Alone in her dormitory, Kousei buried herself beneath the covers.
The Classic Triple Crown season had ended, and Kousei had achieved nothing. After a series of crushing defeats, she withdrew in dismal fashion. This meant that she and the two other Umamusume who had debuted in the same year would now follow completely different paths.
McQueen would continue her ascent, aiming for the Tenno Sho Trophy. With dwindling support, Kousei would be relegated to lower-tier races if she wanted to continue at all. Their paths would diverge completely, stripping her of any claim to being McQueen's rival.
Truth be told, no one had ever considered her McQueen's rival, except for McQueen herself.
She had ruined the Japanese Derby, a stage even grander than Teio's.
After the Derby, Kousei underwent medical treatment. Dr. Takuya assured her there were no physical issues; her body had simply been unable to keep up with the grueling conditions of the race. A short rest would suffice.
However, she failed to make any significant impact at the subsequent Kikuka Sho.
The problem wasn't physical; it was mental.
Following the Kikuka Sho, McQueen's fame soared even higher, though she already enjoyed considerable renown. Her dominant performance in that race solidified the consensus: Mejiro McQueen would become the greatest long-distance runner in history.
The fame brought by their accomplishments propelled the Twins to stardom. Their names echoed through every street and alley, inescapable no matter where you went.
McQueen was now incredibly busy, frequently fielding interviews with reporters. She handled them with effortless grace, her composed and elegant responses a testament to her elite upbringing.
McQueen had tried to reach out to Kousei, but Kousei, unsure how to face her, had been distracted and distant during their meetings. An invisible wall seemed to have grown between them.
Though Kousei insisted she didn't mind competing in lower-tier races and would give it her all, McQueen knew she was deeply disheartened. Without a single victory and having lost her chance to rival McQueen, the girl McQueen had once saved was once again plunging into the Abyss.
Assuming Kousei needed time to adjust, they had stopped contacting each other recently. Despite their classrooms being right next door, they tacitly avoided each other.
Inside the classroom, a perfect test paper lay on Kousei's desk as she stared absently out the window. Untrained Umamusume were training diligently outside, their faces unclouded by worry, filled only with anticipation for the future.
"Was that the same expression I wore back then?"
During lunch break, Kousei found herself on the rooftop again. This was where she and McQueen had first met—a quiet, open space where two grey-haired figures had often lingered.
Now, she stood alone.
Kousei quietly ate her bread, her eyes betraying no emotion. She wasn't even sure why she had come here, drawn by some inexplicable impulse.
The wind on the rooftop was as refreshing as ever, its cool touch soothing.
"I was napping on the rooftop when someone woke me up. I looked down, and McQueen was standing right there... Huh?"
Kousei paused, her hand freezing mid-motion. As she followed the memory, she realized that the spot where McQueen had stood was now occupied by a familiar figure.
Sirius Symboli.
Her dark, beast-like vertical pupils and towering frame radiated intimidation, even from Kousei's low angle. She stood there with an unmistakable air of stubborn determination.
In Kousei's memory, Sirius had always looked this ferocious. Kousei glanced at her briefly before resuming her meal, uninterested in starting a conversation.
But Sirius continued to stare intently at Kousei, her gaze intense and inscrutable. The prolonged scrutiny made Kousei's skin crawl until she finally snapped.
"If you have something to say, say it. Stop standing there like an eyesore."
Sirius smirked coldly. "Hmph! I'm observing the pitiful state of a loser."
Faced with such blatant provocation, Kousei's eyes turned icy.
"Looking for a fight?"
"Didn't I tell you? If you can't grasp what truly matters, you'll never defeat McQueen," Sirius replied, her words seemingly unrelated to the previous exchange.
Kousei suddenly remembered Sirius saying something similar during training.
"So what? If you're here to mock me, you can get lost," Kousei snapped, her tone sharp.
Sirius didn't react with anger; instead, she chuckled. "In that case, you resemble your mother more than I thought."
"What?" Kousei asked, both suspicious and alarmed. "Why bring up my mother?"
"No reason. I just find it... intriguing to see her daughter."
Intriguing? Now Kousei understood the meaning behind Sirius's gaze outside the Student Council gate. Sirius must have been looking through her at someone else—perhaps someone who knew her mother well.
"You knew my mother?"
"Of course. And not just her."
Not just her? Kousei was surprised. She had always been curious about her parents' past. She knew about her mother's racing career, but not her name. Without the videos her father had given her, she wouldn't even know about her mother's races.
Her parents had deliberately concealed their past. Now, someone who knew her mother's past was right in front of her, the long-hidden truth suddenly within reach.
"Please tell me about my mother!"
Kousei's curiosity about her mother overwhelmed all other emotions. At that moment, she desperately wanted to know everything about her.
Sirius cast her a meaningful glance. "I see. I'm afraid I can't tell you anything about your mother."
Kousei felt a twinge of disappointment at Sirius's answer.
"Why dwell on the unknowable past? Wouldn't it be better to focus on the future?" Sirius suggested.
"The future is certainly better, but..."
But the innate connection of blood was difficult to articulate. The reason her mother had been calling out to her had haunted her for so long.
"Come here, little one," Sirius beckoned with a flick of her finger.
"Huh?"
Sirius offered no explanation, simply urging Kousei forward. Bewildered, Kousei followed Sirius.
"Where are you taking me?"
"Where? Just to give you a gift."
A gift? They had only just met. Why would she suddenly offer a gift?
Suspicion clouded Kousei's mind as she trailed behind Sirius.
"Go on in," Sirius said.
Kousei looked up and realized they were at the Chairman's office.
"Why are you bringing me here?" Kousei's confusion deepened.
Sirius's expression didn't seem malicious, and she had explicitly said it was a gift for her.
What kind of gift could this be?
Kousei knocked on the door. After receiving permission, she slowly pushed it open and froze in place.