"H–huh? Cursed spirit? Where?!"
Lunar's voice came out a little too quick, a little too high, her eyes darting left and right as if she could somehow manifest an imaginary culprit out of thin air to save herself from the situation she had very clearly walked into.
Validissimus's mismatched eyes remained locked onto Lunar with a sharp, unimpressed stare, one brow slightly raised, silently asking do you really think that's going to work? before her gaze dropped—slowly, deliberately—to the object still clutched in Lunar's hands.
"The same water bottle," she said flatly, lifting a hand to point at it, "that you've been throwing at me for the past four days."
The words landed with the weight of undeniable evidence, and just like that, Lunar's flimsy act crumbled completely. "…Ah."
That was all she managed, shoulders shrinking in on themselves as she instinctively pulled the bottle closer to her chest like it might somehow disappear if she hid it well enough. Her ears dipped slightly, her posture folding in as the realization fully sank in—she had been caught. Completely. No escape route, no clever excuse, nothing.
Validissimus took a step forward.
It wasn't a threatening step, not quite, but it was firm enough to close the distance between them, her presence alone carrying an intensity that made Lunar feel like she was being cornered despite standing in the open.
"Why?"
The question came bluntly, her tone lacking any hint of curiosity and instead carrying a quiet demand for an answer.
"What's your motive?"
Lunar opened her mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
"…I—"
Nothing came out.
Because the truth was, she hadn't really thought that far.
It had started as a small, harmless thing in her mind—something a little silly, a little helpful, something that made her smile. But now, standing face to face with the person on the receiving end of it, under that sharp, scrutinizing gaze, it suddenly felt… difficult to explain.
And her silence didn't help.
"Ah," Validissimus let out a short, humorless breath, the corner of her lips twitching upward into something that wasn't quite a smile, more mocking than anything. "I see."
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "That annoying girl sent you, didn't she?"
Lunar blinked, not expecting that.
"To spy on me," Validissimus continued, her tone dripping with disdain as she crossed her arms, her posture shifting into something colder, more closed off. "To check how I'm doing, so she can figure out how to beat me next time we meet."
She scoffed lightly. "Though I highly doubt she'd manage that."
That—
That made Lunar's eyes widen. "No!"
The response came instantly this time, loud and firm in a way that surprised even herself as she shook her head quickly, taking a small step forward without realizing it.
"I'm not here because of Sakura-chan," she insisted, her brows knitting together as she looked up at Validissimus with a seriousness that hadn't been there a moment ago. "And she doesn't even know I'm here, so you need to stop accusing her of things like that."
Validissimus's expression shifted, causing her eyes to twitch, enough to show that something about that firm, immediate defense on Sakura had struck a nerve.
The air between them grew a little heavier.
"…I see," she muttered under her breath before standing up slightly straighter, her gaze sharpening once more as it settled back onto Lunar. "Then answer me properly."
Her voice dropped, colder now, more direct. "Why are you here… Light-san?"
The use of her last name—formal, distant—only made Lunar feel more on the spot.
She hesitated again.
Her fingers tightened slightly around the bottle, her eyes flickering down to it for just a second as if searching for the answer there before slowly lifting back up to meet Validissimus's gaze.
There was a pause.
A small one.
And then—
"…I…" Her voice came out softer this time, a little unsure, a little awkward. "…um…"
She shifted her weight slightly, her shoulders rising just a bit as if bracing herself before finally saying it. "…I just wanted to give you water…?"
It came out sounding more like a question than a statement, her tone uncertain as if even she wasn't fully confident in how it sounded.
Validissimus stared at her.
Not just a glance, not just a passing look—she stared, her mismatched eyes narrowing slightly as if she was trying to process whether Lunar was being serious or if this was some kind of elaborate joke.
"…What?" The single word came out flat, edged with disbelief, before she continued, louder with each question that followed. "Why?" she pressed, tilting her head just slightly. "You don't even know me."
There was a momentary pause before she corrected herself, her expression tightening.
"No—scratch that. I'm literally your friend's enemy," she said bluntly, folding her arms across her chest. "So explain to me why you've been coming here every day, hiding in the bushes like some kind of stalker, throwing a water bottle at me, and then running away."
When she laid it out like that…
Lunar blinked. "…Oh."
She hadn't thought of it like that before.
Actually—
Now that she was thinking about it like that, it did sound… incredibly strange.
Her ears dipped slightly as she looked down at the bottle in her hands again, her fingers fidgeting around it as she tried to piece together her reasoning into something that didn't sound completely ridiculous.
"Well…" she started, a little hesitant at first before her voice steadied just a bit. "I just thought you seemed really exhausted."
