A second hand rewound one full circle.
While Shuta An was still chatting casually with Silence Suzuka from behind the bamboo wall, he didn't notice two familiar figures peeking nervously from the living room doorway—Oguri Cap and Berno Light.
"Are we really doing this?" Berno Light whispered, tugging at Oguri's sleeve. "Trainer's going to think we've lost it!"
"I saw Norn Ace's manga," Oguri Cap whispered back, completely serious. "The student thanked their mentor like this—it should be right."
"Don't bring manga logic into reality!" Berno Light hissed, but before she could stop her, Oguri had already stepped into the warm steam of the hot spring.
"W-wait for me!" Berno gritted her teeth and hurried after her, resigned to whatever happened next.
Because it had been raining all day, the air was cool, and wisps of mist curled above the surface. Water droplets sparkled on Oguri's eyelashes as she stepped forward, squinting slightly from the heat. Even through the veil of steam, she could easily locate her Trainer, who was leaning against the bamboo wall, half-relaxed, half-lost in thought.
"Trainer?" Oguri called softly, wading closer.
Shuta An jolted in surprise, instinctively covering himself with his towel. "H-Hey! Oguri? Berno? What are you two doing here? I thought you'd already finished your bath!"
Oguri, looking completely unbothered, tilted her head. "We wanted to thank Trainer properly."
"Thank me?" Shuta blinked. "You've already thanked me, remember? At dinner? With words?"
Berno, peeking from behind Oguri, stammered, "It's not what it looks like! We just thought—well, since you've been working so hard—we could, um… help you relax. Professionally!"
Shuta pressed his fingers to his forehead. "Let me guess—another 'training method' you learned from Norn Ace's manga?"
Oguri nodded earnestly. "Yes!"
He sighed. "Of course it is…"
Both Uma Musume looked disappointed, their ears drooping slightly. Seeing that, Shuta softened his tone. "Listen, you two. If you really want to thank me, just help me cool down and relax properly. A back massage, maybe. Nothing strange, alright?"
Their ears perked up again. "A massage?" Oguri asked, brightening.
"Exactly," Shuta said, closing his eyes in mock solemnity. "A Trainer must also stay in top condition. This is purely professional."
"Then leave it to us!" Berno declared, determination returning to her voice.
What followed was a rather chaotic attempt at a "professional" massage. Oguri's hands lacked direction, Berno's were overly cautious, and Shuta had to remind them at least twice that his shoulders were not meant to be poked like dough.
By the end, though, everyone was laughing — the awkward tension replaced by warmth and the steam of the bath.
As they finished, Shuta leaned back against the bamboo wall and muttered with a small smile, "If you two are always this enthusiastic, we'll definitely reach higher stages together."
Oguri's eyes lit up. "Then we'll work even harder, Trainer!"
From the other side of the wall, Silence Suzuka quietly smiled to herself, listening.
Her heart felt strangely calm — warmed not only by the hot spring, but by the sincerity of their bond.
Because he didn't know what was happening to Suzuka, the sound of Shuta An opening the door caught the attention of Silence Suzuka.
He glanced over—Silence Suzuka's cheeks were already flushed crimson.
"This is bad," Shuta An muttered inwardly.
He waved lightly, signaling them to continue their conversation, and briskly walked past, soon disappearing down the corridor.
Although he was curious about what the two Uma Musume were discussing, he had no intention of staying to eavesdrop. "At least it won't be anything harmful to me," he thought, rather confidently.
Three minutes earlier.
After finishing her morning wash, Silence Suzuka stepped out of her room, ready for her daily run. But at the door stood the Uma Musume who had just triumphed in yesterday's Heavy Race—Oguri Cap.
At the sight of her, the chestnut-haired girl froze. Memories of the previous night's hot spring incident flooded her mind—both the conversation she had overheard and the… sounds that had followed.
Her knees pressed together instinctively; she bit her lip, saying nothing.
Oguri Cap, unaware of the turmoil in Suzuka's thoughts, spoke plainly:
"Miss Silence Suzuka, may I ask you a question?"
"I don't know! I went to bed early yesterday!" Suzuka blurted out, flailing her hands defensively.
