Staring at Agnes Tachyon and Mr. C.B. across the table, Yayoi Natural felt genuinely puzzled.
She still didn't get why Mr. C.B. had dragged Tachyon all the way here.
But…
As she looked over the personal file and medical report Mr. C.B. had prepared, Tachyon wore the exact expression of an old hospital doctor—brows knotted, face grim.
Yayoi Natural's condition was complicated. Complicated enough that you could practically name the syndrome after her.
After reading for a while, Agnes Tachyon finally set the two pages down.
Only then did Yayoi Natural realize what she'd been staring at the whole time: her own medical checkup report and personal profile.
Before she could think any further, Tachyon spoke.
"This is a pain. But I can get a sample ready for testing pretty quickly."
At those words, Yayoi Natural finally understood why Mr. C.B. had grabbed her and hauled her into the restaurant.
Because the way she was now… really wasn't normal for an Umamusume.
At the very least, her body shouldn't have this many problems.
And after seeing the details, even Tachyon didn't sound all that confident.
She looked straight at Yayoi Natural. "Would Yayoi-san be willing to be my test subject?"
Yayoi Natural knew exactly what "test subject" meant, but—
After a brief hesitation, remembering the story Rudolf had told her that day, she frowned, then met Tachyon's eyes again.
"…Alright." (Edits have been made to Mejiro Ramonu's earlier actions: she only tied Natural up and didn't do anything else; and Rudolf's reason for lying has also been revised, so this is why Natural is seeking her memories here.)
Seeing her agree after only a short pause, Agnes Tachyon's eyebrows rose.
Because before, Yayoi Natural had refused so firmly that Tachyon couldn't help but becoming curious.
But…
"Whatever. Not worth thinking about."
After a second, Tachyon gave up on the kind of thinking she wasn't good at. "As for the payment—"
"We already agreed," Mr. C.B. cut in at last. "You can keep using your underground lab, and we won't investigate it through the usual channels."
"Having a stable workplace matters to you, doesn't it?"
Faced with Mr. C.B.'s bluntness, Agnes Tachyon lifted her hands—half hidden by the sleeves of her lab coat—and made an exaggerated, helpless face.
"Yes, yes~"
Watching the two of them, Yayoi Natural decided she had bigger things to worry about and turned her head.
Manhattan Cafe had come with Agnes Tachyon.
Unlike Tachyon, who'd been glued to the paperwork the whole time without taking a bite or even a sip of water, Manhattan Cafe was eating Yayoi Natural's curry rice in small, neat mouthfuls.
Seeing how content Cafe looked, Yayoi Natural thought for a second, then asked, "Want some more?"
"No, thank you."
Manhattan Cafe looked up as she answered.
As a somewhat unusual Umamusume, Manhattan Cafe could sometimes see things neither ordinary people nor other Umamusume could.
And behind Yayoi Natural—Cafe saw a child with a faintly translucent body, visible to no one else.
The child floated right behind Yayoi Natural, holding one finger to her lips, silently telling Cafe not to say anything.
At that, Manhattan Cafe quietly withdrew her gaze.
"Owner-san, your cooking is really good."
Using the compliment to cover the fact she'd been staring, Cafe turned smoothly to Agnes Tachyon.
"Do you need someone to cover for you during this period?"
She'd just witnessed that grimy deal between Mr. C.B. and Tachyon. She knew perfectly well it wasn't something she could stop.
But she wasn't going to report it, either. Agnes Tachyon was still her friend.
So she asked.
Agnes Tachyon shook her head. "No need. There won't be any inspections for a while."
Then she looked at Mr. C.B. "Right, current Student Council President?"
"That's right," Mr. C.B. replied—then immediately added, "And one more thing. Not current Student Council President. Just Student Council President."
After correcting her, Mr. C.B. turned to Yayoi Natural. "Natural, Tachyon and I are heading out. Don't forget what's happening in a few days."
With that, Mr. C.B. grabbed Agnes Tachyon by the back of her coat and dragged her off—drink and all.
Watching Tachyon get hauled away like that, Yayoi Natural only waved after them.
Then she turned back to Manhattan Cafe.
The way Cafe had looked at her earlier bothered Yayoi Natural.
Or rather, what bothered her was this:
Cafe had been looking at her, but it hadn't felt like she was really looking at her.
Noticing Yayoi Natural's gaze, Manhattan Cafe raised her head slightly. "Owner-san? Is something wrong?"
"Ah—no." Yayoi Natural forced a casual tone. "I was just wondering if you wanted another serving. You're basically done."
Manhattan Cafe thought for a moment, then nodded.
That compliment hadn't been a lie.
She meant it.
But remembering she'd already refused once, Manhattan Cafe still shook her head in the end.
"No. I'm full."
...
Back at home, Chiyono O was quietly spiraling about the date coming up in a few days.
She had no dating experience.
And she definitely didn't have experience with her very first date being a Valentine's date.
Before meeting Yayoi Natural, Chiyono O could honestly say she'd never even thought about romance.
So…
"What should I wear…?"
Holding two outfits up in front of the mirror, she hesitated.
She didn't know whether to go with her usual everyday clothes, or try something different.
But thankfully, a solution came to her quickly.
Even if she didn't know what to wear, she could ask someone.
With that thought, Chiyono O took out her phone and called the person she trusted most—her senpai, Maruzensky.
---
T/N: OH GOD and also now im super curious on what ramonu did in the original chapter... oh god, what could she have done... well looking at the old chapter name oh lord did she SA natural? or did she torture her? oh god WHAT THE HECK BROOOOOOOOOO anyway
theories on the small child it's her or at least the missing memories! we know she lost her memories of that time with rudolf and possibly even further back so perhaps that child is the personification of those memories!
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