After her outing with Tokai Teio had ended—
Garden Gale returned to Tracen Academy alone.
Now…
She no longer thought about training, nor did the cold breath she exhaled form any visible mist. She wasn't the same as before. Her head felt hazy and chaotic; she walked mechanically, zombie-like, her mind trapped in confusion.
Even while spending time with Tokai Teio earlier, she'd felt that way.
Not knowing what to say.
Not knowing what to do.
She just kept replaying Tokai Teio's words in her mind, along with all of Curren Chan's unusual reactions.
She couldn't stop thinking about it—utterly tangled up inside.
After hearing what Tokai Teio had said, could she really pretend nothing had happened? And how was she supposed to face Curren Chan now? All she could imagine was endless embarrassment and discomfort. And…what would Curren Chan think about her, after she'd been left behind while Garden Gale walked off with Teio-san?
Relationships were...
So troublesome.
Garden Gale felt another headache coming on.
She wanted to crawl back into her little black box and shut herself away, never interacting with anyone again. She wanted to live alone, free from the anxiety of interpersonal relationships, because she had absolutely no idea how to face Curren Chan anymore.
Pretend nothing happened?
She sighed again. It might really be better to ask Fuji Kiseki for help—
Maybe she could switch dorms. Then she wouldn't have to face this. From the start, perhaps she and Curren Chan just weren't compatible at all; their personalities were fundamentally different.
But…
Even with this plan in mind—
Garden Gale still had to return to her dorm tonight. Going from the thought to actually implementing the move would take at least a few days, and she'd inevitably have to face Curren Chan during that period.
Thinking this, she stopped at a vending machine on the way.
It was conveniently located near the dorm.
Stocked mostly with pure drinking water or sports drinks, it rarely had sugary beverages. It was intended for Umamusume to quickly rehydrate and replenish stamina after training. Her plan was simple—buy two drinks, offer one to Curren Chan, and maybe things wouldn't feel quite as awkward.
Just simple psychology.
With that decided—Garden Gale took out some coins, inserted them, and selected the drinks.
Yet another sigh escaped her.
It felt like countless troubles were piling up in her chest. Maybe she should rehearse the conversation with Curren Chan ahead of time? Something like explaining that Tokai Teio had dragged her away. Wait, no, dumping all the blame on Teio-san…wouldn't be fair either.
Thoughts spun endlessly in her mind.
Then—
"Huh?"
Garden Gale snapped back to reality, realizing something wasn't right. She stared blankly at the vending machine in front of her—the machine that hadn't dispensed any drinks despite taking her coins and selection.
She sighed yet again.
Life's tough… Poor kitty sighs again.
Seriously…
When you're unlucky, even drinking water gets stuck between your teeth!
"So, hurry up and give me my drinks, dammit!" Garden Gale suddenly slammed her palm against the vending machine repeatedly, hoping the drinks would shake loose. Or maybe she was just venting frustration—because clearly, hitting it like this wouldn't accomplish anything.
Afterward—
Garden Gale calmly took a step back.
She dug out her last few coins from her pocket, feeling a painful reluctance. She was nearly broke; the original account's balance and her remaining cash were almost gone. And now she'd have to waste money to buy another bottle…
Seriously…
"You don't need to buy another."
A voice suddenly came from the side. It felt strangely distant and clear—like a star shining from very far away. Though that was an exaggeration, it was exactly the kind of intuitive impression Garden Gale got.
Her face instantly flushed red. Wait, no way. Had someone just seen her extremely unladylike behavior?
Utter humiliation.
She sighed again.
Garden Gale slowly turned toward the voice.
…How can she describe her?
This Umamusume looked undeniably aloof, naturally carrying an aura that kept others at a distance. Even though calling her an "icy beauty" might seem clichéd, that really was the perfect description: cool, distant, expressionless. Only mystery filled those deep purple eyes.
The girl didn't say another word.
Instead—
She stepped up to the vending machine.
Like Garden Gale, she took a step back.
But instead of using coins, she slightly raised her leg—then suddenly kicked the vending machine with full force! Her slender, perfectly shaped calf, sheathed in semi-transparent black stockings, momentarily caught Garden Gale's eye, followed upward by a glimpse of shorts.
BANG!
The vending machine shook violently, and Garden Gale's stuck drinks immediately fell down into the collection tray.
This girl was even less ladylike!!!
She quickly cut off that thought.
Clunk.
The sound of the drinks hitting the tray was loud and clear.
"Thank you…" Garden Gale managed politely.
"Mmm." The mysterious Umamusume didn't even bother saying a full word this time. Though she'd helped, she remained indifferent, quickly proceeding to buy her own sports drink. Garden Gale couldn't help noticing the faint scent of sweat and damp bangs, clear signs she'd just finished intense training.
Her eyes unintentionally lingered on the black stockings again—
Then quickly shifted away.
Training this hard, even at this hour? She must be incredibly strong…
As if sensing Garden Gale's gaze, the mysterious Umamusume casually explained, "Don't misunderstand. I just wanted to buy a drink. If yours didn't come out, it'd jam the machine, and mine wouldn't either. That's all."
…Garden Gale was speechless.
She didn't know whether to comment on the girl's personality or the sheer cliché of the entire scene.
It felt like a romance novel from twenty years ago—where the heroine's drink got stuck, and the hero kicked the machine loose, leading to their destined meeting. She'd seen that scenario way too many times.
Well…
It didn't matter anyway, since she'd probably never interact with this Umamusume again.
That was enough.
"Thanks again," Garden Gale repeated politely. Then she took her two drinks and left without another word.
Only after Garden Gale disappeared from sight did the mysterious Umamusume finally look away.
She continued walking alone.
Eventually, Garden Gale reached the door of her dorm room.
Gathering all her courage—
Garden Gale pushed open the door!
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T/N: STOCKINGS OUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH oh yeah thank the luminary member that chose this! its why its getting more updates than the rest!