Her gaze lifted again. "Especially with those sprint drills you do… they look really intense," she continued, her brows knitting faintly as she recalled what she had seen over the past few days. "And you never seem to bring water with you either…?"
She shifted her hands slightly before adding, a little more quietly but still firm, "And just because you're on bad terms with Sakura-chan… doesn't mean I have to be on bad terms with you."
Not to mention the reactions I got afterwards were really funny to watch…
The thought slipped into her mind completely uninvited, and she immediately straightened just a little, as if trying to look more sincere to compensate for it.
Validissimus just kept holding her gaze.
Long.
Hard.
Suspicious.
"…I don't trust you," she finally said, her voice low and unyielding, her expression giving nothing away. "And I don't desire to be on good terms with you."
The words were blunt, final.
" So go away."
With that, she turned, her long legs already carrying her in the direction of the field, fully intending to end the conversation there and return to her training without another glance back.
But then, a ringtone cut through the air.
"Love isss~ derby~"
The bright, cutesy melody rang out far too cheerfully against the otherwise quiet night, the rhythm instantly familiar in a way that made Lunar's ears twitch slightly in recognition.
The sound didn't last long.
Because almost immediately—
"—!" Validissimus froze for a split second before moving quickly, almost too quickly, pulling her phone out of her pocket with a hint of urgency that hadn't been present in her demeanor before.
Her fingers fumbled for just a fraction of a second before she hastily rejected the call, cutting the ringtone off as abruptly as it had started.
Silence returned.
But it wasn't the same silence as before. It was… awkward now.
Slowly—very slowly—Validissimus turned her head. Lunar was already looking at her, and for a brief moment, their eyes met again.
Lunar blinked a couple times, before her expression changed—recognition lighting up her face as she tilted her head slightly. "Hey… I know that song," she said, pointing lightly toward Validissimus's phone. "It's one of the songs I was practicing earlier."
Validissimus's ears twitched, perking up almost with interest, her earlier guarded expression flickering into something less intense, more free as she turned fully back toward Lunar.
"You've… been practicing this?" she asked, her tone no longer dismissive, but edged with something closer to intrigue.
Lunar nodded without hesitation. "Yeah," she replied, playing with the bottle in her hands as she spoke. "I just came back from the studio actually… we were practicing dancing and performing for a while."
She paused briefly, her shoulders dropping just a little as her expression turned faintly troubled. "…That song was one of the ones I struggled with."
Validissimus frowned. "Struggled?" The word came out like she didn't quite understand how that was even possible.
Lunar nodded again, this time a little slower. "Mm… I have a hard time performing songs I don't really like," she explained, glancing off to the side as if trying to find the right way to put it.
She didn't even get to finish properly.
Because suddenly—
"—What do you mean you don't LIKE it?!"
Validissimus was right there.
One second she had been a few steps away, and the next she had closed the distance completely, leaning in so abruptly that Lunar yelped, nearly stumbling back as their faces ended up far too close for comfort. "H–hey—?!"
But Validissimus didn't back off. If anything, she leaned in even more, her eyes intense, practically burning with something that looked dangerously close to outrage.
"What do you mean you don't resonate with it?" she repeated, faster this time, her words coming out in a rush as if Lunar had just said something completely unacceptable. "That song is designed that way for a reason—do you even understand that?!"
Lunar froze in submission but Validissimus didn't stop.
"The composition, the arrangement, the tone—it's all built to match the perfection that is Tokai Teio's voice," she continued, her hands moving slightly as she spoke, her intensity rising with every word. "That light, bright, cutesy vocal texture is meant to be paired with those soft but energetic instrumentals, it creates a contrast that highlights her charm while maintaining rhythmical drive, and the melody progression is structured to keep the listener engaged while reinforcing her image—"
Somehow, she was getting faster.
"And the lyrics aren't just random either, they're written to amplify that same identity, the delivery, the phrasing, the timing—everything works together to create a cohesive performance that embodies her character—!"
At this point, it wasn't even a conversation anymore, it was a full-on rant. And Lunar, unfortunately, was stuck directly in the brunt of it.
Pinned under that tall presence and those piercing blue and yellow eyes, she could only stand there, clutching the water bottle like some kind of emotional support object as she tried to process the sheer amount of passion being thrown at her all at once.
"…U-uh…" She swallowed. And then, somehow, still found the courage to respond. "Well…"
Validissimus stopped talking.
"…I just…" Lunar hesitated, her voice smaller now under that intense stare, but still honest. "…I don't really think the lyrics are something I can relate to…"
"…Being honest," she added, a little awkwardly, "I even find some parts kind of… cringe…"
That might have been the wrong word choice in this situation, but had already committed to it, there was no turning back.
So, with a deep breath, she went on. "There's this one part I remember that was especially embarrassing…" she said, her face scrunching slightly as the memory hit her.