"Eh?" Oguri tilted her head, puzzled. "What I want to ask has nothing to do with that."
"..." Silence Suzuka froze in mortification. Covering her face, she sighed. "Then… go ahead, Oguri Cap."
"It's like this," Oguri began earnestly. "What kind of race do you think represents the pinnacle for a Uma Musume?"
"For me?" Suzuka frowned slightly. "Right now, it must be the Derby. At Central Tracen Academy, every Uma Musume—before clearly knowing her own adaptability—dreams of winning the Derby."
Indeed, Silence Suzuka had often dreamt of standing victorious in the Japanese Derby.
"Derby…" Oguri Cap murmured the word softly. She recalled how some Trainers back at Kasamatsu had mentioned the 'Tokai Derby.' Yet she knew that compared to the Hokkaido Shimbun Hai (G3) she'd won yesterday, the Tokai Derby had long lost its prestige.
She pressed on: "Then, in Japan, is the Japanese Derby the most prestigious one?"
"That's right," Suzuka nodded. "The Japanese Derby is the most important Derby in the country."
"The Japanese Derby…" Oguri's eyes flickered. 'If I win that race, will it mean I've reached the highest stage—with my Trainer?'
Her thoughts went unspoken, but Silence Suzuka could see through her easily.
'Should I tell her? That the Japanese Derby is only open to Central students—that she can't compete unless she leaves her Trainer?'
Before she could decide, Shuta An appeared.
His sudden presence broke Suzuka's hesitation—and offered her an excuse to retreat.
"I need to go for my morning training too! Bye!" she said quickly, and slipped away as soon as his figure passed by.
"Bye~" Oguri Cap blinked after her, then glanced at the clock. Deciding it was time for breakfast, she headed toward the dining area—not because she wanted to skip training, but because her Trainer had always been strict about post-race recovery.
She still remembered his words clearly: 'Never resume training the day after a race. Rest first; train later when the body is ready.'
Thanks to Shuta An's guidance, she had transformed from an unknown country girl from Hokkaido into a hero who made Kasamatsu Academy history. Now, even if he told her to eat less, she would try her best to obey.
Meanwhile, Shuta An had already left the hot spring inn. The morning air was crisp as he stretched by the road, preparing for his last run here.
"Tomorrow, I'll head back to Kasamatsu," he murmured. "I've stayed here for two months—about as long as the time I spent with Oguri Cap there."
If he were to grade this summer vacation, it would be a perfect score. His primary goal in Hokkaido had been fulfilled yesterday.
As for the little interlude from last night—he decided not to think too much about it.
"When I return to Kasamatsu, everyone's going to touch that trophy for luck," he chuckled to himself.
Just then, a familiar voice called from behind him. "Shuta-kun, good eve—good morning~"
"Hm?" He turned, startled, to find Silence Suzuka jogging toward him.
"Good morning, Miss Suzuka," he replied, smiling politely.
After last night, Suzuka still felt a trace of awkwardness facing him. But Shuta An seemed completely at ease—after all, nothing improper had occurred. Oguri Cap and Berno Light had merely offered him a back massage, innocent enough to satisfy even the strictest sense of propriety.
"Shall we run together again?" Shuta An offered. "It's probably my last morning here."
Suzuka hesitated only a moment before nodding. "Yes. I'll lead the way again."
"Please," he said, gesturing invitingly.
As she passed him, Suzuka began her steady pace, and Shuta An followed with an easy smile.
Like always, their finish line was the Mombetsu Racecourse.
Today, however, the place felt utterly still. After yesterday's crowd and excitement, silence hung heavy in the air. The two stopped before the closed gates. Suzuka didn't turn back immediately. Instead, she stood quietly, letting the morning breeze toy with her hair.
Unsure what she was thinking, Shuta An waited silently beside her.
After a long pause, Suzuka turned, her smile soft yet resolute.
"Let's meet again in Central in a few years. I'll become a Uma Musume who'll make Shuta-kun's eyes light up."
Facing the chestnut-haired girl before him, Shuta An found himself, for once, at a loss for words.