"So... she's actually..."
The sentence trailed off, deliberately unfinished—but its meaning came across crystal clear. Garden Gale tapped her temple lightly, circling her finger, silently questioning if something was off upstairs with the girl she'd just met.
Hmm.
To be honest...
There probably was something a bit off about her.
It was just... too complicated to put into words! Garden Gale had no idea what had even just happened. Hell, she hadn't even asked for the girl's name—just stood there, bewildered and thoroughly confused.
Admire Vega gave an awkward smile. "Her name is T.M. Opera O. She's... uh, a friend."
She stumbled slightly at the word "friend."
Anyone would doubt if they really were friends after seeing that.
T.M. Opera O, huh?
Garden Gale repeated the name in her mind, thoughtfully nodding.
Her confusion remained plain on her face, making Admire Vega feel obligated to explain further—even without words, her expression screamed for answers. Admire Vega, feeling guilty for dragging Garden Gale into this mess, began carefully:
"That's just the kind of person T.M. Opera O is. She popped up out of nowhere one day and decided I was her rival. After that, she's been constantly bothering me. When I said I wasn't even close to her level, she actually got upset, insisting I was her rival anyway. She kept clinging to me, driving me insane... and that's how we ended up like today."
"But now, it looks like you're her new rival, Garden-san."
"And then... Ah, forget it. You'll see what I mean in a couple of days. Opera O is incredibly self-centered. She can be a real headache—but deep down, she's actually a good person."
She finished with another helpless smile.
Admire Vega then mustered the courage for a proper apology. "I'm really sorry you got caught up in this!"
"I'm truly sorry!" she repeated, sincerity radiating from every word.
Garden Gale had started piecing things together—or at least, she'd learned how to roll with the chaos after everything she'd been through lately. Nodding slowly, she simply replied, "It's fine…"
She left it at that.
This was their first proper conversation.
They'd only exchanged a few stray words at the vending machine before—after that, even as rivals in a race, they hadn't really spoken again, repeatedly brushing past each other without interacting. But Admire Vega had recognized Garden Gale's strength, placing her firmly among those worthy of careful consideration.
The low betting odds had seriously underestimated this Umamusume.
Admire Vega knew very well Garden Gale was aiming for the Satsuki Sho.
For both herself and Narita Top Road, Garden Gale was now right at the top of the list of rivals. Defeating her had become a necessary step toward reaching the pinnacle.
Lost in thought for a moment, Admire Vega spoke again: "Let me buy you something to eat, Garden-san—consider it an apology."
"No thanks," Garden Gale swiftly declined.
Because she desperately wanted to leave.
What was the absolute worst? This kind of relationship, where you're stuck between familiar and unfamiliar! Not strangers, not really friends either—just awkwardly in the middle, cranked up to max discomfort. For a socially anxious person, it drained energy faster than anything else.
She honestly didn't care too much about today's events.
She didn't really understand what Admire Vega meant by "self-centered," either.
Because Garden Gale still had no clue about the sheer magnitude of the "social butterfly" storm awaiting her.
Even though she'd refused, one question lingered in her mind. Garden Gale asked hesitantly, "Um... instead of food, can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead," Admire Vega nodded softly.
"You and Curren-chan... what's your relationship?" Garden Gale finally voiced the question she'd held inside. Even after their reconciliation, there had still been unanswered questions. She pressed carefully, "Are you two close friends?"
In that instant—
Garden Gale felt it clearly.
The light in Admire Vega's eyes visibly dimmed.
The air around them suddenly plunged like she'd triggered an invisible landmine! Garden Gale immediately realized she'd stepped on something huge—something absolutely massive. She pursed her lips awkwardly, unsure of how to proceed, trying desperately to form a comforting expression and soothe the girl's sudden sadness.
"We're good friends," Admire Vega finally replied, her voice faint and fragile, almost lost in the breeze.
…Garden Gale knew immediately it wasn't that simple.
But she chose not to press further. It would be rude to pry into someone's private matters. Instead, she took a step forward, turned back slightly, and gave her brightest smile:
"Alright~ I got it. I'm gonna head out now! Take care of yourself, Admire Vega—I'll see you at the Satsuki Sho!"
The socially anxious girl forced herself to imitate Curren Chan's adorable devilish charm.
Admire Vega took a deep breath, nodding silently.
Garden Gale carefully retreated, doing her best not to set off any more emotional landmines. She cursed herself inwardly—why did I have to step right on the biggest one?
Still...
Admire Vega seemed... nice?
At least, that was Garden Gale's impression.
Through their brief exchange, she'd sensed something familiar. Maybe Admire Vega was just a bit withdrawn and distant, similar to herself? Deep down, she seemed like a decent Umamusume—Wait, am I complimenting myself now? Well, I'm gold-standard material after all! Heh heh~
Garden Gale let her thoughts drift happily as she began walking away.
"Garden-san!" Admire Vega suddenly called out from behind, stopping Garden Gale in her tracks.
Confused, Garden Gale turned back slowly.
Admire Vega's expression was unreadable as she spoke again:
"—Sister."
"You could call Curren Chan my sister."
Sister?
Garden Gale tilted her head slightly. So the two were related? Then her earlier worries had been unnecessary. It made sense for family members to have a complicated dynamic—maybe she'd been overthinking things. Did that mean she'd acted rudely earlier?
Oh god, kill me now!
However, these scattered thoughts quickly evaporated when she took another glance at Admire Vega's face.
Garden Gale's cheerful mood vanished instantly, replaced by piercing clarity. She realized something profound in that moment.
She finally understood.
The bond between sisters was Admire Vega's heaviest burden, a weight no one else could carry. She had no choice but to run forward, to keep racing, racing faster than sorrow, faster than time itself—hoping someday to reclaim that pure, lost feeling at the end of her journey.
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T/N: WAIT WHERE THEY ACTUAL SISTERS? looked it up and omg admire was supposed to be their roommateeeeeee