And then, mechanically—she recited it. "'I'll get ready, put on my lipstick, notice the change, darling!'"
As she said it, she half-heartedly mimicked the motion, lifting her hand as if applying lipstick before awkwardly forming a small heart shape with her fingers in front of her chest.
The moment the gesture was complete, she immediately recoiled. "Ugh—" Her arms wrapped around herself as she physically shivered, her shoulders hunching in embarrassment.
"…I had to do that during practice," she muttered, clearly distressed just thinking about it. "It was so embarrassing…"
Validissimus's eye twitched, and just like a ticking time bomb, she exploded. "What do you mean cringe?!"
Her voice shot up instantly, harsh and filled with raw disbelief as she stepped forward again, closing whatever little space had formed between them to physically confront the statement itself.
"That line is important," she snapped, her hands lifting as she spoke, her movements becoming more animated with every passing second. "It's not just some random cutesy phrase you can brush off like that!"
And before Lunar could even react or reply—-
Validissimus did it.
"I'll get ready, put on my lipstick—"
Her fingers mimicked the motion flawlessly, smooth and energetically, like she had practiced it countless times, her expression turning naturally along with it.
"—notice the change, darling!"
The heart gesture followed.
But unlike Lunar's awkward, hesitant attempt, this was different. There was no stiffness, no hesitation, no embarrassment.
Her expression softened just enough, her gaze brightened with a certain sparkle, her movements light yet precise in a way that made the entire gesture feel…alive.
Lunar found herself confused, because somehow, it didn't feel embarrassing when Validissimus did it.
It felt… really cute.
"That line," Validissimus continued, completely unaware of how she appeared as she pressed on with the same intensity, "represents Tokai Teio's determination to improve herself every single time she steps onto the track, it's about presentation, growth, confidence—about showing the fans that she's always striving to be better, to shine brighter!"
Her voice rose with passion, her chest lifting slightly as she spoke, her entire demeanor burning with conviction. "It's not just 'putting on lipstick,' it's a metaphor for refinement, for effort, for becoming the best version of herself—for us, for the fans who support her!"
With that final line, she stopped. The words ran out, leaving behind nothing but the sound of her breathing—slightly uneven now from how fast and intensely she had spoken.
Inhale. Exhale. And slowly…very slowly…Color began to creep up her face.
From her neck to her cheeks, until her entire face flushed a deep, crimson red, the heat practically visible as it spread, even her brown ear twitching slightly in hopes to try and escape the embarrassment that was rapidly catching up to her.
"…Validissimus-san," Lunar said, tilting her head just a little, her tone gentle and curious. "…you're really into umadols, aren't you?"
Validissimus dropped right where she stood.
She sank down onto the ground, folding in on herself as she pulled her knees up and buried her face into them, her entire figure shrinking as if trying to disappear from existence. "…Just go away…"
Her voice came out muffled, barely audible through the fabric and the way she had hidden herself, her words stumbling over each other in quiet frustration. "…just leave me alone already…"
Her shoulders tensed slightly. "…stop laughing at me…" There was a pause afterwards. "…I know how ridiculous that must've looked…"
Lunar found herself dumbfounded at that. "…Huh?" There was no laughter, not even a hint of it.
Instead, she slowly lowered herself down, kneeling first before sitting properly beside Validissimus, matching her level rather than standing over her.
"…Why would I laugh?" she asked quietly, genuine confusion in her voice.
That earned no response, so she continued. "You danced really well," she commented sincerely.. "Honestly… it was way better than anything I managed to do after hours of practice."
That got a small reaction out of the now shy girl. Validissimus shifted slightly, but she didn't lift her head. "…Stop acting stupid…"
And then she looked suddenly, with her face still flushed, her expression now twisted into something defensive and desperate as she glared at Lunar like she was trying to force a certain response out of her.
"Just say it," she snapped. "Just tell me I look ugly doing all that cutesy shit and get it over with already." Her voice wavered slightly at the end, despite how harsh the words sounded.
"…Just fuck off."
That only made Lunar more confused.
Her head tilted slightly to the side, her lips pursing together as she tried to understand what she was even being asked. "…Ugly…?" She repeated the word slowly, still not understanding where that had come from.
And then, just as simply, she uttered. "But you were really cute though?"
The glare that was permanently on Validissimus's face shattered, disappearing in an instant. Her eyes widened, her mouth parting slightly as if her brain had just short-circuited trying to process what she had just heard. "W—ww—what did you say…?!"
Lunar blinked again, still clearly trying to process the intensity of Validissimus's reaction, her head tilting slightly as if she had somehow said something completely normal and couldn't understand why it had caused such a dramatic response.
