"Thank you, Starlight-chan... but what about you?"
"This coat is quite warm, so you don't need to worry, Rice-chan."
Nodding, Rice Shower finally felt a bit more at ease, and she slowly moved a step closer to Divine Starlight.
After pulling out her keys and locking the clubroom door, Starlight reached out to Rice with a smile.
"It's getting late. Let's hurry back..."
Without hesitation, Rice Shower placed her hand gently into Starlight's palm, and the two Uma Musume walked toward the school gate hand-in-hand.
On the quiet path, the streetlights emitted a soft glow, reflecting the stars in the sky. A few clouds drifted by, veiling the moon.
The sound of the whistling wind brushed past their cheeks, making their hair flutter. Starlight tightened her grip on Rice's hand.
In an atmosphere like this, perhaps that touch of warmth was the thing one craved most...
"Once we get back to the dorms, you must take a hot bath, eat the desserts we packed, and sleep beautifully until tomorrow morning."
Listening to Starlight's series of plans, Rice Shower's visible purple eye flickered.
"Um, if you don't mind... could you come to my room tonight, Starlight-chan? I want to look at picture books with you."
"Eh? That sounds nice. Sure. Does your roommate mind?"
"It's okay. Zenno Rob Roy occasionally shares adventure stories with me too."
"Then I'll head over to your place with the desserts after I shower, and then..."
"Starlight-chan, you can come straight to our room. I... Rice wants to take a bath with you..."
"Ah, t-take a bath with you? Is that... is that okay?"
Sensing Rice's hand beginning to tremble, Starlight asked tentatively.
Stopping in her tracks, Rice pulled Starlight back. She turned her body toward the silver-haired Uma Musume, her eyes reflecting the faint light of the lamps.
They were crystal clear, shimmering with a hint of moisture.
"Is it... is it not allowed?"
Her tone was filled with a trace of disappointment—it was faint, like the breeze blowing past them.
"I suppose so. Sorry, Starlight-chan, you—"
"It's fine! Really, Rice-chan. I was actually just worried about whether you'd be comfortable or not. I'd love to take a bath with you too."
"Really? Starlight-chan is willing to... to take a bath with Rice?"
"Of course. Rice is so cute, no one could refuse..."
"That's wonderful. Th-then don't worry, Starlight-chan. Rice won't do anything reckless. Rice will be on her best behavior."
Seeming to suddenly become aware of their relationship, Rice's blushing face was full of flustered panic.
"Hahaha... it's okay, I believe in you, Rice-chan. So, let's pick up the pace."
"Mm, okay..."
The two young Uma Musume began to jog, hand-in-hand.
Arriving at the gate, they paused briefly at the roadside to check for cars. It was currently the evening rush hour, so there was quite a bit of traffic.
"Quick, Rice! While there are no cars, let's run across."
"Mm, okay."
They entered the dormitory area and were just about to head into the building.
Suddenly, a crimson gaze swept over them.
A familiar sensation took hold, and both Rice and Starlight instantly froze.
Looking back, they saw a pair of red eyes in the shadows—eerie and heavy with a sense of pressure.
A drop of cold sweat fell from Starlight's forehead, her pupils trembling slightly.
Those eyes were scorching, intensely aggressive, and full of possessiveness.
"Starlight-chan, let's... let's get into the dorm quickly."
Beside her, Rice Shower snapped out of it and hurriedly spoke up to remind her.
Although she knew the other party was an Uma Musume, this scene was still quite frightening. Rice did not want to stay here with Starlight any longer.
Nodding, Starlight felt her heart racing with fear. She could feel it—this gaze was directed entirely at her.
The two Uma Musume turned around, and seeing the open doors of the Miho Dormitory, they broke into a sprint.
However, after only a few steps, Starlight felt a weight on her shoulder.
A fair, delicate hand with bright red nail polish rested upon her shoulder.
"That's quite cruel~ I'm not some kind of monster. How could you two act like this?"
A woman's voice, laced with a hint of ambiguity, whispered in her ear. It was soft like a spring stream, yet it contained bits of unthawed ice.
Like a startled kitten, Starlight pulled Rice and spun around, hurriedly slapping the hand away before retreating several steps.
She fixed her gaze forward.
A cold wind brushed past, and the moon finally revealed itself from behind the clouds. The bright light spilled down, illuminating the Uma Musume's face.
As the shadows receded, her red eyes dimmed slightly, revealing a face adorned with a charming smile.
Seeing her clearly, Starlight and Rice Shower both felt a wave of relief. This was far less terrifying than it had been a moment ago.
"S-sorry. May I ask... who are you?"
Coming to her senses, Starlight quickly apologized and inquired.
Adjusting the white lace veil on her head, the Uma Musume cupped her cheek and walked over with slow, steady steps. She stopped less than half a meter away from Divine Starlight.
Her red eyes stared intently into Starlight's jewel-like golden pupils. She slowly reached out and stroked Starlight's soft face.
"My name is... Still in Love."
"Still in Love..."
"Correct, Starlight-senpai. And... Rice Shower-senpai—"
She tilted her head, her intoxicating eyes shifting toward Rice.
"Hiee~!!"
Rice Shower flinched instantly, clutching Starlight's hand and habitually hiding behind her.
She was already poor at communicating with others, let alone someone with a personality like Still in Love.
"What's wrong~? Am I really... that scary?"
Seeing Rice's reaction, Still in Love's brow furrowed slightly, her expression turning into one of hurt and innocence.
"No, not at all. You're very beautiful, Still-san, you're not scary. It's just that Rice-chan isn't very good at dealing with people."
"Is that so? I'm sorry, Rice Shower-senpai... for scaring you~"
"R-Rice is fine."
Her red eyes returned to Starlight.
Still in Love took another few steps forward, her nose twitching slightly. A faint, elegant fragrance reached her, and she narrowed her eyes.
"Ah~ Starlight-senpai, you smell so good... even though you just finished training and have a hint of sweat on you, it can't hide this heart-refreshing scent."
With a look of distress on her face, Starlight reached out slightly to push back the body leaning into her.
Even for a social butterfly like her, she was struggling to handle this glamorous, thorny rose.
"It seems... you don't like me very much."
"No, that's not it. It's just, Still-san... er, I'm just not used to this."
"Not used to it... so that's how it is. But... but I saw you interacting so closely with those other cute Uma Musume at the dessert shop."
"Buying things together while shopping, chatting... you were just as intimate then."
"Why can't I be the same? Starlight-senpai..."
This statement made both Starlight and Rice Shower freeze.
"You... you followed me today?"
Hearing this, the red in Still in Love's eyes seemed to glow—whether it was the reflection of the moonlight or something else.
She cradled her own cheek with one hand, a smile curling onto her lips.
"I wouldn't call it that. I just wanted to see you. I was only watching from afar, nothing more."
'Oh no! The "pressure" feels a bit too strong! What should I do?!'