"I— I didn't do it on purpose..."
"Alright, alright. Don't be so nervous, Digital-chan. As long as you're okay, that's all that matters."
"Let's head back to the dorms."
Reaching out to ruffle the other's hair, Starlight stood up and headed toward the exit.
Left dazed on the spot, Agnes Digital's mind kept replaying the scenes from moments ago.
'Is this what Divine Starlight is really like...? So warm, so soft and comfortable...'
'Wait! What am I thinking?!'
Watching the receding figure, Agnes Digital slapped her cheeks once more.
"I've decided! From now on, Starlight-senpai is my Oshi!"
"The club walls will be covered in her merch! My dorm room will be stuffed with her plushies, and from now on, even my inner shirts will be printed with Starlight-senpai's photos!"
"Hehe..."
With pink hearts practically forming in her eyes, Agnes Digital stomped her feet in excitement and hurried away, ready to put her grand plan into motion.
At the neighboring table, after another empty plate was stacked to the side, Oguri Cap's head finally emerged from behind the mountain of food.
She held her spoon, stuffing fried rice into her mouth while watching the scene unfold.
'Is Starlight-chan really that great? She's even more enchanting than lunch...'
"Ma'am! Another plate, please—!"
"Coming right up! Eat slowly now, I've still got half a bucket over here just for you."
Returning to her dorm, Starlight noticed her door was actually open. She frowned, falling into thought.
'Who's in my room? It couldn't be Rudolf, could it...'
Gently turning the doorknob, the wooden door slowly creaked open as Starlight stepped inside stealthily.
She peeked in, and— well, what do you know? A short-haired, gray Uma Musume was sprawled across her bed.
Seiun Sky lay there lazily, hugging two kittens in her arms, sleeping soundly with a look of pure bliss on her face.
"Well now~ so it's you, you little lazy cat..."
Walking to the bedside, Starlight leaned over and pinched Seiun Sky's cheeks with both hands.
"Seiun Sky, why are you in my room instead of staying in your own?" she said while playfully kneading the girl's face.
Furrowing her brows, Seiun Sky grinned and begged for mercy.
"Don't do that, Starlight-chan~ Your room is so cozy and warm, and you have cats. Just let me lie here for a bit."
Even though her soft cheeks were being pinched red, she showed no sign of getting up.
Starlight sighed, waving a hand in defeat as she placed her school bag on a nearby shelf.
"Fine, fine... move over a bit. I need to sleep too."
Hearing this, Seiun Sky kicked off her shoes and, with her eyes still closed, wiggled her hips to the side to clear a spot for Starlight.
Taking off her shoes and climbing into bed, Starlight adjusted her posture after lying down.
In truth, this wasn't the first time this "little cat" had slipped into Starlight's dorm to hijack her bed.
Starlight actually found this easygoing underclassman quite pleasant to be around.
The only issue was that Seiun Sky sometimes slept so deeply that she would instinctively snuggle up against her.
Take this time, for instance: When Starlight woke up from a brief dream, she found herself wrapped in Seiun Sky's embrace.
She tilted her head slightly to look at the clock on the wall, it was 1:30 PM.
Since she didn't have training, she could sleep a bit longer until Rudolf came by to call for her.
Thinking this, Starlight felt at ease and closed her eyes again.
After a while, Seiun Sky slowly opened her eyes.
'Oh my, I hugged Starlight-chan again~'
Sniff sniff...
'As I thought, she smells really nice. But, I have to go to training now.'
Reluctantly letting go, Seiun Sky climbed out of bed quietly.
"Heading to training?"
"Mm~ Don't you have to go, Starlight-chan? Usually, you're the one waking up before me."
"Not today. I'm going ice skating with the President later."
"Eh... that sounds nice. I don't want to train either, but my race is coming up soon, so I have to put in the effort."
Sitting up, Starlight looked at the reluctant Seiun Sky and smiled, patting her head.
"Good luck, Sky-chan."
"Yeah, yeah, I'll take it seriously. Oh, right— Starlight-chan, after my race is over, do you want to go ice fishing with me?"
"Sitting by the lake, leaning against a heater, fishing..."