"…You were really cute?" she repeated, this time more clearly, clarifying her own statement rather than correcting it.
Her gaze stayed on Validissimus, supportive and sincere, completely free of mockery.
"I mean it," she continued, her tone soft but certain. "Your movements were really natural, and the way you matched the expression to the gesture… it just flowed perfectly. I don't think I could replicate that even if I practiced it for hours."
That only made things worse for Validissimus, who opened her mouth, before closing it again, and then opened it again, her face still flushed as her thoughts clearly scrambled to keep up with what she was hearing.
"I—That's—" She stuttered, her voice losing all of its earlier edge as she struggled to form a proper rebuttal. "I can only do that because I've been doing it forever!" she finally blurted out, latching onto the first defense she could find. "That doesn't mean I'm cute!"
Lunar gently shook her head. "But just because something is practiced doesn't make it any less charming," she replied simply. "All the umadols practice too, right? That doesn't mean they aren't cute."
"…That's not what I meant, idiot!" Validissimus snapped again, though this time the bite in her words felt more defensive than aggressive as she gestured sharply toward herself.
"Look at me!" she demanded, frustration slipping through as she raised her voice. "Look at how tall I am, how muscular I am—look at this face!" Her hand hovered near her own features, pointing out flaws that only she could see. "How does any of that make me cute?!"
That— that made Lunar's expression shift. Not into confusion this time, but into something quieter, something more thoughtful as her gaze settled on Validissimus with a calm steadiness.
"…What's wrong with being tall?" she asked, her voice calm, almost puzzled in a different way now.
Validissimus paused but Lunar continued.
"There are plenty of people I know who are tall and muscular… and they're still really cute," she said, her gaze drifting slightly as familiar faces came to mind—Persian had always been cute to her, even if she doesn't show it much, and Saiya's bright and lively energy despite her height definitely puts her in the category of cute for Lunar. And Namawa, too, whose solid build never felt intimidating when it was paired with that cute childish charm.
Her lips curved into a small smile before she looked back at Validissimus. "And… I don't really understand why you call yourself unappealing," she added. "Sure, maybe you don't have the softest or most traditionally 'girly' face…"
She paused for a fraction of a second, choosing her words carefully. "But you're really handsome."
Validissimus froze. "…Huh?"
"There's no one else in the academy I've seen so far with features as sharp and defined as yours," Lunar continued, completely unaware of the effect she was having as she spoke with honesty. "It stands out… in a good way."
Her gaze softened again, drifting for just a second as another comparison formed in her mind—Anonym, with that same androgynous, striking charm, especially when her long hair is hidden beneath a that cap she wears outside, and beyond that, the striking image of Momma Nel who she consider as the most handsome person she can think of. There's a reason why she has multiple wives and children after all…she even recalled seeing a dozen magazines that had her posing on the cover page.
"…It reminds me of people I really admire," she recalled. "That kind of look… it's not something everyone can have." Then, as if concluding something very simple, she finished. "…So I don't think it's unappealing at all."
Lunar remained seated where she was, her posture relaxed but her attention fully fixed on Validissimus, watching her carefully as the girl sat there in stunned silence.
There was something about that reaction—something that didn't quite match the sharp, aggressive front she had shown earlier—that made Lunar's chest feel a little tight, like she had just brushed against something deeper without fully understanding it yet.
She hesitated for a moment.
Then, slowly, she gathered the courage to speak again.
"Um… Validissimus-san," she started, her voice softer now, a little more cautious than before. "Sorry if I'm crossing a line since… uhm, we've only really talked just now, but…"
She trailed off briefly, giving the other girl a chance to shut her down.
But Validissimus didn't. She didn't snap, didn't interrupt, didn't turn away. She just sat there, quiet, her eyes watching Lunar with a guarded stillness, waiting to see where this was going.
Taking that as a sign to continue, Lunar swallowed lightly before finishing her thought. "…is there something bothering you?"
Her voice was gentle, careful not to push too hard.
"If there is… would you maybe want to share it?" she added, offering a small, reassuring smile. "I mean… I'm not saying you have to, but… I can listen."
Silence answered her, not hostile in nature, but more… wary, and Lunar understood that. Trust wasn't something you just handed out, especially not to someone you barely knew—especially not to someone who was technically on the "other side."
Her gaze dropped slightly as she thought about it. Then… I should make it fair, she decided.
If she was asking something personal, then it only made sense to give something personal in return.So, before she could overthink it—
"I'm actually an orphan."
Validissimus's eyes widened immediately, her entire expression clouded in clear surprise at how casually that kind of information had just been dropped.
Lunar blinked, realizing a second too late how that might have sounded, and quickly waved her hands a little. "Ah—but, no, I mean—" she corrected herself, a bit flustered. "I do have a momma now! She's just… not blood-related."
