"Here you go Here's the cake you ordered and the complimentary coffee. Two extra sugar cubes for you"
In the coffee shop at Tracen Academy, the horse girl named "Nice Nature" who worked there served Kitano and Mr. C.B. with a particularly bright smile. She seemed more enthusiastic than usual today, her spirits unusually high. It was unclear if it was because she was in a good mood, or if she felt that the atmosphere between the two before her would lead to something she had anticipated.
And it wasn't just her. Today, the circle of horse girls around Kitano and C.B., seemingly minding their own business but actually waiting for something to happen, were also filled with the same anticipation.
Everyone knew that this might be the only time in their lives they would see the constraints on these two completely lifted, the last chance for their pent-up emotions to erupt.
If they missed this day, then perhaps from now on, this perfect pair that could even defeat the "Emperor," this truly unbeatable combination in all of Japan... would probably go their separate ways for good. And they would never be able to witness the moment when the most sincere feelings in the world could have a result.
"...And so, our story comes to an end."
Finally, C.B., now unburdened, looked much more relaxed than before. A faint smile graced her lips. She didn't seem to regret leaving the racetrack for good, but rather felt a sincere sense of release from the fate that had bound her.
From the day she stepped onto the racetrack, bearing the title "child of sin," she was destined to run to prove her abilities. The girl who wanted to stand at the peak of Japan and slap all those with malicious intent in the face had finally realized her dream, standing at the top of Japan.
The first Undefeated Triple Crown... the victor of the showdown with the "Emperor"... the Five-Crown winner... All these achievements had left her with no regrets. She no longer needed to prove anything.
Without the pressure, without a reason to run for anyone anymore, C.B. knew that this day had finally come.
This wind that had lingered by his side for three years... it was time to say goodbye to her spring.
"...What are your plans after this, C.B.?"
Kitano was a bit quiet today. This trainer, who knew her no less than her own parents, had probably also sensed the decision she was about to make.
But he still insisted on bringing her to this coffee shop they frequented on this day. This place held all their heartfelt conversations and memories. He had planned her races here; she had advised him to let go of his past here; he had decided to protect everything about her here; and she had personally put a ring on his finger here.
All their memories began here. And whether what came next was a continuation or an end, they both tacitly chose to make their choice here.
"Me... I'll probably travel alone," C.B. said with a nonchalant smile. Her expression was a bit dazed. She just looked down at the reflection in her coffee. At this moment, she felt no emotional turmoil, as if she had seen through everything, completely reconciled with the world.
"I've been running here for three years. I want to let it all go and see the world on my own."
"...A good idea." Upon hearing her answer, Kitano was silent for a moment, then forced a gratified smile and nodded in approval. "You should live for yourself for once, C.B."
"...Yes."
However, having already made up her mind to leave this warm spring, when she didn't hear any words of persuasion from him, she couldn't help but feel a pang of bitterness... But she didn't show this momentary vulnerability. Instead, she smiled as easily as ever. "You've reconciled with Rudolf, haven't you, Mr. Trainer?"
"C.B.? You..."
"I know. You're too easy to read, Mr. Trainer. I guessed it from the moment I saw you looking at that pendant with such a sad expression."
For the first time, C.B. brought up Rudolf in front of him. And at what she considered the right moment, she chose to break this final barrier, as a source of courage and impulse for her to leave this spring that she was surrendering to.
I really should leave. While I have no more conflicts with this world, no more constraints, I should return to that time of being alone as soon as possible.
Don't... no, she couldn't dare to surrender to it again. Otherwise, it would be very painful, that suffocating pain, that heart-wrenching feeling. Don't let her experience it again.
Let's just stop here. Let's just... forget everything.
"Mr. Trainer, the day before Rudolf left for her expedition, you gave her the expedition plan you had prepared long ago, right?"
"That plan... it probably wasn't made for me, was it? I saw you were very busy the past few days. It must have been to rush out that plan, right?"
"—Don't look like that, Mr. Trainer. I'm not blaming you, nor am I jealous."
Faced with Kitano, who seemed to want to explain something, his face full of difficulty, C.B. chose to avoid his explanation—she was afraid that if he spoke again, she would be pulled back from the edge into that gentle embrace, just like before. She was afraid that if she didn't make up her mind now, she might never be able to leave.
Therefore, at this moment of farewell, C.B. chose to lie... This was the first time she had lied. Her mood was calm, her heart as still as water. She told the lie as calmly as if it were the truth, hiding all her feelings. "You did the right thing. After all, you have to live for yourself from now on."
