"Is-is that the legendary advanced technique—the feeding?!"
"This is progressing way too fast! As her senior, even I haven't gotten that close with my trainer!"
"Who are they? I've never seen that trainer before. And that horse girl with the cold expression, she's not even blushing while doing something so intimate!"
"But look at her tail, it's wagging so fast it could be a fan! She's definitely shy on the inside, hehe."
"Ah! Look, look! It's getting closer!"
The interaction between Mihono Bourbon and Kitano Ryuichi had been the center of attention in the cafeteria from the moment the commotion started. Now, under the shy, excited, and even slightly envious gazes of the other Uma Musume—who were clearly getting ideas for their own trainers—the spoon in Bourbon's hand was drawing very near to Ryuichi's mouth.
"So, so bold!"
On the other side of the cafeteria, a group of Uma Musume was gathered. Most of them were rather plain-looking, the "average-faced among horse girls." One of them spoke to the clear center of their group.
"King-san! Is that really the person you were looking for? It looks like he already has an assigned Uma Musume. Wouldn't it be bad to approach him now?"
"Hmph, don't misunderstand. As a first-class individual, I would never choose someone who doesn't match my first-class status to be my trainer."
The leader of this group was none other than King Halo, Ryuichi's former partner.
But this former partner was no longer his current partner. She had been having her followers search for Kitano Ryuichi ever since class ended. When she heard someone matching his description was in the cafeteria, she rushed over immediately.
However, it was clear that her follower had failed to mention that Kitano Ryuichi was not alone, and that he was with another Uma Musume whose beauty and figure were on par with her own.
At first, King Halo wasn't too concerned. She was a super-first-class Uma Musume. She wouldn't feel threatened by a new student just because she had a nice figure. Envying the worthy was not a trait a first-class Uma Musume should display.
Besides, she had no special feelings for that rookie trainer named Kitano Ryuichi. She was here to issue a challenge. His earlier impertinent comments had wounded her first-class pride. Therefore, she had deliberately come to find him during lunch break to prove her ability.
But that thought was quickly thrown to the back of her mind by the sight of Mihono Bourbon's intimate actions towards him.
King Halo didn't know why she felt this way, but when she saw Bourbon's meticulous care for him, even personally cooling and feeding him, she unconsciously bit her lip. The sole of one foot began to tap restlessly on the ground, and even her horse ears couldn't help but stand straight up.
This feeling, as if something that belonged to her had suddenly been snatched away by some upstart from nowhere, made King Halo extremely agitated, but she didn't know the source of her agitation.
"...Um, King-san?"
One of her followers noticed her extreme anxiety and cautiously asked, "Should we go stop them?"
"—Why should we?"
King Halo ground her teeth. Her heart was screaming for her to go and stop it, but her reason kept telling her that it had nothing to do with her. How intimate that guy and that third-rate Uma Musume got was none of her business. She forced herself to calm down, not to be driven by her impulses.
But it was obvious to everyone that she was annoyed. Furthermore, her tail was starting to swing like a propeller—not out of happiness, but out of anger.
"A third-rate trainer and a third-rate Uma Musume, aren't they a perfect match? It has nothing to do with a first-class person like me."
"Let them be lovey-dovey. We'll just go and issue our challenge later. A first-class person like me doesn't mind giving them a little time."
But you look like you mind a lot... Her followers didn't think so. They all took a small step back from her—not out of dislike, but simply to avoid being hit by her furiously wagging tail.
Though she was fuming, King Halo's eyes remained glued to Ryuichi and Bourbon. She seemed to want to see what other tricks that deadpan Uma Musume could pull.
"Mr. Kitano, please cooperate. Ahh~"
"—Um, Ms. Mihono, don't you think our distance is a little too close?"
Faced with the approaching spoon, Kitano Ryuichi finally straightened his face and decided to remind her. How had he never noticed before that Mihono Bourbon was such an enthusiastic and gullible person? She was never this forward with him in the past; she just followed his orders.
If the girl before him was his partner from that loop, he could accept this kind of action. But he knew very well that after restarting, the current Mihono Bourbon theoretically didn't know him. Which meant she was doing this incredibly intimate act for a complete stranger.
This was not good... This time, she was lucky she ran into him. He trusted her completely and would never harm her. But if she met someone with ill intentions, she could be in danger.
Ryuichi was perhaps overthinking it, his concern for her safety making him momentarily forget she was a Uma Musume far stronger than any ordinary person. But being cautious was his rule in interpersonal relationships. He didn't want his Uma Musume to face any danger—even if, strictly speaking, she wasn't his Uma Musume anymore.
Therefore, this time, Ryuichi firmly refused her good intentions. Mihono Bourbon's hand clearly paused for a moment before she silently sat back down, placing the spoon back in the bowl.
"...I'm sorry. The system experienced an error just now." Bourbon nodded silently, acknowledging her mistake. She lowered her head and said softly:
"Mihono Bourbon's database contains a record of a past friend. He... died of esophageal cancer. Therefore, whenever Mihono Bourbon sees someone drinking something very hot, she enters an agitated mode."
"I startled you just now, Mr. Kitano. I am very sorry."
"..."
Her words, however, made Ryuichi fall silent. Seeing her earnest apology, he belatedly felt a pang of sympathy for this girl who didn't express her emotions easily, feeling that his words had been too harsh.
And her words brought back memories of his loop with her. The familiar name of the disease made him feel a phantom pain even now.
Esophageal cancer. Yes, that was the culprit that forced him to restart in his loop with Mihono Bourbon. It was the incurable disease. Ryuichi himself didn't know why he had gotten it. His lifestyle had always been healthy, and his body was stronger than an average person's, especially since, as Bourbon's trainer, he had to be in good health.
But sometimes life is just that dramatic. The Ryuichi who had never gotten this disease in previous loops died from it in the one he spent with Mihono Bourbon... He didn't even last long enough to watch her performance in the Kikuka Sho before he passed away.
And now, hearing about this disease from Bourbon's own mouth again, Ryuichi felt a wave of emotion. He had never heard her talk about this before... It seemed his concern for her back then was really not enough.
"...Bourbon? Can you give me the miso soup?"
"Hm?"
The slightly dejected Bourbon woodenly handed the bowl to Ryuichi. Then, under her watchful eyes, he tilted his head back and drank the entire bowl of soup in one go. He wiped his mouth and gave her a gentle smile.
"It's not hot at all now. This temperature is perfect, it feels like it's warming my stomach."
"Thank you, really, Bourbon. Don't worry, from now on, I'll be sure to cool hot things down before I eat them."
"..." However, Bourbon just stared at the overly young, smiling face of Kitano Ryuichi, silent for a long time. Just as he started to think he had said too much and needed to apologize properly, a faint smile suddenly appeared on her face.
"...You're welcome, Mr. Kitano."
"Mihono Bourbon—Joy levels are rising. Current status: excellent. Affection level for Mr. Kitano has increased to 10%!"
That familiar, data-based report. Hearing her words, Ryuichi felt a sense of familiarity, as if he had instantly returned to his days with Bourbon... Though their time together was brief compared to his time with other Uma Musume, it was undoubtedly one of the few experiences he could look back on and smile.
But just then, a noise came from the cafeteria entrance. Before Ryuichi could turn around, he heard King Halo's voice, strained with anger but still sharp:
"You two—this is a public space! Even if you have no first-class decorum, don't flirt in public!"
-------
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