"Oh! Isn't that little Fūga? When did you come back? Why didn't you say anything?"
While Mejiro Al Dan was waiting for her sisters to finish the remaining desserts on their plates, they suddenly heard the owner behind the counter exclaim in surprise.
"Hmm, because Trainer gave me a rare day off today!"
Then, a lively voice immediately followed, reaching their ears: "…There's nothing to do at school anyway, and I also wanted to eat your desserts, Uncle Hiratsuka, so I came back!"
"Oh, oh, I see!"
The uncle's hearty laughter came again: "Eat! Eat as much as you like! Consider it a celebration for your victory in the Zhongjing Newcomer Championship, little Fūga!"
…Zhongjing Newcomer Championship winner?
Hearing this, the Mejiro young ladies exchanged knowing glances.
That sounds like a race that just ended recently, right?
"Oh dear… eat as much as I like."
Seiun Sky's face showed a tempted expression upon hearing Uncle Hiratsuka say that.
"…Although I'm very tempted, if Trainer finds out my weight has skyrocketed, he'll definitely be very angry."
"So, I'm sorry~?"
Seiun Sky clasped her hands together and said with a cheerful smile.
"Alright, alright, I'll go prepare your favorite dessert right away."
The uncle said this, but he didn't leave immediately. Instead, he looked the Black-haired Horse Girl standing in front of him up and down.
"…But from my perspective, little Fūga, you're still too thin."
He said this, and even reached out to tug her cheek.
"Look at you, there's no flesh on your face at all."
Uncle Hiratsuka, who had watched Seiun Sky grow from a little girl into the sixteen-year-old she was now, fired off a barrage of questions: "Are you eating well at school? Is anyone bullying you? How is Trainer treating you? Is there any…"
"Alright, alright, I'm really doing very well at school."
Seiun Sky pressed her hands down, signaling Uncle Hiratsuka to calm down: "As for whether any Uma Musume are bullying me… I'm currently the only student enrolled at the school."
"Is that so… Wait, only you as a student?"
Upon hearing Seiun Sky's reply, Uncle Hiratsuka first breathed a sigh of relief, then finally realized that the Black-haired Horse Girl had just said something important. He first froze, then his eyes widened abruptly: "…That kind of school hasn't gone out of business yet?"
"…"
Seiun Sky, unsure how to answer the question, gave an awkward smile.
"No! More importantly, little Fūga, are you really okay studying there?"
Uncle Hiratsuka frowned, looking at the Uma Musume in front of him with concern.
Attending a school with only herself as a student… Is little Fūga really okay?
"Hmm? Of course I'm fine."
Seiun Sky, being stared at intently by Uncle Hiratsuka, replied with a relaxed smile: "…Everyone at school is very kind and takes good care of me."
"Of course, the most important thing is that I really like it there~?"
"…"
After exchanging glances with Seiun Sky for a few seconds, Uncle Hiratsuka, looking at the Black-haired Horse Girl who was a head shorter than him, reached out and gently patted her shoulder.
"If you encounter any difficulties, you can come to us for help."
Uncle Hiratsuka spoke earnestly to the Black-haired Horse Girl in front of him.
…The people on this street all watched her grow up.
Except for the first time they saw her, when she crawled out of a trash can, the subsequent developments were all normal.
Everyone on this street accepted her and named her 'Seiun Sky'.
The Black-haired Horse Girl, who grew up eating from many households, also brought them much joy.
Everyone loved her; the Black-haired Horse Girl standing in front of him was the darling of this street.
Although this child was an orphan, all of them were her family!
"Mhm mhm, then I'll trouble Uncle Hiratsuka~?"
Seiun Sky, unaware of what Uncle Hiratsuka was thinking, playfully winked at him, then walked into the shop with light steps.
…But her personality wasn't like this when she was little, was it? Did something happen to her that they all didn't know about?
Watching Seiun Sky's departing back, Hiratsuka shook his head, clearing the extraneous thoughts from his mind.
Forget it, it's rare for Fūga to visit; he should go bake some of her favorite pastries first.
… …
"… … Oh my?"
Looking at the several pairs of eyes uniformly staring at her from within the shop, Seiun Sky blinked, then her finger went to her lips, and a surprised expression appeared on her face.
"These are guests I haven't met before."
"… …"
While Seiun Sky was observing them, they were also observing her.
Ink-black hair, long enough to reach her hips, and eyes the same color as her hair.
If not for the stark white color of the clothes she was wearing, their first impression of this Uma Musume would probably have been 'black'.
But… she's truly beautiful.
Though they were all Uma Musume, everyone couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
… … So pretty.
Unable to find any words in their minds to describe her, they could only let out such exclamations.
—It was as if she had received the gaze and favor of the Three Goddesses, and all beautiful things had been bestowed upon her.
"You… hello."
Mejiro Dober, who was relatively shy, quietly shuffled backward.
"Hmm, good morning~?"
Approaching, Seiun Sky casually greeted them: "I'm really lucky today, to meet so many cute beautiful girls at once."
Wow, she's the type to get familiar quickly.
Mejiro Dober thought this, then shrunk back even further.
"It is also our good fortune to meet such a beautiful Uma Musume as yourself here."
Mejiro Ardan, who had maintained a gentle smile the entire time, spoke up while her younger sisters were still struggling with how to respond: "…May I ask your name?"
"Really? I'm so happy."
Hearing Mejiro Ardan's reply, Seiun Sky clapped her hands happily: "…As for my name, it's Seiun Sky!"
"As you can see, I am a maiden as beautiful as a flying flower!"
"… …"
Even Mejiro Ardan, upon hearing this, was momentarily short-circuited.
… … How should I respond here?
Like her sisters, Mejiro Ardan, who had received a high-quality education from Mejiro since childhood, fell into thought.
And what's with this strange scent now that she's closer?
Al Dan looked her up and down, finally focusing her gaze on the long hair on her back.
… … Is it body wash? Or shampoo?
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