Her voice softened again, a small, warm smile appearing as she spoke. "My birth momma is gone," she continued more calmly, "and her best friend adopted me, so… I have a new family now."
There was a brief pause, as then, almost as if to lighten the mood—
"And, um… my favorite umadol is Oguri Cap," she added, her tone brightening just a little as she glanced off to the side. "I even have a super rare limited hugging plushie of her and Tamamo Cross back in my room."
That was a very different kind of information, and it made the whole moment feel even more surreal.
Validissimus just stared at her again. Because her mind, despite everything that had just been said, couldn't help but latch onto one very specific detail. That one… Her gaze flickered slightly. Doesn't that go for like one hundred thousand yen minimum…?
Lunar moved slightly where she sat, drawing her knees in just a little as if settling into the moment, and then—without much hesitation—she simply… kept going. "Uhm… let's see…" she murmured, tapping her chin lightly as she thought. "I can't really sleep at night unless the windows are open. I like feeling the moonlight shining inside, it's just a habit of mine."
Her voice was casual, absent-minded, like she wasn't saying anything particularly important.
"My favourite food is carrot stew with salmon," she continued, her eyes lighting up just a little at the mention of it. "And my favourite colour is blue… but not just any blue—like, a really clear one… um, azure blue, I think that's what it's called."
She paused for a second, then added with a small nod, "Oh, and my favourite song is Yumehayate." Her tone brightened slightly at that, carrying a hint of fondness before she moved on again just as quickly.
"I don't really like cooking though," she admitted, scrunching her nose a little. "It's just so slow and tedious, and you have to keep checking everything…"
Then, suddenly, she let out a quiet laugh. "Actually, I tried cooking once for my family," she said, her voice warming with the memory. "I made soup… and it turned out really bad."
She brought a hand up to her mouth, trying to hold back another laugh. "Like… barely edible bad," she clarified, her shoulders shaking slightly now. "But they still ate it anyway because I made it for them…"
There was a pause as she exhaled, smiling to herself. "…and then all of them ended up with a stomach ache afterwards."
She laughed softly at that, not in embarrassment, but in genuine fondness, as if the memory meant more to her than the failure itself.
All the while, Validissimus said nothing.
She simply sat there, listening.
Taking in each piece as it came, her expression unreadable as her thoughts struggled to keep pace with the steady stream of details being offered so freely, without hesitation, without restraint.
And beneath all of that, one question refused to leave her.
Why?
Why was she telling her all of this?
They barely knew each other.
They weren't friends.
They weren't even on good terms.
So why—
"And my favourite Uma Musume is…" Lunar's voice pulled her back.
"…Eclipse."
That name alone was enough to ground her again.
Of course she knew it. Anyone who took racing seriously did.
A legend among legends—the name behind the phrase: Eclipse first, the rest nowhere.
But Lunar wasn't finished. "And my goal…" she continued, her voice growing steadier, quieter, but far more resolute than before, "is to become the best uma musume in the world."
"…because only if I become that," she added, her gaze lifting slightly, as if looking toward something far beyond the present moment, "will I be able to chase… and surpass Eclipse."
Silence followed after that, a natural one this time. Because Lunar was done, she had said everything she wanted to say.
Validissimus stared at her for a moment longer, her expression shifting ever so slightly as she processed it all, before finally speaking. "…Why are you telling me all of this?"
Lunar gave her a small smile, as if the answer was already obvious. "Well…" she started, tilting her head slightly. "I asked you something personal, right?"
She gave a small shrug. "So it's only fair that I share something about myself too," she said simply. "That way… it feels more equal." A tinge of tenderness frames her smile just a little. "…and maybe you'd feel more comfortable sharing too."
Validissimus's gaze lingered on her. "…And what if I still refuse?" she asked after a moment, her tone returning to something more guarded. "What if, after all of this, I still don't tell you anything?"
Her eyes narrowed in ridicule. "Wouldn't that make all of this pointless?"
Lunar shook her head immediately. "No," she said gently. "…I think it would still be worth it," she continued. "Because at the very least… I made you feel a little less embarrassed about earlier, didn't I?"
There was no teasing in her voice, no hidden meaning. "…That sounds worthwhile to me."
Validissimus stayed frozen, her mismatched eyes locked onto Lunar's face with an intensity that bordered on desperate. She searched—really searched—for something. A crack in that expression, a flicker of insincerity, a hint of mockery, even the faintest trace of hidden intention.
But there was nothing.
No ridicule.
No ulterior motive.
No lies.
Just that same welcoming, open gaze that had been there from the very beginning.
"…Why…?" she thought, though the question never left her lips.
For a brief second, she considered saying nothing at all, just turning around and walking away before this strange, uncomfortable feeling could dig any deeper.
