After training ended, Fujiwara Chiya went to the cafeteria. Katsumura Yota came over with his tray and sat beside him.
"What are you doing, smiling so happily?"
"I was smiling?"
"Obviously."
Fujiwara Chiya touched his lips. It was true.
How should he put it? Fujiwara Chiya had rarely felt such pure friendship between girls before. Care, importance, expectation. It was almost like something from a youth drama.
He was already a working adult who had stepped into society, so things like friendship, passion, and youthful struggle had almost nothing to do with him anymore. But Shirayuki was different. She was a middle division student, and she was also an Uma Musume. She could freely enjoy races and the passion of youth.
Fujiwara Chiya could feel it. The part of Shirayuki that belonged to the soul of an Uma Musume was radiating lively vitality.
Thank you, Spe-chan, for helping me understand this feeling.
Fujiwara Chiya pressed his hands together.
"So what exactly are you doing?" Katsumura Yota asked.
"I'm appreciating the beauty of youth."
"What does youth have to do with you?" Katsumura Yota took a speechless sip of water.
"I have a second spring."
"Pffft!"
Katsumura Yota spat it out. "You really dare say that..."
"It's the truth."
Katsumura Yota took out a handkerchief and wiped his mouth with a look of disgust. Of course, he did not take Fujiwara Chiya's words seriously. After all, when two grown men chatted idly, the conversation could go anywhere. From who they had a crush on in elementary school to the Big Bang, from slacking off at work to bragging nonsense, how many sentences were actually serious?
The two happily talked nonsense until they finished dinner.
"Oh right, Chiya." Before leaving, Katsumura Yota remembered something important. "There's a small exam next week. The trainers will be acting as teachers and grading papers, so don't forget to remind your Uma Musume."
"I remember... Still, even after coming all the way to the beach, they can't escape exams."
That was the suffering of being a student.
Even though his knowledge was more than enough to handle elementary division questions, Fujiwara Chiya still hated doing exam papers. They always brought back painful memories of the days and nights he spent studying for the central trainer exam.
After saying goodbye to Katsumura Yota, Fujiwara Chiya cleaned up the table and got up to return to his dorm. Just as he walked out the door, Rice Shower quickly chased after him from behind.
Rice had originally wanted to eat with Chiya, but when she saw Onii-sama sitting with Trainer Katsumura, she had been too embarrassed to interrupt. Only after he finished eating did Rice hurriedly stuff her food into her mouth. After choking a little, she drank some water, patted her chest, and rushed to Fujiwara Chiya's side without stopping.
"Onii-sama!"
"Rice, did you just finish eating too?"
"Mm!" She happily swayed her ears. "Rice has something she wants to ask Onii-sama."
"What is it?"
"Can Rice come to Onii-sama's room tonight?"
Hearing that, Fujiwara Chiya's heart skipped. Thinking of what he had done with Rice during the day, it was difficult for him not to misunderstand this request.
"Rice... what do you want to do?"
"Rice wants to play with Onii-sama!"
Play? What kind of play?
The walls in the seaside dorm were very thin, and sounds from inside could be heard very easily. To be safe, Fujiwara Chiya asked, "Then does Rice want to sleep in my room tonight?"
"Eh!?" Rice's face reddened. "If Onii-sama wants that, Rice will stay in Onii-sama's room. Rice will go back and get her pajamas now..."
"Wait! I was just asking casually. There's room check at night, and the student council will be handling it. If Rice doesn't go back, you'll be punished."
"I see... Rice understands. Rice will go back when it's time to sleep."
Fujiwara Chiya let out a breath of relief.
So much had happened today. He really hoped nothing else would add to the pressure tonight. His mind honestly could not take much more.
Rice's side should be fine. Now it depended on Shirayuki's side.
Three Goddesses, please bless me. Don't let Shirayuki get into any trouble.
"Yuki-chan, it's almost night."
After dinner, Grass Wonder smiled and spoke.
For some reason, Grass Wonder's behavior had become much more restrained compared to noon. She did not openly feed Shirayuki anymore. She only took out a handkerchief after the meal and wiped the corner of Shirayuki's mouth.
Thanks to that, Fujiwara Shirayuki was able to have a fairly peaceful dinner. Mejiro Dober and the others did not notice anything abnormal either.
However, Fujiwara Shirayuki did not feel reassured. Instead, she felt that Grass Wonder was hiding something. Behind that smile, there was always a faint meaning that made Shirayuki's back go cold.
