Kousei stopped in her tracks, staring blankly in the direction the four figures had departed.
"What's wrong?"
Kousei pointed after them. "Those four... they felt different."
Sirius followed Kousei's gaze, her brow furrowing instantly.
"This feeling..."
Sirius's reaction was particularly striking, making Kousei acutely concerned. What could she have sensed to make her so agitated?
"What's the matter?" Kousei asked cautiously.
"No, it's nothing. You go ahead to the Training Track. Brian should be there already. I just remembered I have urgent business to attend to, so I need to leave ahead of you."
With those hurried words, Sirius rushed off. Kousei watched her go, deep in thought. No matter how she looked at it, Sirius's demeanor clearly indicated that something was amiss.
"So, Sirius rushed off after encountering those people on the way here?"
"Yes, Brian-senpai. Do you know anything about this?"
Narita Brian adopted an air of profound mystery. "I have my suspicions, but it likely doesn't concern you."
"Even so, I want to know!"
Despite Kousei's fervent curiosity, Brian remained unmoved, muttering to herself, "So, it's almost time..."
Kousei was accustomed to Brian's aloofness, but these troublesome seniors always treated her like a child. Since they clearly weren't going to tell her anything, there was nothing she could do.
"Little one," Brian said, "we're canceling the parallel run. Instead, you'll do stamina training—some endurance runs and weightlifting—then you can head back."
For the first time, Narita Brian, usually so aloof and elusive like a drifting cloud, showed a hint of something weighing on her mind.
The whole situation was utterly bizarre.
After finishing her weightlifting session, Kousei trudged down the street, her mind churning with thoughts about the others.
Why the secrecy? It only makes me more curious!
She felt like something was stuck in her chest. At this rate, an Umamusume might actually suffocate from her own thoughts.
Once again, she found herself at the fateful bench, where McQueen was sitting alongside Tokai Teio, whom she hadn't seen in ages.
"Ara, isn't that Kousei?" McQueen exclaimed.
"Yo!" Teio chimed in, waving a Bubble Tea and urging Kousei to sit down.
"Long time no see, Teio," Kousei said. "How's your recovery going?"
"Perfectly fine!" Teio replied, bouncing twice to show off her condition. "As expected of Dr. Takuya's daughter, Miss Fujino's medical skills are nothing short of extraordinary!"
Seeing Teio fully recovered, Kousei's spirits lifted considerably.
"Looks like Teio's back!"
"Hehe~ Just watch! Next up is the Invincible Teio's solo show!"
McQueen shook her head with a sigh. "Still the same old Teio."
"Well, Teio is Teio, after all," Kousei replied with a smile.
The three exchanged amused glances.
"Speaking of which, Kousei, you seem to have something on your mind," Teio remarked.
Sensing something was amiss, Kousei recounted her recent experiences to Teio and McQueen. After hearing her out, they too sensed something was amiss.
"Lately, whenever I've gone to see the President, she's been incredibly busy. She's always been busy, but never this overwhelmed. Plus, the atmosphere in the Student Council has been unusually tense lately. At first, I thought it was just my imagination."
"Indeed, Grandmother has also seemed quite anxious recently," McQueen added. "Even Ramonu onee-san, who's been traveling abroad, suddenly returned home, and Grandmother and she seem to be discussing something."
"Does the Mejiro Family know anything?" Kousei asked urgently, seizing the emerging lead.
"Ramonu onee-san has been in a private meeting with Grandmother in her room. I suppose it's because Ryan and I are just juniors, so we weren't included. I'm sorry, I really don't know anything about it."
Kousei looked slightly disappointed. Even McQueen and Teio, the two geniuses she idolized as nearly omnipotent, didn't know anything, which clearly exceeded her comprehension.
"Oh, why don't we ask T? As a Trainer, he must know something," McQueen suggested.
"That's right! I'll ask my Trainer too! He's bound to have some information," Teio eagerly agreed, looking eager to try.
"Then it's settled! Let's call each other tonight and share information!"
One couldn't help but admire Teio's initiative. She immediately dashed back to Tracen Academy, proving her leg injury had indeed fully healed.
Kousei and McQueen exchanged a glance and parted ways.
Back in the training room, Kousei pushed open the door and entered with McQueen. T's expression was serious as he stared intently at the screen, not moving an inch. Upon seeing Kousei enter, he instinctively turned off the screen.
"Training's over already?" T seemed slightly puzzled, as Kousei usually trained at this time.
"Yeah, Brian-senpai had to leave suddenly, so we just did some light physical conditioning today."
T murmured an acknowledgement, not pressing further.
"What are you looking at?"
Caught off guard by the direct question, T paused for a moment before recovering his composure. "Just some data on Umamusume."
Umamusume data?
"McQueen and Teio's, perhaps?"
"No, just some exceptional Umamusume. I'm hoping to analyze their data to develop a more suitable training plan and running style for you."
As a trainer, such an approach was perfectly reasonable.
"You seem quite busy lately, T."
"Mm, a bit. But don't worry, I can handle it. I'm working hard for Kousei too."
Kousei nodded silently, murmuring in agreement before turning and leaving the Training Room.
Once Kousei had left, T's gaze sharpened as he turned back to the screen.
"I'm no longer the greenhorn trainer I used to be. This time, I'll give it my all."
Kousei had never been one to pry, her time at Tracen having instilled in her a quiet, reserved nature.
No matter how deeply she cared, Kousei would never press someone who didn't want to share. She wondered if this reserved nature was a strength or a weakness.
In her dorm room, Kousei stood by the window, lost in thought. Having gleaned no useful information, she was waiting for calls from the other two.
Suddenly, darkness engulfed her vision. When clarity returned, a vivid crimson figure materialized before her eyes.
"Mother," Kousei whispered.
After many days, her mother's voice called to her again.
This time, the surrounding scenery was far clearer than before. Looking around, Kousei saw she was alone. This time, mother and daughter were truly alone, and Kousei recognized the place immediately.
The Tokyo Racetrack—the site of her most profound failure.
"Mother, why have you summoned me? And why bring me here?"
Her mother's lips barely moved as she pointed forward, though not directly at Kousei.
"Run."
Her mother's figure vanished abruptly, followed by a deafening roar of cheers. Kousei whirled around, the spotlights reflecting in her pupils.
She woke up, everything back to normal.
Standing by the window, her heart heavy with unease, Kousei couldn't shake the feeling that...
A storm was brewing.