A little while later, at Sensō-ji in Taito Ward, Tokyo—amid the sea of New Year's visitors, Yasui Makoto's mother, Misuzu, could not help widening her eyes and exclaiming in surprise, "There really are a lot of people in Tokyo..."
As she spoke, she turned to Kitasan Black and Almond Eye.
"Kita-chan, Almond-chan, you two need to be careful—don't go and lose me in the crowd."
By the time they arrived at Sensō-ji, Kitasan Black and Almond Eye had already learned through introductions that Kikō Misuzu had come specifically to see Yasui Makoto.
And since they had already agreed yesterday to visit Sensō-ji together today, after introducing themselves and chatting a bit, the whole group had come here as one.
Though they had not known her for long, Kitasan Black and Almond Eye had already realized that Yasui Makoto's mother did not put on any elder's airs.
Not only was she easygoing, she had a youthful way about her too—enough that she could chat with them without the slightest awkwardness.
So now, hearing the teasing note in Misuzu's voice, Kitasan Black could not help smiling before nodding quickly.
"Don't worry, Misuzu-nee—I definitely won't let you get lost!"
She had already grown used to calling her that, and perhaps because the form of address was so affectionate, she had finally shaken off the awkwardness from earlier.
After giving that assurance, she put on a confident smile and, like an experienced tour guide, pointed toward the temple and began introducing things with practiced familiarity.
"Look over there, Misuzu-nee—that's the purification pavilion. Before paying our respects, we wash our hands and rinse our mouths there first to show respect."
"And over there, where the smoke's rising—that's where people offer incense. We can go buy a few sticks and offer them in a bit."
"And after that, we'll head over to the offertory box. I've got coins with me, so we can make our prayers there."
With Kitasan Black explaining things as they went, the group moved slowly with the crowd, washing their hands, offering incense, and making their prayers in turn.
After praying, they headed to the place where fortunes were drawn. Kitasan Black stepped forward first, face full of excitement and anticipation, and reached into the box for a fortune slip.
The moment she opened it, her eyes lit up. She turned toward Yasui Makoto and the others and called out excitedly,
"I got a Great Blessing!"
Seeing how thrilled she was, both Yasui Makoto and Misuzu smiled, while Almond Eye hurried forward eagerly, just as excited and expectant as Kitasan Black had been.
Not long after, she happily held up her own slip for everyone to see.
"I'm not as lucky as Kita-senpai, but I got Blessing!"
After that, Yasui Makoto and Misuzu stepped forward and drew their own fortunes as well.
Like the two younger girls before her, Misuzu cheerfully opened hers and showed it around, smiling as she said, "I got Blessing too. Looks like everyone's luck is pretty good... What about you, Mako-chan? Don't drag the average down."
Hearing that, Yasui Makoto—who had just unfolded his slip—blanked for a second, then smiled in resignation and showed it to them.
"Mine's Small Blessing, but as long as it's not Misfortune or Great Misfortune, that's already pretty good."
Everyone was satisfied with the fortunes they had drawn.
After that, with Kitasan Black continuing to play tour guide, they headed to the area selling prayer goods and bought quite a few omamori charms, hamaya arrows, and other keepsakes.
And while they strolled around enjoying Sensō-ji's old-fashioned architecture and festive bustle, quite a few visitors recognized Kitasan Black among the crowd.
Some of her fans, the instant they recognized her, flushed bright red with excitement, their eyes shining as they hurried over.
"M-Ms. Kitasan Black, I'm a huge fan of yours! I-I... could I maybe take a picture with you?"
A bespectacled boy who looked to be in middle school held up his phone, his face full of hope.
Then a girl in a kimono with her hair in a bun thrust forward a pen and paper.
"Lady Kitasan! Could I please have your autograph? It would really mean the world to me! Please—this is the wish of a lifetime!"
At first, Kitasan Black looked a little surprised, as though she had not expected to run into such enthusiastic fans here.
But she quickly handled it all with surprising maturity.
First she accepted the pen and paper and carefully signed for the girl, every stroke earnest and deliberate.
Then she went to stand beside the bespectacled boy and smiled toward the camera for a photo with him.
After that came more autographs, more photos, and all sorts of little gifts pressed into her hands.
During all this, Kitasan Black noticed that Almond Eye at her side seemed a little at a loss. Along with nervousness, there was curiosity in her gaze—and envy, too. Kitasan Black's eyes shifted slightly, and she reached out to pull Almond Eye to her side with a smile.
"Everyone, let me introduce you—this is my kouhai, Almond Eye!"
"Why don't we take a picture together with Almond-chan too? She's a future star Umamusume!"
Then she turned her head, looked at Almond Eye, and smiled encouragingly.
"Almond-chan is definitely going to become a star one day—a truly amazing Umamusume. She'll win even more races and have even more fans."
"So you can just think of this... as practice in advance."
"Or is it that Almond-chan isn't that confident?"
Almond Eye had still been hesitating, but the moment Kitasan Black said that, she straightened up at once. Meeting the curious, expectant gazes around her, she nodded hard.
"I'm confident! I-I..."
She faltered for two beats, then looked at Kitasan Black beside her, and farther off at Yasui Makoto and Misuzu. Seeing the encouraging smiles on all their faces, she turned back to the gathered visitors and fans and raised her voice.
"My name is Almond Eye. I'm about to become a student at Tracen Academy, and once I debut..."
"I'm going to become an Umamusume even stronger and more outstanding than Kitasan Black-senpai—stronger and more outstanding than lots of senpai!"
A brief ripple of surprise passed through the crowd, and then it exploded into warm cheers and applause.
Standing off to the side, Yasui Makoto watched Kitasan Black and Almond Eye and lightly patted his left shoulder with his right hand, his heart full of quiet satisfaction.
He knew that although Kitasan Black had not yet formally begun her Senior-Year campaign, she had already without question grown into a mature and deeply charismatic Umamusume.
And under the example set by this senpai, Almond Eye too was beginning, faintly but unmistakably, to show a light all her own.
Watching the two Umamusume in the same direction, Kikō Misuzu clapped enthusiastically and sighed with feeling,
"Looks like Mako-chan really has been teaching them properly. That means I can go back and tell your father to stop worrying himself silly."
"I've obviously been taking it seriously. Dad just... really does worry too much."
Yasui Makoto answered offhandedly, shaking his head lightly.
"But they were already excellent to begin with."
"All I can really do is guide them and help them discover that excellence for themselves."
"Mm, that modest streak really does come from me."
She said it half-jokingly, half-seriously, but when she looked over at him, concern surfaced in Misuzu's eyes.
"That said, it's not exactly a good look when the trainer who's supposed to be guiding Umamusume gets injured himself."
"And then you deliberately hid it from home too, even lied and said you couldn't come back because you were too busy."
"If your father hadn't been so sharp-eyed and spotted right away that something was off with your arm at the URA gala, I'd still have thought nothing had happened to you."
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