The race with Senior Rudolf was over, and I lay sprawled on the turf, utterly spent and unable to move.
My ragged breathing fought to pump oxygen into my lungs. I tried to stand, but my legs, my hips, my arms—none of them would respond. I had given everything I had, and still lost.
(Damn it… this hurts way more than before…!)
It was so much more frustrating than when I lost that first mock race. I should've grown stronger since then. I trained so hard, worked so seriously. It shouldn't have mattered that my opponent was the future Emperor, Symboli Rudolf, or that it was my first time being marked—I should've had something more I could do.
I didn't want to make excuses. But this burning feeling overflowing from the bottom of my heart wouldn't stop. Before I knew it, I'd raised my right fist, about to slam it into the turf—but before it struck the ground, someone gently caught my hand.
"If you do that, you'll hurt those pretty hands."
"Hah… hah… Senior Rudolf…"
It was her—the same Senior Rudolf I had just raced against. Drenched in sweat herself, she'd come over to me before even cooling down.
"Come on, don't just lie there forever. Get up."
She took my hand and pulled me up—but her legs must've been too shaky, because she lost her balance and fell forward, crashing into me. The two of us tumbled back down onto the turf, tangled together.
Looking closely, I noticed her legs trembling too. So she really had given it everything she had… Somehow, that made me a little happy.
Still lying there, I gazed at Senior Rudolf in silence. She met my eyes, saying nothing.
For a while, we just stared at each other. The warm early-summer breeze wrapped gently around us, carrying away the excess heat from our flushed bodies.
""…Hehe.""
We both laughed at the same time. I had been so bitter just moments ago, yet now—even over something so small—I couldn't help laughing.
The feel of damp hair stuck to my face, the prickling of grass against my cheek, the sticky gym clothes clinging to my body—all of it should've felt gross, but for some reason, it made me feel happy. Almost ridiculously so.
"…I'm sorry, Neicha. Back then, I couldn't say a single word to you."
After we'd laughed enough, she said that to me, still holding me close. Somehow, I knew she meant the exhibition race.
"Your running was incredible—so much that I was at a loss for words… But because of that, I hurt you."
"That's not true…"
"If I'd left things as they were, you might've ended up like I once did. That's why I wanted you to shine in a race—to smile when you win, to feel the sting when you lose, and to chase your next victory with everything you've got.
That's why I worked with Trainer Okino and Miss Ohana to set up today's race."
I didn't say, So you were the ringleader, huh?!
Because honestly, she wasn't wrong. Lately, even if I'd wanted to run, I'd been avoiding thinking about races too much. Even today, when Okino called me out, I hadn't imagined I'd end up racing.
"I've been training for this day for a while."
"…You mean?"
"I'm sorry I've been avoiding you lately. I just wanted to raise my chances of winning against you, even a little."
Her arms tightened around me as she said that. I couldn't help but feel relieved—so she didn't hate me after all.
"Haha~ So I've been feeding my rival, huh?"
"Don't say that. It was your rice balls and miso soup that kept me going. Without those, I might've collapsed halfway through."
She smiled warmly as she said that, and I couldn't help but laugh. Honestly—how could anyone stay mad after hearing something like that?
Without really thinking, I hugged her back tightly. Her eyes widened for a second in surprise, but then she returned the embrace, just as firmly.
"Then, next time, you can make it up to me, okay, Senior Rudolf?"
"Of course! Look forward to summer break, Neicha."
We both laughed again—quietly, softly, in voices no one else could hear.
"Alright, enough of the cozy moment—you two should get moving and cool down already."
When I turned, Trainer Okino was standing nearby, smiling as he held out both hands to us.
Senior Rudolf and I each took one, and he pulled us both up in one smooth motion. My body had recovered just enough to stand again, and once Okino confirmed we were steady, he said:
"Just to be safe, I'll check your legs."
He knelt and began examining my legs. Miss Ohana, who must've come along with him, was checking Senior Rudolf in the same way.