But she didn't. Because for some reason, she couldn't.
Her lips parted, the words catching awkwardly in her throat as if they had forgotten how to come out properly. "I… I—"
She stopped.
Her brows drew together, frustration flickering across her face as she tried again, her voice quieter this time, stripped of its usual edge. "I…"
Lunar didn't interrupt, not even once, as Validissimus struggled through her words, each syllable coming out like it had to push past years of being held back, and when the taller girl finally managed to form a complete sentence, her voice was quieter than Lunar had ever heard it before, fragile in a way that clashed so sharply with everything she had seen of her until now.
"I… I like… cute and pretty things…" She hesitated, fingers curling slightly against her sleeves before continuing, her gaze dropping to the ground instead of meeting Lunar's eyes.
"Not just like them… I want to be them. I always have. Ever since I was little, when I watched umadols on stage, when I saw how they smiled, how they danced, how people cheered for them… I didn't just admire it. I wanted to stand there too. I wanted to wear those outfits, sing those songs, hear people call me cute…"
Her voice wavered, tightening just slightly as she let out a bitter exhale. "But the older I got… the more everything went in the opposite direction."
There was a pause, heavy and full of meaning, before she forced herself to continue, her tone flattening as if she was stating something she had long since accepted."I got taller. Broader. Stronger. My face got sharper… harsher…"
Her hand slowly curled into a fist. "And every time I looked in the mirror, it felt like I was drifting further and further away from what I wanted to be."
Her jaw tightened. "People stopped calling me cute a long time ago," she said, a faint bitterness seeping into her voice. "They started saying things like 'cold' or 'intimidating' or 'reliable'…"
A short, humorless laugh escaped her. "And I hate it."
That last part slipped out more sharply than the rest, carrying a frustration she could no longer fully contain.
"I hate that when I try to act cute, it looks wrong. I hate that when I copy what they do, it feels like I'm pretending. I hate that no matter how much I practice, it never looks the way it's supposed to."
She let out a short, self-deprecating laugh, though there was no real humor in it. "And the worst part is… I know how ridiculous it looks. Someone like me, trying to do all that cutesy stuff… it just makes people uncomfortable, or they laugh, or they think I'm joking."
Her shoulders dipped slightly, the tension in her frame finally showing cracks. "So I stopped. Or… at least, I tried to."
A beat passed, quieter this time.
"But I couldn't fully let it go either, so now I just… watch. I listen. I memorize everything. Every song, every move, every little detail… because that's the closest I can get without making a fool out of myself."
Silence followed her confession, Validissimus looked like she regretted saying any of it at all, her jaw tightening as if she was already preparing herself for dismissal, for pity, or worse—for laughter.
"…There," she muttered, her voice low and guarded again, though it lacked the earlier bite. "That's it. That's your answer."
She didn't look at Lunar when she finished, her gaze fixed somewhere off to the side as if bracing for impact.
But Lunar didn't laugh.
She didn't scoff.
She didn't even look surprised.
Instead, she simply sat there, quietly, taking it all in, her expression softer than before, as if something in Validissimus' words had settled gently into place within her.
"…I see," Lunar murmured after a moment, not heavy, not pitying, just… understanding.
She adjusted her position so she was facing Validissimus more directly, her gaze meeting those mismatched eyes without judgement. "Then… you've been holding onto that all by yourself this whole time, haven't you?"
Validissimus didn't answer, but the slight tightening of her shoulders was enough of a reply.
Lunar inclined her head a little, thinking, before continuing, honest as ever. "But… I still think you're wrong."
Validissimus' head snapped toward her, brows furrowing immediately as a defensive edge returned to her eyes. "…What?"
Lunar didn't back away from that look. If anything, she leaned into it just slightly, her expression earnest. "I think you can be cute."
The words were said so simply, so matter-of-factly, that Validissimus didn't even know how to respond. "…You weren't listening, were you?" she said, her tone slipping back into irritation as a shield. "I just told you—"
"I was," Lunar cut in gently, not forceful, but firm enough to stop her. "I listened to everything you said."
"And I still think you can be cute."
Validissimus stared at her, disbelief clear on her face. "…On what basis?"
Lunar hummed softly, as if considering how to put it into words. "Because just now, when you were talking about that song… when you were explaining it, and you did the gesture without even thinking about it…"
She lifted her hands slightly, mimicking the motion Validissimus had done earlier, the small, heartfelt movement that had come out so naturally. "You looked really happy."
Validissimus froze.
"And not just happy," Lunar continued, her expression softening just a bit more, "you looked like you were having fun. Like you really, really loved it."
She let her hands fall back to her lap. "And that… was really cute."
