"That was the day I changed my hairstyle. I sent you so many messages back then, but you never replied, Helios."
"This..."
Seeing the other girl's energy instantly deflate, Starlight leaned in and snatched the phone away.
"How about we take one now?"
"No problem! Let's take a photo right now!"
"Palmer, quick, come over here."
"Eh, but I just took a bite."
Setting down her spoon, Mejiro Palmer stood up and moved to Starlight's side. The three of them took a group photo together in the cafeteria.
In the center, Starlight held the phone, her movements looking a bit stiff. To the left, Helios struck a one-handed rock-and-roll pose. To the right, Palmer made a finger-gun gesture and rested it against her forehead.
After the shot was taken, Helios hurriedly grabbed the phone and started tinkering with it, seemingly posting it to her social feed.
After a pleasant lunch, Starlight ran into Silence Suzuka standing by the school gate on her way back to the dorms.
"Starlight-chan... Good afternoon."
"Suzuka, good afternoon! How is your leg doing?"
"It's almost completely healed. Thank you for the medicine you gave me."
"It's nothing. It must be because Suzuka has such a strong constitution that you recovered so quickly. Are you headed somewhere now?"
Hearing the question, Silence Suzuka's face flushed slightly, and she spoke with a flickering gaze.
"Ah, well, I was originally planning to look for the Trainer, but it seems..."
"Eh? So you were looking for the Trainer? And here I thought Suzuka-chan was waiting specifically for me."
"No, well, that is, I— "
"Haha, alright, alright. Do you have some time now? Could you accompany me to the convenience store?"
"Mm, of course I do. let's go."
Relieved, Silence Suzuka agreed with a smile.
"Welcome..." the shop assistant's voice rang out.
"Starlight-chan, what are you planning to buy?"
"Actually, my toothbrush was ruined by the kitties, so I'm going to buy a new one."
"I see. You actually raise pets in your room?"
"I wouldn't say I'm raising them, they're just guests staying in my room."
Separated by two shelves, a gray-haired Uma Musume was buying drinks, hesitating over which ones to choose. Hearing that familiar voice, her body couldn't help but stiffen.
'This... it couldn't be her, could it?'
Hastily placing the two drinks in her hands back onto the shelf, Mejiro McQueen poked her head out slightly to look.
She saw the silver-haired Uma Musume and the orange-haired Uma Musume picking out items while laughing and chatting together.
Furrowing her brow, Mejiro McQueen muttered to herself unconsciously, "Is she really that person who confessed to me so many times? H-How did her appearance become so beautiful?"
"And she hasn't looked for me at all these past few days. Is she really planning to give up?"
As she spoke, her eyes suddenly froze. She quickly stood up straight and straightened her school uniform.
"Why do I care about her? I am an Uma Musume destined to restore the glory of the Mejiro family. How could I be so..."
"Stop thinking about it. I'll go have some sweets in a bit."
Picking out a bottle of Oolong tea at random, Mejiro McQueen pretended to be casual as she walked past Starlight and Suzuka.
Despite her act, she stole several glances at them out of the corner of her eye.
Unfortunately, the two of them were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't notice McQueen at all.
'Hmph. And I thought she was a devoted person. To think she'd turn around and be all smiles with another Uma Musume.'
After paying and walking out of the store with her drink, Mejiro McQueen somehow couldn't resist stealing one last glance back.
Through the convenience store window, she could clearly see Starlight's face and those golden hexagram eyes filled with warmth and laughter.
Tch...
In the afternoon, nothing beats sitting in a dessert shop with the cool air conditioning blowing, savoring a delicious cake.
Sitting on a white armchair, Mejiro McQueen picked up a plate of blueberry cake and took a bite with her small fork.
The sweet flavor and soft, fluffy texture bloomed in her mouth. But reflected in the steam from the hot black tea on the table, her expression didn't look all that satisfied.
In fact, she didn't even look happy.
Griping her small fork tightly, she stared at the little plate of cake with mixed emotions. Starlight's face echoed in her mind.
If someone confesses to you dozens of times with such persistence, you're bound to have some sort of impression of them, even if you don't like them.
The previous shabby feel and unremarkable appearance of that girl were fading into a blur in McQueen's mind, replaced by how Starlight looked now.
"Hmph... that girl... she must be doing all this just to get my attention. I won't fall for it so easily."
She set down the plate and took out her phone, preparing to scroll through something interesting to distract herself.
However, the very first social update that popped up made her lose her composure entirely. It was none other than a post by Mejiro Palmer, a member of her own family.
It was the group photo taken in the cafeteria with Starlight and Daitaku Helios.
Taking a deep breath, she shut her phone off immediately. She looked up at the public television hanging over the counter.
"Next up in the news: A certain Uma Musume has emerged from the recent Junior races, crushing the rising star Seiun Sky with an astounding performance. She has broken the record for the 1800m distance. Her name is Divine Starlight..."
Thump!
McQueen stood up abruptly. She didn't even finish her cake, she just paid the bill and walked straight out of the dessert shop.
"What is going on today? Have I been set up by some corporate conspiracy? Why is she everywhere I look?"
Starlight had no idea how the object of her predecessor's affection was feeling. Right now, she was dripping with sweat on the training field.
Thanks to the help of the recovery potion, the stamina she had exhausted during morning practice was back to full capacity. Her overall condition had reached its peak.
And because of her striking appearance, many Uma Musume were casting glances her way, intentionally or otherwise.
She had begun applying the power-generation techniques from her start-dash skills to her regular running.
That unique sound of her footsteps and her captivating form were undoubtedly the most eye-catching things on the track.
"Nice! Starlight, your form is great, keep it up! Currently at 1 minute 57 seconds— you're on track for a breakthrough!" Kiryuu Inami shouted, clutching a training plan and a stopwatch.
At another field not far away, Yaeno Muteki stood with her arms crossed. Her sharp gaze remained fixed on Starlight's figure, and she remained silent for a long time.
Beside her, Mejiro Ardan, who had finished her run and was wiping away sweat with a towel, walked over.
"It seems your gaze lingers on her more often lately," Ardan said with a smile, her watery purple eyes full of intense interest.
"No. It's just that she has become... dazzling."
"You ran with her this morning. Don't tell me she beat you?"
"She didn't. In fact, except for the starting phase, I led her for the entire run."
"Eh~ is that so? From the look on your face, I thought she had outrun you."
"You'll understand once you run a session with her. No... listen closely, and you might understand right now."
Hearing this, Mejiro Ardan squinted her eyes and did as she was told, her upright ears twitching.
Pang-pang-pang !
A sound like the rhythmic ringing of bronze bells echoed clearly.
'This is... the sound of her running!'
Even from a distance, that sound was incredibly distinct.
"How is she doing that...?"
Ardan opened her eyes in surprise, looking bewildered.
"The sense of rhythm in her stride is too strong. If one's will isn't firm, it would be very easy to get pulled into her pace."