With Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka's help, Mizuno soon arrived at the entrance to the academy's flowerbeds.
After exchanging a brief greeting with the gardener uncle resting by the pavilion, Mizuno once again stepped into the place that held more unpleasant memories than fond ones.
Long days and nights of research, endless data collection—and after all that effort, he hadn't even managed to witness the blooming of the ephemeral flower with his own eyes.
But worse than any of that had been the three terrifying Uma Musume—Symboli Rudolf, Tokai Teio, and Air Groove—who had lingered around him back then. One wrong move, and they might've devoured him whole without leaving a trace…
"Haa…" Mizuno exhaled softly as his gaze swept over the flowerbeds bursting with purple and crimson blossoms. He didn't want to dwell on the past, yet he couldn't help but feel a twinge of nostalgia.
After all, he had once lived here for half a month, tending the Ephemeral Bloom from seed to blossom for Air Groove's sake. It had almost become his second home.
Even if the memories weren't exactly pleasant, the place itself still held a strange sense of familiarity.
He just wondered—
Was that "home" still there?
"This is…"
As they made their way toward the old tent site, Mizuno noticed something that made him stop short.
In one corner of the garden, there used to be a small patch of withered carnations. He remembered the gardener uncle mentioning that it was Air Groove's personal flower plot. But after she had been shaken by that mysterious man, she'd lost her composure and abandoned everything—including those carnations—which had eventually withered away.
Now, that patch of lifeless brown had vanished, replaced by newly planted, vibrant carnations.
The soft petals swayed gently, radiating vitality and fragrance, as if reflecting the state of a certain Uma Musume's heart—once wilted, now quietly blooming again.
Mizuno didn't linger. He motioned for Vodka to keep pushing his wheelchair deeper into the garden.
Before long, they reached their destination—and the sight before him was far more stunning than the revived carnations.
Everywhere he looked—along the muddy paths, outside the wooden fences, across the greenhouse plots—sunflowers filled every inch of space.
Under the golden sunset, their petals gleamed like shards of amber, creating a vast, rippling sea of orange and gold.
The breathtaking beauty of the scene made Mizuno doubt for a second whether he'd somehow come to the wrong place.
But three familiar landmarks confirmed that this was indeed where he used to live.
The first was the small wooden hut he'd built to help the Ephemeral Bloom grow properly.
Now it had been dismantled, leaving only the wilted plant at its center—its drooping leaves patiently waiting for another bloom.
The second was the open patch where he and Air Groove had once successfully raised a sunflower together.
Unlike the Ephemeral Bloom, that sunflower still stood tall, its bright face turned toward the sunset, quietly awaiting the next dawn.
And the third—the tent he'd once called home.
It looked mostly the same, though clearly cared for: neatly arranged, with a soft carpet spread inside, and a sign hanging at the entrance that read:
[Important Private Territory—No Unauthorized Entry]
Next to it stood a drying rack lined with clothes—Tracen Academy's blue-and-white uniforms, pure white stockings, pale yellow pajamas, and… various pieces of women's underwear.
But amid that dazzling sea of flowers, what caught his attention most was the figure standing gracefully among the sunflowers.
A short-haired Uma Musume with a yellow ribbon tied to her left ear, her delicate eyeshadow a soft orange. In her hand, she held a green watering can decorated with a ladybug, gently watering the sunflowers.
Even in such a simple act, her posture was flawless—straight-backed, disciplined, commanding—as though her very presence urged the flowers: stand tall, stay bright.
Mizuno immediately recognized her.
"Air Groove?"
"Mizuno-san?!"
The moment that familiar voice reached her, Air Groove's slightly drooped ears perked up sharply, and she turned toward him.
When she saw him there, her ice-cold composure melted instantly. A genuine, radiant smile bloomed on her face—one that carried warmth and restrained joy, like a snow lotus opening under winter sunlight. It was dazzling against the field of sunflowers.
"Why are you here?" she asked, hurrying toward him—so quickly that she forgot the watering can still clutched in her hand.
"And… why are you in a wheelchair?" Concern clouded her expression as she crouched slightly, eyes searching his face.
Why had Mizuno-san ended up like the other trainers—crippled?
Could it be… had he already been Uma Pyoi'd by another Uma Musume?!
"Oh, I just fell down by accident. It's nothing serious…" Mizuno said hastily, trying to sound casual.
"Really?" Air Groove narrowed her eyes, setting the watering can aside.
Unlike most Uma Musume, she could tell when Mizuno was lying—just by looking into his eyes.
And right now, he was definitely lying.
"You really just fell down?" she pressed, brow furrowing.
"Erm… something like that…"
Another lie.
"I'll ask plainly—were you Uma Pyoi'd by someone else?!" Air Groove demanded suddenly, gripping his shoulders with both hands, her expression deadly serious—as if this question determined her entire fate.
"No! Absolutely not!" Mizuno shook his head so fast his hat nearly flew off.
For once, that was the truth.
"Phew…" Air Groove sighed with visible relief, pressing a hand to her chest.
So he hadn't been "claimed" yet. Which meant… her chance was still there.
"Air Groove, what are you doing here? Gardening?" Mizuno asked quickly, steering the topic elsewhere.
"Yes…" Air Groove's cheeks colored faintly. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, voice softening. "To be precise… I'm here on vacation."
"Vacation?" Mizuno blinked.
This garden didn't exactly scream "relaxing getaway." Aside from flowers, there wasn't much here to enjoy. What could she possibly find appealing about this place?
Still, it wasn't his business. He decided not to pry.
Instead, following his recent habit, he glanced up to check her intent indicator through the Intent Glasses.
Air Groove: Deep pink heart, 81/100.
"Huh?" Mizuno stiffened.
Why was Air Groove's score almost identical to El Condor Pasa's—over 80, proposal-level?!
He'd only spent a few days with her. How could her affection be that absurdly high?
Was every Uma Musume whose wish he fulfilled automatically marked at 80 or above?
He turned to look back at Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka's indicators—both still plain white triangles.
"Then… there must be another factor," Mizuno murmured, frowning in confusion.