A faint flush began to creep across Validissimus's tanned cheeks, spreading slowly until it was impossible to ignore. She looked away for a brief second before muttering, "You're just saying that to make me feel better…"
Lunar blinked at that, then shook her head in denial. "No, I'm not. I really meant it."
There was no teasing in her tone, no attempt to dress it up—just a simple honesty that made it harder to dismiss ."Being cute isn't just about how you look, you know. It's also about how you are… how you act, how you feel, how you express things."
She paused for a moment, as if searching for the right way to explain it, before letting out a small, self-conscious laugh. "Like me, for example. I might look like I can do it easily, but honestly… I'm really bad at it."
Validissimus' brows knit together immediately, her expression clearly unconvinced as she turned back to look at Lunar properly. "…Bad at it?" she echoed.
Lunar nodded, scratching lightly at her cheek as a hint of embarrassment crept into her own expression.
"Yeah. When I try to force it, my smiles get really stiff, and my expressions feel… off. And don't even get me started on gestures," she added with a small groan, glancing off to the side as she recalled the training session earlier. "I had to repeat the same part over and over again earlier because I just couldn't get it right. It felt awkward no matter how many times I tried."
Validissimus stared at her, trying—really trying—to picture that scenario in her head.
But it didn't work.
No matter how she imagined it, the girl sitting in front of her now, with her soft features, clear eyes, and that naturally warm presence, didn't fit the image Lunar was describing at all. Even now, sitting awkwardly between bushes and trees in a dimly lit corner of the training grounds, Lunar somehow still looked… put together, like she didn't belong in a place this cramped and messy, like a glimmer of something bright tucked away where it shouldn't be.
"…I don't see it," Validissimus said finally, her voice quieter now, though still carrying that blunt honesty she always possessed. "I don't see what you're talking about at all."
She gestured vaguely toward Lunar's face, her expression a mix of confusion and mild frustration. "You're smiling right now, and it looks completely natural to me."
Lunar found herself a little surprised at the comment, before instinctively lifting a hand to her cheek to check it herself. Then she let out a soft chuckle, the sound light and easy.
"Well, of course it does," she said. "That's because I'm not forcing it right now."
Before Validissimus could react, Lunar lifted both her hands and placed a finger at each corner of her lips, gently pulling them upward into an exaggerated smile.
"This is what it looks like when I try too hard," she added, her voice slightly muffled by the forced expression, the result looking noticeably more artificial compared to her earlier smile.
Then she let go, her lips easing back into something softer, more natural, the contrast immediate.
"I'm genuinely happy right now," she continued, her gaze returning to Validissimus. "so it comes out naturally." There was a small pause before she added, her tone just a touch brighter, "I mean… I am really happy to be able to talk to you after all, Validissimus-san."
Validissimus didn't know what to say.
For a moment, she just sat there, staring at Lunar as that pretty, delicate smile painted the girl's face, and for reasons she couldn't quite explain, it almost felt like there was… some sort of sparkles around her. Not literally, of course, but enough to make her eyes squint slightly from how bright it appeared.
"…What the hell…" she muttered under her breath, half-convinced she was imagining things.
The feeling was strange—uncomfortable, even—so she quickly turned her head away, drawing in a slow, steady breath as she tried to gather herself. Focus… just focus…
From the side, Lunar tilted her head slightly, watching her with quiet concern. "…Are you okay?" she asked, her voice gentle, though there was a hint of confusion in it.
Validissimus exhaled once more before finally turning back, her expression composed again, though her eyes lingered on Lunar for just a second longer than necessary.
"…You," she started, calmer now, though still carrying a trace of skepticism, "are you seriously telling me you have trouble performing?"
Even as she asked it, a part of her mind rejected the idea outright, because from what she had just seen—and was still seeing—there was no way someone with this kind of natural charisma could struggle with something like that.
No way someone like this can't perform…
Lunar, on the other hand, seemed to take the question in stride. She tapped her chin lightly with a finger, thinking for a moment before answering. "It's not that I have trouble performing exactly," she said slowly, choosing her words carefully. "It's more like… I have trouble performing something that doesn't feel like 'me.'"
Validissimus frowned slightly at that. "…What does that even mean?"
Lunar hummed softly, trying to put it into something clearer. "My friends told me I'm a flow-state type of performer," she explained. "So when I'm doing something I really like, or something I can connect to, I don't really have to think about it—I just… do it, and it comes out well."
She paused, her expression turning a little sheepish. "But outside of that, it gets… kind of rough."
Validissimus still looked unconvinced, her gaze narrowing slightly as if trying to pick apart the logic of it. "…That still doesn't explain how bad it could be," she muttered.
Lunar fiddled with her fingers, before then suddenly seemed to remember something. "Oh, wait—I think I have something that might help explain it better."