She had the impulse to run to Chiya's room and make do there for the night.
"Yeah. Then I'll go back to the room first, Grass."
"That's not right." Grass Wonder shook her head. "It isn't 'I' will go back to the room. It's 'we' will go back to the room. Didn't we agree? Tonight, I'll stay in Yuki-chan's room."
"We did agree... but changing rooms isn't something I can decide by myself. I need to ask Fukukitaru and the others."
Fujiwara Shirayuki placed her hopes on her roommates.
"Staying in our room? Of course that's fine."
Their answers were utterly despairing.
Matikanefukukitaru, who knew the situation, T. M. Opera O, who liked lively things, and Mejiro Dober, who knew nothing at all, all agreed. None of them minded one more person sleeping in the room.
However, Mejiro Dober still had some concerns.
If Grass Wonder slept in their room, wouldn't it be even harder to do anything with Shirayuki at night?
Of course, Mejiro Dober would never do anything as outrageous as Bright had suggested. She did not have the courage, nor did she have the ability. But taking Shirayuki's first kiss should still be possible.
If Grass Wonder joined them, then any movement between her and Shirayuki might be discovered too easily.
Forget it. There was no need to rush tonight. The one coming was Grass Wonder, not Special Week. She and Shirayuki should only be ordinary friends.
Mejiro Dober relaxed and entrusted Shirayuki's back to Grass Wonder.
"Oh my, everyone here really is very kind," Grass Wonder said with a smile.
Seriously...?
Fujiwara Shirayuki's cheek twitched.
Would she really be all right tonight?
Mejiro Dober found a spare futon from the cabinet and laid it out beside Shirayuki. At that moment, Fujiwara Shirayuki felt as if Mejiro Dober had personally pushed her into a fire pit.
"Then I'm turning off the light."
"Go ahead."
Matikanefukukitaru put away her crystal ball, then slipped into her futon.
She had just done a reading. The feng shui in this room had a problem.
It was not suitable to wake up during the night.
Fujiwara Shirayuki lay in her futon. Grass Wonder was on her left, and Mejiro Dober was on her right. The room was extremely quiet. Fujiwara Shirayuki focused her attention on Chiya's side.
The two had just finished reading a storybook.
"Rice still wants to listen."
"Tomorrow. It's late today. I'll walk you back."
"Yes. Onii-sama will read to Rice again tomorrow."
Nothing happened.
Everything looked normal.
Fujiwara Shirayuki let out a breath of relief.
Listening to the even breathing around her, Fujiwara Shirayuki turned to the side. Mejiro Dober's blanket had lifted slightly, revealing a hint of pink underwear. Matikanefukukitaru had curled up while hugging her tail, and T. M. Opera O lay sprawled out boldly with both hands outside the blanket.
Everyone was sleeping deeply.
Fujiwara Shirayuki showed a relieved smile. Finally, she turned toward Grass Wonder on her left.
Under the bright moonlight, clear blue eyes were staring at her.
"Gra..."
"Shh."
Fujiwara Shirayuki's mouth was covered by Grass Wonder. Grass Wonder shifted her body and quietly moved closer.
"Yuki-chan, if you're too loud, you'll wake them up."
Lifting her chin slightly, Grass Wonder spoke in a whisper beside Shirayuki's ear.
Hearing the steady breathing of Mejiro Dober and the others, Fujiwara Shirayuki nodded.
Grass Wonder let out a soft breath. Her hand slipped into Shirayuki's blanket, and her whole body followed, moving closer. Afraid of waking Mejiro Dober and the others, Fujiwara Shirayuki did not make a sound.
Slowly, Grass Wonder entered Shirayuki's futon.
Grass! What are you trying to do?
"Do you know, Yuki-chan? Just like Spe-chan, I also see you as my most important friend." Grass Wonder spoke in a voice as quiet as breath, her hand resting gently over Shirayuki's chest as if feeling her heartbeat. "But what makes me different from Spe-chan is that I think you are someone I can be close to for the rest of my life."
A soft warmth came from beside her legs. Grass Wonder's clean, beautiful leg slid close and gently trapped Shirayuki in place. In an instant, Fujiwara Shirayuki felt as if her body had been bound by a soft force.
"Shh." Grass Wonder signaled for Shirayuki not to move and spoke softly. "Yuki-chan, this is my way of proving friendship. Be my best friend for life."
Grass Wonder wrapped her arms around Shirayuki's neck and pulled her into her embrace.