"Starlight-chan, you were the one who said we shouldn't let it go to waste. I just couldn't bear to see such delicious sweets simply wiped away..."
Taking a half-step back, Starlight looked at Mejiro McQueen's dead-serious expression and couldn't help but associate it with the other girl's legendary obsession with sweets.
She actually found herself thinking that this behavior was somehow... normal for her.
Seeing that Starlight was no longer resisting, McQueen used her finger to swipe another bit of cream from her cheek.
"Alright, alright, stop that. It's making me feel a bit awkward. I'm going to go wash up, McQueen-chan, go eat the cake on the table over there."
For the first time, a sense of panic welled up in Starlight's heart. It was for no other reason than seeing Silence Suzuka and Special Week nearby, both wearing starving expressions.
A cold shiver ran down her spine.
As Starlight fled, Suzuka felt a sudden wave of regret.
She looked at McQueen, who was squinting in pure bliss, and asked curiously: "The cake... how does it taste?"
McQueen blinked, not expecting Suzuka to ask her that.
She turned to face her and pursed her lips with a very serious expression. "Yes. It's delicious..."
'There's just cake on my face, I haven't actually turned into a cake, you don't have to be like this...'
After cleaning up, Starlight returned to the clubroom, where everyone was now chatting and laughing.
The cake and other delicacies on the table were mostly finished, so Ryo Nishizaki began his announcement.
"Very well. Next up is Suzuka's Takarazuka Kinen. Your biggest rival will be Team Rigil's 'Empress,' Air Groove! Any problems?"
Ryo Nishizaki clapped his hands to gather everyone's attention and spoke to Suzuka with a smile.
Nodding, Suzuka gently clenched her fist, her expression calm yet confident.
"No problem... I won't hand over the scenery before my eyes to anyone."
Seeing this, Ryo Nishizaki smiled.
"Excellent. Special Week's victory in the Derby is the start of Team Spica's rise. I believe all of you will shine on your respective stages from now on. Let's all give it our best!!"
Over the next few days, aside from daily classes, Starlight focused on regular training. However, the strange thing was that little cat, Seiun Sky.
Every time, she would peek at Starlight from a distance, but the moment Starlight turned her gaze toward her, she would lower her head and scurry away gloomily.
Scratching her head, Starlight stood at the entrance of the cafeteria, watching Sei-chan eating with Special Week and the others.
Those shifty eyes of hers would drift over intentionally or unintentionally.
'Should I find a chance to have a proper talk with that little one? Why is she so afraid of me...?'
Confused, Starlight walked into the cafeteria, selected her meal, and sat in an empty spot.
Looking at the fresh set meal before her, Starlight was just about to start eating when suddenly, the petite Dream Journey sat down elegantly beside her.
"You don't mind if I sit next to you, do you? Starlight-chan..."
As those lazy yet gentle eyes gazed over, Starlight smiled and waved her hand.
"Of course not. I'm happy you're here, Dream-chan."
"That's good then."
Orfevre also naturally took a seat on Starlight's other side. She picked up a croquette and placed it directly onto Starlight's tray.
"Here. Be grateful, Starlight-chan. This is a gift from this majestic ruler."
"Ahaha... thank you, Orfe-chan."
Starlight gave a wry smile, having gradually grown accustomed to this Uma Musume who occasionally spouted dramatic lines.
Although she acted bossy, she was very mindful of boundaries and possessed her own unique brand of gentleness.
"Are you free to play chess this afternoon? I recently purchased a set of international chess made of special jade from a relative abroad."
"Sure, though I'm not very familiar with chess. You have to go easy on me, Dream-chan~"
Dream Journey said nothing, only offering a cryptic smile as she looked at Starlight and gave a slight nod.
Beside her, Orfevre seemed to see right through her big sister's intentions, silently wearing a mysterious smile of her own.
Across the room, at the Junior High Class C table:
The perceptive Grass Wonder noticed where Seiun Sky was looking and caught her distracted air.
She asked curiously: "Sei-chan... what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Opposite them, Special Week and El Condor Pasa stopped their chatting and looked over with concern.
Seeing the three Uma Musume's gazes fixed on her, Seiun Sky unconsciously lowered her head, trying her best to maintain her usual nonchalant tone.
"No, it's nothing. What could possibly be wrong? Maybe I just didn't sleep well last night..."
Picking up her chopsticks, Seiun Sky poked at the fish on her plate.
"Mmm... is that so? Then I'll go ask Starlight-chan in a bit. After all, your attention seems to be entirely on her."
"It must have something to do with Starlight-chan, right?"
Grass Wonder's tone remained calm, her eyes narrowing as a very gentle smile played on her lips.
Sure enough, as soon as Grass Wonder said that, Seiun Sky couldn't sit still. She hurriedly looked up at her.
"Don't... it's not a big deal. There's no need to go looking for Starlight-chan..."
"Oh~ then please tell us, Sei-chan. We're very worried when you act like this." "Yeah, Sei-chan, what exactly happened?" Special Week chimed in from across the table.
Staring conflictedly at the fish that had been poked into a mess on her plate, Seiun Sky seemed to come to a decision.
She set her chopsticks down and sighed. "Sigh... Actually, it's nothing. I'm just... a little afraid of Starlight-chan."
"Afraid? Starlight-senpai doesn't seem like the strict type at all, and it's not like you did anything wrong," El Condor Pasa said, tilting her head in confusion.
"Exactly. Starlight-chan is so gentle, even if you did offend her, she would probably forgive you," Grass Wonder agreed with a nod.
At that moment, Special Week's eyes flashed as if she had realized everything.
"Could it be... you've also been joining Starlight-chan's morning practices lately? Are you afraid of her coming to your door personally to wake you up!?"
The other three Uma Musume fell into an instant silence.
After a long pause, El Condor Pasa asked, completely speechless: "What kind of reason is that?"
"Aww, you guys don't understand! The way Starlight-chan wakes people up is super, super terrifying! To the point where I don't dare sleep in anymore," Special Week said, clutching her head as if recalling some great horror.
"It's not that. I just..." T
widdling her fingers, Seiun Sky steeled herself and decided to spill the truth.
"Actually, after winning the Satsuki Sho... I told Senpai that I wouldn't let her smile go to waste."
"But for this Derby, Senpai spent so much time training with me, and I still didn't win."
"When I think about how I overslept again right before the race... yet Senpai still used that incredibly gentle gaze to encourage and comfort me, I just feel... guilty."
As she spoke, Seiun Sky grew increasingly bashful, her voice getting lower and lower until those last few words were barely squeezed out.
Seiun Sky finished her piece, but Special Week and the others didn't say anything for a moment.
They watched her embarrassed and uncharacteristic expression, usually, this cat didn't care about anything and always looked lazy and carefree.
"Haha, Hahaha!"
"Hehehe..."
"Wh-What are you all laughing at!"
With a faint blush rising on her face, Seiun Sky looked at the other three Uma Musume in confusion and demanded an answer.