She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone, her fingers quickly navigating through it before stopping on a video file. Turning the screen toward Validissimus, she shifted a little closer so they could both see it clearly.
"So this is me performing 'Love is at the Derby,'" she said, apologetically in advance.
Validissimus leaned in slightly, curiosity getting the better of her as the video began to play.
And then—
"…Huh?" That was the only sound she managed to make at first.
Because what she was looking at… was a mess.
Even being generous—very generous—it was hard to describe it any other way. Lunar's steps were uneven and highly mistimed, her movements lacking the sharpness and intention that the choreography demanded, and her expressions… stiff, like she was consciously trying to force every single part of them into place instead of letting them flow naturally.
The gestures, which should have been bright and expressive, came out weak, as if the energy behind them never fully reached the surface, leaving everything feeling disconnected.
Validissimus' eyes widened just a fraction as she watched. …This…?
She had seen this song performed countless times—by Tokai Teio herself, by other umadols, by fans covering it online—and every version carried a certain liveliness, a kind of infectious charm that made it iconic.
But this?
If no one had told her what song it was supposed to be—and if there hadn't been faint audio in the background—she genuinely wouldn't have recognized it at all.
"…That's… Love is at the derby..?" she asked slowly, her voice caught somewhere between disbelief and confusion.
Because the difference between what she knew… and what she was seeing right now… was like comparing two completely different worlds.
Lunar rubbed her cheeks lightly, a sheepish smile spreading across her face as she let out a small, awkward laugh. "See? I told you," she said, half-embarrassed, half-amused at herself, before quickly closing the video as she couldn't bear to let it play any longer.
"Let's just… not watch that again," she added under her breath, clearly mortified by her own performance.
She tapped her screen again and pulled up another recording, sitting up slightly as she turned the phone back toward Validissimus. "…Okay, this one's different," she murmured, giving a disclaimer. "This is me dancing to 'Youthful Eyes.'"
Validissimus leaned in again, though this time there was a hint of skepticism lingering in her gaze.
Though that skepticism lasted for about a second. Because the moment the video began, everything changed.
Her eyes widened, just slightly at first, and then more as the seconds passed, because what she was seeing now… didn't line up with what she had just watched earlier at all. If no one had told her it was the same person, she would have genuinely believed this was someone else entirely—someone who just happened to look exactly like Lunar.
The girl in the video moved with a kind of effortless grace, every step landing cleanly, every motion flowing seamlessly into the next without a single wasted beat. There was no stiffness, no hesitation, no sign of overthinking—just smooth, confident movement that felt alive in a way the previous video never did.
Her gestures were animated, but not exaggerated; expressive, but never forced. Everything about it appeared perfectly placed.
Validissimus found herself unconsciously comparing it to Sakura Laurel herself, yet even then, it didn't feel like a copy. It felt like something that stood on its own.
Then there was the voice.
Even through the track's original vocals, she could hear Lunar's voice slipping through faintly, blending into the song just enough to be noticed, and it made her stop.
It wasn't overly cute. It wasn't overly cool. It was balanced—natural in a way that made it feel like it could become either, depending on what the song needed, and somehow that made it even more captivating.
But even that wasn't what held her there.
It was Lunar's expression.
Validissimus didn't even realize when her focus stayed entirely to it, her gaze locking onto those pale yellow eyes on the screen, and for a brief, fleeting moment, it seemed like they had turned… golden.
It was impossible to look away. There was no trace of awkwardness here, no stiffness, no pretending.
Every smile, every glance, every tiny change in her expression felt incredibly real, like she wasn't performing the song but living in it, like the emotions in the lyrics weren't something she was trying to portray but something she was actually feeling in that exact moment.
By the time the video reached its end, the camera framing tightening slightly as Lunar finished the routine, her expression softened into a perfectly timed, playful wink—
Validissimus felt something in her chest jolt. The screen went still, and just like that, the spell broke.
She shook her head a couple of times, snapping back into herself, only now realizing how completely she had been drawn in.
Then, slowly, Lunar's voice reached her again from beside her, gentle and just a little hesitant. "…Um… so… you see the difference…?"
Validissimus didn't say anything at all, she just stared. Not at the phone this time—but at Lunar.
Something in her expression had transformed, and before Lunar could even think about what that look meant, Validissimus moved.
Her hands came forward without warning, landing firmly on Lunar's shoulders.
"Ah—!" A small gasp slipped out of Lunar, her body stiffening slightly at the sudden contact, her eyes widening as she instinctively looked up. "U-uhm… Validissimus-san…?"
"I get it now," she muttered under her breath, though it was clear Lunar was meant to hear it.
Then, a second later, she said it properly—clearly, directly, without a shred of doubt.
"I want you."