Inside a private room of a restaurant by the seaside.
Divine Starlight picked up a mouthful of shredded carrots with her chopsticks and began to chew, her eyes fixed on Bourbon sitting across from her.
The other girl had her head lowered, her ears drooping against her hair.
Although she was steadily bringing food to her mouth with her chopsticks, she clearly didn't seem to be in a very good mood.
"What's wrong, Bourbon-chan? Is the food not to your liking?"
Startled by Starlight's concerned voice, Mihono Bourbon's movements stiffened.
She looked up, her eyes darting away for a brief moment before she spoke.
"No..."
"Then, are you just not hungry yet?"
"That is not it either..."
Resting a finger against her chin, Starlight thought for a moment and then put on a mock-sad expression.
"Then... it must be that you don't want to eat with me, right? It's my fault~"
"No! That's not it—"
As if triggered, Mihono Bourbon suffered a rare loss of emotional control.
"Don't worry, I didn't mean to blame you, Bourbon-chan. Since none of those are the reason, why are you unhappy? Talk to me."
Getting up to sit beside Bourbon, Starlight reached out and stroked the girl's head.
Even though her mind felt a bit reluctant to be treated this way, Bourbon's body was quite honest.
A faint fragrance lingered around her nose, and as she looked into Starlight's concerned gaze, the hand on her head felt incredibly gentle.
'I don't want to leave...'
Her blue eyes trembled for a moment, and Bourbon finally spoke with some hesitation.
"Because... I destroyed Senpai's phone..."
"Oh, that matter. Actually, it wasn't Bourbon-chan's fault at all. My phone was already lagging like crazy~ I've wanted to change it for a long time, you know?"
"I just never had a real reason to replace it. Bourbon-chan actually helped me out."
Obviously, those words were spoken just to comfort her.
But that's how it goes sometimes, knowing the other person's kindness and knowing their words are meant to comfort you only makes you feel more guilty.
'Starlight-senpai not only led me through training, but also took care of me when I was exhausted and even treated me to lunch, yet I broke her phone...'
After a brief moment of inward self-reproach, Bourbon's blue eyes grew determined.
She slowly reached out and grasped Starlight's hand, which was currently stroking her pink hair.
"Senpai, this is my fault. Please do not comfort me further. I would like to help Senpai with some tasks over the next two months to compensate for your loss."
Bourbon had considered offering monetary compensation, but based on their time together, she was certain Starlight would never accept it.
"Is that so... you silly child. Alright, alright. Since that's the case, let's eat first~"
"Yes, understood, Senpai."
Nodding, Mihono Bourbon returned to her usual "robotic" demeanor.
"Bourbon-chan~"
"What is it, Senpai?"
"Can you let go of my hand now?"
Bourbon's gaze slowly moved away from Starlight's smile and down to the small hand she was tightly gripping.
...
After a brief silence...
Swish!
Mihono Bourbon let go of Starlight's hand instantly and scooted a short distance away.
Her face flushed crimson, and she hung her head, not daring to look at the silver-haired Uma Musume beside her.
Seeing this, Starlight merely chuckled a few times and stopped teasing her.
She returned to her original seat and enjoyed her lunch.
In the afternoon, at a certain shallow beach where several reefs formed a small tide pool.
From a distance, Starlight spotted Daitaku Helios and Mejiro Palmer holding tree branches, busy doing something unknown.
"Yay! Starlight-chan, Starlight-chan, you're here~!!"
Catching a glimpse of that silver figure in her peripheral vision, Daitaku Helios tossed the branch aside and ran over without a second thought.
She waved her hands and shouted at the top of her lungs, looking incredibly lively.
Whoosh.
As she drew closer, she went as far as to lung forward, pulling Divine Starlight into a tight embrace.
"Oof..."
Stumbling back a few steps, Starlight chided her with a hint of reproach.
"Didn't I tell you not to do that next time? You almost knocked me over!"
"Ehehe... definitely next time~"
Daitaku Helios rubbed her cheek against the chest she had been longing for, sniffing the unique fragrance on the other girl's body as she spoke in a slightly coquettish tone.
With her hands behind her head, Mejiro Palmer slowly climbed down from the reef and spoke to Starlight with a look of helplessness.
"Starlight-chan, this girl has been chanting your name in my ear nonstop, I was about to throw up... Thank goodness you're here, otherwise, this would have been more painful than sitting through class."
"Is that so? Did Helios-chan miss me that much?"
"O-o-o-of course I did! I missed you to death... Starlight-chan, what did you and the Young Lady do yesterday?"
Lifting her head, Daitaku Helios stared at Starlight's face with her golden eyes, a flicker of heat revealing itself in her gaze.
"Well, because I have to attend a ball, she took me to pick out a dress."
The tension in Helios's heart finally eased.
She let go of Starlight and turned to grab her hand, leading her toward the small pool.
"Quick, let's go, Starlight-chan! I want to show you the fruits of Palmer's and my labor from this morning!"
"What is it?"
"Aiya, you'll know when you see it!"
Seeing this, Palmer waved her hand and explained.
"Yesterday while Helios and I were out for a stroll, we saw this little tide pool. The opening is really narrow, so most of the fish and shrimp that swim in can't get back out."
"So, the two of us moved some rocks to block the exit. Currently, there seem to be quite a few fish inside— oh, and a few crabs too."
Blinking, Starlight covered her mouth and chuckled softly.
"So when you told me yesterday you were going to catch crabs, you were actually catching crabs?"
"Of course..."
"But what about training? Aren't you two training? I recall the Student Council has an inspection team out."
Whether it was Starlight jinxing them or just coincidence, as soon as she finished speaking, a familiar, mature female voice rang out.
"Mejiro Palmer and Daitaku Helios, I've finally found you!"
Air Groove, accompanied by Hishi Amazon, walked briskly toward them with a clipboard in hand.
"Starlight-chan!!! What is with that mouth of yours?!"
Turning around to see the two approaching, Helios complained with a complicated expression.
She had just thought about grabbing Starlight and Palmer to run for it, but unexpectedly, a figure blocked her path and her hopes.
Symboli Rudolf was still wearing her pure black swimsuit, arms crossed over her chest. Her expression cold and her brow exuding an air of natural dominance.
She walked toward the three Uma Musume one step at a time in her sandals.
"Daitaku Helios and Mejiro Palmer of the Mejiro family!"
In a mere instant, Helios was frozen in place, all thoughts of escape gone.
By the time she snapped out of it, her arms were already being held by Air Groove and Hishi Amazon.
Ignoring those two Uma Musume, Rudolf went straight to the bewildered Divine Starlight's side.
She reached out, wrapped an arm around Starlight's waist, and led her toward the distant café.
After a few steps, Rudolf paused and turned her head to signal the others.
"Enough. If you hurry and find your Trainer this afternoon, you might still be able to meet today's targets."
Just like that, Helios looked for Air Groove and Hishi Amazon, who had disappeared at some unknown point, and then at the back of Rudolf with her arm around Starlight.
She clutched her head with both hands, her eyes wide with a look of utter disbelief.
"Girl, what is the meaning of this?!"
Watching her friend jumping around in a fit of rage, Mejiro Palmer waved her hand helplessly and said, "Well, there's nothing we can do once the President has taken her away. Let's just look for another chance, okay?"