At noon, inside the Miho Dormitory.
Because the room faced north and didn't get much sunlight, it was a bit cool and shady.
Seiun Sky lay on her bed, holding a manga book and flipping through it with great interest.
She was wearing white shorts, and her left ankle was wrapped in a white bandage. There was also a band-aid stuck to her cheek.
"Sigh... Flower-chan has training this afternoon and can't stay with me. But luckily, Starlight-chan is coming over in a bit..."
She looked at the lit-up screen of her phone next to her.
Starlight: Flower told me everything. I'll head to your place as soon as I've packed some food.
Sky: Hooray~ Starlight-chan...
The corners of her mouth curled up.
At the thought of spending the entire afternoon— and perhaps the next few days— with Starlight, Seiun Sky was in a very good mood.
"Hum~ hum-hum..."
Humming an unknown tune leisurely, she returned her attention to her manga.
Back at the cafeteria, Nishino Flower had left in a hurry after finishing her meal to discuss the afternoon's training with her trainer.
Starlight looked at King Halo, who was sitting opposite her with her head lowered, rubbing her hands together, and asked curiously:
"What's wrong, King-chan? Are you still hungry?"
"No, Starlight-senpai, I'm full. Thank you for the chicken leg."
"That's good. Do you have any plans for later?"
"I... I made plans with a few friends to go flower viewing and have tea."
"Is that so? That sounds lovely. Well, have a great time! I'll be going now~" Starlight said, picking up the packed lunch box beside her.
"Yes, you too, Starlight-senpai. Goodbye..."
Watching the other girl's departing figure, King Halo seemed to remember something and raised her hand to call out to her.
"Um, Senpai... what are you going to do now?"
"Well~ I'm going to take care of Sky-chan. she was injured in the race yesterday."
At those words, King Halo's body stiffened.
She began to tremble slightly as Seiun Sky's words from yesterday echoed in her mind.
'Putting my life on the line, huh...'
"Is something wrong?"
"Ah, it's nothing. Please go ahead, Senpai."
"Mhm, bye-bye~"
Turning away, Starlight walked out of the cafeteria and made her way to Seiun Sky's room.
Upon opening the door, she immediately saw the little cat lying on the bed.
"You're finally here, Starlight-chan~"
"Sorry, Sky-chan, I got held up for a bit."
Seiun Sky waved her hand and closed her manga, placing it by the bed.
"It's fine. It's enough that you're here."
Closing the door, Starlight brought the lunch box to the bedside and placed the bag on the nightstand. "Well then, let's eat~"
Seiun Sky's eyes curved into crescents as she leaned her weight onto Starlight's shoulder, slowly swaying her head.
It was so ticklish that Starlight reached out and gave Seiun Sky's head a gentle rap.
"Stop playing around, hurry up and eat."
"Starlight-chan, feed me~"
Turning her head to look Seiun Sky over, Starlight said somewhat helplessly, "It's your ankle that's injured, not your hands. I'm not doing it."
"Starlight-chan~ please? I worked so hard and even got hurt for it— can't you give me a little reward?"
Seiun Sky rubbed her eyes, feigning sadness, while peeking at Starlight with a pleading tone.
With a sigh, Starlight leaned in closer and rubbed the girl's head.
"Alright, alright. Sky-chan really did do a great job. I'll listen to whatever you say today..."
Seiun Sky's eyes widened slightly. "Really? Starlight-chan will listen to everything I say today?"
Nodding, Starlight pinched the girl's soft cheek. "Yes, yes~ So, let's eat properly first, okay?"
"Mhm, mhm!"
Narrowing her eyes, Seiun Sky hummed contentedly as she turned around and lay back into Starlight's embrace, resting her head against the other's warm chest.
"I'm ready. Come on, Starlight-chan..."
Picking up the chopsticks and looking down at the little head in her lap, Starlight said teasingly, "You really know how to enjoy yourself, Sky-chan."
And so, Starlight chatted with the girl while feeding the lazy little cat in her arms.
After lunch, once Starlight had finished tossing out the trash, she followed Seiun Sky's instructions and sat kneeling on the bed.
The "cat" immediately lay down across those soft, fair thighs.
Seiun Sky narrowed her eyes in pure bliss.
Cupping the girl's cheeks with both hands, Starlight began to knead and massage them gently while they chatted.
Even though no sunlight reached the room, a sense of warmth and coziness filled the entire dormitory.
"Starlight-chan, Haru Urara went to participate in a debut race, did you know?"
"Oh? Really? She's entering a debut race again? She truly is a persistent little Uma Musume~" Starlight praised, as a vision of Urara's bright, cheerful smile flashed through her mind.
"Mhm... I hope she can successfully debut this time..."
"Sss— Starlight-chan, you touched my wound!"
Suddenly, Starlight's finger accidentally brushed against the scrape on Seiun Sky's cheek, causing the girl to hiss in pain.
"Ah! Sorry, Sky-chan! Are you okay...?"
"It's fine, it's fine. It's just a minor scrape. The turf on that track is surprisingly hard..." Seiun Sky grumbled, quickly returning to her usual lazy state.
"Listen to you... who told you to run like that? When you fell, my heart nearly leaped out of my chest. Luckily, you stood right back up the next second."
"Hehe, wasn't that what Starlight-chan taught me at the very beginning? To put my life on the line for a race?"
Starlight's eyes widened slightly.
Recalling the scene from back then, her eyes curved into crescents, and she couldn't help but laugh softly.
"And here I thought you were just a little slacker who loved to fish..."
The hand stroking the girl's cheek grew gentler as Starlight muttered with a hint of reproach in her tone, "Don't do that again."
"You were lucky this time and didn't get seriously hurt. If your luck runs out next time, you'll be stuck in a hospital bed, you know?"
"Mhm, I know..."
Suddenly, Seiun Sky reached up and caught Starlight's hand.
She opened her eyes, looking into the golden gaze of the girl above her, and spoke with a rare seriousness.
"Every time I lost a race, Starlight-chan would always comfort me with that gentle smile... welcoming the 'me' who had failed."
"I didn't want that. I really, really wanted to win just once. I really, really wanted you to use that smile to welcome a me who returned in triumph..."
"When I stood at the finish line and saw your face smiling because I had won, I was so happy. So, it was worth it."
Seiun Sky wasn't usually such a talkative person, but today she had said a great deal all at once.
Narrowing her eyes, Starlight said jokingly, "So... it's actually my fault then? I'm the one who has been invisibly pushing Sky-chan forward."
"No, that's not what I meant, I—"
Just as Seiun Sky started to explain, her pupils shrank.
She watched as that beautiful face slowly drew closer.
Starlight leaned down, pressing her forehead against Seiun Sky's.
"You were truly wonderful... The sight of Sky-chan galloping across the track was so cool and so beautiful."
"It's the kind of beauty I'll never forget for the rest of my life..."
Slowly lifting her head, Starlight gave the girl's forehead a light kiss.
Sitting back up and regaining her composure, she added with a slightly lecturing tone:
"But still, don't do it again. I don't want to see Sky-chan get hurt, okay?"
"Mhm... I... I-I... I understand."
Responding in a daze, Seiun Sky's face was now completely flushed red.