Seeing the girl's dreamy expression, Starlight nodded.
"Sure. Since Sky-chan invited me, I'll definitely go."
"Hehe, then it's a deal. I'm off, Senior. Bye-bye!"
Click.
Just as the door opened, Seiun Sky stood at the threshold and looked across the hall.
"Ah, Pre—President! Good afternoon~"
After giving her habitual greeting, Seiun Sky slipped away without looking back, not even bothering to close the door behind her.
A chilly draft blew from the hallway into the dormitory. Starlight shivered and stood up, grumbling, to head for the door.
"Honestly, Sky-chan was in such a rush she didn't even help me close the door."
Just as the wooden door was about to shut, a hand gripped the edge of the frame.
Then, a sudden surge of great strength forced the door wide open.
"Eh— President? What's wrong? Are we getting ready to head to the gymnasium?"
Starlight looked at the gray-haired Uma Musume in front of her, whose clothes were slightly disheveled, and recalled Seiun Sky's hurried departure just moments ago.
Symboli Rudolf stepped inside, kicking the door shut behind her.
"That was Seiun Sky just now, wasn't it... Why was she in your room?"
"Oh, Sky-chan just came over to sleep together. We didn't do anything."
Upon hearing this, Rudolf's eyes widened. She looked at Starlight's bed, then back at Starlight.
"Sleep together?"
"Yeah, is there a problem? It's not a disciplinary violation~"
"I don't understand."
"Why is she allowed, but I am not?"
Starlight was a bit dazed at first, but hearing this, she realized what was happening and said with a slight laugh.
"Because Sky-chan really just wants to sleep. She likes warm places with sunlight. Plus, there are cats. But you, President... I feel like your intentions aren't very 'pure'~"
With her hands on her hips, Starlight smiled as if she had seen through everything.
"I—I am also very pure. I won't do anything."
"Right, right, I get it. Let's just hurry to the gymnasium~"
Starlight nodded, waving her hand with a somewhat dismissive tone.
However, in the next instant, Rudolf directly grabbed Divine Starlight's hand and pulled her onto the bed.
The movement was swift and forceful.
By the time Starlight reacted, she was already staring up at the ceiling.
Blinking her eyes as she looked at Rudolf pinning her down, Starlight questioned, "What are you doing, President!?"
"So sleepy... let me sleep for a bit..."
Starlight wanted to say more, but seeing that the other girl had fallen into a deep sleep before even finishing her sentence, she fell silent.
"Looks like she's truly exhausted. Those dark circles are quite heavy."
Perhaps because they were so close, Starlight could observe her more clearly.
"Thanks to you, I guess I'll sleep in a bit longer too."
Reaching out to gently push the other's body aside a little, Starlight closed her eyes again.
Around five in the afternoon, the sky had turned a deep red.
The setting sun shone through the window onto Rudolf's face.
Her brow furrowed, and as she slowly opened her eyes, she saw Divine Starlight beside her, scrolling through her phone.
"You're awake?"
"What time is it?"
"Hmm... almost 5:30."
"...Why am I sleeping in your bed?"
Setting her phone down, Starlight said with a hint of amusement, "Wasn't it you who forcefully barged into my dorm and then dragged me onto the bed?"
"Sorry. My head was a bit hazy at the time, I may have acted inappropriately."
After taking a deep breath, Starlight said nonchalantly. "It's fine. It looks like you needed the rest anyway."
"Now that you're awake, can you move your arm off of me? Madame President~"
Looking down, Rudolf realized her arm was still wrapped around the other girl.
She froze for a moment before slowly pulling her hand away.
"Let's go. To the gymnasium."
She sat up and spoke to the gray Uma Musume beside her.
"Huh? Don't go at this hour. It closes in half an hour. Just get some proper rest."
Rudolf nodded blankly.
Consequently, she lay back down, her hand instinctively wrapping around Starlight again.
Smack—
The phone hit Starlight in the face. After a yelp of pain, she moved it away.
"No, President, go back to your own room to rest."
"Zzz... snore..."
A slightly dorky snoring sound emerged.
Starlight's expression froze.
'Who would have thought that you, Symboli Rudolf, actually had such a ditzy and cute side?'