Okino's touch was a little ticklish, but I couldn't help glancing over at Senior Rudolf—her face puffed up in a little pout as Ohana examined her. Maybe she didn't like having our talk interrupted. She looked kind of cute like that.
"Alright. No problems, but just in case, don't run anymore today."
"I know~ I'm totally wiped out anyway, no way I could run again."
He nodded, satisfied, and then—out of nowhere—placed his hand on my head and gently patted it.
"Neicha. I'm not your trainer yet, but as your senior in life, let me give you one piece of advice. Working hard for your dream isn't bad—in fact, it's wonderful. But it's okay to take a few detours along the way."
I blinked. What was he trying to say?
"You want to become a trainer someday—to make other Uma Musume shine, right?"
"Um… yes."
"Then tell me, do you dislike the idea of shining yourself?"
I didn't know how to answer that.
"Neicha, maybe you've been unconsciously thinking, I want to be praised too. I want to shine too.
I'm not scolding you, okay? I know being a trainer is your true dream. But as 'Nice Nature' the Uma Musume—don't you also want to sparkle on your own?"
I couldn't deny it.
After that mock race, I had wanted to show everyone how Nice Nature could run. And when I won that exhibition race, I'd felt truly happy. Maybe that was my version of shining.
The thought didn't feel wrong—it actually felt kind of… right.
I wanted to win more. I didn't want to lose. I wanted everyone to see that Nice Nature was here.
"…Yeah. I think… I want to shine too."
I said it a little uncertainly, and Okino smiled, taking his hand off my head.
"Good! After that exhibition race, you stopped thinking about racing at all. If that had stayed buried in your heart, you'd never enjoy running again. So—how was it today? Fun, right?"
"It was fun… but I still hate losing."
"That's perfect! You've got two years until debut. Plenty of time. Keep working hard until you can beat Rudolf someday!
Now go on—Rudolf's done too. Do your cooldown, head home, get a bath, and sleep!"
"Okino-san… you know that's kinda borderline harassment, right?"
Even as I said it, I was smiling. Maybe that was his way of encouraging me.
I took Senior Rudolf's hand, and together we walked off to cool down. Her pout had softened—she seemed back to normal.
…Thank goodness.
"Man, that one's a monster."
"You sure talk big about my future darling, Kuronuma."
When Trainers Okino and Ohana returned from seeing us off, the first to speak was Trainer Kuronuma, wiping his sunglasses on his hoodie. He met Okino's gaze as the other trainer chuckled in response.
"Not just Nature—Rudolf too."
"In that case, I suppose I should be offended."
The four trainers watched the two Uma Musume cooling down in the distance as they chatted.
"If you're saying that, Kuronuma, you scouted Mr. C.B. yourself, didn't you? She could easily compete with those two."
"That's why I said they're monsters. At this rate, we might be looking at three consecutive years of Triple Crown winners."
"Oh my… that actually sounds kind of like a dream, doesn't it?"
"A dream, sure—but for everyone else, more like a nightmare."
Trainers Minamisaka, Okino, Kuronuma, and even Ohana all gazed thoughtfully toward that imagined future—wondering what kind of light those girls would shine in the Twinkle Series someday.
No one could say for sure. But judging from the faint smiles tugging at their lips, they were definitely looking forward to it.
"Well, I'll head back first. C.B.'s waiting for me."
"Same here. I need to prepare some materials for Miss Nature."
With that, Trainers Kuronuma and Minamisaka waved goodbye to Okino and Ohana and left the track. At some point, even Ten Point and the other student council members had gone.
Now, only four remained: Trainers Okino and Ohana, and the seniors Maruzensky and Katsuragi Ace.
"But I'm glad Rudolf-chan was able to properly apologize to Nature-chan."
Breaking the quiet, Maruzensky spoke softly. The other three nodded in agreement.
"At the very least, those two will be fine. After all, they're chasing the same dream."
"Even if their destinations are different, hmm?"
Ohana replied with a knowing smile, and the two women, along with Maruzensky and Katsuragi Ace, chuckled together.
The humid early-summer breeze swept across the turf, wrapping around the four of them—yet none of them found it unpleasant.