"Hey, hey, Mayano-chan! Didn't we agree not to cause any trouble!"
Putting down her phone and seeing Teio's slightly annoyed expression, Mayano Top Gun feigned fear and hid behind Starlight.
"Mayano isn't causing any trouble for onee-san at all! Besides, hasn't the Spica team's training not finished yet?"
Seeing that the two Uma Musume were about to start bickering, Starlight quickly waved her hands with a smile.
"It's okay, Teio-chan. Mayano-chan isn't causing me any trouble. On the contrary, look at you— why are the dark circles under your eyes so heavy?"
Starlight reached out and gently brushed Teio's cheek, her fingers grazing over the other girl's tear troughs in concern.
Teio froze slightly at Starlight's gentle touch.
Then, with a faint blush on her cheeks and shifting eyes, she stammered:
"Ah, well, Starlight-senpai... actually, last night..."
Hidden behind Starlight, Mayano caught Teio's eye and frantically waved her hands, her expression full of pleading.
'No way, Teio-chan! I just established a good image with onee-san, it hasn't even been half an hour yet— don't ruin it!'
'Ugh... but since you put it that way, how am I supposed to find another excuse?!'
Starlight narrowed her eyes as if seeing through them, and she gently placed her hand on Mayano's little head behind her.
"Well, since Teio can't seem to say it, maybe Mayano-chan can tell me? You are roommates, after all~"
"Ah... uh... Mayano-chan went to bed very early last night, so I don't know what Teio-chan was doing, onee-san!"
"Is that so? It seems Mayano-chan has a very regular routine."
"Of course! Hehe, what do you think, onee-san~ Mayano-chan is a good girl, right...?"
Starlight turned around and gave the girl's head a light knock.
"A good girl? If Mayano-chan is willing to tell me the truth, then definitely."
"So, you're telling me the truth, right? Mayano-chan definitely wouldn't lie to me, would she?"
Looking at Divine Starlight's smile, which was filled with a warm radiance, Mayano suddenly felt a pang of guilt.
A drop of cold sweat rolled down her forehead, and her head involuntarily drooped.
"Um... onee-san, Mayano dragged Teio into playing games last night... all the way until midnight. I'm sorry!"
'Waaaah! I wanted to leave a good impression on Starlight-senpai, but why did I blur it all out the moment I saw her smile?'
"While staying up late to play games isn't great, everyone needs to relax when under a lot of pressure."
"Mayano-chan's condition is clearly much better than Teio-chan's, so you must be used to staying up late."
"Ah, well... um, I guess so."
Kiryuu Inami, who had followed them over, saw the scene and didn't interrupt.
Instead, she silently pressed the club room keys into Starlight's hand.
"Starlight-chan, it looks like Senior Ryo Nishizaki and the others will still be a while. Take these two inside to wait. It's still a bit cold out, so don't let them catch a cold."
"Understood, Inami-chan."
Seeing Inami hurry away with her bag— likely having urgent business to attend to— Starlight didn't say much more.
She turned to look at the two little ones beside her.
Though, she wasn't actually much taller than them herself.
"Ahem, alright~ let's go inside and wait."
Pushing open the door to the club room, Starlight began changing her clothes while calling out to them.
"Teio-chan, you and Mayano-chan take a rest for a bit to recover. We don't want any accidents when the coaching starts later."
"Okay, Starlight-senpai!"
"Onee-san~! Let me help you change, hehe!"
Placing a hand against Mayano's forehead to block her, Starlight shook her head.
"I won't trouble Mayano-chan with that."
"Aww~ fine!"
Stepping out of the changing room, Mayano sat down next to Teio, feeling a bit regretful that she hadn't succeeded in helping Starlight change.
However, she had something more important to do: Post an update.
After editing the photo of herself and Starlight, she paired it with a caption.
Cute Mayano-chan~: Taking photos with onee-san today, so happy... [Image.jpg]
"Starlight-senpai is so gentle, you just naturally feel happy when you're around her, right?"
"Mhm, yeah! Coming along with you this time was definitely the right choice."
Mayano put down her phone and said with a squinted smile.
After changing into her school uniform, Starlight came over and sat down beside the two of them.
She pulled a box out of her bag and pushed it toward the two Uma Musume.
"These are the cupcakes I made with the President yesterday. If you don't mind, please try some."
Tokai Teio's eyes lit up.
She excitedly opened the box, and seeing the neatly arranged cupcakes inside, she hurriedly grabbed one.
"Wow~! A dessert made by the President and Starlight-senpai together! I definitely have to try it! Thank you, Starlight-senpai!"
"Then Mayano-chan will take one too! Onee-san's handiwork is so good, the little cakes are so delicate, they must taste amazing!"
Watching the two Uma Musume happily eating the cakes, Starlight felt an extra sense of warmth.
She truly enjoyed the process of looking after other cute Uma Musume.
After finishing the cake, Tokai Teio looked at Starlight, who had been silently watching them from the side.
She said somewhat bashfully:
"Um, Starlight-senpai... can I lean on your shoulder and take a nap for a bit?"
Startled for a moment, Starlight then reached out her hands and gently cupped Tokai Teio's head.
She tenderly guided her down onto her lap.
"Well~ leaning on a shoulder is quite uncomfortable. Is this okay, Teio-chan?"
"Ah, of course! Thank you, Starlight-senpai!"
Gently stroking the girl's head, Starlight simply waited.
Beside them, Mayano continued to scroll through her phone while eating her cupcake.
After an unknown amount of time, Teio was awakened by Starlight.
"Let's head out. Trainer Ryo Nishizaki said they're finishing up now."
Sitting up, Teio shook her slightly dazed head.
Once she regained her energy, she stood up and said in a livel tone:
"Alright! We can finally start. Are we going to a karaoke place? Or straight to the dance studio?"
"We'll save the karaoke for tomorrow. Let's head to the dance studio today, okay?"
"Mm, then we'll do whatever Starlight-senpai says!"
"Me too! I'll follow whatever onee-san says!"
The Dance Studio at Tracen Academy.
As the doors were slowly pushed open, Vodka and Daiwa Scarlet squeezed their way in first, as if they were in the middle of a bet.
They were followed by Gold Ship, who had her hands behind her head, looking bored as usual.
At the very back were Special Week and Silence Suzuka, who were chatting.
Once all the Uma Musume had entered, they watched Tokai Teio, who was already performing her unique steps in the open space.
"Are those the legendary 'Teio Steps'?"
Hearing them, the three turned toward Team Spica.
"Ah~ We've been waiting for you for ages. You finally made it," Mayano pouted in complaint.
"Master! I'm ready!"
"You've got a lot of spirit, Spe-chan! Well then, you three start by stretching with Teio~"
"Eh? O-okay~"
Vodka, Daiwa Scarlet, and Special Week stood beside Tokai Teio, watching as she effortlessly lifted one leg.
With her other leg pushing back and her palm raised forward, she maintained perfect balance.
In contrast, look at these three.
One was wobbling all over the place, one couldn't stretch out at all, and one had a cramp.
Naturally, the one with the cramp was Special Week.
Starlight was now crouching beside her, her hands carefully massaging the cramped part of Spe-chan's calf.
"Does it feel any better?"
"Ahaha... much better. Thanks for the help, Master~!"
"You guys~ Your basics are really a bit lacking!"
"Honestly, have you even been attending your dance classes properly?"
Clutching her head, Tokai Teio said while shaking her head.