Perhaps my wording was wrong. What I mean is, Trainer Chiya, what are your thoughts on Yuki-chan's feelings?"
After all, as Fujiwara Shirayuki's closest relative at Tracen, Fujiwara Chiya's opinion was very important. If one day the matter between her and Shirayuki was exposed to Fujiwara Chiya, would he find it difficult to accept?
Shoot the rider before shooting the horse. Capture the king before catching the bandits. Grass Wonder understood this principle very well. As Shirayuki's elder relative, she needed to build a good relationship with him and improve her image, just as she had done in front of Shirayuki's mother.
"Shirayuki's feelings, huh... I don't really have any particular opinion. As long as Shirayuki likes that person, whoever it is should be fine."
"Whoever it is?"
"Mm."
"So her cousin prioritizes Shirayuki's own thoughts."
"That's right."
"I see." Grass Wonder looked a little happy. Not only Shirayuki's mother, but her other family members also held a fairly open attitude toward Shirayuki. In Japan, families like that were not very common.
"Trainer Chiya really is a reasonable person."
"I just don't want to restrict my little sister too much. She finally got to attend an Uma Musume academy, so deciding what kind of life she wants to live is the most important thing."
"Yuki-chan really has a good cousin. I finally understand why Trainer Fumino looks at Trainer Chiya with those eyes."
"Those eyes?"
Grass Wonder smiled and did not answer. She shifted her focus back to Shirayuki. From the look of things, Chiya would probably not oppose the two of them. Even so, Grass Wonder still needed to maintain a good relationship with him. After all, harmony with family was the key to harmony in the household.
After thanking Fujiwara Chiya, Grass Wonder quickened her pace and returned to the front.
In the middle of the group, Mejiro Dober glanced at Grass Wonder as she came back. Although she said she believed Shirayuki's explanation, there was still a thorn buried in her heart. The more she looked at Grass Wonder, the more Grass resembled the person in her dream who had kidnapped Shirayuki, doing all the things Dober wanted to do but did not dare to do.
Maybe she was being a little neurotic. But no matter what, this morning Shirayuki had truly been tangled up with Grass Wonder. The impact of that scene had directly punched a hole through Mejiro Dober's heart. She felt that if she did not do something soon, she might lose something important.
When they reached the town centre, Fujiwara Chiya had everyone stop and rest for half an hour. He also needed to relax his exhausted body. Last night had drained him too much, and he had been lacking energy all day.
Conveniently, there was an open-air café nearby. Fujiwara Chiya bought some food and sat down on a chair. Fujiwara Shirayuki came over. Just as she was about to take something and eat it, she thought for a moment and lowered her hand again.
There was one bad thing about this body. Once she started eating, she could not stop. Either she did not eat, or she ate until she was full. Fujiwara Chiya weighed the state of his wallet and, after confirming that it was not particularly heavy, let Shirayuki sit beside him.
Her blue eyes stared at Fujiwara Chiya without blinking.
Don't look at me. I can't do anything either. He forced himself to turn his head away, but not long after, Shirayuki instinctively turned back. Her taste buds had been caught by the food and could no longer move away.
Under the gaze of those lively eyes, Fujiwara Chiya handed the milk tea over.
For now, he would use this to fill her stomach a little.
Just as Fujiwara Chiya and Fujiwara Shirayuki were sitting together and resting, Mejiro Dober walked over.
"Trainer, I have something I want to say to Shirayuki. Can I borrow her for a while?"
"Sure."
Fujiwara Shirayuki stood up.
Don't take the milk tea away. I still want to drink it.
Shirayuki placed the milk tea on the table, and Fujiwara Chiya accepted it without hesitation, starting to drink. Seeing this scene, Mejiro Dober raised an eyebrow.
"What is it, Dober-Onee-chan?"
"No, nothing." Mejiro Dober shook her head. She felt that the two of them acted so naturally that it was a little strange. Even siblings would not usually drink from the same cup, right? But they seemed completely unconcerned about sharing.
Taking Shirayuki with her, Mejiro Dober walked to a nearby garden street. The two found a bench and sat down.
After confirming that no one was looking this way, Mejiro Dober gathered her emotions.
At this point, she no longer intended to back down. Bright had been right. If she did not act, Shirayuki might truly be taken away by someone else. That unpleasant dream had been a warning.
After making up her mind, Mejiro Dober took a deep breath. Under Shirayuki's confused gaze, she spoke in a trembling voice. "Shirayuki... how do you see me?"
"Eh?" The sudden question made Fujiwara Shirayuki freeze for a moment, but she quickly answered seriously. "A big sister who takes very good care of me."
"What else?"
That was not enough?
Let me think. "How do I see her" should mean something like my impression of her, right? Fujiwara Shirayuki had never been good at praising people, so her vocabulary in this area was very poor. She could only do her best and say, "I think Dober-Onee-chan is very beautiful. You have the feeling of an icy beauty, someone people admire."
It was "how do you see me," not "how do you evaluate me," Mejiro Dober thought. Although hearing those words did make her quite happy.
Since Shirayuki did not understand, she would say it directly.
"Do you like me, Shirayuki?"
"I do. Of course I do."
"I like Shirayuki too."
"Mm."
Shirayuki knew that. Every day, Mejiro Dober helped her comb her hair and tidy her clothes. Sometimes she even personally made lunch for her. If she did not like Shirayuki, she would not go that far.
Mejiro Dober tucked her hair behind her ear.
The confession might be a little casual, but that was fine. Mejiro Dober's goal was to confirm their feelings. As long as both of them liked each other, things would be easier.
Once, Shirayuki had used her as the object of her private fantasies. In that case, Mejiro Dober did not need to be reserved either.
She pressed Shirayuki's shoulders. Under Shirayuki's shocked gaze, she leaned forward and kissed Shirayuki's soft lips.
Only this.
Only Shirayuki's first kiss.
She would not let anyone else take it away.