Rice Shower's Perspective
Since my Big Brother—my Trainer—was out for dinner, I'd prepared myself for a quiet, lonely meal. But to my surprise, Carnegie-san and her friends invited me to join them. We ended up having a wonderful dinner together, and now I'm back in Carnegie-san's room, caught up in a whirlwind of "girl talk." Carnegie-san is so bright and energetic; she has so many friends, and every single one of them has been so kind to me. It's been such a help!
"Ahahaha! Honestly," Carnegie laughed, leaning back on her bed. "There was a moment that day where I thought, 'Maybe I can keep up?' But nope! No way. That's a 'Rice-only' feat right there."
"I'm still recovering from the shock of seeing Carnegie literally worshipping you," one of the other girls added with a smirk. "It was a little scary, actually."
"I... I didn't really know what to do," I admitted, my cheeks feeling a bit warm. "Ehehe..."
"But it would've been such a waste to leave it!" Carnegie insisted, waving her hands. "She ate it all for me, so of course I have to be grateful! She was a total lifesaver!"
"I suppose I get the sentiment," another girl mused, "but you were definitely being a bit dramatic. And even in today's training..."
"What can I say? Rice is just too good of a person..." Carnegie sighed dreamily.
"True," the other two said in perfect unison.
"Wait, what?" I blinked.
"I mean, it's true," one girl said, counting off on her fingers. "She's cute, she's humble, she's kind... and she's cute. Plus, she's a great teacher. And, you know, she's cute."
"...Isn't that a few too many 'cutes'?" the second girl asked.
"Impossible," Carnegie said with a deadpan, serious face. "Rice is the definition of cute."
"It's a bit hard to react when you say it with such a straight face," the girl sighed. "I mean, I agree, but could you dial it back a bit?"
"Just admit it! Rice is adorable!"
"Um, excuse me!" I broke in, my face starting to steam. "Why are we talking about this? It's... it's really embarrassing! ///"
"No, no, Rice! You have to understand," Carnegie said, leaning in. "Your cuteness is a universal constant. It transcends borders!"
"E-Eh?! N-n-no way! There are so many girls way cuter than me! I'm just... I'm just plain and shy and... and a bit of a klutz!"
"I see..." the quietest girl in the group whispered. "So, what you're saying is that you're unpretentious, modest, and a genuinely sweet soul."
"WHUH?! ///"
"Ooh! A positive translation!" Carnegie cheered. "That's exactly it! Spot on!"
"Maximum points for that interpretation!" the other girl laughed.
"Hauuu... ///"
(They're all so nice...)
My Trainer tells me I'm a good girl all the time, but having a whole group of people say it at once is... it's a lot for Rice to handle!
"Oh, that's right," I said, trying to change the subject. "Have all of you debuted yet? Or if not, when is your first race?"
"The two of us have already debuted," the girl next to Carnegie explained. "Carnegie-san had some issues with her legs, so she's scheduled for next year. The two of us have one win each, so we've officially cleared the Maidens."
"Maidens?" I asked.
"Ah, sorry. In France, we call the 'Unvictorious' class the Maiden races."
"Ohh, I see!"
"We'd all love to run a G1 race like you did someday," Carnegie said, her eyes sparkling. "So, tell us, Rice-san? What's the secret plan for the Prix Royal-Oak?"
"Um... well..." I gave a shy smile. "It's a surprise?"
"Fair enough," the second girl laughed. "Even as friends, we can't expect you to leak state secrets. But we're all so excited to watch you."
"Definitely. None of us are stayers, so we can't compete at that distance, but we won't lose to you in the miles or middle distances, right Rice-chan?"
"Uuu... Rice isn't very good at miles," I admitted. "I don't think I could win. But I think I could hold my own in a middle-distance race. I'd love to try a mock race with you all."
I've never actually run a mile before. My Trainer never entered me in anything under 2,000 meters.
"Oh! That's a great idea!" Carnegie jumped up. "Okay, how about this? If we win the mock race, you have to ask your Trainer to make that miso soup for us! And if Rice wins... if she wins... wait, what do we have that Rice would want?"
"Hmm..." Carnegie tapped her chin.
"Now that you mention it, she's already well-fed at the cafeteria," the other girl noted. "And her Trainer is covering all her expenses."
"I've got it!" Carnegie snapped her fingers. "Since the Trainer is paying for everything else, if Rice wins, we'll buy her a big haul of French specialties as a gift!"
"Actually, for a Carnegie idea, that's not bad at all."
"Motion carried!"
"Hey! What do you mean 'for a Carnegie idea'?" Carnegie pouted, though she was clearly joking.
"Ahaha..." I giggled. "O-okay, I'll ask my Big Brother about it. And if he says no, don't worry—I can make the miso soup for you instead."
"Wait..." Carnegie froze. "Rice, you can cook too?"
"Yes, I love cooking! I do it whenever I can. Don't you all?"
"In France, professional cooking is mostly seen as a man's world," one of the girls explained. "There's an old saying that a woman's palate changes too easily, so you don't see many girls in the kitchen. It's not as common a hobby here."
"But if Rice-san can cook as well... truly, you are remarkable. Please give our best regards to your Trainer."
"I will!" I promised.
I'm actually starting to look forward to this... wait. When would we even do a mock race? We aren't doing any hard gallops this week, and we're supposed to head home almost immediately after the race. I wonder if we'll actually have the time...
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