On the training grounds in the early morning, that familiar silver-haired figure made a long-awaited appearance.
Like a young filly who had only just learned to run, she jogged stumbling across the grass, her training suit slightly dusty.
It seemed the set she had just washed wasn't dry yet, so she'd had to make do.
Step by step, Starlight's worn-out running shoes crunched against the grass, making a rustling sound.
Although her pace wasn't fast and she looked relaxed, it was still a bit too much for a silver-haired Uma Musume who had only just begun to recover.
Running at full power was still out of the question.
But Starlight wasn't discouraged. A smile played on her lips, and there was a spark deep in her eyes.
"Starlight...?"
From a distance came the uncertain voice of Symboli Rudolf.
Hearing this, Divine Starlight stopped and turned around, waving a greeting.
"Good morning~ Madame President."
"Why are you here training? Isn't your injury still healing?"
"Hehe, just a bit of slow practice. I can't just lie around forever, right? Besides, I have someone I want to defeat now! I have to work hard."
At those words, Rudolf's body stiffened.
After a long silence, she finally asked:
"Who? To make you so dedicated that you'd risk further injury just to train..."
Her tone carried a hint of jealousy. It seems our President isn't as composed as she appears on the surface.
"I don't know either~ Haha... She's very beautiful, with pink-and-white hair, and she's incredibly fast. Once I outrun her, I'll get to know her name!"
"Do you... do you care about her that much? Do you like her?"
"I don't think it's like that yet. Besides, she's just someone I saw in a dream. She doesn't exist in reality."
'That... Well, that's a relief.'
"I have work to do, so I won't stay long. Watch your safety. If your leg can't take it, rest immediately. Don't force me to come and catch you myself."
Nodding, the silver-haired Uma Musume waved goodbye, looking quite well-behaved.
"Yes, yes, I promise to follow your orders, Madame President~"
After walking a few steps, Rudolf couldn't help but look back at Starlight moving slowly across the grass, muttering under her breath.
"A pink-and-white Uma Musume... very strong... Does she like pink hair? Maybe I should dye mine?"
Ritto Dormitory, Tokai Teio's Room.
Scratching her messy hair, Tokai Teio slowly sat up in bed.
She glanced at Mayano Top Gun, who was still snoring loudly beside her.
"Sigh... No, I have to clear up the misunderstanding today! Otherwise, how am I supposed to stay by Senpai's side and train together in the future?"
Though she said this, whether she simply wanted to train with Starlight as a fellow injured Uma or had some other motive... perhaps only Teio knows.
She leisurely folded her blankets.
Looking at the goals she had crossed out one by one with a marker on the wall, her eyes filled with complex emotions.
After a moment of hesitation, she picked up the marker and wrote down the name: Starlight-senpai.
She only wrote the name and didn't follow it with anything else.
Tokai Teio paused.
She wasn't spacing out, she was reminiscing. She remembered the first time she met Starlight.
'Back then, Senpai was just an unknown Uma Musume— just very beautiful and very hardworking.'
'During the summer training camp, I saw how hard she worked and asked to train with her, running alongside that silver-haired Uma Musume...'
As she thought about it, Teio's face turned slightly red.
She tossed the marker aside and hurried off to wash up. After changing, she rushed out the door.
Nearby, the orange-haired Uma Musume slowly woke up.
Stretching, Mayano Top Gun watched Teio's series of mysterious actions, blinked, and said in confusion:
"Are we playing some new kind of game?"
By the street, at a drink cart, Teio ordered a Honey Drink Special.
Clutching the large cup, she sipped as she trotted toward the campus.
"Hachimi, Hachimi, Hachimi... Hachimi wo na-me-ru-to~ Good morning, Miss Hayakawa!"
"Good morning, Teio-san."
Walking along the small campus path, Teio looked at the half-finished Honey Drink in her hand and let out a relaxed sigh.
"As I thought, when you're unhappy, you should drink something sweet—."
As she passed the training grounds, Teio's eyes drifted to the side, and she suddenly froze in her tracks.
The sun had risen, casting its light across the vast training field and over the silver-haired figure struggling to run.
At some point, the golden gradient at the tips of her hair seemed to have grown even deeper and more profound.
'Doesn't anyone else find this sacred?'
"Senpai has started her morning training again... then I... I can't fall behind either!"
Her steps, which were originally headed toward the cafeteria, faltered.
Teio used her crutches to head to the Team Spica clubroom.
After changing into her training suit and running shoes, she tossed her crutches aside and walked toward the training ground, her gait slightly trembling.
"Hah... huff... hah..."
With her head lowered, Starlight panted heavily, her face drenched in sweat.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps matching her own frequency appeared behind her. She turned her head in confusion.
She was met with Tokai Teio's brilliant smile.
"Teio?"
"Senpai, really... call me for the next training session!"
"...Alright. I'll call you next time."
'Perhaps she was right, I really did misunderstand Teio...'
'Teio is so pure-hearted and focused entirely on racing, how could she possibly have romance on her mind?'
A certain pink-and-white Uma Musume who wishes to remain anonymous: "Just what exactly did you understand?!"
Time flowed slowly as Starlight and Teio finished their morning practice.
Walking back to the Spica training room, Starlight looked at the brown-haired girl leaning against her shoulder and said helplessly:
"I haven't washed these clothes yet, Teio. They're very dirty."
Taking a light sniff and feeling Starlight's scent and fragrance fill her senses, Teio narrowed her eyes and said:
"Not at all. Senpai isn't dirty~"
After arriving at the clubroom and sitting down, Starlight took off her running shoes and pulled spare wet wipes and ointment from her bag.
She peeled off her white socks, revealing flushed feet still damp with sweat.
She rested them to the side, waiting a moment before applying the medicine.
Beside her, Teio blinked, looked at Starlight, and then slowly shifted her gaze downward.
"What's wrong, Teio? Do you want to apply some ointment too? The hospital prescribed this for me, it has a soothing, cooling effect..."
"Sure... but Senpai is so tired, how about I help you?"
"No need, I can do it myself..."
"Eh? Does Senpai dislike me? Even though I'm being so kind and wanting to help..."
As soon as that slightly coquettish tone came out, Starlight felt a bit flustered.
"It's not that, I just didn't want to trouble you."
Snatching the wet wipes from Starlight's hand, Teio slowly squatted down in front of the silver-haired Uma Musume.
"Sigh. Just let me help you, Senpai—"
Feeling her foot being lifted, Starlight's face turned a shade of red.
Looking at Teio's earnest expression, she hesitated for a moment but eventually agreed.
"Then... then I'll trouble you..."
Squinting her eyes, Teio applied the medicine while teasing with a smile.
"Oh~ Senpai's face is so red... just like a strawberry-flavored Daifuku..."
"What kind of strange metaphor is that?"
"Hehe... alright, I won't tease Senpai anymore. I heard the third period is swimming class, and our class is overlapping with Senpai's. I'll come find you to play then, Starlight-senpai!"
"Mhm, alright. Though I don't think we can do much in swimming class right now. Usually, I just sit on the side and read a book..."