"You've been looking for new charges recently, haven't you, Mr. Trainer? I saw their files. Isn't that great?"
"I told you... I'm the freest wind. No one... can bind me."
In the end, C.B. uttered words that even deceived her own heart. She thought that when she said this, her heart would struggle, would be in agony, that she would be like the heroines in romance novels, unable to deceive her own heart and cry out... followed by a confession of her true feelings, a happy ending for all.
...But none of that happened. C.B. only felt an unprecedented calm in her heart. Her heartbeat was so steady that it made her doubt herself—Did I really ever care about this man?
Then why... why does my heart feel nothing at all right now? She didn't feel sad, didn't feel sorrowful. Her soul was like a pool of stagnant water, without a single ripple.
Could it be that the mental preparation I've been doing for so long, for this separation, has finally taken effect? Can I really bear to return to a life of being alone after being separated from him?
Is it all... really that simple?
"—I understand."
But just as C.B. was questioning herself, Kitano, before her, accepted this proposal with an unexpected composure. He gave her a very gratified smile, a smile... that seemed to be encouraging, to be approving of the decision she had made.
And in that moment, the coffee shop, which had been filled with an ambiguous atmosphere, fell into a dead silence... Everyone understood that this pair, which countless people had hoped for, had yearned for, this pair with an incredibly sincere bond, had, from this day on, announced the end of their relationship.
From now on, there would be no more of that enviable "unbeatable perfect pair" in the world, only two people who had gone their separate ways, living only for themselves... It was all so calm and smooth that it felt unreal.
"...But, if you're willing, I have one small thing I'd like to do with you, C.B."
"Let's just say it's the last thing we do together before we go our separate ways."
Now, having parted ways with his closest charge, his first charge, Kitano didn't say any words of persuasion. Instead, he chose to, together with C.B., put a perfect end to it all.
...
"A ginkgo tree? So, the last thing you want to do with me, Mr. Trainer, is to plant this ginkgo tree?"
In the garden of C.B.'s home, she had already dug a deep pit for the ginkgo tree. Such physical labor was clearly not suitable for a seriously ill patient like Kitano. And though C.B. didn't understand what her trainer wanted to do, she was still very solemn about this last thing they would do together—she didn't want to leave any regrets at the end.
"Of course not," Kitano said, gently shaking his head. He picked up a small wooden box from the side. The box was not exquisitely made, but it looked particularly durable and sturdy. He looked at the box and said, word by word, "C.B., I once read that a person's death is divided into three stages. The first is the death of his body. The second is the funeral, which represents the death of his social identity... The third is when everyone has forgotten his existence, when no one remembers him anymore. Then this person is declared completely dead from this world."
"I will also experience this feeling one day... So, as a symbol of the end of our relationship, let's each put something important to us in this box and bury it together with this ginkgo tree."
"Speaking of which... I'm actually not very confident that I won't still think of you, C.B., even if I take on other children in the future."
"So I think, the day this box in the soil is corroded, and our important things are corroded along with it, will be the day we completely forget each other... I'm sorry, am I being a bit strange?"
"—Of course not, Mr. Trainer. This is very meaningful."
However, when Kitano proposed this "burial of feelings," C.B., after a moment of stunned silence, was particularly in agreement with his decision. Their thoughts coincided. He wanted her to forget this self who would sooner or later face death. She also wanted... to escape this spring that would disappear at any moment.
Let's just bury their feelings, all the words they wanted to say, in the soil, to be corroded and forgotten along with the growth of this ginkgo tree.
"So, do we need to prepare anything?"
"No... I've already chosen what to bury."
The two, their thoughts aligned, tacitly turned their backs to each other. They silently clutched the mementos they were going to bury in their hands. They didn't turn around, didn't make a sound. They just reached back and slowly placed their respective mementos into the box together...
Until the lid was closed, C.B.'s slightly trembling body finally couldn't hold back and turned around...
Her trembling eyes keenly noticed that the ring she had personally put on his left middle finger was now gone... His finger still had the mark left by the ring, but with the passage of time, this mark would also slowly fade, until it was gone.
And C.B.... she hadn't actually put any memento in that box. What she had buried in that box was only her memories... These memories, along with him placing the ring she had personally put on his finger into it, were now completely buried in the soil.
Her heart was as still as water. She got her wish. She could finally... forget him.
-------
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